APPETISERS

Aloo Bonda

Ingredients:
2 or 3 medium potatoes (boiled and peeled and loosely mashed)
1/2 tsp. of cumin and mustard seeds each
fresh green chilli chopped finely – to taste
1/2 tsp. each ginger & garlic(finely chopped)
3/4th cup Chopped Onions
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 cup. Cilantro leaves (chopped)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. Lemon juice
1 1/2 cups besan -chickpea flour
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp. baking Soda

Oil for deep frying – use a wok for frying

Method:
1. Heat about two tablespoons of oil. Add mustard seeds and when the seeds start to crackle, add the cumin seeds, green chilli, salt, ginger and garlic. Fry for a few seconds and add onions and turmeric powder. When the onions start to turn brown add cilantro and lemon juice and the potatoes. Mix well and turn off the heat. Let this mixture cool. Shape into small balls.
2. Make a thick batter with Besan/Chickpea flour, salt, red chilli powder, baking soda and water.
3. Heat the oil for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. When the oil is hot, Dip the potato balls into the batter and carefully drop in the oil. Turn it every four minutes and remove from oil when it turns golden brown.
4. Serve with tamarind or green chutney.

Pakoda,

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups besan (gram flour)
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
Salt to taste
1 cup potatoes or onions (sliced)
4 tbsp. minced cilantro

1/4 cup fresh fenugreek/methi leaves or 2 tbsp. dried (optional)
Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Mix the onions, cayenne pepper, salt and besan (also cilantro and methi). Let it rest for about 10 minutes to allow the vegetables to sweat. Add some water (only as much as required) to make into a very thick paste.
2. Heat the oil for about 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Pour a spoonful of the paste in the oil and let fry until golden brown. Stir in between. Remove from oil and strain the oil out.
3. Serve with tamarind chutney and mint chutney

Samosa

For the pastry:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. water

For the stuffing:
4-5 medium potatoes, boiled in their jackets and allowed to cool
4 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup (175 g) shelled peas
1 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. very finely chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro)
3 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds

1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
oil for deep frying

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the 4 tablespoons on oil and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add about 4 tablespoons water — or a tiny bit more — and gather the dough into a stiff ball.

Empty the ball out on to clean work surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth. Make a ball. Rub the ball with about 1/4 teaspoon oil and slip it into a plastic bag. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer.

Make the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch dice. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the onion. Stir and fry until brown at the edges. Add the peas, ginger, green chilli, fresh coriander (cilantro), and 3 tablespoons water. Cover, lower heat and simmer until peas are cooked. Stir every now and then and add a little more water if the frying pan seems to dry out.

Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander seeds, Garam Masala, roasted cumin, cayenne, and lemon juice. Stir to mix. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently as you do so. Check balance of salt and lemon juice. You may want more of both. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Knead the pastry dough again and divide it into eight balls. Keep 7 covered while you work with the eight. Roll this ball out into a 7 inch (18 cm) round. Cut it into half with a sharp, pointed knife. Pick up one half and form a cone, making a 1/4 inch wide (5 mm), and overlapping seam. Glue this seam together with a little water. Fill the cone with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture. Close the top of the cone by sticking the open edges together with a little water. Again, your seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide. Press the top seam down with the prongs of a fork or flute it with your fingers. Make 7 more samosas.

Heat about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) of oil for deep frying over a medium-low flame. You may use a small, deep, frying pan for this or an Indian wok. When the oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas as the pan will hold in a single layer. Fry slowly, turning the samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Aloo Tikki,

Ingredients:
6 oiled and peeled potatoes mashed
fresh green chilli chopped finely – to taste
1 tsp. ginger (finely chopped)
1/2 cup. Cilantro leaves (chopped)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. coriander powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. mango powder called amchur
Oil for pan frying

Method:
1. Boil the potato. Cool. Peel the skin and mash the potato.
2. Mix all ingredients except the oil.
3. Make small hamburger size patties but about 1/2 inch high.
4. Pan Fry in a non-stick pan with oil until both sides are golden brown.
5. Serve with tamarind or green chutney.

Bhel Puri

2 cups puffed rice
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 oz. crushed potato chips
2 oz. salted peanuts
1 tbsp. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste Directions:
Mix the puffed rice, chickpeas, potatoes, onions and peanuts. Add tomato sauce, mix well and then sprinkle salt and the sev/potato chips. The mixture must be made immediately before serving, or the puffed rice will turn soggy.

Bhindi Dopeaza

1 lb. okra
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic paste or powder
1/4 teaspoon coriander paste or powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
3 large tomatoes
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
Cut the tip and the very bottom from the okra just to clean it, but do not slice. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add all ingredients except okra, tomato and cilantro. Cook for 3 minutes. Add okra, and then cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Garnish with tomato and cilantro. Serve with rice, Naan or pita bread.

Cheela Tomato

1 pound tomatoes, peeled and pureed
1 pound besan or gram flour
4 green chillies, minced
1 small bunch of coriander leaves, minced
1 teaspoon til (sesame seeds)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt and chilli powder to taste
6 teaspoons sugar

Recipe Directions:
1. Form a soft batter by mixing together all the above ingredients.
2. Heat a griddle (tawa) to smoking. Then lower the heat and grease it well with ghee.
3. Put 1/4 cup of batter on it and spread it into a thin even round shape. When the undersides turn golden, put a little more ghee around the edges and turn over.
4. Remove from heat when both sides turn golden brown. Serve piping hot with green chutney

Masala Parathas

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup rice or all purpose flour
1 onion
1 carrot
3 to 4 cabbage leaves
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1 potato
4 green chillies
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Directions:
Finely chop all the vegetables either in a chopper or by hand in a large plate. You may even grate them if a chopper is not available. Add the flours, 2 tablespoons oil, salt, cayenne, turmeric and knead to very stiff dough. Do not keep the dough for long after kneading, or it will become gooey and soft. This would make it difficult to roll the parathas.

Divide into 3 parts. Roll into 5.inch rounds. Shallow fry on a hot griddle (tawa) on both sides until golden brown using the remaining oil. Eat hot or carry away for later, with sauce, tamarind or onion chutney.

Masoor Dhal & Onions

2/3 cup masoor dhal
1 tbsp. oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 tsp. salt or to taste Recipe Directions:

Pre cook the lentils using three cups of water. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for five minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lentils and another three cups of water and turmeric powder, heat till the mixture starts boiling, season with salt and turn off the heat.

Paneer Cheese

12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed, crushed
1/3 cup lemon juice

Directions:

In a 5 quart Dutch oven bring milk, salt and cumin seed just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Let stand 15 minutes.

Line a large strainer or colander with several layers of pure cotton cheesecloth. Strain mixture; discard liquid. Gently squeeze the cheesecloth to remove as much liquid from the curds as possible. Wrap cloth around curds. Place wrapped curds in a large strainer or colander and put a weighted bowl on top to help press out any additional liquid. Let stand, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 15 hours.

Remove curds. Discard liquid. Form curds into a flat rectangle or press into a large bowl to shape. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until well chilled. Store in refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 weeks. Yields about 1 pound.