Chhole

Ingredients
Chickpeas (kabuli chana) soaked overnight 1 1/2 cups
Tea bags 3
Onions 2
Tomato puree 1 cup
Green chillies 3
Ginger paste 1 tbsp
Garlic paste 1 tbsp
Cardamom 4
Cloves 4
Bay leaf – 2
Cinnamon stick 2
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Chana masala 1 1/2 tbsp
Dry mango powder (amchur) 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Oil 3 tbsp
Cilantro chopped

For Tempering
Ghee 2 tbsp
Ajwain 1/2 tsp
Ginger thin long strips 4
Green chillies slit & deseeded 2

Method
Transfer the Chana and the water it has been soaking in into the pressure cooker.
Add tea bags and salt
Close pressure cooker and allow it to whistle thrice, lower heat and cook for another 20 min.
Once done, allow the pressure to go down and then open.
Remove the tea bags. Separate the water and the chana, do not discard the water.
Heat oil in a iron kadai. Add cumin seeds and sauté till it changes colour.
Add cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon.
Add onion paste, green chillies and sauté till golden. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder, chana masala, cumin powder and continue to sauté.
Add tomato puree and salt and cook till the till the oil leaves the masala.
Add boiled chana and some cooking liquour and mix.
Add amchur powder.
Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen mins on low heat.
Meanwhile heat ghee in a pan. Add ajwain, ginger strips, slit green chillies and toss.
Add to the chana and mix well.
Garnish with onion rings and cilantro
Serve hot with puris, bhaturas or naan.

Cooking Time - 30 mins
Servings - 4

Gatte Ki Subzi

Ingredients
For the Gatte
Besan/Chickpea Flour 1 cup
Yogurt 1/4 cup
Oil 1/8 cup
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Ajwain 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For the Gravy
Onion 1 finely chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Ginger 1 inch piece grated
Curry leaves 5
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Amchur/dry Mango Powder 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
Hing a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tsp
Cilantro finely chopped

Method
For the Gatte
In a bowl add besan, red chilli powder, ajwain and salt
Add oil and mix well
Add yogurt little by little and make a firm dough
Be careful as besan tends to get sticky.
Take a small ball of the dough and roll it into 1/2 inch thick cylinderical shape
Repeat the same with all the balls
In a pot add water and bring it to a boil
Place all the rolled gatte in the boiling water
They should be fully merged in water.
It should take about 10-15 mins
Check by inserting a knife in one of the rolled gatte and make sure the knife comes out clean.
Once all are done, drain the gatte rolls out of water.
Do not throw the water as it can be used for the gravy.
Cut about 1/2  inch thick gatte
Keep aside

For the Gravy
Heat oil in a pan.
Add cumin seeds and hing
Once they splutter add green chillies, curry leaves and ginger
Stir fry for a minute
Add chopped onions and salt
Saute the onions till they turn translucent
Add all the spices - turmeric, coriander, red chilli powder, amchur, garam masala
Now add the gatte pieces and mix well
Cook for 2 mins and add enough water to make a gravy
Cover and cook for few mins
Garnish with cilantro
Serve hot with parathas

Cooking Time - 40 mins
Servings - 3

Veg Manchurian

Ingredients
For the manchurian balls
Cabbage 1 cup finely shredded
Carrot 1/2 cup finely shredded
Beans 5 finely chopped
Cauliflower 1/4 cup finely shredded
Capsicum 1/4 cup finely chopped
Spring onions 2 finely chopped
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
All purpose flour 4 tbsp or as needed
Cornstarch  2 tbsp
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic 4 cloves finely chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Soy sauce 2 tsp
Oil for deep frying

For the sauce
Onion 1/2 cup chopped
Spring onions 4 chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Ginger 1 inch piece grated
Garlic 4 cloves finely chopped
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
Sugar 1 tsp
Soy sauce 3 tbsp
Red chilli sauce 2 tsp or to taste
Tomato ketchup 2 tbsp
Cornstarch 3 tsp
Vegetable stock 2 cups or as needed
Water as needed

Method
For the manchurian balls
Squeeze out the excess water from cabbage and carrot and add to a mixing bowl.
Add beans, cauliflower, spring onions, capsicum, salt, pepper, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, green chillies, garlic, ginger and soy sauce
Mix well. Make small balls of the mixture.
Heat oil in kadhai and deep fry the balls till golden brown on all sides
Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

For the sauce
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
Add ginger, garlic and green chillies
Fry for a minute
Add onions, sping onions and stir fry for a minute
In a separate bowl mix cornstarch with water till there are no lumps and add to the above mixture
Add soy sauce, red chilli sauce and tomato ketchup. Saute for a minute
Add sugar and vegetable stock
Adjust salt and pepper
Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to thicken to desired consistency
Add the fried balls and cook for a min
Garnish with green onions
Serve hot with fried rice or noodles.

Cooking Time - 30 mins
Servings - 5

Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients
Paneer 250 gms
Onions 2 finely chopped
Tomatoes 2 chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Chat masala 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Oil  2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro finely chopped

Method
Grate or crumble the paneer
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds
Once they sizzle add onions, turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste
Saute till the onions are translucent.
Add tomatoes and cook till they become soft
Add all the spices..cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder, red chili powder, chat masala and salt. Mix well.
Add crumbled paneer and mix well.
Paneer should be well coated with the masala.
Cover and cook for 4 mins.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with naan or parathas

Cooking Time - 20 mins
Servings - 4

Paneer Frankie

Ingredients
Paneer 100 gms grated
Potatoes 2 boiled and mashed
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp
Dry mango powder (amchur) 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Fresh cilantro chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for deep-frying

For maida rotis
Maida 1 cup
Oil 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water for kneading

Salad
Cabbage 1/2 cup shredded
Cucumber 1 chopped
Onion 1 chopped
Carrot 1 grated
Salt to taste
Chaat masala 1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp

Method
In a bowl take paneer, potatoes, salt, lemon juice, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, dried mango powder, cilantro and chaat masala.
Mix well. Shape this mixture into even sized long kababs.
Heat little oil in a non stick pan and cook these kababs in it.
Keep turning them from time to time.
When the kababs are fully done remove them onto a plate

For maida rotis
Combine all the ingredients and knead into soft dough.
Divide the dough into five equal portions.
Roll out each portion into a thin chapati.
Heat a tawa and cook each chapati lightly on both sides. Set aside.

In a bowl add cabbage, carrot, onion and cucumber
Add salt, roasted cumin powder and chaat masala and mix well
Place a kabab on each maida roti and put some salad over it.
Roll them up and serve immediately.

Cooking Time - 30 mins
Servings - 3

Pasta

Ingredients
Pasta 8 oz (approx 250 g)
Onion 1 sliced
Tomato 1 chopped
Green pepper 1/2 sliced
Red pepper 1/2 sliced
Garlic 3 cloves chopped
Italian Seasoning 1/2 tsp
Crushed Chilli flakes to taste
Pasta Sauce 3 tbsp
Oil 3 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice to taste
Fresh Basil for garnishing
Shredded Cheese for garnishing

Method
Boil the pasta with water and salt and cook them as per package directions AL Dante.
Once cooked, drain and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and stir for few seconds
Add the Italian seasoning by rubbing it between your palms.
Add crushed red chilli flakes to taste. Cook for 30 seconds.
Add onions and allow them to cook for a minute.
Add green and red pepper and mix well.
Increase the flame to high and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add salt and chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 mins
Add pasta sauce and mix well
Add the boiled pasta and start mixing again.
Also add in the lemon juice and cook till the pasta is heated all the way through.
Garnish with torn up basil leaves & shredded cheese.
Serve hot

Cooking Time - 30 mins
Servings - 3

Paneer Rolls

Ingredients
Puff Pastry sheets 1 package
Paneer 7 oz
Oil 1 tbsp
Garam masala 1/4 tsp
Chat masala 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Dry mango powder/amchoor 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro finely chopped
Maida for dusting

Method
Pull out a package of Puff Pastry sheets to defrost on the counter for 30 mins
Crumble the paneer in a bowl
Add in the dry spices – turmeric, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala,
chat masala, dry mango powder & salt. Mix well
Add the chopped cilantro and mix again.
Heat oil in a pan
Add the paneer and fry for a min
Take off the flame and transfer into another bowl so it cools down faster and is easy to handle.
Meanwhile dust a flat surface with some maida and open the sheet
of puff pastry on it.
Dust a little more maida on top of the sheet and roll out the sheet a little.
Divide the filling and spread them on the 2 sheets
Roll the sheet gently into a roll as tightly as possible while being gentle.
Once you reach the edge dab a little water and firmly press the edge in.
Roll the roll over and gently pinch the edges together.
With a sharp knife cut rounds and place them on a greased tray.
Place them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F oven about 15 mins
Pull them out once you see them turning brown.
Once out of the oven  allow them to cool for about 5 mins before transferring them.
Enjoy warm.

Cooking Time - 20 mins
Servings - 6

Spicy Cauliflower

Ingredients
Cauliflower 1
Cornflour 2 tbsp
Rice flour 3 tbsp
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Chat masala 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Salt
Oil for deep frying

For the sauce
Onion 1 cubed
Bell pepper 1 cubed
Tomato sauce 1 tbsp
Red chilli sauce 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Chat masala to taste
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Oil 2 tsp
Cilantro

Method
Clean the cauliflower and cut into small florets
Mix all the ingredients except oil and add very little water to make a paste without lumps
Add the florets to the mixure and mix well so that the florets get coated evenly
Cover and keep aside for 20 mins
Heat oil in a pan
Deep fry the florets until crispy
Drain on a paper towel
Heat oil in another pan
Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter add onions, bell pepper and salt
Saute till the onions turn translucent
Add the fried florets, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, chat masala and pepper
Mix well. Garnish with cilantro
Serve hot.

Cooking Time - 30 mins
Servings - 4

Vegetable Puffs

Ingredients
Puff Pastry Sheets 1 box
Potato 2 boiled & chopped
Green peas 1/2 cup boiled
Green chillies 3 chopped
Ginger paste 1/4 tsp
Black peppercorns 1/2 tsp crushed
Garam masala 3/4 tsp
Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp crushed
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp crushed
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Hing a pinch
Dry mango powder (Amchur) 1/2 tsp
Oil 3 tsp
Cilantro finely chopped
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste

Method
Thaw Puff pasty sheets at room temperature for 30 mts.
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and hing
Once the seeds sizzle add green chillies and ginger and stir fry
Add green peas and mix
Add salt, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns and mix
Add potato cubes and mix well.
Add garam masala, amchur powder and lemon juice. Adjust salt
Add cilantro and mix well. Keep aside
Pre-heat the Oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the Pastry sheets strips to form small squares
Put 1 tbsp of the stuffing in the center of one square
Fold the Pastry Sheet to make a triangle.
Use a fork and gently, but firmly, press into the sides and press away
(to form a design and help seal)
Put the Puffs on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
Place in the pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Once they are out of the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack and allow them to rest and cool down for 5 mins
Serve with tomato ketchup or chutney

Cooking Time - 45 mins
Servings : 6

Note - The same stuffing can be used to make Samosa