Peas kachori

Method

- Grind 1/2 cup frozen/ fresh peas along with ginger and green chilli into a coarse paste.
- Heat 1.5 tsp oil. Add jeera.
- When jeera crackles, add turmeric, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder( optional), garam masala and amchoor powder.
- Fry for a few seconds and add the ground paste.
Fry for a few minutes. Keep aside to cool.

- take 1/2 cup maida, 1/2 tsp rava, salt and 1.5 tbsp oil in a bowl. Mix well with hand so that oil mixes well with the flour.
- add water little by little and knead into a soft dough
- keep covered with a wet cloth for 15 minutes.
- pinch small balls from the dough and flatten it with hand. Keep the stuffing inside and seal the edges ( similar to paratha). flatten it slightly with hand.
- deep fry in medium hot oil on a low-medium flame till golden brown.

Pasta with white sauce

Ingredients

Pasta
Maida
Milk
Cheese
Butter
Salt
Chilli flakes
Mixed herbs

Method

Boil pasta in water( with salt and oil added to it)till soft.
Drain water and pour cold water or keep the colander under a running tap till pasta cools down.
Spread on a flat plate and add a little oil. Mix well so that oil coats the pasta. This ensures that pieces don't stick to each other.
Heat butter in a pan. Add maida and fry till it becomes light brown.
Add milk and whisk well so that lumps are not formed.
Cook till a thick paste is formed. Add salt, chilli flakes and herbs.
Add cheese and pasta and cook till pasta is coated with the white sauce

Optional
Vegetables like carrot, peas, onion, sweet corn can also be added.

Kakarakaya fry

Ingredients

Bitter gourd - 1/4 kg
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Lemon -1/4
Onion -1 ( optional)
Besan - 4 tbsp
Corn flour - 3 tbsp
Maida - 2 tbsp
Butter(softened) - 2 tsp
Oil - for deep frying
Salt

Method

Cut bitter gourd into thin round slices.
Add chilli powder, salt, turmeric and lemon juice and mix well. Cut onion into slices and add to the above mixture.
Mix besan, corn flour,maida and butter.
Add this to the pieces and mix well. Quantity of besan and corn flour can be adjusted so that the pieces are coated with a thick layer of this.
Keep aside for 10 minutes.
Heat oil and deep fry the pieces till golden brown and crisp.

Notes-
Stays well for 3-4 days if stored in a glass container.
Butter, onion are optional
The same method can be used for aakakarakaya also.

Kaju masala

Ingredients

Cashews - 80-100g
Milk - 3 tbsp
Onions - 2
Tomatoes- 3
Capsicum - 1
Cinnamon - small piece
Cloves - 3-4
Star anise - 1
Bay leaf - 2
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Chilli powder
Salt
Kasuri methi - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

Soak a handful of cashews in 3 tbsp milk( or enough to cover the cashews) for 1/2 hour. After 1/2 hour grind cashews with the milk and a little water to a fine paste.
Grind onions into a smooth paste
Grind tomatoes to a smooth paste
Heat 1 tbsp oil and add Bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon and cloves and fry till you get a nice aroma.
Add onion paste with some salt and fry covered till oil oozes out.
Add the tomato paste and fry till done.
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and kasuri methi and keep covered again till oil oozes out.
Add the cashew paste and cook again for some more time.
Meanwhile heat another tbsp of oil in another kadai and fry sliced capsicum.
Add this to the gravy.
Heat ghee and fry cashews till golden brown. Add these to the gravy as well.
Serve garnished with freshly cut coriander leaves