BAINGAN (EGGPLANT) SALAN

INGREDIENTS
Baingan/Egg Plant                  1 medium size
Tomatoes chopped                  2 cups
Onions Chopped                     1 cup
Green chilies chopped            1 TBSP
Green coriander chopped        3 TBSP
Yogurt  (plain)                         1/2 cup
Cumin seeds                            1 tsp
Red chilies                               1/2 tsp
Tumeric powder                      1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder            1/2 tsp
Garlic & ginger paste              1 tsp
Olive/ corn oil                         2 cups


METHOD
1. Put 1-1/2 cup oil in a wide pan on stove over medium high heat.
2. Cut the egg plant in round slices, 1/2 inch thick & fry them till golden brown in color.
3. Take 1/2 cup oil in another pan & fry onions till golden brown then add chopped tomatoes, garlic      ginger paste & all spices till  the oil separates.
4. Add the fried egg plant in layers & lightly mix with rest of  the vegetables.
5. Spread a layer of yogurt, green chilies & coriander on top of  egg plant.
6. Cover the pan & cook for at least 30-45 minutes till  the oil separates.

TIP
Serve with Naan or white rice.
To get sour taste, add more tomatoes or pomegranate seeds while cooking.

CHAPLI KABOB

INGREDIENTS

Minced Beef                       1 pound
Green onion chopped          1 cup 
Red/White onion                 1/2 cup
Tomatoes chopped              1 cup
Green chilies chopped         2
Fresh coriander chopped     2 TBSP          
Egg                                      2
Coriander dried                   1 TBSP
Red crushed Chilies            1/2 tsp
Salt                                      1-1/4 tsp
Cumin                                 1 tsp
Pomegranate                       1 tsp
Black pepper                       1/2 tsp
Wheat flour                         3 TBSP
Oil                                       2 cups    


METHOD

1. Mix all the ingredients together except for oil and an egg.
2. Scramble an egg in a skillet & add in the mixture.
3. Keep oil in a wide pan on stove over medium high heat.
4. Make 6 to 8 flattened & round kabobs & fry them for 3-4 minutes on each side. Do not press them while frying or turn too many times. It makes the kabob hard.
5. Serve them warm with mint chatney & naan.

TIPS

For better flavor, 1-2 TBSP of Shan/National Chappli kabob masala can be added in the mixture.

FRUIT PUNCH

INGREDIENTS:
Sprite/Apple Juice     64 oz
Frozen/fresh Strawberries     1 cup
Frozen/Fresh Blueberries     1 cup
Rasberry Sorbet    1 pint/ 2 cups
Ice      2 cups

METHOD:
1. Grind fruits with ice & one cup Sprite/Apple Juice in a machine.
2. Add the mixture with rest of ingredients in a punch bowl.
3. Garnish with lemon slices or mint.

HALWA PORI

INGREDIENTS:
Halwa:
Sooji                                    1 cup
Butter                                   1/3 cup
Sugar                                   1/2 cup
Cardamom                           4-5 ground
Water                                  1-1/2 cup
Sliced almonds & raisins       1/4 cup

Poori:
All purpose flour      2 cups + 1 tbsp
Wheat flour             1/2 cup
Water                    3/4 cup (variable)

Salt                        1 tsp

Egg white                1
Ghee/Butter            2 tbsp
Vegetable oil          2-3 cups

METHOD:
Halwa:
1. Boil water, sugar &  few cardamom for 15 minutes till the syrup reduces to 1 cup.

2. Fry Sooji in butter & cardamom till it turns light brown.

3. Over medium low heat, add the sugar syrup in Sooji mixture.

4.Add nuts, cover the mixture & leave it for 15 minutes over low heat.

Orange food color can be added in sugar syrup if you want halwa to be colored.

Poori:
1. Mix ghee/butter, egg & 1 tbsp of  flour together.

2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together. When the dough is fully mixed, add the butter & egg mixture in it.

3. Leave the dough in refrigerator for at least 2 hrs.

4. Make small balls of dough, flatten them 6 inches & deep fry in oil.

Serve warm with halwa.

CHICKEN GINGER

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken boneless         1 pound/1/2 k.g
Tomatoes                     4 medium
Onions                         1 large
Cilantro                        1 cup chopped
Green chilies                 2
Potatoes                       2 medium
Bell pepper                   1 medium
Garlic & ginger             1 tsp  each          
Cumin seeds                 1 tsp
Red chilies                    1/2 tsp
Mustard powder           1/4 tsp
Salt                               1 tsp  
Cardamom powder       1/4 tsp
Ketchup                       2 tbsp
Oil                               1/3 cup
METHOD:
1. Cut chicken in cubes & put in a pan over high heat with all the ingredients except for potatoes, bell pepper, ketchup & oil. Let it cook for 15 minutes till the chicken is done.

2. Add oil in the chicken & fry for 5 minutes.

3. Add ketchup & remaining vegetables & cook over high heat for 5 minutes.

3. Cover the pan & let it cook over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes till vegetables are done.

 Serve with naan/ home made chapati & enjoy.

KASHMIRI CHAI/PINK TEA

INGREDIENTS:
Water                  8-10 cups
Green tea             3 tsp
Cardamom           5-6 ground
Evaporated milk  1/2- 3/4 cup
Sugar                   6 tsp
Baking soda         pinch
Ice cubes            6 cups

METHOD:
1. Put the water with tea & cardamom on stove over medium heat & cook for an hour.

2. Add a pinch of baking soda & ice cubes. Let it cook for another hour.

3. Stir the tea with ladle for 5 minutes & add milk. Color of the tea should be pink.

4. Serve it hot in cups with whipping cream & crushed pistachios on top.

QALAQAND/ BARFI

QALAQAND/ BARFI

INGREDIENTS:

Ricotta cheese                               2 cups
Dried milk- Nido                          1 cup
Green cardamom                           3-4
Sugar                                            1- 1/2 cup
Almonds & pistachios sliced        1/4 cup


METHOD:

1.Cook all the ingredients except nuts on a medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

2. Spread the cheese mixture on a flat tray & cut shapes with cookie molds (heart or star)

3. Take the cut pieces of cheese mixture & place them in a tray & decorate with  nuts.

4. Cover the Qalaqand with plastic wrap & refrigerate. Serve them cold.

NARGISSI KOFTAY

 KOFTAY INGREDIENTS:

Minced beef               1 pound
Hard boiled eggs        6-8
Bread                         1 slice
White cumin             1 tsp
Red pepper               1/2 tsp
Salt                           1 tsp
Baking powder         1 tsp
Lemon juice             1 TBSP
Green chillies          2-3
Coriander                1/4 cup
Green Onion           3-4 strands
Garlic & ginger      1-1/2 tsp
Oil                           1 cup

GRAVY  INGREDIENTS:

Onion (white)         1 large
Tomatoes                2  Large
Garlic & ginger      1 TBSP
White cumin             1 tsp
Salt                          1 tsp
Red chillies             1 tsp
Green cardamom    2-3
Garam masala         1/2 tsp
Oil  for frying          1/2 cup

 METHOD:

1.Chop  all the ingredients  for koftay except minced beef & eggs in food processor.

2. Mix the chopped vegetables in minced beef  & cover the hard boiled eggs with it.

3. Deep fry the oval balls in oil till they turn golden brown. let them cool & then carefully cut them        in  half with sharp knife.

4. Make  gravy by frying the onions and tomatoes & adding the rest of spices . Chop the vegetables in machine to make a smooth sauce. Cook it again till the oil separates.Add one cup of water.Cook for no more than half an hour.   


5. Add the koftay in gravy & cook for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with Green chillies & coriander.

RAS MALAAI

INGREDIENTS:
Half and half milk 1 qt/4 cups
sugar 1 cup
cardamom 3-4
Dried milk 1 cup
baking powder 1 tsp
All purpose flour 1 TBSP
Sooji 1 tsp
Egg 1
Oil 1 tsp
sliced almonds and pistachios 2 TBSP

METHOD:
1. Boil milk, sugar and cardamom in a shallow pan. Lower the heat and let it slow cook for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile mix dried milk and rest of the ingredients in a bowl . Make 2 inched size round balls or oval pieces, about 10-12. Slightly grease hands to make them easily.
3.Raise the heat under the milk to medium and then add the dried milk balls one by one.
4. Toss the balls with a ladle and cook them for 5-7 minutes till they get double in size.
5. Turn off the heat and let Ras Malaai cool down.Put it in a shallow serving dish.Garnish with almonds and pistachios .

KHEER

INGREDIENTS:
Half and half milk 1 quart/4 cups
Rice 3/4 cup
sugar 1-1/4 cup
cardamom 2-3
Almond essence 1/2 tsp
sliced almonds and pistachios 2 TBSP each
Dried milk/ricotta cheese 2-3 TBSP

METHOD:
1. Soak the rice overnight in water then grind them in the food processor till they are in small pieces.
2.Boil milk and cardamom over medium heat and add the rice.Slow cook them for 45 minutes.
3.Add sugar in the milk mixture and cook for another 15 minutes.
4.In the end add the essence and dried milk or ricotta cheese to enhance the flavor of kheer.Cook for few more minutes.
5.Garnish with almonds and pistachios.

BEEF KABBOB SALAN:

INGREDIENTS:
Minced meat (beef) 1 pound
Onions 2-3
Tomatoes 3
Garlic & ginger 1tsp each
Green chillies 4-5
Cilantro ½ cup
Lemon juice 1TBSP
Bread slice 1
White cumin 2 tsp
Salt 2tsp
Green cardamom 2-3
Red pepper ½ tsp
Black pepper ½ tsp
Tumeric powder ¼ tsp
Oil 1 cup


METHOD:
1.Mince together ½ onion,½ tsp garlic & ginger each,1 tsp cumin seeds,3-4 green chillies,¼ cup cilantro, bread slice, lemon juice,¼ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt in food processor.
2.Add the above mixture in minced beef and mix well with hand. Make 7-8 balls of meat and then roll them (length wise) in the form of long siekh kabobs.
3.Take half cup oil in a skillet and fry the kabbobs over medium high heat till they turn golden brown from all sides.
4.Take a wide pan and add oil in it. Mince the onions and fry them till they turn light brown. Add garlic & ginger ½ tsp each,1 tsp cumin seeds, green cardamoms, red pepper,¼ tsp black pepper,1 tsp salt, tumeric powder.Cut tomatoes in small cubes and add to the onions. Let them cook for 15 minutes on medium heat.
5.Add the fried kabbobs to onions and tomatoes .Lower the heat and add remaining green chillies and cilantro.
6.Cook them for 15-20 minutes and serve them with naan.
TIP:
To make the kabbobs spicier, shan siekh kabbob masala can be added to taste and they can be served separately without onions and tomatoes.

BALOSHAHI

INGREDIENTS:
All purpose flour 11/2 cup
Yogurt 8 TBSP
Sugar 2 cups
Milk 2 TBSP
Baking soda ¼ tsp
Butter/ghee 2/3 cups
Water 1 cup
METHOD:
1.Sieve flour and baking soda.
2.Add butter to the flour and mix till it gets crumbly.
3.Add yogurt to it and leave it covered for 45 minutes.
4.Divide the dough in 12 equal balls. Make dents on sides and top with finger.
5.Heat the oil in a pan and fry the balls for 35 minutes till they turn golden brown.
6.Heat the sugar and water till the syrup gets stringy. Add the milk in it.
7. Soak the baloshahi for 35-40 minutes in the syrup .

KABLI CHANNAY

INGREDIENTS:
Kabli channay 2 cups
Baking soda ½ tsp
Tomato sauce 1 can
Onions 2
Green chillies 4-5
Cilantro 1 cup
Ginger 2 tsp
Potato 2
White cumin 1TBSP
Red pepper ½ tsp
tumeric powder ¼ tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Chaat masala ½ tsp
Oil 4 -5 TBSP
METHOD:
1.soak kabli channay in water with baking soda overnight. Wash them in the morning and boil them in salt water till they get soft.
2.Heat the oil in a pan fry the chopped onions. Take them out when they turn golden brown .
3.Add ginger and cumin seeds in the same oil with half of the green peppers, salt ,tamarind powder and red chillies.Fry the spices along with the cubed potatoes and then add the can of tomato sauce in it.
4.Add the boiled kabli channay in tomato sauce and let them boil.Water from the boiled kabli channay can be added half a cup in it as well.
5.In the end add the fried onions,chopped cilantro and remaining chillies .Let them cook till the sauce gets thick and potatoes get cooked in about 15 minutes.

DAHI BHALLAY

INGREDIENTS:
Dal mash ½ cup
Dal mong ½ cup
Green chillies 3-4
Ginger 1tsp
Baking powder 1tsp
White zeera 1 tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Water 2-3 TBSP
Yogurt 32 oz/2 pounds
Garbanzo beans 1 cup
Potatoes 2
Onion ½ (in small cubed pieces)
Tomatoes 1 (in small cubed pieces)
Cilantro 3 TBSP(chopped)
White zeera 1 tsp
Chaat masal 2 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
METHOD :
1.Grind the pulses after dipping them for half an hour with water, green chillies and ginger in the grinder.
2.Pour the batter in a bowl and then add zeera and salt.Deep fry the bhallas using a tablespoon of batter at a time.
TIP:
Bhallas can be stored in the freezer in a zip lock box for long period of time.
3.Boil water in a pan and dip the bhallas in it till they get soft.It takes about 5 minutes if they were taken out of the freezer. Take them out in a sieve with a large spoon and drain them well.
4.Boil potatoes after peeling and cutting them in small cubes. Boil the garbanzo beans/chanas after keeping them soaked in water with pinch of baking soda added overnight.
5.In a shallow bowl stir in the yogurt and milk.Add white zeera,salt and chat masala in it. Then mix bhallas ,potatoes , garbanzo beans ,onions, tomatoes, cilantro and green chillies.
6.Decorate the top of dahi bhallas with chaat masala ,tamarind chatni and some green and red vegetables(chillies, cilantro and tomatoes).

GULABAB JAMAN

INGREDIENTS:
Egg 1
Dried milk 2 cups
All purpose flour 1 cup
Heavy cream ½ pint
Baking powder 1 tsp
Butter 2TBSP
Oil 2-3 cups
Sugar 2 cups
Water 3 cups
Cardamom 5-6
Saffron few strands
METHOD:
1.Mix all the ingredients in a bowl from egg to butter. Make small balls almost 2 inches wide. Deep fry them in oil till they come to the surface dark brown in color.
2.Make sweet syrup with water, sugar, saffron and cardamoms. Boil it on medium heat over stove for half an hour and let it get thicken.
3.Add the fried balls to the sugar syrup till they swell three times their size.
TIPS :
Warm the gulab jaman in microwave before serving.
Sprinkle mixed nuts like almonds and pistachios over gulab jaman .
Cut the gulab jaman in half and spread cream on one and sliced almonds on the other, then join them together and put them in the platter.
The shape of gulab jaman can be changed from round to oval for variation.

ROGHNI NAAN

INGREDIENTS:
All purpose flour 2 cups
Milk ½ cup
Yogurt 4 TBSP
Dry active yeast 1 tsp
Sugar 1TBSP
Salt 1tsp
Oil 2-3 TBSP
METHOD:
1.warm the milk for 40 seconds. Add yeast, sugar and salt in it. Leave it for 5 minutes.
2.make bread dough by adding the milk mixture in flour. knead it well and then add the yogurt. The dough will get sticky after adding the yogurt .Pour half the oil over it and the dough will be easily rolled in a ball.
3.Cover the bowl of dough with a lid/plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for almost three hours.
4.Turn on the oven on broiler heat and keep a skillet over medium heat on the stove. After three hours the dough will get double. Make five balls with dough. Roll the balls with rolling pin in almost 8 inches circles. Put the flatten naan over the skillet. Make holes in it with the fork. Brush the top of naan with oil. In 2-3 minutes the bottom of naan will be cooked. It can then be transferred to the oven for cooking the top part. In almost five minutes it will turn golden brown.
TIP:
Sesame seeds, green onions and cilantro can be sprinkled over the uncooked naan for adding more flavor to it.

BAKED PUDDING

INGREDIENTS :
Whole milk 3 cups
Eggs 6
Sugar ¾ cup
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Hot water 2-3 cups
METHOD :
1.Turn on the oven at 350 degrees. Put a deep pan in the oven and fill it 2-3 inches with water.
2.Blend eggs ,milk, sugar and essence in a blending machine. Pour the mixture in a baking pan and bake in the water bath for about an hour.
3.When the pudding is done , let it rest and cool down for a while and then invert it on a serving dish. Keep it in the refrigerator and serve it cold with fruits.
TIP:
Add two table spoons of smucker’s caramel topping in the baking pan before pouring the milk mixture .This can give a nice look and color to the pudding.
vanilla essence can be substituted with Pistachio essence for a different flavor.

ZARDA/YELLOW RICE

INGREDIENTS:
Rice 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Evaporated milk ½ cup
Butter 2TBSP
Cardamom 4-5
Orange food color 1/5 tsp
Saffron strands few
Almonds , raisins ¼ cup
& pistacios
METHOD:
1.Boil the rice in water with couple of cardamoms till they are soft as required for white rice .Drain them well in a strainer .
2.Heat the butter on medium heat along with cardamoms ,food color and saffron .Add milk and sugar and bring them to boil. Mix the white rice in milk mixture. Let the milk evaporate on high heat and then leave them covered on low heat for about 15 minutes.
TIP:
Half the nuts can be mixed while adding rice in the milk mixture.
Serve the zarda in a wide platter and sprinkle the remaining nuts over it. .

KULFI/KULFA

INGREDIENTS:
Evaporated milk 1 can
Sweet and condensed milk 1 can
Heavy cream 1 pint
Regular milk 1 cup
Green cardamom 4-5
Bread slice 2
Almonds ¼ cup
Pistachios ¼ cup
Raisins ¼ cup
METHOD:
1.Take a medium bowl and start adding small pieces of bread slices(excluding the brown edges) and ground cardamoms .Then add all kinds of milk and heavy cream. Stir the mixture thoroughly . In the end add half the nuts in the mixture and leave the rest for later.
2.Take small disposable cups that shape like kulfi and pour in the mixture ¾ cup full. Sprinkle the remaining nuts over it. Cover each cup with aluminum foil tightly and then put a wooden stick through the foil in the mixture.. Freeze the cups overnight in the freezer.
TIP:
Take out the kulfi cups at least ten minutes before serving so they can come out easily and don’t remain too hard.
Kulfi can be served with thin spaghettis and Rooh Afza sherbet to be eaten as faloda.