Spicy Khaja

Ingredients 

•  2 cups gram flour 
•  1/2 cup plain flour 
•  2 tsp. red chilli powder 
•  1/2 tsp. omam seeds (ajwain) 
•  1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
•  1 tbsp. coriander very finely chopped 
•  1 tbsp. oil 
•  salt to taste 
•  oil to deep fry 

 Method 
    1.Mix both flours together.
    2.Make a well in the centre, add all other ingredients, except oil to deep fry.
    3.Mix them well in the flour.
    4.Add enough water to make a soft pliable dough.
    5.Divide dough to make small (4" diameter) thin rounds.
    6.Prick on both sides with a fork.
    7.Allow to dry on a clean cloth for 25-30 minutes.
    8.Deep fry in hot oil till a light browning appears.
    9.Do not over fry.
   10.Drain and cool completely before storing.

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Masala Dosa

 Ingredients: 

•      1 cup plain rice.  
•      1 cup parboiled rice.  
•      1/4 cup white udad dal.  
•      1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds  
•      1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate  
•      1/2 cup curds the batter.  
•      10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred  
•      water for grinding 

     Method:

     Wash the rices and dal together.
     Add plenty of water and methi seeds.
     Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
     Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
     Grind to a paste. Rawa-like grains should be felt in
     Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
     Keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours. Beat the curds well.
     Add to the batter, add more water if required.
     The consistency of the batter should be
     enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
     Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
     Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread
     with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
     Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
     Spread chutney spread over dosa.
     Place a tbsp. masala in the centre.
     Fold into triangle to cover masala.
     Remove with spatula when crisp.

   Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.

     For masala:

       Ingredients

       2 large onions in vertical slices
       2 large potatoes boiled and peedled
       4-5 green chillies
       1 tbsp. chopped coriander
       8-10 cashews halved
       1/2 tsp. each udad dal, cumin & mustard seeds
       2 tbsp. oil
       1/4 tsp. turmeric
       salt to taste

                                              Chop potatoes coarsely. Chop green chillies. 

                                              Heat oil, add cashews and brown lightly. 

                                              Add dal, seeds and splutter. 

                                              Add chillies and onions. Fry till tender. 

                                              Add turmeric, salt, potatoes, coriander. 

                                              Mix well. 

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Sweet Pongal

Ingredients (for two people) :-  

• Moong dhal - 1/2 cup.             
• Rice       - 1/2 cup.             
• Milk 
• Coconut  
• cashew  
• jaggery                                                                       
• raisins (khish-mish - dry grapes)                                            
• cardamom                                                           
• ghee.                                                                        

                                                                           
Fry the moong dhal (before washing) till it becomes little light brown (it  
will start smelling). Then soak rice and dhal separately for 10 minutes.    
Thoroghly wash and keep it in cooker with the right water (lesser is o.k)and
cook it seperately (in two different containers). Meanwhile cut coconut in  
very small pieces and fry in ghee. Fry cashew and raisins also separately.  
Break the jagerry and put in water (very little) and make a syrup. This is  
done because sometimes jagerry has mud and stones. After we make the syrup
strain it through tea strainer. Put the rice and dhal in a big vessel and  
add milk (may be one  cup) and cook it till all the milk gets absorbed. Add
jaggery syrup and again cook till even it gets absorbed. Add three big table
spoons of ghee, powdered cardamon and cook again for a while. Add fried    
coconut, cashews and raisins.                                                
                                                                           
Serve hot in two cups with a spoon of ghee.

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Shankarpala

Ingredients 

•      1 cup water 
•      1/3 cup sugar 
•      1/3 cup ghee 
•      1 1/2 cup maida (plain flour) 
•      ghee to deep fry 

     Method

        1.Warm the water, sugar and ghee together till sugar dissolves.
        2.Add maida and knead into a soft pliable dough.
        3.Divide dough into 4 parts.
        4.Roll into chappatis 1/3" thick.
        5.Cut with a cookie cutter or knife into small diamond shapes.
        6.Lift with spatula and loosen. Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1 hour.
        7.Deep fry in hot ghee over slow flame till light golden brown.
        8.Drain well and keep aside till cool.
        9.Store in clean, dry containers.

     Making time: 45 minutes. 
     Makes: 2 1/2 cups. 

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Patisa Soan Papdi

Ingredients 

•      1 1/4 cup gramflour 
•      1 1/4 cup plain flour (maida) 
•      250 gms. ghee 
•      2 1/2 cups sugar 
•      1 1/2 cup water 
•      2 tbsp. milk 
•      1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds crushed coarsely 
•      2 tsp. charmagaz (combination of 4 types of seeds) refer glossary 
•      4" squares cut from a thin polythene sheet 

     Method

     Sift both flours together.
     Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan.
     Add flour mixture and roast on low till light golden.
     Keep aside to cool a little, stirring occasionally.
     Prepare syrup simultaneously.
     Make syrup out of sugar, water and milk as shown in introduction.
     Bring syrup to 2 1/2 thread consistency.
     Pour at once into the flour mixture.
     Beat well with a large fork till the mixture forms threadlike flakes.
     Pour onto a greased surface or thali and roll to 1" thickness lightly.
     Sprinkle the charmagaz seeds and elaichi and gently press down with palm.
     Cool, cut into 1" squares, wrap individually into square pieces of thin plastic sheet.
     Store in airtight container.

     Making time: 45 minutes 
     Makes: 20 pieces (approx.) 
     Shelflife: 2 weeks 

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Milk Burfi

• 2 litres milk 
•      1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar 
•      chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds) 
•      silver foil (optional) 
•      1/2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water.

Method 

     Boil half the milk and add the citric solution as it comes to boil
     Switch off gas. Once the chenna settles sieve through muslin cloth, press out excess water, take in a plate
and press down.
     Do not knead.
     Put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to half.
     Add the chenna and boil till the mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
     Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring all the while till softly thickens in a lump.
     Set in a tray, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts.

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Malai Ladoo

  Ingredients 

•      1/2 cup condensed milk 
•      250 gms. paneer (cottage cheese) 
•      2-3 drops kewra essence 
•      1/4 tsp. yellow colour 

     Method 

        1.Mash paneer.
        2.Add condensed milk and cook on slow flame, stirring continously.
        3.Cook till thick and sides leave.
        4.Add essence and remove from flame.
        5.Mix well.
        6.Pour on plate.
        7.Cool. Make ladoos.
        8.Sprinkle powdered elaichi and decorate.

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Khajur Burfi or Rolls

• 1 tin condensed milk 
•      1 kg khajur deseeded (dates) 
•      250 gm mixed dryfruits (badam, cashew, pista) 
•      1/2 cup dessicated dry coconut 

     Method 

     Break up khajur coarsely
     Add milkmaid and dryfruit all in a heavy, non-stick pan.
     Cook on slow flame, stirring continuously.
     Do not allow to stick to bottom.
     It takes a while to cook
     Stir gently till a soft lump forms.
     Spread some of the coconut on a butter paper sheet.
     Grease hands and take a chunk of the mixture and roll into a thick roll, on the sheet, all the coconut to
cover it.
     Chill the rolls in the fridge
     Cut into slices
     Or set in a tray and cut into squares.

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