YELLOW LENTILS WITH RAW MANGO

Ingredients

-2 cups dal
-1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 6 tbsp Ghee / Clarified butter
-1 Raw mango peeled and cut into slices )
 - 5 Dry red chilies
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Heeng
 - 1 tsp red chili powder
 - salt to taste
 - fresh coriander for garnishing

Method

Wash the dal and put it in a pressure cooker along with raw mango slices,and salt to taste add turmeric powder and 8 cups of water and cook it till done
Mash the dal slightly with the back of a ladle.
Heat ghee in a small pan and when the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and heeng.
When the seeds starts to splatter, switch off the heat.
Add dry red chilies and red chili powder.Pour the tadka in the dal and garnish with fresh coriander.

SHAKARKANDI - SOOJI HALWA

Ingredients

2 sweet potato
10 tbsp Ghee , divided
25 Cashew nuts
25 Golden raisins
1 1/2 cup  Semolina
6 cups water
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
pinch salt
1 cup Sugar plus 4 tbsp (or more as per sweetness desired)

Method

Boil, peel and mash the sweet potato to make at least 2 cup of mashed sweet potato and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a  deep skillet. Fry the cashews and raisins till golden and plump. Remove and set aside.
Heat another 2 tablespoon of ghee and add the semolina and roast on medium-low heat till semolina is toasted. Remove and set aside.
Heat your 6 tablespoon of ghee and add the mashed sweet potatoes. Fry it on medium heat  for  5 minutes, stirring all the while.
While you do this, start boiling the water in another saucepan.
Add the roasted semolina to the sweet potato and mix well and add the boiling hot water, salt and cardamom powder. Give it a stir, lower the heat and let it cook till the water is almost absorbed, for 3-4 minutes.
When the semolina is cooked and almost all water is absorbed, add sugar and stir well.  Stir for a couple of minutes till all moisture is evaporated.
Add the last tablespoon of ghee and mix well.
 Give it a few stirs, till you see the halwa leave the sides of the pan. Tip in the fried cashews and raisins.
Serve halwa hot, warm or cold as per your preference. .

COTTAGE CHEESE CROQUETTES WITH APPLE CHILI SAUCE

Ingredients cottage cheese croquettes

1 cup minced onion
2  tbsp. oil
4 cups cottage cheese
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups soft whole wheat bread crumbs
3 - 31/2  cups dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
2  tbsp. McKay's chicken seasoning
4  tbsp. yeast flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt

Method

Saute onion in oil until soft.
Mix all remaining ingredients with onion.
Place mixture in refrigerator to form for 1 hour.
Form into croquettes and place in oiled baking dish.
Place in 350 degree oven until croquettes are brown.

 For apple chili sauce

0,500  kg  tomatoes, after peeled
0,500 kg  sliced apples, after peeled
 1  onion
0,250 g  light brown sugar
0,250 ml vinegar
1/2  tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Chopped hot pepper or dry hot pepper
1/2  tsp. cloves or mixed spice
1/4  tsp. ginger or any other spice you would like

Method

Boil 2 1/2 hours or until thick. Can and seal.

GINGER TEA

Ingredients 

24 thin slices fresh ginger ( pounded with mortar or rolling pin) 
2  Tbs. honey or to taste 

Method 

 Put ginger and 6 cups water in small saucepan, and bring to a boil. 
 Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
 Strain out ginger slices and discard or reserve for another use. 
 Stir in honey, and serve hot. 

PESHAWARI CHOLE

Ingredients

for cooking chickpeas

2 cup dried white chickpeas
5 cups water for pressure cooking
4 black cardamoms
2 inch cinnamon
6  cloves
2 medium indian bay leaf
2 black tea bag
salt to.taste

for making the gravy

 2  onions, finely chopped
 5 large tomatoes, finely chopped
 3  tsp ginger garlic paste
 5 green chilies, slit
 2  tsp pomegranate seeds powder
(crush 1 tsp dried roasted pomegranate seeds in a mortar-pestle and for more tang add 2 tsp more of anardana powder)
1  tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup water
4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and for garnishsalt to your tante
2 tbsp ghee

to be served with

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium lime or lemon, quartered or sliced

Method


pressure cooking chickpeas

Soak the dried white chickpeas overnight in water, drain and rinse them.
In a cooker take the chickpeas, black cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and indian bay leaf along with black tea bag and the water.
 Pressure cook the chickpeas for 10 to 12 whistles or till the chickpeas have softened and completely cooked.

prepping

powder the pomegranate seeds in a small grinder or mortar-pestle to a fine powder,finely chop the onions and tomatoes,also add the ginger garlic.paste ,slit the green chilies and chop the coriander leaves.

preparing peshawari chole gravy:

Heat 4 tbsp oil ,2 tbsp ghee in a pan, add 3 tsp ginger garlic paste and 6 slit green chilies. saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away,add the chopped onions. stir and saute the onions on a low to medium flame till they turn golden,add the  chopped tomatoes,add the spice powders red chili powder, tsp cumin powder, coriander powder,mix very well and saute till the tomatoes become mushy and you see fat releasing from the sides of the masala.
Add the chickpeas ,reserve the stock stir well and add the pomengranate seeds powder and  stock or water.Season with salt. stir very well and simmer the garam masala till the gravy thickens. mash a few chickpeas which helps in thickening the gravy,about 15 minutes on a low to medium flame.Lastly add  garam masala powder. stir and mix very well.Serve hot with some chapatis, naan, pooris or bhatura.

Notes

substitutions
pomegranate seeds - 1 tsp dry pomegranate seeds
 garam masala powder - chana masala powder

FISH KABIRAJI (BENGALI FISH FILLETS)

INGREDIENTS 

- 4 pc fish fillet (cod) 

- 2 green chillies 

- 1/2  onion

- 4 eggs

- 5 cloves of garlic 

150  gm breadcrumbs 

15 gm ginger 

4 Tbsp oil 

1,/2 lemon 

1/4_cup coriander-chopped 

1/8 cup mint-chopped

50 gm besan

Method 

Wash the fish fillets and Soak  in salt, lemon juice and 2 cups of water for about 10 minutes. Drain and wipe dry and  marinate the fish for 1 hour with onion, garlic, ginger, green chilli paste, finely chopped mint, coriander and add salt to taste. 

Mix the gram flour and salt and Drop it over the fish.Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.Heat the oil in the pan

Take each fillet and cover it with the beaten eggs mix. Then sprinkle it with breadcrumbs.

MACHHI AMRITSARI

Ingredients

300 gm fish fillets

25 gm ginger garlic paste 

5 gm red chilli powder 

Salt to taste

10 ml lemon juice 

03 gm ajwain

Oil for deep frying 

100 gm gram flour 

1 egg

60 gm yoghurt 

Method

Clean and cut the fish into fillets.

Apply salt, lime juice, ginger garlic paste and red chilli powder. 

Make a batter with gram flour, yoghurt, eggs, ajwain, salt and water and marinate the fish for 10- 12 min 

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the fish until lightly brown and crisp. 

Sprinkled with chaat masala, lemon wedges and serve hot.