Watermelon Milkshake

Ingredients:

Watermelon - 2 cups, cubed

Skim Milk - 1 1/4 cups

Sugar - 2 tsps

Method:

Blend the watermelon, milk and sugar in a blender and serve immediately.

Vegetable Dum Biriyani

Serves 2 - 3 

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Cardamom - 1 whole

Cloves - 2

Star Anise - 1

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Saffron - a few strands soaked in warm milk

Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Put 4 cups of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil add the whole masalas, oil and required salt. Make sure to add salt in this stage. There is no way to add salt if you forget to add. 

Stir well and cook on medium flame for 12 minutes. Always keep an eye on the rice. The rice should be cooked to 70%.

Switch off the stove and drain the excess water through the strainer. Run the rice through cold water so that the rice will not stick together. Keep it separate.

For the Vegetable Gravy;

Ingredients:

Vegetables - 2 cups, chopped into bite size pieces (Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Beans, Peas)

Green Chili - 2, slit lengthwise

Bay Leaf - 1

Jeera - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsps

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Curd - 1/4 cup

Mint - 1/4 cup + 2 tsps, finely chopped

Cilantro - 1/4 cup + 2 tsps, finely chopped

Water - 1 tbspn

Cashews - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 3 tsps

Onions - 1 large, sliced lengthwise

Butter - 2 tbspsns

Oil - 2 tsps

Method:

Fry the cashews in a tsp of ghee till golden brown. Keep it separate.

Now add the butter and fry the onions in low flame till the onions gets caramelized. Keep it separate.

In the same pan add ghee and oil. Add jeera and bay leaf. Saute for a minute and add the ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell of the paste goes off (approx 1 minute). Now add all the vegetables and green chilies except peas. Add a tablespoon of water, cover and cook until all the vegetables are tender but crispy( Make sure the vegetables are cooked 70%). Now add the peas, spice powders and salt. Saute for a minute and add 2 tsps of mint and cilantro. 

Cook for 2 minutes and add the curd. Switch off the stove. The vegetables should not be dry.

Keep the gravy separate.

How to put Dum;

Take a heavy bottomed pan. Grease the pan with ghee. Now add half of the vegetable gravy and spread it all over the pan. Now add half of the rice and half of the mint and cilantro leaves. Spread half of the fried cashews and fried onions. Repeat the same with the remaining gravy, rice, mint & cilantro, cashews and fried onions. Now pour the soaked saffron over the mixture. 

Method 1:

Cover the pan with a lid and place it over a iron skillet (i used dosa tava) and cook for 30 minutes in medium flame.

Method 2:

You can also steam the biriyani in the pressure cooker for 7 minutes without putting the cooker weight.

Method 3:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the biriyani in the oven proof bowl. Cover it with a aluminium foil and bake it for 25 minutes. Now remove the foil and bake it for 5 minutes.

Dum Biriyani is ready to serve with Raita ! 

Pav Bhaji

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Pav;

Pav Buns - 8

Butter* - 4 tbspns

Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 tsp(optional)

For the Bhaji;

Potatoes - 1 1/2 cups, boiled and mashed

Cauliflower - 1 cup, finely chopped

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Carrots - 1/2 cup, chopped

Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped

Capsicum - 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Tomatoes - 2 1/2 cups, chopped

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 1/2 tbspn

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Oil** - 1 tsp

To be ground into a Chili-Garlic Paste;

Dry Red Chilies(whole) - 3-4 soaked in warm water

Garlic - 4 cloves

For Serving;

Onion - 1 big, chopped

Lemon Wedges - 4

Corainder - 1 tbspn, chopped

*You can omit butter if you are diet conscious. 

**Replace butter if you are not diet conscious.

Method: 

For the Bhaji;

Boil the cauliflower, peas and carrots till they are soft. Drain out the excess water.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the prepared chilli-garlic paste and sauté till the onion softens.

Add the tomatoes and simmer till the oil separates.

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the boiled vegetables and potatoes and mash thoroughly using a potato masher, adding ½ cup of water if required.

For the Pav;

Slice each pav into 2 horizontally. Apply a little butter to each side and sprinkle with a little pav bhaji masala, if desired. Omit the butter if you are diet conscious.

Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

How to proceed

Serve the hot bhaji on 4 individual plates and top with the onion, coriander and lemon wedges.

Inspired from Tarla Dalal

Simple Lemonade

Ingredients:

Lemon Juice - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 2 tbspns

Water - 3/4 cup

Salt - a pinch

Crushed Ice - 1/2 cup

Method:

Mix sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Now add all the ingredients and mix it well. 

Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls

Ingredients:

Rotis - 4

Cabbage - 1/2 cup, shredded

Coriander Leaves - 4 tbspns, chopped

Green Chutney - 4 tbspns

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

For the Paneer Tikkas;

Paneer - 1 cup, cubed

Curd - 1/4 cup

Dried Ginger Powder - 1/4 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Dried Fenugreek Leaves/Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

All Purpose Flour/Maida - 1 tbspn

Oil - 1 tbspn

Salt to taste

Method:

For the Paneer Tikkas;

Combine the curd, dry ginger power, chili powder, kasuri methi, garam masala, plain flour, salt and 1 tbspn of oil and mix well to prepare a marinade. Add the paneer pieces to it, mix gently and keep aside to marinate for 8 to 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tbspn of oil on a non-stick tava (griddle) and sauté the paneer tikkas on all sides till they are lightly brown (approximately 4 to 5 minutes). Keep aside.

How to proceed;

Mix the cabbage, chopped cilantro and salt together. Apply 1 tbspn of green chutney on each roti.

Spread the cabbage mixture equally on each roti. Put the paneer tikka filling equally in the centre of each rotis and roll up tightly.

When you want to serve, cook the rolls on a hot tava (griddle) using little oil.

Serve hot.

Inspired from Tarla Dalal

Watermelon Mango Shake

Ingredients:

Mango - 1, approximately 1 cup chopped

Watermelon - 2 cups seedless, chopped into cubes

Milk - 1/2 cup

Honey - 1 tbspn, adjust according to the sweetness of the fruits

Ice Cubes - 4

Method:

Process in a blender until smooth.