Rasmalai

Ingredients :

• Paneer [ prepared from cow's milk ] - 1 litre

For sugar syrup :

• Sugar - 500 gms.
• Water - 3 1 / 2 cups

For malai :

• Milk - 1 litre
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Saffron - little
• Blanched & sliced almonds,pistha - 2 tablespoon

Method :

Prepare paneer and knead it to a smooth dough. Then make balls and flatten it. Then cook it in sugar syrup like rosogollas. [ u can see the recipe in my blog. ] Cover and keep it in the syrup for at least 10 hours. Then boil 1 litre milk in heavy kadai, till it is reduced to half of its quantity. Add saffron, sugar, and stir well till dissolved. Then remove boiled ras malai from the syrup. Press gently to remove excess syrup. Put  in cold water and squeeze again. Then put it in boiling milk and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the fire. Garnish with fried almonds, pistha, Serve chilled in individual cups.

Apple Cinnamon Milk Shake

 "   An apple a day keeps the doctor away " also proves true for acidity. When whipped  up as a  milkshake, as chilled milk is known to over come acidity for some people.


Ingredients :

• 
  
• Peeled and chopped apples - 2 cups
• Chilled milk - 2 1 / 2 cups
• Sugar - 2 table spoon
• Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
• Crushed ice - required to serve

Method :

Blend the apple and sugar in a mixer or blender to a smooth puree using little milk. Then add cinnamon powder, and remaining milk and blend again. Pour into 3 individual glasses and top with crushed ice. Serve immediately. Enjoy your yummy apple cinnamon milk shake.

Papaya Mango Smoothie

                  

Papaya and mango both are said to be alkaline by nature and good for acidity. do remember to try this when mango is in season.

Ingredients :

• Chopped papaya - 1 cup
• Fresh chopped mangoes - 1 cupSugar - 1 tsp [ optional ]
• Lemon juice - 1tbsp [ optional ]
• Crushed ice - required to serve

Method :

Combine all the ingredients except the ice in the mixer and blend till smooth. Then add some crushed ice into 2 individual glasses and pour the smoothie over it. Serve immediately.

Date and Banana Shake

Ingredients :

• Milk - 2 cups 
• Dates [ khajur ] - 1 / 4 cup [ deseeded ]
• Ripe banana - 1
• Sugar - 1 tsp [ optional ]
• Ice cubes - 6 to 7

Method :

Heat little milk in a vessel and soak the dates in it for 10 to 15 minutes till they soften. Keep aside to cool. Then combine the soaked dates, milk, banana and sugar with ice cubes in a mixer and blend till smooth. Pour into 2 individual glasses and serve immediately.

Make the most use of these alkaline bananas by whipping a shake early in the morning.

Amti [ Maharashtrian Toor Daal ]

Ingredients :

• Toor daal - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 2 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Kala masala - 1 1 / 2 tsp

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1 / 4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Grated fresh coconut - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - little
• Onion -1 big [ finely chopped ]
• Garlic flakes 2 [ finely chopped ]
• Coriander leaves - little [ for garnishing ]

Method :

Wash the daal well. Cook in  plenty of water on medium heat till soft or cook in pressure cooker. Heat the  oil. Add seasoning, chopped onion, garlic and curry leaves, fry till the onion become brown. Then add the cooked daal and stir well. Add salt, jaggery,tamarind paste, grated coconut, and kala masala. Add some more water if required. Bring to boil in low flame. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Then remove from the gas and garnished with fresh coriander leaves.Serve with roti, tepla.

Note :

Mung or masoor daal can be used instead of toor daal.

Kala Masala [ Maharashtrian Recipe ]

       Kala Masala :

This is a typically maharashtrian masala and is so named because of its dark colour.

Ingredients :

• Coriander seeds - 3 cups
• Dry coconut pieces - 3 / 4 cup
• Seasame seeds - 1 / 4 cup
• Cumin seeds - 2 table spoon
• Asafoetida - 1 / 4 tsp
• Caraway seeds - 3 tsps [ shahjeera ]
• Cloves - 5 to 6
• Cinnamon - 4 to 5 pieces
• Bay leaves - 5
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 / 2 cup
• Salt - as required
• Oil - to saute above ingredients

Method :

Dry roast seasame seeds,saute the asafoetida and remove. In the same kadai add little oil, saute coconut pieces till lightly change in colour. Then remove.saute the rest of the ingredients separately. First grind seasame, coconut and asafoetida separately and then other ingredients. Mix all the powders and turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Store the masala in a jar with an air-tight lid.

[ if this masala is required to be kept for several months, speard a little salt on top of the masala before closing the lid.]

Banana Chips

Ingredients :

• Raw banana - 2
• Turmeric powder - 1 / 4 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Oil -  for frying

Method :

Peel outer skin and cut banana into four lenth wise and then cut into thin slices. Mix salt, turmeric with the pieces and marinate for 1 / 2 an hour. Then heat oil in a frying pan, and deep fry one hand full of banana pieces each time. do not over fry. When it turns golden, remove and drain excess oil. Store it in a air- tight container.