Boondi

Ingredients

1 cup gram flour
1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
6-8 chopped almonds
ghee to deep fry
perforated flat spoon about 5" diameter

How to Make

Boil the sugar and water together. Add a tbsp. of milk to bring up the scum.
Remove scum and boil liquid till the syrup is sticky between the fingers.
Keep aide, but keep warm for use.
Make batter with gram flour, which should not be too thin.
The batter should evenly coat the back of a spoon when dipped i n it.
Heat ghee, hold perforated spoon a little above the hot ghee, pour some batter on the spoon.
Tap very lightly at edge of spoon to allow small droplets to fall in the ghee.
Pour back remaining batter and wipe spoon.
Stir the boondis in the ghee gently and fry till crisp but not brown.
Drain and put into the syrup. Keep for 3-4 minutes before draining from the syrup.
Spread on a wide plate, add cardamom powder, almonds and mix gently.
Cool completely and loosen the boondi with finger till each droplet separates.
Store in airtight container.

Please take great care while dropping the boondi in the hot ghee so as not to burn yourself. A little practice and it is very easy.

Time taken to prepare : 30 minutes.
Makes: approx. 3 cups

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp hing(asoefetida)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
1 tablespoon coconut, shredded
3 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 very small ball of tamarind , de-seeded
1 small onion, minced finely
2 clovettes of garlic, minced finely
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil for frying

How to make
Heat 1/2 the amount of oil and add the methi.
Fry for a minute and then add the tomatoes.
Fry till the tomatoes turn soft.
Blend this into a smooth paste, along with the tamarind and the coconut.
Set aside.
Heat the rest of the oil and add the chopped garlic and onion.
Fry till the onion turns translucent and the garlic browns.
Now add the spices(red chili, turmeric and dhania) and fry for half a minute.
Add the blended paste, salt and hing and heat through.
Goes very well with plain rice or chapati.

Coriander-tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Fresh coriander leaves(cilantro/parsley) - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 large
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
green chillies - 2
tamarind - a pinch
Salt - to taste

How to make
Wash fresh coriander leaves and pick the leaves from the stem. Cut the tomato into medium sized pieces. Add the other ingredients and grind it in the blender into a thick paste. Heat 3 spoons oil in a fry pan, add mustard seeds. When it splatters, add urud dal.Add the ground paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.

Aloo Palak

Ingredients

3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

How to make:
Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.
Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.
Note: Boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks also can be used in the above dish, instead of atoes.

Cooking time: 45 minutes
Enough for : 6

Samosa

Ingredients

For cover:
1 cup plain flour (maida)
2 tbsp. warm oil
water to knead dough

For filling:
2 potatoes large boiled, peeled, mashed
1 onion finely chopped
2 green chillies crushed
1/2 tsp. ginger crushed
1/2 tsp. garlic crushed
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 lemon juice extracted
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds cru shed
1 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

How to make Samosa

For dough:
Make well in the flour.
Add oil, salt and little water.Mix well till crumbly.
Add more water little by little, kneading into soft pliable dough.
Cover with moist cloth, keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
Beat dough on worksurface and knead again. Re-cover.

For filling:
Heat 3 tbsp. oil, add ginger, green chilli, garlic, coriander seeds.
Stir fry for a minute, add onion, saute till light brown.
Add coriander, lemon, turmeric, salt, red chilli, garam masala.
Stir fry for 2 minutes, add potatoes. Stir further 2 minutes.
Cool. Keep aside.

To proceed:
Make a thin 5" diam. round with some dough.
Cut into two halves. Run a moist finger along diameter.
Join and press together to make a cone.
Place a tbsp. of filling in the cone and seal third side as above.
Make five to six. Put in hot oil, deep fry on low to medium till light brown.
Do not fry on high, or the samosas will turn out oily and soggy.
Drain on rack or kitchen paper.
Serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys (refer chutneys), or tomato sauce.

Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes: Sufficient for 20 pieces