CRUNCHY CHICKEN PAKORAS...

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Bonelesss chicken chunks              500 gm
Thick curds                                        1 cup
Ginger garlic paste                           1 tbsp
Curry leaves                                      a bunch
Rice flour/Cornflour                           2 tbsp
Pepper pd                                           2 tsp
Cumin pd                                            2 tsp
Coriander pd                                      2 tsp
Red chilli pd                                       1 tsp
Red chilli flakes                                 1 tsp
Roasted Sesame seeds (white)       1 tbsp
Lemon juice/vinegar                         1 tbsp
Turmeric pd                                        1/2 tsp
Oats crushed lightly                           1/4 cup
Cornflakes crushed                            1/4 cup
Sesame oil                                           1 tbsp
Butter                                                    1 tbsp
Salt for taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and dry the chicken pieces (pat them dry with paper napkins/kitchen towel)
2. Take a mixing bowl and put in curds, salt and turmeric.
3. Dip chicken pcs in it and let it rest for 2 hrs in the refrigerator.
4. This will soften the chicken and help to cook faster.
5. Take another bowl and mix together ginger garlic paste & all the dry powdered spices.
6. Chop curry leaves finely and add them to it; put in riceflour and rub in the butter.
7. Now squeeze in lemon juice, add sesame oil and a little salt. Make a dry marination with it. 
8. Take out chicken from the fridge and coat it with this dry marination.
9. Rest it for 1/2 an hour.
10. Keep a thick karahi with oil for deep fry. (Pour little oil and fry them in batches)
11. This will avoid wastage as reusing this oil is not advisable.
12. In a shallow dish rub in oats and cornflakes to crush them slightly. Add roasted sesame seeds. 
13. Take the chicken pcs and coat them all over with these crumbs.
14. Lower them in hot oil  and fry them on medium flame to golden brown.
15. The temperature of the oil determines the quality of the pakoras.
16. Too hot will brown them quickly but insides will remain uncooked.
17. So maintain the temp evenly and fry them carefully without overcrowding.
18. Once you lower them in oil, leave them undisturbed for 6-8 mts.
19. If they are tossed or turned around too soon the crumbs sticking to them will come off.
20. Remove them onto paper napkins to absorb excess oil.
21. Serve them hot with green chutney or ketchup. 

           

WATER MELON JUICE...

RECIPE:

INGR:

Water Melon       as desired    
Black Salt           a pinch   

1. Cut water melon and scoop out the fleshy part.
2. Remove the seeds with a knife/fork.
3. Cut them into pcs and put into blender.
4. Blend it till smooth and frothy.
5. Do not add any water.
6. Pour the juice into serving glasses.
7. Sprinkle with a pinch of black salt and serve chilled.
8. There is no need to add any sugar. Black Thunder variety is best for this.

Note: 

1. To get chilled water melon juice w/o adding ice cubes/water:
2. Either you can store the juice in fridge before serving or
3. Store the water melon as a whole or the pcs in refrigerator.
4. Just before serving, take them out and blend them in juicer. 
5. This way you get chilled/undiluted juice (as its water content is already high). 

RASGULLA...

RECIPE:

Ingr:    ( 20 pcs )

Skim milk                           1 litre
Milk                                     2tbsp
Lemon juice/Vinegar        1 1/2 tbsp
Sugar                                  400 gm
Water                                  1 litre
Cardamom pd                    1/4 tsp
or Rose essence               a few drops

Method:

1. Bring milk to a boil. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to it to curdle the milk. 
2. Keep stirring, add remaining lemon juice until the whey separates  completely. 
3. Switch off the heat and strain the paneer in a muslin cloth. 
4. Wash paneer with fresh water to wash away the sourness of the lemon. 
5. Bring edges of the cloth up and tie it together. 
6. Squeeze all excess water and hang the cloth above the sink for 30 minutes. 
7. Take out the paneer and mix in 2 tsp of sugar in it (grains in the sugar help in kneading).
8. Knead paneer & sugar till smooth & pliable for about 10 mts.     
9. Divide dough into equal portions, shape them into a smooth round ball.
10. ( on cooking it increases by 4 times )
11. Take a steel thick bottomed vessel, add sugar and water and bring to a boil.
12. Pour 2 tbsp milk into it and add the paneer balls carefully.
13. Cook on high flame, covered with a lid for 10 mts.
14. Open the lid occasionally and check.
15. Now add cardamom pd or rose essence (do not add both ).
16. Remove from the stove and let them cool completely. 
17. Refrigerate and serve chilled garnished with nuts.

Note:

1. Skim milk is best as cream tends to break the rasgullas on cooking.
2. Kneading the dough determines the quality.
3. The balls should be smooth without any cracks.
4. Whey water is very rich in nutrients; never waste it.
5. Can be stored in fridge and used to curdle milk the next time you make rasgullas. 
6. This is how they do traditionally in Bengal while making them.
7. I use whey water as base to make curry/gravy.It gives a silky texture and adds a rich flavour to it.
8. Rose essence works best (never mix two different essences )

AAMRAS...

RECIPE:       ( 4 servings )

INGR:

Ripe mangoes                  2 big

Cream milk                       1/2 cup

Sugar                                 2 tbsp

Cardamom pd                   1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin and extract the pulp from the mangoes.
2. (Can cut them into big pcs and scoop out the pulp neatly with a knife.) 
3. Put in the mango flesh, sugar, cream milk and cardamom pd in a blender.
4. Blend it for a minute till smooth and silky.
5. Remove and serve with a few ice cubes mixed in for chillness.
6. Can serve it with any fruit of choice or ice cream.
7. This is served with puris in Gujrati households.
8. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Note:

1. At times I use thick coconut milk in place of cream milk.
2. It gives a distinct flavour and tastes delicious.

MOJITO...

RECIPE:     ( 2 SERVINGS )

INGR:

Lime                                   2
Fresh mint leaves             4 - 6 sprigs
Sugar                                  2 tbsp
Soda water                         1/2 cup ( 100 ml )
Ice cubes                            1 cup

Method:

1. Crush mint leaves very gently to release the mint oils and place them in serving glass.
2. Cut lime into slices and wedges. Place a few on top of the mint leaves.
3. Take a couple of wedges and squeeze them over it.
4. Put in sugar and fill the glasses with ice cubes almost to the top.
5. Pour soda water over the ice cubes to fill the glasses.
6. Stir and check for taste, can add more sugar if desired.
7. Serve chilled garnished with more mint and lime slices.

ORANGE JUICE...

RECIPE:      ( 4 servings )

INGR: 
Oranges                    4
Sugar                         as desired
Cold water                measure it out (3/4 ths of serving glass)
Ice cubes

Method:

1. Wash and roll out the oranges on a board to loosen them.
2. Cut into halves and squeeze the juice with a citrus reamer.
3. Add sugar and dissolve it thoroughly.
4. Pour in chilled water and add ice cbubes.
5. Give a nice mix and pour it out into serving glasses.
6. Serve chilled .

Note: 

1. Sweetness depends on the oranges; so adjust sugar accordingly.
2. Oranges can be squeezed out directly with hands.
3. This way you get to have the pulp which lends a thicker texture to the juice.

LEMONADE ( NIMBU PAANI )...

RECIPE:  ( 4 servings )

INGR:

Lemons                4
Lemon slices      a few
Sugar                   6 tbsp
Salt                       a pinch
Mint                      a few leaves
Ice cubes          

Method:

1. Squeeze lemon juice into a juice pot ; add a pinch of salt .
2. Dissolve the sugar by adding some water and stirring it .
3. Pour this sugar solution into the pot and stir well.
4. Add cold water (measure it out with the serving glass) and ice cubes.
5. Give a nice stir / shake and pour out into serving glasses.
6. Serve chilled garnished with mint leaves and some lemon slices.

Note:   Level of sweetness can be adjusted as desired.