SINGAPORE RICE NOODLES

Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Cooking Time : 10 mins.
Serves 4.

To be mixed together
1½ cups cooked rice noodles
½ cup bean sprouts
1 cup spring onion greens, chopped
¼ teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder
¼ teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder
a pinch turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tablespoon sesame (til) oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
½ cup spring onion whites, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
¼ cup carrots, cut into thin strips
¼ cup French beans, cut into thin strips
¼ cup red cabbage, shredded (optional)
¼ cup red pepper, sliced
¼ cup capsicum, sliced
1 teaspoon oil
salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok and sauté the spring onion whites and garlic for a few seconds.
2. Add the carrots, French beans, red cabbage, red pepper, capsicum and salt and sauté for some time till the vegetables soften. Sprinkle some water if required.
3. Add the rice noodles mixed with the other ingredients and toss well over a high flame.
4. Spoon out into a serving plate and serve immediately.

Tips
To cook rice noodles, soak them in boiling hot water for 10 to 15 minutes or as the instructions on the package specify.
Drain the water and immerse in cold water in order to arrest any further cooking. Drain and use as required.

DOUBLE DECKER PARATHAS

Cooking Time : 30 min.

Preparation Time : 20 min.

Makes 7 parathas.

Ingredients
For the dough
4 teacups wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the carrot stuffing
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 carrots, grated
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon ghee
salt to taste

For the green peas stuffing
2 teacups green peas, boiled and mashed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 tablespoon ghee
salt

Other ingredients
ghee for cooking

Method
For the dough
1. Mix the flour, ghee and salt. Add a little warm water to make a soft dough.
2. Knead the dough very well for a few minutes. Leave aside for 1 1/2 hours.

For the carrot stuffing
1. Heat the ghee and fry the cumin seeds until they crackle.
2. Add the carrots, chillies, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
3. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

For the green peas stuffing
1. Heat the ghee and fry the cumin seeds until they crackle.
2. Add the green chillies, coriander and salt and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the green peas and cook for 1 minute.

How to proceed
1. Divide the dough into 21 balls and roll each ball into thin rounds of equal size.
2. Cook 7 rounds lightly on a tava (griddle).
3. On one uncooked round, spread 1 tablespoon of the carrot stuffing and cover with a cooked round. Then spread 1 tablespoon of the green peas stuffing, put another uncooked round on the top and press firmly to seal the edges.
4. Cook the double decker parathas on a tava (griddle) on both sides with the help of a little ghee.
5. Serve hot.

Green Chili Grilled Cheese

PREP TIME 10 Min
READY IN 10 Min

INGREDIENTS
4 slices bread
4 slices Cheddar cheese
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
30 g butter or margarine, softened

DIRECTIONS
1. Top two slices of bread with two slices of cheese; sprinkle with chilies. Top with remaining bread. Butter the outsides of sandwiches. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sandwiches on both sides until golden brown and cheese is melted.

JHAT-PAT CHAAT

Cooking Time : 5 minutes per batch.
Preparation Time : 30 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients
1 teacup boiled green peas
1 teacup boiled Kabuli chana (chick peas)
1 teacup boiled white peas (dried)
1/2 teacup moong sprouts, parboiled
3 potatoes, boiled, sliced and fried
salt to taste
oil for cooking

For the topping
1/2 teacup chopped tomatoes
chilli oil
sweet chutney
green chutney
raw mango slices
sev
chopped coriander
puris

Method
1. Heat a tawa (griddle) and place a little of each ingredient at a time on it. Cook each batch in a little oil for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Serve hot with the toppings.

Mango Cheesecake

For the sponge cake
1 eggless sponge cake

For the cheesecake mixture
1 recipe cream cheese
2 mangoes, peeled and cut into pieces
4 tablespoons thick curds
½ cup cream
¾ cup castor sugar

To be mixed into a soaking syrup
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar

For the garnish
a few mango slices

For the sponge cake
1. Slice the sponge cake into two horizontally. Use only one layer of the sponge.
2. Use the other layer for the variation.

For the cheesecake mix
1. Liquidize the cream cheese, mango pieces, curds and sugar to a smooth puree in a blender..
2. Whip the cream till soft peaks form and mix gently with the mango mixture.

How to proceed
1. Place one layer of the sponge cake on the bottom of a loose bottomed 150 mm. (6") diameter cake tin.
2. Sprinkle the soaking syrup over the sponge.
3. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the sponge and refrigerate till set. Unmould from the tin.
4. Serve chilled garnished with mango slices.

DOSA

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Cooking Time: 20 minutes.
Fermenting Time: 4 hours.
Soaking Time: 2 hours.
Makes 8 dosas.
Ingredients:
1 cup raw rice (chawal)
1/3 cup urad dal (split black gram)
2 tbsp cooked rice (chawal)
2 tbsp beaten rice (poha)
5 to 7 fenugreek seeds(methi)
salt to taste
oil for cooking
To serve
coconut chutney
sambhar
Method:
1. Wash the raw rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Soak in a little water along with the beaten rice and cooked rice for at least 2 hours.
2. Grind to a smooth paste with a little water. Cover and keep aside for at least 4 hours. Add salt and mix well.
3. Heat a non-stick tava and grease it lightly with oil. When hot, pour a ladelful of the batter, spread using a circular motion to make a thin dosa and cook on one side.
4. Pour a little oil along the edges while cooking. When crispy, fold over and serve hot.
5. Repeat with the remaining batter.
6. Serve with coconut chutney and sambhar

FRUIT LOLLIES

Lollies are an all-time favourite… to the extent of being one of the most interesting aspects of childhood! Unlike their commercial counterparts, these fruit lollies don't use artificial flavours and colours. Instead, they provide lots of nutrients including vitamins C and A. Ensure that the fruits are completely ripe and sweet to avoid adding any extra sugar.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes.
Cooking Time: Nil.
Serves 4.

½ cup freshly squeezed pineapple juice
½ cup freshly squeezed black grape juice
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Take 4 candy moulds of desired shapes, pour 2 tbsp of pineapple juice at the bottom of each mould and refrigerate to set.
2. When fully set, insert candy sticks and pour 2 tbsp of black grape juice in each candy mould to make a layer and refrigerate to set without disturbing.
3. When fully set, pour 2 tbsp of orange juice in each candy mould and refrigerate again to set for atleast an hour.
4. Just before serving, hold the moulds under a running tap and take out the lollies. Serve immediately.

PEAR AND APPLE DRINK

Makes 2 small glasses (300 ml).

Ingredients
2 medium sized apples (unpeeled), cored and cut into pieces
2 small pears (unpeeled), cored and cut into pieces
4 to 5 sprigs of mint (phudina) with the leaves, roughly chopped
1 medium sized carrot (unpeeled), cut into pieces
crushed ice to serve

HOPPER / JUICER
1. Juice all the ingredients.
2. Add some crushed ice in 2 glasses and pour the juice over it. Serve immediately.

MIXER / BLENDER
1. Blend all the ingredients using little water (if required) till smooth.
2. Strain the juice using a strainer or a muslin cloth.
3. Add some crushed ice in 2 glasses and pour the juice over it. Serve immediately.

ORANGE SANDESH

Preparation Time : 15 minutes.

Cooking Time : 10 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients
500 grams paneer
4 to 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice
2 drops orange essence (optional)
2 drops orange colour (optional)

For decoration
segments of 2 oranges
4 almonds, blanched and sliced
4 pistachios, blanched and sliced

Method
1. Knead the paneer thoroughly with the sugar. Add the orange juice, orange essence and orange colour and mix well. Spread half this mixture to form a 125 mm. square on a plate or dish. Arrange half the orange segments on top.
2. Cover with the remaining paneer mixture, spreading it evenly on top chill.
3. Decorate with the remaining orange segments, almonds and pistachios.

HERB CHEESE WITH CRACKERS

Preparation Time : 4 minutes.

Serves 2.

Ingredients
3/4 cup grated cottage cheese (paneer)
1 tablespoon curds
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped dill
1 clove garlic, grated
1 green chilli, chopped
salt to taste

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixer and blend till smooth.

2. Spread over plastic film and roll into a cylinder of 37 mm. (1 1/2") diameter.
3. Refrigerator till firm.

4. Unwrap the plastic film and cut into thick slices.
5. Place on cream crackers and serve with soup or as a starter.

CORN CHIPS WITH SALSA

Preparation Time : 10 min.
Cooking Time : 10 min.
Serves 4.

Ingredients :
For the dough
1 1/2 teacups finely ground maize flour (makai ka atta)
1 teacup plain flour (maida)
4 teaspoons oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ajwain (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt to taste

Other ingredients
oil for deep frying

For serving
salsa

Method
1. Roast the cumin seeds on a tava (griddle) for a few seconds. Add the ajwain and roast both again for a few seconds. Pound them coarsely.
2. Mix all the ingredients together and make a dough by adding warm water. Knead very well.
3. Divide the dough into small portions. Roll out each portion thinly with the help of a little flour and prick all over with a fork. Cook lightly on a tava (griddle).
4. Repeat with the rest of the dough
5. Cut into small squares and deep fry in oil until crisp.
6. Drain thoruoghly on absorbment paper. Store in an airtight tin.
7. Serve with salsa.

THANDAI ICE-CREAM

Cooking Time : 10 mins.

Preparation Time : 15 mins.

Serves 8.

Ingredients
1 litre full fat milk
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup cornflour
1½ cups (300 grams) fresh cream
a few saffron strands
To be ground finely for the thandai flavouring
¼ cup almonds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds (khus khus)
2 tablespoons Lucknowi saunf (fennel seeds)
½ teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
20 nos. white peppercorns

Method

1. Dissolve the cornflour in ¼ cup of cold milk. Keep aside.
2. Dissolve the saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm milk. Keep aside.
3. Place the rest of the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to a boil.
4. Add the sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the dissolved cornflour and simmer for another 5 minutes while stirring continuously, till it is of a coating consistency. Add the thandai flavouring and mix well.
6. Remove from the fire and allow it to cool completly.

7. Strain the mixture through a strainer.
8. Add the cream and dissolved saffron to the milk mixture. Mix well.
9. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, cover and freeze till slushy.
10. Divide the mixture into 2 batches and churn each batch separately in a blender till it is smooth.

11. Transfer into a shallow container, cover and freeze till it is firm. Scoop and serve.