Chola (Chana Masala)

Ingradiants 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (kable chana, Garbanzo beans) 3 tablespoons oil Pinch of asafetida (Hing) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon Besan (gram flour) (available in Indian grocery stores) 1 large tomato chopped 1 teaspoon ginger paste 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies 2 teaspoons coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (hara dhania) Thinly sliced tomatoes for garnish
Preparation Procedure Drain chickpeas and wash well. Blend the tomatoes, green chilies and ginger to make a puree. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away, oil is ready. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. When cumin seeds crack, add the gram flour and stir-fry for a minute. Add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, and red chili powder. Cook about four minutes on medium heat. The tomato mixture will separate from the oil and reduce to about half in quantity. Add chickpeas, salt, and one cup of water. Cook, covered, for seven to eight minutes on medium heat. Press the chickpeas with a spatula to soften. Add more water as needed to keep the gravy consistency to your liking, and let it cook on low heat a few more minutes. Add the garam masala and cilantro. Let it cook for another minute. Garnish with thin tomato slices.

                         

 

 

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Bread Bhel Puri

Ingredients:

• 8 Bread Slices   • ½ cup Potatoes (boiled & chopped)   • ½ cup Cucumber (chopped)  • ½ cup Onion (chopped)   • ¼ cup Tomato (chopped)  • ¼ cup Peanuts (roasted)   • 4 Green Chili (chopped)  • ¼ cup Fresh Coriander (chopped)  • ½ cup Sev  • ½ cup Gol Gappas   • 6 tbsp Sweet Tamarind Chutney  • 6 tbsp Mint or Coriander Chutney  • 2 tbsp Lime Juice   • Oil to shallow fry   • Salt to taste

How to make Bread Bhel Puri:

• Take the bread slices and cut them into small pieces. • Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the bread pieces till they turn crispy brown. • Take out the bread pieces and drain the excess oil on an absorbent paper. • Put the fried bread pieces in a bowl. Add potatoes, cucumber, onions, tomato, green chili, peanut, and salt to it. Mix them well. • Now, lightly crush the gol gappas and add them to the above. Also add tamarind chutney, green chutney and lime juice. Mix them well. • Sprinkle sev on the top of the mixture. Garnish it with coriander leaves. • Bread Bhel Puri is ready to serve.

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Badam Katli Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Almonds   • 900 gm Sugar   • 1/4 cup Boiled Milk

How to make Badam Katli:

• Soak almonds in water for 12 hours. • Drain and change the water of almonds. • Peel them and keep aside. • Add little milk and grind it finely. • Mix ground badam and sugar in a large skillet. • Cook this mixture, stirring constantly. • Make a thick paste. • Make a roti of the thick mixture when cool. • Now cut it into pieces. • Almond Katli is ready to serve.

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Badam Halwa Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Almonds  • 2-1/2 Cups Sugar  • 3 Cup Water   • 2 Cups Ghee   • 1 Pinch Saffron

How to make Badam Halwa:

• Soak almonds in a bowl with boiling water. • Remove the skin of almonds and make fine paste by grinding them in a grinder. • Boil sugar with one cup of water in a pan, till it turns into syrup. • Add almond paste to the boiling syrup and mix it well. • Dilute saffron in a little water and add to the syrup. • Instantly mix one-cup ghee. • As the above mixture turns paste-like, pour the remaining ghee gradually. • A batter like mixture will be formed after sometime. Now remove it from the flame. • Badam Halwa is ready to serve.

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Apple Halwa Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 Apples (grated)   • ¼ cup Condensed Milk  • 2 tbsp Sugar   • ¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder   • A pinch of Clove Powder  • ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder   • 2 tbsp Raisins   • Ghee (as required)

How to make Apple Halwa:

• Grease a pan with ghee and fry the raisins. Remove and keep to the side. • Combine apples, cinnamon powder, clove powder, and cardamom powder in the same pan. Cook, stirring continuously, on low flame. • Add sugar and condensed milk. Stir on low flame until it thickens. • Smear a plate with ghee and transfer the cooked halwa into it. • Flatten it gently and top up with fried raisins. Let it cool. • Slice into preferred shapes. • Serve thereafter.

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Almond Til Chikki Recipe

Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup grated Gur (jaggery)   • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced Badam (almond)  • 1/4 cup Til (sesame seeds)   • 1½ tsp Ghee
How to make Almond Til Chikki:
• Take a tawa and heat it. • Put the sesame seeds and roast them till they turn brown. Keep them aside and allow them to cool. • Now put the sliced almonds in the tawa and roast them. Keep them separately. • Take a separate pan or kadhai and heat the ghee in it. • Add jaggery to the melted ghee and keep stirring till it melts and caramelizes. • Now remove the melted jaggery from the flame and immediately add the roasted almonds and sesame seeds. • Keep stirring so that the almond and sesame seeds properly get mixed with the jaggery. • Now take a thali(plate) and grease it with ½ teaspoon ghee. • Put the already prepared jaggery and til mixture on the thali and spread it evenly. • Allow the mixture to cool and then cut it into square shapes. • Store the yummy Almond Til Chikkis in an airtight jar.

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Petha Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Ash Gourd (Petha) (peeled and cut) • 1 tsp Alum Powder (Phitkari) • 750 g Sugar • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

How to make Petha:

• Take the ash gourd pieces and prick it with a fork. • Place the pieces in a large pan filled with water and add alum powder to it. Boil it for fifteen minutes and take off from heat. Drain and wash it thoroughly under cold water. • In a pan, take one cup of water and add sugar to it and cook it till the sugar is dissolved. • Add lemon juice to the sugar syrup and lower the flame and add the cooked ash gourd to it. • Cook till the ash gourd is completely cooked and the sugar syrup is thread like consistency. • Take off from heat and arrange the pethas in a tray, so that they do not stick to each other. • Allow it to cool completely. • Serve.

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Aloo Ki Puri Recipe

 Ingredients:

 
• 2 cups Plain Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• Water as required
For Filling:
• 4 Boiled Potatoes (medium size)
• 3 Green chilies (finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• Red Chilli Powder to taste
• Vegetable oil as needed
• Salt to taste
  
How to make Aloo Ki Puri:
•    Sieve flour and add salt to it.
•    Add water and knead it properly to make soft dough.
•    Cover it with a wet cloth and keep it aside for half an hour.
•    Peel and mash the potatoes.
•    Add green chillies to it and mix well.
•    Combine the remaining ingredients with it & again mix well.
•    Divide the dough into small balls and roll one ball at a time in the form of a small puri.
•    Put a small quantity of potato mixture over it and close it properly from all the sides.
•    Roll it gently into a puri.
•    Place it into hot oil for deep-frying till they blow up.
•    Puris are ready to serve.

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Aloo Capsicum Recipe

Ingredients:
• 4 Capsicums • 2 Potatoes   • 1 Large chopped onion   • 1 Large chopped tomato  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder  • 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder   • 1 tsp Ground coriander   • 2 tbsp Oil • Salt to taste   • Coriander leaves
How to make Aloo Capsicum:
• Wash capsicum and potatoes and cut into pieces. • Heat the oil and fry chopped onion till it turns brown. • Add capsicum and potato and fry it for few minutes. • Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder,red chili powder,ground coriander and salt. • Mix it well and cook it till it turns tender. • Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves. • Serve hot with rotis.

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Buttery Garlic Parmesan Potato Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 13 oz bag of  Salted Kettle Chips (the party size)
• 1 stick melted butter  
• 1 1/2 t garlic powder  
• 3/4 t coarse salt  
• 1/4 t red chili flakes  
• 2 heaping Tablespoons of parmesan from the can 
• Fresh parmesan to throw on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Melt the butter. Add the seasonings and cheese.
Stir. Open bag of chips.
Pour in butter mixture.
Toss  gently but well, while holding bag shut. Pour out onto a parchment lined large baking sheet. 
Sprinkle with additional garlic powder and additional grated parmesan cheese of you'd like. Bake on the lowest rack in oven for about 20 minutes until these are golden and crispy and delectable! And don't say I didn't warn you!

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Rustic Baked Potato Chips

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, I used gold, organic from Sprout's ($2.99 for a big bag)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• himalayan salt, to taste...go easy as they can get too salty

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper, a rack would be great too and you would need less cooking time. That's next on my list !
3. Using a sharp knife, food processor attachment or mandolin, thinly slice the potatoes. 
4. Toss with oil and salt in medium size bowl. Or you can go to step five and lightly coat each side with oil while on the cookie sheet using a silicon brush. One less thing to wash this way, which was my way. 
5. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. 
6. Bake for 10-17 minutes, turning after 10 min. Remove any that seem ready or about to burn completely. 
7. Once baked, remove from oven and let cool for 2 - 5 min.  Makes two servings.

 
 

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Orange Nut Cake

Ingredients

1 tablespoon orange zest

• 5 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• boiling water
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 egg
• 250g plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 200g caster sugar
• 50g chopped walnuts
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease 3 to 4 mini loaf tins (6x12cm / 5x3 in each).
2. Zest and juice an orange; set 1 tablespoon zest aside. Pour 5 tablespoons orange juice into a measuring cup, add boiling water to fill to 225ml.
3. Pour juice mixture into a bowl and add the melted butter, vanilla, egg, flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, grated orange zest and chopped nuts. Stir well and pour batter into the prepared pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a small knife comes out clean and bread is nicely browned.

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Low Fat Carrot Cake

Ingredients

6 egg whites                                                             

• 250g caster sugar
• 225g apple purée
• 110ml skimmed milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 120g whole flour
• 120g plain flour
• 220g pineapple (Tinned pineapple in juice preferred)
• 225g grated carrots
• 60g chopped walnuts
• 85g raisins

• 
  

  Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Lightly grease a 20x30cm (9x13 in) cake tin with olive/vegetable oil.
  2. In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites. Slowly beat in sugar, then apple purée, skimmed milk and vanilla. Stir in cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and flour.
  3. In a food processor or mixie, roughly process the pineapple with all of its juice.
  4. Stir into the mixture, one ingredient at a time, the pineapple, carrots, walnuts and raisins. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
  5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in preheated oven. Cake is done when fork inserted in center comes out clean.
  

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Eggless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

400g plain flour

• 400g caster sugar
• 4 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 500ml water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and flour a 20x30cm (9x13 in) cake tin.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Make a well in the centre, and pour in the oil, vinegar, water and vanilla.
3. Mix well, then pour into the cake tin. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

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Beer Braised Chicken and Onions Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 chicken thighs, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
• Salt
• 3 pounds yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick, root to stem, about 6-8 cups sliced
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups dark beer
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1 Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and set them skin side down in the butter. Salt the meat side lightly. Brown the chicken on both sides well. Remove the browned thighs from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

2 The chicken skin has likely rendered quite a bit of fat. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan, taking care to not discard any of the tasty browned bits. (Note, do not discard the fat down the drain, you may clog your plumbing. Pour off into a jar.) Lower the heat to medium and add the sliced onions to the pan. If you want, sprinkle brown sugar over the onions. This is optional. The added sugar will intensify the natural sweetness of the onions. Cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

3 Add the bay leaves, thyme, mustard, 2 teaspoons of salt, and beer to the onions. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken thighs and the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

4 Cook covered for 45 minutes, then uncover the pot and simmer well until the liquid is greatly reduced and the meat wants to fall off the bone, between 45 minutes and 1 hour. If you are using unsalted or low sodium stock, you will likely need to add more salt. Add freshly ground black pepper and more salt to taste.

Serve over egg noodles or with rice or potatoes.

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Chilled pea and mint soup recipe

• Ingredients

• 1kg bag frozen Tesco garden peas
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1litre cold water
• 1 small packet fresh mint, leaves finely chopped stems discarded
• 4tbsp Tesco half fat crème fraiche

Preparation

Place the peas, stock cube and water into a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until the peas are very tender. Allow the mixture to cool, add the mint and puree in a food processor or with a hand blender, chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

To serve season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to bowls and swirl in the crème fraiche.

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