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Dal ka seera  

Ingredients:
500 gm Moong dal (green)
500 gm sugar
500 gm ghee
saffron soaked in a little milk
elaichi powder
water about 250 ml.

Method:
Soak the dal for 5-6 hours.
Wash and remove the skins well.
Grind dal fine either in a stone grinder or electric grinder or mixie.
Use as little water as possible.
Put sugar and water in a pan and put to boil.
Once sugar dissolve add a few tblsp. of milk.
As the syrup boils the scum will rise.
Remove with a strain.
Further boil till the syrup become sticky between the fingers.
(One thread should fall when poured from a tilted spoon) keep aside.
Heat the ghee in a heavy kadai (vessel) and add dal.
Keep stirring rigorously to avoid burning.
Once the dal stops sticking to the vessel, stir gradually till golden brown, and ghee begins to separate.
Pour the hot syrup, add elaichi and dissolved saffron.
Stir very carefully, not allowing hand to be scalded. Cook slowly till all water is absorbed.
Decorate with chopped dry fruit.
Serve hot especially on a cold day.

Chickoo (Sapota) Halwa

Ingredients:
6 chickoos
1/2 tea cup milk
1/4 – 1/3 cup sugar
150 gms khoya or milk powder made paste.
2 – 3 drops cochineal (essence)
1 tbsp ghee

Method:
Peel and mash chickoos or blend.
Add milk and boil in heavy saucepan.
When slightly thick add khoya and cook, stirring continuously.
Add sugar and ghee. Cook on low turning continuously till ghee oozes.
Garnish with almond or walnut in centre of the halwa.

Doodhi Ka Halwa  / Lauki Ka Halwa 

Ingredients:
1 kg doodhi
1 1/2 litre milk
400-500 gm sugar
elaichi powder (cardomon)
saffron few flakes
1 tbsp ghee

Method:
Peel and grate Dudhi
Put milk and dudhi in a heavy saucepan. Boil till thick, stirring occassionally. Once it starts thickening, stir continuously. Add sugar and cook further till thickens. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.
Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.

Gajar ka Halwa – Carrot Halwa 

Ingredients:
1 kg juicy orange carrots
1 1/2 litre milk
400-500 gm sugar
elaichi powder (cardomon)
saffron few flakes
few drops orange colour (optional)
1 tbsp ghee

Method:
Peel and grate carrots
Put milk and carrots in a heavy saucepan.
Boil till thick, stirring occassionally.
Once it starts thickening, stir continuously.
Add sugar and cook further till thickens.
Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour.
Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.
Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista.

Shankarpala / Shakarpara

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup ghee
1 1/2 cup maida (plain flour)
ghee to deep fry

Method:
1.Warm the water, sugar and ghee together till sugar dissolves.
2.Add maida and knead into a soft pliable dough.
3.Divide dough into 4 parts.
4.Roll into chappatis 1/3″ thick.
5.Cut with a cookie cutter or knife into small diamond shapes.
6.Lift with spatula and loosen. Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1 hour.
7.Deep fry in hot ghee over slow flame till light golden brown.
8.Drain well and keep aside till cool.
9.Store in clean, dry containers.

Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes: 2 1/2 cups.

Badam ka seera  

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup almonds soaked overnight
3 cups hot milk
250 gm ghee
1/2 to 1/3 cup sugar

Method:
Peel the almonds, wash and grind to fine paste.
Heat ghee in a heavy pan.
Add paste and cook on first high then slow flame, stirring continuosly.
After a while it should turn a light brown and aromatic.
Carefully pour hot milk and stir.
Use a long-handled spatula as the mixture tends to splatter.
When thickens, add the sugar and cook, stirring continously and gently till ghee begins to separate.
Decorate with chopped nuts and serve hot.

Cabbage Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

For Koftas
1/2 medium size Cabbage Shredded
2 tbsp Besan or all Purpose flour
Oil for frying

For Gravy
1 medium sized onion
a Piece of ginger
1 Cardamon
1 cinanamon stick small
1 clove
1 spoon jeera
1 spoon dania
2 medium sizes Tomatoes

Method:
1.Take the shredded Cabbage in a bowl, add flour & make small round balls with the same.
2.Deep fry the balls in the hot oil & keep aside
3.In a seperate pan heat 1 tsp of oil & add bay leaves & the paste, salt according to taste & little bit of sugar.
4.Let the paste cook till the oil seperates.
5.Can add little water if the paste is too thick.
6.Switch off the flame add the Kofta’s & Cover till Serving.
7.Before serving garnish with fresh coriader leaves.

Mysore Pak  

Ingredients:
Besan (chick-pea flour) 1 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Ghee 2 cups
Water 1 3/4 cups

Method:
1.Dissolve the sugar in the water and heat it.
2.Keep stirring till you get a thread consistency.
3.You can check for this by feeling the syrup between your fore-finger and thumb. (If the syrup has reached the required consistency, then you will able to pull it out like a thread).
4.Remove all the lumps in the chick-pea flour and add it to the syrup, 1 table spoon at a time.
5.Reduce the heat and add 2 teaspoons of ghee.
6.Stir, till the flour and ghee has completely blended with the syrup.
7.Repeat procedure 2 till you finish all of the besan.
8.Continue to stir and keep adding ghee 1tsp. at a time till the mixture changes color and texture. At one point, you will observe that the mixture is not able to absorb any more ghee. Also, the whole mixture becomes porous and starts leaving the edges of the vessel.
9.At this point, transfer the mixture into a greased plate and with a spatula press the mixture down till the excess ghee surfaces. Do not remove the excess ghee.
10.Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Then, cut it into desired shape and wait for another 10 minutes. Carefully remove each piece and arrange on the serving tray.

Cooking time: 45 minutes.
Yield: 40 medium sized pieces.

Mix Veg Curry

Ingredients:
1 cup mixed vegetables sliced, boiled (use carrot, cauliflower, beans, peas, potato, etc.)
1 tomato sliced
1/2 coconut grated
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1/2 tsp. garlic crushed
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tsp.lemon juice
2 cloves
1″ piece cinnamon
2 tbsp. butter

Method:
Drain the boiled vegetables, keep stock aside.
Blend together, coconut, chillies, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves in mixie.
Heat butter, add seeds, allow to splutter.
Add ginger, garlic and paste.
Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add vegetables except tomatoes.
Add 1/2 cup stock. Cover, simmer for 5 minutes.
Add salt, chilli powder,tomatoes and cook till gravy is thick.
Serve hot with parathas or chappatis.

Making time: 20 minutes.
Makes: 2 servings

Simple Potato Cake

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes
1 capsicum
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1red chilli crushed
2 tsp butter
1 tbsp. plain flour

Method:
The potatoes will turn out best if boiled and refrigerated overnight before using.
Do not peel potatoes. Slice into thin rounds or grate coarsely.
Deseed capsicum and slice into thin rounds
Heat a thick nonstick pan about 5″ diameter.
Meanwhile mix cheese, milk, crumbs, flour and chilli.
If mixture feels thin, add some more bread crumbs.
Add salt to taste. Apply 1 tsp. on bottom of pan.
Arrange potatoes to cover the pan. Top with capsicum.
Pour the mixture all over evenly. Level to cover all the potatoes.
Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, salt and simmer on low till bottom is golden brown.
Flip over very carefully with a wide sharp spatula, and roast the other side.
Let in the remaining butter around the edges to seep down.
Let other side become golden brown too.
Flip on serving plate and make sections with a knife.
Serve hot and crisp.

Variation: Bake the same if desired, instead if roasting.
Making time: 40 minutes