Rasgulla

Adapted from : Rakskitchen

Ingredients:

Milk - 4 cups
Lemon juice - 2 - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 3 cups
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Ice cubes - 7-8
Pistachios for decorating

Method:

1. Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan on medium flame. Keep stirring so that the the bottom of the pan doesn't turn brown. I boil the milk in a milk cooker and once boil transferred it to a heavy bottom pan.
2. Once the milk is boiled slowly add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and stir well.  Heat for another few minutes in low flame. Once the whey water separates, switch off the flame.
3. Add ice cubes immediately. It will help in stopping the curdling process.
4. Line a strainer with a cheese cloth and pour the contents into it. Reserve the whey water. You can use it while making chappathis .
5. Rinse the milk solids under running water so as to remove the sourness of the lemon juice.
6. Gather the cloth from all sides and squeeze it with the hands to remove excess water. Hang it for 30 minutes.
7. After half an hour, take out the paneer into a bowl. It will be crumbled now.
8. Knead it for 8-10 minutes with your hands to make it a soft dough.
9. Make small balls from this dough. I got around 15 balls. Cover it with a moist cloth.
10. Now take a pressure cooker and add sugar and water to it. Also add cardamom powder. Once the water starts boiling , slowly add the balls to it.
11. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium- high flame.
12. Allow the rasgullas to cool down and refrigerate it for 3-4 hrs.

Serve chilled!

Paneer makhanwala

Adapted from: Vegrecipesofindia

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250gm, cut into small cubes
Onion - 1 , medium
Tomatoes - 2
Green chilly - 1
Garlic - 3
Ginger - 1 " piece
Cashews - 10- 12
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 2 or 3
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Jeera - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil/Butter - 2 tbsp
Cream - 1/4 cup



Method:

1. Roughly chop the onions, tomatoes , green chilly, garlic and  ginger . Add these to a pan along with cashews, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Now add 1 cup water and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or till the tomatoes and onions are cooked completely.
2. Allow the mixture to cool down completely . Then grind it to a smooth paste.
3. Meanwhile heat the pan with a tbsp of oil/butter . Shallow fry the paneer cubes till the sides are lightly browned. Keep aside.
4. Heat another tbsp of oil/butter and add jeera. When the jeera splutters, add the onion-tomato mixture along with turmeric powder and red chilly powder . Stir well. The mixture might splutter a lot. So keep the lid closed till the gravy starts thickening . Stir till the gravy has thickened and oil starts separating.
5. Now add salt and 1 cup water and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Next add the paneer cubes and stir gently.
7. Lastly add cream, garam masala and kasuri methi. Stir and simmer for a minute.

Serve hot with chappathis or  roti !

Easy Dal tadka

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1 cup
Onion - 1 , chopped
Tomatoes - 2, chopped
Ginger - 1 " piece, finely chopped
Green chilly - 2 , finely chopped
Water - 3 cups
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Hing/ Asafoetida - a pinch or two
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Tempering/Tadka

Ghee - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1/4 tsp
Hing/ Asafoetida - a pinch
Red chilly - 1 or 2
Ginger - 1/2 tsp , finely chopped


Method:

1. Wash the toor dal for 3-4 times. Add it to the pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water.
2. Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger and green chilles to the dal.
3. Next add turmeric powder and hing and give a stir. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles in medium flame.
4. Once the pressure is released, open the pressure cooker and add salt, garam masala and coriander leaves. Cook for 2 -3 minutes.
5. In a small pan , add oil and ghee for the tempering. Once hot, add the jeera, red chilly, kasuri methi, hing and chopped ginger.
6. Pour the tempering over the dal and mix well.

Serve hot with rice or chappathi!