Easy Pulav

Long grained Rice - 1 cup soaked for 10 minutes

Jeera - 1 tsp

Peppercorn - 5

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 2 1inch pieces

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Carrot - 1 medium cut into big cubes

Beans - 5  cut into 1 inch pieces 

(and /or)

Peas - 1/2  cup
Cauliflower - 1/2 cup (flowerets)

(opt) Lime juice - 1 tbsp

(opt) Garnish:
Fried cashewnuts - 2 tbsp
Fried Raisin - 1tbsp
Onion - 1 cup cut into thin slices and deep fried till golden and crisp
Coriander leaf - 1tbsp

1. Heat 2tbsp of  ghee and splutter the spices.

2. Fry the rice for 3 minutes.

3. Add 2 cups of hot water*, rest of ghee, salt and the vegetables. Mix well. Bring to a boil.

4. Cover with a tight lid, reduce flame to a minimum and let cook for 10 minutes. Do not open for a further 10 minutes. 

5. Fluff the rice with a fork  (add the lemon juice and garnish, if using) and serve hot.

*Tip:
A 1:1 ratio of water : milk adds more taste to pulav but the shelf lif goes down drastically.

Paneer in a jiffy

If you get the ingredients chopped and ready, this curry takes hardly any time to get made.

Note: Keep the flame high until it has been mentioned to reduce the temperature. Therefore, keep all the ingredients cut and handy.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 1 packet

Onion- 1

Capsicum - 1

Tomato - 2

Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp

Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp

Vinegar - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Masala powders:

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Cut the paneer, onion, tomato and capsicum into equal sized cubes.

2. Heat oil on high flame and do not reduce until mentioned. Splutter the jeera and add the onion, capsicum and ginger garlic paste. Toss till onion starts to turn colour ( about 1 minute).

3. Add the masala powders. Toss for half a minute.

4. Add the paneer, coriander leaf and the vinegar. Reduce flame to medium heat. Toss for 2 minutes.

5. Add the tomato and salt. Toss until tomato skin starts to peel.

This dish is great to take along as a wrap.

Everyday Dal by Shefali

Tur Dal - 1 cup (boiled and mashed)

Oil /Ghee - 2 tbsp

Tempering:

Mustard - 1tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaf - 3 no:s

Red chilli - 1 , split

Cloves - 2 no:s

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Asafoetida Powder - 1 pinch

Masala Powders:

Salt

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp

Coriander leaf - 2tbsp

Optional:

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Kokum - 2 pieces

1. Heat oil / ghee. Add the temperings. Once they splutter ; add the tur dal and 1 cup water.

2. Add all the masala powders, ginger and coriander leaf. Add the optional items, if using, now.

3. Boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pasta inspired by Jamie

Pasta - 5 cups

Tomato - 7 medium ; Ground with skin and seeds
Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Brinjal - 2 medium, cut into very small cubes.
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, chilli flakes

Garnish : grated cheese.

Boil Pasta al dente.
Heat olive oil. Sear the brinjal cubes till brown and insides are soft (about 2-3 minutes). Dust with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, thyme and rosemary.
Use a perforated spoon to keep aside the Brinjal.
Into the same oil saute the garlic (till golden brown) and add the onion. Fry till transparent.
Add the tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper. Boil for 3-4 minutes.

For Serving:
On the plate put a layer of Pasta, then some tomato sauce. Top with Brijal and some grated Cheese. Serve hot.

Heated and Cooled Noodle Salad

Noodles - 1 pkt

Chinese Cabbage - 5 cups , julienned
Carrot - 2 medium , julienned
Capsicum - 1 1/2 cup (red, yellow and green) , julienned
Cucumber - 1 small , cut diagonally
Onion - 1, cut into thin slices
(opt) Baby corn - 4 , julienned
(opt) Tofu or Paneer - 15 cubes , pan fried in oil

Red chilli flakes- 1 tsp
Garlic - 1 clove - smashed and seperated
Oil - 2 tbsp (preferably til)

Sauce :
Soy sauce - 3tbsp
Sugar - 1tsp
Salt
Pepper - 1 tsp
Chilli (fresh red) - 2, mashed (or) Chilli sauce - 2 tbsp
Oyster mushroom sauce - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Oil (til) - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 pods
Shallots - 5 , cut into rings
Heat oil and fry the garlic and onion until crispy.
Mix this garlic-onion oil with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Garnish:
Til seeds - toasted - 4 tbsp
Groundnuts - toasted and pounded by hand
Toasted and pounded salt and pepper

Celery - 1 stem - cut into thin rings
Spring onion - 1 stems with white part - cut into thin rings


Heat oil and add the garlic and red chilli flakes.
Once good smell comes add the onion and cook till transparent.
Then add the vegetables and tofu.
Mix thoroughly and turn off flame after a minute.
Boil the Noodles and once cooked , drain.
Add the vegetables to the noodles while it is still hot.
The Vegetables will cook in this heat.
Add the sauce and mix thoroughly.
Cool and keep refridgerated until ready to serve.
Serve garnished with til seeds, ground nuts, greens (celery and spring onion) and toasted salt/pepper.

Cool Tomato Salad

Tomato - 2
Onion - 1 small
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp

Mix all the above and refridgerate

Pasta with mushroom and spinach

Pasta - 4 cups uncooked
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 3 pods
Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Mushroom - 1 tin (or)
Fresh mushroom - 100gms + Veg stock - 1 cup
Spinach - 1 bunch
Wine - 1/2 cup
White sauce - 4 cups
Cheese - 1 cup

1. Cook Pasta al dente.
2. Heat olive oil. Fry onion and garlic for 1 minute.

3. Drain the mushroom and save the liquid. Add to onions. Saute for 3 minutes.
4. Now add the spinach. Cook till spinach starts to wilt.
5. Add the reserved liquid or veg stock and wine.
6. Cook till the mixture thickens. (will take minimum 5 minutes)
7. Add the pasta, white sauce and half the cheese.
8. Mix well.
9. Transfer the pasta to an oven-proof dish and garnish with rest of the cheese.
10. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes, till cheese browns
or
Microwave high for 4 minutes.

Serve hot with cool Tomato salad and toasted garlic bread