Cook Without Book

Sharbati Shahi Tukda Rooh afza adds a variety to shahi tukda. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  15-20 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Bread slices 8 • Oil to deep fry • Sugar syrup with saffron as required • Cashewnuts,roughly chopped 1 tablespoon • Pistachios,roughly chopped 1 tablespoon + to garnish • Charoli/chironji 1 tablespoon • Pear 1 • Apple 1 • Banana(elaichi) 2 • Rooh Afza 2 tablespoons • Green cardamom powder a pinch • Blueberry jam 4 tablespoons • Fresh cream 3 tablespoons Method Heat sufficient oil in a non stick kadai. Cut the bread slices into rounds, slide them into hot oil and deep fry till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Heat saffron sugar syrup on low heat and dip the bread slices in it for 1 minute. Take them out of the syrup and arrange them on a serving plate and keep aside. In the remaining saffron...

Paneer Pistachio Rolls It is so rich and luscious that you might think it is difficult to make! you will be pleasantly surprised to know that paneer pistachio rolls can be prepared within minutes. The paneer gives the rolls a lovely texture and the roasted pistachios ensure a wonderful crunchiness, while the rose essence imparts a pleasant fragrance and flavour. This sweet is always a great hit! Preparation Time:  5 mins Makes 5 rolls Ingredients 1/2 cup   crumbled paneer (cottage cheese) 2 tbsp   powdered sugar 1 tsp   milk 2 tbsp  coarsely  powdered pistachios 2 to 3  drops of  almond essence 1/2 tsp   cardamom (elaichi) powder coarsely  powdered pistachios  for rolling Method Place the paneer in a plate and knead well. Add the sugar, milk, pistachios and almond essence and mix well. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Divide the mixture into 5 equal portions and shape each portion into a 50 mm. (2...

Nariyal Ki Meethi Roti Nariyal ki meethi roti is a variation of the evergreen delight puran poli, made with wheat flour and a slightly modified stuffing. Adding a little salt to the dough helps to enhance the sweetness of the stuffing. You can vary the amounts of nutmeg and sugar as per your taste. Preparation Time:  20 mins Cooking Time:  30 mins Makes 6 rotis Ingredients For The Dough 3/4 cup   whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) 1 tbsp  melted  ghee salt  to taste For The Stuffing 3/4 cup  grated fresh  coconut 2 tsp   ghee 1/2 cup   powdered sugar 1/2 tsp   cardamom (elaichi) powder 1/2 tsp   nutmeg (jaiphal) powder Other Ingredients ghee  for cooking Method   For the dough Combine the flour, ghee and salt in a bowl and mix well. Knead into a soft dough using enough water and keep aside. For the stuffing Heat the ghee in a broad non-stick pan, add the coconut and cook on a medium flame f...

Sweet Boondi Sweet boondi, a very easy and quick way to make these delicious boondi. . Serve them hot to your guest and they will surely relish it ! Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  25 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients For The Sugar Syrup 1 cup   sugar 2  pinches  saffron (kesar) strands  dissolved in tsp  water Other Ingredients 1 cup   besan (bengal gram flour) ghee  for deep-frying For The Garnish 1/2 tsp   cardamom (elaichi) powder 1 tsp   pistachio slivers 1 tsp   almond (badam) slivers Method   For the sugar syrup Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a broad non-stick pan, mix well and cook on a high flame for 5 to 7 minutes or till the sugar syrup is of 1 thread consistency. Add the saffron-water mixture, mix well and keep aside. How to proceed Combine the besan and ½ cup of water in a bowl and mix well till no lumps remain. Keep aside. Heat the ghee in a kadhai and pour 3 to...

Brown Rice Kheer Brown rice is way healthier than white rice. When making rice based desserts use brown rice for healthier option. The taste is a bit nutty and harder than the white rice. Brown rice has a tough layer and so it softens slower than the white rice. Please dont compare it with the mushiness of white rice when cooking, this will remain nutty and crisp in texture with some stickiness. Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  30 mins Makes 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 cup   brown rice 5 cups   milk 3 cups   water 1 cup   sugar 1 tsp   cardamom (elaichi) powder 1 tbsp   ghee pinch of  saffron (kesar) strands 2 tbsp   condensed milk 2 cups   grated carrot Method Soak brown rice in warm water for 24 hours. Now drain the rice completely, and heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan. Fry the rice in this ghee at medium flame for 5-6 min. Transfer the rice to pressure cooker and add 3 cups of water and pre...

Vegetable Biryani Vegetable biryani is a traditional mughlai main course item loaded with chopped vegetables, spices, saffron and dry fruits. On normal days, you can make it as a one-pot meal. Even as ingredients like capsicum and coriander spread their aroma, whiffs of saffron and other spices rise above all and pamper your senses. Preparation Time:  15 mins Cooking Time:  40 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients For The Rice 1 1/2 cups   long grained rice (basmati)  , soaked and drained 1   bayleaf (tejpatta) 25 mm  (1”) piece  cinnamon (dalchini) 1   clove (laung / lavang) 1   cardamom (elaichi) salt  to taste For The Vegetable Gravy 1 1/2 cups   chopped and boiled mixed vegetables  (carrots , peas , cauliflower , french beans and potatoes) 2 tbsp   oil 1/2 tsp   cumin seeds (jeera) 3/4 cup  finely  chopped onions 2 tsp   ginger-green chilli paste 1/4 tsp   turmeric powder (haldi) 2 tsp...

Bengali  Khichdi Bengali-style khichdi is aromatic and also laden with veggies and dal. In short, it is a flavoursome and power-packed meal. The use of crushed spices instead of whole or powdered ones brings about a significant change in the recipe – you will notice it when you prepare the khichdi. Preparation Time:  15 mins Cooking Time:  25 mins Makes 6 servings Ingredients 1 cup   rice (chawal)  , soaked and drained 1/2 cup   masoor dal (split red lentil) 3 tbsp   ghee 2   bayleaves (tejpatta) 1/2 cup  finely  chopped onions 2 tsp   ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste 1/2 tsp   turmeric powder (haldi) 1/2 cup   green peas 1/2 cup   french beans  , cut into 1” pieces 6 to 7  small  onions  , peeled 4 to 5   baby potatoes  , peeled 2 1/2 tsp  finely  chopped green chillies salt  to taste To Be Ground Into A Coarse Powder 4   cloves (laung / lavang) 2 ...

Mixed Vegetables – Bhopali Style Creamy and colourful, bhopali style mixed vegetables is a perfect accompaniment – be it for a normal day or a party. Take your pick of vegetables but try to toss in one of every colour. The veggies are cooked with a common masala paste and a good dose of milk and cream, not to forget a crispy shallow-fried cashew topping. Preparation Time:  15 mins Cooking Time:  8 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients To Be Ground Into A Smooth Paste 1 cup  finely  chopped coriander (dhania) 2 tbsp   coriander (dhania)  seeds 8   green chillies  , roughly chopped 12   cloves garlic (lehsun) 4 tsp   cumin seeds (jeera) 4   cardamoms 5   cloves (laung / lavang) 25 mm  (1") piece  ginger (adrak) 1/2 cup   water Other Ingredients 3 cups   chopped and boiled vegetables (carrots , french beans and green peas) 4 tbsp   oil 4 tbsp  roughly  chopped cashewnuts (kaju) s...

Corn Curry                  Quick Recipe A creamy paste of onion, coriander, coconut and poppy seeds with spicy green chillies and ginger is the focal point of the corn curry. And of course, there is soothing coconut milk and a bouquet of spices to complement the green masala. Preparation Time:  15 mins Cooking Time:  10 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1 1/2 cups   boiled sweet corn kernels (makai ke dane)  , lightly crushed 2 tbsp   oil 50 mm  (2”) piece  cinnamon (dalchini) 2   cloves (laung / lavang) 2   cardamoms 1 tsp   cornflour  dissolved in 2 cups of  coconut milk  (nariyal ka doodh) salt  to taste To Be Ground Into A Smooth Green Paste (using Little Water) 1 1/2 cups  roughly  chopped coriander (dhania) 1/4 cup  thinly  sliced onions 2 tbsp  freshly  grated coconut 7   garlic (lehsun) cloves 25 mm  (1”) piec...

Makai Kofta Aur Hariyali Curry America meets india. Grated american corn dumplings in a coconut milk and coriander flavoured gravy, which is sure to tickle and tease your gastronomic senses! Preparation Time:  5 mins Cooking Time:  5 mins Makes 2 servings Ingredients For The Makai Koftas 1/4 cup   grated corn (makai) 1 tbsp   rice flour (chawal ka atta) 2 tsp   chopped coriander (dhania) 1/2 tsp   chopped green chillies salt  to taste For The Hariyali Curry 1 tsp   ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste 6 mm  (1/4") piece of  cinnamon (dalchini) 2   cardamoms  (elaichi) 2   cloves (laung / lavang) 1/2 cup   coconut milk 2 tsp   cornflour  dissolved with 1/4 cup  water 2 tsp   oil salt  to taste To Be Ground Into The Hariyali Paste 1 cup  roughly  chopped coriander (dhania) 1/2 tbsp   lemon juice 3   green chillies For The Garnish 2 tsp   fresh cream Metho...

Rasgulla discs soaked in sweetened saffron flavoured milk. Next to rasgullas, this is the most popular Bengali sweet outside Bengal. A well made rasmalai well melt in your mouth. Preparation Time:   30 mins. Cooking Time:   60 mins. Makes 16 rasmalai.  Ingredients For the rasgulla discs  1  recipe  chenna 1 tsp   plain flour (maida)  for dusting For the sugar syrup  5 cups   sugar 1/2 cup   milk For the saffron flavoured milk  1 ltr   full fat milk 1/4 cup   sugar a few  saffron (kesar) strands  dissolved in  milk 1/4 tsp   cardamom (elaichi) powder Other ingredients  2 tsp   plain flour (maida) For the garnish 2 tbsp   pistachio slivers Method   For the rasgulla discs Divide the chenna into 16 equal portions and gently shape each portion into a flat round (disc) of 25 mm. (1”) diameter and 6 mm. (¼”) thickness. Take care to see that there are no c...

Vermicelli and Cardamom Pudding Serves 4 2 tablespoons clarified butter 2 tablespoons raisins 2 tablespoons flaked almonds 10 ounces vermicelli broken into short lengths 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cardamom powder Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the raisins and the almonds until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon. In the same clarified butter fry the vermicelli until golden without allowing it to brown. Add the sugar and mix well. Sprinkle in a few drops of water stir and cook until soft adding a little water as necessary. Take off the heat and stir in the cardamom powder. Serve warm garnished with the fried raisins and almonds.