Aloo gobi masala curry

Method

Shallow fry aloo pieces till golden brown. Keep aside
Fry gobi in the same oil till golden. Keep aside
In the remaining oil, fry jeera, kasuri methi.
Add onion and fry till translucent.
Add chilli powder, turmeric, salt, jeera powder and coriander powder and fry till oil separates.
Add tomatoes and fry till they turn soft.
Add the fried pieces and mix.
Add some water for gravy consistency and keep covered for some time.
Add amchur, garam masala and coriander leaves.

Gulab jamun cookies

Ingredients
Ready-made gulab jamun mix - 3/4 cup
Powdered sugar - 1/4 cup
Butter - 1/2 of 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 2-3 tbsp

Method
Mix the ready-made powder,  sugar and butter till it resembles bread crumbs.
Add milk little by little to make a smooth dough. Don't knead. Mix genly with finger tips.
Make small balls and bake at 180 degrees for 10- 15 minutes.

Masala khichdi

Ingredients
Moong dal - 3/4 cup
Rice - 1 cup
Water - 6 cups
Onion -1
Tomato - 1
Vegetables - carrot, peas, capsicum
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon - small piece
Green chilli - 1
Cloves - 3
Jeera - 1.5 tsp
Asafoetida - pinch
Bay leaf - 1
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt

Method

Soak rice and moong dal for 1/2 hour.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add Bay leaf, jeera, Hing, cinnamon and cloves.
Add finely chopped onions and fry till translucent
Add green chilli and tomato pieces.
When tomato turns soft, add the chopped vegetables and fry for some time.
Add chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and moong dal and fry till there is a nice aroma.
Add water and pressure cook for 5 whistles.

Kadai paneer

INGREDIENTS

FOR KADAI MASALA:

• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin / jeera
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 dried kashmiri red chilli

FOR ONION TOMATO PASTE:

• 2 tsp oil
• 3 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tomato, finely chopped

FOR KADAI PANEER GRAVY:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 bay leaf / tej patta
• 1 green chilli, slit
• 1 tsp kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves
• ½ onion, petals
• ½ capsicum, cube
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 cup water
•  paneer 
• 2 tbsp cream
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• 2 tbspcoriander leaves

Method

• In a kadai, heat 1 tbsp butter and saute 1 bay leaf, 1 green chilli, 1 tsp kasuri methi till we get a nice aroma
• Add ½ onion and ½ cubed capsicum.
• add ¼ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp chilli powder.
• add tomato-onion paste and mix well. Also add prepared kadai masala and 1 tsp salt.
• cook till the masala paste starts to release oil.
• now add ½ to 1 cup water adjusting consistency as required.
• add paneer, 2 tbsp cream and mix gently.
• cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• furthermore, add ¼ tsp garam masala and 2 tbsp coriander leaves. mix well.

Besan Ladoo

Ingredients

Besan - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
Elaichi powder - pinch

Method

Heat ghee in a kadai. Once ghee melts, add the besan and fry till we get a nice aroma.
Keep it aside to cool.
Add powdered sugar and elaichi powder once the mixture turns warm.
Mix well and make ladoos.

Ghee can also be added later. Initially use only a few tbsp of ghee to fry besan. Later add the rest of the ghee and fry it cones together

Patoli

Ingredients

Toor dal
Vegetable( cluster beans / french beans)
Chilli powder
Salt
Oil

Method

Grind toor dal, salt and red chillies  to a fine paste
Mix water and make into a batter. Steam like idlis
Cool it and then crush the idlis to a coarse powder
Heat oil. Add mustard, urad dal and curry leaves.
Add the powder and keep covered in a low flame till done.
Add boiled vegetable and mix well

Grape popsicles

Ingredients 

Black grapes - 2 cups

Water - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/3 cup

Method

1. Wash black seedless grapes and add to a blender.
2. Grind it to a fine paste.
3. Sieve it and extract only the juice.
4. Add water and sugar and mix well till sugar dissolves. 
5. Pour this into popsicle moulds( I didn’t have the moulds so instead used small steel tumblers)
6. Insert an ice cream stick and freeze it for 7-8 hours in the freezer.
7. To demould, I just kept the tumbler under a running tap.

Notes 

- same procedure to be followed for watermelon, mango or pineapple popsicles

- fresh fruits cut into small pieces can also be added before freezing