[Chitvish]

Curds - 1 cup

Paneer cubes - 1 cup

Salt

Spice powders to be sauted in 1 tbsp oil:

Hing - a pinch

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Amchur - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

jeera powder - 1 tsp

Black salt - 1/2 tsp

When sauted add curds & salt.

Simmer to boil & add paneer cubes.

Allow to stand till all flavours are infused in paneer.

Chossing the masalas is your option.

[Chitvish]

Cloves - 4

Star anise - 1 star

Black pepper - 1 tbsp

Shajeera - ½ tbso

Cinnamon - 3, 1” pieces

Bay leaf - 1 piece, broken

Cardamom - 5

Dhaniya - ½ cup

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Red chillies - 5-6

Switch off the stove & add:

Dry ginger powder - 1 tbsp

Amchur powder - 1 tbsp

Nutmeg small pieces - 4-5or nutmeg powder - 1 tsp

Javitri – 3,4 pieces

Cool & grind.

Add ½ tsp whole pepper, tiny pieces of 3-4 bay leaves, 3-4 each of cardamom & cloves.

Cool & store airtight.
















Vegetable Pulao:

Cooked basmati with little salt, cinnamon, cardamom & cloves - 2 cups

Heat 2 tbsp ghee & sauté:

Green chilli-ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Whole cashews & raisins - to taste

Chopped onions - 3 tbsp

Chopped capsicum - 3 tbsp

Boiled vegetables - 1 cup (carrot+beans+cauliflower+peas)

Pulao masala - 2 tbsp

Red chilli sauce - 1 tbsp

Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp

Salt

Finally add cooked rice; mix & switch off.

[Chitvish]

This dish can best be eaten with plain curds & papad.

Vegetables that are used are tindli/kovakkai. brinjals & potatoes. For the first, snip off the tips & make a vertical cut.
For the other two, cut 1 cm slices & make a cut across them to stuff.

Filling:

Mix together:

Dhaniya powder - 4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsop

Garam masala powder - ½ tsp

Salt, haldi.

After filling the vegetables, any left over masala can be added to the rice.

Basmathi rice - ½ cup

Tur dhal - ¼ cup

Green chutney - 1 tbsp

Stuffed vegetables - 5-6 each

Boiled carrot cubes + peas - ½ cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Waer - 3 cups

Mix rice & dhal, soak for 30 mtes & drain.

In a pressure pan, heat oil & fry the green chutney first.

Next add stuffed vegs & sauté for a while.

Add rice+dhal & fry for 2-3 mtes.

Add water, salt & any exra masala filling left.

When it starts boiling, close the cooker, simmer the stove, keep the weigt & cook for 10 mtes.

Cool, open & top with 1 tbsp ghee.

[Chitvish]

Cut into 2 cm cubes:

Paneer - 200 gms

capsicum - 1, medium, deseeded

Onion - 1, medium

And marinate in a mixture of:

½ tsp red chilli powder + salt + 1 tsp lime juice

Gravy:

In a saucepan, heat

Oil - ¼ cup

Add

Green chilli-ginger paste - 1 tbsp

Boiled onion paste - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Salt

After sauting the above for a few mtes, add

Tomato pulp - 5 tbsp (blanche & blend 2 tomatoes)

Cashew paste - ¼ cup (10-12 soaked cashews, ground to a paste.)

Fry till oil floats.

In another pan, heat

oil - 2 tbsp

Marinated vegetables

Saute well till lightly golden

Add the above made gravy & cook, keeping the gas high till well blended.

Remove & serve garnished with a knob of butter.

[Chitvish]

Soak overnight 2 tsp of channa, rajma,moth beans, lobiya, depending on the availability.
Next morning wash, drain & crush in a mixi.

Alternatively, buy mixed fresh sprouts, crush & use.

To ½ cup of the above, add:

Potato - 1, boiled, peeled & mashed

Paneer - 1 tbsp, grated

Salt, red chilli powder, dhaniya powder - to taste

(Test fry one kofta & then proceed).

Shallow fry koftas in paniyara chatty. This gives minimum oil-koftas though not oval ones.

For gravy, heat 4 tbsp oil & sauté, adding;

Jeera - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Onion paste - ½ cup (grate & grind 1 medium onion)

Tomato puree - ½ cup ( 2 tomatoes,blanched & pureed)

Garlic chutney - 1 tbsp (grind red chillies+garlic+salt)

bottlegourd grated & pureed - ½ cup

Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp

Dhaniya powder - 1-2 tsp

Garam masalapowder - 1 tsp

Salt

Water - if necessary

Cook till thick.

Pour over koftas & decorate with grated paneer & coriander leaves.

[Chitvish]

The koftas are very soft & tasty on their own.

I am giving only the kofta recipe.This can be used as a starter on its own!

For the gravy, any tomato based gravy can be used.

When serving, pour hot gravy over warm koftas & serve immediately.

Outer covering:

Bind together:

Mashed potatoes - 3, medium

Chopped mint leaves - ¼ cup

Gulab jamun Mix, readily available - 3 tbsp

Minced green chillies - 1-2 tsp

Salt

Filling:

Grated paneer - 4 tbsp

Grated cheese - 2 tbsp

Mint & coriander leaves, chopped fine - each 1 tbsp

Chopped cashew & raisins - 1 tbsp each

Chat masala - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

I rolled them oval & shallow fried them.

Since the koftas are mild in taste, you can make the gravy spicy, if you so prefer.

[Chitvish]

Cook 1 ½ cups basmathi with a pinch of salt, till grainy.

Green layer:

Rice + boiled peas + paste of coriander leaves+green chillies+salt

White layer:

Rice + fried paneer ieces+ sauted onions & finely chopped green chillies

Orange layer:

Rice+ boiled carrots + well sauted tomatoes+ground onion-ginger, red chilli powder +salt

Cover the casserole & MW hi for 5 mtes.

[Chitvish]

Quinoa is now glorified as a nutritional treasure!! You browse on the net – it seems to be a wonder grain!!
This is called Kodri in Gujarat & varagu arisi in south tamilnadu where it is regularly used.

For the pulao:

Quinoa - 1 cup

Parboiled, mixed vegetables (carrot+peas+ beans) - 1 cup

Minced ginger, garlic, green chilli - each 2 tsp or more to taste

Salt

Vinegar - ½ tsp (optional)

First wash quinoa very well, drain & cook with (about) 2 cups of water & little salt.

Heat oil - 4 tsp & add

Minced ginger, garlic, green chilli

Parboiled, mixed vegetables

Salt & vinegar.

Saute well & add cooked quinoa.

Toss well & mix.

It is optional to add chopped spring onions to garnish.