Preparing Naan at Home

Ingredients

3 cups self-raising flour (maida)
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup curds fresh
salt to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda (soda - bicarb)
warm milk for kneading.

Preparing Method

Sieve together dry ingredients into a large rimmed plate. Add butter curds, oil and crumble with fingers. When does is like course crumbs, add milk a little at a time, till a soft pliable dough is formed. Cover with wet muslin cloth. Cover with another plate and keep aside for 5 - 6 hours.
Knead dough lightly. Break of piece, the size of a medium potato and roll into a thick triangle, using dry dough if required.
Place on a pre-warmed griddle (tawa). Apply water on the top part with hands Invert naan and stick to griddle. Invert griddle and roast over the gas flame direct (or nothing like toasting over bar-b-que coals). Serve hot with a blob of butter on it.

Mixed Vegetable Kofta in Tomato Curry

Ingredients:

For the Koftas you need
1/2 cup Frozen Corn
1/2 cup Frozen Peas
1/2 cup Green Beans cut in small pieces
1/2 cup Carrots cut in small pieces.
11/2 cup Gram Flour (Besan)
Salt to taste
1/2 Tsp.. of Red chili Powder
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
1 Tsp. of Mango Powder
1 Tsp. of Dhaniya Powder
 
For the Tomato Curry:
1 Pound Fresh Tomatoes
2 Tsp. Tomato Paste
3/4 Cup of water
Salt to Taste
1/2 Tsp. Red Chilly Powder
1/4 Tsp. Sugar
1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon Powder
2 pieces whole cloves
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
 
For Frying:
Vegetable Oil
 
For Garnish :
Fresh Cilantro or Homemade Pannier
 
Method:
Parboil all the vegetables for 10 minutes. Let them cool for 20 minutes.
Mix all the spices (except salt) and vegetables in a bowl.
Add salt to Gram Flour and add it slowly to the mixture.
Keep on mixing it with your hand . Do not add water.
Add Gram Flour till you can shape them into small round soft balls.
Use some oil in your palm of the hand to form the balls.
Meanwhile heat some oil in the pan . See that the oil is not very hot.
Keep Medium Flame.
Deep fry the Kofta balls.
Set them aside.
For the Tomato curry , I would highly recommend to cook the curry about 3 hrs before you serve.
Chop the tomatoes in small pieces.
Cook them with salt for about 15 minutes on medium flame.
Add the Tomato paste. Keep on Stirring .
Add water and ginger and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients for the Tomato curry.
15 minutes before serving Put the Koftas in the serving dish and pour the Tomato Curry. Keep it in the oven at warm till
you serve. Garnish with Fresh Cilantro or Paneer.

Prepare Chole at home

Ingredients Needed:

· 1 teacup kabuli channas
· 2 chopped onions
· 2 potatoes
· 2 tomatoes
· 2 tablespoons dhana-jira powder
· 2 tablespoons chilli powder
· 1 tablespoon amchur power
· 1 tablespoon garam masala
· ½ teaspoon soda bi-carb
· ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
· 3 tablespoons ghee
· salt to taste
· Slices of tomatoes and ginger, chopped 
  coriander and a few whole green chillies 
  for decoration.
 
Preparing Procedure:

· Soak the channas for at least 6 hours
· Add ½ teaspoon of soda bi-carb and cook   
  in a pressure cooker
· Cut the potatoes and tomatoes into big 
  pieces
· Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the    
  potatoes until soft
· Remove the potatoes. In the same ghee add 
  the onions and cook for a little time.
· Add the dhana-jira and chilli powder and 
  fry again.
· Add the boiled channas and salt.
· After 5 minutes, add the garam masala, 
  amchur and black pepper powder and cook 
  for 2 minutes.
· Add the potatoes and tomatoes and cook   
  for 2 minutes.
· Decorate with coriander, chillies and 
  slices of tomatoes and ginger.

Dum Ka Karela

Serves: Four
Time required: One hour 15 minutes plus baking time

Required Ingredients:

15 g ginger paste
15 g garlic paste
1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
Butter for basting and greasing.
Salt to taste

For the filling:
150 g paneer, grated
60 g groundnuts
1 tbs (15 g) sesame seeds
15 g coconut
1 tsp (5 g) cummin seeds
2 (120 g) large onions
5 cm ginger, julienned
1 1/2 tsp (7 g) coriander powder
1 tsp (5 g) chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tbs (30 ml) tamarind pulp
15 g jaggery, crushed

For the tempering:
3 tbs (45 ml) sesame oil
1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
1/2 tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
1/4 tsp (1 g) fenugreek seeds
24 curry leaves
 
Method of Preparation:
 
WASH and slit the bitter gourds on one side. Remove the seeds and rub with salt.
Arrange on a tilting tray and keep aside for at least an hour. (Keep the bitter gourds
overnight if you prefer them to be even less bitter).
Put enough water in a pan. Add salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric powder.
Stir and bring to a boil. Add the bitter gourds and blanch them until soft. Drain and
keep aside.
 
To prepare the filling:
Remove the brown skin and roughly chop the coconut. Dry roast the coconut,
groundnuts, sesame seeds and cummin seeds in a frying pan until each emits its unique
aroma. Hold the onions with tongs and roast them directly over the flame until the skin
is charred. Cool, peel and roughly chop the onions. Grind all these ingredients, except
paneer, with 1/4th cup water to fine paste.Add paneer, ginger, jaggery, coriander
powder and chilli powder to the paste and mix well.
 
To prepare the tempering:
Heat oil in a frying pan and season with cummin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek
seeds. Stir over medium heat until they begin to crackle. Add curry leaves and stir.
Pour over the paste, mix well and divide into 12 equal portions. Put a portion of the
filling into each of the blanched bitter gourds. Arrange them in a greased roasting tray with the slit side on top. Cover with foil. Punch a few holes in the foil and cook on dum in the pre-heated oven at 275oF for 30 minutes, basting at regular intervals. Remove and uncover.

To Serve: 
Remove to a serving dish and serve with cummin-tempered whole potatoes
and buttered seasonal vegetables on the side.

Making of Mava Burfi

Serves: 25 helpings
Time required:1/2 hr.
Shelf life: 10 days

Needed Ingredients:

500 gms khoya
300 gms. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cardamom powder
2 sheets silver foil (edible)
 
Preparing Method:

Mash khoya . Mix in tne sugar. Put into a heavy saucepan.
Cook on slow flame, stirring continuously.
Cook till the mixture is a very soft lump.* 
Place on a working board and roll with a rolling pin to 1/2 inch thickness.
Cool a little. Spread on the working board silver foil carefully and evenly.
Make incisions with knife to cut in the desired size and shape.
 
Note: Burfi is usually cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.
 
Variation:
To make chocolate mava burfi: Follow till * as above. Divide the mixture in two parts 1/3 and 2/3
In the smaller part mix 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp. chocolate colour.
Roll both parts separately. Place the chocolate on the mava layer. Roll lightly.
Continue as for mava burfee.