Paneer Shaslik with Oriental Sauce

Ingredients: Paneer: 250 gm, Onion (Medium): 4 no, Tomato (Medium): 4 no, Capsicum (Medium): 4 no, Mushroom(Boiled): 10-15 no, Oil: for frying. For Marination: Oil: 50 ml, Salt: to taste, Pepper: 1 tsp.

For oriental sauce: Sliced onion: 2 no, Green chillies: 3 no, Curry leaves: 3 – 4 leaves, Coconut powder: ½ cup, Salt: to taste, Oil: 1 tbsp, Turmeric: a pinch.
Preparation (time 25 min.):
1. Cut paneer, onion, tomato and capsicum in cubes around 1 inch.
2. Marinate in the above marination as given.
3. Arrange the vegetables and paneer in the shaslik steak as shown.
4. For making sauce, heat oil in a pan, add the onion, saute it well, add curry leaved, green chillies, finally add coconut powder, salt, a pinch of turmeric, cook it well with little water.
5. Finely strain it, make it of sauce consistency and check seasoning.
6. Grill the paneer shaslik, until golden brown, when hot, serve it on the hot sizzler tawa with sauce poured on top, with accompament such as saffron rice, Chinese spring roll, sauted mushrooms, etc.

Serves: 4 person.

Zafrani Paneer

A dish that's fit for a king, it contains cottage cheese and a rich onion and cashew nut gravy that is bound to surprise you.
Ingredients: Paneer: 500 gm, Cashew nut: 2 tbsp, Raisins: 1 tabsp, Mint chutney: ½ cup, Turmeric: ½ tsp, Corn flour: 50 gm. For the gravy: Oil: 50 ml, Boiled onion paste: 2 cups, Boiled cashew nut paste: 1 cup, Cream: ½ cup, Butter: 2 tbsp, White pepper: 1 tsp, Salt to taste, Whole garam masala: 5 gm,

Preparation time 35 min.

Preparations:

1. Cut panner in thin slices, (½ cm), cut in to medium size triangle.
2. Prepare the stuffing by mixing cashew nut, raisins, mint chutney together.
3. Stuff it in between the panner, make a thick paste of corn flour, dip it & deep fry.
4. Prepare the gravy, heat oilk, put garam masala and sauté for few seconds. Add boiled onion paste sauté it until cook, but no change colour.
5. Add cashew nut paste, cook fo 10-12 min, add cream, butter & seasoning.
6. Now heat the paneer in oven. Put the gravy in a platter; arrange paneer pieces, garnish it with cream & butter.

Serves 4 persons.
Serve it as a main course together with Naans or Rumali Rotis.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Ingredients: 900gms Fresh Asparagus, 4 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil, 1 1/2 Cups Sliced Leeks or Spring Onions (Scallions), 3tbsp Corn Flour, 6 1/2 Cups of Water, 1/2Cup Cram or Plain Curds/Yogurt, 1 tbsp Chervil ( A French Herb) Chopped, Salt and Ground Black Pepper to Taste.

Preparations:

1. Get the top 2 1/2 inches off the Asparagus spears and blanch in boiling water for 5 - 6 minutes until just tender. Drain thoroughly.

2. Cut each tip into 2 - 3 pieces and set aside.

3. Trim the ends of the stalks, removing any brown or woody parts. Chop the stalks into 1/2 inch pieces.

4. Heat Butter or Oil in a heavy pan. Add the sliced leeks or spring Onions and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 - 8 minutes, until softened, but not browned.

5. Stir in the chopped asparagus stalks, cover and cook for a further 6 - 8 minutes, until the stalks are tender.

6. Add the flour and stir well to blend. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

7. Add the water. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

8. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.

9. Process the soup in a food processor.

10. Strain, stir in the asparagus tips, most of the Cream/Yogurt and herbs.

Servings: Garnish with Cream or Yogurt.

SMASHING PAV BHAJI

Ingrediants: 12 Pav buns, 2 Onions, 3 tsp Dhania Powder, 5 Tomatoes, 2 tsp Jeera Powder, 3 Potatoes, 2 tsp Chilli powder, 1 cup Peas, 4 tsp Pav Bhajji masala, 1/2 cup Carrot, Salt to taste, 1/2 cup Beans, 1/2 cup Coriander for garnish, 1/2 cup Cabbage, 2 tsp Lemon Juice, 1/2 cup Capsicum, 1 cup Cauliflower, 1 piece Ginger, Garlic optional, 2 Green chillies finely chopped.

Preparation:

Heat a pan with oil & add the onions. Fry till translucent. Add tomatoes,salt,add all the powders and fry till the oil floats on top.
Steam all the other vegetables seperately & add them to the onion mixture.
Add a cup of water & let it cook to boiling consistency. Then With the help of a potato masher keep mashing the mixture till it cooks nicely.
When all the vegetables are cooked thoroughly garnish with coriander & lemon juice and serve with Pav.
For the pavs: Slit open the pavs from the middle. Apply butter in the inside & place them on a pre-heated frying pan.When they get golden brown from the inside take them off.

Serve Pav with hot bhaji.

CALZONE

Ingredients:
For the pastry: 1¼ cups refined flour (maida), 10 grams fresh yeast, Salt to taste, 50 grams butter.

For the filling: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 garlic cloves chopped, 2 medium onions chopped, 1 medium green capsicum seeded and chopped, 10 fresh button mushrooms chopped, ½ cup tomato concasse, ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes, ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs, 1 jalapeno pepper chopped, Salt to taste, 3-4 black peppercorns crushed.
Preparations:
1. Mix yeast with one tablespoon of lukewarm water and set aside for about ten minutes or till it froths.
2. Sift refined flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture.
3. Add butter and sufficient water to knead the mixture into a soft and smooth dough.
4. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for about thirty minutes or till it doubles in volume.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a baking tray.
6. Knock back the dough lightly, divide into four equal portions and roll out each portion into rounds of one-inch thickness. Set them aside for about twenty minutes in a warm place.
7. Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add onion and continue to sauté till it turns translucent.
8. Add capsicum and mushrooms and sauté for a minute. Stir in tomato concasse and cook till well blended.
9. Add red chilli flakes, dried mixed herbs, jalapeno, salt and crushed black peppercorns. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
10. Divide the mixture into four portions and spread each portion over each of the rolled bases. Fold into half moon shape. Press the edges together and place on the greased tray.
11. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for about forty-five minutes.
12. Brush with melted butter and serve hot.

STUFFED OMELETTE

Ingredients:
Eggs 8, Salt to taste, Black pepper powder to taste, Oil 4 tablespoons, Fresh button mushrooms finely chopped 8, Onions finely chopped 2 medium, Tomatoes finely chopped 2 medium, Green capsicums seeded finely chopped 2 medium, Cheese grated 8 tablespoons.
Preparations:
1. Beat four eggs in a bowl along with salt and black pepper powder to taste.
2. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan and sauté half the mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and capsicums for two to three minutes.
3. Add beaten eggs and let it settle. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese.
4. Fold in the edges to resemble a cone, then fold the narrow end over.
5. Serve immediately. Repeat the same with the remaining four eggs.

GREEK ROLL

Ingredients:
Tortilla wraps 4, Onions cut into roundels 2 medium, Hung yogurt 1 cup, Fresh coriander leaves Chopped 2 tablespoons, Fresh mint leaves chopped 2 tablespoons, Salt to taste, Black peppercorns crushed 7-8, Lemon juice 1 tablespoon, Cucumbers sliced 2 medium, Tomatoes sliced 2 medium, Green olives sliced 6-8, Jalapeno chopped 1.
Preparations:
1. Heat a pan and put the onion roundels in it and roast till lightly browned. Sprinkle salt over them.
2. Take hung yogurt in a bowl and add coriander leaves and mint leaves along with salt, crushed black peppercorns, lemon juice and mix well.
3. Heat a tawa and lightly heat the tortillas on both the sides.
4. Keep the heated tortillas on an aluminium foil. Spread the yogurt mixture. Place cucumber and tomato slices, olives, jalapeno and caramelized onions over and roll.
5. Fold in the foil and serve hot.

VEGETABLE MANCHOW SOUP

Ingredients:

Chinese mushroom (dried) 2-3, Mushrooms 2-3, Cabbage ¼ small sized, Tofu (bean curd) 50 gms, Capsicum 1 medium sized, Green chillies 2, Bamboo shoots 2 slices, Carrot 1 medium sized, Ginger ½ inch piece, Garlic 2-3 cloves, Spring onion 1, Noodles 1 cup, Oil 2 tbsps + to deep fry, Cornstarch 3tbsps, Red chilli sauce ½ tbsp, Soy sauce 2 tbsps, White pepper powder ½ tsp, Ajinomoto ¼ tsp, Salt to taste, Vegetable stock 4-5 cups, Vinegar 1 tbsp.

Preprations:
1. Wash and soak Chinese mushrooms in hot water for fifteen minutes. Drain, wash thoroughly and finely chop.
2. Wash and finely chop mushrooms, cabbage and tofu. Wash, halve, de-seed and finely chop capsicum. Remove stems, wash and finely chop green chillies.
3. Boil the bamboo shoot slices in one cup of water for three to four minutes. Drain completely, cool and chop finely.
4. Peel, wash and finely chop carrot, ginger and garlic. Trim, wash and finely chop spring onion and reserve some chopped spring onion greens for garnish .
5. Blanch noodles in hot water, remove and drain well. Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry the boiled noodles for two to three minutes or until light brown and crisp. Remove and drain onto an absorbent kitchen towel. Blend cornstarch in half cup of water and keep aside.
6. Heat two-tablespoon oil in a pan, add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilli and stir-fry briefly. Add chopped spring onion and cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Add chopped mushrooms, cabbage, bamboo shoots, tofu, capsicum, carrot and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously for two minutes.
8. Add chilli sauce, soy sauce, pepper powder, Ajinomoto, salt to taste and stir well to mix. Stir in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two to three minutes.
9. Stir in the blended cornstarch and cook for two minutes or until the soup thickens, stirring continuously.
10. Stir in vinegar and serve piping hot, garnished with crispy fried noodles and spring onion greens.

GAZPACHO

A no-cook Spanish soup traditionally served chilled.

Ingredients: White bread 2-3 slices, Garlic coarsely chopped 3-4 cloves, Tomatoes quartered 6 medium, Cucumber seeded roughly chopped 1 medium, Green capsicum seeded roughly chopped 1 medium, Salt to taste, Wine vinegar 2 tablespoons, Olive oil ½ cup.

Garnishing : Onion chopped 1 small, Green capsicum seeded chopped 1 small, White bread ½ inch pieces 1 slice.

Preprations:
1. Soak white bread slices in half cup of water for five minutes and squeeze out extra water.
2. Put the bread in the blender. Add garlic, tomatoes, cucumber and chilled water and blend.
3. Add green capsicum and salt. Blend again.
4. For sourness add wine vinegar or malt vinegar or lemon juice. Add olive oil and continue to blend.
5. Strain the soup into a bowl. Chill again.
6. You can garnish with onion, green capsicum and bread pieces and serve chilled.

POTATO AND CARROT FINGERS TOSSED IN TOMATO KETCHUP

Ingredients: Potatoes, finger sized batons 2 large, Carrots, finger sized batons 2, large Oil 1 tablespoon + to deep fry, Onion, finely chopped 1, medium Garlic, finely chopped 2-3 cloves, Tomato ketchup 4 tablespoons, Cheese, grated ½ cup.
Preprations:

1. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry potato fingers till cooked and lightly golden. Drain and place on an absorbent paper.

2. In the same oil deep fry carrot fingers for three to four minutes. Drain and place on an absorbent paper.

3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté till lightly browned. Add the potato and carrot fingers and mix. Add tomato ketchup and mix. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve immediately.