Pani Puri (Golgappa)

Pani Puri one of India's favorite snack or chat. It is surely an experience eating Pani Poori. This popular Indian snack is also called Gol Gappa. Usually enjoyed at many of the street vendors in India it is becoming increasingly popular in many restaurants.Ingredients: To make Puri

Maida- 1/2 cup
Rava (Semolina) - 1/2 cup
Baking powder- 1 pinch
Salt

Mix the above ingredients with cold water and make it into smooth stiff dough. Cover the dough with a wet cloth and place in a bowl. Keep the bowl in another bowl filled with ice cubes. Set aside for 15 minutes. Make small even sized (round biscuit size) balls from the dough and roll into small circles. Put one by one in hot oil and press well with ladle to puff up. Fry till crisp and golden brown. Fry on medium flame. Store in an air tight container.

Ingredients: To make Pani:

2cups Mint Leaves Chopped
1/2Cup Coriander Leaves Chopped
Ginger 1 medium piece
Green chilies 5 to 6
Cumin seed powder 1tsp
Black Salt 11/2 tsp
Tamarind (Imli) paste 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Pani:

Soak the tamarind in ½ cup of warm water for approximately 45 minutes. Strain out the pulp to get tamarind water.Grind together mint leaves, chopped coriander, ginger, chillies and cumin seed powder to a smooth consistency in a blender. Transfer the paste into a large bowl. Add 1 litre of water, tamarind water and continuously mixing the contents. Add black salt and salt. Mix well.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours to ensure proper blending. Keep the water cool for a better taste.

For The Sweet Chutney:
1 cup Gud(jaggery)
1 cup tamarind pulp
1 cup Dates
1 cup water
1 teaspoon powdered Jira
Half teaspoon red chilli powder

Heat all the ingredients of the chutney and sieve to get a smooth chutney.Let it cool

To serve :
Boiled and diced potatoes- 1/2 cup
Green gram- 1/4 cup (soak green gram for 6 hrs and pressure cook for 1 whistle) Black Chana -1/4 cup (soak black chana for 6 hrs and pressure cook for 2 whistle)

Later add some red chilli powder, chat masala to the Boiled potatoes.

Final Serving Method:

Make a hole with thumb on top of each pani puri. Put little cooked green gram, boiled potato, black chana & little sweet chutney and fill it with green chutney (pani). Serve immediately.

Badam(Almond) Katli

Badam Katli is one of the richest sweets of NorthIndia usually made in all weddings. It is one of the delicious and easiest sweets to make. I had learnt this recipe from my grandmother and tried it for the first time and it came out really awesome.
Ingredients-:

• 500 gm Almonds (soaked overnight or soak in hot water )
• 450 gm Sugar, powdered
• Few tbsps Milk
• Silver foil

Method-:

• Soak the almonds in hot water for an hour.
• Drain and change water from almonds.
• Peel the skin of the almonds. Wash once more with cold water.
• Grind to a fine paste using as little milk as possible.
• In a heavy large skillet mix almond paste and powdered sugar.
• Cook, stirring constantly, using a large handled spoon or spatula on a medium flame.
• Take care of splattering in initial stages.
• Also, do not stop stirring because the mixture may get burnt or stick to bottom of skillet which will spoil the taste.
• When a soft ball is formed, which means it will leave the sides of the skillet, take off from fire.
• Grease a clean work surface and a wooden rolling pin with melted ghee.
• Roll quickly while still warm to 1/5" thickness in a proper square shape.
• Apply silver foil and press lightly with foil paper or cotton.
• Mark out long diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
• When almost cool remove carefully with a sharp edged wide spatula.
• Store in layers between sheets of butter paper.

GINGER DOSA

Dosa one of my favorite south indian breakfast recipe is eaten with coconut chutney , sambhar. Though considered as a breakfast dish, dosas are also eaten at other times of day. There are a variety of dosas and this is an instant version which can be made in just 20 mins time.

Ingredients:

Ginger – 2 big pieces grated
Bengal gram flour(Besan) – 1 cup
Wheat flour (Aata) – 1 cup
Peppercorns – 1 tsp
Dry red chilies 3 – 4
Small onions (finely chopped) – 6 – 7
Coriander leaves(finely chopped) – Few
Salt as per taste

Method:

Grind together the peppercorns, red chilies and ginger in a mixer grinder.

Mix together the finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, the above ground mixture, gram flour, wheat flour and salt.

Add water little by little and make it into a dosa batter.

Make thick crisp dosas off the above batter.

Serve with Green chutney, Molgapodi, Onion chutney.

PALAK PULAV

Spinach is one of the most commonly available vegetable, which is a rich source of IRON. Spinach needs very gentle handling. So try and cook it ASAP when they are fresh and nice, crisp and tender. Here is the recipe for very healthy, green and tasty rice.
INGREDIENTS:

1 Bunch Palak/Spinach chopped
1 Carrot -grated
1 Big Onion chopped finely
1 Tbsp Jeera Seeds
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
1 Bay leaves
Cashews (optional) few
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp fresh Pepper Powder
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Cups Basmati Rice
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD:

Heat the Olive oil and then add jeera seeds, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cashews and when jeera starts sputtering add onions and fry them until onions turn brown. Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell of garlic goes.

Now add the rest of the masala ingredients like chili powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder and saute it for a minute.

To this add chopped spinach and some salt and fry till the spinach leaves are nicely wilted and cooked.

Add in cooked rice and mix well. Finally add in fresh grated carrot and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with cucumber raitha.

Instant Khaman Dhokla

Ingredients:
Sooji (Semolina/ RAVA ) – 2 cups
Yogurt – 1 cup, well beaten Oil – 2 Tbsp
Ginger – 1 tsp (grated)
Salt – 1 tsp or to taste
Water – 1 cup
turmeric powder – 1 pinch ENO Fruit Salt – 2 tsp
Spray Cooking Oil
For the Seasoning:
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Sesame Seeds – 2 tsp(optinal)
Green Chilies – to taste, slit
Cilantro – finely chopped
Method:
1. In a medium bowl, add Sooji, and Oil. Mix well until there are no lumps.
2. To the Yogurt, add Salt, Turmeric Powder and Ginger. Mix well.
3. Add Yogurt mixture into Sooji and mix.
4. Add in Water and mix until a smooth batter forms and there are no lumps.
5. Allow batter to rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. In the meantime, prepare a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 inches of height of water. Bring it to a boil.
7. Prepare Dhokla stand plates by lightly spraying cooking oil, so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
8. Once the Water comes to a boil, add ENO fruit salt to the batter and mix well. The batter will foam up.
9. Pour batter immediately into the Dhokla plate (filling only half way up) and place Dhokla stand into the pressure cooker . NOTE: Do not place the weight or whistle on the cooker.
10. Cover the cooker and cook the Dhokla on medium heat for 15 minutes.
11. Switch off stove and remove the Dhokla. Let it cool for a few minutes.
12. For the seasoning, heat Oil in a small non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add Mustard Seeds and allow them to pop. Add Sesame Seeds and allow them to pop. Add slit Green Chilies and let them cook for 30 – 40 seconds.
13. Sprinkle chopped Cilantro Leaves on the Dhokla and pour above seasoned oil over the top.
14. Cut Dhokla into desired square pieces and serve with mint/coriander chutney.