Eats on streets

Khatti Meethi (Sour and Sweet) Pani Puri

A different name in a different place; call it golgappa, puchka or pani puri but this dish remains a favourite street food in India.

Puris, flavoured water and boiled moong

Tuck into your mouth a crispy puri stuffed with boiled chickpeas or sprouted moong and dunked into the tasty water of pani puri and a burst of flavours unfurl to tingle your taste buds. From tangy to sweet and spicy to sour, a combine of all flavours possible is what makes this heavenly dish an irresistible snack.

Different cultures and cities have their own styles of serving this dish. Some have fillings made of boiled chickpeas while some serve boiled potatoes in it and others have their own combinations of the flavoured water. Here is a recipe of sprouted moong as a filling which is a delicious yet healthy option.

Pani puri recipe:

Ingredients:

Around 50 puris (crisp, puffed puris are used for pani puri)

100 gms steamed moong sprouts (whole green gram)- for the filling

For the sweet water:

½ cup tamarind (deseeded) - soaked in some water overnight

About 5-6 dates - soaked in some water overnight

½ cup grated or crumbled jaggery (soaked in some water till it melts)

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp. sugar

For the spicy water:

 ¾ tbsp readymade pani puri masala powder (e.g. Everest)

1 tsp. roasted cumin- powdered

Salt to taste

Some ice cubes (optional)

Water

 Grind together with a little water:

1 cup finely chopped coriander

1 ½ cups finely chopped mint leaves

1 green chilli

¼ inch piece of fresh ginger (peel it and chop it roughly)

If you want you can add some rock salt, black salt, chaat masala, amchur powder etc. for extra flavouring.

Method:

For the sweet water:

Boil the dates in a cooker till tender. Deseed them and grind them (adding little water if required).

Boil the tamarind in a cooker. Grind it and strain it to get the pulp.

Mix the tamarind pulp, the jaggery water and the date’s paste. Add the sugar and the red chilli powder and stir to combine. Check seasoning and add salt if required.

For the spicy water:

Add a glassful of water to the coriander-mint paste and stir to mix. Pass this through a mesh (at least twice) to get more or less clear, flavoured water. Add the cumin powder and the readymade pani puri masala powder to it. Stir to combine and check seasoning. Add salt as per taste. Add water depending on the consistency you require.

Add the ice cubes to both the panis or chill the pani in the refrigerator for a few hours.

You can even combine both the flavoured waters to get one, sweet and spicy water only.

Relish this by cracking open the puri from the top with the back of a spoon. Add some moong in the gap of one puri at a time. Stir the spicy water and dip each puri first into the sweet water and then into the spicy water, filling the puris upto the brim. It will give you a delicious taste of sweet, spicy, tangy and sour flavours in your mouth at the same time.

If you prefer only sweet water then fill the puris with sweet water only and if you like spicy flavour, fill the puris only in the spicy water.

Dipping the puris in flavoured water is the traditional way of enjoying pani puri. But if you do not prefer to do so, simply pour the flavoured waters of your choice into the cracked puris with the help of a spoon.

Pav Bhaji

1. Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji is actually one of the favourite street foods in India, specially in the city of Mumbai.
It is usually considered as a snack but can be treated as a complete meal too since it is quite satisfying with heaps of vegetables added to it. It's even included in the list of junk foods because it has loads of butter! But if you want a healthier version of the cuisine skip adding butter to the gravy when serving and have plain bread or better brown bread instead of the usual buttered bread.

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

3 big potatoes

25 gms. cauliflower (separate the florets)

1 tbsp. sliced french beans

50 gms. green peas

1/3 cup very finely chopped capsicum

about 3 tbsp. butter

1/2 tbsp. oil

salt to taste

Seasoning:

3/4 tbsp. Kashmiri red chilli paste,

1 1/2 tsp. red chilli pdr.,

1/2 tsp. + 1 pinch turmeric pdr.,

1 1/2 or 2 tbsp. pav bhaji masala (adjust as per your taste. If you prefer spicier add more)

a pinch of chat masala

1 medium sized onion (finely chopped), 3 big tomatoes (finely chopped or pureed)

1 tsp. ginger paste, 1 1/2 tsp. garlic paste, 1 green chilli paste, 6-7 curry leaves

Garnishing:

1 finely chopped onion (small), 2 tbsps. chopped coriander, 1 lime, a big dollop of butter

about 6 Pavs (Indian bread) (If you don't have pav use bread)

pav bhaji masher or ladle

Method:

1. Boil all the vegetables (potatoes, cauliflower, beans, peas but not the capsicum) in about 2 cups of water with a pinch of turmeric and some salt, till tender. Mash with a pav bhaji masher or the back of a ladle. Keep aside.

2. Heat oil and 2 tbsps. butter in a pan, add the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and saute for a minute.

3. Now add the onions and saute till they become transparent.

4. Add the capsicum and saut for a minute.

5. Put the Kashmiri red chilli paste and saute for 1/2 a minute.

6. Add the dry masalas (red chilli pdr., turmeric pdr. and pav bhaji masala) and stir to combine.

7. Add curry leaves and tomatoes and saute to mix everything. Let cook on slow flame for about 10 minutes till the gravy becomes slightly thick and the oil leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from flame. Mash this well with a pav bhaji masher/ a ladle.

8. Now add the boiled vegetables to the above gravy and stir well. Again mash this with the pav bhaji masher/ a ladle in order to mix all the ingredients properly. Add some salt and the chat masala. Add about 1 cup of water to make the consistency appropriate. Add more water if required.

9. Let cook for about 15 to 20 more minutes to combine all the ingredients. Check seasoning.

10. Add some water if the gravy seems thick.

11. Serve hot garnished with chopped, fresh, coriander, chopped onions, a blob of butter and a dash of lime.

12. When serving, slice the pavs (bread) horizontally, apply butter on both sides and heat on a tawa or a non-stick pan for 1/2 a minute on each side. Serve the bread hot with the pav bhaji gravy.

2, Vada pav recipe

Imagine vada pav and your mouth waters with the thought of sinking your teeth first into a

soft, golden brown crust and then into a tender filling of flavourful potatoes.

Vada pav is actually a street food in India but is also served in hotels and fondly made in our homes as well. Mostly known as an Indian (veggie) burger, it is mainly popular in the state of Maharashtra, especially in the cities of Mumbai and Pune. But it is now gaining popularity the world over. Different places have their own versions of preparing and serving; it could be served with spicy green chutney, sweet ketchup or a tangy tamarind dip.

Tasty hot Vada pav recipe:

2 cups boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes

½ cup Poha- (flattened rice) gently rinse the Poha in a colander or a pasta strainer. Sprinkle ¼ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp salt on it and keep aside.

1-2 green chillies-chopped into big pieces

1 tsp red chilli powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp mustard seeds

7-8 curry leaves

1 tsp whole coriander seeds- lightly roasted and ground coarsely

5 -6 garlic flakes- sliced

½ cup finely chopped coriander

1/3 tbsp oil for the Poha

1 ½ tsp desiccated coconut or use finely grated, fresh coconut (optional) (add more or less depending on how much you like the flavour of coconut)

1 or 2 mint leaves- finely chopped or a pinch of mint powder (optional) (since mint has a rather strong flavour, add only if you are fond of mint)

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Ladi pavs (Indian bread type that is square shaped and is made of all purpose flour. Get one pav for each vada)

For the batter:

About 1 cup gram flour (you may need more depending on how thick your batter is)

¼ tsp turmeric

 ¼ tsp red chilli powder

 Salt

 A pinch of Baking soda

¼ tsp. hot oil

About 1 tsp. finely chopped coriander

Method:

For the batter:

Combine all the ingredients except the coriander.  Add enough water to make a smooth, thick batter (a little thinner than the ones you make for your cakes) mix well so that it is free of any lumps.  Now add the coriander and mix again. Keep this batter aside and prepare the vadas meanwhile. If you can prepare the batter ½ an hour before frying the vadas it would make the covering softer and fluffier.

For the Poha:

Heat 1/3 tbsp oil in a non- stick pan and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle add the curry leaves and the garlic. Sauté till the garlic is light brown. Add the green chilli, Poha and the red chilli powder and mix gently to combine. Shut the gas and keep this aside till it cools down to room temperature.

Prepare the vadas:

Once the poha has cooled down add it to the mashed potato. add the coriander seeds powder the coconut the chopped coriander, the chopped mint leaves/ powder and enough salt and gently mix everything with your hands.Make balls out of this and dip them in the batter one by one. make sure each ball is coated entirely with the batter. heat oil in a pan for deep frying and gently add the coated balls in the oil. keep the flame on med- high and after you have added enough vadas into the pan lower the heat a bit. deep fry and take them out when reddish yellow. Serve them hot either with pav or all by itself.

Batata Vadas

Ways in which you can serve:

Slice each pav horizontally leaving one end attached (this is our traditional style of serving the snack) and stuff hot vadas; one vada in each pav.
You can relish them by dipping them in sauce or green chutney (made of coriander, mint leaves etc.) or tamarind chutney.

Or layer green chutney on one side and tamarind chutney on the other side of the pav before placing the vada in it.

Or serve with red dry garlic chutney

You can even sprinkle lime on the vadas if you like.

All things Chocolaty

1. Chocola                                                                    

(Hot chocolate with a dash of coffee flavour topped with vanilla ice cream)

Ingredients:

A cupful of milk

¼ cup water

1 spoon sugar (adjust as per the sweetness you desire)

A pinch of instant coffee powder

¾ tbsp fresh cream or fresh malai

1 tbsp. grated dark brown (bitter) chocolate

A scoop of vanilla ice cream

Cocoa/coffee powder or chocolate sauce for garnishing (optional)

Method:

Heat milk in a vessel, add the water to it. Add sugar and coffee powder.

After ½ minute add the cream/malai and keep stirring continuously for ½ minute. (If using malai, blend it with the back of a spoon till it becomes smooth and runny like fresh cream)

Remove from flame and add the chocolate and gently swirl for a few seconds till the chocolate melts and combines with the milk.

Pour in a wide glass or a large coffee cup and place the ice cream scoop on it.

Garnish with cocoa/coffee powder or with some chocolate sauce.

2. Divine Chocolate Mousse in 7 simple steps

This recipe is simple and the mousse is as yummy and melt-in-your-mouth as the mousse you purchase from cake shops. It is explained in a step by step manner so that you can prepare it in an organized way.

Making chocolate mousse is absolute fun, provided you have the right recipe and collect ingredients exactly as per the recipe. Also, you need to be a bit fast or better, you could have someone to help around since you are using whipped cream, whipped egg yolk and gelatin, and you need to incorporate them into the recipe at the right time.

Use good quality chocolate to make the mousse delicious. It is always preferable to use dark (bitter) chocolate instead of milk one because of the higher density of cocoa solids result in a richer and superior outcome. 

Now, Soya cream is also available which is a better option than double cream since it has fewer calories and can be stored in the freezer for a longer time. It is also healthier as it is made from Soya milk which is high in Protein. In India it is available under the brand name Rich Cream. There is no compromise as far as the taste is concerned.

Ingredients:

200 gms. dark (bitter) chocolate- grated

100 ml. cream (e.g. Amul cream)

100 gms. double cream

1 egg yolk (preferably use a fresh egg bought from the vendor instead of one stored in the refrigerator)

¾ cup castor sugar

1 tsp. gelatine

3 tbsps. water

1 tsp. orange/ vanilla essence (use an oil based essence)

about 100 gms. bitter chocolate chips to be added into the mousse (optional)

a few chocolate curls or chips for garnishing (only if you want to garnish)

Method:

1. Truffle:

Warm Amul cream in a non-stick pan over medium heat and add the grated chocolate to it. Slowly stir with a whisk or a wooden ladle till the chocolate melts completely (it could take about a minute). Shut the gas and let it cool to room temp. This is the truffle which can be made before hand and stored in the freezer for a few days. When using it for the mousse remove it from the freezer (it will have solidified) and let it reach room temperature.

2. Sabayon:

Take a vessel filled about 1/3 with water and heat it on a low flame. In a steel bowl add the egg yolk and the castor sugar and place it above the vessel with water such that the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Now whip the mix with an electric beater till it becomes thick, pale and double the volume (custardy). This is called the sabayon.

3. Hydrate gelatine:

Take gelatine in a small vessel and add 3 tbsps. water. Place this vessel in hot water till the gelatine melts completely. Add this to the sabayon. Let this cool to room temp.

4. Whip the cream:

Meanwhile, whip the double cream to soft peaks.

5. Essence and Truffle into Cream:

Add the essence and the chocolate truffle to the whipped cream. mouth

6. Fold:

Gently fold in the cream mix into the sabayon and add the chocolate chips if you want.

7. Transfer:

Pour this into glasses or bowls or into greased moulds if you want to de-mould them to give fancy shapes. Refrigerate for 3-4 hrs.

Garnish with chocolate curls or chips if you want. Serve chilled.


3. Recipe To Make Delicious Chocolate And Walnut Brownies At Home Easily

What you need:

100 gm butter or margarine
50 gm cocoa powder
2 eggs
200 gm castor sugar
50 gm self raising flour (sieved)
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
100 gm lightly roasted and chopped walnuts
50 gm chocolate chips/ grated dark chocolate (optional)

Method:

1. Melt the butter or margarine in a heavy bottomed pan on a slow flame. Then stir in the cocoa powder and remove from heat.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and white and add the butter and cocoa powder mixture to it.
3. Add the flour and mix well.
4. Add the vanilla essence, walnuts and chocolate chips.
5. Place this mixture into a greased and lined shallow cake tin. Bake at 180 deg C for about 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into 2 cm (1 inch) squares to serve.

Options for serving:

Warm the brownies in a microwave for 20 seconds. Add a dash of chopped walnuts, some chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream.
or
Pour honey or caramel syrup over it.

Recipe for the chocolate sauce:

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 tbsp. butter

Mix the above ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan and heat them on a low flame to thicken. Keep stirring at intervals to avoid forming of lumps. Cook till it is thick and is of the required consistency i.e. of a sauce. Let cool before storing in the refrigerator.

4. Recipe for Basic Chocolate Sponge Cake - Eggless


Some tips to remember when preparing cakes:

When preparing cakes, check to see that all the ingredients are ready in front of you and within easy reach. Make sure scales are accurate in order to weigh the ingredients properly.

It is advisable to never guess the quantities, the time and the temperature while baking.

Sieving the flour is necessary as it helps remove lumps in it.

Make sure that the utensils and equipment used are clean, dry and hygienic.

The ovens should also be at the right temperatures.

Ingredients:

100 gms./ 1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
200 gm. Milkmaid (condensed milk)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda-bi-carb.
50 gms. butter
3-4 drops vanilla essence

Method:

1. Sieve the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder and the soda-bi-carb.

2. Cream the butter and milkmaid gently with a spatula.

3. Lightly mix in the sieved flour mixture and beat with a beater to get a smooth batter.

4. Add the essence and mix well.

5. Pour the batter in a greased and lined tin.

6. Bake at 180 degrees c for 20-25 mins.

7. Place a wire rack on top of the tin. Invert the tin, remove the cake, separate the lining paper and let cool.

8. Dust with icing sugar if you want a plain sponge cake.

Leave the cake plain if you prefer only a plain sponge cake but if you want it with chocolate cream then follow the method as given below:

1. Overturn the cake and place it on a smooth surface. If it doesn't stand properly slice the base slightly to give it a smooth surface.

2. Cut the cake horizontally into half, sprinkle sugar syrup*all around the lower slice properly to soften the cake.

3, Now pour chocolate sauce* all over and smoothen with a palette knife. Place the other portion of the cake on top and repeat with the syrup and sauce on top and even all around the cake.

It can be decorated in any desired manner.

Recipe for making the sugar syrup:

200 ml. water
60 gms. Sugar

Boil the sugar in the water till the sugar is melted. Cool and use.

Chocolate Recipes

1. Easily Make Delicious Chocolate Rocks at Home

What you need:

150 gm. Bitter Dark chocolate- roughly chopped

50 gm. Roasted almonds/cashews

1/2 tbsp. Orange essence

A Plastic spatula for tempering*

Butter paper

Some ice

Chocolate paper for wrapping

To begin, place the chocolate chunks in clean dry vessel, preferably a heat-proof bowl and place this vessel in a pan with water (filled about 1/3rd with water). Do not cover the vessel. Heat this on a low flame. This is the double boiling technique used for melting of the chocolate.

When about 1/3rd of the chocolate has melted and looks soggy shut the gas and remove the bowl from the water. Add the essence to it. Now the chocolate has to be cooled to room temperature. By room temperature we mean the temperature at which the chocolate would neither be cool nor hot. This is known as tempering* of the chocolate. For this, place the bowl on a vessel filled with some ice and stir it from left to right and right to left using a flat spatula. (Ordinarily, to make chocolates by filling them into moulds you do not need to place the vessel on ice. This is done only for making rocks.) Tempering is not only the ideal way to cool chocolates but it also makes the chocolate richer.

You could dip your finger to check and see if it has cooled to be sure. When you feel that the chocolate has cooled to room temperature add the nuts to it. As soon as you realise that the chocolate is cooling down using your fingers place dollops of chocolate along with 1 or 2 nuts in each dollop on butter paper twirling your hand slightly so as to give it a nice shape. Go on doing this real fast and your rocks will be ready. Remember that each piece has to be bite sized and not too large to fit into your mouth.

This has to be done very soon or else the chocolate will cool down and harden and will have to be reheated. The art of making these beautiful rocks neatly will be mastered with practice. Therefore in the beginning one can try making only a few rocks using very little chocolate. Place this tray of rocks in the refrigerator for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove from fridge, separate from paper and wrap them into chocolate paper. Now you are ready with the beautiful, delicious almond rocks you always adored in chocolate shops.

 

2. Make Mint Chocolates At Home

What you need:

100 gms. Dark chocolate
100 gms. Milk chocolate
4-5 drops mint essence- oil based
Plastic spatula for tempering the chocolate
Some chocolate moulds (Make sure that the moulds are clean and dry. You could use leaf-shaped moulds to make the mint chocolates more attractive)
Chocolate wrapping paper

Method:

1. Chop both the chocolates roughly and place them in a clean, dry vessel. Place this vessel in a pan with water (filled about 1/3rd with water). Do not cover the vessel. Heat this on a very low flame. This is the 'double boiling' technique used for melting of the chocolate. Double boil the chocolate till it is of flowing consistency.

2. Remove from heat and carefully take out the vessel from the water. Now the chocolate has to be cooled to room temperature. By room temperature we mean the temperature at which the chocolate would neither be cool nor hot. This process is known as 'tempering' of the chocolate. Add the essence and temper the chocolate. For this you need to stir the chocolate from left to right and right to left using a spatula. Tempering is not only the ideal way to cool chocolates but it also makes the chocolate richer. You could dip your finger to check and see if it has cooled.

3. Now quickly pour the chocolate into the cavities of the moulds. For this it would be convenient to use a spoon. (You need to be a little fast because the melted chocolate will start to harden soon). Gently tap each mould 2-3 times to remove any air bubbles. Clean any excess chocolate around the moulds cavities.

4. Leave these moulds in the refrigerator for about 25-30 mins.

5. Remove them from the fridge and keep them for 5 mins. in the freezer.

6. Again remove them from the freezer and keep them in the fridge for another 5 mins.

7. Invert each mould on a clean, dry surface and gently tap them. The pieces will fall off on their own.

8. Now you can wrap each piece with chocolate paper.

9. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place at about 15 deg. C

In the same manner vanilla, orange or coffee flavoured chocolate can also be made using those essences instead of the mint essence. It is best if chocolates are enjoyed at room temperature at about 18-20 deg. C. If someone is fond of dark, bitter chocolates add more of the dark compound for eg. you could take 125 or 150 gms. Dark chocolate and 100 gms. Milk chocolate in the above recipe, depending on how much bitter you want the chocolates to be.

Instead of these plain chocolates you can make them more rich and delicious by adding nuts of your choice. You could roast some nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.) and roughly chop them and add them after the tempering stage. Mix lightly with a spoon and pour them into moulds taking care to see that there are a few pieces of nuts in each spoonful that you pour into the moulds cavities.

Also Marie biscuits or wafer biscuits could be added into the chocolate after the tempering stage. Remove each biscuit gently and place them on butter paper a little away from each other and refrigerate for about 15 mins. Separate from paper and wrap each into chocolate paper. You get delicious biscuit chocolates. Chocolate making is all about experimenting as per your taste. If something new works out, it could be your very own discovery.

Chicken Recipes

2. Chinese Chicken

This dish has a slightly sweet and tangy taste because of  jaggery and soya sauce. If you’re fond of tangy taste, this will seem yum to you.

Ingredients: 

1 boneless chicken- cut into 1 ½ “ pcs.
1 cup sliced veggies (capsicum, carrot and some french beans)
salt to taste
oil for cooking
some hakka noodles-boiled
about 2 tsp. black pepper pdr.
about ½ tbsp. white vinegar + 2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp. cornflour

For the marination:

2 tsp. ginger paste
2 tsp. garlic paste
1 ½ tsp. red chilli pdr.
½ tbsp. Soya sauce
½ tbsp. jaggery- grated

Method: 

1.Marinade the chicken in the above mentioned ingredients for about 3 hrs. 

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the chicken and let it cook on a slow flame till tender. 
     
     3. Before removing from heat add the cornflour.  

4. Let cook for 5 more mins. 

5. Before serving heat the chicken and coat it with 2 tsp of vinegar and shut gas immediately and coat the remaining vinegar on the veggies and the noodles and fry immediately. Use them to garnish the dish.

3. Sauces n Vinegar Chicken

Ingredients: 

1 chicken- cut into medium size pieces
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. green chilli sauce
1 tbsp. soya sauce
¾ tbsp. tomato sauce
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 bunch chopped spring onions- keep the greens and the white part seperate
1 tbsp. grated cheese
1 tsp. jeera/ cumin seeds
1 green chilli (slit)
1 tbsp. oil/ butter for cooking Method:

Method:

1. Marinade the chicken in the sauces and the vinegar for about 2 hrs. 

2. Heat the oil/ butter in a vessel. (If using butter add about 1 tsp. oil as well in the pan to prevent the butter from burning) 

3. Add the jeera, the chilli and the white of the spring onions. Sauté for about 5 mins. 

4. Then add the chicken along with the sauces and cook till tender. 

5. Before shutting the gas add the greens of the spring onions and lightly sauté for a minute or so. 

6. Serve hot garnished with grated cheese.

4. Delicious Chicken Biryani 

This recipe is mouth watering and is so simple to make that you will find it to be absolutely non fussy. 

Ingredients:

½ kg. Chicken – cleaned and cut into medium sized pieces 

2 ½ cups Basmati rice
2 big potatoes- peeled and cut into big pieces
2 big onions- sliced and fried in ghee till golden brown
3 cloves
2 “ piece of taj/cinnamon
1 pinch kesar pdr. heated in 1 tsp. milk
1 badi elaichi/cardamom
2 small elaichis- powdered
3 black peppers
2 tbsp. garlic paste
1 ½ tbsp. ginger paste
1 ½ tsp. turmeric pdr.
2 ½ tsps. red chilli pdr
2 tbsps. chopped coriander
200 gms. curd
1 petal of star anise/ chakra phool
½ tsp. jaiful pdr.
1 pinch javitri pdr.
1 tbsp. whole jeera- roasted and kept aside
ghee for cooking
salt to taste

First do the seasoning: 

Warm about ½ tbsp. ghee and add jeera, elaichi, taj, clove, chakra phool and peppers. Shut the gas and let this cool down.

For the marination: 

Marinade the chicken for at least ½ hr in curd, ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli pdr, turmeric pdr.,jaiful pdr., javitri pdr., elaichi pdr., kesar milk, fried onions, salt, potatoes and the above seasoning.

Proceed further:

Soak the rice for about ½ hour in water before cooking. 

Parboil the rice and keep aside.
Add the coriander to the marinade and mix properly. Check for seasoning

For the cooking:

Take a big vessel and grease it with ghee on the base.

Layer the chicken marination and then layer the rice on top.
Add enough water required to cook the rice.
Pour ghee on top of the rice.
Cover and cook till biryani is done.

5. Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients:

300 gms. chicken with bone

3 big garlic flakes

1 kashmiri chilli

Pound the garlic and chilli together

1 “ ginger paste

1 ½ tbsp chopped cabbage

25 gms. green peas (blanched)

1 tbsp. sliced capsicum

1 tbsp. sliced french beans

3 spring onions chopped – keep the white and green part seperate

1 pinch ajinomoto/ MSG

3-4 white peppers powder

1 celery stick -chopped

½ tbsp. tomato sauce

1 tbsp. soya sauce

2 tbsp. chilli sauce

1 tsp. green chilli paste

1 ½ cups rice- cooked in twice the amount of water and drained

some noodles (optional)

Method:

1.      Boil the chicken in some water with 1 tsp. green chilli paste and 1 tsp ginger paste. Shred the chicken and keep aside

2.      Boil the rice in ample of water and keep aside. 

3.      Sauté the veggies (except green peas) one by one in a pan with little oil.

4.      Take some oil in a pan and add ginger, garlic, chilli paste and sauté.

5.      Add the whites of the spring onions and sauté.

6.      Add the white pepper, ajinomoto, salt, veggies, chicken, celery, the greens of the spring onions and mix well.

7.      Add the sauces and the rice and noodles and remove from flame. Mix well and check for seasoning.

8.      Spread this into a greased vessel, cover and let cook till done.

Desserts and ice creams

1. Snappy Choco-Biscuit Dessert

Ingredients:

300 gms. fresh cream

about 5 tbsp. powdered sugar

about 2 cups chocolate sauce

1 packet Krackjack biscuit

about 14-16 walnuts- roasted and coarsely ground (you could use almonds also)

1 large bowl (Preferable use transparent, flat bowl for assembling the dessert)

 Method:

1. Crumble the biscuits coarsely and keep aside.

2. Beat the cream for 2-3 mins. adding sugar gradually. Place the vessel with the cream on ice when beating.

3. When you intend to serve the desert, place a layer of biscuit crumbs on the base.

4. Then sprinkle ½ of the walnut powder.

5. After that pour ½ of the chocolate sauce all over this.

6. Then layer the entire fresh cream in the bowl.

7. Sprinkle the remaining walnut powder and the remaining chocolate sauce.

Serve immediately.
Alternately serve portions in small transparent bowls or cups for individual serving.

3. Chocolate and Cake dessert

  Ingredients:

about 250- 300 gms. vanilla ice-cream

1 plain slice cake- chocolate flavoured

½ chocolate chips/grated chocolate

½ cup finely sliced fruits (strawberry/ grapes / cherries/ pineapples or a combination of all of these fruits)

 Method:

  

  Crumble the cake with your hands and keep aside.

  Remove the ice-cream from the fridge and let it soften.

  When the ice-cream is soft add the cake to it and gently mix with a spoon.

  Pour this in a bowl.

  Add the fruits and the chocolate chips to this.

  Keep in the fridge for about 1 or 2 hrs. Serve chilled.

4. Cake and Pineapple dessert

  

Ingredients:

  

1 plain chocolate sponge cake

1 packet vanilla ice cream

1 tin pineapple

some grated chocolate

 Method:

1. Crumble the cake; add some pineapple pieces and some syrup and shape into strawberry shaped pieces.

2. Keep the balls into the fridge till they harden. Roll them into the grated chocolate and keep in the fridge again.

3. Remove the ice cream and let it melt.

4. Add the pineapple pieces and the chocolate balls into the melted ice cream when serving.

 5. Scrumptious Chocolate Fudge:

6. Chocolate walnut brownie recipe using melted dark chocolate:

Pista Kulfi

 Ingredients:

   

½ ltr. raw or unboiled milk

7 ½ tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. cornflour

¼ tsp kesar/ saffron

100 gms. mawa (crumbled)

3- 4 drops pista essence

1-2 drops green edible colour

8-10 roasted, ground pistachios

1 tsp. almond powder

 Method:

 • Take the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and add cornflour and sugar and mix well with a spoon. Then add the saffron and mix lightly.

• Boil the milk on a high flame.

• When it reaches boiling point make the flame low and let it boil again for 12-13 mins.

• Remove from flame and let it cool down to room temp.

• Add the mawa and mix well.

• Add the essence, colour, dry fruit powders and mix again.

• Fill into kulfi moulds/ scoops.

• Place into deep freezer for 3 hrs. De-mould and relish.

6. Make delicious ice cream at home

These ice creams are made in 2 parts; first the basic is made (which does not have any flavour) and then the second part is made with the flavouring.

Plain Basic:

  

Ingredients:

½ litre raw (unboiled) milk

GMS pdr. (softener) –all 4 spoonfuls of the measuring spoon set

CMC pdr. – about 1 pinch

cornflour – all 4 measuring spoonfuls

sugar – 7 ½ tbsp.

Method:

·   Add all the above ingredients to the milk in a thick bottomed vessel and stir with a ladle to combine everything.

·   Heat this on a medium flame stirring continuously till it reaches boiling point.

·   Now lower the flame and let it simmer. Keep stirring continuously.

·   When it reaches boiling point again and rises upto the brim of the vessel shut the gas.

·   Let this cool down to room temperature.

·   Fill this in a dry, airtight plastic container and place in the freezer for 16 hrs. for it to completely set.

·   Place it in a way that the container touches the base of the compartment and turn the control of the freezer to the maximum.

·   Avoid opening the container and even the freezer as far as possible till the base is set.

 Using this base you can make flavoured ice creams by adding essence and colours as per the flovours of your choice.

 Flavoured ice cream using the plain basic

(1) Vanilla ice cream

Basic ice cream of ½ litre milk

2 tsp. vanilla essence

½ cup fresh cream/ malai

an electric double beater

a bowlful of ice cubes

timer to check the exact time

Method:

Remove the basic from the freezer and let it become soft.

·    Randomly cut it into pieces with a butter knife and place it into a steel vessel kept on the ice

·    Add the essence and the cream.

·    Now place the beater such that it touché the base of your vessel and beat it in this position for 6 mins.

·    Then without shutting the beater raise the beater and place it mid way and beat like this for 4 mins.

·    Now pour this into the plastic container and freeze it in the same manner for 6 hrs.

You can serve this with different sauces like chocolate, strawberry, pineapple or with different fruit crushes

In the same manner strawberry ice cream can be made using 1 tsp. strawberry essence and adding ¼ tsp red colour along with the essence. The rest of the method is the same.

For making mango or pineapple ice cream use 1 tsp. mango or pineapple essence and ½ tsp. lemon yellow colour.

Some other flavours:

(2) Anjeer (figs) dry fruit:

Soak 100 gms. figs in 8 tbsps. Milk for ½ hr and then crush this coarsely in a mixer. Take the basic ice cream, anjeer mix, ½ tsp. almond essence and ½ cup malai and use the same method to make the ice cream

(3) Kesar pista:

 For this you need 1 basic ice cream, ¼ tsp. lemon yellow colour, 3 drops kesar essence, 4 tbsps. chopped pistachios, malai and 1 tsp. kesar soaked in 1 tbsp. milk

(4) Black currant:

1 basic ice cream

¾ tsp. black currant essence or ½ tsp. mix fruit essence

¼ tsp. red colour and ¼ tsp. blue colour

Fresh cream/ malai

4 tbsps. black currants- washed and soaked in 4 tbsps. Water for 15 mins. Strain and squeeze the excess water and pat dry with a towel.

The rest of the method is the same.

(5) Butterscotch ice cream:

1 basic ice cream

1 tsp. butterscotch essence

½ tsp. lemon yellow colour

½ cup malai

butterscotch

For making the butterscotch:

½ cup walnuts

½ tsp. ghee

Fry the walnuts in ghee. Heat the sugar in a non stick pan; caramelize the sugar and add the walnuts to it.

Transfer this in a greased plate. When set, break it into small pieces.

Add the butterscotch alongwith the other items for making the ice cream

For making chocolate ice cream and coffee ice cream you need to make the basic differently and they are called as  chocolate basic or coffee basic.

For the chocolate ice cream:

The other ingredients are the same except that you need to add first 3 spoons level of cocoa powder, first 3 spoons level of drinking chocolate and add 8 tbsps. of sugar instead of 7 ½ 

For the coffee ice cream:

The basic is the same except that you need to add 1tbsp. of coffee powder and add 8 tbsps. of sugar instead of 7 ½

Roasted almond

You need 1 cup roasted almonds cut into 1/2 and cooled, 3 drops almond essence, ½ cup malai. Add the almonds after the ice cream has been fully churned.

Tutti fruity

1 basic, 1 tsp. orange essence, ½ tsp. orange colour. ½ cup malai, 5 tbsp. tutti fruity (without sugar granules). The method is the same but add the tutti fruity in the last 1 minute of beating.

Cashews and Raisins

1 basic, ½ tsp. almond essence, ½ cup cashews- chopped, ½ cup raisins (washed and pat dried), ½ cup malai. The method is the same but add the dry fruits in the last 1 minute of beating.

The Preservation Method

This method is used when making ice creams from fresh fruits so that the fresh fruit does not get ruined when kept to set in the ice cream.

Fresh Pineapple ice cream (Preservation Method)

2 cups pineapple pieces

3 cups water

1 cup sugar

Boil the sugar and the water and add the fruit once the water reaches boiling point. Boil further for 12-15 mins or till the fruit turns soft and transparent. Let cool, squeeze out the water and use in the ice cream in the same method with ½ tsp. essence and ½ tsp. colour. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.

Fresh strawberry ice cream (Preservation Method)

For this ice cream you need 2 cups strawberry pieces and 6 tbsp. sugar to be cooked in a non stick pan for 2 mins. Cool and use in the ice cream wirh ¼ tsp. colour, ½ tsp. essence and the rest of the method being same. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.

Banana chips (Preservation Method)

Take 2 cups banana pieces, 2 cups sugar and 2 tsps. lime juice in a bowl for 5 mins. (do not cook), once the ice cream is made fold the banana mix into the already churned ice cream.

Custard Apple (Preservation Method)

Take the grub/ fruit inside the fruit in a bowl along with 8 tbsps. boiling hot milk and 4 tbsps. sugar and keep aside for 10 mins. Mix it with your hands while removing all the seeds. You require 2 cups of pulp, ½ tsp. mix fruit essence, malai and basic for making the ice cream. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.

Lychee (Preservation Method)

You need 2 dozen big lychees. Boil 1 cup sugar in ½ cup water for 2 mins. Add the lichees and boil for a minute. Add 1 tsp. mix fruit essence and malai but no colour. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.

  

Papaya (Preservation Method)

Take 2 cups papaya pieces and 4 tbsps. sugar in a pan and cook for about 4 mins till the mix leaves the sides of the pan. Let cool. Add ½ tsp. lemon yellow colour, ½ tsp. mix fruit essence and ½ cup malai alongwith the basic to make the ice cream. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.

Tender coconut (Preservation Method)

Take 2 cups fresh, soft malai of coconut, add 6 tbsp. sugar and grind coarsely in a mixer.  Add ½ tsp. coconut essence or ¼ tsp. mix fruit essence and ½ cup malai, the basic and the tender coconut in the last 1 min. of beating.

Orange (Preservation Method)

Take 2 cups orange segments and 6 tbsps. sugar and cook for 2 mins. Then add ½ tsp. cornflour to thicken. Remove from flame, let cool. Add ½ tsp. orange essence, ½ tsp. orange colour and ½ cup malai to the basic. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.

Watermelon (Preservation Method)

Take 4 cups watermelon pieces, 4 tbsps. water and 1 tsp. cornflour and follow the method given for orange ice cream. Add ¼ tsp. raspberry red colour, ½ tsp. mix fruit essence and ½ cup malai to the basic. Add the fruit in the last 1 minute of beating.