Eggplant sandwich

Prep time - 20-25 mins
Cooking time - 15 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• French baguette or ciabatta breat - 4 slices
• Eggplant, large size, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds - 1
• Tomato, cut into slices - 1 medium size ( 4 slices )
• Avocado, cut into slices - 1  
• Bread crumbs - 1/2 bowl
• Egg beaten - 1
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method :-

Wrap baguette/ciabatta in a wet paper towel and put it in fridge for an hour. It will make the outer crust of bread a little soft.

Dip the eggplant slices in beaten egg (let any excess drip off), followed by the bread crumbs.

You can cook these eggplant slices in two ways :

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the eggplant slices from one side until it turns golden brown then flip it and cook it from the other side. Approx 4-5 mins. Sprinkle the slices with salt and pepper.  
2. Or, broil the eggplant slices in oven for 10 mins. Turn the slices in between.

Cut baguette/ciabatta into 3 inches long pieces. Cut each piece half, lengthwise. Now put a non stick pan on medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil. Once its hot, toast the baguette/ciabatta, inner side first. Flip baguette/ciabatta once inner side is crisp and let outer side of baguette/ciabatta turn crisp.

Take one piece of baguette/ciabatta. Put 1 slice of cooked eggplant, following with a slice of tomato and 2-3 slices of avocados.

Cover the baguette with another half. Repeat the process for rest of the sandwiches. Enjoy.

Khasta kachori

Prep time - 20 mins + overnight to soak dal
Cooking time - 15 to 20 mins to fry 3-4 kachori.
Complexity - Medium
Servings - makes 10-12 kachori

Ingredients :-

For dough :

• All purpose flour - 2 cup
• Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
• Salt - 1 1/2 tsp

For stuffing :

• Skinless udad dal - 1/2 cup
• Ground cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Aamchoor powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - only a  pinch
• Asafoetida (hing) powder - only a pinch
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil or olive oil - 2 tbsp

For kachori :

• Vegetable oil - for deep frying

Method :-

For dough :

Take all purpose flour and salt to a bowl and add vegetable oil  to it. Mix everything properly. Now knead flour with lukewarm water and make a smooth dough.

For stuffing :

Soak udad dal overnight. Grind soaked dal into a coarse paste.

Put a non stick pan on medium heat and add oil to it. Once oil is hot, add fenugreek seeds, cumin powder, aamchoor powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and asafoetida to it. Mix everything and add dal paste to the pan. Add salt to the paste. Fry masala for 6-7 mins. Masala for stuffing is ready.

Put vegetable oil in a pan on medium heat and let it heat. Meanwhile divide the dough into 10 round balls. On a lightly oiled surface, roll out round ball into a thick disc shape using rolling pin, approx 2". Put a spoonful of stuffing into the centre of rolled round ball.

Now take all the edges together and cover the stuffing. Now take the rolling pin and roll this stuffed round ball into a, not more than 3", flat and thick disc shape.

Add 2 or 3 kachoris into the heated oil. Let them cook for 3-4 mins from one side, flip them and let cook from another side for equal mins.

 Flip again until they are golden brown from one side. Cook from another side until they are golden. This process might take 10-15 mins. Repeat this process to fry all the kachoris.

Enjoy with hot tea or aloo curry.

Cabbage thepla

Prep time - 20 mins
Cooking time - 3 to 4 mins to make each thepla
Complexity - Easy

Ingredients :-

• Cabbage (pattagobhi), grated - 1/2 cup
• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup 
• Gram flour (besan) - 1/4 cup
• Yoghurt - 5 to 6 tbsp
• Sugar - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 2 tsp or acc to taste
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp
• Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil - for frying thepla

Method :-

Take all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix everything properly. Now add  lime juice to the mixture and start adding yoghurt only one spoon at a time. Add first spoon of yoghurt and mix everything, then add one more spoon and repeat the mixing process. Keep adding the yoghurt until you see no need of adding it to make the dough smoother. You might need to add more or less yoghurt.
Dough is ready. Divide the dough into round balls.

 On a lightly floured surface, roll out round ball in a thick tortilla shaped disc using rolling pin, approx 6". You might need to add a little flour in the process of rolling out the cabbage thepla, but do not dust rolled out thepla with lots of flour.



Heat a non stick pan on medium heat and put the rolled thepla on heated pan. Once the bubble starts appearing (approx after 40-45 secs), flip the thepla and put a little oil on this side.

 



You do not need to add oil to the other side of the thepla. You need to flip the thepla two - three times to let it cook from both the sides. Cook until it has golden brown spots each side. Repeat the process for making each thepla.

 

Cabbage thepla is ready. Enjoy with butter, curd or any type of curry.

* If you make the dough in advance (3 - 4 hours) for making cabbage thepla, the yoghurt used in making dough gets sour and it makes cabbage thepla more tastier.

 

Grilled vegetable sandwich

Prep time - 20-25 mins
Cooking time - 5 mins
Complexity - easy
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• French baguette - 1 
• Red bell pepper, seeds removed, julienned - 1/2 medium size
• Green bell pepper, seeds removed, julienned - 1/2 medium size
• Red onion, julienned- 1/2 medium size
• Zucchini, julienned - 1/2 medium size
• White button mushroom, stem cut - 6-7
• Lettuce, thinly cut - 1/2 bowl 
• Tomato, cut into slices - 1 medium size
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Italian dressing - 7-8 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method :-

Wrap baguette in a wet paper towel and put it in fridge for an hour. It will make the outer crust of bread a little soft.

Put a pan on medium heat and add bell peppers and onions. Drizzle bell peppers with 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Let them cook until they are soft, approx 5-7 mins. Remove from pan and cut cooked mushroom into slices once they are cool.

Remove bell pepper from pan and add zucchini and mushrooms to the pan and drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Let them cook for 5-7 mins.

Cut baguette into 3 inches long pieces. Cut each piece half, lengthwise. Now put a non stick pan on medium heat and drizzle a little olive oil. Once its hot, toast the baguette, inner side first. Flip baguette once inner side is crisp and let outer side of baguette turn crisp.

Put 3-4 tbsp of dressing into lettuce and mix in such a way that lettuce is coated properly.

Take one piece of baguette. Put 1 tsp of dressing on each side, following with bell pepper and onion mixture. Add tomato slice on top of bell pepper mixture. Put zucchini and mushroom mixture next and finish the layering with lettuce. Cover the baguette with another half. Repeat the process for rest of the sandwiches. Enjoy.

Methi thepla

Prep time - 20 mins
Cooking time - 3 to 4 mins to make each thepla
Complexity - Easy

Ingredients :-

• Fenugreek leaves (methi), finely chopped - 250 gms (1 bundle)
• Whole wheat flour - 1 cup 
• Gram flour (besan) - 1/4 cup
• Sorghum flour (jowar) - 1/4 cup
• Yoghurt - 5 to 6 tbsp
• Sugar - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 2 tsp or acc to taste
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp
• Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil - for frying thepla

Method :-

Take all the dry ingredients except fenugreek leaves, in a bowl and mix everything properly. Now add fenugreek leaves, lime juice to the mixture and start adding yoghurt only one spoon at a time. Add first spoon of yoghurt and mix everything, then add one more spoon and repeat the mixing process. Keep adding the yoghurt until you see no need of adding it to make the dough smoother. You might need to add more or less yoghurt.

Dough is ready. Divide the dough into round balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out round ball in a thick tortilla shaped disc using rolling pin, approx 6". You might need to add a little flour in the process of rolling out the methi thepla, but do not dust rolled out thepla with lots of flour.

Heat a non stick pan on medium heat and put the rolled thepla on heated pan. Once the bubble starts appearing (approx after 40-45 secs), flip the thepla and put a little oil on this side. You do not need to add oil to the other side of the thepla. You need to flip the thepla two - three times to let it cook from both the sides. Cook until it has golden brown spots each side. Repeat the process for making each thepla.

Methi thepla is ready. Enjoy with butter, curd or any type of curry.

* If you make the dough in advance (3 - 4 hours) for making methi thepla, the yoghurt used in making dough gets sour and it makes methi thepla more tastier.

Dahi bhalle

Prep time - 15 mins + Overnight for soaking the moong dal
Cooking time - 25 min
Complexity - Hard
Servings - 8 to 10

Ingredients :-

• Skinless moong dal - 1 cup
• Beaten yoghurt - 4 cups
• Tamarind chutney - 16 to 20 tbsp (easily available in Indian grocery store)
• Green coriander chutney, optional - 8 to 10 tbsp (easily available in Indian grocery store)
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - acc to taste
• Red chilli pepper powder - 4 tsp
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Dry roasted cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
• Oil - for deep frying

Method :-
Soak the dal overnight. Grind the soaked dal to make a paste using a grinder or food processor. Do not add more water because thick paste is required.

Try not to make paste too smooth. Beat this dal paste using hand mixer for not more than 20 sec. Add a pinch of asafoetida to the paste and mix it well.

Put a pan on medium heat and add oil to the pan for deep frying. Take a spoonful of paste and pour it in the pan, once the oil is hot. Add 5 to 6 spoons of paste in the hot oil (do not overcrowd the oil by putting lots of dal paste bhalle).

Turn the bhalle once they are little golden, it takes approx 2-3 mins or less, then fry from the other side. Repeat this process until whole paste is used.

Place all the bhalle on the tissue paper. Bhalle are ready.

One hour before you have to serve dahi bhalle, add bhalle in a bowl full of enough water so that they are soaked.

Before serving, you would have to squeeze them.

Add water to yoghurt and mix everything properly. In small bowl, add four squeezed bhalle and pour 1/4 cup of yoghurt over them. Sprinkle salt. Now add 2 tbsp of tamarind chutney and 1 tbsp of green chutney (if using) to the bowl. Sprinkle red chilli powder and cumin seeds on top. Dahi bhalle are ready.
Enjoy.

* You can increase or decrease the amount of  yoghurt, tamarind chutney and green chutney according to you liking.

Mushroom pattice

Prep time - 20 mins + time to thaw the puff pastry sheets (2 hrs)
Cooking time - 12-15 mins
Complexity - Easy

Ingredients :-

• Mushrooms, sliced each in half - 300 gms
• Puff pastry sheets (easily available in frozen section of grocery stores) - 1/2
• Green chillies - 2 
• Salt - 1 tsp or acc to taste
• Onion, finely chopped, small size - 1/2 cup 
• Beaten egg white (optional) - 1/4 cup
• Olive oil or vegetable oil - 1 tbsp

Method :-

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat and add onion, green chillies to it. Fry onion a little, for 3 mins and add mushrooms to the pan. Cook mushroom till they are tender and release water (not more than 7 mins). Mushroom masala for the pattice is ready.

Now take the thaw pastry square and flatten it out in approx 7 to 8 inches square or until its 1/2 cm thick.

Cut this flatten sheet into your desired shapes; I usually cut it into squares.

Take one square, fill the mushroom masala in half of a piece (square) and cover it with the other half.

In the following pic, I  have shown one more idea to make your pattice a little fancy.

Now brush this roll lightly with beaten egg white (this is optional if you do not eat eggs; eggs are used to make the pattice bit glazed on the outside). Repeat this process with the remaining pastry sheets. Oil lightly a baking tray and put all the rolled sheets on tray and bake till they turn golden brown (it takes 12- 15 mins).

Pattice are ready. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee and tomato sauce.

Dabeli (spicy snack from Gujarat)

Prep time - 25 mins
Cooking time - 5 mins
Complexity - Easy
Servings - 6

Ingredients :-

• Boiled potatoes, medium - 2
• Buns - 6
• Tamarind chutney (available in indian grocery store) - 6 tbsp 
• Green chutney, recipe follows - 6 tbsp
• Onion, finely chopped, small size - 1 
• Pomegranate - 1/2 cup
• Roasted peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Dabeli masala (available in indian grocery store) - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 2 tsp or according to taste
• Olive oil or vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 6 tbsp

Method :-

Mash boiled potatoes. Heat a pan on medium heat and add oil to it. Add mashed potatoes, dabeli masala and salt to the heated oil and mix everything properly. Take this mashed potato mixture out from the heat after 7-8 mins. Our stuffing to put in the buns is ready.

Now keep a pan on medium heat. Put a little bit of butter on one side of the bun and heat for 1 to 2 mins on medium heat. Repeat this process for all the buns. Buns are ready.

Take a bun, add green chutney to one half of it and tamarind chutney to the other. Add 2 -3 tbsp mashed potato masala on one of these two parts. Sprinkle roasted peanuts, chopped onion and pomegranate

seeds on top of potato masala and cover with another bun. Dabeli is ready. Repeat this process for making all the dabelis. Enjoy.

Stuffed portabella mushroom

Prep time - 15 mins
Cooking time - 40 mins
Complexity - Easy
Servings - 2

Ingredients :-

• Portabella mushrooms - 4
• Pasta sauce - 4 tbsp (I prefer using Ragu brand; you can make pasta sauce at home using tomato, garlic and onion )
• Onion, finely chopped - 1 medium size
• Garlic, minced - 3 cloves
• Dry white wine - 2 tbsp
• Bread crumb cubes - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 2 tsp or according to taste
• Black pepper powder - 2 tsp
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp
• Parmesan cheese, grated - 4 tbsp + 2 tbsp for garnishing

Method :-

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the stems of mushrooms and place them on a parchment sheet. Drizzle olive oil over mushrooms and sprinkle them with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper powder.

Place mushrooms in the oven with smooth side up for 15 mins or until they loose water.

Meanwhile in a saucepan, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and add onions. Fry onions on medium heat till they become translucent. Add garlic to onions and fry a little until garlic turns a little red. After frying ginger, add dry white wine to this mixture. Fry until the wine is dried up. Turn off the gas and put pasta sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper powder, 4 tbsp parmesan cheese and bread crumbs cubes to it and mix properly.

Take mushrooms out from the oven and throw the water released by mushrooms. Place them again on a parchment sheet and put them upside down. Now divide the stuffing equally in 4 portions and fill each mushroom cap with this filling, pressing a little.

Place them on a baking tray and put in oven at 350 degrees for 20 mins. After 20 mins take them out and garnish with cheese. Enjoy.

* You can also have this in your main course along with bread of your choice.

Besan wali moonfali ( gramflour covered spicy peanuts )

Prep time - 2 hrs
Cooking time - 20-30 mins
Complexity - Easy

Ingredients :-

• Gram flour - 5 tbsp
• Peanuts - 1 cup
• Salt - 3 tbsp or acc to taste
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp or acc to taste
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Chat masala - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder (optional) - 1/2 tsp 
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method :-

Soak peanuts in water for 2 hours.

Drain all the water out of peanuts after 2 hrs. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Now add peanuts to this mixture ( remember no water with peanuts ) and mix everything properly so that peanuts are coated with dry mixture properly.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Put coated peanuts in oil once its hot and turn heat to medium low. This process of frying peanuts takes time. Let them cook for 10 mins on low heat or until you see them turning golden red. Take peanuts out from the pan and put them on tissue so extra oil will get absorbed by the paper. Let them cool for 10 mins. Enjoy with tea.

* Do not fry peanuts on high heat. If you do so, they will only get cooked from the outside and when you will taste them, you will find peanuts soft, not crispy.

*If you find that your peanuts are not enough spicy or salty then add extra spices ( chat masala, red chili powder, salt etc) to peanuts right after you take them out from oil that way oil on peanuts will absorb spices and your peanuts will become more spicy.

Hara kebab

Prep time - 45 mins
Cooking time - 20-25 mins
Complexity - Medium
Servings - for 2

Ingredients :-

• Boiled potato - 2
• Boiled spinach - 1 cup
• Boiled green peas - 1 cup
• Corn flour - 2 tbsp
• Bread crumbs - 2 tbsp
• green chilles - 2
• Salt - 2 tsp ( you can increase or decrease salt acc to your taste )
• Minced ginger - 1 tsp
• Minced garlic - 1tsp
• Olive oil/ Vegetable oil- for shallow frying

Method :-

Put boiled potato, spinach, green peas, ginger and garlic in a blender and blend them together. You can also do this with your hands.

Once everything is blended properly into a smooth paste, add corn flour, green chillies, salt, bread crumbs and mix well.

Divide this mixture into 4 equal portions ( you can increase or decrease the amount of mixture to make more or less tikkis ) and shape these portions into round patties or tikki. Pat them into center so they get flatten  a little.

Put a heavy bottom flat pan on medium heat and add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Once oil is hot add tikkis,
and let them cook for about 4-5 mins. Turn the tikkis upside down and cook for another 4-5 mins.

Hara kebab is ready. Serve hot with mint or tamrind chutney.