Adai

Everyone in my house loves dosas and idlis. This creates a nice variation. It can be a one dish meal (which is very important to me as it saves a lot of time) and is healthy enough to not need anything else. My kids like it as they don't see any veggies anywhere. So all in all a good healthy dish which can be made every other day.

Preparation Time: 5-6 hours (includes soaking time)
Cooking Time: 5 min
Serves: 4-5

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Ingredients: 1 cup rice 1/2 cup Channa dal 1/2 cup Tuar dal 1/2 cup Urad Dal 1/2 cup Moong Dal 1 onion 8-10 curry leaves 4-5 Cilantro sprigs 1 pinch Hing 1/2 " ginger green chillies to taste 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds (optional) salt to taste oil for pan frying

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Method:

1. Soak all the dals and rice together for about 5-6 hours
2. Cut all the vegetables coarsly.
3. Grind all of the above in a grinder with a little water. Do not add too much water. The consistency is a little thicker than dosa.
4. Spread a ladle of batter on a heated pan. Sprinkle a little oil all around the sides and little on it. Flip it once to cook the other side. Note: I like to spread them a little thick as it comes out soft.
5. Servce with chutneys or pickle or curd.

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Tips You can add more veggies like carrots and spinach when grinding to make it healthier. You can add grated coconut to the batter for a little variation.

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Muruku

My friend had made these murukus this year for Diwali. They were so soft and crunchy... I just had to learn how to make them. This is the recipe from my friend. I still have to try them out.

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time:
Serves:

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Ingredients: 1 can Progresson/Goya Garbanzo beans 3 tblsp melted butter 1 tsp ajwain 1 tsp sesame seeds red chilli powder to taste salt to taste 1 1/2 cup rice flour oil for deep frying

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Method:

1. Blend beans with the water in the can.
2. Add melted butter, sesame seeds, red chilli powder, ajwain and salt to the bean paste.
3. Add rice flour and knead to a soft dough. This should happen effortlessly and quickly.
4. Put some of it in the muruku mold and extrude in oil to deep fry. Give it the shape of a spiral as you extrude. Ensure that the heat is medium high and not too high.

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Papdi Chaat

Preparation Time: 1/2 - 1 hr
Cooking Time: 15-20 min
Serves:

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Ingredients: Papdi 3 boiled potatoes 1 cup boiled chana or 1 can Garbanzo beans 1/2 cup chopped Onion 1/4 cup chopped Coriander Leaves 2 chopped Green Chilli - optional salt to taste 2 tsp Chaat masala 6 tblsp sweetened curd 6 tblsp Tamarind Chutney 6 tblsp Coriander and Mint Chutney 1/2 cup Sev

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Method:

1. You can either make papdi or use store bought ones.
2. Break potatoes into small pieces coarsly with hand. Do not mash.
3. Mix potatoes, Garbanzo beans, onion, green chilli, coriander leaves, salt and chaat masala.
4. Arrange papdi in a plate.
5. Top it with potato mixture, a drop of mint chautney, a drop of curd, a drop of tamarind chutney and 1/4 tsp sev.

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Malai Kofta

This is one dish that I always ordered when we went out dining back in India. We knew which restaurants served good Malai Kofta and we would always go to those only because if this dish is good there, then other dishes ought to be good.

I never thought I could make restaurant style Malai Koftas at home. Then I came across this recipe and my mom gave me some suggestions for modifying it. I made a lot of changes based on my experience, and it turned out amazing. I agree it takes time to make this one, but once in a while its worth it.

Preparation Time: 25-30 min
Cooking Time: 40-45 min
Serves: 4-5 (makes 12 Koftas)

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Ingredients: For Koftas: Makes about 8-10 koftas 2 large Potatoes, boiled and mashed 1 slice bread crumbs - for binding (you can take a bread slice and churn it for 1-2sec in a mixer) 2-3 tblsp grated Khoya 1 tblsp Cashews, chopped into small pieces - optional 1 tblsp Raisins - optional Oil for deep frying 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Salt to taste For Gravy Khas-khas Paste 1 tsp Khas-khas, soaked for 4-5 hrs 1 tblsp Cashews Onion Paste 1 large Onion, chopped into 4 1 inch ginger 3-4 Garlic Cloves Tomato Paste 2-3 Tomatoes, chopped into 4 1 tbsp Oil/Ghee 1 tsp garam masala Salt to taste milk as per consistency Grated paneer for garnish 1 tsp Cream for decoration

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Method:

Make Koftas

1. Mix potatoes, bread crumbs, garam masala and salt to make a uniform mixture. Make a small ball and deep fry it to check if it stays together. If not, add some more bread crumbs. Remember not to add too much bread as the koftas will get hard.
2. Take some cashew, 1 raisin along with a little khoya and make small round balls with this.
3. Make small balls with the potato mixture. Flatten it a little and place the khoya ball within it, and roll the potato mixture all over it. Basically you are making a khoya ball wrapped with potato mixture. Shape it into an oval. Press it tight.
4. Deep fry these balls on medium-high heat till golden brown. They get brown very quickly...so keep a watch so as not to burn. Put only 4-5 koftas in one time. Do not put too many as if they stick to one another, then they tend to break.
5. Transfer fried koftas onto a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Make Gravy

1. Make onion, tomato and Khas-khas pastes.
2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan and fry the onion paste for 5-7 min.
3. Add Khas-khas paste and fry for another 2-3 min.
4. Add tomato paste and fry for 5-7 min till the ghee separates.
5. Add turmeric, salt and garam masala and let it cook for another 5 min. If the gravy is thick add whole milk slowly till desired consistency is achieved.

Serve

When serving, place koftas in the serving tray in a single layer, pour hot gravy over the koftas. Garnish with grated paneer and a little cream. Serve with paranthas / naan / kulcha.

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Punjabi Kadhi

This is Punjabi Kadhi with a spicy twist. I ate this Kadhi at my friends home and it was very yummy. My husband went on and on about how yummy it was and asking me to make it. So I finally got down to taking the recipe from her and making it. It turned out equally yummy.... so give it a try...

Preparation Time: 5-15 min
Cooking Time: 30-40 min
Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients: For Pakora 1 cup besan 1/2 onion, chopped fine 1/2 tsp grated ginger 1/4 tsp Ajwain 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder Red Chilli powder to taste 1/4 tsp Garam Masala Salt to taste For Kadhi 2 cups yoghurt 4-5 cups water 1 cup besan 1 Onion, chopped fine 1 Tomato, chopped fine 1 tsp Tamarind Paste, mixed with 1/2 cup water 6-7 curry leaves 1 tsp Rai / Mustard 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds 1 tsp Dhaniya powder 3 tsp Garam Masala 2 tsp Fenugreek powder 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder Red Chilli powder to taste salt to taste For Tempering 1 tsp ghee 1/2 tsp jeera 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder

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Method:

Make Pakoras

1. Mix all ingredients under Pakora along with a little water to make a very thick batter. Pour water very slowly as it thins quickly.
2. Make small pakoras with hand and deep fry them till crispy. Keep aside.

Make Kadhi

1. Mix yoghurt, besan, water, a pinch Turmeric, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well to form a smooth mixture. Ensure there are no lumps. Leaving it for around 1/2 hour breaks the smaller lumps. Keep aside.
2. Heat 1 tblsp oil in a deep pan. Add jeera and rai and let it crackle.
3. Add curry leaves and red chilli powder to the above. Add onions and fry till golden brown.
4. Add tomato and fry for 4-5 min.
5. Add tamarind paste to the pan and let it boil for 4-5 min.
6. Add turmeric powder, dhaniya powder, garam masala and salt and fry for a few minutes.
7. Add the yoghurt mixture made earlier and let it boil for 15-18 min. Keep stirring to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom.
8. If you feel the kadhi is too thick, add some more water.
9. Add pakoras and fenugreek powder and let it boil for another 5 min.
10. Just before serving, temper it with a spoon of ghee, jeera and red chilli powder.
11. Serve with Rice and papad.

Bambino

Preparation Time: 5-15 min
Cooking Time: 10-15 min
Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients: 2 cups Bambino 3 cups water 1 cup vegetables (depending on taste - peas, beans, carrots, corn etc) 1 Onion, chopped fine 4-5 Garlic slices - grated/paste 1-2 inch Ginger - grated/paste 1/2 tsp Jeera 1/2 tsp rai 1 tblsp Oil

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Method:

1. Shallow fry bambino till it turns light brown. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and rai and let it crackle.
3. Saute onions till transluscent.
4. Add vegetables and cook till soft.
5. Add bambino and mix.
6. Heat water in a separate pan and add it to bambino mixture. Add Ginger and Garlic. Let it boil stirring in between.
7. Serve hot.

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Tips I use frozen mixed vegetables. It saves time in cutting vegetables.

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Thai Red Curry

Cooking Thai is becoming a weekly affair at my home. My husband likes Thai, my daughters love Tofu and I love this nice variation which is also yummy. Cooking Thai is very much like cooking Indian food, the only difference is using Thai curry pastes instead of the Indian spices. It has vegetables in a coconut base with Thai spices that are already added to the pastes. You can either make your own paste or use tore bought ones. The spices used in the paste give it a subtle hot and salty, sweet and sour taste. The consistency of its sauce varies with the amount of coconut milk used. The coconut milk also aids in reducing the spice. So if you like less spicy - add more coconut milk and vice-versa.

Preparation Time: 5-15 min
Cooking Time: 10-15 min
Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients: 1-2 tblsp Thai Red Curry Paste (Brand I use: Thai Kitchen) 3-4 cups mixed vegetables (green, red and yellow bell pepper, broccoli, carrots) Extra firm Tofu (I like baked tofu) 1 onion, chopped in big pieces (I like bigger chunks) 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (its fine without this too) 2-3 tblsp soy sauce 1-2 cans coconut milk - depending on how mild you like your curry, or how much sauce you prefer 2 tblsp oil salt to taste

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Method:

1. Wrap tofu between 2 paper towels and press it firmly using something heavy like a chopping board to drain soaked in water. Leave it like this for about 15-30 min.

2. Chop tofu and bake if you would like.

3. Heat oil in pan and stir fry onions.

4. Add red curry paste and fry on medium heat till fragrant - about 3-4 min. You can add a little water to stop from sticking to pan.

5. Add veggies, tofu and let cook on slow heat till done. Add coconut milk, and bring to a boil.

6. Adjust Thai paste and coconut milk based on how you like it. Boil a few more minutes. If running short on coconut milk, you can add water to increase gravy.

7. Stir in basil leaves.

8. Serve this curry with any rice, or your choice of noodles.

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