Bhel

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups puffed rice
1 onion
1 tomato
1 small boiled p eeled potato
1/2 tbsp coriander leaves
1/2 cup fine sev
1/4 cup parboiled moong sprouts -- optional
1 tsp roasted peanuts -- optional
1 tsp hot green chutney
1 1/2 tsp tamarind chutney
salt to taste
1/4 lime juice
10-12 puries (used for bhel or panipuri optional) crushed

Method:

Just before serving. In a large mixing bowl, add puffed rice, and all Ingredients except 1/4 the coriander and sev.
Mix well.
Sprinkle a few drops water if too dry.
Adjust taste and salt.
Spoon into individual bowls.
Sprinkle some sev and coriander to garnish.
Serve immediately.

Making time: 15 minutes (excl chutney making time)
Makes: 3 servings

Bharwa Baingan

Ingredients:

8-10 small rounded firm brinjals(Eggplant)
3 medium onions , chopped and roasted
3 tbsp. roasted groundnuts powdered coarsely
3 tbsp. grated fresh coconut, roasted
1 tsp cloves, roasted
2 tsp red chilli powder, roasted
2 tsp dhania-jeera(coriander-cumin seed mixture ), roasted and powdered
1 small bunch coriander leaves, chopped and roasted
salt to taste
2-3 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp each mustard and cumin seeds
1/2 cup curds(plain unflavored yoghurt)

Method:

Wash and the clean brinjals. Make 2 slits to form a cross.
Rub them with some curd and salt and set aside.
Mix all the roasted masala in the blender with some curd to make a smooth filling.
Stuff some of this mixture into each slit of the brinjals.
Heat oil in a heavy or non-stick pan, add the mustard, cumin seeds wait to splutter, slide in the brinjals slowly.
Any mixture which is remaining can be now added to cover the vegetable.
Add some water.
Simmer till the vegetable is tender and done.

Bharva Bhindi

Ingredients:

1 lb Bhendi, washed
1 large onion , sliced finely
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp lemon juice

For stuffing:

1 1/2 tsp red chili pwd
1 tsp amchoor
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp saunf(fennel)
2 tsp dhania pwd
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:

Make one slit on each bhendi and set side.
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil and fry the stuffing masala till well browned.
Not more than a minute.
Stuff each bhendi with this masala and keep the remaining aside.
Heat the remaining oil, add the cumin seeds and when they splutter add the sliced onions.
When the onions start browning, add the remaining masala and the bhendi pieces.
Sprinkle some water and salt and cook covered on a low flame for 30 minutes.
Keep turning occassionally.
When the bhendi is done, take off the stovetop and sprinkle the lemon juice.
Mix well.
Serve hot with chapati/rice and dal.

Bhakar Wadi

(Spicy gram flour snack)

Serves: Four
Time required: One hour

Ingredients:

240 g. gram flour
120 g. wheat flour
salt to taste
a pinch of asafoetida
oil for deep frying
100 g. grated coconut
60 g. sesame seeds
60 g. poppy seeds
103
a pinch of sugar
salt and chilli powder to taste
100 g. coriander leaves, chopped fine
a marble sized ball of tamarind, soaked in a little water
black masala powder (branded curry powder) to taste

Method:

MIX together gram flour and wheat flour. Add salt, asafoetida, 60 ml. hot oil and enough water.
Knead to a stiff dough.
Keep it aside.
Roast the grated coconut, sesame seeds and poppy seeds and grind to a powder.
Add sugar, salt, chilli powder and coriander leaves to the masala powder to prepare the filling for bhakar wadi.
Add tamarind pulp and black masala powder and mix well.
Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a thin rectangular shaped chappati.
Spread the filling all over the chappati and roll up the dough with the filling into a tight cylindrical shape.
Seal the edges with a little water.
Cut into three cm long pieces and deep fry in hot oil till brown and crisp.
Remove from oil and store in an airtight container.

Baingan Bhartha

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
1 medium o nion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
4 green chillies, chopped finely
1 cup cooked green peas
1 1/2 tsp dhania-jeera ( cumin -corainder) powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp amchoor(mango powder)
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp cooking oil

Method

Rub 1/2 tsp oil on the eggplant and bake in an oven till the skin shrinks and liquid starts oozing out of the vegetable.
This will take around 30-45 minutes at 400 deg F.
Take it out of the oven and peel it.
Mash the baigan and add the salt to it.
Heat the remaining oil and add the chopped onion.
Fry till the onions turns translucent.
Add the green chillies and the tomatoes and fry till the mixture becomes homogeneous.
Now add all the spices and the sugar and fry for a minute.
Add the baigan and mix well.
Now add the peas and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the chopped coriander leaves and some water to get a thick consistency.Mix well.
Heat through.
Serve when hot with plain rice/paratha.

Besan Ladoo

Ingredients :

Besan - 4 cups (a bit thicker than ordinary)
Sugar - 2 cups (powdered)
Almonds (Badam) - 20-25 nos. (chopped)
Ghee - 1 cup
Cardamom pwd. - 1 tsp.

Method :

1. Heat the ghee in a pan.
2. Add besan part by part and mix it well. Keep on low flame. Keep stirring to avoid burning.
3. When the aroma comes, remove from heat and cool.
4. Add the powdered sugar to it and mix well.
5. Add the almonds and shape the mixture into balls.

Besan Burfi

Ingredients:

1 cup Besan
1 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
4 seeds Cardamom Nuts (optional)

Method:

Melt shortening in a pan. Turn down heat and add cardamom and Besan.
Fry, stirring constantly to prevent burning until it has changed to a brown color and smells .
(Test: a few drops of water sprinkled on it sputters instantly).
Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar.
Spread 1/2" thick onto a platter.
Cut into diamond shapes after it has cooled down.

Beetroot Parathas

Ingredients:

2 cups wheat flour
Water for kneading the dough
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee
Add two tbsp. ghee to wheat flour. Mix well, add enough water to knead to a soft dough.

For the stuffing:
2 cups beetroot, grated fine
4 medium sized onions
4 green chillies
2.5 cm. ginger
4 flakes garlic
1 tsp. garam masala powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Method

Grind all the Ingredients, except garam masala powder, to a paste.
Heat ghee in a vessel and fry the beetroot paste on a low flame.
Cook covered, till the mixture is almost dry.
Remove from heat.
Divide the paratha dough into small balls.
Roll out each ball into a small puri, put a little beetroot filling in the centre and seal the edges.
Roll out into parathas.
Heat tawa, add some ghee and fry the parathas till light brown.

Beetroot Halwa

Ingredients:

1 kg beetroot
1 1/2 litre milk
400-500 gm sugar
Elaichi powder (cardomon)
saffron few flakes
1 tbsp ghee


Method:

Peel and grate beetroot
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.