Asparagus Fry

INGREDIENTS:

• A bunch of Asparagus,
• 2 tsp Sesame seed oil/ any oil,
• 3 -4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped,
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds,
• 1 tsp Soya sauce.

METHOD:

• Wash Asparagus and remove (snap) the bottom part approximately 2 inches from bottom which is thick and whitish. Cut them into two pieces. Set aside.
• Heat a pan on medium flame; add oil when it is hot enough add Sesame seeds and Garlic.
• Sauté for 30 sec till the Sesame seeds become golden.
• Now add Asparagus, mix well.
• Cook for 7-10 min on medium flame till asparagus is aromatic and tender.
• Finally add Soya sauce, mix well, continue cooking for another minute, and its ready to serve.

Banana Royale

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Banana, chopped
• ½ Pear, chopped
• 1 Kiwi, peeled and chopped
• 1 Orange, peeled and chopped
• Handful Grapes
• 1 cup Apple Sauce with cinnamon.
• 1 tsp Sugar, optional.

METHOD:

• Mix all the ingredients gently in a large bowl and its ready to serve. 
• We can choose the variety of fruits those are available or as per our taste.

Stuffed Karela

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Karelas/ Bitter Melon/Bitter guards
• 3 tbsp Besan/ gram flour
• 2 tbsp roasted Peanuts Powder
• 2 cloves Garlic, grated
• 3-4  tbsp Oil, divided
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp Garam masala
• Chili powder, to taste
• A pinch of  Amchur/Dry mango powder
• Salt, to taste.

METHOD:

• Dry roast the Gram flour with Garlic on low flame till its golder brown in colour. Set aside to cool down.
• Meanwhile, wash the Karelas and cut them vertically, as shown in above picture. Remove the seeds properly.
• Then add all the remaining dry ingredients and some of the oil to the roasted gram flour. Mix well to form paste.
• Divide the masala paste into 6 equal parts and fill all the karela halves with it.
• Now put a pan on medium flame, add oil, when its hot enough, put the stuffed karelas carefully in. cover the pan with a tight lid. Simmer the flame.
• Cook on low flame till the karelas are soft.

Lemon Cookies

Lemon cookies are light and tangy-sweet cookies , perfect for tea-time. Kids love them.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup + 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Egg + 1 egg white
• ¼  cup Butter, melted
• 1/8  tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 large lemon        

METHOD: 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
• Then add the lemon juice, grated lemon zest ½ tsp, Butter and eggs. Mix well.
• Pour the batter in a greased baking tray.
• Bake around 20 – 25 minutes till it is golden brown.
• Allow to cool for 4-5 min. Cut in squares.
• We can decorate them as per the occasion.

Chapati Chivda

INGREDIENS:

• 5-6 Chapaties
• ½ Onion, chopped
• 3-4 green chilies
• Few Curry leaves – optional
• Handful Peanuts
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• A pinch of Asafetida
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds/ Mohari
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds/ jeera
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ Tomato, chopped
• Few springs fresh Coriander
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Crumble down Chapaties in ½ to 1 inch size pieces; we can also use food processor for that, set aside.
• Chop onion into thin slices.
• Heat Oil in a medium pan, when its hot enough add Mustard seeds, allow them pop, then add Jeera, Curry leaves, G. Chilies, Asafetida and Peanuts. Sauté for few seconds.
• Add Onion and Salt. Sauté till onions are light golden.
• Add Turmeric powder, mix well.
• Add Tomato now, mix well and cook till tomato is tender, sprinkle Sugar. Mix well.
• Add chpati crumbs, mix well and sprinkle few teaspoons water on and cover the pan to cook for 1-2 min. Garnish with Coriander leaves and its ready to serve.
• We can serve them with any pickle.

Pohe

Kande Pohe or Batate Pohe is a famous Maharashtrian snack.

It makes a great breakfast.

 INGREDIENS:

• 2 cups thick Pohe/ Poha/ Beaten Rice/ avallakki
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 medium Potato – optional                         
  

  Ingredients

• 3-4 green chilies
• Few Curry leaves – optional
• Handful Peanuts
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• A pinch of Asafetida
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds/ Mohari
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds/ jeera
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ Lemon
• Few springs fresh Coriander
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Wash pohe 2-3 times and drain water completely, set aside.
• Meanwhile, cut potato into thin slices and keep in separate bowl add water : this will help remove extra starch from potato. Chop onion into thin slices.
• Heat Oil in a medium pan, when its hot enough add Mustard seeds, allow them pop, then add Jeera, Curry leaves, G. Chilies, Asafetida and Peanuts. Sauté for few seconds.
• Add Onion and Potato (Drain water before adding), and Salt. Sauté till potatos are cooked.
• Add Turmeric powder, mix well.
• Squeeze the Lemon on pohe now, mix well and add them in the pan, mix again. Cook for 1 min and sprinkle Sugar. Mix well and garnish with Coriander leaves, pohe are ready to serve.
• We can serve them with any pickle.

TIPS: remove the pan from heat/ stove when pohe are done, otherwise they will become hard.

Ragda Patties

 Ragda Patties is the Indian snack. It comes under the category of  “Chaat” which means a savoury snack.

 Its very scrumptious as well as healthy snack. 

 INGREDIENTS:
For Patties:

• 3 large Potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 2 slices Bread
• Oil for shallow frying
• Salt to taste

For Ragda:

• 1 cup White Vatana(whole yellow peas) or chick peas
• ½  onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 ½ tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
  For Garnishing:
• Tamarind chutney
• Finely chopped onion
• Chopped Cilantro
• Sev
   
  METHOD:
• Soak the vatana/peas 4-6hrs, then pressure cook themfor 15-20 mins.
  To make the ragda:
• Heat oil in a pan and add chopped Onion, sauté for a few minutes till it is soft. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
• Add salt, turmeric, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and sauté for a few seconds till spices are aromatic.
• Then add the cooked peas, 2 cups water, tamarind and jaggery.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Mash some of the peas to make the curry thicker if needed. Ragda is ready, set it aside.
  To make patties:
• Dip the bread slices in warm water, squeeze out excess water and place in a bowl.
• Add boiled potatoes and salt, and then knead everything together to form nice soft dough. Make patties of about 3 inch diameter with the dough and shallow fry them, keep on paper towel.
  To serve:  place 2 patties in a plate, add Ragda curry on them and garnish with tamarind chutney, onion, cilantro and sev. This recipe will serve 4.

Shrimp curry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb cooked Shrimps
• 2 onions
• 1 tomato, pureed
• 2 tbsp Peanuts, roasted
• 1 tbsp roasted Coconut
• 1 tbsp roasted Cashew nuts-optional
• 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Cardamoms
• 4 Cloves
• 5-6 Black pepper corns
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp Paprika powder
• 1tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Oil, divided
• Salt to taste.
• Few springs fresh Coriander 

METHOD:

• Chop 1 Onion coarsely and roast it with few drops of oil, let it cool down and puree it. Chop the other Onion finely.
• Meanwhile, puree the Peanuts, Coconut and Cashew nuts with very small amount of water, set aside.
• Add oil to a medium pan, when it’s hot enough; add Cinnamon sticks, black Peppers, Cloves and Cardamoms, then add chopped Onion and salt. Sauté for 2-3 min till onion is soft. Adding salt to onion will help cook faster.
• Now add Ginger-Garlic paste and sauté for another min.
• Add tomato puree and all the remaining powder spices and sauté till the oil starts separating.
• Then add Peanuts puree an again sauté till oil separates.
• Add hot water for the desired thickness of curry, boil for 5 min and add cooked Shrimps. Continue boiling for 5 more min.
• Adjust the thickness of curry by adding more water. The curry is ready, garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.
• Serve with rice or chapatti.

Apple Chutney

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 Apples, peeled and chopped
• 2 Red chilies
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin powder/ jeera powder
• ½ tsp Methi seeds
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds/ Mohari
• Pinch of Asafetida/ Hing
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste. 

METHOD:

• Heat a saucepan on stove and add oil to it.
• When the oil is hot enough, add Mustard seeds, allow them to pop.
• Add Methi seeds, Asafetida and Sesame seeds, Red chilies.
• Quickly add a handful of chopped apples, mix well. Add salt and Cumin powder, mix well.
• Cook ill the Apples are nice soft on a very low flame while stirring in between.

Tindora/Tondle Fry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb Tindora/Tondle
• 1 tbsp dry Coconut powder
• 1 tbsp Urad daal
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds/ mohri
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds/ jeera
• 2 Red Chilies
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• A pinch of Asafetida
• Salt to taste. 

Spices ReqieredSliced Tindora/Tondle

 

Sliced Tindora/Tondle

METHOD:

• Cut the tindora/tondle vertically in thin slices.
• Put a pan on stove, add oil, when its hot, add Mustard seed, allow them to pop.
• Add Cumin seeds, Asafetida and Urad daal, sauté till daal turns golden.
• Then add curry leaves and chilies, mix well and add Turmeric powder and coconut powder. Mix well.
• Now add the sliced Tindora, mix well and cook on low flame till they are cooked.