PALAK PANEER

Ingredients:· 500 gms Paneer
2 medium-sized bunches of fresh spinach·
1/2 bunch fresh fenugreek leaves·
4 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil·
1 large onion chopped fine·
1 large tomato diced·
2 tsps garlic paste·
1 tsp ginger paste·
2 tsps coriander powder·
1 tsp cumin powder·
1/2 tsp turmeric powder·
1 tsp garam masala powder·
Salt to taste·
1 tbsp of butter to garnish
Preparation:
Cut the paneer into 1" cubes. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and stir-fry the paneer till golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Keep aside. Add 2 tbsps of oil to the same pan and fry the onions in it till soft.Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for a minute. Add the spinach, fenugreek leaves, tomato, coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala powders and mix well. Add salt to taste and mix well. Cook till the spinach and fenugreek leaves are soft and like pulp. Mash well into a rough paste. If you prefer, you can also blend this paste in the food processor to get a smoother consistency. Add the previously fried paneer cubes to this gravy and mix to coat the pieces. Garnish with butter and serve hot with Chapatis (Indian flatbread), parathas (pan-fried Indian flatbread) or Makki Ki Roti (pan-fried maize bread)

RAJMA CURRY

Ingredients:·
150 gms Kidney Beans ( Rajma)·
2 medium sized Onion (Pyaj)·
1 large Tomato (Tamatar)·
2 Green chilli (Hari mirch)·
1 tblsp Ginger-garlic (Adrak-Lasun) Paste·
1/2 tspn Garam masala Powder·
1 tsp Coriander (Dhania) Powder·
3/4 tsp Salt (Namak)

Preparation:·
Soak the Rajma overnight.· Boil in a pressure cooker till tender.· Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste.· Cook till brown.· Add the tomatoes, green chillies and cook till pulpy.· Add coriander powder, salt and 2 cups water and boil well.· Add the rajma and cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes.· Add the garam masala powder and cook further for another 15 minutes or till the gravy thickens.· Garnish with coriander leaves.· Serve hot with steamed rice. gravy thickens.· Garnish with coriander leaves.· Serve hot with steamed rice.

GONGURA PICKLE

GONGURA PICKLE
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch gongura leaves 2 tbsps oil 1tsp coriander seeds 1tsp fenugreek seeds 6 red chillies 2 green chillies 5 garlic flakes 1 tbsp tamarind extract Salt to taste 1 onion, chopped For Seasoning: 2 tsps oil 1tsp mustard seeds A pinch of asafoetida
METHOD
Slightly roast tamarind in a pan till moisture evaporates and keep it aside. Heat oil and fry coriander, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, green chillies and garlic flakes for a few minutes. Remove and keep aside. Fry gongura leaves in the remaining oil and grind it with the above ingredients. Add tamarind to the paste and grind for another few seconds. Now add salt and mix well. Crackle mustard seeds in oil and add asafoetida. Mix with the gongura mixture. Add chopped onions before serving.

BRINJAL PICKLE

BRINJAL PICKLE
INGREDIENTS
4 medium brinjals 2 tsps chilli powder 2 tsps turmeric powder 3 medium tomatoes 5 tbsps oil 1 tbsp tamarind extract 20 curry leaves 1/4 tsp asafoetida Salt to taste
METHOD In a pan, heat the oil and add chilli powder, turmeric powder, curry leaves and stir for a few seconds. Now add sliced brinjal, tomatoes and cook for five min utes. Add the extract of tamarind and stir; when it is cooked add asafoetida and salt, mix well.
Note: Don’t smash the brinjal pieces while stirring.

SCHEZWAN SAUCE

SCHEZWAN SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
A dozen chillies (Kashmiri, Byadagi or Guntur) 1 cup of vegetable stock Lukewarm water 1 cup of salt 6 cloves of garlic 1 cup of celery sticks Oil Salt to taste
METHOD
Soak the chillies in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and remove the edges of the chillies. Mix the chillies, stock, garlic and salt and blend. Take out the fine paste and keep it aside. To preserve the paste, take a kadai or a wok, add oil.

Fry the finely chopped celery sticks. Add the chilli paste. Fry over medium heat till the oil separates from the paste. The sauce can be used for a week, if refrigerated well.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE INGREDIENTS
2 cups of vegetable stock or water 3 tsps of vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp white pepper 1 cup tomato sauce 3 tbsps chopped pineapple Salt to taste 1 tsp corn starch
METHOD
Pour the stock or water in a pan, and add vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and tomato sauce. Bring it to a boil. Add the pineapple and heat it on a low flame. Add corn starch to thicken the consistency. Voila!
Sweet and sour sauce ready to serve

NAWABI TARKARI BIRYANI

INGREDIENTS 1 kg Basmati rice 1 kg mixed vegetables- green peas, carrots and beans 300 gms onions, sliced 300 gms ghee 3 tsps khada masala 300 gms curd 1 cup of milk or cream 1 gm of saffron METHOD Wash and dice the carrots and beans. Mix with the peas and cook for a few minutes in boiling water. Save the stock and transfer the vegetables into a bowl of chilled water.

In a handi, heat 200 gms of ghee and add sliced onions. Sprinkle khada masala and stir till the onions brown. Add the curd and cook for a few minutes. Add the vegetables and the stock to make a gravy.

Boil Basmati rice till it is half cooked. Drain and add to the vegetables. Add the milk or cream and the remaining ghee. Sprinkle saffron and seal the handi with dough. Lower the heat and cook on dum for 15 minutes. Serve hot.


NOTE :
For a nonvegetarian option, replace the vegetables with 300 gms of mutton