Punjabi Mirchaan Aloo

This is a a generations old typically Punjabi dish

U need 1/2 kg. Capsicum, de-seeded & diced into cubical pieces
3-4 medium sized Potatoes, peeled & diced similarly
2 medium sized Onions, finely chopped
2 medium sized Tomatoes, finely chopped
Ginger- Garlic paste
very finely chopped Green Chilies to taste
1/3 cup Raisins

In a kadai, take 2 tbspn. refined vegetable oil/ ghee, as soon as it heats add a spoon of cumin seeds (jeera), when it starts popping add a spoonful of ginger-garlic paste, when it starts turning brownish, add the onions & saute till they turn brown, now add another tbspn. of oil/ghee & put in the tomatoes & saute till the water dries completely, now add salt, red chilly powder, black pepper powder all to taste, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder & 1 teaspoon of garam-masala powder, Raisins & mix well
Toss in the diced Potatoes, mix well, add 1/3 cup of water, cover with a lid & let it simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally till the potatoes are Almost cooked not completely cooked, U may add in more water if required
Now mix in the chopped Capsicum & again cover & let it simmer till the potatoes & capsicum are completely cooked
Do not overcook as the capsicum will loose its color & texture if overcooked
While still on heat, add 1 spoon of Amchoor (dry mango) powder & mix well to give it a tangy flavor
Toss it lightly on a High Flame for about 2 mins.
Serve hot with Roti / Lachha Parantha as per choice !!

Grilled Sandwiches

For these u need a large slice sandwich bread
Onion rings, Tomatoes, Capsicum, Boiled Potatoes & Cucumber all cut into thin round slices
Take 3 tbspns. Mayonnaise & add to it a pinch of salt & black pepper & toss in about a cup of shredded cabbage, mix well & keep aside
Cheese spread, Tomato sauce of ur choice - Plain ketchup/ Chilly sauce/ Schezwan whatever u like, Sandwich spread & Green mint chutney
Thin slices of Paneer

Now take 3 slices of Bread for 1 sandwich
On one side of the 1st slice apply cheese spread, place the onion rings on the whole slice to form a layer, then capsicum slices, then tomatoes & then boiled potato slices in layers one on top of the other
U may also add a cheese slice in this layer if u want (optional)
Spread some green mint chutney on one side of the 2nd slice & cover with it
On the plain side of this side only apply the sandwich spread & cover with a layer of paneer slices & then a layer of cucumber slices, now spread the mayonnaise mixture prepared earlier to form a thick layer
Spread the Tomato sauce on one side of the 3rd slice of bread & cover the sandwich with it
Grill the sandwich till golden & crisp
Cut into desired shape & serve immediately !!

To make Chicken Grilled Sandwiches :
Instead of paneer U take Chicken Salamis
Beat an egg, add salt n red pepper to taste, make a simple omelette & keep aside


All the layers of material between the 1st & 2nd slice of bread remain the same, place the cucumbers also in this layer only
In between the 2nd & 3rd slice place the omelette made earlier, cover completely with a layer of chicken salamis & cover them with a layer of the mayonnaise mixture
Grill... Cut & Serve Hot !!

Spaghetti in Arrabbiata Sauce

For the Arrabbiata Sauce :
1 medium sized onion - very finely chopped
7-8 medium sized red ripe tomatoes blended to form a puree with a lumpy texture (not too smooth)
1 spn. garlic paste
1/2 cup olive oil
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion & garlic & saute till they turn golden, now pour in the tomato puree & continue to saute till the water almost dries up, add salt to taste, a tspn. each of black pepper powder & red chilly flakes, oregano or basil whichever u like
Now add a cup of water & boil & simmer for a while to get a thick gravy like consistency

Boil Spaghetti or Fettuccine in a large pot of water with a spoonful of salt & 2 spns. oil till it is well cooked, drain & rinse the paste in running water & keep aside
If u like u may saute sliced Red & Yellow bell peppers, Zucchini, Broccoli in olive oil & add to the dish
Now in a large wok or pan, heat the prepared sauce & the sauteed vegetables & toss in the boiled pasta of ur choice & mix lightly for about 3-4 mins so that the pasta soaks in the flavors of the sauce & is well coated
Make sure its not too dry or u may adjust the quantity of water in the sauce while heating before u add  the pasta
Serve hot !!

Palak Paneer Pakoda

For this u need Spinach (palak) leaves washed & wiped, and Paneer cut into thin pieces
The number of spinach leaves & paneer pieces should be the same

To make the Paneer Stuffing :
1 tbspn. hung curd/ thick curd without water
1&1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon green chilly paste/ finely chopped (optional)
a little bit of salt & black pepper powder
Beat all this together & toss in the paneer pieces & let it marinate for half an hour at least

For the Batter :
In a bowl take, 1 tbspn. maida, 1 tbspn. cornflour & 2 tbspn. rice flour
Add salt & red pepper powder to taste, 1/2 teaspoon ajwain (carom) seeds/ powder & half a pinch of baking soda (very very less)
Mix all these with just enough water to form a smooth batter but not too thin

Now on a dry surface, take the spinach leaves one by one, place a paneer piece on its broad end, fold in the sides & start rolling from the broader end towards the tapered side
Dip each roll individually in the batter & fry in hot oil till it turns golden & crisp from all sides
Serve hot with Tomato-Chilly chutney

Tomato Chilly Chutney :
Take 2 nice red tomatoes & prick them with a fork or knife at a number of places all around
Hold them over a naked flame with the help of a screw-er so that they get roasted & some black spots come on the tomato skin, once they cool down roughly chop them with the skin on
Now dry roast 4-5 garlic flakes & 5-6 whole dry red chilies in a pan
In a mixer, add these chopped tomatoes, roasted chilly & garlic, salt to taste, black pepper & red chilly powder to taste, 1 tbspn. vinegar, 2 tbspn. tomato ketchup, a pinch of red food color (if needed)
Blend all these together WITHOUT water to make a smooth puree
If u feel the chutney is watery, put it in a pan over a flame with a spoonful of olive oil till all excess water dries up & it takes the consistency of schezwan sauce
Ur Tomato-chilly chutney is ready & this can be kept in the fridge for a month

Crispy Mushroom Toast

For these u need a pack of Mushrooms, 2 medium size Onions, 1 Capsicum, 1 Tomato, Green chilly to taste & garlic paste
Slice the mushrooms, capsicum & onions finely into thin strips
Chop the tomatoes & green chilly finely
In a pan add the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt & let them cook in their own water till it dries, add a spoon of olive oil & saute them till they start turning brown, keep aside
Take 2 spoons olive oil in a pan, saute the onions till they turn brown, add a teaspoon of garlic paste, green chilies & capsicum & continue to saute for another 2 mins., now add the tomatoes & saute further till they dry
Put in the cooked mushrooms & add 2 spns. tomato ketchup, chilly sauce (optional), a spoon of vinegar & a dash of soya sauce, salt to taste, black pepper, herbs of ur choice, chilly flakes (optional)
Mix well & keep aside
Take 4-5 slices of white bread & apply butter on 1 side of each slice, toast these till golden & crisp
Spread this mushroom topping on the toasts 7 sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top & microwave for just a few seconds to melt the cheese
Serve immediately.....

Fresh Veggies & Croutons Salad

For the salad u need Cucumber, Carrots, Cherry tomatoes/ Tomatoes, Capsicum, Corn, Red & Yellow bell peppers, Lettuce leaves, Red cabbage, Peas & French beans(both optional), Feta cheese(about 75 gms.)
Add 6-8 ice cubes to a bowl of cold water & keep the Lettuce leaves & red cabbage leaves dipped in this water till u mix the salad

Salad Dressing :
In a small container with a tight lid, take 2 tbspns. olive oil, add fresh lemon juice, salt & black pepper to taste, oregano, some chilly flakes & half a teaspoon of mustard sauce
Cover with lid & shake all these well for a minute so that all the ingredients get nicely dissolved

For the Croutons :
Take a spoonful of butter, melt it in the microwave & while hot only add to it a teaspoon of garlic paste & a pinch of black pepper, mix well & apply this on one side of 3 slices of white bread
Toast these till brown & crispy & keep aside
If u want evenly shaped croutons cut the slices into 1" by 1" pieces before toasting only or else u can toast them & then roughly break them into uneven pieces

Chop the cucumber, carrots & capsicum  & bell peppers approximately the same size
If using the peas & beans, blanch them in salty water for about 5-7 mins., strain them & then immediately put them in a bowl of icy cold water for 5 mins. & strain
Strain the lettuce & red cabbage leaves & keep them on a paper napkin for a minute to remove any excess water from them, now roughly tear them with ur hands only into large/medium sized pieces only
Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves & if they are not available chop a normal tomato about the same size as cucumber, etc.
Cut Feta cheese into 1 cm. cubes

Now in a large salad serving bowl/platter, toss in all the chopped veggies, corn & leaves, pour all the salad dressing we prepared & mix well so that everything gets coated with the flavors & keep this refrigerated till serving
Just before serving add the Feta cheese cubes & the Croutons, just toss it lightly once more & serve immediately !!

Crispy Spicy-Honey Chicken

Take 250 gms. of boneless chicken, cut it into thin fingers
Make a marinade by mixing 1 egg with 1 tbspn. cornflour, 1 tbspn. oil, 1 spn. garlic paste, salt & white pepper powder to taste
Add the chicken strips to this & keep aside for an hour
After an hour, take 2 spns. cornflour & spread in a plate, now pick the marinated chicken strips one at a time & lightly roll it in the cornflour & deep fry them in 3 batches so that they don't stick to each other
Fry on medium heat giving each batch about 4 mins. time so that the chicken gets cooked well inside but not burnt from the outside too
Slice 1 onion & 1 capsicum into thin strips
Now in a pan heat 2 tbspn. oil, to this add 2-3 dry whole red chilies roughly broken into pieces, soon after add onions & saute till they start changing color, now add capsicum & saute for just another minute
Add to this 3 tbspns. tomato ketchup, 1 spn. chilly-garlic sauce, 1 spn. vinegar, 1 spn. soya sauce, 2 spns. honey, pinch of salt (optional), black pepper powder
Mix all these well & add to this 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed in half a cup of water
As soon as it heats up, toss in the fried chicken strips into it & mix well so that each piece gets nicely coated in all the flavors & the water completely dries
Do not overcook as that will make the chicken tough
Garnish with the greens of a spring onion & Serve hot !!

Punjabi Masala Chicken

THE VEGETARIANS CAN USE THIS SAME GRAVY TO MAKE KASHMIRI DUM ALOO :
WASH & PEEL TINY POTATOES, PRICK THEM AT 2-3 PLACES WITH A FORK, DEEP FRY THEM ON MEDIUM HEAT TILL THEY TURN GOLDEN, PREPARE THE GRAVY & COOK FOR 10-15 MINS. IN THE GRAVY SO THAT THEY SOAK IN ALL THE FLAVORS

Firstly prepare a fresh garam-masala for the recipe

Take a few black peppercorns, 1 spn. cumin seeds(jeera), 4-5 cloves(laung), 1/2" strip of cinnamon(dalchini), 2 cardamoms(elaichi), dry roast all these in a pan till they change color & start releasing a strong aroma, then grind these to form a powder

FOR THE GRAVY :
Take 3 medium sized onions & 3 large sized tomatoes chop them very finely, 3 spns. of ginger garlic paste & finely chopped green chilies to taste, 1-2 whole dry red chilies
Now take 2 tbspn. oil in a kadai, add the roughly broken whole dry red chilly & chopped onions to it, keep roasting the onions on medium flame till they turn brown in color, add the ginger-garlic paste, stir & continue roasting till u get a dark brown color, now add the green chilies & tomatoes & 2 more tbspns. of oil & continue roasting till all the water dries up & the masala turns brown in color
To this add salt & red pepper powder to taste & 2 spns. of the garam-masala prepared earlier
Now keep roasting this further more for 5-7 mins. by sprinkling a little water every now & then so that the gravy does not burn & instead it keeps releasing flavors & color
It will take a dark brown color

To this add 500 gms. chicken pieces & keep roasting it for 10-15 mins. stirring occasionally, again sprinkling water now & then so that the chicken doesn't get burnt, keep the lid covered & flame low
Now add some water & let it simmer for another 15-20 mins. so that the chicken gets well cooked & u get the desired consistency of the gravy
Add chopped coriander to garnish & serve hot with Lachha parantha/ Butter naan/ Jeera rice

Baked Ziti

This is a delicious layered pasta baked in vegetable sauce, a very famous American casserole dish baked & served straight out of the oven.... No garnishing, no styling just as it is !

For this u need, 200 gms. of Penne pasta, boil in a large pot of water with a spoon of salt & oil till cooked & then strain under cold running water so that it cools down to room temperature

FOR THE VEGETABLE SAUCE :
Take 2 onions chopped, 2 tomatoes chopped, 1 capsicum sliced into 1" strips, U may also add red & yellow bell peppers, carrots, zucchini (all optional), 4 nice red tomatoes & 1 green chilly pureed in a blender
In a saucepan, take 2 tbspn. of Olive oil, add onions & saute till light golden, add capsicum & any other veg. that you are using & saute further, now add chopped tomatoes & saute for 3-4 mins.
Add the pureed tomatoes & keep cooking till the water almost dries, now add salt & black pepper powder to taste, oregano, basil, thyme & chilly flakes & mix all these well
To this add a spn. of vinegar & 1&1/2 cup of water, boil it for 2-3 mins. till the sauce is well cooked but not thick

FOR THE LAYERING :
Take 50gms. Cheddar cheese, 50gms. mozzarella cheese & 50gms. processed cheese, grate all these & mix together
In a bowl beat 2 eggs, add a pinch of salt & pepper to it & 1/2 spn. of butter & mix
To this add 2/3 of the grated cheese mixture & mix well

Now take about an 8" by 8" bake & serve dish & grease lightly
Put in 1/3 of the sauce prepared, nicely cover it with half of the boiled pasta to form a layer, pour another 1/3 of the sauce on it & cover with the egg & cheese mixture we made, put all of it so that it forms a thick layer
On top of that put all the remaining pasta & pour all the remaining sauce over it evenly to cover completely
Sprinkle over it the rest 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture we have
Bake this in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for about 20 mins. & then switch on the Grill function in ur oven for the last 3-4 mins till the top layer of cheese melts & gets a few brown spots here n there
Serve Hot !!

FOR A PURE VEGETARIAN DISH U CAN OMIT THE EGGS IN THE CHEESE MIXTURE LAYER & JUST MIX IT WITH BUTTER
&
FOR A NON-VEGETARIAN DISH U CAN ADD SHREDDED CHICKEN / RED MEAT ALONG WITH THE ONIONS & TOMATOES INSTEAD OF ALL THE OTHER VEGETABLES WHILE PREPARING THE SAUCE

Marble Cake

For this u'll need 200 gms. of  maida, 3 eggs, 2 spns. baking powder, 100ml. ghee/oil/unsalted butter, 150 gms. sugar,
Beat the eggs till light & fluffy, add the ghee/oil & continue beating, now add sugar & keep beating further, add the maida & baking powder & mix well to form a smooth batter
Pour it in a greased baking tin so that it fills in till 2/3 of the tin's height
Keep about 2 tbspns. of this mixture aside, to this add 2 spns. cocoa powder & mix well
If it is too thick add a spoon of milk to it but the consistency should be thick only
Pour this unevenly... here & there into the tin filled with the batter & run a knife through the batter at one or two places in different directions
Now bake this cake at 180 degrees for approximately half an hour in a preheated oven
Insert a knife & check to see if it's done or not, the knife should come out clean
Let it stand in the oven for 5 mins., then take out & let it stand for another 10 mins. before removing from the tin

FOR THE EGG-LESS VERSION :
Put 1/2 tin milkmaid instead of the eggs & add 1spn. baking powder & 1spn. baking soda instead of 2 spns. mentioned above, rest everything remains same.

Once the cake completely cools down to room temperature
Take some raw cooking chocolate, these are easily available in market in form of large chocolate bars,
take about 1 cup of it broken into pieces & melt it in a double boiler or microwave for 1 min.
Now pour this on top of the cake & immediately spread towards all sides to cover it completely
Refrigerate it for about half an hour to set it & then dust some icing sugar on top
This cake can be easily kept for a week !