Bow Pasta

Preparation :15 mins
Cook :8 mins
Total TIme :38 mins
Servings :Makes 3 servings

Ingredents :

3 cups cooked farfalle (bow pasta)

For The Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Sauce
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup pinenuts (chilgoza) or walnuts (akhrot)
1 tsp chopped garlic (lehsun)
1 tsp chilli powder
4 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup milk
salt to taste

For The Garnish
1 tbsp finely chopped celery (ajmoda)

For Serving
garlic bread

Method :

For the sun-dried tomato pesto sauce
For the sun-dried tomato pesto sauceSoak the sun-dried tomatoes in ½ cup of warm water in a bowl for 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside.Lightly roast the pinenuts in a broad non-stick pan for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, pinenuts or walnuts, garlic, chilli powder and olive oil and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste.Transfer the paste into the same broad non-stick pan, add the fresh cream, milk and salt, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
How to proceed
How to proceedJust before serving, re-heat the sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, add the farfalle, toss gently and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.Garnish with celery and serve immediately with garlic bread.
Handy tip:
Handy tip:If walnuts are used for making the sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, dry roasting can be omitted at step 2.

Ginger-lemon Soup

Preparation :10 mins
Cook :15 mins
Total TIme :25 mins
Servings :Makes 1 to 2 servings

Ingredents :

1 tbsp butter
a pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)
2” piece ginger (adrak). sliced and julienne
crushed pepper to taste
1 lemon
1 tbsp plain flour (maida) , dissolved in 3 tbsp water
1 lemon
5 to 6 mint leaves (phudina)
1 carrot , diced

Method :

Heat the butter in a deep pan, add the turmeric powder and 2 tbsp water or vegetable stock.Add the ginger and bring to a boil.Add the maida paste and pepper and mix well.Add the lemon zest, mix well and remove from the flame.Strain and keep aside.Just before serving, heat the soup, add the lemon juice and mint juice and garnish with ginger juliennes and carrots.Serve hot.

Cheesy Mushroom Coriander Soup

Preparation :10 mins
Cook :20 mins
Total TIme :30 mins
Servings :Makes 4 servings

Ingredents :

200 gms mushrooms (khumbh) , sliced
2 onions , chopped
2 tbsp butter
80 gms grated processed cheese
2 tbsp cornflour , dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
2 cups milk
2 cups water
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
salt and freshly ground black pepper powder to taste

Method :

Heat the butter in a pressure cooker, add the onions and saute for 1 minute.Add the mushrooms, mix well and saute for more 2 minutes.Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.Cool and bring the soup to boil.Add the milk gradually, while stirring continuously and mix well.Add the cornflour paste, mix well and boil for more 3 minutes.Add the cheese and coriander and serve hot.

Shahi Paneer

Preparation:null
Cook: null
Total Time: 0 mins
Servings:

Ingredients

5 to 6 tomatoes
400 gms paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 capsicum, deseeded
ginger-green chilli paste
degi mirch to taste
250 gms fresh cream
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar

Method

Churn the tomatoes.Cut capsicum in small pcs.Put v.lil oil in a non stik pan.Add chilli&ginger paste.now add tomatoe puree and let it cook till it leaves the sides Now add cream and cook .u can add degi mirch to give a nice colour.Just before serving add paneer pieces(cut according to choice)Add salt and sugar and cook for anothr minute .Serve with paratha"}]

Moong Dal Chutney

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Servings: Makes 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

4 tbsp yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
1 slit green chilli
2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1 tbsp sesame (til) oil

Method

Clean and wash the moong dal and soak it for 15 minutes.Then add salt, asafoetida, green chillies and blend in a mixer to a paste with lemon juice and little water (if required).Add oil and mix well.Serve as required.

Palak Kootu

Preparation:20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups chopped spinach (palak)
1/2 cup moong dal (split green gram)
6 tbsp freshly grated coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
3 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
a few curry leaves (kadi patta)
4 tsp oil
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

Method

Combine the moong dal and spinach and pressure cook the for 3 whistles. Keep aside.Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadhai and add the coconut, cumin seeds and red chillies and saute for few seconds.Cool and blend in a mixer, using little water, till smooth.Heat 2 tsp oil in pan and add the mustard seeds , cumin seeds and the curry leaves.When the seeds crackle, add the cooked spinach and moong dal and mix well.Add the turmeric powder and salt, mix well and bring the mixture to boil.Add the prepared paste and boil for few more minutes.Serve hot with rice and papad.

Lehsuni Papad ki Sabzi

Preparation:5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: Makes 4 to 5 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp garlic (lehsun) paste
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
5 roasted papad , broken into small pieces.

For The Garnish
1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

Heat the oil in pan and add the cumin seeds.When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida and garlic paste and saute for a few minutes.Add the salt, turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder, mix well and saute for a minute.Add the 1/4 cup water and bring it to boil.Add the papads and cook for 2 minutes.Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Bhoona Khichdi

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: Makes 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

For The Khichdi
1/2 cup moong (whole green gram) dal
1 1/2 cups long grained rice (basmati)
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
1/4 cup green peas
1/2 cup potato cubes
3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp cashewnut
2 tbsp raisins (kismis)
pinch of sugar
4 cups of water

For The Tempering
2 tbsp oil
2 chopped green chillies
1 tsp chopped ginger (adrak)
1 tsp panch phoran powder
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)

Method

Soak the rice for 30 minutes.Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan, add the peanuts, cashew, raisins, and fry for 2 minutes on a high flame.When they starts to get brown,take out of the oil and keep aside.Add the remaining oil and ghee(more ghee,more he taste) in the pan.When oil is hot, add the panch phoron.When it splutters, add the ginger,green chillies and tej patta. Stir for a minute.Now add the cauliflower florets,potato cubes and green peas. Add a little salt to it and stir for 3-4 minutes until gets a little soft.Then add the moong dal and drained rice to the pan. Add turmeric and salt to taste. Stir the rice and dal to coat evenly with oil/ghee for 2-3 minutes.Now add the water. Cook with the lid on for 15-20 minutes until the water is soaked.After 5 minutes, add a pinch of sugar. The sugar helps the dal to get cooked well.When the water is soaked, stir the khichdi once and check if the vegeatables are boiled enough.Switch off the heat and keep the lid on for 10 minutes.Serve hot with papad,pakoda,sabji or fish fry.

Urad Dal With Onions

Preparation:5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

2 cups urad dal (split black lentils)
1/4 cup water
salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
a pinch turmeric powder (haldi)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
a few curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

Method

Pressure cook the dal till two whistles.When the steam escapes take out the dal from the cooker and keep aside.Take a kadhai, put oil in it.When oil becomes hot, put mustard seeds and when mustard seeds crackle add turmeric powder, hing , curry leaves and onion.Then saute until they become light brown in colour.Then add salt, chilly powder , roasted coriander powder and the cooked urad dal.Mix well and cook for a minute.Serve hot with chapati or jowar roti.

Brinjal Dal

Preparation:10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Servings: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup cooked vaal (field beans/ butter beans)
1/2 cup chopped brinjal (baingan / eggplant)
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
1 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp grated jaggery (gur)
2 kokam
1 tsp chopped green chillies
1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
a few curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 cup chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

Heat the ghee in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for 10 seconds.Add the brinjal and saute for few minutes.Add the mashed dal, 2 cups water and the remaining ingredients, mix well and boil for atleast 10 minutes.Serve hot garnished with coriander.Serve hot with rice, papap and pickle.

Mushroom and Lentil Soup

Preparation:10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 cup blanched and pureed mushrooms
1 cup spinach (palak) puree
1 cup boiled moong dal paste
1/4 cup chopped paneer (cottage cheese)
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) powder to taste
roasted cumin seeds (jeera) powder to taste
water to adjust the consistency
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

To Garnish
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

Combine all the ingredients for soup in a kadhai, mix well and bring to boil.Prepare the tempering and pour it in the kadhai.Add seasoning and water as per the desired consistency.Garnish it with coriander and serve it with khakra and biscuits.

Tomato Sambhar

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Servings: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
a few sprig curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tbsp chopped green chillies
3-4 medium sized onion , sliced
5-6 medium sized tomato , chopped
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 cup finely chopped coriander (dhania)

To Be Grounded Into A Paste
1 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
1 cinnamon (dalchini)
1/4 cup roasted chana dal (daria)

Method

Heat oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds.When the seeds crackle add the curry leaves, fennel seeds, green chillies and saute for few seconds.Add the onions and fry till they are translucent.Add the tomatoes and fry till water comes out and the tomatoes cooked well.Add the salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well.Add the grounded paste and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or till the raw smell fades away.Add desired water for sambhar consistency and let boil.When it boils well, remove from the flame add the coriander and cover the kadhai with the lid immediately.Leave it for 20 minutes so that the coriander flavour is completely enhanced in the sambhar.Mix well and serve hot with crispy dosa.

Tender Coconut Payasam

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: Makes 1 to 1.25 litres

Ingredients

1 whole tender coconut
400 ml sweetened condensed milk
1 ltr whole milk

Method

Blend the tender coconut in a mixer to a smooth paste. Keep aside.Bring the milk to boil in a deep pan, add the coconut paste, while stirring continuously and mix well.Add the condensed milk and mix well and cook till the milk becomes thick and the coconut is cooked.Serve hot.

Grape Cranberry Smoothie

Preparation :5 mins
Cook :0 mins
Total Time :5 mins
Servings :Makes 2 big glasses (2 big glass )

Ingredients :

1 cup chilled black grapes
1/4 cup chilled cranberry juice
1/4 cup chilled fresh curds (dahi)
1/2 cup vanilla ice-cream
2 tbsp roughly chopped bananas
2 tbsp sugar

For The Topping
4 tbsp crushed ice

Method :

Combine the cranberry juice, curds, vanilla ice-cream, black grapes, banana and sugar and blend in a juicer till the mixture is smooth and frothy.Pour equal quantities of the smoothie into 2 individual glasses.Serve immediately topped with 2 tbsp of crushed ice in each glass.