Jain Vegetable Makhanwala

This North Indian gravy based vegetable can be served with any indian bread.

Jain Veg Makhanwala

Ingredients

 5 Tomatos

1 tbsp Cashew nut
1 tbsp watermelon seeds (magajtari beej)
1 tbsp milk creme
1.5 tsp black salt (sanchar)
1 tsp sugar 

1/2 cup green beans (fanasi)
1/2 cup green peas (watana)

2 tsp cooking oil 
2 tsp ghee
2 tsp rasoi magic no onion no garlic masala
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder

Seasoning
1 tsp Asafoeteda (hing)
1 tsp cumin seed (jeera)
2 dry red chilies


Method:

1. Take chopped green beans and green peas in a bowl dipped in 1tsp salt water. Boil in a pressure cooker giving it a time of 3 whistles. Let it cool and drain all the water.
2. In a mixture grinder jar, put tomatos, cashew nut, watermelon seeds, milk creme black salt and sugar. Blend it fine so that no chunks are seen.
3. In a pan put oil and ghee. When it is medium hot add cumin seeds, Asafoetida and dry red chilies. Immediately pour the tomato puree.
4. Add both the masalas to the gravy and let it cook until the oil starts to loosen. Keep steering at intervals.
5. Now add the boiled vegetables. Add salt to taste as per requirement.

Serving:
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Jain Bounty Chocolate

For all those sweet tooth and bounty lovers this is a recipe to melt your mouth.
Very quick and takes almost 8-10 mins for a batch.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp Grated Dry coconut
1 tbsp Milk powder
1 tbsp Icing Sugar
2 tsp Milk
1/4 tsp Coconut Essence (optional, I didnt use it)
100 grams dark chocolate slab


Method:
1. Melt the dark chocolate in oven for about 20-30 mins and stir nicely to see if there are any chunks left. keep melting till it is liquidized.

2. Mix all the following ingredients in a bowl as for chocolate filling: Grated Dry Coconut, Milk Powder, Icing sugar and milk. Milk should be added gradually as it may loosen the paste. We are making a thick paste.

3. Now grease a chocolate mold (use ice tray incase you don't have molds) slightly with butter and apply dark chocolate with spoon to the interior layer. Set it for about 2 mins in a refrigerator.

4. After it is set, drop  approx. 1tsp of the filling paste in the center. (this may vary according to the size of the mould, just see to it that the filling is 1/4)

5. Now drip dark chocolate to these moulds, started from the corners and slowly coming to the center.
Refrigerate this for around 5mins.

6. Look at the bottom of the mould to confirm if the chocolate is properly set. The color should change to pale. now unmold the chocolates and enjoy it with friends. 

Jain Red Pasta with Cheese herb bread

I made this yesterday and it was an instant hit with my family.
Although I forgot taking a pic, I am posting a dummy image until i make it again and capture it for posting.
This is not an authentic mexican recipe. It has a touch of indian-ness in it to adjust to my taste.

Seasoning:
2 tsp Cooking oil
1 tsp Chopped Green Chilies
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Chili Flakes
1/2 tsp Asafoetida (substitues for garlic like flavor)

Ingredients:
1 cup - shell or any shaped pasta
4 medium sized tomato
1 dried red chili
1 loaf of long bread or non-garlic bread loaf that comes with coriander
4 cubes of processed cheese
1 teaspoon Black Salt
1 tablespoon cream
Fresh basil
1 teaspoon sugar

Water
Iodized Salt to taste

Served with:
Pasta tastes best with Bruschetta. So I have changed the Bruschetta part with cheese non garlic bread.

Here goes my method:

1. On one side of the stove, put a deep boiling pot of water and add salt to it.
 I used to add oil also but I have stopped doing that as that makes the pasta not mix with the gravy easily. Ususally pastas are mixed with pasta sauce but I prefer tomato based gravy.

2. As soon as the water starts boiling, put the pasta in. Steer in regular intervals so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.

3. Till the pastas are cooked, on the other side of stove, boil the tomatoes for about 2 mins. They will start to peel off their skin. Put them in cold water and remove the skin.

4. Now grind to a fine paste the following: dry red chili, tomatoes, black salt, cream.

5. Heat pan with oil and add Asafoetida, green chilies, Chili flakes and Oregano. Add in the same sequence. As Oregano will burn faster. Pour the tomato puree. Use little water to mix with the residue in the jar and pour that too, thats fine!

6. Let it cook well for about 6-7 mins on medium heat. Add Fresh basil leaves and sugar. I add sugar as it enhances taste and also because the tomato puree is sour. ITs optional. Basil Leaves give aroma and a typical refreshing taste to it. Basil is one of the important ingredient in Mexican dishes.

7. Check pasta if it is cooked completely. It will not have white color in the inside if you brake it. It should not be sticky but easily chewable. I used to season the pastas after cooking. But please avoid that. 

8. Mix the gravy with pasta only when ready to serve, as pasta absorbs the water content.

Serving

9. Take a long loaf of bread and cut it to 1/2 inch layers.

10. Garnish with grated cheese and oregano, chili flakes.

11. Put in oven until it turns crispy and the cheese melts. Serve with hot Pastas

Sip some soda based mocktail (mojito recommended) with the duo. Sit by a scenic window or with your loved one to enjoy even more. :)

Jain Vada Pav

This is my secret recipe for all Vada Pav lovers. Its one of my secret temptations and even on a diet, I can't stop myself to splurge on it.
Vada Pav originally a Maharashtrian Recipe, was eaten by mostly the labour class as part of their lunch. Since it is cheap and quick to make, many stalls have come up to satisfy the hunger of every munching star. Tastes best with Tea

Here goes my recipe.

Seasoning

½ tsp Asafoetida (hing)  

1 tsp Black Mustard seeds (rai)

1 tap Black Gram or (Urad dal)

1 tbsp cooking oil

Ingredient 

4 Raw Banana

½ cup chopped green coriander

6 green chilies or 1 tbsp grinned green chili

1 tsp salt (as per taste)

½ tsp black salt (sanchar)

Serving & Garnishing

sesame pickle or grounded peanut pickle

sweet date chutney

spicy coriander chutney

Preparation

1. Cut the raw banana (with the peal) in two and steam them with 3 whistle in a pressure cooker. Shut the gas and let the cooker cool down for 10 mins.

2. Take out the raw banana in a clean plate and you can easily remove the peal now. 

3. Add grinned green chilies, salt, black salt and chopped coriander. Now smash them till they mix well.

4. Take a small pan for seasoning. Put oil and Urad dal. After it turns pink add sesame seeds. After it crackles add hint to it.

5. In not less than 3 seconds, pour the seasoned oil on to the banana dough. Mix well again. Make round balls out of it when cool.

Frying

6. Prepare a semi-solid dough out of gram floor, water, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder. Dip the balls in this dough properly and fry them until it turns golden.

Serving

Cut a tile bread loaf horizontally. Apply sweet date chutney and spicy coriander chutney to the insides and place the vada right in the middle of the loaf. Sprinkle some sesame seed pickle