A Spoonful of Thought

Ingredients: 1 cup idli rava 2 tbsp ghee 14 halved cashews 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp chana dal  1/2 tsp cumin seeds few chopped curry leaves 1 pinch hing/asafoetida 1 tsp finely chopped ginger 2 green chillies finely chopped 2 tbsp finely grated carrots 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(optional) 1/2 cup thick curd 1 eno packet - fruit salt water as required salt as required Recipe: 1. Heat ghee in a deep bottom pan on medium-low flame. Add the cashews. Stirring often, fry till the cashews till golden. Remove fried cashews by draining the ghee and keep aside. 2. To the same pan add mustard seeds and let them begin to splutter. 3. Once the mustard seeds begin to splutter add the chana dal. Stirring often fry chana dal till they look golden and crunchy.  4. Then add the cumin seeds and fry for 4 to 5 seconds. 5. Now add the chopped curry leaves, asafoetida, finely chopped ginger and green chillies. Mix well and fry for 10 seconds. Keep the heat to a low flame. 6. Next add rava. Mix well

Ingredients: 500 gms sweet corn 3+2 tbsp corn flour 1 tbsp all purpose flour/ maida 1/4 tsp red chilli paste 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 1/4 tsp haldi 1/2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp oil 4 tbsp crushed garlic 1 medium onion finely chopped 4 green chillies finely chopped 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1/4 cup chopped spring onion salt as per taste water Garnish with: chopped coriander leaves chopped spring onion green Recipe: 1. Boil the sweet corn kernels. Strain and dry them by rubbing in clean towel. 2. Make the corn kernels completely dry.  3. In a big mixing bowl add dry corns and corn flour and maida. Mix by squeezing and rubbing well all together. 4. Add haldi, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp corn flour and coat all the corn kernels evenly. Sprinkle few drops of water and again mix well. 5. Deep fry them in small batches at a time till they are golden brown and crispy. Remove them on kitchen tissues and keep it aside. 6. In a deep wok/ kadai heat oil. Add garlic cloves, green chillies, onions

Ingredients: 8-10 nos small purple brinjals 1/4 cup peanuts 1 big lemon size tamarind 1 tbsp poppy seeds/khus-khus 3 tbsp grated coconut 2-3 dry red chillies few curry leaves 3 nos medium onions roughly chopped 2 medium onions finely chopped 2 tomatoes finely chopped 2 green chillies 2 ginger an inch each finely chopped 10-12 big garlic cloves 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tbsp jeera powder 1/2 tsp haldi 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 2 tbsp garam masala A pinch of hing  1 tbsp sugar 4 tbsp oil Salt as per taste 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves Recipe: 1. In a pan, dry roast peanuts, grated coconut. Saute till nice aroma is released. Take it out in a plate and keep it aside. 2. Soak lemon sized tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. 2. Add 2 tbsp of oil in a pan to heat. Add few curry leaves, poppy seeds and dry red chillies. Saute them for a minute. 3. Then add roughly chopped onions and green chillies. Saute them till onions are soft. 4

Ingredients: 500 ml curd 3 tbsp gram flour/besan 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1/2 tsp haldi 1/4 tsp hing Few curry leaves 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera seeds 1/2 tsp coriander seeds freshly roasted and roughly crushed  2-3 nos fenugreek/methi seeds 2 dry red chillies 1 onion finely chopped 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped or crushed 1 inch ginger finely chopped 2 tbsp oil salt as per taste Water For  pakoras: 2 onions finely chopped 1/2 cup finely chopped spinach leaves 2 potatoes finely chopped/ grated 2 green chillies 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed 1/4 tsp haldi 1 tsp red kashmiri chilli powder a pinch of baking soda 1 cup besan/gram flour 2 tbsp rice flour Salt as per taste Oil for deep frying Garnish with : chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp ghee/oil 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder Recipe: 1. In a big mixing bowl add curd and salt. Mix well and keep it out from fridge for overnight to make curd sour. Kadi tastes best with sour curd. 2. Next day to the same curd bowl add haldi

Ingredients: 1 cup poha 3 nos potatoes 3 tbsp gram flour/besan 1 tbsp rice flour 2 tbsp peanuts 2 medium onions finely chopped 2 green chillies finely chopped 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds roasted and powdered 1/4 tsp garam masala 1/4 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1/4 tsp Tikhalal red chilli powder 1/4 tsp haldi 1/4 tsp amchur/dry mango powder 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves salt as per taste Oil for deep frying Recipe: 1. Rub and clean poha and soak them for 5 mins. 2. Peel and boil potatoes and keep it aside. 3. Dry roast peanuts, peel and crushed them roughly. 4. Drain all the water out of poha by hand pressing them.  5. In a big mixing bowl add poha, boiled potatoes, crushed peanuts, rice flour gram flour and salt. Mix them together to combine all the ingredients together. 6. Now to the same add chopped onions and green chillies and coriander leaves. Add haldi, red chilli powder, garam masala, amchur, jeera powder. Finally add lemon juice. Mix them well to form

Ingredients: 1.5 cup soya bean chunks 3 big potatoes 1/2 cup green peas 2-3 nos carrots 1/2 cup boiled sweet corn 3 tbsp besan/gram flour 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste  1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 1/2 tsp amchur/dry mango powder Oil for grilling Salt as per taste For Serving: 2 medium onions cut into sliced 2 lemon cut into 4 wedges each Recipe: 1. In a big mixing bowl add soya chunks and soak the chunks for 30 mins. After that, hard press the chunks and drain all the water. Add the chunks in the grinder and give a nice pulse few times to form soya keema. Keep it aside. 2. Clean, peel and boil potatoes and peas. Keep it aside. 3. Finely grate carrots and keep it aside. Mash the boiled sweet corn and keep it aside. 4. Dry roast the besan till it changes color. Stir continuously. 5. In a big mixing bowl mash soya keema, veggies along with ginger-garlic paste. 6. Add coria

Ingredients: 500 gms chicken 2-3 medium onion roughly chopped 1 cup coriander leaves 1/2 cup mint leaves 1/2 thick curd  10 green chillies chopped 1 black cardamom 10 green cardamom 2-3 small cinnamon sticks 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste  1 tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp roasted cumin powder 2 tbsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek 2 tsp chicken masala 3 + 1 tbsp ghee Salt as per taste water Recipe: 1. Clean the chicken and keep it aside. 2. In a blender, add coriander leaves, mint leaves, curd, 8 green chillies and 8 green cardamom. Blend to smooth green masala paste. 3. In a kadai, heat ghee. Add cinnamon sticks, black and green cardamom. Saute till it sizzles. 4. Then add onions and green chillies. Saute till onions are soft. Then add ginger-garlic paste to the same. Saute till raw smell goes off for a minute. 5. Then add chicken pieces to the same and mix well. Saute for 5 mins. Stir occasionally. 6. Then add coriander and jeera powder,

Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter 4-5 cloves of garlic, mashed/crushed 1/4 cup boiled corn 1/4 cup finely chopped green, red, yellow capsicum 1/4 cup grated carrots 1/4 cup chopped onions 1/4 cup boiled broccoli 1/4 cup tomatoes 4-5 tbsp pasta sauce 2 tbsp tomato sauce 2 tbsp veg mayo Grated mozzarella cheese Grated cheddar cheese 1 tbsp butter 1 tsp Italian seasoning Salt as per taste 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 Recipe: 1. Boil water in a big saucepan and add 1 tsp salt to it. Add macaroni to the boiling water. Let the pasta cook for 3-5 mins. Stir occasionally. Once done remove pasta from hot water to ice cold water to stop further cooking. 2. 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.  3. Then add maida and mix well so no lumps are formed. Saute till color changes to light brown. Then add all the milk however

Ingredients: 1 big or 2 medium raw mangoes 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut 3-4 green chillies 4-5 garlic cloves salt as per taste Water Recipe: 1. Rinse the mangoes well. Then dry them with a kitchen towel. 2. Peel and chop them into small pieces. 3. In a blender or grinder, grind all the ingredients with little water to a smooth paste. 4. Serve green mango chutney with dal & rice or savory rice porridge.

Ingredients: 2 tsp jeera/cumin seeds  4 tsp coriander seeds 2 cinnamon sticks  2 tsp poppy seeds 3-4 green cardamom 1 black cardamom 5-6 cloves 6-7 black peppercorns 3 big onions roughly chopped  2 medium onions finely chopped 2 green chillies 2 medium size tomatoes roughly chopped  2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste  2 tbsp grated dry coconut  1/4 + 1/4 cup curry leaves 3 tsp coriander powder 2 tsp jeera/cumin powder 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp Tikhalal red chilli powder 2 tsp garam masala 2 tsp chicken masala 1/2 tsp haldi 2 tbsp oil 2 tbsp ghee 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves salt as per taste Water For Marination: 1.5 chicken 1 cup thick curd 1 egg 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/2 tsp haldi 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp Tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala Salt as per taste Garnish with: chopped coriander leaves Recipe: 1. Clean the chicken and keep it aside. 2. In a big mixing bowl add thick curd, salt, haldi, red chilli powders, garam masala, ginger-garlic pas

Ingredients: 2 cinnamon sticks  5-6 cloves 12-15 black peppercorns 1 and 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds 3 small green cardamoms 1 big cardamom 3 big onions roughly chopped  2 medium size tomatoes roughly chopped  1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste  3 tbsp grated dry coconut  1 cup curry leaves 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp everest chicken masala 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder 2 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp oil salt as per taste Water For Marination: 1.5 chicken 1 cup thick curd 1 egg 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/2 tsp haldi 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp Tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 lemon juice Salt as per taste Garnish with: chopped coriander leaves Recipe: 1. Clean the chicken and keep it aside. 2. In a big mixing bowl add thick curd, salt, haldi, red chilli powders, garam masala, ginger-garlic paste. Mix well.  3. Add lemon juice to the curd mixture. Mix well. 4. Add chicken pieces and marinate for an hour. 5. In a kadai add oil to heat. Add cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, both cardamoms, poppy seed

Ingredients: 1.5 litre full cream milk 1/4 cup basmati rice 1/2 cup chopped dry nuts(almonds, cashews, pistas) Few strands of saffron 300 ml condensed milk  2 tbsp of sugar 5-6 nos cardamom seeds crushed Garnish with: chopped dry nuts kesar strands Recipe: 1. Rub and clean the basmati rice. Soak the rice for 20-30 mins.  2. In a big thick bottom saucepan or kadai, add 1/4 cup of water at bottom and then add the milk. Warm the milk. 3. Remove around 500 ml of warm milk in a bowl, add saffron strands to it and keep it aside. 4. Bring the milk to boil. Add the soaked rice to the milk. Mix well. 5. Keep stirring occasionally till the rice is cooked, so that it does not stick to bottom. It will take around 20-25 mins to the rice to cook. 6. The kheer will be thickened once the rice is cooked, add the saffron milk now to the kheer. Mix well. 7. Then add the condensed milk and sugar to kheer. 8. Add cardamom powder followed by chopped nuts.Mix well. 9. Cook for some more time, till the kheer

Ingredients: 7 nos hard boiled eggs 3 nos big onions finely chopped 2 + 2 nos cinnamon stick 2-3 bay leaves 5-6 nos cloves 7-10 nos black peppercorns 5-6 nos  green cardamom 2 tsp jeera seeds 1 tsp saunf seeds 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste 1/2 tsp haldi 3 tbsp coriander powder 2 tsp jeera powder 2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 cup thick curd 1/2 cup water 3 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp kewra water Salt as per taste Recipe: 1. Boil water and add 6 eggs to it. After 13 mins of boiling close the flame and transfer the eggs to a ice water bowl. This will make the eggs ready to peel off its shell easily. 2. In a pan, add 2 tbsp ghee.  Fry the chopped onions till they are slightly golden brown. Take it out on kitchen tissues. Switch off the flame. Let the caramelised onions cool down so that they become crispy. Later blend them to fine paste.   3. In the same kadai, add 1 tbsp ghee to heat.Add 1/4 tsp  of haldi and 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder. Mix wel