Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1. 2 chicken breasts chopped into cubes without fat skin

2. Two chicken legs with bone without fat skin

3. 3 celery chopped in bite size

4. 2-3 garlic cloves

5. 2 small whole white/yellow onion

6. 3 cups of carrots chopped

7. Salt to taste

8. Oil

9. 3 cups of egg noodles cooked in 3 cups of salted water

10. 2 packs of low sodium Chicken Stock and 2 cups of water

11. 1 tsp of basil powder and white and black pepper for garnishing

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of deep dish non stick pan or Dutch oven pan

2. Now add Celery and Carrots

3. When they turn golden brown add chicken breasts and chicken legs

4. Allow to cook for few minutes and now add chicken stock and water.

5. Add whole onions without skin and garlic cloves.

6. Cook the soup for 30 minutes or more.

7. Take out the onion and garlic cloves and chicken legs.

8. Now separate the chicken from bones and put the chicken back in the soup.

9. Add the cooked noodles into the soup too and let it cook on low heat for 3 minutes.

10. Now garnish with black and white pepper and basil.

11. Serve hot chicken soup with garlic bread and some fresh salad.

Celery : This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.

Carrots:

It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Manganese.

-Chitra

Punjabi Tandoori Lobiya

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of lobiya / raungi / black eyed peas boiled

2. 2 medium onions grated

3. 1 tbsp minced ginger

4. 1 tsp of turmeric powder

5. Salt to taste

6. 1 tsp red chili powder

7. 1 tsp of coriander powder

8. 1 ½ cup of tomato puree

9. Small onion cut in rings for garnish

10. 1 cup of water

Directions

1. In a non stick deep pan add 2 tbsp of oil.

2. Keep the heat on medium.

3. Now add onions and ginger.

4. When they turn golden brown add turmeric powder, coriander & red chili powder and salt.

5. When the masala are cooked or after 1 – 2 minutes add tomato puree.

6. Now cook it for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add lobiya and stir so that everything is mixed well.

8. Now add water and let it cook for 10 minutes.

9. Serve in bowl with onion rings garnished on top.

10. Serve hot with paratha’s or roti or rice.

-Chitra

Aloo Chaat

Ingredients

1. 4 Boiled Potatoes

2. 2 diced tomato without seeds

3. 1 small diced onion

4. 1 cucumber without seeds diced

5. 3 tbsp of lemon juice

6. Oil

7. Salt and Red chili powder to taste

Directions

1. In a non stick flat skillet or grill pan add little oil and heat it.

2. Now add diced potatoes in grill pan and let it little brown

3. When all the sides are cooked and turned in golden brown color remove it from pan.

4. Now sprinkle salt and pepper on them and transfer in serving dish.

5. Add diced tomatoes, cucumber and onions on them.

6. Garnish with lemon juice and mix it well with spoons

7. Your aloo chaat is ready; it is very quick snack in rainy season.

-Chitra

Firni

Ingredients

1. Rice 1 liter

2. Milk ½ liter

3. Sugar 1 cup

4. Rose water 3 tbsp.

5. Few nuts

Directions

1. Soak rice in water till fairly soft.

2. Grind it to paste.

3. Boil milk, pour in the rice paste and cook on slow fire till it thickens.

4. Add sugar and cook for a few minutes, cool for some time.

5. Add rose water and garnish with finely shredded nuts.

Served chilled

-Chitra

Punjabi Dahi Vada

Ingredients

1. Urad Dal – 60 g

2. Curd 200 gms

3. Oil to fry

4. 2 small diced Green chilies

5. Onion -1/2 small

6. Chili powder, Salt, pepper powder and garam masala to taste

7. Ginger ½ tsp.

Directions

1. Soak the daal overnight, and grind it fine.

2. Beat it until foamy and light.

3. Add chopped onion, green chilies, garam masal, ginger and salt. Mix well and allow it to stand for ten minutes.

4. Spread a piece of wet muslin over a bowl and make vada over it.

5. Fry them in hot oil till golden brown.

6. Put them in slated hot water. Squeeze out the water and keep them ready.

7. Beat the curd till smooth. Add Salt and pepper to it.

8. Soak vadas in curds and decorate according to taste.

-Chitra

Mattar Parantha

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of mattar

2. Salt to taste

3. 2 cup soft flour

4. Water for making dough

5. Red chili powder to taste

6. 1 tbsp of roasted cumin seeds

7. Some dry flour for making paranthas

8. Oil

Directions

1. Mix cumin seeds, peas and dry flour.

2. Add Salt and red chili powder.

3. Make the dough by adding some water.

4. Divide the dough into individual balls.

5. Oil the non stick pan or tawa on medium low heat.

6. Roll the dough balls in a circle by dipping into dry flour time to time.

7. Spread ½ tsp. of oil on the circle. Now fold into the shape of triangle and start making with belan into large triangle

8. Slide the paranthas onto the tawa. When it is cooked one side flip on the other side.

9. Oil the other side and cook till it is light borwn.

10. Serve hot with achaar or dahi ka raita.

-Chitra

Spicy Kathal ki Sabzi

Ingredients

1. Cut Kathal / Jackfruit in small bite size pieces around 2 cups.

2. 1 ½ onion chopped in chopper

3. 1 tsp. of Garlic minced

4. 3 tbsp. of Oil

5. Salt to taste

6. 1tsp of Turmeric powder

7. ½ tbsp of red chili powder

8. 1 ½ cup of tomato puree

9. 3 tbsp of tomato ketchup

10. 1 red chili raw

11. 2 tejpata / Bay leaves

12. 2 tsp of sugar

Directions

Tip: - If you cut the jackfruit at home wear gloves or oil your hands as your hands might go itchy after cutting.

1. In a non stick pan add oil

2. Add red chili, garlic and bay leaves

3. When the aroma of garlic is infused into it and onions.

4. When the mixture turns light brown add jackfruit.

5. Fry them in the same pan with the onions salt, turmeric and red chili powder and sugar.

6. It will take 5-8 minutes; you can add dry spices to it.

7. Now add tomato puree and ketchup. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

8. Now add 1 cup of water and let it cook for 10 minutes.

9. It is ready serve to everyone with roti or steamed rice.

-Chitra

Daal Cutlets

Ingredients

1. 1 cup Masoor daal or Chana daal

2. ½ onion chopped in small pieces

3. ½ tsp of red chili powder

4. Salt to taste

5. Haldi a pinch

6. 1 green chili chopped

7. 1 tbsp of green dhania/cilantro chopped

8. ½ tbsp of lemon juice

9. 1 egg white

10. 1 cup of dry bread crumbs to coat

11. Oil to fry

Directions

1. Boil the daal till soft and dry. Grind it well and keep it aside in mixing bowl.

2. Add chopped dhania, onions, green chilies, salt and red chili powder.

3. Add lemon juice and mix it well.

4. Form them in balls and then in desired cutlets shapes or cut them with help of cookie cutter.

5. Dip each cutlet in egg and then roll them in bread crumbs sheet or tray. Set them aside for 5 minutes to set the bread crumbs.

6. Now deep fry them and serve hot with tea or coffee.

You can make them ahead of time and freeze them in air tight container and fry later.

-Chitra

Khatte Chole Chaat

Easy and quick khatte chaat

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of Boiled Kale Chole

2. 1 small onions chopped

3. 1 chopped tomato without seeds

4. 3 tbsp of lemon juice

5. 1 chopped green chilies

6. Salt to taste

7. ½ tsp of red chili powder

8. ½ tsp of chaat masala

Directions

1. Drain boiled chana in a separate dry bowl

2. Mix tomato and onions and green chilies.

3. Toss with tongs and mix salt and red chili powder.

4. When you are ready to eat add lemon juice and chaat masala.

5. Serve in individuals dishes.

-Chitra

Low Fat Egg Parantha

Ingredients

1. 6 Egg Whites in individuals bowls

2. 1 small onion chopped very finely

3. 1 tbsp of green chilies

4. Salt to taste

5. ½ tsp of red chili powder

6. 1 tbsp of chopped dhaniya / cilantro

7. Wheat dough for 6 parnathas

8. Some dry wheat flour (1 cup)

9. Oil

Directions

1. Make a small ball of each parantha and make it as a triangle. To make the triangle first flatten the balls then brush oil on it. Fold it lengthwise and then brush oil on the surface again. Sprinkle very light flour with fingers and then again fold it diagonally. It will shape in triangle. Keep on making that triangle bigger. Use dry flour so that it does not stick with the surface. Oiling the parantha before while making a triangle helped us to slide the butter knife in it.

2. Before putting on non stick tava or flat pan lightly oil the pan. Heat the non stick tava on medium heat before putting the parantha. Use a non stick pan for this otherwise egg mixture will fall off easily.

3. While it is half cooked both sides. Mix one egg white with some onions, green chilies, dhaniya, salt and red chili powder.

4. When the parntaha is half cooked with light brown spots take it out from the pan and keep it on tray. Make all the 6 parantha’s like that.

5. Now comes the creative part. Slide down the butter knife inside the parantha so that egg mixture can be filled inside the parntha and let it cool for two minutes. Do it very carefully parantha does not break up. Fill the mixture on one parantha with the help of spoon and cook it one side till it cooks fully. Now cook on other side and turn it carefully so that egg mixture does not fall out. Egg will be fully cooked in some time and now remove it from heat. Do this with every parantha.

6. Serve hot to your family, they will forget market hawkers stuff and will be fan of your cooking.

7. It looks complicated but it is very easy when you get it right. You will get use to it in no time.

-Chitra