All you need :

• 2 cups Soaked Chickpeas
• 2 cups Water for Pressure Cooking Chickpeas + Extra as required to adjust gravy consistency
• Salt to taste
• FOR THE GRAVY
• 2 nos. Green chillies
• 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
• 6-7 nos Garlic Cloves
• 3 nos. Onions finely chopped
• 3 nos. Tomatoes (pureed)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 nos. Bay Leaf
• Cinnamon Stick (1/4th inch x 2 nos)
• 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder or Haldi Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder or Dhania powder
• 1 tsp Jeera Powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder
  
  
  

Soaking and Cooking the Chickpeas

 The first step for Chana Masala is a little overnight prep work that you have to follow. For Chana Masala, Soaking the chickpeas overnight or for atleast 8 hours is recommended 

The longer you soak, the faster it cooks in the pressure cooker. I wouldn’t recommend cooking the chickpeas on stove top, unless you have a lot of time on hand. It could take anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour to cook the soaked beans on a stove top. Pressure cooker takes just 15 minutes. 

The chickpeas should be soft and mushy when pressed between your thumb and index finger. This will enable the chickpeas to soak up the gravy.

Step 1:

Pressure cook 2 cups of over night Soaked Chickpeas with 4 cups of water. Add salt while pressure cooking so the chickpeas don’t taste bland. After pressure cooking, drain the water and keep aside. The water is used to adjust the gravy consistency. Do not throw this water.

Step 2:

 Finely chop the onions, Puree the tomatoes and mince ginger paste, garlic cloves and green chillies in the mixer grinder and set aside.

Step 3:

Heat a pan or thick bottom kadhai, add oil and whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon sticks).

Now add the minced ginger-garlic-green chillies paste and saute well until there is no raw smell.

Step 4 :

Now add the chopped onions and cook them on low heat until they are brown in colour.

Add the tomato puree and the spices (coriander powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder, red chilli powder and garam masala)

Cook this mixture (bhuno) well until there is no raw smell of the tomatoes or the spices. It should be dry and leave some oil on the sides.

With the back of your spoon, mash some chickpeas lightly (this makes thegravy thicker)

Once the masala has coated the chickpeas, add the reserved chickpeas water along with some salt to taste. Adjust consistency by adding some more water and let the chana masala simmer for atleast 15 minutes on low heat (covered with lid)

This helps the masala to penetrate the chickpeas and a thick luscious gravy forms. Once you notice the gravy thicken, switch off, add some coriander leaves and serve hot.

 

How To Make Medhu Vada Batter?

1. Wash the whole skinless urad dal and then soak in enough water for at least 4 hours. 
2. Then drain all the water and take into the grinder jar. Start by adding no water , Grind into the smooth batter.  The batter consistency should be medium (not too thick, not too thin and runny)
   
   
   
3. Remove it to a large bowl. Add salt, chillie powder, Baking powder - 1/4spoon, chopped  coconut pieces, curry leaves.

How To Shape Medhu Vada And Fry?

1. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat for frying vadas.
2. To shape the vada, keep the bowl of water handy. Dip your hand generously into the water.
   
   
   
3. Take a large spoonful of batter on the wet hand (not on palm, on your four fingers), then make a hole in the center using your thumb (make sure your thumb is wet as well, so the batter doesn’t stick).
4. And fry the vada in low flame for an four minutes or till color changes. 
   
   
   

 As a kid I always hatred about idlies, my mom used to prepare the idly frequently as it was easy to carry and healthy as I was not an immune child(frequently falling ill).

Now it's my favorite as I enjoy the delight with Vada. 

It's easy when you get the calculations done correctly.

Ingredients :

4 cups Idli rice

1 cup husked black gram/urad dal 

water ( adjust)

Baking soda - 1/4spoon

salt ( to taste, )

Method :

To grind the idli batter:

1. Wash the rice and soak in water ( approximately 6-7 glasses) for 3-4 hours.

2. Wash the urad dal and soak in a separate vessel ( approximately 2 -3 glasses of water) for 2-3 hours.

Remember : 

1. Drain the excess water from rice and grind

2. Drain the excess water from urad dal and grind to smooth paste ( can add little water) 

3. Leave it for a night for fermentation process ( doubling the size of quantity) 

4. You can add 1/4 teaspoon of methi seeds to the urad batter while soaking as it enchances the texture. 

5. Add salt in the morning (add 1/4 spoon of baking soda) 

Method: 

1. Grease the idli plates ( without perforation) with oil. 

2. Spoon the batter into the depression of the plates.

3. Steam cook till done( approximately 8 minutes, you can check once in a while).

4. Switch off and remove the plates from the steam. 

5. Once it cools a bit, then using a spoon , run it on the side of the idli plate to remove them.

Your steaming hot, white, fluffy, spongy, super soft idlis are ready to be served with chutney, Vada, Hotel sambar. 

Udina Vada recipe

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 Halkova is a famous sweet recipe prepared by all purpose flour, ghee and sugar. 90's kids will never forget this sweet. As I travelled to my native (ajji mane) during summer vacation. The first thing I used to buy was halkova. 

 It just melts in your mouth. I rummage those memories when I pass the lane. 

INGREDIENTS:

1. Maida - 1 cup

2. Ssugar ( powdered) - 1 cup

3. Cardamom - 3

4. Peanut powder - 2 tbsp 

5. Homemade ghee - 6 tbsp

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat a pan, add 6 tbsp ghee, maida and mix everything well. Make sure the flame is low.( if necessary add another two spoons of ghee) . The texture has to be creamy. 

2. Then transfer the maida mixture to a bowl.Add powdered sugar, cardamom powder, peanut powder. Mix everything well. 

3. Transfer it to a bowl greased with ghee.Press the mixture with a flat based bowl .Set it in refrigerator for 10 mins.

4. After 10 mins, flip it over to a plate, cut into small cubes or shape of your choice and garnish with dry fruits. 

 Rasmalai (rasa malai to some) is an Indian delicacy often categorized as a Milk Sweet. It is made from Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and it makes a great dessert and feels heaven when served chilled.

Being a bangalorian, when I used to do street shopping with my mother in the streets of Malleshwaram, she used to take me to Asha sweet, this dessert was delight to my taste buds. As a kid looking this through the glasses as we enter was my eyes bulging moment. From then till now this is my favorite dessert. 

 

Ingredients:

• Milk : 3 cups ( For Paneer) or you can buy ready made one but it doesn't match taste what yoy get outside. 
• Milk : 3 cups (for malai)
• Cardamom: 1/2 tbsp
• Sugar : 2 cup (for making syrup)
• Sugar : 1/2 cup (for malai)
• Pista : 2 tsp
• Cashew paste : 1 tbsp
• Almonds: 2tsp
• Food color (optional) 
• Lemon Juice or vinegar: 2tbsp 

Method Of Preparation

 

1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel about 8 minutes by stirring constantly and when it comes to boil add 2 tbsp of lemon  juice or vinegar,slowly.
2. Now the milk fat separates from the water retains the protein while the fat gets washed away in the whey water ( stir it slowly). – thanks Mythreyee.
3. Now strain the curdled milk using a fine muslin cloth.
4. Add some cold water in the strainer so it takes out the flavor of lemon from the paneer.
5. Allow it drain completely (may be an hour or half an hour) .
6. After that squeeze the muslin cloth (with paneer) so as much water in it comes out (make sure there should be no water in that paneer)
7. Then remove it and knead to a smooth dough (If you want to make sure if the paneer is ready just take a little bit in your palm and rub it using your thumb for few seconds and you should be able to make a small smooth ball ).
8. Make a small balls and flatten slightly. 

Method:

1. 1. Boil water with two cups of sugar and when it comes to boil add the paneer balls in to it and pressure cook it for about 7 minutes ( let the balls be in less quantity as it get expands after absorption. 
   2. For preparing malai boil milk with sugar, 1 tbsp of ground cashew paste, a pinch of saffron, food color and cardamom in a medium flame
   3. The milk should get reduced to half of it (20 min) 
      
      
      
   4. Now remove the pressure cooked paneer balls from the sugar syrup and press it gently to remove the water . keep it aside.
   5. Once the milk is reduced add the paneer balls one by one slowly in to the boiling malai so the paneer balls absorb the milk and let it stand in the medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   6. Garnish it with pista, almonds.

 Briyani Masala:

2 Medium Size Onions
6-8 Green Chilies
Fist full Mint and Coriander leafs
2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

3 Strands Javithiri
5 Black Pepper Corns
2 Inch Sticks Cinnamon
3 Cloves
3 Cardamom Pods
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Ghee

• Heat a wok add  oil and ghee add the above list of ingredients leaving out the mint and coriander leafs fry till the onion turns transparent then add the mint and coriander and fry all the ingredients.
• Allow the fried ingredients to cool and grind them to a fine paste. 
  
  
  

Marinate Mutton:

1/2 Kilo Meat

1 Tsp Chilly Powder

1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 Cup Yogurt

1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste

Salt 

• Add the above listed ingredients to the meat and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.(don't freeze) 

Method

• Heat 2 Tsp oil in a pressure cooker add the marinated meat and fry for 10 minutes add 2 to 3 cups water and salt and cook till meat is tender for 5 to 6 whistles.
• Once the mutton has cooked separated the water and meat set aside.
• For this recipe we need to use 2 cups rice.
• Wash the 2 cups of rice ,drain and set aside.
• Heat a pressure cooker with 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp ghee.
• Add 2 cloves 1/2 inch cinnamon 2 cardamom and a bayleaf and fry for an minute. 
• Add the masala paste and fry till oil gets seperated 
• Add the rice and mix well.
• Add 1tbsp kasuri methi. 
• Measure the strained water .We need to add 3 cups of liquid for 2 cups rice. ( add the water according to the strained water) 
• Add the liquid to the rice mix well.
• Add salt as per taste.

• Add 1/2 lime juice mix all the ingredients well.
• Bring to a boil and bring 2 whistles. 

Can be served with raitha or serva. 

Ingredients: 

2 heaped cups Sooji or Chiroti Rava 2 levelled cups Sugar 1 cup grated Coconut 10-12 Cashewnuts,finely chopped 3-4 tbsp Raisins 1/3 - 1/2 cup Ghee,enough to form ladoos 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder 

 Method: 

1.Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai and fry chopped cashew nuts and raisins and fry them until the cashew nuts turn golden brown in color and the raisins become plump.

2.Remove them and keep aside. In the same kadai add rava and fry until you get a nice aroma and roast with out discoloring the rava and remove it to plate.

3.In the same kadai add fresh grated coconut and fry slightly for a short time. Powder sugar in a mixie and remove it to a big bowl. 

4.Powder the roasted rava to a coarse powder,you can avoid this step if you are using baarik rava(chiroti rava). 

5.Add roasted and ground rava and grated coconut to the powdered sugar in a bowl and mix everything well and leave it aside for half an hour. Add fried cashew nuts and raisins and cardamom powder to the above mixture. Melt the ghee and add it to the mixture and mix nicely. 

By Hacchu

6.Make small balls(ladoos) out of this mixture using hands.Roll the ladoos tightly so that they would not break down when arrange in the box later. If the mixture is too dry to roll into ladoos,you can add either more warm melted ghee or some milk and mix well and start making ladoos again.

 

Ingredients

1. Chopped Raw Jackfruit – 2 cups
2. Rice flour – 1/2 cup
3. Salt to taste
4. Ghee/oil

Method

1. Grind this with chopped jackfruit and salt by adding water to a thin paste
2. Add Rice flour to it slowly and make a thick batter  
3. Heat tava and pour little batter over it and spread thinly and evenly over the pan
4. Close the lid and allow to cook till it starts roasting
5. Pour little ghee over this, remove dosa from pan
6. 
   

   

   
   Serve hot with ghee or chutney. 

 

Ingredients

1. All Purpose flour(maida) or wheat flour – 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Ghee – 2 tsp
4. Pepper / jeera powder – 1 tsp
5. Red chilly powder - 1tsp
6. Oil for deep frying

   

   
   

Method

1. Add Ghee, pepper/jeera powder, salt, red chilly powder to the flour and make a sough by adding little water
2. Keep this dough for half an hour
3. Make small balls from this dough
4. Roll these balls into chapati size and cut into required shapes
5. Deep fry them till they turn golden brown
6. This can be stored in airtight container and will last for 2-3 weeks

Ingredients :

2 cups rice flour

1 cup powdered Hurigadale( fried gram dal)

50 gms butter/3.5 Tbsp [bring it to room temperature]

1 tsp redchili powder ( according to taste)

Salt to taste

1 tsp cummin seeds/jeera

1 tsp sesame seeds

Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Take a big plate and add all the flours, add the salt, red chilli powder, sesame seeds and cumin seeds. Mix it thoroughly with hand.
• Now add the star ingredient ‘butter’ to this and mix well with your fingers until incorporated. The entire flour should be mixed giving it a crumbly flour texture.
• Note: do not add oil instead of butter as it might not have the same crispy effect.
• Check for taste and add other seasonings if required. Now add water little by little to make thick dough. (Do not add too much water, the lesser water the better).
• Keep the dough covered with damp cloth/towel and set aside.
• Add oil into a big kadai and get it ready for deep frying. Keep the murukku/chakli press ready by greasing it on the inside.
• To make sure the oil if of the correct temperature, drop a bit of dough and when you hear the sizzling sound and it turns light brown it is ready.
• Make small balls of above mixture and put it in chakkali press and press it directly over hot oil and fry.
• Note: The dough might break because of the butter, but that is ok.
• Fry in oil until golden brown. Drain it on a plate covered with paper towel/napkin. Let it cool and store it in an air tight container. Stores well for at least 2 weeks.

 Ingredients:

1 cup Milk Powder
1/3 cup Maida/Plain Flour
¼ tsp Baking Soda
A pinch of Salt (Optional)
1 tbsp Yogurt or 2 tbsp Full Fat Milk
1 tsp Ghee or Oil
Few slivers of Pistachio or Almonds for garnishing

For Sugar Syrup:
1¾ cups Sugar
1¼ cups Water
8 Green Cardamoms, peeled and seeds crushed to fine powder
A generous pinch of Saffron

Method:
Prepare the sugar syrup:

1. Add sugar and water in a wide pan and heat it on a medium flame.
2. Once the sugar dissolves completely, add cardamom powder and bring it to boil by stirring every now and then. Let the sugar syrup thicken slightly, about 2-3 minutes after coming to boil. You don’t need to boil it until it reaches one thread consistency.
3. Turn off the flame and run the sugar syrup through fine sieve to remove any impurities.
4. Transfer the sugar syrup back into the wide pan and mix in saffron. Let it cool down to room temperature.

Prepare the Gulab Jamuns:

1. While the sugar syrup is cooling down, prepare the Gulab Jamun mixture. Sieve milk powder, plain flour, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Mix in yogurt or milk and ghee/oil and start to mix the ingredients lightly to make soft sticky dough. I didn’t need to add more than a tbsp of yogurt and a tsp of ghee but if you find the mixture too dry and crumbly, just add little yogurt or milk about ½ tsp at time until you get a sticky soft dough. Make sure that you don’t over mix or knead the dough as we don’t want the gluten to form. The plain flour used acts as a binding agent and if you over mix the dough then the gluten formed will make the mixture dense and the gulab jamuns will not absorb the sugar syrup well.
3. Grease your palms with ghee or oil and pinch marble sized dough and roll it into smooth round or oval shaped balls. Make sure that the balls are small as they double in size once they are fried and soaked in sugar syrup.
4. Keep in mind that the dough balls should be smooth without any cracks as they will split and crumble when deep frying. Arrange the balls on a plate and cover it with a kitchen towel to prevent from drying out.

Deep frying the Gulab Jamuns:

1. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying the gulab jamuns on medium flame and then reduce the flame to low. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop one ball into the oil. The dough ball should slowly float to the surface of the oil. If the dough ball sinks to the bottom and stays there, then the oil is not hot enough. If the dough ball quickly floats to the top as well as browns quickly, then the oil is too hot.
2. Ideally the dough balls should not crack when deep frying. If you find it spliting open or breaking when deep frying, mix 1 or 2 tsp of plain flour to the dough mixture and lightly mix them well. Pinch a small ball and test if stays in shape without cracking by dropping it into heated oil. If it slowly floats to the surface of the oil without cracking and evenly browns then you have mastered the art of making Gulab Jamun. :)
3. Gently drop 3-4 dough balls into the hot oil and stir with them with a slotted spoon so that they get evenly browned from all the sides. Be careful when stirring them with slotted spoon as they are quite soft and can break if you are not gentle. Once they turn golden brown, remove them from oil with a help of a slotted spoon and transfer them to the prepared sugar syrup.
4. Prepare all the Gulab Jamuns and let them rest in the sugar syrup for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving so that they absorb the sugar syrup well and become soft and melt in mouth treats.
5. You can serve these delicious melt in mouth Gulab Jamuns warm, cold or chilled on their own, garnished with slivered almonds or pistachio and a generous spoonful of sugar syrup drizzled on top. One other most enjoyable way to serve them is warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream! Heaven!