Veg-Starters

Pan-fried mushrooms

 

Ingredients

20-24 fresh button mushrooms, quartered

½ cup porcini mushrooms (optional)

½ cup oyster mushrooms (optional)

1 small red capsicum, seed and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olinve oil

2 medium onions, cuto into ½- inch cubes

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon red chilli sauce

½ tablespoon vinegar

Salt to taste

8-10 black peppercorns, crushed

7-8 fresh basil leaves, torn

Methods

• If using porcini an oyster mushrooms, soak them in lukewarm water for twenty minutes. Drain, Wash well and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat. When they turn translucent, add the garlic and stir-fry for a minute.
• Add the mushrooms and the red and yellow capsicums and sauté on high heat for three minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, chilli sauce and vinegar and sauté for a further two minutes.
• Add the thyme, salt and crushed peppercorns.
• Remove from heat, stir in the basil leaves and serve hot.

This is an exciting stir-fry for mushroom lovers. The vegetables and mushrooms remain crunchy and the capsicum provide vitamin C.

Quesadillas

 

Ingredients

 Tortillas

1 cup cormeal

½ cup wholewheat flour

Salt to taste

¼ cup milk

Filling

6 teaspoons olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped

6-8 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups kidney beans, boiled

6 tablespoons tomato ketchup

4 green chillies, chopped

2 teaspoons paprika

Salt to taste

2 cups grated cheese

4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

• Mix together the cornmeal, wholewheat flour and salt. Knead into a soft dough with milk and half a cup of water. Cover with a damp piece of muslin and set aside for a few minutes.
• Divide the dough into eight equal portions and roll each portion into a thin ten-inch round tortilla (chapatti). Lightly cook each tortilla on a hot tawa on both sides and set aside.
• To make the filling, heat two teaspoons of oil in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic for one minute.
• Add the boiled kidney beans, tomato ketchup, green chillies, paprika and salt and cook for two to three minutes.
• Heat a tawa and place a tortilla on it. Spread one-fourth portion of the filling, top with one-fourth portion of the cheese and fresh coriander. Cover with another tortilla.
• Drizzle one teaspoon oil all round. Turn the tortilla over gently when the underside is cooked. Cook the other side. Similarly make three more quesadillas with the remaining ingredients.
• Remove, cut into wedges and serve hot.

A touch of easy Mexican for your daily menu. Another plus point: it`s really nutritious.

Dilli aloo kachalu chaat

 

Ingredients

2 large potatoes, parboiled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large sweet potato, parboiled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 inch ginger, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon Date and tamarind Chutney

1 teaspoon chaat masala

½ teaspoons roasted cumin powder

2 green chillies, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

• In a small bowl, add one teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt to the ginger strips and keep in the refrigerator till use.
• Heat the oil in a non-stich pan till medium hot. Place the potato pieces and sauté till crisp and golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
• Add the sweet potato pieces to the same oil and sauté till crisp and golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
• Transfer the potatoes and sweet potatoes into a big bowl. Add the salt, date and tamarind chutney, chaat masala, chilli powder, cumin powder, green chillies, fresh coriander and the remaining lemon juice and mix well.
• To serve, transfer the mixture into a serving bowl, garnish with ginger strips and serve immediately.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are a good source of energy and complex carbohydrates, which keep you full for a longer time.

Green chana chaat

 

Ingredients

11/2 cups dried green Bengal gram, soaked overnight

2 medium onions, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

2-3 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Black salt to taste

1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder

1 teaspoon chaat masala

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

• Pressure cook the soaked green chana in three cups of water till the pressure is released two to three times (two to three whistles) or till done.
• Transfer the chana into a kadai and simmer till all the water evaporates.
• Place the hot chana in a bowl. Add the onions, tomatoes, green chilies, fresh coriander, black salt, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, chilli powder and lemon juice and mix well.
• Serve immediately.

Though best made with fresh green chana in season, you can use dried ones too. Perk them up with spring onion greens and chopped paneer or tofu. Colour and taste attract children since these two factors increase the palatability of the dish.

 

Fruit chaat

 

Ingredients

½ small papaya, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 kiwi fruits, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ cup pomegranate kernels

½ cup orange segments

½ cup sweet lime segments

1 medium apple, cut into 1-inch cubes

¼ cup seedless green grapes, halved

¼ cup seedless black grapes, halves

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ tablespoons chaat masala

Rock salt to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

• Place the papaya, kiwi fruits, pomegranate, orange and sweet lime segments, apple and green and black grapes in a large bowl and place in a refrigerator to chill thoroughly.
• Just before serving, sprinkle chilli powder, chaat masala and rock salt. Add the lemon juice and toss the fruits well. Serve immediately.

Fruits all put together make a splendid sight indeed. Try adding a few fresh mint leaves for those little bursts of freshness. Fruits are an excellent snack to have in-between meals. In fact this medley can be made with any seasonal fruits.

Peanut chaat

Ingredients

2 cups raw peanuts in their shells

1 tablespoons sea salt 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

 Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon chat masala

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

• Pressure-cook the peanuts in five cups of water with sea salt and turmeric powder till the pressure is released four to five times
• Drain and shell the peanuts
• Place the peanuts in a bowl. Add the salt, chat masala, chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, onion, tomato, green chillies, fresh coriander, lemon juice and mix well.
• Serve hot or cold

The only time consuming part is the shelling of the peanuts, otherwise it is a quick recipe.

Rajma galouti kababs

 

Ingredients

1 cup red kidney beans

8 cashew nuts

1 tablespoon chironji

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

4 green cardamoms

3 black cardamoms

2 cloves

½ inch cinnamon

A generous pinch of saffron

¼ teaspoon kewra water

1 tablespoon oil+ for greasing the pan

½ inch ginger, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

3 green chilies, chopped

2 tablespoons grated khoya/mawa

½ tablespoon white pepper powder

Salt to taste

½ tablespoon lemon juice

1 spring fresh mint 1 medium onion, cut into thin rings

Method

• Soak the rajma in plenty of water overnight. Drain and boil in plenty of fresh water until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside.
• Dry-roast the cashew nuts and chironji and grind together using a little water to a fine paste.
• Dry-roast the caraway seeds, green and black cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
• Soak the saffron in the kewra water.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Add the chillies and sauté for one minute.
• Add the boiled rajma and cook for three to four minutes. Add the cashew nut paste and stir-fry for four to five minutes. Add the khoya, white pepper powder and salt. Stir-fry for another four to five minutes.Remove the pan from the heat and leave the beans to cool.
• Mash the rajma to a smooth paste. (if the paste is not firm, cook it further in a non-stick pan to thicken it). Sprinkle the roasted spice powder and soaked saffron.
• Mix in the lemon juice, divide the mixture into eight equal portions, press them lightly into tikki.
• Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly. Cook the tikki until lightly coloured on both sides. Serve hot, garnished with the mint and onion rings.

The vegetarian version of the famous, melt-in the mouth lamb galouti kabab can be made variously with yam, peas or spinach, but the ones using red kidney beans come closet to the original delicacy. Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fibre, as are most other beans. In addition their high-fibre content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

Hara bhara kabab

 

Ingredients

100 grams fresh spinach leaves, blanched and chopped

¼ cup shelled green peas, boiled and mashed

3-4 medium potatoes, boil and grated

2 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

1 inch ginger, chopped

1 teaspoon chat masala

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

• Mix together the spinach, peas and potatoes. Add the green chillies, fresh coriander, ginger, chat masala and salt. Add the cornflour for binding.
• Divide the mixture into twenty-four portions. Shape each portion into a ball and then press it between your palms to give it a flat tikki shape.
• Heat the oil in a non0stick pan. Shallow-fry the tikki for two to three minutes on each side.
• Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

This would be recommended that you do not add artificial colour to this recipe. You may increase the quantity of spinach leaves for a darker green colour. In that case add a little more cornflour for binding.

Masala dosa chat

 

Ingredients

2 cups dosa batter

Red chilli-garlic chutney as required

1 ½ cups potato bhaji, lightly mashed

2 large onions, chopped

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 ½ teaspoons chat masala

Oil for shallow- frying

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Ragda

½ cup dries white peas, soaked overnight

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

A pinch of asafetida

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons chat masala

2 teaspoons date and tamarind chutney

Method

• For the ragda, pressure cook the dried white peas in three cups of water with the turmeric powder, asafetida and salt till the pressure is released four to five times or till soft. Mash the peas slightly. Add the chat masala and date and tamarind chutney and a little water if too thick and simmer for ten minutes. Keep the ragda hot.
• Heat and season a non-stick dosa tawa. Place a small ladleful of dosa batter on the tawa and spread evenly to make an eight-inch diameter dosa. Drizzle half a teaspoon of oil around the dosa and cook on low heat for half a minute.
• Spread a little red chilli-garlic chutney all over the dosa. Sprinkle some onions, tomatoes, chilli powder and chat masala. Place a small portion of potato bhaji in the centre. Press gently with a back of a ladle till lightly mashed and spread all over the dosa.
• Drizzle some more oil and cook over low heat so that the underside turns golden and crisp.
• Roll the dosa up tightly like a spring roll, transfer onto a plate and cut into equal lengths. Similarly arrange on a serving platter.
• Spoon ragda generously over the dosa, garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Accept the compliments that come your way for this creative presentation! Ensure that the ragda is warm. Don’t skip the red chilli-garlic chutney because that is what adds the maximum punch.

Dabeli

 

Ingredients

4 round buns

1 ½ tablespoons dabeli masala powder

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup date and tamarind chutney

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup masala moongpali

¼ cup grated coconut

¼ cup fresh pomegranate kernels

10-12 black grapes, chopped

½ cup nylon sev

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

¼ cup red chilli-garlic chutney

2 medium onions, chopped

Method

• Heat one tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan. Add the potatoes, salt and a little water. Mix well and add the dabeli masala, lemon juice, half a cup of date and tamarind chutney and sugar. Mix and cook till the moisture is absorbed. Spread the mixture on a plate.
• Sprinkle the masala peanuts, coconut, pomegranate, black grapes, half the sev and fresh coriander over the top.
• Slit the pavs horizontally without cutting through. Spread the red chilli-garlic chutney, a layer of the potato stuffing, date and tamarind chutney, onion and sev in between the two halves.
• Place the stuffed pav on a hot nonstick tawa. Press slightly and toast on both sides with the remaining oil till done. Serve immediately.

There is something about this sandwich that makes it so endearing: that something is the masala perhaps, or the crunch of the peanuts, or the punch of the chutneys… ask any kid what they want to eat and very often the answer will be dabeli! This popular street snack can be made using less oil and butter at home.

Masala khichia papad

 

Ingredients

8 khichia papad

8 teaspoons butter

4 tablespoons green chutney

2 tablespoons red chilli-garlic chutney

2 tablespoons chat masala

4-5 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

• Dry-roast all the khichia papad till crisp
• Drizzle one tablespoon of butter over each papad, and top with dollops of the chutneys.
• Sprinkle chat masala and fresh coriander and serve immediately before the papad becomes soggy

This is something exclusive as it is a roadside treat in the western parts of the country. It is a simple papad made glorious with chutneys….. something that can be rustled up at home at a moment’s notice. Marwari’s make their own khichia and usually serve it as a snack; roasted crisp with blackened edges and drizzled quite liberally with pure ghee and chilli powder.

Vegetable seekh kabab

Ingredients

1 medium potato, boiled and mashed

1 medium carrot, grated

½ cup green peas, crushed

5-6 French beans, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried mango powder

2 teaspoons chat masala

3-4 green chillies, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons chhunda

3 tablespoons roasted Bengal gram powder

150 grams skimmed milk cottage cheese, grated

Salt to taste

Method

• Heat a non-stick kadai. Add the ginger paste and cook for half a minute. Add the mashed potato, carrot, green peas and French beans and roast till fragrant.
• Add the dried mango powder, chat masala, green chillies, chhunda and the roasted Bengal gram powder and continue to cook for two to three minutes.
• Add the cottage cheese and mix well. Add the salt and mix again.
• Divide into eight equal portions. Take each portion and mould it around a skewer in a cylindrical shape.
• Heat a non-stick tawa and place the skewers on it. Cook on medium heat, rotating the skewers from time to time so that the kababs get cooked evenly from all sides, to a golden brown.
• Serve hot with a chutney of your choice.

Why not serve these at your next party? Simple to make, they look great and will encourage your friends to go in for low-fat cooking! Filled with veggies, these kababs are good for health.

Broken wheat upma

 

Ingredients

1 cup fine broken wheat

¼ cup skimmed milk yogurt

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon split black gram

10-12 curry leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

1 inch ginger, chopped

3-4 green chillies, chopped

1 medium carrot, diced and blanched

¼ cup green peas, blanched

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

• Whisk the yogurt, salt and three and a half cups of water in a bowl till smooth, Set aside.
• Heat a non stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and split black gram. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the curry leaves and onion, and cook till lightly browned.
• Stir in the broken wheat and continue to cook on medium heat for two minutes. Add the ginger and chillies and cook for another five minutes, or until fragrant.
• Mix in the yogurt mixture and bring to a boil. Cook the upma on low heat, stirring continuously, until all the water is absorbed.
• Add the carrot and peas, along with the lemon juice. Stir gently, adjust the seasoning and add a little more water if required.
• Cover and cook on low heat for another eight to ten minutes.
• Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Upma is a wholesome dish made traditionally with semolina, but some regions use cracked wheat. I cannot make my min up about this dish… should I eat it for breakfast or as a light meal? It tastes so good! Yu can use a pressure cooker for the recipe, but I prefer this slow-cooking method as the wheat swells up more, making it tastier. You could use broccoli instead of carrot and blanched sweetcorn instead of peas- experiment with your favorite combination of vegetables.

Makai, badam aur akhrot ki tikki

Ingredients

1 ½ cups corn kernels, boiled and ground

20 almonds, blanched, peeled and ground

16 walnut halves, chopped

200 grams lotus roots

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

1 teaspoon fennel powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon chat masala

100 grams skimmed milk cottage cheese, grated

Salt to taste

¼ cup grated low-fat processed cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 inch ginger, chopped

2 tabelspoons chopped fresh coriander

24 raisins, chopped

Method

• Clean and scrape the lotus roots. Grate and boil until soft. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Grind to a paste. Set aside
• Heat one tablespoon oil in a non stick kadai, add the caraway seeds and sauté till fragrant. Add the corn, almond and lotus root pastes and sauté till the mixture dries up
• Add the chilli powder, pepper powder, fennel powder, garam masala and chat masala and mix well. Add the paneer and salt and mix well. Cook till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the kadai
• Remove from heat and add the processed cheese, lemon juice, ginger and fresh coriander. Set aside to cool
• Divide the cooled mixter into twenty equal balls. Stuff the balls with walnuts and raisins and shape them into tikkis
• Shallow-fry the tikkis on a non stick frying pan using the remaining oil, in two batches. Drain on absorbent paper
• Serve hot with green chutney

Does the list of ingredients in this recipe seem long? Marvel as it because the intermingling of all the flavours and textures makes this tikki recipe unsurpassed. With all the nuts and raisins, the tikki is rich in anti-oxidants and hence a wonderful energy giving snack.

Patra

Ingredients

12 colocasia leaves

1 ½ cups gram flour

2 teaspoons coriander powder

2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

½ teaspoon soda bicarbonate

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons green chilli paste

2 teaspoons ginger paste

2 tablespoons oil

¼ teaspoon garam masala powder

3 ½ tablespoons grated jaggery

1 lemon sized ball of tamarind

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

A pinch of asafetida

2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

• Remove the thick stem from the leaves. Wash the leaves, wipe dry and set aside
• To make the masala, mix together the gram flour, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, chilli powder and turmeric powder in a bowl. Add the sesame seeds, soda bicarbonate, salt, green chilli paste, ginger paste, one tablespoon oil, garam masala powder and jaggery. Mix well
• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water. Strain the water. Mix in the juice with the gram flour mixture to form a paste
• Place a leaf, shiny side face down on a work surface. Spread the masala evenly over the back of the leaf. Place another leaf over it, but with its tapering end in the opposite direction of the first one. Spread some paste over it. Similarly use up three leaves per roll
• Fold in the four edges and gently roll into a tight cylinder. Tie it up with a string. Do the same with the rest of the leaves and paste
• Steam the rolls in a steamer for about fifteen to twenty minutes, or till cooked. Remove and set aside to cool. Cut into one and a half inch thick pieces
• Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add the asafetida and the slices of patra. Sauté till golden brown
• Serve hot, garnished with the fresh coconut and coriander

Patra recipes vary from home to home and region to regien. The best ones I have had are those made by.

 

Pav bhaji roll-ups

Ingredients

4 tortilla wraps

8 lettuce leaves

Pav bhaji

1 tablespoon oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3-4 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons ginger paste

2 teaspoons garlic paste

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium green capsicum, seeds and chopped

¼ cup green peas, boiled and mashed lightly

¼ small cauliflower, grated

4 medium potatoes, boiled and grated

1 ½ tablespoons pav bhaji masala

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Onion-cheese mixture

1 large onion, sliced

2 large tomatoes, seeded and sliced

½ cup grated processed cheese

½ teaspoon red chilli powder

Method

• To make the pav bhaji, heat the oil in a non stick pan and add three- fourth of the onions. Sauté on medium heat till light brown. Add the green chillies, ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté for half a minute.
• Add half the tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till the oil separtates from the masala.
• Add the green capsicum, green peas, cauliflower, potatoes and one and a half cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, pressing with the back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed.
• Add the pav bhaji masala, salt and the remaining tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously.
• Place the bhaji in a kadai and simmer for five to ten minutes, stirring often, till all the moisture evaporates and the bhaji is dry. Add the fresh coriander and mix. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Combine the ingredients for the oinion-cheese mixture in a bowl and set aside.
• Heat a tawa and lightly warm the tortillas on both the sides.
• Place a warmed tortilla on a square piece of aluminium foil. Spread one-fourth of the bhaji over the tortilla and generously sprinkle a fourth of the onion-cheese mixture over it.
• Place two lettuce leaves on one side of the roll and roll it up tightly.
• Fold in the foil and serve. Make the remaining roll-ups in the similar way

Pav bhaji is a popular street food in Mumbai. Make a variation with tortillas instead of bread. Pav bhaji is best enjoyed fresh abd straight off the stove.

Corn bhel

Ingredients

1 cup corn kernels

1 large onions, finely chopped

1 large tomato, finely chopped

2 medium potatoes, boiled and cuto into ½ inch cubes

2 teaspoons chat masala powder

3-4 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons Green chutney

2 tablespoons Date and Tamarind chutney

4 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 cup cornflakes, crushed

Method

• Bring three cups of water t o boil. Add the corn kernels and continue to boil for three to four minutes. Drain. This bhel can be made with hot or cold corn kernels
• Mix together the corn kernels, onion, tomato, potatoes, chat masala, chillies, chutneys and fresh coriander. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix
• Divide into individual servings, sprinkle the cornflakes and serve immediately

This snack is enjoyed more during the rainy season. Sweetcorn is popular roasted on the cob but this refined version is so good that you can have it often! This bhel will come as a relief for mothers of growing children… this is an excellent snack for the hungry hordes. It is energy giving and high in protein.

Saunfia paneer tikka

Ingredients

500 grams skimmed milk cottage cheese

½ teaspoon lucknowi fennel powder

2 tablespoons gram flour

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ tablespoon ginger paste

½ tablespoon garlic paste

½ teaspoon white pepper powder

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon green cardamom powder

A few saffron threads

1 cup drained skimmed milk yogurt

2 medium green capsicums, seeded and cut into 1 1/25 inch squares

1 ½ teaspoons chat masala

Method

• Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, white pepper powder, salt, one tablespoon of lemon juice, cardamom powder, fennel powder, saffron and yogurt, mix and prepare a batter
• Add the paneer cubes to the batter and marinate for at least an hour
• Thread the paneer cubes and the capsicum squares alternatively onto the skewers
• Roast in a tandoori/charcoal grill for five minutes till the tikki are golden in colour
• Alternatively you can cook the tikki in a convection oven or on a grill. Preheat an oven to 220C and cook for three minutes on either side
• Remove and sprinkle with the chat masala and the remaining lemon juice. Serve with a chutney of your choice

Paneer would probably be the one food that is the children’s favorite! But when you are at your wit’s end searching for different recipes, try this one flavored superbly with saunf. Paneer requires careful handling while cooking and is best not over-cooked.

Teriyaki rolls

Ingredients

4 medium crusty rolls

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium green capsicums, seeded and sliced

10 medium fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

½ cup firm tofu cubes

Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 inch ginger, sliced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

½ cup white wine

12-15 black grapes, crushed

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ tablespoon black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons honey

Method

• To make the teriyaki sauce, heat the butter in a non stick pan, add the ginger and onion and sauté till golden
• Add the white wine and cook till the mixture reduces a little
• Add the crushed black grapes and continue to cook, stirring for five to seven minutes till the grapes become soft
• Add the soy sauce, black pepper powder, salt, molasses and honey. Mix well and strain the sauce. Set it aside
• Heat oil in a pan, add the capsicum, mushrooms, onion and tofu and toss for two minutes
• Add the teriyaki sauce and mix. Cook for two minutes. Divide the mixture into four portions
• Halve the crusty rolls and spread one portion of the vegetable and tofu mixture on one half of each roll and cover it with the other half
• Serve immediately

A taste of Japanese splendour, in a handy tofu filled roll. Tofu is an excellent source of protein.

Paneer tikka kali mirch

Ingredients

12-15 black peppercorns

500 grams skimmed milk cottage cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 inch ginger

6-8 garlic cloves

2-3 green chillies

1 tablespoon oil

4 medium onions, sliced

1 cup drained skimmed milk yogurt

1 ½ tablespoons fresh low-fat cream

1 tablespoon cornflour

1 egg white

½ teaspoon garam masala

1 medium green capsicum, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces

¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder

 1 tablespoon butter, for basting 

Method

• Dry roast the black peppercorns and crush to a coarse powder. Grind the ginger, garlic and green chillies to a fine paste
• Heat the oil in a non stick kadai and sauté the oinions till brown. Cool and grind to a paste
• In a large bowl, combine the browned onion paste, drained yogurt, fresh cream, cornflour, egg white. Ginger-garlic green chilli paste, garam masala powder, green capsicum pieces, crushed black peppercorns, salt and green cardamom powder. Add the paneer cubes, mix well and set aside to marinate for one hour, preferably in a refrigerator
• Arrange the paneer cubes and capsicum cubes alternatively on a skewer and grill for five to six minutes basting occationally with butter
• Serve hot with onion rings and mint chutney

Paneer and pepper have always been a friendly twosome. Paneer is a favourite food of most kids and it is healthy for them as they are active and need the calories.