FRUIT TARTS

Preparation time: 30 min
cooking time: 10-15 mins 
Serves: 4

Ingredients :

For Tarts

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup butter

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp powdered sugar

 3-4 tbsp chilled water

For the filling:

Whipped cream or you can use vanilla ice cream
fresh fruits like grapes, strawberries,mango slices, kiwi,pineapple etc.
mint leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Combine ingredients listed under tart i.e. flour,sugar and salt in food processor; pulse once or twice. (Whisk together if you haven’t got a food processor)
2. Add butter and turn on machine, processing about 10 seconds or until the butter and flour are blended and the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
3. Place mixture into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tbsp of ice water.
4. Use a wooden spoon to gradually gather the mixture into a ball; if the mixture seems too dry, add another ½ tbsp ice water and mix until you can gather into a ball with your hands.
5. Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk and place in freezer for 10 minutes (or 30 minutes in fridge) to ease rolling. At this point you could also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, or freeze it almost indefinitely.
6. Heat oven 180 C
7. Unwrap dough, lightly sprinkle its top with flour and roll out onto a lightly floured board or countertop; if the dough is too hard, let it sit for a minute or two (it should give a little when you press your fingers into it). 
8. Take greased muffin moulds and line in the moulds with rolled pastry dough , prick with fork.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is brown.
10. Let the tarts get cool.
11. Fill whipped cream or ice cream then arrange fruits of your choice. Garnish with mint leaves and serve cold. 

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MANCHURIAN FRIED RICE

Ingredients

  12pieces dry veg mancurian balls if small in size or 6 big balls cut into halves
1.5 cup basmati rice or medium to long grained rice

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped 

2 green chilies chopped

1 medium size carrot, finely chopped or shredded

1 small capsicum, finely chopped
8-10 french beans, thinly sliced diagonally or finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped or shredded cabbage (optional)
5-6 button mushrooms, sliced or finely chopped(optional)
1 tsp chili sauce/schezwan sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce or as required for the desired colour
1 tsp vinegar

salt to taste 

black pepper to taste

Method

1. Soak, drain and boil rice in 4 to 5 cups water, till the grains are almost cooked (just tender but not over cooked).
2. Strain the extra water and let the rice cool completely. Keep the rice aside.
3. Chop the veggies and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a wok or a pan. Splutter the green chilies.
5. Add the garlic and onions and stir fry till they are transparent in colour.
6. Now add all the other vegetables and stir fry on a high flame for a minute.
7. Add salt, pepper, ajinomoto and rice.  
8. Add all the sauces and vinegar.
9. Stir fry for 2 minutes.Finely add chopped manchurian balls and stir with light hands.
10. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with cottage cheese in garlic sauce, sweet and saur vegetables or you can have it as it is.  

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DHABA STYLE CHANNA MASALA/ PUNJABI CHANA MASALA/ CHANA PINDI

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
250 gms white chick peas (Kabuli chana)
2 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter)
a pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 big onion finely chopped
2 big or 3 medium sized  tomatoes pureed
5-6 cloves of garlic minced or chopped
1" garlic minced or chopped
2 green chilies finely chopped
1 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp degi mirch powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor) or 1 tsp thick tamarind pulp
1 tsp chana masala
1 tsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
1 tbsp fresh cream (optional)
1 tbsp curd
100 grams cottage cheese cut into small cubes
Chopped coriander leaves and ginger Julians for garnishing 
salt to taste

Method (vidhi):

1. Wash and soak chick peas overnight or at least for 4-5 hours . Add sufficient water (approx. 3-4 cups) and 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric powder and pressure cook till they become soft.
2. Mean while in another pan add desi ghee and crackle cumin seeds, add a pinch of asafoetida powder and then add ginger, garlic and finely chopped onion to the ghee.
3. Cook till the onions become brown in color then add tomato puree and green chilies and cook till the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
4. Now add all the spices and curd if required add some water so that the spices don't get burnt.
5. Cook for a while and then switch off the gas.
6. Add the cooked masala to boiled chick peas and give 2-3 whistles in the pressure cooker.
7. Add cream and  cottage cheese and cook further for 5 minutes or till you reach the required consistency. Check for salt if required add some more.
8. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julians and serve hot with garlic naan, plain naan, bhatura, poori or simply chapati or rice.

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SEMOLINA CROQUETTE KEBAB / LEFTOVER VEGITABLE UPMA CUTTLET

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time : 10-15 minutes
Serves :6


Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry roasted semolina(suji)
1 finely chopped onion
1/2" ginger grated or finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1- green chilies finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped vegetables (carrot,capsicum,peas,corn,cauliflower,beans etc.)
2 tbsp oil + oil for deep frying
1 big or two small boiled potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/2 lemon's juice
2 tsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp maida (all purpose flour
1 tbsp corn flour dissolved in 1/2 to 1 tbsp water to make a thick slurry
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Method (vidhi):

1. Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan .
2. Add finely chopped ginger,garlic,onion, green chilies stir for a minute or two till the onions become pink in color.
3. Now add rest of the finely chopped vegetables and stir till they become tender.
4. Add salt,pepper,coriander powder and sabzi masala and mix well.
5. Now add dry roasted semolina and stir for a while.
6. Add one and a half cup water and lemon juice and stir till all of the mixture come together and leaves sides of the pan.  Keep aside and let it get completely cold.
7. Mash boiled potatoes and add them to the prepared mixture or upma,add chopped coriander and mix well.
8. Check for salt if o.k then proceed further otherwise add some salt to it.
9. Make kebabs of desired shape and size, roll them in dry maida then dip them in the cornflour slurry then roll them in bread crumbs and deep fry in hot oil till they become golden in color. 
10. Serve hot with ketchup or a dip of your choice.

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