Paneer Puri - makes 6

Ingredients

Wheat Flour - 350 gms.
Paneer - 400 gms.
Green Chilli - 4, chopped
Ginger - 1 1/2 inch, grated
Coriander leaves  -  chopped, 1/2 cup
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Khatai/amchur - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp and 1sp for dough
Oil or Ghee 2 tbsp for dough + 4 tbsp for cooking

Method

Mix the flour, salt, oil and knead it with in roughly 2 cups of water, or however firm preferable.
In a separate bowl grate/mash the paneer and add green chilli, ginger, amchur, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt in to it and mix them well. The paneer mixture is ready.
Take a small palm-sized portion of the dough and make a ball from it. Dust it with dry flour and roll it into 3 inch disc. Put 2 tbsp or more paneer mixture on the disc, spread it evenly on the disc and gather the disc from the edges. Dredge in flour, roll it out to 5-6 inches round.
Heat a pan and put the parantha on it. Once it changes color, flip it over. On medium heat, evenly drop ghee on both sides. Cook till golden spots appear on both sides.
Serve with Indian white butter or plain whisked curd.

Gulab Jamun

for the balls:
250 grams khoya/mawa
50 grams powdered sugar
200-220 grams maida
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 ground cardamom/elaichi
oil for frying

for the syrup:
250 gms sugar
1 cup water
1 tbsp rose water
a few strands of zaafran/saffron/kesar

Method:
Grind all the ingredients. Form small balls and set aside.
For the sugar syrup, heat the sugar solution till the syrup reaches a single thread consistency. Turn the heat to low.
On medium heat, fry the balls till evenly golden and add to the sugar syrup on low heat, simmer the balls till soft. Turn the heat off lest the gulab jamuns break

Makes 20-25.

Vegetable Pulao

250 grams basmati rice 2/5 kg
250 grams onion, sliced and goldened in ample oil, strained 400 gram
2 dessert spoons oil, or a preferable amount 3 spoons
1 tsp salt 2.5 tsp
4 cloves 6
4 green cardamoms, elaichi 6
1/2 inch cinnamon, darchini 4/5"
12.5-20 grams green chillies, depending on hotness and taste 20-25 grams
1 tbsp poppyseeds, roasted on low heat 

12.5 grams ginger 20 gram
12.5 grams garlic 20 gram
250 grams peas, pressure cooked 200 grams
125 grams cabbage, sliced, pressure cooked (optional) 200 grams
125 grams beans, cut and pressure cooked 200
125 grams red carrot, grated 200
125 grams capsicum, chopped 200

 Wash the rice and soak it in ample water.
Fry the cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon, green chillies. In a mixer, grind the roasted poppy seeds. Add the fried masale and grind. Add half of the goldened onions, grind to a fine paste.
 Put the rice on flame with 1/4 tsp of salt, with roughly enough water to soak the water and an inch more (if you're cooking it in a pressure cooker), a whistle and 4-5 minutes more.
Add the salt and the other half of onion to a pan. Add the chopped capsicum and cook on high heat. Add the ground masala and the rest of the vegetables. Mix well. Serve with rice.

Palak Paneer pie

Dough
2.5 Cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Butter
8 tbsp grated Cheese

Make dough with ice cold water and put it in the fridge in a poly bag. If you like your crust crisp, refrigerate all the ingredients beforehand. Even the bowl, if you like. If its not too pliable, you may add a bit of water or butter, a little at a time.

Filling
2 Onions, chopped
2 Cups Spinach
1 Cup Peas, cooked
2.5 Cup grated Paneer
4 Green Chillies
Coriander, optional
Salt, Amchoor and Garam Masala according to your taste
0.5 Cup Pomegranate (Optional)

Just mix all these ingredients, and set aside. Divide the dough into two unequal portions. Use the larger one for the base and roll out according to your pie dish size and fit it in. Evenly spread the filling, and top with the rest of the dough. If you're making a flat topped pie, make steam vents with a fork. Bake at 180C until the crust turns light brown.

Poha

1 cup Poha, roughly
1 tbsp coconut oil/asli ghee/ regular oil
1 tsp urad daal
1/2 tsp haldi powder
1 tsp mustard, rai
2 tbsp peanuts, whole or crushed
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
50 grams beans, cut and pressure cooked
1/2 small capsicum, chopped and pressure cooked (optional)
1 small carrot, grated
half a lemon
2 tbsp fresh coriander
1/2 tsp grated ginger


Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard, urad daal and peanuts, keep on low heat till the mustard crackles. Add the haldi, sugar and salt. Keep the Poha in a sieve and run cold water over it, add it to the pan. Mix till the poha is evenly coated in haldi. Add the onion and turn the heat to medium. Add the rest of the vegetables and ginger and coriander. Add a dash of lemon. Serve with Indian tea.

Bhaji for Pav Bhaji

Prep & Cooking: 50-60 mts

Serves 7-8

Ingredients: 1 large carrot, grated or chopped
2 potatoes, peeled, cubed
1-2 medium sized capsicum, sliced chopped
1/2 cup cauliflower florets, chopped
10-15 french beans, stringed and chopped
1/4 cup green peas, pressured cooked to two quick whistles and then opened
2 onions, finely chopped, fried, strained
2 green chillies, chopped
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 tsp haldi
1/2 tsp kuta laal mircha
1 1/2 tbsps Pav Bhaji Masala
3/4 tsp sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tomatoes, finely chopped or pureed
1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar/khatai
3 tbsp ghee
fresh coriander leaves for garnish
1 1/2 tbsps oil
16 pav toasted in butte/ghee

1. Pressure cook potatoes and cauliflower with 1/2 cup of water once. Then add beans, peas and carrots and pressure cook twice, or till soft. Keep aside. Mash the vegetables with a slotted spoon.
2. Heat oil in a vessel. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute.
3 Add the dry spices. Combine well. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft, approx 5 mins.
4 Add the mashed vegetables and cook for 20 minutes on low flame.
5 Allow the gravy to thicken. Adjust the salt/spice if required. Turn off heat and add butter and lemon juice and combine.
Cook the chopped green chillies in ghee, add to the mix. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

makes 2 sandwiches

splash of olive oil
1 small clove garlic
3 cups (or 3 big handfuls) baby spinach

4 slices bread (I used sourdough)

about 2 tablespoons cream cheese

1/3-1/2 cup grated or crumbled jack cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup coarsely chopped canned artichoke hearts, drained

1 heaping tablespoon sour cream

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sriracha

large pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon butter, for grilling the sandwiches

Sandwiches are very personal so the ingredients above are entirely flexible and up to you!

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Add spinach leaves and saute until wilted.  This should happen quickly.  Spinach just wilts in a hot pan.  Remove spinach from skillet, place in a medium bowl and set aside.

Spread each slice of bread with a bit of cream cheese.  You don’t need much.  We’re using it as edible sandwich glue.

Squeeze or press as much liquid as possible out of the canned artichoke hearts using a paper towel.

To the bowl of sautéed spinach add, jack cheese, Parmesan cheese, chopped artichoke hearts, sour cream, sriracha, and salt.  Stir until combined.

Top two slices of bread with spinach and artichoke filling.  Make sandwiches with the two remaining slices of bread.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Add sandwiches and grill until each side is golden and the insides are melty warm.  Serve immediately.