Gujarati Methi Thepla ( Fenugreek Bread )

Ingredients:

• Fresh Fenugreek Leaves – 2 tbsp 
• Whole Wheat Flour – 3 cups
• Oil 
• Yogurt – 1 cup
• Salt – 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
• Ginger-green Chilli Paste – 2 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves– 1/4 cup, packed
• Warm Water – 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp

Method:

1. In a big bowl, mix Whole Wheat Flour and Oil (2 tbsp) and incorporate the two well together.
2. In a separate bow, mix well the following: Yogurt, Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Cumin Powder ,Ginger-green Chilli Paste ,Sesame seeds, Fenugreek Leaves, Coriander Leaves.
3. Mix the above Yogurt mixture into the Flour and knead.
4. Add additional Warm Water little at a time if needed. Knead to form a ball of dough.
5. Drizzle a few drops of Oil, smear, cover and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Heat a tawa on medium flame.
7. Make golf size balls of the dough and start rolling just as you would for chapati. Use dry Flour to dust.
8. Roll and place on a hot Tawa and cook.
9. Once the dough starts to change color, flip and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side.
10. Drizzle a few drops of Oil and smear and flip once again.
11. Drizzle and smear Oil on this side as well.
12. Press gently with a spatula and allow to cook till there are a few golden spots.
13. Take off the tawa and serve hot.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice – 3 cups
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Dried Red Chili – 1
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1 tsp
• Raw Peanuts – 1 tbsp
• onion - 1 medium, sliced
• Cashews – 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Asofoetida – pinch
• Ginger – 1 tsp, minced
• Green Chili – 1, finely chopped
• Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
• Lemon/Lime Juice – 2 tbsp or to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Cilantro - 5 springs, for garnishing

Method:

1. Mix Salt and Lemon Juice to the Rice. Mix well.
2. In a pan, heat oil and wait for it to get hot.
3. Once hot, add in the Dried Whole Chili. Break the Chili into the oil for additional spicy flavor.
4. Add in the Mustard Seeds and let them pop and crackle.
5. Add i n the Chana Dal and  onion, cook for a minute.
6. Add in Raw Peanuts and cook for about 30 seconds.
7. Add in the Cashews, Urad Dal, Turmeric Powder, Asofoetida, Ginger, Green Chilies, Curry Leaves…in that order.
8. Add in the Rice and mix well gently.
9. Keep on the flame till the rice is hot all the way through.
10. Garnish with Cilantro and it is ready to serve.

pani puri time yoo hoo.......

Ingredients:

Puffed Puris

For Pani:

• 3 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup Mint leaves
• 1/2 CUP coriander leaves
• 4 to 5 green chillies
• 2  tbsp pani puri masala
• salt to taste
• Boondi

Making of Pani:

1. Make a paste of mint leaves, green chillies and coriander leaves and keep aside.
2. Take a vessel, add the cold water in it, add mint, chillies and coriander paste, add pani puri masala and salt and mix well.Garnish with Boondi,Chill in refrigerator till use.

For Filling:

• 1 cup Boiled and mashed potatoes.
• 1 cup Boiled and mashed Kala chana .
• 1/2  tbsp pani puri masala
• 1/2 tbsp Black Salt
• 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves

Making of Fillings:

1. Take a vessel , add mashed potatoes,mashed Kala chana ,pani puri masala, Black Salt, red chilli powder ,salt ,,coriander leaves and mix well.

Now, it's fun time..yoo hoo ready to assemble pani puris

1. Crack a small hole in the centre of each puri.
2. Fill with a tsp of potato filling and pour 1 tbsps of the prepared chilled mint pani and pop the whole puri into your mouth....enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Swiss Roll.

Ingredients:

 For the dough:

• 250 g tea biscuits (marie)
• 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp regular coffee
• 2 to 3 tbsp salted butter
• Warm water
• 50 g castor sugar 

  For the coconut mix:

• 1O0 g castor sugar
• 150 g freshly grated coconut
• 1 tbsp butter
• pinch of  saffron
• pinch of cardamom powder

Method:

1.  Put the biscuits in a zip lock and use a rolling pin to crush the biscuits.
2.  Sift the crushed biscuits.
3.  To the sieved biscuits, add cocoa powder, butter, coffee powder, sugar, little water  mix it till it forms a dough.Apply butter on the dough and cover  it with a bowl.
4.  To the freshly grated coconut, add the castor sugar ,pinch of  saffron,pinch  of cardamom powder and the remaining butter n mix well.
5.  Once the coconut mixture is ready, keep it aside.
6.  Now, apply some butter on the parchment paper.
7.  Put the coco dough and roll it out.
8.  Do not make the coco dough layer very thin.
9.  Put the coconut mix on the dough layer.
10.  Start rolling the 2 layers together.
11.  Freeze the roll for 2-3 hrs.
12.  When serving, cut into slices.

paneer butter masala.

Ingredients-

• 1 tsp garam masala 
• 2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin seed powder 
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sugar 
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp butter 
• 200 gms paneer cubes 
• 300 gms tomatoes (blanched and pulped) 
• 1 cup fresh cream
• 1 small onion grated

Method -

1.  Heat butter sauté grated onion till golden brown.
2.  Add tomato pulp and all the dry spices and cook till the water dries out. 
3.  Add cream and cook the gravy for 2 mins.
4.  Add the paneer cubes and mix well.
5.  Remove from gas and garnish with cream and serve with any Indian bread of  your choice.

Rasam.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal – 1/2 cup, washed and drained
• Water – 2 cups
• Water – 6 cups
• Tomatoes – 2 medium, chopped
• Curry Leaves – 1/2 sprig
• Garlic – 3 large cloves, smashed
• Green Chilies – to taste, slit
• Jaggery  – 1 Tbsp or to taste 
• Rasam Powder – 2 Tbsp (http://food4masti.blogspot.com/2013/07/homemade-rasam-powder.html) 
• Salt – to taste
• Turmeric Powder – 1/8 tsp
• Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
• Tamarind Paste – 2 Tbsp 
• Red Chili Powder – to taste

For Seasoning:

• Ghee – 1 Tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Dried Red Chilies – 1 to 2
• Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 1/2 sprig
• Garlic – 5 cloves, smashed

Method:

1. Pressure cook Toor Dal with 2 cups Water for 3 whistles and allow the pressure to release on its own.
2. In a large pot, add 6 cups Water, Tomatoes, Garlic, Curry Leaves, Green Chilies, Jaggery, Rasam Powder, Salt, Turmeric Powder and Asafoetida.
3. Boil mixture until tomatoes soften up and the quantity reduces a little.
4. Open pressure cooker and lightly mash the cooked Toor Dal with the back of a ladle.
5. Add Toor Dal to the reduced tomato mixture.
6. Add Tamarind Paste, Salt and Red Chili Powder.
7. Allow mixture to boil for 10-12 minutes.
8. For the seasoning: In a small pan, heat Ghee and add Mustard Seeds. Allow them to pop.
9. Add Dried Red Chilies, Asafoetida, Curry Leaves and Garlic Cloves.
10. Cook for 30 seconds and pour into prepared Rasam.

Homemade Rasam Powder.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal or Split Pigeon Peas- 2 tbsp
• Whole Black Peppercorn – 1/4 cup
• Whole Coriander Seeds – 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp
• Dry Red Chillies – 5 or to taste
• Turmeric Powder – 1.5 tsp
• red chilli powder  – 1 tsp or as needed

Method:

1. In a small pan, add all the ingredients, except the Turmeric Powder and red chilli powder. 

2. Heat the pan and the dry-roast the spices on a low-medium flame. Stir continuously.

3. Allow the Toor Dal to change color slightly and all the spices to release a beautiful    aroma.

4. Take it off the flame and transfer the ingredients to a plate or a bowl and allow to  cool completely.

5. Once cooled, grind into a fine powder in a spice-grinder.

6. Add in the Turmeric Powder and red chilli powder and give it one more time to mix the  ingredients in well.

7. Store the Rasam Powder in an air- tight container along with your spices.