Pakoda Kurma

Ingredients:-

1. For pakodas:-

• Channa dal - 1 cup
• Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
• Dried Red chilli - 1
• Salt as needed
• Oil for frying

2. For Kurma:-

• Onion, chopped - 1 big
• Tomato chopped - 1
• Green chillies - 2 nos
• Ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cloves - 1
• Bay leaves - 1
• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Fennel seeds - 1tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
• Poppy seeds - 1/4 tbsp
• Green cardamom - 2 nos

Preparation:-

1. To make the Pakodas:-

• Soak the channa dal for 3-4 hours.
• Grind dried red chilles, fennel seeds, soaked channa dal and salt to a thick coarse batter.
• Heat oil in a wok/kadai.  Once the oil is hot, take a few amount of grounded mixture and drop into the hot oil.

• Deep fry the pakodas till it turns golden brown.
• Drain the pakodas and keep it aside.

2. To Make the Kurma:-

• Grind grated coconut, fennel seeds, cardamom, cumin seeds and poppy seeds to a fine paste. set aside.
• In a wok/kadai, heat oil and add cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, curry leaves, green chillies and ginger garlic paste. Saute well until raw smell disapear. 

• Add onion , tomato and saute until onion turns transparent.
• Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Fry for a minute.

• Add grounded coconut paste and mix well. Stir for a minutes.
• Add 2 cups of water and let it boil for 5-10 minutes. 

• Finally add fried pakodas and mix well. 

• Switch off the flame and serve hot with dosa, chappathi, idly, rice, pulao etc.

Tandoori chicken (Oven Baked)

Ingredients:-

• Chicken thighs - 4 nos
• Yogurt - 4 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 3 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Lemon juice - 1 nos
• Red Food color- 1/4 tbsp
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - few, chopped
• Salt - as needed

Preparation:-

1. First Marinade(Rub):-

• Using a knife, cut into long slits on each chicken pieces.
• In a bowl, add 2 tbsp of red chilli powder, salt and lemon juice and mix well.
• Rub this paste into the chicken pieces and keep it aside for 15 minutes.

2. Second Marinade(Tandoori Masala):-

• In  a deep bowl, combine yogurt, remaining red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, salt to a smooth paste.

• Apply this tandoori masala and red food color on the first marinated chicken.

• Place the marinated chicken into a ziploc bag.

• Refrigerator overnight or for atleast 4 hours.

3. Baking:-

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Make a bed for the tandoori chicken by arranging the vegetables on the bottom of the baking pan. 

• Place the marinated tandoori chicken on a bed of vegetables.
• Sprinkle with olive oil and chopped coriander leaves.
• Cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until chicken is tender.

4.Serve:-

• Serve hot with sliced onions and lemon wedges. 

Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:-

• Fresh strawberries - 1 cup
• Milk - 1 cup
• Yogurt - 2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract - 1 tbsp
• Vanilla ice cream - 1 scoop
• Sugar/honey - 2 tbsp
• Crushed ice - 1/2 cup

Preparation:-

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until well pureed.
2. Pour into glassess and serve immediately.

Raw Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:-

• Purple cauliflower florets - 1 cup
• Cucumber - 1 sliced
• Tomato , chopped - 1
• Broccoli florets - 1 cup
• Carrot, chopped -1
• Lettuce, chopped - 1/2 cup
• Capsicum, sliced - 1
• Mayonnaise for dipping

Preparation:-

1. Arrange all the vegetables  in a serving platter. 
2. Now cover the salad and chill in the fridge until needed.  
3. Serve with Mayonnaise dip or Salad cream and enjoy! 

Beetroot Pulao

Ingredients:-

• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Beetroot -1 (Peeled and chopped into cubes)
• Potato - 1 (Peeled and chopped into cubes)
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Green chillies - 3
• Onion, sliced - 1 big
• Tomato - 1
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Mint leaves - few(optional)
• Coriander leaves - few
• Salt as needed
• Ghee - 2 tbsp

For the tempering:-

• Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Cloves - 1
• Bayleaves - 1
• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
• Star anise - 1

Preparation:-

1. Soak the rice for 30 mins. Drain and keep it aside as needed.

2. Heat oil and ghee in a bottomed pan. Fry cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and star anise, till the oil becomes fragrant.

3. Add onion, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, tomato, coriander leaves and mint.Fry it for a minute or until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add diced potatoes, diced beetroot and green peas and saute for 5-6 mins in low flame.

5. Now add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Cook for a minute.

6. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.

7. Now add drained rice and mix well.

8. cover the lid and let the rice cook on a low flame, till the water is absorbed and the rice is well cooked.

9. Finally add ghee and mix gently with a fork.

9. Serve hot with raita.

Watermelon Lemon Juice

Ingredients:-

• Watermelon - 1/2 small fruit or 4 cups chopped
• Lemon juice - 1 nos or 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 2 tbsp

Preparation:-

1. In a blender, add watermelon pieces, lemon juice and sugar and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into serving glass.
3. Add ice cubes and serve chilled.
4. Garnish with mint spring, watermelon slices and lemon slice.

Chicken Briyani - Pakistani Style

Ingredients:-

 For marinating Chicken:-

• Chicken - 1 lb
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For Rice:-

• Basmati Rice - 4 cups
• Bayleaves - 1
• Cinnamon stick -1
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For briyani masala:-

• Onion, sliced - 1 big
• Tomato - 2 , chopped
• Green chillies - 5 
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Curd - 1/4 cup
• Mint leaves, chopped - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Cloves - 1
• Bayleaves - 1
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cardamon - 1
• Javitri - 1
• Star anise - 1
• Ghee as needed
• Vegetable oil/ canola oil as needed
• Salt to taste

For layering and garnishing:-

• Fried onion - 2 big 
• Food color - 1/4 tbsp, 
• Saffron soaked Milk - 2 tbsp 
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves / coriander leaves, chopped - few

Preparation:-

Cooking the Rice:-

1. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
2. In a electric cooker/pressure cooker, add soaked rice, cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaves, lemon juice and salt.
3. Cook the rice until its done. Set it aside.

Marinating chicken:-

1. In a bowl, add red chilli powder, lemon juice, salt, ginger garlic paste and chicken. combine well and allow it to marinate for 1 hour. 
2. Fry the marinated chicken lightly for about 5-10 minutes. Do not fry much as the chicken will further cook in the briyani masala. Keep it aside.

For making briyani masala:-

1. Heat ghee and oil in a large pan. 
2. Add cloves, bayleaves, cinnamon stick, cardamon, javitri, and star anise . Saute for a minute.
3. Add ginger garlic paste, onion, tomato and green chillies.  Stir well and allow the tomatoes to soften.
4. Add coriander leaves and mint leaves. Saute until raw smells disappears.
5. Now add lightly fried chicken, red chilli powder, curd and salt. Mix well and cook untill chicken is tender.

For layering rice and briyani masala:-

1. In a broad pan, apply some ghee on bottom. 
2. Place 1/2 of the rice, add some coriander and mint leaves and briyani masala on top of it. 
3. Place the layer of rest of the rice on top of the briyani masala. 
4. Sprinkle some coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions.
5. Finally add saffron soaked milk , food color and ghee on top of the rice.
6. Close the lid and let it be on low flame for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from flame and Mix gently.
8. Garnish with  coriander leaves and serve hot with raita or boiled egg.