Dum Paneer Kalimirch

Cottage cheese flavoured with black peppercorns, slow cooked in an earthen pot.

Serves: 4

Cottage cheese - 400 gms,cut into 1 inch cubes

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 4-5 cloves

Green chillies - 2-3

Oil - to deep fry
Onions - 2, medium
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Bay leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Green Cardamoms - 4-5
Cloves - 4-5
Yogurt - 1 cup, whisked
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped - 2 tbsp
Fresh mint leaves, chopped - 1 tbsp
Fresh cream - 1/2 cup
Black peppercorns, crushed - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

1. Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies to a fine paste and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry onions until golden brown. Drain and place on absorbent paper and cool.
3. Grind the fried onions with 2 tbsp of water  to a smooth paste and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
5. Heat pure ghee in a narrow mouthed handi. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves and stir fry briefly
6. Add ginger-garlic-green chillies paste and saute on high for 1/2 a minute. Add the brown onion paste, whisked yogurt, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt to taste.
7. Stir well, add one cup of water and cook on high heat, stirring continuously until the gravy starts to boil.
8. Add paneer pieces, chopped coriander and mint leaves. Stir in the fresh cream and crushed black peppercorns.
9. Sprinkle garam masala powder. Cover the handi with a tight fitting lid and seal using whole-wheat dough or alternatively using, seal tightly using aluminum foil.
10. Place sealed handi in preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes.
11. Open the handi just before serving and serve immediately.

Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup

Serves: 4

Sweet corn, cream style - 2/3 cup
Sweet corn kernels - 1/2 cup
Vegetable Stock - 4-5 cups
Cabbage, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Carrot, finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Cornflour/corn starch - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Spring onion greens, chopped  - for garnishing

1. Heat a wok, add cream style sweetcorn, vegetable stock and stir.
2. Add cabbage, carrot, boiled corn and stir to mix well. Cook for two to three minutes.
3. Blend cornflour in a little vegetable stock or water and set aside.
4. Add sugar and salt to the soup and continue to cook. Add white pepper powder and mix.
5. Add the blended cornflour and cook till the soup thickens.

Garnish with spring onion greens and serve piping hot !!

Wheat Halwa

Makes: 20 - 25 pieces

Butter or ghee - 5 tbsp
Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk -2 cups
Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp, roughly chopped

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, fry the wheat flour on low heat with the butter/ghee.
2. Keep stirring the mixture continuously to ensure no lumps. Continue frying till the mixture slightly browns the nuts crisp to golden brown.
3. In the meantime, bring the milk and sugar to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Mix in the hot mixture to the cooked flour, in small amounts, till the whole syrup gets absorbed. Swirl the mixture continuously and make sure there are no lumps in the halwa.
4. Take away from heat and let it sit covered for 10-15 minutes; the flour will absorb the mixture and cook in it in this time imbibing the creaminess of the milk and the melted sugar.
5. Remove the lid and swirl the halwa a little more. Serve the halwa with additional ghee if desired.

Tip:
1. Sprinkle a teaspoon of ground cinnamon over the halwa to give it a dash of spice
2. If you want to make the Turkish version, take out spoonfuls of halwa (after the resting time) and make into simple shapes. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

Chickpea Flour and Cilantro Squares

Kothambir Vada

A traditional appetizer from Maharashtra, these are delicious served as cocktail party finger food. Equally good in a picnic hamper or at a pool party, they can be made ahead and warmed slightly in the microwave.

Serves: 4 to 6

Chickpea flour - 1 cup

Ginger root - 1 tbsp, peeled and minced

Green chillies, preferably serrano - 1 tbsp, minced

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Cilantro - 1 cup, leaves only, coarsely chopped

Oil - 3 1/2 tbsp, divided

Onion - 1/3 cup, chopped
Garlic - 1 tbsp, minced
Asafoetida - a pinch

1. Prepare an 8 inch square cake pan by spraying with vegetable spray
2. In a bowl, whisk together chickpea flour ginger, chillies, salt and turmeric with water as required. The prepared batter must be thicker than cake batter.
3. Stir in the cilantro and set aside.
4. In a nonstick saucepan or deep skillet, heat 1 1/2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until golden , 3 to 4 minutes. Add asafoetida and saute for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat. Whisk chickpea flour mixture and pour slowly into pan stirring vigorously.
6. Return saucepan to medium-low heat. Cook,stirring continuously and cleaning sides of pan as you go, until mixture comes together in a lump, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Transfer to prepared pan and pat into smooth cake. Let cool completely. Cunt int 2-inch(5 cm) squares.
8. In a large nonstick skillet. heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Arrange half the squares in skillet and pan-fry until brown, for 2 minutes. Flip and brown other side. Transfer to a serving dish.
9. Repeat with squares and oil. Serve with chutney of your choice.

Tomato Bruschetta

One of the small gifts to surface during the popularity of fresh Italian cuisine is the popularization of crostini. Crostini is sliced, oiled, and baked French or Italian bread. The dish was originally created to use up stale bread. This version, topped with vine-ripened tomatoes , is perhaps the most popular.

Makes 4 to 6 slices

Garlic - 1 to 2 cloves, minced
Extra-virgin olive oil
French or Italian bread - 4 to 6 slices
Vine-ripe tomatoes - 2, chopped or sliced
Salt and Pepper

Balsamic vinegar - a splash

Fresh basil leaves

1. Add fresh garlic to olive oil and let sit for 10 minutes. Dip each slice of bread in the oil and garlic to coat lightly on both sides.

2. Bake at 400 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.

3. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add splash of vinegar. Arrange tomatoes on top of toast. Top with basil leaves and serve.

Variation – sliced Buffalo mozzarella cheese can be added on top.