Spicy Mexican Papdi Chaat

Ingredients

• 1 tspn garlic chopped

• 1 onion (finely chopped)

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tbsp red chilli paste

• 1 cup red, yellow and green bell peppers (chopped)

• 2 tbsp oil

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes

• 1 cup sweet corn kernels

• 1 cup red kidney beans, boiled

• 1 cup black eyed cowpea beans, boiled

• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, chopped

• Chilli flakes, salt, pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp liquid cheese spread

• Fresh parsley/ coriander to garnish

• 2 tbsp sliced jalapenos to garnish

• A dash of tobasco sauce to garnish

• 200g ready-made papdi

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the garlic and onion until soft. Mix in the tomato puree and red chilli paste. Add the chopped bell peppers and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes (stir from time to time).

• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the corn and beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until everything is heated through and bubbling.

• Remove from heat and stir in the fresh coriander, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Let it cool a bit. Now place the papdi in a serving platter and top with the Mexican mixture. Pour liquid cheese spread on top and serve garnished with sliced jalapenos and parsley, with a dash of tobasco sauce.

Gulkand Pistachio Phirnee

Ingredients

• Full fat milk 4 cups

• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

• Basmati rice ¼ cup

• Sugar 6 tbsp

• Gulkand 2 tsp

• Rose water 1 tsp

• Chopped pistachios 2 tbsp

• Fresh rose petals/ buds, a few slices of kiwi/ strawberry to garnish

Instructions

• Wash the basmati rice in water a couple of times and soak in water for half an hour. This will make the grinding easier. Using a blender, grind rice to a fairly smooth paste, adding a few tablespoons of milk. Set aside.

• In a large, thick-bottomed saucepan, start heating the milk on medium-high heat. When the milk boils, add the rice paste and reduce heat to medium. Cook the rice, stirring often to avoid any lumps. In about 10-15 minutes, the rice will be cooked. Cook the pudding further till it reduces and thickens, for around 10 more minutes.

• Add sugar and gulkand. Stir well to dissolve. Taste and add more sugar or gulkand, if needed.

• Remove from heat and add a few drops of rosewater. Rest for five minutes, but not more than that as the phirni will begin to set, as it cools.

• Transfer phirni to a big serving bowl or individual dessert bowls and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for a couple of hours so that the phirni sets properly.

• Serve cold phirni garnished with chopped pistachios, fruit slices and fresh rose petals.

Mishti Doi Thandai Cheesecake

Ingredients

For Thandai Powder

• Almonds 1/4 cup

• Cashew nut 1/4 cup

• Pistachios 1/4 cup

• Poppy seeds 1 tbsp

• Saunf 1.5 tbsp

• Watermelon seeds/ Magaj seeds 1 tbsp

• Pepper 1 tbsp

• Cardamom seeds 1.5 tbsp

For the Cheesecake

• Crushed cream crackers biscuits- 200g

• Unsalted butter 2 tbsp

• Tighly hung and drained curd 1 cup

• Cream cheese 1 cup

• Powdered sugar 1/2 cup

• Thandai masala 2-3 tbsp

• A few fennel seeds and gulkand to garnish

• Multicolour sprinklers and edible flowers/ rose petals to garnish

• White chocolate squares to garnish

Instructions

• Mix together all the ingredients of Thandai Powder and blend to a smooth powder. Store in an airtight container and use as rquired.

• Now take a nine inch springform pan and grease it. Take the cream crackers and add melted butter to it. Mix well. Once blended to a crumbly mixture, spread it evenly at the bottom of the pan. Press with a spoon and set it evenly. Keep the pan in the freezer for about 20 minutes, till you mix the cheesecake batter.

• Using a hand blender, cream together the hung curd and cream cheese. Now add the powdered sugar in it and mix again. You can adjust the sugar as per your taste. Next, add 2-3 tablespoons of Thandai Powder. Again beat well.

• Take out the pan from the refrigerator and spread the cheese cake batter on it. To get a sharp even edge at the top, use a spoon dipped in hot water and level the top. Transfer the pan back to the refrigerator and chill for about five to six hours. For best results chill overnight.

• Once set, run a wet knife around the edges and then remove the cake from the pan. Cut into slices. Garnish with scattered fennel seeds, multicoloured sprinklers, gulkand, white chocolate squares and edible flowers/ rose petals to make the cheesecake look like a colourful blast.

• Enjoy this Thandai Cheesecake with your family and friends!

Coconut Khoya Samosa

Ingredients

For the samosas

• Plain flour 2 cups

• Heaped tablespoons butter 2

• Water as needed

• Oil for frying

For coconut filling

• Dessicated coconut 1/2 cup

• Grated khoya 1/2cup

• Coarsely powdered sugar 1/2 cup

• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

• Chocolate sauce to serve

• Mixed chopped nuts 4 tbsp (Cashews, raisins, almonds and pistachios)

Instructions

• Begin with making the pastry. In a bowl, add the butter and use your fingertips to mix the butter into the flour, until it resembles breadcrumbs

• Add water, a few tablespoons at a time. Use your hands to knead the dough until it forms a firm dough. Be careful not to add too much water. If the dough becomes too wet it will be too difficult to work with.

• Allow the dough to rest, while you make the filling. Now mix well all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl.

• Take small lemon-sized balls out of the dough and begin rolling them out into circles, much like making a small chapatti. Cut the circles into four quarters.

• Now press the edges of each quarter together to form a small conical shape of a samosa. Now fill each of the samosas with the coconut khoya mixture and seal the open edge, pressing, by taking a little water on your fingers.

• Heat oil in a deep wok or pan on medium heat. Fry the samosas on medium heat, till golden and crisp.

• Drizzle with some chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

Cheeseburst Masala Corn Croquettes

Ingredients

• Butter 1 tsp + 1 tbsp

• Sweet corn 1 cup (I used frozen)

• All purpose flour / maida 3 tbsp

• Milk 1 cup

• Cheese 1/2 cup grated

• Red chilli flakes – 1 tsp

• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp finely chopped

• Salt to taste

• Oil for deep frying

• Breadcrumbs 1/2 cup

Method

• Heat 1 tsp butter in a pan, add in corn and saute till cooked for around two minutes. Remove this to a mixer and puree coarsely.

• Now in the same pan, add one tablespoon of butter and flour and saute for two minutes or so. Add in milk and keep mixing till it comes together.

• Add in corn and fold well. Add in cheese and mix well. Add in salt, chilli flakes, coriander leaves and mix well.

• Now remove this to a bowl and let it cool. Take lemon-sized small portions from the corn mix and shape into balls. Now roll in breadcrumbs and arrange in a plate. Chill this in the freezer for 30 minutes.

• Now heat oil for deep frying. Slide the Corn Croquettes in the hot oil and fry till golden. Serve hot with green chutney.