Paneer kakori

Very soft and delicious vegetarian grilled seekh kebabs
Makes 15
1 cup vegit aloo mash , 100 gm paneer- crumbled or roughly mashed (1 cup), 8-10 almonds - grind in mixer to a powder , 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 onion - very finely chopped , 1 tsp bhuna jeera powder 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder , 1/4 tsp amchoor, 3 slices of bread - torn into pieces & churned in a mixer to get fresh crumbs

Ingredients for later use :
2 tbsp melted butter or oil, chaat masala

1. Mix paneer, vegit aloo mash, bread crumbs, bad powder and all other ingredients.
2. Add about 1 cup water and mix well to make a slight stiff paste.
3. Rub oil generously on the wire rack or grill of the oven.
4. Take a lemon sized ball of the mixture and press the kebab mixture into finger-shaped kebabs on a pencil. Gently pull out the pencil to get a hole in the kebab.
5. Brush them with oil.
6. Place on a grill rack of the oven. Grill in a hot oven for about 8-10 minutes or till golden brown
7. Pour some melted butter on the kebabs with a tsp to baste them. Turn them only when they are almost done otherwise they tend to break. Spoon some oil on the other side also and grill for 5 minutes or till golden from both sides.
8. Sprinkle tandoori or chaat masala on the kebabs and serve with onion rings sprinkled with lemon juice and chaat masala and lemon wedges.

Note : If you do not wish to grill the kebabs, shallow try in 1 tbsp oil in a pan, turning sides till browned evenly.

Dakshini squares

Serves 4
1 cup vegit aloo mash , 2 tbsp semolina (suji) , 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste,1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste , 1/2 cup water , 1/2 onion - very finely chopped , 2 tbsp curry leaves , 1/2 tomato - cut into half, deseeded and chopped finely , 3 bread slices - toasted in a toaster , 1/2 tsp small brown mustard seeds (rai) , 3tsp oil to shallow fry

1. Mix the suji, salt and pepper with the vegit aloo mash. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well using your fingers.
2. Add the onion, tomato and curry leaves.
3. Spread potato mixture carefully on toasted bread slices, keeping edges neat.
4. Sprinkle some rai over the potato mixture, pressing down gently with finger tips.
5. Heat 1 tsp oil in a non stick pan. Add a slice of bread with topping side down.
6. Cook until the topping turns golden brown and crisp. Add a little more oil for the next slice if required. Cut each slice into 4 pieces and serve hot.

Note : This recipe will work best using a minimum quantity of oil for frying.

Vegetable Chaat nuggets

Delicious and soft nuggets with a crisp covering, similar in test pao bhaji mixture.
Serves 4
1 1/2 cups vegit aloo mash, 1/2 cup chopped cabbage , 1 cup chopped cauliflower (tiny florets), 1/2 cup shelled peas,1/4 cup very finely chopped carrot, 3 tbsp oil , 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 1/2 tsp pao-bhaji masala , 2 bread slices- churned in a mixer to get fresh crumbs , ¾ tsp salt, or to taste, 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp chaat masala, 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Coating
1/2 cup suji,1/4 cup maida, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper

1. Pressure cook cabbage, cauliflower and peas with 1/2 cup water to give 2 whistles. Reduce heat and keep on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from fire and let the pressure drop. After the pressure drops, mai the vegetables. If there is any extra water present, dry it on fire.
2. Heat oil. Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir. Add pao-bhaji masala. Stir for a minute.
3. Add pressure cooked and mashed vegetables. Saute for 2-3 minutes remove from fire.
4. Add vegit aloo mash, and mix well. Add 3-4 tbsp water if required otherwise do not add water.
5. Add chopped carrots. Add salt, sugar, chat masala and lemon juice. Mix well for 2-3 minutes. Remove from fire and let the mixture cool down.
6. Add bread crumbs mix well again. Shape into balls. Flatten to get oval, flat nuggets.
7. For the coating, mix suji, maida, salt and pepper and spread on a plate.
8. Roll the nuggets over the maida-suji mixture to coat well. Refrigerate for 2 hours to get crisp nuggets.
9. At serving time, deep fry 1-2 pieces at a time in medium hot oil till crisp. Remove on paper napkins. Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve hot.

Mexican quesadillas

Pronounced as 'keseidiyas," LL being pronounced as "Y". A good melting cheese like mozzarella is important for this snack.
Serves 4
Corn Tortillas
1/2 cups maize flour (makai ka atta) , 1/2 cup flour (maida), 1/2 tsp salt

Filling
150 gm mozzarella cheese - grated (1 1/2 cups) , 1 tbsp butter, 1 cup vegit aloo mash, 1/2 cup water,1/4 tsp chilli flakes ,1/4 tsp mustard, salt and pepper to taste, 1 green chilli - deseeded and finely chopped , 1 tomato - cut into 4 pieces, remove pulp and chop finely , 1 onion - very finely chopped, 1/2 cup frozen com, 2 tbsp ready-made salsa.

1. Mix makkai ka atta, maida and salt in a big bowl. Knead with warm water to make a pliable dough. Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside for 1 hour. Roll a walnut size ball of the dough into a shape of a thin round chappati.
2. Place the rolled tortilla on a hot tawa. Cook for a minute on medium heat. Overturn and cook the other side for a minute or till brown specs start appearing. Do not make them crisp. Remove from heat. Make all the tortillas and keep warm tortillas wrapped in foil or cloth in a casserole. Use as required.
3. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan, add chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat till light brown. Add com. Remove from fire and add vegit aloo mash, and 1/2 cup water. Add salt, pepper, red chilli flakes and mustard. Stir continuously on flame for 2-3 minute till properly mixed. Remove from fire. Add cheese to the potato mix and keep aside.
4.At serving time, spread some potato-cheese mixture on half of the tortilla. Fold over the other half to get a semi circle. Press well so that the edges stick together. Pan fry till golden.
Cut into 3 pieces. Serve hot with salsa.

Soya bites

Serves 4-6
1 cup vegit aloo mash, 1/2 cup water ,1/4 cup nutri nugget soya granules - soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, strained and squeezed , 3 tbsp oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) , 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (1/2" piece ginger and 3-4 flakes of garlic), 1 onion - chopped , 1/2 tsp haldi, ¾ tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp dhania powder,1/4 tsp amchoor , 3 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tbsp cornflour , 1 -2 tsp lemon juice or to taste, 1 bread slices - grind in a mixer to get fresh crumbs , some satay sticks or bamboo skewers.

1. Heat 3 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp jeera. Let it turn golder
2. Add ginger-garlic paste. Stir for a few seconds. Adi lion. Cook till light brown on low heat.
3.Remove from fire and add masalas - haldi, garai, masala, red chilli powder, dhania powder, amchoor powder and salt.
4.Return to fire and add tomato puree. Stir.
5.Add nuggets and stir for about 10 minutes till well fried and absolutely dry. Remove from fire. Cool.
6.Mash the nuggets well. Add vegit aloo mash, cornflour, bread crumbs and 1/2 cup water. Add lemon and seasoning to taste.
7.Flatten a ball of this mixture on a wooden skewer. Do not make it too broad as the mixture might fall off if done so.
8.Deep fry to serve. Serve with ketchup

Potato pizza

Makes 1
Pizza base
100 gm maida (1 cup) , 2 tbsp/30 gm butter, 1/2 cup vegit aloo mash, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.

Pizza sauce
4 tbsp ready made tomato puree, 1 flake garlic - chopped and crushed , 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes,1/4 tsp pepper .
Topping
1 cup vegit aloo mash,1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes ,1/4 tsp black pepper powder,1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup pizza cheese , 1/2 medium onion - cut into 4-6 pieces and separated , 1/2 tomato - cut into 8 pieces, deseeded, 1/2 medium capsicum - cut into 1/2 " pieces triangle.

1. Rub butter into the flour till it resembles bread crumbs. Add potato mash, baking powder and salt. Add water and mix well to a dough.
2. To prepare the sauce, mix all the ingredients with the tomato puree. Keep aside.
3. Roll out pizza dough and spread out in an oven proof plate or a non stick pizza pan of the oven. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes till the underside gets done.
4. For topping, mix vegit aloo mash, water, oregano, salt, chilli flakes and pepper.
5. Spread pizza sauce first on baked pizza base. Spread vegit aloo mash mixture on the base.
6. Sprinkle half the cheese. Arrange capsicum, onion and tomato. Sprinkle the remaining cheese.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes till golden and crisp. If needed, grill on wire rack for 5 minutes for the cheese to turn get golden. Cut into slices to serve.

Onion mushroom rosti

Serves 4
2 cups vegit aloo mash , 1 cup water, 2 tbsp cornflour , 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

Filling
50 gm (6-7) mushrooms - chopped finely , ½ onion - chopped very finely , ½ tsp garlic paste, 2 tbsp mozzarella cheese, 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or coriander , ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp crushed black pepper to taste, 2 tbsp olive oil or any other cooking oil and 2 tbsp butter.

1. Mix vegit aloo mash with water to make smooth d type consistency. Add cornflour, salt, pepper and red chilli flakes and mix very well.
2. Melt ½ tbsp butter in a pan. Add onions and mus corns and cook for 3-4 minutes till they turn light brown and all the water evaporates and they turn dry.
3. Reduce heat, add garlic paste, parsley, salt, pepper. Lightly mix everything well with a fork. Remove from fire add grated cheese. Keep aside.
4. Divide aloo mixture and filling into equal portions.
5. Take 1 portion of potato and press to make a depression. Fill prepared filling into in and give it a tikki shape. Neaten the edges by rolling the tikki upright on the kitchen platform like a tyre.
6. Melt 1 tbsp oil and ½ tbsp butter in a large, heavy non stick pan over medium heat. Place all rostis and cook from one side first for 4-5 minutes till golden patches appear. Turn over and cook the other side till golden. Serve hot with tomato ketchup

Potato dip

Serves 8
1 cup vegit aloo mash , 1 cup mayonnaise, ready made, 1 tbsp chopped raisins (kishmish), 3-4 flakes garlic - crushed, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander.

1. Add all the ingredients to mayonnaise. Mix well. Add about 1 cup water to get the right consistency for a dip. It should be thick coating consistency.
2. Chill and serve with crisp carrot & cucumber sticks, French fries or nacho chips.

Potato chaat

Serves 3-4
Potato balls
1 Cup vegit aloo mash, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp bhuna jeera powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp chaat masala, 2 bread slices - churn in grinder to get fresh crumbs.

Other ingredients
1 red seeds of 1 fresh pomegranate (anaar), 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp chaat masala, 1 apple - cut into 1/2" cubes without peeling, 2 tbsp chopped green coriander, 4 tbsp lemon juice.

1. Mix 1/2 cup water to vegit aloo mash. Add bread crumbs and all seasoning. Mix well for 1-2 minutes till properly mixed. Make small marble size balls and deep fry till light brown. Let them cool down. Cut the fried balls into half and refry again till golden brown and crisp. Keep aside.
2. Mix other ingredients of chaat. Add fried potato balls at the time of serving. Serve