Onion Kulcha

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoon yogurt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Salt As per taste
1/4 teaspoon Sugar
2 medium onion chopped
1 green chilli
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ginger grated

Make a soft dough by mixing and kneading flour with oil, yogurt, salt,sugar, baking soda and water. Rest the dough for at least an hour Mix onions, green chilli, cumin seeds,ginger and salt together to make the stuffing . Now take one ball and roll it into a small round. place some stuffing in the middle of the rolled ball, Fold the filled rounds and seal the edges by pinching the dough. Roll out the kulcha with a rolling pin using dry flour as required to prevent it from sticking. Place the kulcha on a hot tawa with very little oil or ghee toast on both sode till cooked good or place on a grill in the oven till slightly brown and soft. 

Indian milk cake

Ingredients:
6 cups of whole milk
Approximately 3 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed cardamom
2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
Approximately 1 table sliced pistachios for garnish

Grease a 6-inch plate and set aside. In a large, wide and heavy saucepan bring the milk to a boil over medium high heat. And let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice to the milk, it will begin to curdle.
Use minimum amount of lemon juice to just start the curdling process and prevent the whey (milky water) from completely separating immediately. Boil for 5 minutes and remove approx. 1 ½ cups of the whey. This will help reduce the tartness from the cake. Continue to cook and stir occasionally until the milk is a grainy consistency and the whey is evaporated.
This will take an additional 15-20 minutes. Add sugar and cardamom and keep stirring until the mixture starts coming together. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 4-5 minutes until mixture changes to a slightly golden brown color.
Transfer mixture to the greased plate and press firmly into a square shape, approximately 1 inch high. As an option, sprinkle sliced pistachios on top. Let sit for at least an hour before slicing into individual pieces. Tips this wonderful dessert can be prepared ahead of time and stored at room temperature for a few days.
It is generally a few inches tall and has different shades of color throughout. However, this recipe will make an even colored cake that is approximately 1 inch thick. The taste of this Milk Cake is identical to what I have grown up enjoying as a delicacy in our home.

Minced Meat Curry

Ingredients
Lean Ground Beef – 1 lb
Fresh or Frozen Green Peas – 1/2 cup
Finely diced Potatoes – 1 medium
Diced Onions – 1 large
Diced Tomatoes – 2 medium
Meat Masala Powder – 2 tbsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder – 2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste -1 tbsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Water – As needed

For Marinating
Beef Meat Masala Powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste

Wash the minced meat thoroughly in a colander atleast 4 or 5 times and allow it to drain. Marinate the ground meat with the above ingredients and keep it aside for around 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok and add onions. Saute till the onions become translucent. Add the diced tomatoes along with salt and allow it to cook until pulpy. Reduce heat and add ginger garlic paste. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add chilly powder, meat masala powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and saute for a minute. Add the marinated ground meat to the pan. Sprinkle the pepper powder. Mix everything well. Cover and cook on medium heat for around 10 minutes. Open the pan and add potatoes. You will notice the gravy that has formed in the pan. Cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Open the pan and add green peas. If the gravy has reduced, add water to the pan and mix well. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes and switch off the stove. Open the pan after half and hour and stir everything well. The Minced Beef would have absorbed most of the gravy. Serve this Spicy Meat Kheema along with any Bread.

Note The cooking time varies depending on the type of meat used. For Minced Beef, I cooked it for 35 minutes and then kept it covered. Chicken requires only 20-25 minutes of cooking time. You can also Pressure Cook the Meat but you will have to cook potatoes and green peas separately, or else it will get mashed.

Cucumber curry

Ingredients
1 Cucumber (diced)
1 Green chilli
2 Tomato (diced)
1 Onion
¼ tsp Mustard
¼ tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Red chilli powder
2 tsp Corrainder/dhania powder
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
6 Curry leaves
½ tsp Salt (or to taste)
2 tbsp Oil

Wash, peel off the skin and dice the cucumber. Heat oil in a sauce pan and toast mustard, cumin and curry leaves until it splutters. Add onion, chillies saute til brown, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft and mushy. All dry masala powders like turmeric, red chilli powder, dhania powder and salt can be added along with diced cucumber. Partially close the pan with a lid and cook for 5 to 8 minutes on medium flame. Once it turns tender and soft,serve with hot rice and ghee.

Ash plantain curry

Ingredients
Ash Plantain 200 Gms
Onion 1 medium
Green chillies 4
Curry leaves 10
Salt to taste
Milk 1 cup
Cumin powder 1 teaspoon  roasted
Turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon

Skin and cut the Ash plantain into ¾ inch cubes. Keep these in water so that they do not stain. Dice the onions into small pieces. Chop the green chillies into small pieces Place the drained pieces of ash plantain, chopped onion, salt, green chillies, turmeric powder and ½ cup water in the cooking pan and bring to boil. Cook until ash plantain pieces are soft. Add the milk and bring to boil. When boiled, add the cumin powder and stir and simmer. Remove from fire.

Seeni Sambol

ingredients
5 large Onions peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup Maldive Fish
1 1/2 inch Ginger root (crushed)
8 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 tbs crushed red Chilies
5-6 cardamoms
3-4 cloves
1 small spring Curry leaves

1-2 pieces Rampe
1 piece Sera
1 piece Cinnamon
Salt to taste
1 tsp Tamarind paste
2 tbs Sugar
4-6 tbs Vegetable oil

Mix the first 12 ingredients well. Heat the oil in a shallow pan. Add the mixed onions and keep stirring. When the onions are well fried and dry, add the tamarind paste and keep stirring until well mixed. Allow to fry a few minutes longer. The mix will turn dark brown when well fried. Add the sugar and keep string for a little while longer. Taste and adjust salt if required.

Carrot Chutney

Ingredients
Grated carrot - 1 1/2 cups
 Roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup
 Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
 Dry red chillies - 4 Nos
 Coriander powder - 1/4 teaspoon
 Garlic - 1 clove
 Salt to taste
 For tempering Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
 Curry leaves - 2 springs
 Dry roast the red chillies and garlic. Add a teaspoon of oil and add the grated carrot and coriander powder. Saute till carrots are slightly done. Add in the rest of the ingredients and saute for a minute. Cool and grind to a smooth paste adding a little water. Transfer to serving bowl. Heat a teaspoon of oil and crackle the mustard seeds and fry the curry leaves. Pour it over the chutney. Serve with Dosa.