Vegetable Pulao without Onion, Garlic

Servings : 2
Time Taken : 15-30 mins




Ingredients: 
1 cup - shredded cabbage & carrot
3/4 cup - basmati rice
1/4 cup - capsicum
1.5 cups - water
4 tbsp - oil
1 tbsp - ghee
5 - cloves
2 inch stick - cinnamon
1 - star anise
1 tsp - shahi jeera
1 - green chilli chopped
1/2 tsp - ginger grated
6 - cashews(optional)
1 - potato, peeled and chopped lengthwise
a handful - beans
salt
a pinch - red chilli powder 




Method

1. Rinse the rice. Add water and cook.
2. The grains should be separate. Set aside.
3. Heat oil and ghee in a wide pan.
4. Add ingredients 3 to 9 one by one.
5. When cashews turn golden brown, add potato and chopped beans.
6. Close the lid, lower the heat and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
7. Now add cabbage, carrot and capsicum.
8. Sprinkle sat, red chilli powder. Fry for 6-7 minutes.
9. Capsicum should not turn soft. It should be slightly crunchy.
10. Gently mix the rice with the veggies. Add salt if required.
11. Serve with raitha or plain curd.

Stuffed Eggs with Tomato Sauce

Servings : 2
Time Taken : 15-30 mins


Ingredients: 
4 - hard boiled eggs
1 tbsp - oil
1 tbsp - finely grated onion
salt to taste
1 slice - bread (decrusted and soaked in water)
1/2 tsp - pepper



For the sauce:
500 g - tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 spring - mint
1 - onion, finely sliced
1 tsp - butter
1/2 tsp - pepper
salt to taste

Method

1. Slice the eggs in half, lengthwise and remove yolks and mash fine.
2. Squeeze out the water from the bread and mash into the yolks.
3. Melt the oil in a pan and fry the grated onion until soft, then add the egg yolk mixture and season with pepper and salt to taste.
4. Mix well and remove from fire. Grease a baking dish and arrange the egg whites in it.
5. Fill each hollow with the yolk mixture. Keep aside.
6. To make the sauce: melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion till golden brown.
7. Add the tomatoes alongwith the mint, pepper and salt to taste.
8. Cook till the tomatoes are tender.
9. Strain and pour the sauce over the stuffed eggs.
10. Cover the dish and heat in a moderate oven at 177 C.
11. Do not overheat or the whites will become tough.
12. Garnish with boiled green peas before serving.

Cheese Spinach

Servings : 2
Time Taken : 15-30 mins


Ingredients: 
250 g - spinach
200 g - paneer
1/2 cup - ghee
3 - eggs
300 g - cheese
50 g - maida
1 tsp - salt 


Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, paneer, ghee, cheese, eggs, maida and salt until everything is evenly distributed.
2. Transfer to a greased pan.
3. Cook on high for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to low, and continue to cook for 4 hours.

Red Capsicum Soup

Servings : 2
Time Taken : 15-30 mins


Ingredients: 
1/4 cup - milk
1 - red capsicum
2 - tomatoes
1 - bay leaf
1 clove - garlic
1 tbsp - cornflour
salt to taste
1/2 tsp - pepper powder


Method

1. Pierce capsicum with a fork and roast on an open flame till skin is charred.
2. Allow to cool.
3. Dice tomatoes, add 250 ml water, bayleaf and garlic and cook on a slow flame. Keep aside.
4. Blend tomatoes and capsicum to make a smooth paste.
5. Mix cornflour and milk in a pan.
6. Add salt and the vegetable paste and boil.
7. Sprinkle over with pepper powder and serve hot.

Madrasi Shrimp Curry

Servings : 2
Time Taken : 15-30 mins


Ingredients: 
3 tbsp - oil
1 - onion
3 cloves - garlic
1 inch - ginger
1&1/2 tsp - cumin
1/2 tsp - turmeric
2 tsp - chilli powder
2 - tomatoes
1/2 cup - coconut milk
1 tsp - salt
15 peeled shrimps
2 sprigs - coriander
2 tbsp - lemon juice


Method

1. Heat oil, saute onion; add garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder.
2. Fry for 2 mins, add tomatoes, coconut milk and salt and boil.
3. Simmer uncovered for 10 mins.
4. Now add the shrimp and cilantro and cook covered for 5 mins.
5. Add lemon juice and serve.

Pudina Raitha

Servings : 2-4
Time Taken : 15-30 mins


Ingredients: 
2 cups - fresh curd
1 bunch - pudina/mint leaves, finely chopped
1 - medium size onion, finely chopped
a pinch of cumin powder
a pinch of black salt or regular salt to taste


Method

1. Pour the curd in a bowl.
2. Add the finely chopped mint leaves and onion.
3. Add cumin powder and salt to taste and mix well.
4. Serve with any pulao or flavoured rice.

Bombay Bread Sandwich

Servings : 2
Time Taken : 15-30 mins

Ingredients: 
white bread


For filling:
boiled and smashed potatoes + salt + pepper + a pinch of garam masala powder
green chutney - grind a handful of coriander leaves with equal amount of mint leaves with salt, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, green chilli. (instead of adding water while grinding, i add a table spoon of olive oil)
sliced veges like cucumber, onion, tomatoes.



Method

1. Apply green chutney on one bread.
2. On the other bread, layer mashed potatoes-garam masala mixture and raw veges.
3. Place one bread (with green chutney) on top of the other bread (with potatoes and veges).
4. Cut into two and serve.
5. It is optional to toast the bread lightly.