Shrikhand



Ingredients

1 kg thick curds (dahi)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
a few saffron (kesar) strands
1 tbsp warm milk
2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder

For the garnish
pistachio slivers
almond (badam) slivers
Method
Hang the curds in a muslin cloth in a cool place for approximately 3 hours until all the liquid (whey) has drained off.
Rub the saffron into the warm milk until it dissolves.
Mix together the hung curds, sugar, saffron mixture and cardamom in a bowl and churn using a hand blender.
Serve garnished with slivers of pistachicos and almonds.
Tips
VARIATION : STRAWBERRY SHRIKHAND
Add 1 cup of sliced strawberries instead of the saffron and cardamom powder at step 3.
Adjust the sugar accroding to the sweetness of the strawberries


Thalipeeth




Ingredients
3 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
3 tbsp jowar (white millet) flour
3 tbsp whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 small onion , chopped
1 tomato , chopped
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 green chillies , finely chopped
salt to taste

Other Ingredients
oil for cooking
home made white butter to serve
Method
Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and add enough water to make a thick batter.
Heat and grease a non-stick tava.
Spread a layer of the batter to form a pancake of 4 mm. Thickness.
Cook on both sides till golden brown, using a little oil.
Repeat to make 3 more thalipeeth.
Serve hot with a dollop of home-made white butter


Vada Pav




Ingredients

8 ladi pavs (small squares of white bread)
1 recipe Dry Garlic Chutney

For the vada filling
1 1/2 cups boiled and mashed potatoes
2 green chillies, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp grated garlic
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
6 to 8 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp oil

For the outer covering
3/4 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
a pinch of baking soda
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
oil for deep-frying
Method

For the vada fillling
Pound the green chillies, ginger and garlic using a mortar and pestle.
Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
Add the pounded mixture and sauté again for a few seconds.
Add the potatoes, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
Remove from the fire and cool.
Divide into 8 equal portions. Shape into rounds.

For the outer covering
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and make a batter using approximately 1/3 cup of water.
Dip each round of the vada filling into the batter and allow it to coat the mixture well .
Deep fry in hot oil, till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.

How to proceed
Slice each pav into half and spread some dry garlic chutney inside.
Place one vada in each pav and serve immediately.
Tips
Laddi pavs are small square shaped white bread rolls which are available at local bakeries.
You can also use bread roll or slices if the pav is not available


Modak



Ingredients

For The Dough
2 cups rice flour (chawal ka atta)

For The Filling
1 1/4 cups grated jaggery (gur)
2 cups freshly grated coconut
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder

Other Ingredients
1 tsp ghee for kneading and greasing
Method
For the dough
Boil 1¾ cups of water in a deep non-stick pan.
Place the rice flour in a deep bowl and add the boiled water gradually. Mix well using a spoon in the beginning and then knead into a soft and smooth dough.
Cover with a lid and keep aside for 10 minutes.

For the filling
Heat a deep non-stick pan, add the jaggery and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the jaggery melts, while stirring continuously.
Add the coconut, poppy seeds and cardamom powder, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till all the moisture evaporates and the mixture thickens. Keep aside to cool slightly.
Divide the filling into 21 equal portions and keep aside.

How to proceed
Knead the dough once again using ½ tsp of ghee and keep aside.
Grease a modak mould using very little ghee and close it.
Take a portion of the dough, press it into the cavity of the modak mould till it is evenly lined on all the sides.
Fill the dough cavity with a portion of the filling.
Take a smaller portion of the dough and spread it evenly at the base of the modak mould so as to seal the filling.
Demould the modak from the modak mould.
Repeat steps 2 to 7 to make the remaining 20 modaks.
Place a steamer plate in a steamer and place a banana leaf on it.
Moisten all the modaks with little water using your finger tips.
Place 10 modaks on the banana leaf and steam on a medium flame for 10 minutes.
Repeat step 10 to make 11 more modaks in 1 more batch.
Serve warm