Sev Usal

Serves:6

Ingredients:
Vaghaar of Jeeru, Rye, Dry pepper, taj, laving, asafetida, bay leaves
Add 5-6 cloves garlic
Add chopped 1 yellow onion
Add marchu, haldar, dhana jeeru and some sev usal masalo
Add limb
Add pressure cooked peas (cooked with some salt and some sugar)

Serve with green chutney, sev, yogurt and sweet yogurt and bhusu if optional 

Turyia shak

Jeera vaghar, hing
Salt
Marchu, dhana Jeeru
Gaud

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
1 medium size turiya
Salt
Jeeru seeds
Hing
Oil
Turmeric
Dhana Jeeru
Marchu
Gaud (optional)

Method:
Heat oil. Do vaghar of Jeeru, haldar and hing. Add turiya. Add salt and some water. Cover and allow to cook until soft. Once cooked, add gaud, dhana Jeeru and marchu. 

Pav Bhaji

Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1.5 onions (which kind is better?), finely diced
3 medium tomatoes (equivalent to amount of onions)
7-8 cloves garlic, shredded
Ginger
2-3 medium size jalapeño, shredded. Start with 2
Juice of 1/2 lemon to start
Salt, to taste
Butter, when sautéing all this
Mtr brand Pav bhaji masalo

Chat Masalo

Also you will use cilantro, chopped onions , masalo, lemon, tomato purée, laal marchu, butter when cooking

Pressure cooker-
1 cauliflower, 1 cup peas, 1 peeled potato, 1/2 large eggplant, green beans

Preparation:

Mumbai Pav Bhaji

Serves: 2

Ingredients
1/4 diced green capsicum
1 very small potato or half a regular potato. Boiled and mashed
Handful of peas or half a handful
1 chopped Roma tomato
1 bunch chopped dhana
1/2 chopped onion or less
Ginger garlic paste (2 spoonfuls)
Badshah Pav bhaji masala
Kauri methi
Lemon juice
Hing
Butter

Method
1. Add capsicum in skillet. Add water
2. Then add tomato, peas and potato. Sprinkle turmeric, red chili and salt and one spoonful of ginger garlic paste).  Add more water and let the veggies come to a boil and cook. Keep mashing so you cannotrecognize the veggies.
3. Add some butter and Pav bhaji masala and keep mashing.
4. Separately, add some butter and cook the onions. Add hing, Maduri methi, coriander leaves and lemon juice.
5. Now mix everything together and allow it to cook until you can't recognize the veggies. Everything should be soft and mashed.

Use yellow onion and not res. Last time it was too spicy. Less pau bhaji masalo. 

Swatibens Frankie

Ingredients:
Store bought frozen paratha
Yogurt (water removed, also called mavo)
Cream cheese (yogurt and cream cheese 1:1 proportion)
Shredded carrot, white cabbage, cilantro, scallions, green chili
Salt
Red onion on top
Cilantro on top
Sandwich or chat masalo
Red chili flakes

Neesh thinks add lemon and garlic 

Swatiben's Puri

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chana no lot
 1/4c Ravi
Add salt, marchu, haldar and tal
Add oil
Bind with milk
Cut out with cookie cutter

Goondar

Ingredients
50g Goondar
1/4 Gallon Milk
50g Ganthoda
25g Soot
Cuscus
1/4c Coonut
1/4c Almond
Pista
Elaichi
Sugar

1. Boil Milk
2. Roast Gundar in Ghee
3. Mix milk and Gundar at low heat until the milk gets clumpy. It will boil.
4. Keep doing this and stirring until it's thick, until it looks like popcorn kernels,
5. Add sugar, about 1/4c. Allow it to cool until water boils off.
6. Once it's like soggy Sheero, add the soot Ganthoda.
7. Add cuscus and elaichi. 

Kicchu or PApdi No Lot

Serves:
Ingredients:
Chokha No Lot (Rice Flour)
Kharo (Indian equivalent of Baking Powder), 1 Spoonful
Salt, 2 Spoonfuls
Jeera Seeds (Cumin Seeds), to taste
Leela Marcha (Green Chili), to taste. Optional
Tal (Sesame Seeds), to taste. Optional

Preparation:



Preparation:

Saragva (Drumstick) Nu Shak

Serves:

Ingredients:
1/2 Yellow Onion
1/2 Bunch Palak (Spinach)
1/2 Bunch Saragva (Drumstick Greens)
Adu (Ginger), to taste
Chopped Garlic (Lasan), to taste
Lela Marchand (Green Chilis), shredded

For tempering: Use Hing (Asafetida) and Jeera Seeds (Cumin Seeds)

Avocado Pistachio Milkshake

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 Avocado

1/2 Cup Pistachio

1/3 Banana

Elaichi (Cardamom), to taste - start with 1 tsp and add more based on your taste preference

Milk (enough to obtain consistency)

Water (add just a  little bit in replacement of milk to keep it from becoming too thick)

3-4 Ice Cubes

Agave, to taste (I also add 1-2 spoons of sugar….I try to be healthy most of the time but this drink just requires a little bit of old fashioned sugar!)

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a blender (Vitamix) and blend! 

Suva & Mug Ni Daal (Dill & Lentil)

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:
2 bunches Fresh Suva (Dill), finely chopped
2-3 cloves Lasan (Garlic), finely chopped
1/2 Leelu Marchu (Green Chili), shredded
1/2 cup Dry Mug Ni Daal (Moong Daal) - preferably soaked for at least 1/2 hour. The longer the lentils have soaked, the shorter you cook time will be before you add the Suva.
Salt, to taste
Cooking Oil
Hing (Asofetida)
Haldar (Turmeric)

Preparation:
1. Temper the Hing, Haldar, Garlic and Green Chili's.
2. Add the Mug Ni Daal and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes
3. Pour in at least 1 cup of water. Keep adding water as needed until the lentils are soft and tender. This all depends on how long the lentils soaked for before you started the cooking process.
4. Salt, to taste
5. Add the Chopped Suva and mix
6. You are done once the lentils have become completely soft (but are still firm, meaning they continue to hold their shape.

Enjoy warm with Rotli or Rotla! 

Neesh's Morning Hashbrown Pancake

Serves: 2-3
Ingredients:
2 Potatoes, shredded (Red Potatoes are best but the pictures here are of Regular Potatoes)
2 Small Green Tomatoes, chopped
1 Red Tomato, chopped
1/2 large Zucchini, chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Sour Cream
Salsa
Shredded Cheese (whatever kind you like!)
Optional* Mint Leaves to Garnish

Preparation:
1. Shred the potatoes and soak in cold water while you cook the veggies!
2. Saute Tomatoes and Zucchini until soft. Add salt & pepper. Once soft, turn the gas off.
3. Spray a skillet with olive oil and cook the shredded potatoes as shown below in pictures. Make them into little hash brown pancakes the size you want them.
4. Add salt & pepper to taste. Cook on low heat until they are slightly browned and crispy.
5. Right before you remove the potato pancake off the skillet....top with cheese first and allow the cheese to melt.
5. Now remove one potato pancake at a time and place on your serving plate. Top with Tomato/Zucchini Mixture, Sour Cream, Salsa and Mint.
6. You can also eat with Ketchup if you want!

Ba's Keda Ni Bhakri (Banana Flatbread)

Makes: Approximately 8 Bhakri

Ingredients:
1 cup Whole Wheat Sujata Ata Flour
1 Jalapeno, shredded
Salt, to taste
Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1/2 tsp
1 Ripe Banana (the more ripe it is, the better it will taste!)
Jeeru Powder (Cumin Powder)
Optional - If these ingredients do not form a nice dough, use water as needed

Iron Pan
Cooking Oil

Preparation:
1. Mix all the ingredients together and form into a Bhakri Dough (similar to pizza dough)...one you can roll out into circles with a rolling pin/velan.
2. Roll out one at a time the same way you would make Bhakri (see pictures below).
3. Place them one at a time on the iron pan with the gas flame on low-medium.
4. When you see bubbles popping up, the Bhakri is semi-cooked on one side and is ready to be flipped.
5. Flip the Bhakri and allow it to cook another 30-40 seconds on that side.
6. Now add some cooking oil and spread evenly all over the Bhakri. Flip and repeat the same thing on the other side.
7. Remove immediately from the gas and place in separate dish so they can cool.
8. Enjoy as many as you want now, and put the rest in a closed container with a tight lid so they stay nice and soft for the next time you want your fill!

Dhanshak

You say you want comfort food? Boy, have I got the queen of comfort foods right here! It's called Dhanshak and it's a blend of different daals mixed with veggies and flavorful spices - all in one pot! Eat warm with rotli or some jeera rice, but your palette will be very satisfied!

Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
Combine the following in a pressure cooker and blend once cooked -
3 Tbsp Moong Daal
3 Tbsp Masoor Daal
3 Tbsp Chana Daal
3 Tbsp Adad Daal
1/3 Dudhi (Opo), peeled and chopped
2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped

Temper and Saute the following ingredients -
Ghee
Jeera Seeds
4-5 Laving (Cloves)
6-8 Limbdo Leaves (Curry Leaves)
3-4 Fudino Leaves (Mint Leaves)
Haldar (Turmeric Powder)
Marchu (Red Chili Powder)
Dhana Jeeru (Cumin-Coriander Powder)
Salt
1 1/2 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves Lasan (Garlic), finely chopped
2 tomatoes (or the equivalent of 1 1/2 onion), finely chopped
Lemon

Preparation:

Handvo (Indian Baked Opo Snack)

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
1 Opo (Dudhi), peeled and shredded
1 Serrano Pepper (Leela Marcha), finely shredded
3-4 cloves Garlic (Lasan), finely shredded
~ Approximately 1 garlic cloves worth of shredded Ginger (Adu)
1 bunch chopped Cilantro (Dhana)
1/4 cup Yogurt
Handvo Flour (enough to obtain texture in pictures, ~ 1/2 cup)
Salt, to taste
Sesame Seeds, garnish

Tempering:
Cooking Oil
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
Asofetida (Hing)
Dry Red Chili

Preparation:
1. Add some salt to the shredded Opo and let stand for 2-3 minutes so that some water will be released.
2. Now add Handvo Flour until you can make small, loose balls out of the dough (Not too hard, not too soft).
3. Add the spices and let sit overnight.
4. Then add yogurt and chopped Cilantro
5. Now pour the Vaghar over the Handvo
6. Top with sesame seeds.
7. Cook in the oven at Temperature 350 for approximately 40 minutes, then for 5 minutes on convection heat or the top layer gets crispy.

Handvo Flour:
Grind together in a Vitamix - Rice, Toor Daal and Moong Daal in 2:1:1 proportion. 

Homemade Granola

Sooo easy, you have to try it!

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
Almonds + Walnuts (coarsely processed) - use the amount desired in the granola. Take advantage of the fact that it's homemade and customized!
Raisins or Cranberries, to taste
1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Agave or Honey
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar (or less if desired)
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil


Preparation:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients on a baking sheet which include: oats, almonds, walnuts and raisins.
2. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients which include: agave or honey, brown sugar, canola oil, salt and vanilla extract.
3. Now add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients on the baking sheet and mix/coat well. Make sure it is all evenly spread.
4. Toss in the oven at 325 degrees and bake until golden brown (10-15 minutes). Open the oven once in between and toss the granola so that it cooks evenly on all sides.

Yummy! 

Muug Daal Shak (Moong Daal Curry)

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Split Moong Daal (approximately 1 cup)
Salt
Ginger (Adu)
Green Chili (Leela Marcha)

Tempering:
Cooking Oil
Turmeric (Haldar)
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
A pinch Asofetida (Hing)
Chopped Garlic (Lasan)

Preparation:
1. Cook the Split Moong Daal until soft, either in a pressure cooker or stovetop. The first few times I made this, I did it stovetop so I could add water as I went along and make sure I got it to the desired consistency (You could end up with a soup if over-watered!)
2. Once cooked, warm oil in a separate Vagharyu for tempering. Once warm, add Asofetida, Mustard Seeds, Turmeric and Chopped Garlic.
3. Add the Vagharyu to the Daal.
4. Now add Salt, Ginger and Serrano Pepper to taste.

Dudhi Nu Shak (Opo Curry)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Dudhi (Opo) - Medium Size, chopped
Jeeru Seeds (Cumin Seeds)
Salt
Haldar (Turmeric)
Marchu (Red Chili Powder)
Dhana/Jeeru Powder (Cumin/Coriander)
Dhana (Cilantro Chopped)
Hing (Asofetida)

Preparation:
1. Pressure cook chopped Opo in a cooker until soft/tender.
2. In a separate pan, warm cooking oil. Once warm, add Cumin seeds and Asafetida.
3. When Cumin seeds start "dancing" in the oil, add the Opo.
4. Add Turmeric, Cumin/Coriander Powder and Red Chili Powder.
5. Add Chopped Cilantro as garnish.

Enjoy! You have simple Dudhi Nu Shak! Allow it to cook a little more so the spices can all integrate!

Kadhi (Homemade Yogurt Soup)

In the same way that we Indians/Gujarati's eat our meals with Daal... we like to change it up now and then. And when we do, we make Kadhi. For the first 4 years of my marriage, I used to slave over Daal and it wasn't until way late in the game I realize that Kadhi would have been soooo much easier to make all those years after a long day at work!

When you know better, you do better. So here's to simple, quick dinners and yummy food! 

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

Yogurt (1.5 cup)

Water (2.5 cup)

Besan Flour (Chickpea Flour) 1 small vadki full

Turmeric (Haldar)

Salt

Green Chili paste (Green Marchu)

Ginger paste (Adu)
Sugar (optional)
Chopped Cilantro
Sliced potatoes, onions (optional)

Tempering:

Ghee (Clarified)

Curry Leaves

Asofetida (Hing)

Cumin Seeds (Jeeru)

Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)...very little

Preparation: 

1. In a small bowl, combine the Yogurt, Water and Chickpea flour. Mix it with a hand blender and make sure there are no lumps. You will see them in your final product if these ingredients are not mixed well now!

2. Once blended, add a pinch of Turmeric. Add salt to taste. To this same bowl, add half a sliced green chili and a smidgen of ginger paste. Note: You can also add green chili paste but because there are so many warm spices in this meal, it becomes spicy very quickly. Go easy, especially if you're making it for the first time. Adding the sliced green chili will give your Kadhi flavor without kicking up the heat level. You can remove it before serving.

3. Now place this mixture in a pan and turn the stove on low-medium heat. With water + yogurt, you need them to mix evenly. And for this to happen, you must keep stirring your pot until you reach a boil (6-8 minutes). If you don't do this, the yogurt and water will separate...you don't want that after the effort you've put in so far. So keep stirring!

4. Once that is complete, in a Vagharyu (a small pan, temper the remaining ingredients). Place some ghee (clarified butter) in the Vagharyu. Once it's warm, add the Jeeru and Methi (if the temperature is right, they will be "dancing" around in the ghee when you put them in). Quickly add a small piece of cinnamon stick, 2-3 cloves, a pinch of asafetida and 3-4 curry leaves. Once they are all dancing and sizzling, pour it all into the Kadhi pot. 

5. If you have to have something sweet, and tonight is the night to impress or to indulge...go ahead and add some sugar. We enjoy this dish just as much without the sugar. Try some both ways and let me know! Enjoy ;) 

Bhaji Na Muthiya (Steamed Spinach Dumplings)

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded Dudhi (Opo), with water
Salt, to taste
Fada (Indian Lentil) - 1/4 cup
Oil (1 tsp)
Muthiya No Lot (Muthiya Flour) 1 3/4 cup approximately
Turmeric (Haldar)
Cumin/Coriander Powder (Dhana/Jeeru)
Red Chili Powder (Laal Marchu)
Asofteida (Hing)
Mustard Seeds (Rye)
Chopped Garlic (Chopped Lasan)

Preparation:
1. Mix the above ingredients. Add enough Muthiya Flour so you achieve desired consistency which is a soft/sticky dough that you can manipulate into smaller balls.
2. Prepare the steam cooker: spray oil on the tray you plan on putting into your steam cooker.
3. Create smaller balls from the dough and place into the tray.
4. Steam for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. You can eat them this way with yogurt, your favorite "Athanu" or "Chas."
6. Optional: Tempering - Warm oil and add Mustard Seeds, Asafetida and chopped Garlic in a large pan. Once the mustard seeds pop, add the muthiya inside and mix completely. Enjoy!