SHAHI TUKDA | SHAHI TUKRA

Shahi Tukda

Recipe source: Rakskitchen, you can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients

1. Saffron- 1 pinch
2. Milk- 1/2 ltr
3. Corn flour- 1 tsp
4. Cardamom powder- 1/8 tsp
5. Sugar- 1/3 cup
6. Bread- 4 slices
7. Ghee- For frying
8. Nuts-chopped- 2 tbsp

Directions

• Soak saffron in 3 tbsp warm milk.Keep aside.
• To prepare Rabri,bring  milk to a boil, in a saucepan.Add saffron and cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp milk.Mix well and cook until it turns slightly thick.Add cardamom powder ,mix well and keep aside.
• To prepare sugar syrup,combine sugar with few tbsp of water and cook until it turns thick.
• Cut the bread into triangular pieces.Shallow fry / deep fry it in ghee,until it turns golden brown.
• Fry the nuts in the same pan ,drain and keep aside.
• Soak the bread pieces in the prepared sugar syrup for a minute, and transfer it onto the serving bowl/plate.
• Pour the prepared rabri over the bread pieces.Serve warm or chilled.

Notes

• Add few drops of rose essence to the rabri,if desired.
• If you don't want to use cornflour,reduce a liter of milk to half,by cooking over a medium low flame.
• You can add 1 or 2 tbsp of the remaining sugar syrup to the rabri ,if desired. 

KERALA EGG PUFFS

Kerala Egg Puffs

Makes: 4 to 6 nos
Ingredients

1. Puff pastry sheets/squares- 4 to 6 nos
2. Hard boiled eggs- 2 to 3 nos( cut vertically into two)
3. Onion-sliced- 1.5 cups
4. Ginger and garlic-finely chopped- 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves-chopped- 1 tsp
6. Kashmiri chili powder- 1 tsp
7. Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp( or to taste)
8. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
9. Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
10. Tomato kechup- 1 to 2 tsp
11. Salt- to taste
12. Oil- as required
13. Egg(beaten)- 1 small( for egg wash)

Directions

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.Keep aside.Preheat oven to 190 deg C.

• Heat oil in a pan,add onion,ginger,garlic and curry leaves.Saute until onion turns golden brown.( add salt to speed up the process)

• Reduce heat to low, add kashmiri chili powder,black pepper powder,turmeric powder and garam masala.Cook for a minute or two,stirring continuously.Add more salt if required

• Add tomato sauce and mix well.Allow this to cool slightly.Divide this equally into 4 or 6 (depending upon how spicy you like it.)

• Spoon the prepared masala to the center of the pastry square,and place one half of a hard boiled egg on the top.

• Fold all the corners to the center,gently press with your finger to seal.

• Brush the top with egg wash.Repeat the steps for all the puffs pastry squares.

• Place the  puffs on the prepared baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until it turns golden brown.
• Serve warm with tomato ketchup,if desired.

Notes

• If you are using frozen puff pastry sheets ,let it thaw completely either overnight in the refrigerator  or for 1 hour at room temperature,before using it.

MUSHROOM MAKHANI | MUSHROOM BUTTER MASALA

Mushroom Makhani

Ingredients

1. Mushroom,sliced- 250 gms
2. Cashew nuts- 8 to 10 nos
3. Cumin seeds- 1/8 tsp
4. Onion-sliced- 1.5 cup
5. Ginger-finely chopped- 1 tsp
6. Garlic-finely chopped- 1 tsp
7. Kashmiri chili powder- 1 to 1.5 tsp
8. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
10. Garam masala- 3/4 tsp
11. Tomato-chopped- 1/2 cup
12. Kasuri methi / dry fenugreek leaves- 2 generous pinch
13. Water- as required
14. Butter- as required(vegan option -use vegan butter)
15. Oil- as required
16. Salt- to taste

Directions

• Soak cashew nuts in water for about 20 minutes.Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and let it splutter.Add onion,ginger and garlic.Saute until it turns golden brown ,over medium low flame.(Onion should get caramelized,you can add salt to speed up the process)
• Now add kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder,garam masala and 2 to 3 tbsp of  water.Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes ,stirring continuously, until the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
• Add chopped tomato and cook until it turns mushy.Allow this to cool slightly.Add drained,soaked cashew nuts to this masala and grind to form a smooth paste.Keep aside.
• In the same pan,heat oil/butter add sliced mushrooms and salt.Cook ,stirring occasionally,until the mushrooms have released their water and are golden brown. 
• Add the prepared masala paste and required amount of water ( i used about 1.5 cups of water).Add more salt ,if required.
• Mix well and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes over medium low flame,stirring well in between.
• Add kasuri methi and mix well.Cook for a minute or two.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and serve.Garnish with ginger juliennes,if desired.

Serve with roti or rice

Notes:

• Add a tsp of butter ,just before serving ,if desired.
• For a better flavor,you can add 2 to 3 tbsp of fresh cream ,while adding kasuri methi ,if desired.

CHUTNEY POWDER / IDLI - DOSA PODI

Chutney powder

Ingredients

1. Urad dal/ Uzhunnu parippu- 3/4 cup
2. Channa dal/ Kadala parippu- 1/4 cup
3. Coriander seeds- 1 tbsp
4. Black pepper corns- 1/2 tsp( optional)
5. Curry leaves- 2 sprigs
6. Dry red chilies- 12 to 15 nos( according to taste)
7. Garlic chopped- 4 to 5 cloves
8. Asafoetida- 2 generous pinch
9. Salt- to taste
10. Oil- 1/2 tsp

Directions

• Heat oil in a pan,add urad dal,channa dal,coriander seeds,black pepper corns and curry leaves.Roast until it turns golden,stirring continuously.
• Now add dry red chilies,garlic and asafoetida.Roast it until dal turns golden brown.
• Allow this to cool slightly,add  salt to taste and grind to form a coarse / fine powder ,as desired.

For serving,mix with gingelly oil,ghee or yogurt .Serve with idili or dosa.

ONION CHUTNEY

Onion Chutney

Ingredients

1. Onion-sliced- 1 cup
2. Garlic-finely chopped- 1 tsp
3. Curry leaves- Few
4. Dry red chilies- 3 to 4 nos( according to taste)
5. Asafoetida- 1 pinch
6. Tamarind- 2 pinch( or to taste)
7. Salt- to taste
8. Oil- as required

Directions

• Heat oil in a pan ,add onion,garlic ,curry leaves and salt.Saute until onion turns golden brown.
• Now add dry red chilies  and asafoetida. Saute for few more minutes.
• Add tamarind and more salt if required.Allow this to cool slightly.
• Grind this to form a smooth paste.
• Serve with dosa or idli.

NOTES

• You can use shallots ,instead of onion ,if desired.

BAKED POTATOES WITH BROCCOLI

Baked potatoes with broccoli

Recipe source: Tarladalal.com,You can find the original recipe here
Ingredients

1. Potato-( boiled,unpeeled)- 3 large
2. Broccoli-finely chopped- 1/2 Cup
3. Red or green bell pepper/capsicum-chopped- 1/2 Cup
4. Garlic-finely chopped- 1/2 tsp
5. Green chilies-finely chopped- 2 nos( or to taste)
6. Fresh cream- 2 tbsp
7. Grated cheese( mozzarella) 3/4 cup
8. Butter- 1 tbsp
9. Black pepper powder- to taste
10. Salt- to taste

Directions
To prepare the filling

• Heat butter in a pan,add broccoli,bell pepper,garlic and green chilies.Saute for few minutes.
• Add cream,salt and pepper.Cook for 2 more minutes.
• Switch off the stove,add grated cheese and mix well.Keep aside.
• Cut the boiled potatoes,lengthwise into two.Carefully scoop out the center of each half,to create a space for the filling to go in.
• Mix the scooped out portion along with the prepared filling ,in a mixing bowl.
• Fill the potato halves with this mixture.
• Bake in a preheated oven  at 200 Deg C for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.Garnish with chopped spring onion ,if desired.
• Serve hot.

PARIPPU VADA / LENTIL FRITTERS

Parippu Vada

Makes: about 25 to 30 nos

Ingredients

1. Thuvara Parippu / Toor Dal /Split pegion pea- 2 cups
2. Shallots-sliced- 1 Cup
3. Ginger-finely chopped- 3 tbsp
4. Green chilies-chopped- 2 to 3 tbsp( or to taste)
5. Curry leaves-chopped- 2 to 3 sprigs
6. Dry Red chilies-chopped- 2 nos
7. Salt- to taste
8. Oil- for deep frying

Directions

• Wash and soak split pegion peas/thuvara parippu in water for about 2 hours.
• Drain well (you will find it difficult to shape the vadas , if there is excess water) 
• Grind it to form a coarse paste.
• Transfer this to a mixing bowl.Add shallots,ginger,green chilies,curry leaves,dry red chilies and salt to taste.Mix well.
• Make small balls from this and shape it into patties.Gently flatten the edges ,if desired.
• Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the patties until it turns golden brown, oven a medium heat.

NOTES

• You can add a pinch of asafoetida to the mixture ,if desired.