Batata wada

Ingredients:

Potatoes 2 big

Besan (gram flour) 3/4th cup
Asafoetida(hing) a pinch

Turmeric a pinch

Green chillies 3

lemon juice 1/4th tea spoon
Mustard seeds 1/4th tea spoon
Coriander leaves 2-3 strands
Curry leaves 4-5
Oil
Salt as per taste

Method:

1.Cut the potatoes into half and cook with a pinch of turmeric. Peel and mash with hand.
2. Heat 1 tea spoon oil and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add asafoetida, green chillies and curry leaves, fry for sometime. Add the mashed potatoes, salt, finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Remove from flame.
3.In a bowl mix besan, chilli powder, salt, lemon jiuce with sufficient water to make a thick paste.
4.Heat oil in a kadai. Take a ball of potato mixture, dip it in the besan paste so that there is a thick layer of besan paste on potato ball and deep fry in oil. Fry till it gets a slight brown color. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Palak Bhaji - Spinach Pakora

Ingredients

• ½ cup gram flour (besan)
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Water to make batter

• About 30 fresh spinach leaves
• Oil to fry

Method

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together: besan, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and salt. Rice flour adds to the crispness.
2. Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter (batter should be thin consistency).
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat.
4. To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in oil. The batter should come up but not change color right away.
5. Dip the spinach leaf into the batter one at a time, making sure it is covered by the batter completely. Then, slowly drop in the slices into the frying pan.
6. Fry the pakoras, it will take about 2 to 3 minutes to cook.
7. Turn them occasionally. Fry the pakoras until both sides are golden-brown.
8. The crispy, delicious pakoras are now ready to serve.
   

Rawa Dosa - Indian Snack

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fine semolina (fine Sooji)
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
• 1 green chilly finely chopped
• Approx. 2 cups of water

1. Mix all three flours including semolina, rice flour and all-purpose flour. Make a thin batter using little water at a time and avoiding any lumps. Batter should have pouring consistency like buttermilk.
2. Add all other ingredients to the batter including cumin seeds, salt, asafetida, cilantro and green chili. Mix it well. Let the batter stand for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat the skillet on medium high. To check if skillet is ready sprinkle few drops of water over skillet water should sizzle. Wipe the skillet with few drops of oil.
4. Pour the batter with ladle on the skillet in a circular motion till it covers the whole skillet.
5. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of oil around dosa.
6. Cook Dosa over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until Dosa becomes golden brown. Then turn the Dosa using spatula.
7. Let Dosa cook for about 1 minute from other side. Dosa will be golden brown on one side and light color on other side.
8. Thin and crispy Rava Dosa is ready to serve.

Mushroom Fried Rice - Indo Chinese recipe

 Ingredients :

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Mushrooms - 200 grams
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 3/4 cup finely chopped
Garlic - 2 1/2 tbsp minced
Green chilli - 1 finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Carrots- 1/4 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup
Spring onion greens - 2 tbsp finely chopped
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Chilli sauce -2-3 tsp (red chilli sauce or green chilli sauce)
Salt and pepper powder to taste

Soak basmati rice for 20 minutes, drain the water completely and cook with 1 3/4 cup of water and a little salt. Cook it in such a way that each grains are separate. 

Clean mushrooms, pat it dry and cut it into  pieces.

Finely chop ginger, garlic, green chilli and onions.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan, add onions, garlic and saute until onions turn transparent.

Add finely chopped ginger, green chillies, spring onion greens and saute for a few more seconds.

Add mushrooms and cook until mushroom becomes soft. Add carrots and green peas.

Then add cooked rice, soya sauce, chilli sauce, salt, pepper powder and saute in high flame for 2 minutes.

Switch off the flame and garnish with spring onion greens.

"Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body."
Marcus Tullius Cicero

Nan Khatai - Indian Eggless Cookie

Nan Khatai is a soft and melt in mouth cookie. It can be enjoyed with tea or even it tastes good on its own. Here’s what is required for Nan Khatai:

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter – 1 stick (1/2 cup, 4 oz) at room temperature
Powdered Sugar – 1/2 cup
Nutmeg Powder – 1/4 tsp
Cardamom Powder – 1/4 tsp
All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 1 cup
Baking Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F or 150 degress C.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar (little at a time) with the softened butter until mixture is light and creamy.
2. Add Nutmeg Powder and Cardamom Powder and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift All Purpose Flour with Baking Powder and Salt.
4. Combine Flour mixture (little at a time) with Butter Mixture to form a soft dough.
5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Knead dough once again and divide into 12 equal portions.
7. Roll each portion into a smooth ball with no cracks and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax/parchment paper or lightly greased foil. Leave ample space between dough balls.
8. Bake on the middle rack for 22-25 minutes (keep a close eye – nan khatai should remain white).
9. Remove from oven and let the nan khatai cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before eating.
10. Store in an air tight container at room temperature.