Indian Snacks Dishes - Dahi Kebabs

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

500 gms thick yogurt (dahi)
1/2 cup roasted gram flour (besan)
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
2 tsp garlic paste
1 onion, blend to fine paste
Little cottage cheese (optional)

Method:

1. Hang yogurt in a cloth, preferably muslin cloth for 2 hours to make hard. After 2 hrs, squeeze well.

2. Add roasted gramflour to the yogurt. Also add 1 tsp salt, chili powder, half of garam masala powder. Mix well and divide into 16 balls and shape into kebabs.

3. Heat oil, fry few kebabs at one time. Fry until light golden. Remove and drain on paper towel.

4. Make masala in same pan. Add onion paste, garlic paste, 1 tsp salt and cook for few mins. Add kebabs, sprinkle little water or milk till coated with masala. Coating kababs with masala makes them moist.

5. Garnish with onion rings and tomatoes. Serve hot with chutney.

Note: If its difficult to make kababs then add little grated cottage cheese. Upto 100 gms of it can be added, if needed. Its not necessary to coat kababs with masala. This step can be omitted, and if omitted put more salt and chilli powder in kababs.

Indian Rice Recipes - Navratan Pulao

Ingredients:

500g basmati rice
50g paneer
50g peas
50 cauliflower
50g cherries
50g pineapple
60g carrots
25g cashew nuts
20g kiss miss (raisins)
150g yogurt
10g garam masala
15g green chilies
75g onions
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
75g ghee or butter
Salt to taste
1 small bunch mint leaves
1 small bunch cilantro
1 lemon
25g ginger-garlic paste

Method:

1. Wash the rice and soak in the water for 30 minutes.

2. Mix the chopped carrots and paneer and fry in oil for few minutes.

3. Heat ghee in another pan, fry onions until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, mint leaves, paneer, vegetables, dry fruits and fry for 5-6 minutes.

4. Also add garam masala, salt, turmeric, chili powder, yogurt and fry well. Remove from heat and keep aside.

5. Boil water in another vessel, add washed rice and cook until it is half cooked.

6. Then add the above prepared curry to the rice, mix well and cook on the steam until the rice is done.

7. Sprinkle the lemon juice on rice and serve with cherries on it.

Indian Rice Recipes - Moghlai Khichdi

Serves: 2
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
1/2 cup green gram
1 onion, chopped
3 green chilis
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
A few curry leaves
10 - 12 cashew nuts
1/2 tsp shah jeera (caraway seeds)
3 each cloves, cardamom and 1" cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp clarified butter
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice and green gram together.

2. Make a powder of the dry spices, except bay leaf. Make a coarse paste of onion, chilies, ginger and garlic. Keep aside.

3. Heat ghee in a pan and add the onion paste and bay leaf. Fry till golden brown. Add the spices powder, curry leaves and mix.

4. To this, add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the soaked rice and green gram. Add the salt and cook till done.

5. Garnish with cashew nuts fried in butter.

Indian Breakfast Dishes - Pudina Puris

Makes 15 puris
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups plain flour (maida)
1/2 cup mint leaves (pudina)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chilies, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Oil for greasing and deep frying

Method:

1. Pound the mint leaves, cumin seeds, green chilies, lemon juice, sugar and salt together in a mortar and pestle.

2. Combine this mixture with the flour, add enough water and knead into a firm and soft dough. Divide into 15 equal portions.

3. Roll out on a lightly greased surface into thin circles of 75 mm. (3") diameter.

4. Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown and drain on absorbent paper.

5. Serve hot.