Alu Tikki with Chhole – Potato Patties with Chickpeas

Ingredients:

Chickpeas – 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Potato – 2-3 medium sized (boiled and mashed)
Onion paste – 3 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – ½ tsp
Bayleaf -- 1
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Chat masala/ dry mango powder – 1 tbsp
Ground cumin – 1+1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar – to taste
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Cilantro – a handful
Green chilies – 2-3 (chopped)
Lemon wedges – for garnish

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan. When oil is heated enough, add sugar and let it caramelize.

When sugar has melted and taken on a brown color, throw in the bayleaf, garam masala powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin and the onion, ginger and garlic paste. Cook until the masala paste is well fried and oil starts separating.

Now add the chickpeas and mix well. Add water and cover with a lid.

Let it simmer and cook on low heat until the chickpeas are done.

To make the potato patties take a large mixing bowl and place the mashed potatoes in it.

Add 1 tbsp ground cumin, cilantro leaves, green chilies, chat masala/mango powder, salt and a pinch of sugar and mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Now using your hands shape the potato mixture into little patties and keep aside.

Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and fry the patties on both sides until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve with the chickpeas. Garnish with cilantro and lemon wedges.

Zucchini Alu Posto – Zucchini with Potatoes & Poppy seed paste

Ingredients:
Zucchini – 5-6 (peeled and cubed)
Potato – 1 medium sized (peeled and cubed)
Poppy seed – 3 tbsp (ground to a paste)
Salt – to taste
Sugar - to taste
Turmeric – a pinch
Cooking oil

Procedure:
In a pan heat cooking oil. When oil is heated add the cubed potatoes and fry them.

Add water, salt and sugar and mix well.

When the potatoes are cooked halfway add the cubed zucchini and turmeric. Mix well.

When the vegetables are almost done add the poppy seed paste.

Gently stir until the water dries up and the veggies are smeared with the poppy seed paste.

Garnish with green chilies. Drizzle mustard oil and serve with roti or rice.

Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

Ingredients:
Green beans -- 1 pound
Sliced almonds -- a handful
Olive oil -- 1 tsp
Salt -- to taste

Procedure:
Toast the sliced almonds in a dry pan until they just start to brown.

In a skillet heat the olive oil. You can also use butter instead of olive oil.

Add the beans. Stir and cover with a lid and let the beans cook for a few minutes. Covering with a lid will speed up the cooking process.

When the beans start to soften up, but still have some crunch, remove lid and add salt. Mix well.

Remove from heat. Add the toasted almonds and serve. Makes a great healthy side dish.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:
Butternut squash – 1 (peeled and cut into cubes)
Shallots – 2 large (minced)
Chicken stock – 6 cups
Butter –3/4 stick
Arborio rice – 1 ½ cups
White wine – ½ cup
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
Grated Parmesan cheese – 1 cup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 400F.

On a baking sheet place the butternut squash cubes. Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes until they are softened, turning once.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock and leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy bottomed pan melt the butter and sauté the shallots on medium heat until translucent.

Add the rice and stir well so that the grains are coated with butter.

Add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add 2 ladleful of stock, salt and pepper to the rice and stir until the stock is absorbed, 8-10 minutes.

Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time stirring often.

Continue to add the stock and stir until the rice is cooked through but still has a bite to it. this will take roughly 25-30 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the squash cubes and grated parmesan.

Mix well and serve immediately.

Paneer Tikka Masala

Ingredients:
Paneer – 500 gm
Yogurt – 5 tbsp
Curry masala powder – 3 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar – to taste
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf – 1
Cardamom – 3-4 cloves
Cinnamon – half a stick
Onion paste – half cup
Ginger paste – 3 tbsp
Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Almond – 2 tbsp
Raisin – 2 tbsp
Milk
Cooking oil

Procedure:
In a large bowl mix the yogurt, curry powder, lemon juice, oil, salt and sugar and beat until smooth.

Cut paneer into 1 inch cubes.

Put them in the yogurt mixture. Coat nicely and cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil. Arrange the paneer cubes on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges become a bit charred. Turn the cubes once halfway.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When oil starts shimmering add sugar and let it caramelize.

Throw in a bay leaf, a stick of cinnamon and the cloves of cardamom.

Add the garlic, ginger and onion paste.

When the masala is well fried and oil starts leaving the masala add water (according to the amount of gravy you desire) and let it come to a simmer.

In the meantime make a paste of the almonds and raisins in a blender with milk.

When the gravy starts simmering add the paneer tikka and let it simmer on medium low flame until the gravy has penetrated the cubes.

Before removing from heat add the almond-raisin paste. Simmer for a little while.

Serve hot with naan or steamed rice or pulao.

Sauteed Carrots with Green Bell Pepper

Ingredients:
Carrots – 4 (thinly sliced)
Green bell pepper – 1 medium sized (julienned)
Onion – 1 small (chopped)
Soy sauce – 1 tbsp
Vinegar – 1 tsp
Olive oil – 1.5 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar – to taste

Procedure:

In a nonstick pan heat the olive oil.

When oil is heated through add the chopped onions. Fry them till soften up and become translucent.

Now add the sliced carrots and stir. Add salt and sugar at this point and cover with a lid until carrots have softened but still have a bite in them.

Add vinegar and soy sauce and mix well.

Now add the bell pepper and mix thoroughly with the carrots.

Let the bell peppers cook for a while – just so that they are not raw but still retain their green color.

Garnish with some cilantro or parsley and serve warm with rice or roti.