Sweet potato shreds

Sweet potato shreds ('Ratalyacha khees' in Marathi language): This dish, popular in the western Indian region of Maharashtra, has a nice blend of spicy and sweet flavors. It is mainly prepared during fasts.


Serves: 2

Ingredients:

- bowl of peeled and shredded sweet potatoes

- 1 tsp cumin seeds.
- 1 tbsp of ground roasted peanuts (peanut powder).
- 2-4 green chillies (finely chopped).
- Salt.
- tbsp of ghee (clarified butter).
- 1 tbsp of grated coconut.
- 1 tbsp of finely chopped cilantro.


Preparation:

- Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan.
- Once the ghee is hot, put in the cumin seeds and cook till the seeds sputter.

- Put chillies and fry them for a couple of minutes.
- Put in the mixture of peeled and shredded sweet potatoes.
- Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat till the potato shreds are tender.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, put in the peanut powder and salt. Mix well.
- Without covering, cook the mixture for a few minutes.
- Remove in a serving bowl and garnish with coconut and cilantro.


**** You can also use Yams instead of sweet potatoes.

Fruit salad with cream

Fruit Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

- 1 Apple (finely sliced)
- 2 bananas (finely sliced)
- 1 cup of grapes
- 1 cup of heavy cream or whipped cream
- 1 tsp of sugar


Preparation:

- Mix all the fruits in a bowl.

- Mix the sugar with the cream and then pour the mixture over the fruits.
- Stir the mixture till the cream mixes well with the fruits..
- Place the mixture bowl in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
- Serve it cold.


**** You add fruits of your choice.

Unripe Mango Rice (Kairi bhaat)

Unripe Mango Rice (Kairi bhaat in Marathi language) : This is again a popular dish in Western Indian state of Maharashtra ('Kairi' is unripe mango and 'bhaat' is rice in Marathi language). It's primary flavor is the mildly sour taste of the unripe mango.


Serves: 2

Ingredients:

- 1 bowl of cooked rice
- 3 to 4 curry leaves
- 4 Red chillies
- 1 1/2 tsp Urad daal seeds (Black gram)
- Roasted peanuts
- Salt
- 1 tbsp of oil
- Grated unripe mango (1/2 cup)


Preparation:

- Heat oil in a pan.
- One the oil becomes hot put the red chillies and curry leaves and heat till they sputter
- Put in the urad daal seeds and peanuts.
- Once the urad daal seeds turn golden brown remove the pan from the stove. The tadka (name for the special garnish that is fundamental to the cuisine of SouthAsia) is now ready.

- Mix the rice, the grated mango, salt and the tadka prepared earlier in a serving bowl.
- Kairi Bhaat (the mixture in the bowl) is now ready to serve.

Carrot Pudding (Gaajar ka halwa)

Carrot Pudding : Commonly known as 'Gaajar ka halwa'. It is a very popular dessert all over India.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:


- 1 bowl of grated carrots
- 2 tbsp of ghee
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 cup of grated 'khava' (milk solids that can be bought at ethnic Indian stores)
- 4 tbsp of sugar
- 1/2 tsp of cardomom powder
- 1 tsp of sliced almonds
- 1 tsp of raisins


Preparation:

- Heat ghee in a non-stick pan.
- Once the ghee is heated up, put in the grated carrots and let them cook uncovered on low heat.
- Once the carrots are tender put milk in the pan. Let cook until the carrots are dry and there is

no trace of the milk.
- Then put in the khava. Mix well and let cook until the ghee starts separating from the carrots.
- Now put sugar and cardomom powder in the pan and mix well.
- Remove in a serving bowl and garnish with almonds and raisins.


*** You can put dry fruits of your choice.

Veg. Quesadillas

Veg. Quesadillas: This popular Mexican dish is made of tortillas
stuffed with a spicy mixture of kidney beans and vegetables/meats of your choice.



Serves: 2 to 4 people

Ingredients:

- 1 packet of plain or red chilli tortillas
- 1 cup of boiled kidney beans
- 1/4 cup of thinly sliced onions
- 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
- Salt
- 1 tbsp of oil
- Butter
- 1/2 cup of grated cheese


Preparation:

- Heat oil in a pan.
- Add onions. Heat till onions are caramelized.
- Add red chilli powder, beans and salt.
- Mix well and cover with a lid. Let cook for a few minutes.
- Take one tortilla. Butter it on the inside. Place the mixture on one side and sprinkle the grated cheese over it. Now fold the other side of the tortilla over the mixture.

- Heat a pan. Spread butter on the folded side of the tortilla and place that side on the heated pan.

- Let fry until golden brown. Spread butter on the other side and flip it so that the other side gets the heat. Heat till that side becomes golden brown.

- Cut the tortilla into half and serve with ketchup.

Cilantro Bites (Kothimbir vadi)

Cilantro bites (Kothimbir Vadi in Marathi language) : This is a crispy appetizer dish originating from the Indian state of Maharashtra.


Serves: 2 to 4


Ingredients:

- 1 bunch of Cilantro (finely chopped)
- 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
- 2 green chillies (finely chopped)

- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

- 1/2 tsp of red chili powder
- Pinch of asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup bengal gram flour
- 1 tsp of oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Oil for frying


Preparation :

- Mix the cilantro , asafoetida, turmeric, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, green chillies, chili powder,

oil, sugar and salt.
- Once all the ingredients are mixed properly, put in the Bengal gram flour and mix slowly.
- Knead the mixture into a dough (While making the dough, keep a little water handy to add as

and when required)
- Make a long roll out of the mixture.
- If its too long you can cut it into half.
- Steam the rolls for 10 minutes.
- After the rolls have cooled down, cut them into slices.
- Heat oil in a frying pan or a deep fryer.
- Once oil is heated, put in the slices and deep fry till the slices are slightly brown and crispy.
- Serve with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Mango Lassi

Mango Lassi : Cool Indian drink made up of mangoes and yogurt. Typically served as a dessert.


Ingredients:

- 1 cup of Mango pulp/2 Mangoes finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of plain yogurt
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 tsp of sugar (optional)
- 1/4 tsp of cardamom
- Pinch of nut meg


Preparation:

- Mix Mango pulp, yogurt, milk and cardamom powder in a blender/mixer.
- If the mixture is not sweet add sugar.
- Stir it in the blender for a few minutes till all the ingredients are mixed evenly.
- Pour the mixture into a serving glass.
- Garnish with nut meg.
- Keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
- Serve cold.

Vegetable Cous-Cous

CousCous: Popular Mediterranean dish. You can add vegetables or prepare it even without any veggies.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of cous-cous
- 1 cup of carrots

- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 2 tsp of peanuts(optional)
- 1/4 tsp of minced garlic
- 1 chopped green chilli
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup of water


Preparation:

- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Keep the water to boil in another vessel.
- Once the oil is heated add minced garlic, green chillies and peanuts.
- Once garlic turns brown add the carrots. Let cook for a few minutes.
- Now add the cous cous. Add salt and mix well.
- Turn the pan flame to low and slowly add the boiling water to the mixture.
- Add the peas. Keep on stirring it till the cous cous cooks.
- Serve hot.

*** If you are alergic to peanuts you could only put peas.

Tava Pulav

Tava Pulav: Originating from the streets of Mumbai, this rice preparation ('Pulav') is cooked on the Indian flat pan griddle ('Tava'); hence the name 'Tava Pulav'.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

- 1 bowl of cooked basmati rice
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced onion
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of finely chopped or thinly sliced tomato
- 1/4 cup of corn & green peas (frozen/fresh)
- 1/4 cup chopped green beans
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 1 tsp of Pav bhaji masala (you can buy this masala at any ethnic indian store)
- 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder
- Salt to taste


Preparation:

- Heat the tava (flat pan griddle) with oil. Once the oil is heated, add the pav bhaji masala in it. Let cook for a few minutes.

- Add thinly sliced onions. Cook them on a low flame till they caramelize.
- Now add tomatoes cook them for about a minute.
- Add the rest of the vegetables. Let the vegetables cook for about ten minutes on a low flame.
- Now add the cooked rice.
- Add salt and red chilli powder.
- Mix it well.
- Let the rice cook on high flame for 3 minutes .
- Serve hot


** You can add vegetables of your choice.

Ragda Patties

Ragda Patties: This is a street food item popular all over India. It is a combination of a potato-based patty served with thickened chick peas curry.

Serves: 2

Ingredients for Ragda:

- 1 cup white peas (popularly known as chana in India...soak them overnight)
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely cut tomato
- 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 1 tsp of garam masala(grind black peppers, cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds, corriander seeds to prepare fresh garam masala)

- 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder
- Lemon juice
- 1 cup of thin sev (Fried Indian snack made up of Bengal gram flour available in any ethnic Indian store)

- Salt to taste
- Finely chopped cilantro to garnish


Ingredients for the Patties:

- 2 boiled potatoes (large)
- 1/2 tsp of ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp of cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder
- 1 tsp of cornflower or besan(bengal gram flour)


Preparation of Ragda (the curry):

- Boil the soaked chana.
- Add oil in a pan/kadai/wok.
- After the oil is heated add ginger garlic paste, then add the garam masala.
- Saute it for a minute, then add the chopped onions. Let the onions and the masala cook on a low flame.

- Once the onions are tender add the chopped tomatoes. Cook them till they are tender.

- Now add the boiled chana.
- Stir the chana until its thoroughly mixed with the masala.
- Then add a cup of water.
- Add red chilli powder( quantity depending on the spice level you are comfortable with).

- Add salt.
- Let the chana cook until the water boils and thickens.
- Remove in a bowl.

Preparation for Patties:

- Mash the two boiled potatoes into a smooth mixture. There should be no lumps.
- Add the Ginger paste, cumin powder, salt, red chilli powder, cornflower and mix thoroughly.
- Make small balls and press them to make flat patties.
- Add oil to a frying pan.
- Once the oil heats up put in the patties and shallow fry (similar to cutlets) till they are golden brown.

- Place the patties in a serving plate or a bowl. Pour the Ragda on it.
- Garnish with onions, some sev, cilantro and lemon juice.