Badam burfi (Almond Sweet Meats)

Ingredients
Almonds 200g
Sugar 375 g
Ghee 375 ml
Green Cardamom powder ½ tsp
Saffron strands 10
Milk ½ cup

Method
Grease a plate with ghee.
Soak Almonds in water. Remove the outer skin and grind it to a fine paste with little milk.
Take a heavy pan. Add the almond paste, sugar and ghee together and stir it.
Add the cardamom powder.
Stir continuously and add the saffron in the middle.
Keep stirring till it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Put it in the greased plate and cut it into the burfi with a greased Knife

Dum Alloo (Potatoes in a nutty curry sauce)

Serves 6 persons

Small potatoes 1/2 kg
Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
Cardamoms (brown) 4
Cloves 4-5
Black pepper 7-8
Cinnamon 1 small piece
Cardamom (green) 2
Asafoetida a pinch
Bay Leaves 2
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Medium size onion 1
Fine yogurt (curd) 2 cup
Milk 1/2 cup
Ghee/oil 4 tb sp
Tomato puree 3 tb sp
Cashew nut 5
Almonds 5
Salt to taste


Method

1. Take coriander seeds, cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, caraway seeds, cardamom green and grind it in a blender to make a fine powder.
2. Soak the cashews and almonds in milk and grind it to a paste.
3. Boil the potatoes. Peel off the potatoes and prick it.
4. Heat oil in pressure pan for about a minute. Fry the potatoes in oil over medium heat till they change the color from white to light brown. Set aside.
5. Add bay leaves, asafoetida, ginger-garlic paste, sliced onion to the remaining oil. Fry till the paste becomes reddish brown and the mixture starts separating from the oil.
6. Add the tomato puree and stir for 2 minutes.
7. Add the garam masala prepared in Step1 to this mixture and heat for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Fry it about a minute.
9. Now add milk to make the gravy. Then add yogurt (fine) and continuously stir it.
10.Add the almond cashew paste to it.
11.If you find the gravy too thick, you can add some water.
12.Finally add pricked fried potatoes to the gravy and pressure cook it. Switch off the gas after 4-5 minutes (before first whistle).
13.Decorate it with green coriander leaves and serve hot.

Aloo Mattar (Potato Peas curry)

Can be served with rice and roti
serves 4 persons

Ingredients
Onion 1 medium
Ginger 1 small piece
Garlic 2 Pearls
Tomatoes 2 medium
1 tb Sp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1½ tsp Chilli powder
1 t sp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala
Peas 100g
Potatoes 450g diced
Oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Cut the potatoes into cubes.
Make a paste of ginger, garlic, onion and tomato together.
Take 1 tb sp of Oil in a frying pan. Add the cumin and allow it to splatter.
Add the grinded paste and fry it till the raw smell goes off.
Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and coriander powder. Stir it for 2 minutes.
Add the peas and cook for 2- 3 minutes.
Add the diced potatoes and salt.
Add the requisite amount of water to bring it to a gravy consistency and allow it to cook for 10 – 12 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Baingan ka Bartha (Grilled Aubergine Dip)

Can be served with roti
serves 4 persons

Ingredients:
Brinjal 1 big
Onion 1 medium finely chopped
Tomatoes 2-3 small
Ginger and Garlic grated 1 tb sp
Green chili 2-3 finely chopped
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp amchoor powder (Dried Mango powder)
Oil
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method:

Take a brinjal. Apply some oil around the whole brinjal and directly roast it in gas stove. If gas stove is not available, it can be also baked in oven, 180 degree for 10- 15 minutes.
Remove the outer covering and mash the rest of the brinjal with hand or hand mixer and keep aside
Take 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add cumin. Allow it to splatter.
Add the finely chopped onion and fry for 3- 5 minute, till it turns a little brown.
Add the grated ginger garlic and finely chopped chili and stir for 2 minutes
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder and garam masala to it and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the mashed brinjal and mix well. Add the salt according to taste.
Allow it to cook for 5 minutes and garnish with coriander leaves.
To enhance the taste can add 1 tbsp ghee to it.

Punjabi Rajma (Kidney Beans Curry - Punjabi Style)

Served with rice and Salad.Serves 4 persons

Ingredients
250g of Kidney beans soaked in water for minimum 6 hours
2 small potatoes, cut in cubes
1 medium sized onion
2-3 garlic pearls grated
1-2 tsp grated ginger
2-3 tb sp of tomato puree
2 tb sp curd
1 tsp kasoori methi
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Cumin (Jeera)
1 bayleaf
Coriander leaves

Method
Boil the kidney beans with enough water and salt for 3 whistles in a pressure cooker.
In a pan add 1 tb sp oil, add Cumin and Bayleaf, allow the cumin to splatter.
Then mix the grinded onion paste in it. Stir it till it turns light brown in colour. Add the garlic ginger paste to it and stir well.
Add tomato puree and curd and keep stirring.
Add kasoori methi, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and coriander powder and stir until the oil starts seperating.
Add the diced potatoes and boiled kidney beans. Pressure cook for about 1 whistle.
Garnish with coriander and sliced ginger.