rose drink

Gulab Sherbat (Rose Drink)

Gulab Sherbat (Rose Drink)

A refreshing rose drink, tastes best when served chilled.

Ingredients: 

1&1/2 Cups of Rose Petals

6 Cups Water

3 Cups sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1Tsp Rose essence

1/2 Tsp rose colour

Directions: 

Wash rose petals mildly.

In a large vessel boil 1 cup water, add the rose petals turn off the flame cover and let it sit for about 5 hrs

In a large vessel take 5 cups water add sugar let it simmer on low heat till all the sugar is dissolved.

Add the rose essence and color at this stage and let it further simmer for few mins

Add lemon juice and then finally the fresh rose water

Mix well and set aside the mixture for cooling.

Once cool, store refrigerated in a glass bottle. To serve: Use just about 4 tbsp or 1/3 of the syrup in a glass and top it up with ice cold water.

Footnotes: 

This syrup can be stored refrigerated for up to 1 months

For rose milk or milkshake, do not add lemon in the syrup. The syrup may then be topped with ice cold milk and served chilled

tandoori mutton

Tandoori Mutton (Barbecued Indian Lamb Chops)(non veg.)

A twist to the usual Indian Tandoori dish. Meat lovers will love this meaty tandoori grilled lamb.

Ingredients: 

8 Lamb Chops

1 Tsp Red Chili Powder

1.5 Tbsp Tandoori Masala

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp Yogurt

1 Heaped Tsp garlic Paste

1 tsp Lemon juice (or vinegar)

1 tsp garam masala

Directions: 

Combine all marinade ingredients(Chili powder, salt, yogurt, garlic paste, garam masala,lemon juice & Tandoori masala) in a large bowl

Mix well and tip in the lamb chops

Use your hands to coat the chops well and evenly

Let the meat marinate for minimum 4 hours in the refrigerator. Cook on a charcoal grill for 15 minutes on both sides for well cooked meat.

Serve with thinly sliced red onions and a wedge of lemon

Footnotes: 

You may also add a little heavy cream to the marinade

While the meat cooks on grill you may brush it with a little butter on either sides to avoid drying out

aalo masala toast

Aloo Masala Toast (Vegetable Sandwich, Potato stuffing)

In Mumbai you get the masala sandwich with vegetables and loads of Chaat masala, but when you ask for masala vegetable sandwich the vendor adds an additional potato filling to the sandwich. This filling tastes great even without the vegetables. Here is a quick recipe of Masala Sandwich.

Ingredients: 

4 Potatoes Mashed

1 Tbsp Chaat Masala

1 Onion finely chopped

1 Tsp green chilies finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander

Pinch of Garam Masala

2 Tbsp Green Chutney ( See Recipe for green Chutney in the Chutney Recipes section)

4 slices of bread

Salt to taste

Butter to apply on the bread slices

Directions: 

In a Bowl mix all the ingredients above except for the butter, green chutney and bread.

Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly

Apply a little chutney and butter on the bread slices. Place 2 Tbsp of the potato mixture between the slices and spread evenly.

Place the sandwich in a griller/ toaster and apply a little butter on top of the sandwich. Cook for 2 minutes and serve hot with Ginger tea

sweet indian fudge

Peda (Sweet Indian Fudge)

Peda or Pedha is an all time famous and a favorite Mithai. Its easily available in all sweet shops, but try making it at home for your loved ones. Its an easy recipe plus you can control the sweetness of the Peda based on your preference. It is traditionally made with khoya/mava.

Ingredients: 

1 kg white Khoya or Khova

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 Tsp Cardamom Powder

Few sheets of vark or Silver Foil (Optional)

1 Tsp Kesar (Saffron)

2 Tbsp Warm Milk

Few Pistachios for Garnish

Directions: 

Grate Khoya into a thick pan

Add Half of the Powdered sugar to the pan and mix well

Place the pan on low heat and keep stirring to avoid the mixture to burn

Add Cardamom powder and let the mixture cook till it starts turning soft and gooey, this process should take about 10-15 minutes

Turn of heat and let the mixture cool down.

When completely cool add the remaining sugar and mix it with the khoya mixture well. While mixing rub it in between the palms and start making small rounds.

If you have a peda mould it will help. I have just made small even rounds.

To garnish, Place a small piece of silver vark on the peda (Optional)

And/Or Mix the Kesar in the warm milk, dip the mouth of an open bottle (very small) into the kesar mix and gently place on top of the peda to form a kesari orange ring. You may also use colour.

Place a pistachio in between the ring.

Serve cold or at room tempreture

Footnotes: 

Ricotta Cheese can be used instead of khoya.

You may add colour to the mixture based on your preference

Sugar amount can be adjusted to make pedas less sweet

potato fry

Aloo Bhaja (Potato Fry)

Aloo bhaja is a traditional every day Bengali dish. Its usually made by deep frying julienned potatoes, but I have given it a slight twist by finely slicing it. Its a great side to have with your regular dal chawal or khichadi

Ingredients: 

4 Potatoes

1 Tbsp Garlic Paste

1 Tsp salt (or to taste)

2 finely chopped green chilies

1/2 Tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves (optional)

Mustard oil for shallow frying

Directions: 

Peel, wash and finely slice the potatoes. Soak them in water for 10 minutes

In a separate bowl mix all remaining ingredients.

Transfer the potatoes in the marinade and let them marinate for about 15 minutes

In a pan, heat 3 tbsp mustard oil. When hot, place the potatoes in the pan one by one keeping a little space between each think slice

Cook the potatoes on medium heat till they are well cooked and turn a nice golden color on both sides

Serve as a side dish with Dal Chawal or Khichadi. You can also serve it as a quick tea time snack

pav bhaji-mumbai special

Mumbai ki popular Sardar Pav Bhaji, is the most famous pav bhaji joint in the city. People queue here for over an hour just to order one plate pav bhaji. I have tried to recreate that taste in my kitchen.

Ingredients: 

1 Cup Very Finely Chopped Cauliflower or grated

4 Medium Potatoes boiled and mashed

1 Green capsicum finely chopped

2 Onions Finely Chopped

1 Carrots finely chopped

4 Tomatoes finely chopped

4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 Tbsp Finely chopped Ginger

2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Garlic

1 Tsp Jeera

1/2 Tsp Hing

1 Tsp Turmeric powder

2 Tsp Kadipatta

2 Tsp Saunf (not powdered)

Salt to Taste

3-4 Tbsp Everest Pav Bhaji masala

4 Tbsp Amul Butter

1 Tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Amul butter + pinch of chili powder for pav

2 Cups hot water (1 cup = 200ml)

Directions: 

Take Kadipatta, Ginger, Garlic and Saunf in a blender add a little water, just enough to blend smoothly. Blend to a smooth paste and keep aside

Heat oil, add Jeera, hing and the blended paste. Saute and add onions, tomatoes, turmeric powder, a little salt and continue to saute till the tomatoes soften completely

Add in the carrots and capsicum saute for about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, potatoes, pav bhaji masala, salt to taste and let the vegetables cook on a low flame for 10 minutes

With a potato masher, mash all the vegetables add 2 cups hot water adjust seasoning accordingly and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Add garam masala mix and let it cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and add butter.

To serve, slit the pav in center half way. On a tawa or pan, heat 1 tsp Amul butter, add a pinch of chili powder and place the slit side down and toast the pav for about half a minute on both sides

Serve hot with more butter, chopped onion and lemon wedge as garnish.

Footnotes: 

You may add chili powder for a spicy bhaji

For cheese Pav bhaji, grate and add Amul cheese cubes on top of the bhaji just before serving

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chestnut floor cake

Singhare ki barfi ( Chestnut flour cake)

Singhare ki barfi is a sweet dish prepared during fasting. This recipe is especially convenient for specially for working women who cannot have outside food during fasting . This is an easy recipe as you can prepare it before and carry it along with you unlike other fasting foods.

Ingredients: 

Singhare ka atta ( chestnut flour) – 100 grams

Ghee – 100 grams

Sugar – 150 grams

Water – 200 ml

Cashew – 2 tablespoon ( cut into half)

Dry coconut – 2 tablespoon ( cut in pieces)

Raisins – 2 tablespoon

Cardamom powder – ½ tablespoon.

Directions: 

Heat ghee in a karahi and pour the Singhare ka atta. Fry the atta on low heat for about 10 minutes .

Then add sugar, cashew, coconut, raisins and cardamom powder and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add the water and mix thoroughly . Cook on high flame till the atta starts leaving the sides of the karahi.

Grease a plate with some ghee and pour the moisture when it is still hot. Level the mixture and let it cool. Cut the mixture in squares or any other shape and serve.