Aloo bonda (battered potato dumplings)

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized potatoes mashed
2 green chilies chopped
1 tbsp cilantro

Oil for frying
For batter:
1 cup gram flour
1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Boil the potatoes, peel off the skin and mash it.
In a pan, add 1 tsp of oil and chopped green chilies and sauté for a minute. Add the mashed potatoes, cilantro and salt to taste. Mix and set aside. Mix the gram flour, rice flour, asafoetida, red chili powder, turmeric and salt into a semi-thick batter for coating the dumplings.
Roll the potato mixture into small round balls and dip it into the batter before deep frying until golden brown.
Serve with a variety of chutneys or ketchup, and coffee or tea.

Pressure cooker lentil quinoa soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup toor dal

1/2 cup quinoa

1 onion finely chopped

1 cup shredded spring onions

1 cup shredded carrots

1 bell pepper (red or yellow) or sweet peppers diced

1/2 teaspoon sambar (or Indian curry) powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin/coriander powder

1 tomato diced 

1 tblsp cilantro finely chopped

2 tblsps oil 

Croutons

Method:

Sauté the onions in oil until golden, then add spring onions, shredded carrots, peppers. Add sambar powder and cumin/coriander powder. Add half cup of toor dal and half cup of quinoa and give it a swirl. Add diced tomato, salt to taste and water to fill the pressure cooker to three-fourths. Cook for a few whistles. Open and add cilantro and croutons.

Spicy spinach and radish parotta

Ingredients:
1 bunch spinach leaves
1 white radish
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp cilantro nicely chopped
2 tblsp oil
Salt to taste
4 cups of wheat flour

Method:
Finely chop the spinach, and finely grate the radish. Remove the skin before grating. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add cumin seeds, red chili powder, turmeric and sauté for a minute. Then add the radish. Sauté for a couple of minutes then add the spinach. Sauté until spinach softens then add salt. Keep stirring until the water evaporates. Remove from flame and allow to cool.
Now kneed the chapati dough with a little salt and one tablespoon oil. Set aside for half an hour.
After half an hour take a lemon-sized ball of dough, roll it into a small, round shape. Put one tablespoon of the filling in center of the dough and nicely close it. Dust it with chapati flour and roll out into small round chapatis. Toast the chapati on a heated pan. Allow it to cook on both sides. Spray or dab a little oil on both sides and toast before taking it out.
Serve as a snack with coffee or tea, or as a meal.

Vegetable soup for the soul

Ingredients:
1/2 cauliflower
6 carrots
2 tomatoes
1 cup peas
1 tbsp black pepper powder
1 tsp butter
Handful of cilantro chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut and wash the vegetables except tomatoes and peas. Cook everything in water along with peas and tomatoes with some salt. Allow it to cool, then grind everything until smooth and strain. Boil further and add butter. Keep stirring until it comes to boil.
Serve hot and garnish with chopped cilantro. Add pepper to taste.

Mango pepper salad

Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes cut julienne
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 red onion
1 cup snap peas
1 bunch of green onions
2 tbsp cilantro chopped
2 green chilies slit
1 tbsp ginger juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
Handful of pine nuts
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut the vegetables and mangoes into thin strips, add slit green chilies, pine nuts, cilantro, ginger and lime juices, and salt. Toss everything nicely. Serve chilled.

Chia dessert

Ingredients:
2 cups almond, soy or regular milk
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup chia seeds

Method:
Add chia seeds and brown sugar to the milk, stir well and let it soak for 24 hours.
Stir once so it does not stick together. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

Overnight oats

Ingredients:
1 ladle layer of oats
1tsp chia seeds
2 tbsp almond, soy or plain milk
1 tbsp yogurt
1 tbsp honey
1 banana (or any other desired fruit)
1 tbsp walnuts nicely chopped

Method:
Cover and soak overnight. Eat as breakfast or dinner.

Tomato gotsu

Ingredient;
2 medium size onion
5 tomatoes
4 green chilli
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp Urdu dhal
1 tsp finely chopped cilantro
6 curry leaves
Pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp cooking oil
Method
Put oil in the pan and add mustard,Urdu dhal and curry leaves then add the onion
and green chilli, and curry leaves sauté for a while when the onion turns transparent put the turmeric and fennel powder sauté for a while then add the diced tomatoes,add salt sauté for a while then put 1/2 cup of water,keep stirring till the water evoke rates.sprinkle enjoy with roti,adai

Coconut jello

Coconut jello ingredients:
1 pack frozen shredded young coconut
2 packs green ALSA gelatin mix (found in Asian stores - read instructions on how to cook on the package)
1 can condensed milk
2 cans nestle cream
1/2 pack of green tapioca (smallest size)
1 pack of pandan leaves 

Method for cooking tapioca:
Boil water with pandan leaves and sugar. When water is at its boiling stage, pour the tapioca and set the heat to medium. Continue to stir so that the tapioca doesn't stick together. When cooked, drain it while running cold water so the tapioca won't stick. Let it cool down for about 5 minutes.

Method for cooking the gelatin:
Boil water with pandan leaves. When water is boiling, pour in the gelatin mix and stir. Keep boiling for 5 minutes and then pour into a flat container so you can easily slice it to squares when it forms.

Putting everything together. Rinse the coconut with water and drain. Mix everything together (condensed milk, nestle cream, tapioca, gelatin, coconut). Serve chilled.

Quinoa adai

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup millet (bajra)
1 cup green mung dal
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 cup chana dal
1/2 cup urad dal
5 red chilies
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 inch piece ginger
1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak all the dals for an hour and grind with cumin, red chilies, ginger, cilantro, curry leaves and salt.
Set aside to ferment for and hour before making into pancake-like adais.
Serve hot with tomato chutney.

Ginger chutney

Ingredients:

1 cup cut ginger

1 cup crushed jaggery

1 lemon-sized tamarind

1 tsp fenugreek

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of turmeric powder
11 red chillies

1/4 tsp fennel seeds (somph)

A few curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Fry red chilies, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds. Once fried add the cut ginger and sauté for a few minutes.

Blend the above mixture along with turmeric, tamarind and jaggery.

Fry mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, then add the blended mixture and salt to taste. Sauté for a few minutes until the water evaporates.
Serve hot as an accompaniment.

---

Methi paneer kulcha

Ingredients:

2 cups wheat flour

1 packet paneer

1 bunch methi (fenugreek) leaves

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 tsp oil

Olive oil spray

Salt to taste

Method:

Make chapati dough with salt and chili powder and set aside.

In a pan, add oil and scramble paneer and methi with red chili powder, jeera powder, and black pepper powder. Sauté until cooked with salt. 

Make round balls of the dough and roll into round, flat chapatis. Fill with paneer and methi mix, fold it in and roll until it looks like a long cigar. Then take one end and roll it into a circular shape and close the other end. Lightly flatten and roll on top to make a small round.

Put on flat pan and spray olive oil on both sides of the chapati. Cook on both sides until golden in color and remove from pan.

Serve with ketchup, chili sauce or by itself.

Thai eggplant curry

Ingredients:
2 Japanese eggplant cubed (can use other kinds)
1 large onion cubed into large pieces
1 green chili slit open
1 tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbsp peanut butter (can use peanut, cashew or almond butter)
1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp peanut oil (can use sesame or other kinds of oil)
1 tbsp of sugar
Salt to taste
Handful of cilantro chopped

Method:
Heat up the oil in a wok. Add the diced onions, green chili, ginger, turmeric, red chili flakes and saute until onion turns golden. Add peanut butter paste and soy sauce. Saute for a couple of minutes, then add a little water and the cubed eggplant. Cover and simmer. Stir occasionally. When eggplant is tender add the coconut milk, salt to taste and 1 tbsp sugar, if sweetness is desired. Simmer for 10 minutes until the curry comes together. Garnish with chopped cilantro on top and serve with rice.

Chana dal palak

Ingredients:
2 cups chana dal (split chickpea lentils)
1 1/2 cup onions finely cut
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder

Method:
First pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles and allow it to cool. In a deep pan, heat the oil, add cumin seeds and let it pop, then add onions and sauté for a while until it is slightly golden.
Add the tomatoes and sauté for a while then add ginger paste and fry until the aroma comes. Add turmeric and chili powder and mix together, then add the cooked dal. Add salt to taste and allow to come to a boil. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve with chapati or naan.

Corn fritters

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of corn
1 green chili
1 onion
1 small bunch of spring onions
1 tbsp of cilantro
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying 

Method:
Mix the ingredients with a little water enough to make a thick batter. Make into small dumplings and deep fry like pakoras.
Serve with ketchup, chutneys or by itself.

Falafel

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas
1 1/2 onions diced
1 small bunch of parsley
1 long green chili
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 1/2 cups of besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pita pockets
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the diced onions, parsley, cumin, green chili and baking soda into a paste. Steam the chickpeas with salt in a saucepan until they soften a little, then add to the mixture and grind well. Remove into a bowl. Add red chili powder and besan and mix into a thick batter.
In a nonstick frying pan add an inch of oil. Heat until ready for frying. Drop dollops of falafel batter into the oil and fry evenly until it turns dark brown.
Serve in pita pockets or as a wrap with hummus spread, hot sauce and tahini, lettuce, diced tomatoes and cucumber.

Bread sandwich pakora

Ingredients:
1 loaf white bread

For tomato chutney:
5 big tomatoes
2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek  seeds
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method:
First grind the tomatoes into a smooth paste without adding water.
In a heavy bottom pan, put 2 tbsp oil and when heated add mustard and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard pop, then add red chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida and saute. Now add the tomato paste and salt to taste. When the sauce thickens remove from flame and allow to cool.

For cilantro chutney:
1 bunch of cilantro
5 green chilies
1 lemon juiced
Salt to taste
Method:
Grind everything into a smooth paste and keep aside.

For batter:
3 handfuls of besan (chickpea) flour
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 handful of rice flour
Salt to taste
Method:
Mix everything together with water into a thick batter.

Now spread the tomato chutney on the inside of the bread slices and margarine on the outside and make sandwiches. Cut into half diagonally. Make similar sandwiches with the cilantro chutney.
In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil for frying. Keep on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, dip the bread sandwich in the besan batter and deep fry.
Serve with coffee or tea.

Karavadai (spicy vadai)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 cup channa dal
1/2 cup urad dal
1/2 cup rice
3 red chilies whole
4 green chilies finely chopped
Few curry leaves
1 inch piece ginger finely chopped
1/4 tsp asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Soak the toor dal and channa dal with whole red chilies and set aside.
Soak the rice and urad dal and set aside.
Soak a handful of channa dal and set aside.
Now coarsely grind the toor and channa dal along with red chilies. Then grind the rice and urad dhal into a smooth batter and add to the other coarse batter. Add the required amount of salt, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Mix everything together into a smooth batter, then add the handful of soaked channa dal.
In a deep pan, heat oil on medium flame. Make dumplings out of the batter and fry until golden.
Serve with coffee or tea.

Tomato chutney sandwich

Ingredients:
1 loaf white bread
4 large tomatoes
2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the tomatoes into a smooth paste without adding water.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and when the mustard seeds pop add asafoetida, red chili power, turmeric and mix well. Add the tomato paste and mix well, add salt as needed and leave on medium flame. Cover the pan until all the water evaporates and keep stirring occasionally.When the chutney is thick, remove from flame and let it cool a bit. Spread the chutney on bread and toast in a sandwich maker. The bread should be buttered on the outside.
Serve as a snack or appetizer.

Dhokla

Ingredients:
1 cup besan (chickpea) flour
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/4 tsp cooking soda
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp turmeric
4 green chilies (ground into paste)
1 piece ginger (ground into paste)
3 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4 green chilies finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
Few curry leaves
1/2 cup of water

Method:
Mix besan, yoghurt, 1 1/2 tbsp oil, cooking soda, baking soda, sugar, and ginger and green chilli paste and keep aside for four hours.
Grease a plate, pour the mixture into it and steam it in a large pot. When cooked remove from steam and cut into pieces.
Put 1 tsp of oil into a small pan. When heated add mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, and when mustard pops add 1/2 cup of water and bring it to boil. Remove from flame and pour it on the steamed dhokla.
Sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve warm with any chutneys, chili sauce or tomato ketchup.