Masala Beef with Ginger and Curry Leaf

• 3 bay leaves
• 1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
• 5 cardamom pods
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 
  
• 2 pounds beef tenderloin, cubed
• 3 cups chopped onion, divided
• 5 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise

• 1 (1 1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, grated
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• 4 fresh curry leaves
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1. To make the masala powder: Grind the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds and peppercorns in a spice grinder until mixture is a fine powder.
  2. Place the beef cubes, masala powder, 2 cups chopped onion, green chiles, grated fresh ginger, garlic and turmeric in a large, heavy pot. Add water to cover (about 1 cup) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until beef is cooked through. Add salt. Stir and continue to simmer about 10 minutes or until mixture is almost dry, but do not allow it to burn (add a bit more water, if necessary). Set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Immediately add remaining 1 cup chopped onion and stir over medium heat until onions soften and begin to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add curry leaves and cook until brown, about 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the beef mixture, black pepper, and lemon juice. Cook until nicely browned and heated through, about 8 minutes.

Chicken Chana Pakora

Ingredients

Chicken breast 1 whole
Chickpeas boiled 1 cup
Onion 2
Gram flour 1 cup
Coriander leaves ¼ bunch
Green chilies 4 – 5
Crushed cumin 1 tbsp
Crushed coriander 1 tbsp
Crushed red pepper 1 tbsp
Dry fenugreek leaves 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for fry

Method

• Cut chicken into thin juliennes shape. Mix with 2 chopped onion, 4 – 5 chopped green chilies, 1 cup gram flour, 1 tbsp crushed cumin seeds, 1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds, 1 tbsp crushed red pepper, 1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves and salt to taste.
• Make it into thick batter with water as required.
• Grind ½ cup of boiled chickpeas and keep the remaining half cup aside.
• Add the chickpeas to batter and mix well, then add ¼ bunch of coriander leaves and 4 – 5 chopped green chilies.
• Lastly fry the fritters with oil as required.

Potato Paratha

Ingredients:

• 5 medium-sized boiled, peeled and well mashed potatoes
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2" piece of fresh ginger grated fine
• 2 cups wholewheat flour
• 2 tbsps vegetable, sunflower or canola oil
• Water to mix

Preparation:

• Put the mashed potatoes, coriander and cumin powders, cumin seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, salt to taste, chopped fresh coriander and grated ginger into a large mixing bowl. Blend all ingredients well by stirring. Once well mixed, keep aside for later.
• Put the flour, oil/ghee and all the ingredients (except the water) into a large mixing bowl.
• Rub together to form a crumbly mix.
• Now slowly add water, a little at a time and knead well to make a smooth, pliable dough. Cover and set aside for an hour.
• Divide the dough into golf ball-sized portions and roll between your hands till they are smooth and without cracks.
• Very lightly flour a rolling board or clean counter surface and roll each ball into a 5" circle. Now take a tablespoon-full of the potato mix and spoon it into the centre of the circle you just made. Slowly lift the edges and bring together in the center to form a pouch. Press the ends together tightly to close the pouch. Once sealed, press down gently to flatten so that you have a flattened pouch.
• Lightly flour your rolling surface and roll this pouch into a 7-8" circle. Don't worry too much if the filling oozes out. This happens often but can be avoided by using a very light hand to roll out the paratha. Just gather up the filling and either keep aside or try to put it back into the paratha and pinch the dough to seal. Also if you're just starting out with Aaloo Parathas, do not worry about getting the perfect round shape as it takes a little practice to achieve. Whatever the shape, it tastes just as good! For convenience roll out as many parathas as you like, stacking them, ready to cook with a layer of cling film between each paratha.
• Heat a griddle and fry the parathas one at a time like this: Put a paratha on the griddle. Do the first flip when you see tiny bubbles rise on the surface of the paratha. As soon as the first flip is done, drizzle a bit of oil on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip again in 30 seconds and drizzle oil on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
• Serve with chilled yogurt and your favorite pickle or chutney.

Mixed Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. Cook the mixed vegetables on the stove or in the microwave until crisp-tender. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add kidney beans, celery, onion and green pepper. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, vinegar and cornstarch to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool slightly. Pour over vegetables and toss. Refrigerate. 

Dahi Bhalla

Ingredients

•	Split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal)	1 1/2 cups
•	Salt	to taste
•	Red chilli powder	1 teaspoon
•	Raisins	15-20
•	Asafoetida	a pinch
•	Oil	for deep-frying
•	Yogurt	6-7 cups
•	Rock salt (sendha namak)	1 teaspoon
•	Mint chutney	to taste
•	Sweet date and tamarind chutney	to taste
•	Roasted cumin powder	2 teaspoons
•	Fresh coriander leaves,chopped	2 tablespoons
•	Ginger,cut into thin strips	1 inch piece
•	Green chilli,chopped	2
Method Wash and soak dal in three cups of cold water overnight. Drain off excess water the following day. Grind dal to a smooth paste. Whisk half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of red chilli powder, raisins and asafoetida into the batter. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Drop batter in tablespoonfuls in it and fry until light golden. Drain onto an absorbent paper. These are now called bhallas or vadas. Put bhallas in sufficient quantity of hot water. Leave for two minutes. Squeeze between your palms to drain out water. Whisk yogurt well with rock salt (kala namak) and salt to taste. Place bhallas on a plate and cover with yogurt. Add mint chutney and tamarind chutney. Sprinkle red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder. Garnish with coriander leaves, ginger julienne and chopped green chillies and serve immediately.

Gajar Ka Achar

Recipe Ingredients

1/2 kg Carrot
4 tbsp Mustard seeds ground
3 tbsp Crushed red pepper
to taste Salt
1 bottle Vinegar
2 tbsp Jaggery 
1 tbsp Turmeric
6 to 7 glass Water

Recipe Method

In a pan boil ½ kg carrots cut into
slices till little tender. Remove from water, marinate with 2 tbsp ground
mustard seeds, 1 tbsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp turmeric and salt to taste.Boil
6 to 7 glasses of water with 2 tbsp jaggery, 2 tbsp ground mustard seeds, 1
tbsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp turmeric, salt to taste and 1 bottle of vinegar.Nowkeep the boiled water and marinated carrots in sun light for 2 days Now mix
both and keep in jar, don’t mix with a wet spoon, use after 3 days.

Ras Malai

Recipe Ingredients

2 cup Powder milk
1 1/2 Kg Fresh milk
1 ounce Khoya
2 Eggs
1 tsp Cardamom powder
1 tsp Baking powder
2 tbsp Self raising flour
2 tbsp Oil
few drops Kewra essence
1/2 cup Almonds and pistachios

Recipe Method

Boil the milk in saucepan. Add a few drops of kewra essence and khoya Cook the milk on a low flame. In a mixing bowl add the milk powder, ghee, self raising flour and baking powder. Mix the contents together. Beat the eggs and gradually add them to the flour mixture. Shape the dough into small balls and gently add them to the milk. Cook on a low flame until the dough balls have expanded and risen to the top of the milk.Turn the flame off and chil before serving.