A Spoonful of Thought

Ingredients: 3 cups wheat flour 1/2 cup maida(optional) 1 tbsp oil salt to taste water to knead dough ghee to rub on paratha Stuffings: 4-5 Radish/Mooli 1 medium onion  1 tsp anardana/ pomegranate seeds powder 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds roasted and powdered 1 tsp green  chilli  and ginger paste 1 tsp kashmiri red  chilli  powder 1 lemon juice 2 tbsp oil 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves salt as per taste Serve with: butter cube pieces curd pickle Recipe: Type 1: 1. Grate the mooli and onions together. Remove the water completely by pressing it tightly between palms. This water can be used while kneading the dough. 2. Knead wheat flour to tight and smooth dough using the above mooli water. Cover and Keep it aside for 10-15 mins. 3. In a big mixing bowl add grated mooli and onions. To this add salt, roasted jeera powder, anardana powder, ginger and  chilli  paste and red  chilli  powder. Mix well. 4. Then to the mixture add lemon juice, oil and coriander leaves. Mix well with hands to combin

Ingredients: 1 cup green  moong dal 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera seeds handful curry leaves 2 dry red chillies 2-3 green chillies chopped lengthwise 2 onions finely chopped 2-3 tomatoes finely chopped 3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped/crushed 1-inch ginger finely chopped/crushed 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves salt as per taste 2 tbsp oil 2-3 cups water Recipe: 1. In a big mixing bowl take moong dal, rub and clean for three times. Then soak the dal for 30 mins. Keep it aside 2. In a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp oil. Heat it , add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add jeera, curry leaves, red chillies, green chillies, chopped/crushed garlic and ginger. Saute for a min more. 3. Then add chopped onions and saute till onions are soft and translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Saute till tomatoes are little soft. 4. Add soaked dal to the same and mix well. Now add water to the cooker. mix well. 5. Later add

Ingredients: 3-4 cups steamed rice (completely cooled) 3 tbsp groundnut seeds/peanuts 1 tbsp urad dal 1/4 cup chopped cashews 1 tsp mustard/rai seeds handful curry leaves 2-3 nos dry red chillies 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder 1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida 2-3 nos green chillies 1 or 2 lemon juice 3 tbsp oil salt as per taste Recipe: 1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add peanuts. 2. Fry the peanuts on a low to medium flame till they become golden and crunchy.Remove and keep aside. 3. In the same pan add cashews.Fry cashews till they turn golden. Remove and keep aside. 4. Squeeze juice from 1 or 2 lemons. You will need about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice. If you want more tangy taste, then you can add more lemon juice. Keep aside. 5. Now add 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan. When the oil becomes hot, then add mustard seeds. 6. When the mustard seeds begun to crackle, then add urad dal. 7. On a low flame, saute the urad dal till they turn golden. 8. Next add curry leaves, chopped g

Ingredients: For Golgappe puris: 1 cup fine semolina/chiroti rava/chiroti suji 1 1/2 tbsp wheat flour salt as per taste aerated water 2 tbsp+ 1 tsp oil For Stuffing: 1 cup white peas/vatana 1/2 cup green moong dal 1/4 tsp haldi Salt as per taste For making sev puri: green chutney sweet chutney finely chopped onions 1 tbsp chaat masala 1/4 cup boondi water Recipe: 1. Soak white peas overnight or for 8 hrs. 2. Boil the white peas with haldi and salt in cooker for 4-5 whistles. 3. Boil green moong dal with salt. 3. Once done, keep it aside for cooling. 4. To prepare puris: Combine semolina/rava/suji, wheat flour and salt in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil and make a crumble dough using hand to mix. 5. Then add little water at a time and knead into a firm soft dough. Cover in a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 20 mins. 6. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. 7. Add 1 tsp oil to the dough, flatten into a disc and roll out into a very thin large chapati. 8. Using a small cookie cutter, cut out sm

Ingredients: For Golgappe puris: 1 cup fine semolina/chiroti rava/chiroti suji 1 1/2 tbsp wheat flour salt as per taste aerated water oil For Stuffing: 1 cup white peas/vatana 2 peeled potatoes 1/4 tsp haldi Salt as per taste For making sev puri: green chutney sweet chutney beaten curd/dahi (for dahi sev puri) finely chopped tomatoes finely chopped onions nylon sev 1 tsp kashmiri red  chilli  powder 1 tsp chaat masala powder Recipe: 1. Soak white peas overnight or for 8 hrs. 2. Boil the white peas and peeled potatoes with haldi and salt in cooker for 4-5 whistles. 3. Once done, keep it aside for cooling. 4. To prepare puris:  a. Combine semolina/rava/suji, wheat flour and salt in a bowl. Add little water at a time and knead into a firm dough. Cover in a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 15 mins. b. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. c. Add 1 tsp oil to the dough, flatten into a disc and roll out into a very thin large chapati. d. Using a small cookie cutter/small bottle cap, cut o

Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 cups diced/grated mixed vegetables(carrots, cabbage, peas, french beans, capsicum) 2 tbsp sweet corn 1 tsp ginger finely chopped 6-7 garlic cloves crushed 2 cups rice, steamed Salt as per taste 2 tsp black pepper powder 1/2 tsp vinegar 1 tsp soya sauce 1 tsp red chilli sauce 1 tsp green chilli sauce 1/2 cup spring onion, chopped Garnish with: chopped coriander leaves chopped spring onions green Recipe: 1. Heat a wok with oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped garlic to it. Cook until light golden. Now add 1/4 cup of spring onion, chopped ginger. Saute for a minute. 2. Add the onions and cook them for about 2 minutes till they are soft, stirring constantly. Add the mixed veggies and cook for more two minutes. 3.  Then pour the steamed rice and combine well with the ingredients with light hands. 4. Add salt and black pepper powder and mix thoroughly pouring red chilli sauce,soya sauce and green chilli sauce and vinegar over the

Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil 5 eggs 1 cup grated/diced mixed vegetables(carrots, bell pepper, cabbage) 1 tsp ginger finely chopped 8-10 garlic cloves crushed 1 medium onion finely chopped 2 green chillies chopped 2 cups rice, steamed 2 tsp black pepper powder 1 tsp vinegar 2 tsp red chilli sauce 1 tsp soya sauce 1 tsp green chilli sauce 1/2 cup spring onion, chopped salt to taste Garnish with: chopped coriander leaves chopped spring onions green Recipe: 1. Crack 5 eggs into a small bowl and beat them along with little salt, 1 tsp black pepper powder and 1/4 cup milk in a big mixing bowl. 2. Heat a wok (or large sauté pan) with 1/2 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the beaten eggs and scramble them for about a minute. Transfer the eggs to a dish and turn off the heat. Wipe off the wok with a kitchen towel. 3. Drizzle the remaining 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of oil in the wok over medium-high heat.  4. Add the chopped garlic to it. Cook until light golden. 5.

Ingredients: 250 gms of Broccoli  200 gms Spinach  100 gms coriander leaves roughly chopped 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds roasted and powdered  2 tsp black pepper 6-8 garlic cloves finely chopped  1 onion finely chopped  1 tbsp fresh cream  2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter salt as per taste 2 cup Water/vegetable stock  Garnish with: 2 garlic cloves chopped  lengthwise(optional) 1 tbsp fresh cream  1 tsp butter  Recipe: 1. Boil water in sauce pan, blanch spinach for 2 min while covering the saucepan. Immediately remove the spinach for hot water and add to ice cold water. This will help to retain its bright green color. 2. Chop the broccoli to medium pieces. Clean and keep it aside. 3. In a pan add  olive oil, heat it and add finely chopped 6 garlic cloves and saute till brown. 4. Then add chopped onions and saute till they are soft.  5. Add chopped broccoli and saute till they change its colour. 6. Add salt as per taste, black pepper powder. Mix well. Cover and cook for 2 more mins. 7. Add blan

Ingredients: 3 cup rice 1/4 cup  sweet corns 1/4 cup green peas 1/4 cup chopped carrots 1/4 cup chopped french beans 1 onion finely chopped  1 tsp shahi jeera 2-3 cinnamon sticks  6-8 cloves 2-3 green cardamons 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp oil 2 tsp chat masala 6 cups water salt as per taste Recipe: 1. In a bowl take rice clean and keep it aside. Also clean all the veggies and keep it aside. 2. In a cooker, add ghee and oil and heat it.  3. Add jeera seeds and let it splutter. Later add bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cardamons and cloves. Saute well till nice aroma is released. Take care do not burn the garam masala. 4. Add the chopped onions and saute till they are soft. 5. Then add the cleaned veggies and saute well for 2 mins. 6. Then add the cleaned rice and mix well. Add 6 cups of water to the cooker. 7. Add chaat masala and salt as per the taste. 8. Bring it to boil and later cover the cooker and let it cook on low flame till 2 whistles. 9. Then switch off the flame and wait till th

Ingredients: 200 gms wheat flour 2 tbsp gram flour/besan/chickpeas flour 200 gms ghee 1 tsp cardamon seeds crushed/powdered 250 gms of sugar 4 cups Water  1/4 cup chopped almonds and cashews Recipe: 1. Take a heavy bottom kadai and heat ghee and let it melt completely. Add wheat and gram flour to the melted ghee. Lower the flame.  2. Keep stirring the flour in ghee, so that it does not stick at the bottom of kadai. Keep roasting the flour till it turns golden brown and sweet aroma is released. 3. Keep stirring till the ghee starts leaving from the sides. 4. When you are busy stirring the flour mixture, on another side take a big sauce pan and add sugar and water in the same.  Heat it on low-med flame heat the water till sugar is nicely dissolved in water. 5. Simmer the sugar syrup on low flame for two more mins. Add a teaspoon of crushed cardamon powder for taste and aroma. 6. Add this warm (not very hot) sweet water mixture to the flour very slowly and keep stirring the mixture to

Ingredients: 100 gms wheat flour 100 gms besan/ gram flour/chickpeas flour  1.5 cup (225 gms) powdered sugar 1 cup (200 gm) ghee (equal to quantity that of flour) 2 tbsp melon seeds  1 tbsp gond/edible gum 10-15 nos chopped cashews 10-15 nos chopped almonds  8-10 nos cardamom seeds crushed/powdered  Recipe: 1. In a big mixing bowl add wheat flour and gram flour. Mix well.  2. Take a heavy bottom kadai and heat ghee and let it melt completely. Add wheat and gram flour to the melted ghee. Lower the flame.  3. Keep stirring the flour in ghee, so that it does not stick at the bottom of kadai. Keep roasting the flour till it turns golden brown and the raw smell goes off. 4. Keep stirring till the ghee starts leaving from the sides. The flour is roasted and ready for ladoo. Switch off the flame, however keep stirring the flour for little more time as it make stick to kadai bottom as it is still hot. 5. Later remove the flour mixture in a big mixing bowl and keep it aside for cooling. 6. T

Ingredients: 1/2 cup hung curd 1 tsp paprika/kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 2 green chilli paste 1 tbsp Everest Chicken Masala 2-3 eggs 500 gms boneless chicken Oil for frying Dhaniya Pudine ki Chutney Salt as per taste Recipe: 1. Clean the boneless chicken and cut into medium size pieces. 2. In a big mixing bowl, add curd and beat to smooth texture. 3. Add chilli powder, garam masala, haldi, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, chicken masala to the curd mixture. Mix well. 4. Add salt as per taste. 5. Add chicken pieces to this mixture. Combine all together very well.  6. Marinate the chicken for 2 hrs in fridge. 7. Take kadai, heat oil for deep frying. 8. Once the oil is heated, fry the chicken pieces till crispy brown. Remove them in kitchen tissue. 9. Chicken kebabs are ready to serve with green chutney.

Ingredients: 8 bread slices 1 cup pasta sauce 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated processed cheese 1 tsp Italian seasoning 2 tbsp bread crumbs White Sauce: 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp maida 1 tbsp (10-12 cloves) crushed garlic 1/2 cup milk 2-3 slices of cheese salt to taste Vegetable stuffings: 1/4 cup boiled corn 1/4 cup finely chopped capsicum 1/4 cup grated carrots 1/4 cup chopped onions 1/4 cup tomatoes 1 tbsp butter 1 tsp Italian seasoning salt as per taste Recipe: 1. For white sauce: In a small kadai heat butter on low to medium flame. Once the butter is melted add garlic and saute till brown.  2. Then add maida and mix well so no lumps are formed. Saute till color changes to light brown. Then add all the milk however little at a time and whisk well into the mixture so no lumps. Add salt as per taste.  3. Add cheese to the mixture, let it melt and then mix well into the mixture. Sauce is ready, remove it in a bowl and keep it aside. 4.  In the s

Ingredients: 1 cup tur/toor dal 1/2 cup masoor dal 1/2 cup yellow moong dal 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera seeds handful curry leaves 2 dry red chillies 2-3 green chillies chopped lengthwise 2 onions finely chopped 2-3 tomatoes finely chopped 3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped/crushed 1-inch ginger finely chopped/crushed 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder salt as per taste 2 tbsp oil 2-3 cups water Season with: 1 tbsp ghee 2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder chopped coriander leaves Recipe: 1. In a big mixing bowl take all the three dals, rub and clean for three times. Then soak the dal for 10 mins. Keep it aside 2. In a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp oil. Heat it , add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add jeera, curry leaves, red chillies, green chillies, chopped/crushed garlic and ginger. Saute for a min more. 3. Then add chopped onions and saute till onions are soft and translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Saute till tomatoes are little soft. 4. Add soaked dal to the same

Ingredients: 1 cup semolina/sooji/rava 1 cup whisked curd 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp green chilli - ginger paste OR 1 inch ginger pieces and 2-3 green chillies 1 tbsp oil salt to taste 1 eno packet 1 tbsp water  red chilli and black pepper powder to sprinkle. Season with: 2 tbsp oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp mustard seeds chopped coriander leaves Recipe: 1. In a big mixing bowl add sooji, curd, oil, sugar, salt and ginger-chilli paste. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together to form a thick pourable batter. In case the batter is very thick can add the water to bring it to the required consistency.  **In case ginger chilli paste is not handy/available, then blend the curd with ginger pieces and green chillies. Then use this mixture to make suji batter. 2. Keep the batter away for 15 mins. Heat the steamer with water.  3. After 15 mins, grease the plate with oil. Add eno packet and 1 tbsp water. Mix well till the batter is fluffy.  4. Pour the batter to it. Sprinkle red chilli powd