Palak Soup

Ingredients :-
4 cups spinach leaves
2 cup(s) water
1 onion(s) chopped
1 cup(s) milk
2 tablespoon(s) plain flour (maida)
1 tablespoon(s) fresh cream
2 tablespoon(s) butter
salt and pepper to season.

Method :-
Wash the spinach leaves and discard the thick stems. Boil along with the water for 8 minutes or till the spinach is well cooked. Cool and puree in a blender. Keep aside.
Heat the butter in a pan. Add the chopped onions and saute on medium heat for 3 minute(s) or till the onions are transparent. Now, add the plain flour and fry briefly on low heat.
Add now the spinach puree, milk, salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 3 minute(s).
Add the fresh cream just before serving.

Serve hot with: cheese crackers.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:-
Tomatoes cut into pieces - 5-6
Chopped onion - 3 tablespoons
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Butter - 2 teaspoons
Corn flour - 2 teaspoons
Milk - 1/2 cup
Bread - 2-3 slices
Pepper powder & salt - According to your taste
Oil - For frying

Method:-
Heat one spoon of oil and add onions and garlic. Roast until onions begin to turn golden brown. Add tomatoes and cook. After the tomatoes are cooked, grind the mixture in a blender. Filter it to get a smooth paste. Heat butter in a pan and add corn flour after it melts. Fry a little. Add milk and let it boil for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste. Add salt and pepper powder. Add water, if needed, to get the required consistency. Let the soup boil for 5-6 minutes. Leave it on low heat until you are ready to serve. Cut the bread slices into small squares. Fry them. Serve the hot soup in a bowl and add the crispy bread chunks just before serving.

Green Peas Kachori

Ingredients :-
1 cup Refined flour (maida)
1/4 tsp Carom seeds (ajwain)
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsps Pure ghee
For filling
1 cup Green peas (shelled)
1 tbsp + to deep fry Oil
1 pinch Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 inch piece Ginger (chopped)
3-4 Green chillies (chopped)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
4 tbsps Coconut (scraped)
4 tbsps Roasted peanuts (crushed

Method :-

Mix refined flour, carom seeds, salt and pure ghee in a bowl. Add cold water as required to knead a stiff dough.Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds begin to change colour, add ginger, green chillies, green peas and salt. Mix and cook. Take off the heat and add garam masala powder. Mix and set aside to cool.Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll each portion and press to make round puris.Add scraped coconut and crushed peanuts to the green pea mixture and mix.Stuff each puri with the stuffing and further shape into a kachori.Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the kachoris in medium hot oil till crisp and golden.Drain and place them on absorbent paper.Serve hot with a chutney of your choice.

Dal Makhani

Ingredients :-

1 cup black lentils (kaali sabut dal) –soak in water for 8 hours and pressure cook till soft
1/2 cup red kidney beans (rajma) – soak in water for 8 hours and pressure cook along with blank lentils till soft
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 big onions, finely chopped
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
2 big tomatoes, finely chopped
¼ cup butter
1 tsp garam masala powder
2-3 tbsp malai (cream of milk)
ginger juliennes for garnish

Method :-

1. Pre-heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the chopped onions and green chillis and sauté the onions till pink.

2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 3-4 mts. Add the turmeric pwd, chilli pwd and salt and combine.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5-6 mts. Now add the pressure cooked dals along with a cup of water and mix well till they are well coated with the masala mixture. Cook covered for 3-4 mts on medium heat.

4. Add butter, combine and cook for 5 mts.

5 .Add malai and garam masala and mix well. Garnish with ginger juliennes.

6. Serve with hot rotis.

Cuisine :- North Indian

Navrattan Pullao

Ingredients :-
1 cup Basmathi rice
1 3/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Oil
1 small Finely sliced onion
6 Cloves
1" Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cumin seed

For Mixing with rice before serving:
A

1/4 cup frozen peas (boiled), salt, 6 drops green food coloring mixed with
1 tsp water.
B

1/4 cup diced tomatoes, 1/4 tsp red pepper, salt, Garam Masala, 6 drops red
food coloring mixed in 2 tsp water.

1 Thinly sliced onion
2 1/4 tbsp Ghee
1 oz. Almonds
1 oz. Cashew nuts
1 1/2 oz. Golden raisins
1 oz. Pistachio nuts
1" piece Ginger thinly sliced
1 Green chili (optional)
1 Hard boiled egg

Method :-
1. Clean, wash, and soak rice in 1 3/4 cup water for pressure cooking, or in 2 cups of water for pan cooking.
2. Heat oil and fry the onions. Add whole spices. Fry 1 minute. Add rice and fry for 2-3 minutes to coat the rice grains with oil. Add the water which the rice was soaking in. Pressure cook, building up the pressure to 15 psi and let drop, OR cook in a pan bringing to full boil then down to a simmer followed by 20 minutes of cooking until the rice is done.

3. Divide rice into three parts. Thoroughly mix A with one part and B with another. Leave the last part plain. Keep rice separate and warm in the oven.
4. (C) Meanwhile fry the onion until it is crisp. Remove and fry almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, raisins, ginger and chili. Chop egg and sprinkle with salt. Keep warm until required.
5. To serve, place onions, nuts, chopped egg and all of (C) in a dish and spread the three batches of rice in clumps above it aesthetically.

Cuisine :- Indian