My Recipe Book

Welcome to my collection of traditional Indian recipes! Cooking is an art that brings families together and preserves our cultural heritage. These recipes have been passed down through generations and perfected with love. Choose a recipe below to start your culinary journey:

• Masala Dosa
• Paneer Butter Masala
• Gulab Jamun

Masala Dosa

Masala dosa is a famous South Indian dish made with fermented rice and lentil batter, filled with spiced potato curry. This crispy golden crepe is a perfect breakfast or dinner option that's both nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

• Rice batter(fermented)
• Urad dal batter
• Potatoes(4-5 medium sized)
• Onions(2 large)
• Green chilies(3-4)
• Ginger(1 inch piece)
• Curry leaves(2 springs)
• Spices:
  • Mustard seeds(1 tsp)
  • Cumen seeds(1/2 tsp)
  • Turmeric powder(1/2 tsp)
  • Asafoetida(pinch)
• Oil for Cooking
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Cooking Steps:

1. Prepare the rice batter by soaking rice for 4-5 hours and grinding into smooth paste
2. Ferment the batter overnight in a warm place
3. Boil potatoes until tender, peel and mash them coarsely
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when they splutter add cumin seeds
5. Add curry leaves, green chilies, and ginger, sauté for 30 seconds
6. Add chopped onions and cook until translucent
7. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, and mashed potatoes
8. Season with salt and mix well, cook for 2-3 minutes
9. Heat a non-stick pan and spread the batter in circular motion
10. Cook until golden brown, add potato filling, fold and serve hot with chutney

Cooking Terms

Sauté

Cooking quickly in a small amount of oil over medium-high heat while stirring frequently

Ferment

Aprocess where natural bacteria break down ingredients to develop flavour and texture

Garnish

Decorating a dish with herbs,spices, or other ingredients to enhance appearance

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala is a creamy, rich curry made with fresh cottage cheese cooked in a tomato-based gravy with butter and aromatic spices. This restaurant-style dish is loved by people of all ages and pairs perfectly with naan or rice.

Ingredients:

• Paneer cubes (250g)
• Tomatoes (4 large, chopped)
• Onions (2 medium)
• Cashews (10-12 pieces)
• Fresh cream (1/2 cup)
• Butter (3 tbsp)
• Ginger-garlic paste (1 tbsp)
• Green chilies (2-3)
• Spices:
  • Garam masala powder (1 tsp)
  • Red chili powder (1 tsp)
  • Coriander powder (1 tsp)
  • Cumin powder (1/2 tsp)
  • Kasoori methi (1 tsp)
• Sugar (1 tsp)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Cooking Steps:

1. Heat butter in a pan and lightly fry paneer cubes until golden, set aside
2. In the same pan, sauté onions, cashews, and green chilies until onions are soft
3. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down completely
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes
5. Add all the spice powders and cook for 30 seconds
6. Let the mixture cool and blend into smooth puree with little water
7. Heat the pan again, add the puree and simmer for 5 minutes
8. Add sugar, salt, and fresh cream, mix well
9. Gently add fried paneer cubes and simmer for 3-4 minutes
10. Garnish with kasoori methi, fresh cream, and coriander leaves before serving

Cooking Terms:

Simmer

Cooking food gently at low temperature, just below boiling point

Puree

A smooth paste made by blending cooked ingredients until completely smooth

Kasoori Methi

Dried fenugreek leaves used as a flavoring agent in Indian cuisine

Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun is a beloved Indian sweet dessert made with milk solids, deep-fried until golden brown, and soaked in aromatic sugar syrup. These soft, spongy balls melt in your mouth and are perfect for celebrations and festivals.

Ingredients:

• Khoya/Mawa (milk solids) - 200g
• Maida (all-purpose flour) - 2 tbsp
• Baking powder (pinch)
• Milk (2-3 tbsp for kneading)
• Ghee (1 tsp for dough)
• Oil for deep frying
• Sugar syrup ingredients:
  • Sugar (2 cups)
  • Water (2 cups)
  • Green cardamom pods (4-5)
  • Rose water (1 tsp)
  • Saffron strands (few)
  • Lemon juice (1 tsp)
• Chopped pistachios for garnish

Cooking Steps:

1. First prepare sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water with cardamom pods
2. Add lemon juice to prevent crystallization and simmer until one-string consistency
3. Add rose water and saffron, keep the syrup warm
4. Mash the khoya well to remove any lumps
5. Add maida, baking powder, and ghee to the khoya
6. Knead gently with milk to form smooth, soft dough
7. Divide the dough into small portions and roll into smooth balls
8. Heat oil for deep frying on medium-low heat
9. Gently slide the balls into oil and fry until golden brown, stirring occasionally
10. Immediately transfer hot gulab jamuns into warm sugar syrup and let them soak for 2 hours before serving

Cooking Terms:

Knead

Working the dough by pressing and folding to develop structure and smoothness

Syrup

A thick sweet liquid made from sugar and water, cooked to specific consistency

One-string consistency

When syrup forms a single thread when dropped from a spoon, indicating proper thickness

Khoya/Mawa

Milk solids obtained by reducing milk until all water evaporates, used in Indian sweets

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