Red Chilli Chutney

Ingredients:

Dry Red Chillies - 12

Garlic - 15 fat cloves

Tamarind - 1 tblspn

Salt to taste

Oil - 6 tblspn (Use gingelly oil)

Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp

Method:

Soak dry red chillies in warm water for 10 mins.

Drain them, add it to a blender, along with garlic, tamarind, salt. Add very little water and make it into a fine puree.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add in mustard seeds and let it splatter.

Add in the chutney and cook on low heat till oil separates.

Imli chutney

50 gram good quality tamarind
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp ground zeera
1 green chilli
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp rock salt
1/4 tsp regular salt
2 tsp sugar
Bunch of coriander leaves
Bunch of mint leaves

Soak the tamarind overnight, strain and make into pulp. If  you time and the Tamarind has been deveined and deseeded, soak for a few hours, grind and add the other ingredients and grind to a fine paste. Check for salt, sugar, chilli balance. Adjust accordingly.
Keeps in the refrigerator for a week, or in the deepfreeze for a year

This mixture can diluted for the paani of a pani puri

Salad/ Kachumar

1 medium sized white onion, chopped
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 finely chopped green chilli
1/4 cucumber, chopped, optional
2 tbsp spring onions/fresh garlic, optional



Method
Add all these to a bowl and mix well.
Serve with Biryani, tehri or khichri.

Raita

1 cup yoghurt, whisked well
1/2 tsp plain salt or ground rock salt, half and half
1 tsp sugar
1 finely chopped green chilli
1/2 tsp cumin, roasted and ground
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp finely chopped garlic


Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk well.
Serve with biryani, khichri or tehri.

Khatta/saaraa/bhara/hyderabadi Baigan

350 gm baigan
2 medium onions
2 tbsp mumphali
2 tsp til
2 tsp dhanya
1 1/2 lal mircha
1 tsp haldi
1 tsp
1 tsp naryal
2 tbsp paste of good, sour imli

Baghra Chawal/ tempered rice

For 250 grams rice
half a liter of water, more or less, according to the type of rice
2 tbsp ghee, or more
1/4 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp ginger
3 laung
2 choti elaichi
a small piece of darchini
a capful of kewra water
half an onion, chopped and fried till very light golden, it'll cook more in its own heat and become golden

a damp kitchen towel
kitchen weights

Wash and soak the rice in pletiful water for atleast half an hour.
Heat ghee in a utensil, add darchini, laung and elaichi to splutter.  Add the chopped onions. Add the ginger garlic paste, add the water. Bring the water to a boil and add the strained rice. There should be an inch of water covering the rice. Once the mix boils, turn the flame to medium low and add the kewra. Cover with the kitchen towel and place a lid on top. For best results, put kitchen weights on top or just utensils full of water so as to not let steam escape.

If cooking in a pressure cooker, add just enough water to cover the rice and a little bit more. Cover and bring to a whistle. After the whistle, turn the flame to low and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Carefully serve with a flat/slotted spoon.

Sheermal

For 5 sheermals:
Half a kilo maida
150 grams ghee
1 tsp salt
about 400ml milk, or less, according to the dough
yeast, 1 full teaspoon or 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar and 3 tbsp warm water, if using yeast
saffron strands, 1/4 teaspoon, optional

If using yeast, bloom the yeast in the warm water and sugar. Leave it be for 10 minutes or till the mixture rises and mix all the ingredients and carefully knead, adding a bit of water each time.
Work the dough till smooth.

Cover and keep aside for 2 hours if using yeast. Knead, and keep till the dough doubles.
Divide into 5 small balls and roll dough into 6" rounds and prick all over.
Heat oven on 180 degree C, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or according to the oven.
Or if using a tawa, cook first over high heat then low, to cook through till golden spots develop on both sides.
Brush with the milk, cook a little more, and brush with ghee before serving.