Aloo Muttar

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
Potatoes (medium size) - 4
Fresh Green Peas - 3/4 cup
Curd  - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 4
Onion (big)- 1
Tomatoes (finely chopped) - 3
Ginger  - 1 inch
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Salt To Taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

Method

• Boil the potatoes and peas. Cut the potatoes in to 1 inch cubes
• Grind onions, chilies, ginger and tomatoes with little water to fine paste.
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and once they pop up and the ground paste and fry until its done
• Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and mix well.
• Add the boiled potatoes, peas, one cup of water. Cover and cook for few minutes.
• Add the beaten curd and cook on slow flame until a thick gravy is formed.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis/parathas.

Cabbage-Peas Poriyal (Cabbage-Peas Kobbari Kura)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
Cabbage - 1 medium size (finely chopped)
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Green chilies - 3
Fresh green peas - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida -a pinch
Curry leaves - 10-15
Salt to taste

Method

• Boil/ steam cook the cabbage with a little salt
• If you chose to boil it, strain the water after boiling and set aside (preserve the stock)
• Take a teaspoon of oil in a pan and heat it. Add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add the cumin seeds, asafoetida,curry leaves , green chilies to it.
• Add cabbage, fresh green peas and mix well.
• Cook on low flame for 5-6 minutes till the peas are cooked.
• Switch off the heat ,add the grated coconut mix well, adjust the salt
• Serve with hot rice or with roti.

Note: you can make soup/rasam with the stock 

Palak Chana Dal

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Spinach/ Palak (chopped) - 2cups
Soaked chana dal (split bengal gram) - 1cup
Turmeric - 1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Green chili paste - 1tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1tsp
Chopped onions - 3/4 cup
Chilli powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1tsp
salt to taste
ghee as per required

Method

• Blanch the  chopped spinach and keep aside.
• Soak the dal for 2 hours, add the salt and turmeric powder, mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistle or till done.
• Heat the ghee in a kadai, add the cumin seeds.
• When the seeds splutter add the green chili paste, ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
• Add the onions, and saute till it turns to golden brown in colour.
• Add the spinach , chilli powder, cooked dal, water as per required, garam masala, salt, mix well and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice/rotis

Methi Paratha/Thepla

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Wheat Flour - 2 cups
Methi leaves (chopped) - 2 cups
Green Chilies (finely chopped) - 4
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Carom seeds(ajwain ) - 1tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Cumin powder - 1tsp
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

Method

• Take the wheat flour in a bowl.
• Mix all the ingredients in it including the methi (fenugreek) leaves
• Add 2 tsp oil and knead it in to a firm dough using water . Let it stay for 15 minutes.
• Then make even size small balls of the dough. Roll them separately with a rolling pin into a round shape.
• Heat the griddle and roast each of the rolled out theplas just like you roast chapathi/roti
• Then put 1/2 tsp oil on the turned side and again it upside down.
• Repeat the same with the other side.When evenly roasted remove it from griddle.
• Serve them hot with Butter/Chutney/Raitha/Plain Curd.

Tabbouleh (fresh and tasty sprouts salad)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingerdients
Mung Beans (sprouted) -  1 cup
Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Green Chilies (finely chopped) - 3
Coriander (finely chopped) - 2 cups
Mint (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup
Medium tomatoes(diced)- 2
Cucumber(diced) - 1/2
Fresh lemon juice - 3 tbsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper (crushed) - 1/4 tsp

Method

• Mix together all the above ingredients with 2 tbsp oil in a salad bowl, then cover bowl tightly with plastic cling wrap/aluminium foil and let stand 5 minutes. 
• Add the remaining oil and mix well.
• Tabbouleh is an arabic dish, generally served in blanched cabbage/lettuce leaves
• You can introduce your own variations by serving it with roti/phulka.
• You can also use it as a stuffing for a vegetarian frankie.

Amti (light and tasty Dal)

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins


Ingredients
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Goda masala - 1 tsp
(this is a common and essential masala in any maharashtrian household...if you do not have this you can use normal garam masala and add a mixture of grounded sesame seeds and dry coconut (1:1)
Tamarind pulp - 1tsp
Tomato (diced) - 1
Freshly grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Freshly chopped coriander - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Jaggery to taste (a must since you are adding tamarind)

For tempering
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/3 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds (optional)
3 green chilies-chopped

Preparation

• Boil the toor dal in the pressure cooker. Blend it lightly and set aside
•  Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and when they pop, add the fenugreek seeds, turmeric, asafoetida and chilies.
• Saute for 3 minutes till the tomato is tender and add the boiled dal.
•  Add 4 cups of water or more as required (the consistency of the dal should be very thin- a little thicker than rasam)
•  Add the rest of the ingredients except the coconut and coriander and continue to boil for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander and coconut and serve with rice and chapatis.

Batata vada- Vada Pav

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
Potatoes (large) - 2
Onion (large) - 1
Green chilies - 3
Ginger - 1/2 inch stick
Coriander(chopped) - 2 tbsp
Garlic (chopped) - 3 cloves
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
For batter:
Besan (Gram flour) - 1 cup
Turmeric - a pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Baking soda - a pinch
Salt to taste
Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Water - 1cup
Oil for frying

Method

• Boil, peel and mash potatoes.
• Saute the onion until soft
• Mix potatoes,onion and all the other ingredients into a dough.
• Roll them in to 1 inch balls and set aside.
• Mix  Besan, turmeric and all the batter ingredients with 2 tsp of very hot oil and later make in to a thick batter with sufficient water
• Heat oil in a wok, dip the potato balls in the batter and deep fry.
• Serve sizzling hot with any chutney sweet/tangy/hot  and Pav

Veg Hot n Sour Soup with Crispy Bread sticks

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time 25 minutes

Ingredients
For the Soup
Capsicum(Chopped) - 1
Spring Onions(chopped) - 1
Carrot (chopped/ grated) - 1
Cabbage (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup
Chilies- 3 (fine paste)
Tomato Sauce - 2 tbsp
Corn Flour / Corn Starch - 1 1/2 tbsp
Soy Sauce- 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 1/2 tbsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger- 1/2 inch (fine paste)
Sugar- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
4 cups Water

For the Bread sticks

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup

All Purpose flour (Maida) - 1/4 cup

Sesame Seeds - 2 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Oil- 1/2tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar- 1/2 tsp

Oil for frying

Preparation (Soup)

• Grind the chilies and ginger in to a smooth paste
• Add Soya sauce, Vinegar, Tomato sauce, black pepper powder, sugar and salt to it mix thoroughly
• Take 4 cups of water in a heavy bottom vessel and add the above mixture to it and bring it to a boil
• Now add the half boiled vegetables to the mixture and cook for 2 minutes
• Dissolve the corn flour/starch in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and add to the mixture slowly while you stir
• As the soup stats to get thick, lower the flame and cook for about 3 minutes
• Garnish  with  spring onions and serve this  hot, spicy and tangy soup with bread sticks

Tip:   1)You can use the vegetable stock from the half cooked vegetables, instead of water, it kind of adds more flavours.
2) You can add your choice of vegetables, you can also use peas, babycorn, mushrooms


Preparation (Bread Sticks)

• Mix all the contents in a bowl expect  water
• Now add the water slowly while mixing the flour and knead it in to a smooth dough
• Make equal portions of the dough (6-8 ) and roll them in to 3-4 inch long sticks
• Now gently  twist the sticks a little so that the marks show on them (do not bend them completely)
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the sticks until light brown.
• Serve them with hot soup.

Spinach & Peas Kebabs (Hara Bhara Kebabs)

Preparation time: 35 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins


Ingredients
Potato - 2
Pea seeds( muttar) - 1 cup
Spinach (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Ginger (finely chopped)  - 1/4 inch piece
Green chillies (finely chopped) - 3
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup
Chat Masala - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cornflour-3tsp
Oil for frying

Preparation

• Boil,mash and mix together the potatoes, peas and spinach till a smooth paste is formed.
• Add chopped coriander, ginger, green chilies,corn flour, salt and chat masala to it and mix well
• Refrigerate it for 15 mins
• Take out the mixture from the refrigerator and shape in to patties
• Heat the oil in a kadai (for deep fry) or a heavy bottomed pan (for shallow fry) and fry the kebabs until crisp on each side
• Serve hot with green chutney or sweet n sour chutney

Capsicum Rice (Capsicum Masale Bhath)

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Basmati Rice/ Normal Rice - 1 Cup

Medium sized Capsicum (Finely chopped) - 2

Medium sized Onion (finely chopped) - 1 (optional)

Medium sized Tomato (finely chopped) - 1

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Green Chilies (finely chopped) - 2

Garam Masala/ Sabji Masala - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves - to garnish

seasoning

Oil/ghee - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida(hing) - pinch

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Cashew - 1 tsp (optional) 

Preparation

• Cook basmati rice in 2 cups of water. The grains should be separate. Set aside. 
• Heat oil/ghee in a pan.Add mustard seeds, Asafoetida and cumin seeds  
• When mustard seeds crackle, add ginger garlic paste, chopped green chilies,onion capsicum. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder.
• Saute till capsicum turns soft.Add the garam masala and mix well.
• Gently add rice to the pan  and mix thoroughly.
• Add salt and garnish with roasted cashew nuts coriander leaves.
• Have it with raitha or papad.

Jeedi Pappu (Cashew Nuts) Upma

Ingredients

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Suji/Semolina -  1 Cup
Cashew nuts (broken into quarters)- 1/4 Cup
Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2
Ginger (finely chopped)- 1/4 inch
Salt to taste
Ghee- 4 tbsp
Water- 3 Cups

Preparation

• Heat the kadai and saute the semolina/suji till golden brown and keep aside
• Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a kadai, add mustard seeds, once the seeds pop, add cashew nuts, chopped green chilies, ginger and saute till the cashew nuts turn red
• Add water and bring it to a boil, now add the salt and stir well
• Once the water starts to boil add the semolina slowly and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
• Simmer the flame and close the lid for 2 minutes
• Now add 2 tbsp of ghee to the contents of the kadai, mix well and close the lid for another 3 minutes.
• Serve hot with any pickle/chutney

Vatana chi missal

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Vatana (dried  peas) - 2 cups

Onion (finely chopped) - 1 big

Tomato (finely chopped) - 2

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp

Green chilli paste- 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Garam masala - 2tsp

Coriander (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp

Oil- 1 1/2 tbsp

Preparation Method

• Soak 2 cups of dried peas overnight in water.
• Pressure cook peas with very little water, salt & turmeric.
• Heat the oil and put mustard seeds
• Add ginger-garlic,green chili paste chopped onions and saute for 3 mins till the onions become translucent.
• Now add chopped tomatoes, tamarind paste, Garam masala, chilli powder and cook till the tomatoes go tender.
• Add cooked peas and 2 cups water.
• Cook uncovered on a low flame for 10 mins and remove from heat
• Garnish with chopped coriander 

Note: The beauty of the dish is it can be served with Rice, Roti, Pav, or can just be consumed  as it is topped with farsand (Namkeen mixture/chivda)

Green gram fritters

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Green gram/Moong/ Pesarlu -  2 cups

Ginger - 2 inch piece

Green chilies - 8 to 10

Medium Onion (finely Chopped) - 1 (optional)

Coriander (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Preparation

• Soak the green gram over night, grind coarsely and keep aside
• Blend the chilies and ginger in to a smooth paste
• Add the paste to the ground green gram
• Add chopped onions, coriander, cumin seeds and salt. Mix the batter well
• Heat oil in a kadai, drop little scoops of batter in to the oil and fry till golden brown
• Serve it with tomato sauce or green chutney

Gharge:Laal Bhoplyachi Puri (Sweet Pumpkin Puri)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
Laal Bhopla/Red Pumpkin( peeled and grated) - 2 cups
Jaggery (grated) - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Sooji/Semolina - 1/2 cup
Ghee- 2 tsp
Oil to fry

Preparation

• Peel and then grate the Pumpkin and Jaggery. Keep aside. 
• Now in a kadhai/pan combine the grated pumpkin and jaggery and cook together. 
• Once the the mixture comes together and the pumpkin is cooked add 1 tsp of ghee to it. 
• Remove from the heat and then mix in the wheat flour and rawa to the pumpkin mixture till everything comes together like a dough.
•  The dough should not be too tight nor too elastic. 

Note: The wheat flour and sooji have to be in 1:1 ratio. 

• Let the dough cool. Once cooled roll the dough in to 1 inch balls
• Take the inch dough on a plastic sheet(grease the sheet and your palms with ghee) and pat it into a small puri with your hand. 
• Heat the oil and then fry the puri until golden brown. 
• Drain the these on a tissue paper.
• Serve them hot.

Note: Gharge can be consumed hot or can be stored in an air tight container for days at room temperature

Sabudana Khichadi

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Sabudana (sago) - 2 cups
Medium potatoes - 2 (diced)
Green chilies (finely chopped)- 4
Peanut powder - 1/2 cup
(Roast the peanuts, peel the skin and grind the peanuts in to a coarse powder)
Sugar- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp (optional)
Coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Preparation

• Wash thoroughly and soak sabudana overnight in water ( water and sabudana ratio is 1:2)
• Heat ghee in a nonstick kadai/pan.
• Add cumin seeds, green chilies and diced potato.
• When potatoes turn tender, add sabudana, salt and sugar. Stir well (if using boiled potatoes, sauté them quickly in the ghee before adding the sabudana to it).
• Cook uncovered for sometime and keep mixing to keep sabudana from sticking to the bottom.
• Once the sabudana is cooked, add the peanut powder and mix well
• Khichdi is done when the sabudana no more tastes raw. Remove and garnish with coconut and coriander leaves. Serve hot with yogurt.

Methi Malai Muttar

Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Fenugreek (Methi) - 1 bunch (Chopped)
Fresh Cream (Malai)- 1/2 Cup
Fresh Green peas(Muttar) - 1 Cup (boiled)
Onion - 1 large
Green Chillies - 3-4
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Cashew Nuts - 2 tbsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Ghee - 3 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Preparation 

• Immerse the chopped methi in salted hot water for 5 minutes and then wash thoroughly under running water. Strain the excess water and keep the methi aside
• Take the malai in a bowl and beat it until it becomes smooth
• Blend the onions, green chillies, cashew nuts and ginger in to a smooth paste
• Heat ghee in a kadai add mustard and cumin seeds wait until they pop and add a pinch of asafoetida
• Add the onion blend to the kadai and saute for 2 mins , add garam masala and salt and mix well
• Now add peas, methi leaves, malai to the kadai and mix well 
• Cover the kadai and cook on low flame until the gravy thickens.
• Garnish with Chopped cashew nuts
• Serve hot with Roti or Rice

Chavli chi Usal (Black eyed peas masala)

Preparation time : 20 mins
Cooking time 20 mins

Ingredients

Chavli/ black eyed peas(bobbarlu) - 1cup
Medium onion (finely chopped) - 1
Tomato (finely chopped) - 1
Dry coconut (grated) - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 4 to 5
Chopped garlic- 1 tsp
Chopped Coriander - 1 tbsp
Goda masala/ kitchen king masala(any masala of your choice) - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation

• Soak chavli overnight or in warm water for 2-3 hours.
• Pressure cook with 2 cups of water and salt for 2-3 whistles.
•  Grind coconut and garlic, keep aside.
• Heat kadhai with oil. Add mustard and cumin seeds, let them splutter. Add asafoetida and curry leaves. Now add chopped onion and saute for 2-3 min. 
• Add coconut-garlic powder to it. Sauteing continuously, add chopped tomatoes and let cook until gets tender.
•  Now add turmeric and masala. Mix well and then add cooked chavli. 
• Add the water from pressure cooker according to consistency you want. 
• Check for salt. Bring to boil and garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with chapati, rice.

Gud ki Roti

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients 
for the stuffing

Jaggery (grated) - 2 cups
White Sesame Seeds (roasted) - 1/2 cup
Poppy seeds (roasted) - 1/4 cup
Dry grated Coconut (roasted) - 1/4 cup
Besan- 1/4 cup
Ghee- 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Pinch of Nutmeg Powder/Jaifal powder (Optional)

for the dough

Wheat Flour - 1 cup
All-Porpose Flour/Maida - 1 cup
Besan - 2 tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Pinch of Salt
Milk (can substitute with water) - 1 cup

Preparation Method

• Sieve and mix all the flours .Add Salt according to taste.Heat the oil and add it to the flour.
• The oil should be sizzling hot .Then mix it nicely. Make a soft dough adding milk / water little at a time.
• Knead the dough well for 5 mins.The dough should be medium soft.Cover it with a plastic wrap/cling film/muslin cloth.Let the dough rest for atleast 1 hour.
• For filing, grate the jaggery.
• Heat Ghee in a pan add Besan and roast it. Add Ghee as required little at a time.Keep stirring continuously.Roast on low heat till it changes its colour. It will take about 6-7 minutes.Then switch off heat and keep it aside. Let it cool completely.
•  Roast sesame seeds, poppy seeds and coconut one by one and keep them aside.
• Grind the poppy seeds, sesame seeds and coconut to powder.
• Mix the powder, Besan and jaggery together grind this mixture till they are well combined.
• Add the cardamom and  nutmeg powder to this and mix well. Make 10-12 balls for filling.
• Make equal portions of dough. Sprinkle some all purpose flour on rolling board. 
• Roll the dough to the size of puri. Place a ball of tilgul filling in the center close it by covering the edges at top so that the fiiling will not come out. R
• oll it till it become normal roti size.
• Heat the tava put some ghee. Roast the roti  both the sides using on medium flame till it turns golden brown. 
•  Serve hot  with ghee

Tilgul/ Nuvvula laddu

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes


Ingredients
White sesame seeds - 3 cups
Jaggery  - 1 1/2 cups
(usually jaggery required for Tilgul is stickier than the normal one and called 'chikkicha gul' in Marathi. ),
1/4 cup peanuts
cardamoms
Ghee: 1 tbsp

Preparation

• Roast sesame seeds over medium heat. When they turn slight golden, remove and keep aside
• .Roast peanuts, remove the skin and powder them.
• In a clean heavy-bottomed, nonstick pan, heat jaggery over medium heat. 
• Add 1 teaspoon ghee into it. After some time, it starts bubbling up and changes to light red. Pour sesame seeds, peanuts and cardamom powder immediately and mix well.
•  This mixture is little sticky and thick.Rub some ghee to the palm of your hands.
•  When the mixture is still hot, take some in your palm. Roll into 1 inch diameter ball. If the mixture gets cold, heat again to make the rolling easier.
•  Make all the laddus and let them cool. They turn hard and crisp once cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Tip: Increase the amount of jaggery if it is less sweet.

Gaajar ka Halwa (seasonal red carrots)

This is one dessert which suits all the climates...My personal favourite !!Come winter and the vegetable markets are filled with Red carrots (Delhi Gaajar)...and what's more apt for a dessert than Gaajar ka Halwa on a cold day ...yummmm!! Here is a quick and easy version of the recipe.

Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients
Carrots(Red Carrots)- 1Kg
Condensed milk- 400 gm
Ghee- 5 tbsp
Raisins- 2tbsp

Cashew/ Almonds/ Pistachio nuts (chopped) - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1tsp

Preparation

•  Wash, peel and grate the carrots.
• Take a heavy bottom non stick pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee and add the grated carrots to it, saute the carrot to get rid of the raw smell.
• Once the carrot is done, add the condensed milk while stirring the contents steadily.
• Cook on a medium flame for 15 mins stirring it occasionally,
• Remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tbsp of ghee, 1 tsp of cardamom powder and mix well.
• Garnish it with chopped cashew nuts and raisins
• Serve Hot or at room temperature or cold.(depending on the climate)