Paneer Ki Kheer
(Cottage Cheese Sweet Porridge)
Serves: Four
Time required: One hour

2 lt milk (full cream variety)
400 g paneer, diced
120 g sugar
10 cardamom seeds
10 g pista slivers
10 g almond slivers

Bring the milk to a boil and add the cardamom seeds. When milk is reduced to almost half the original quantity, add the paneer dices and cook for about two minutes. Add the sugar and keep cooking till the kheer becomes thick.
Remove from heat. Garnish with the pista and almond slivers. Serve hot or chilled, as desired.

Shakarkandhi Aur Phalon Ki Chaat
(Sweet Potato And Fruit Chaat)
Serves: Four
Time required: 50 minutes

250 g shakarkandhi (sweet potatoes), boiled and peeled
desi ghee for shallow fry
2 apples
2 bananas
150 g papaya, peeled
100 g watermelon, peeled and deseeded
30 g pomegranate seeds
60 g grapes
1 1/2 tsp rock salt
1/2 tsp amchur powder
juice of 1 lemon
10 mint leaves

Dice the boiled and peeled shakarkandhi. Heat the ghee on a griddle (tawa) and shallow fry the shakarkandhi on all sides till crisp and light golden in colour. Remove from heat and set aside.
Dice all the fruits (do not peel the apples) and mix them with the fried shakarkandhi.
Add the rock salt, amchur powder and lemon juice.
Toss gently and transfer into a serving plate and garnish with the mint leaves.
Serve chilled.

Aloo Dahi Ki Sabzi
(Potato In Yoghurt)
Serves: Four
Time required: 50 minutes

250 g potatoes
250 g yoghurt
150 ml water
1 tsp rock salt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp desi ghee
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Boil the potatoes and peel
them. Slightly press to mash them and dice them into small
pieces. Set aside.
Add the salt, red chilli powder and water to the yoghurt and beat it. Strain and set aside.
Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the chopped ginger and sauté for a minute. Add the chopped green chillies, stir for a minute and add the diced potatoes. Gently toss for two to three minutes (potatoes may tend to stick to the pan, so keep stirring). When potatoes are slightly stir fried, remove from heat and add the beaten yoghurt mix.
Over a medium heat, bring this to boil, and then simmer to obtain a gravy-like consistency. Remove from heat, pour into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot.

Sabudana Aur Aloo Ke Dahi Bade
(Sago And Potato Dahi Vadas)
Serves: Four
Time required: 1 hour 10 minutes

250 g potatoes (boiled, peeled and grated)
50 g sabudana (sago), soaked in water for three to four hours
2 tbsp suaang ke chawal ka atta
1 tsp chopped ginger
1 tsp chopped green chillies
1 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp broiled cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
oil for deep frying
300 g yoghurt, beaten
1 tsp rock salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp broiled cumin powder

In a bowl, mix the grated potatoes, sabudana, suaang ke chawal ka atta, ginger, green chillies, leaves, cumin seeds and salt.
Wet your palms, take a walnut-sized portion of potato mixture and shape it like a bada (vada). Repeat till the mix is finished.
Heat the oil in a pan and deep-fry the vadas until golden brown. Remove on paper towel and let cool.
Add the rock salt to the beaten yoghurt and mix. Arrange the fried vadas in a serving dish and pour the salted yoghurt over.
Garnish with the red chilli and cumin powders. Serve refrigerated.

Kheere Ki Launj
(Cucumber Fry)
Serves: Four
Time required: 30 minutes

300 g cucumber, peeled
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1 tbsp desi ghee
1 tsp ginger, chopped
3 to 4 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp rock salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Cut the cucumber into cubes and remove the seeds. Set aside.
Make a paste of all the spices with some water and set aside.
Heat the ghee in a pan and add the chopped ginger and sauté for a minute. Add the green chillies. Sauté for a minute and add the diced cucumber and toss.
Add the spice paste, salt and sugar and cook, stirring until the cucumber is soft. (Add water if required).
Remove from heat and garnish with the chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Singhare Ki Burfi
(Water Chestnut Sweets)
Serves: Four
Time required: 40 minutes

50 g singhara atta (water chestnut flour)
1 1/2 tbsp desi ghee
200 g sugar
150 ml water
oil for greasing

Heat the ghee in a wok, add the atta and cook till done. Remove from heat and set aside. (Do not add water to the hot mixture otherwise lumps will be formed.) When slightly cool, add the sugar and water and keep stirring over a medium heat. Keep stirring, ensuring that the mixture does not stick to the sides of the pan, till it leaves the side of the wok. Grease a thali and spread the mixture immediately on it. Allow to cool.
Cut into desired shapes and serve.