Poori

    (Photo courtesy: Elizabeth K. Joseph /
Wikimedia Commons)

Ingredients

Wheat flour  - 500 g

Water            - Sufficient amount

Salt               - 3/4 tablespoon

Oil                - for deep frying

Preparation

• Prepare a dough by kneading wheat flour, salt and water. Keep it for 15 minutes. 
• Take about 25 g of the dough, which needs to be rounded and sheeted to the desired thickness. 
• Fry it in refined oil and served with side dishes like aloo gobi or potato gravy.

Chapati

Ingredients
Wheat flour            - 500 g

Chapati
(Photo courtesy: kittykaht / 
Wikimedia Commons)

Milk                       - 1/2 cup

Water                     - Sufficient amount

Salt                        - 3/4 tbsp

Oil or ghee            - 2 tbsp

Preparation

• Prepare a dough by kneading wheat flour, salt, oil, milk and water. Keep it for 15 minutes. 
• Take about 40 g of the dough, which needs to be rounded and sheeted to the desired thickness. 
• Place this on a heated pan. When the colour changes on the top and bubbles appear, turn it over.
• When both sides are done, use kitchen tongs to remove the chapati from the pan. 
• Serve with side dishes like aloo gobi or elephant foot yam fry.

Passion fruit maida barfi

Ingredients
Maida                    -  1 cup

Passion fruit maida barfi 

(Photo courtesy: Farhana Jabin)

Ghee                      -  1 tbsp

Sugar                     -  1/2 cup

Passion fruit juice -  1 tsp 
Water                    -  3/4 cup

Preparation

• Pour a tablespoon of ghee in the pan and add maida to it and heat it off after it is roasted.
• Add sugar and 3/4 cup of water in another pan and heat the mixture to mix well. 
• After the formation of slightly thick sugar solution, add the roasted maida to it. 
• Add passion fruit juice. Heat it off after mixing well. 
• Pour the mixture to the greased plate. Cool and then cut into squares.

Notes: Essence (flavouring agents) is not required while adding the passion fruit juice.

Aloo gobi

       Aloo gobi is one of the most popular healthy Indian dishes. It can be made to a semi-dry curry or to a gravy. Let's see how to prepare it.

Ingredients

Potato                    - 1 cup or 2 to 3 medium-sized (half-cooked, peeled & cut into cubes)

(Photo courtesy: Paul goyette/
Wikimedia Commons)

Cauliflower           - 2 cups

Onion                    - 1 cup (finely chopped)

Tomato                  - 2 to 3

Salt                        - as needed

Lemon juice           - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Ghee/cooking oil   - 2 tbsp

Chilli powder        - 1 to 2 tsp

Cumin seeds          - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala       - 1 to 2 tsp

Turmeric powder  - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Coriander leaves   - 2 to 3 tbsp (chopped finely)

Preparation

• Chop cauliflower florets and add them to slightly hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes. Then drain the water completely.

Israeli salad

Ingredients

Israeli salad
(Photo courtesy: Gila Brand / 
Wikimedia Commons)

Tomato (cut into small cubes)                       -  2

Salad cucumbers (peeled & cut into cubes) -  1 small

Capsicum (deseeded & cut into cubes)        -  2

Parsley (finely chopped)                               - 1 tbsp

Olive oil                                                         -  2 tbsp

Lemon juice                                                  -  3 tbsp

Pepper powder                                             -  1/4 tsp

Salt                                                                -  1/2 tsp

Preparation

       Place the tomatoes, salad cucumbers, capsicum and parsley in a bowl. Add olive oil, toss and blend well together. Finally, add lemon juice, salt, pepper powder and toss well again and serve it.

Cutout sugar cookies

Cutout sugar cookies
(Photo courtesy: Matthias Rhomberg /
 Wikimedia Commons)

Ingredients
Saltless butter                 -  1 cup

Sugar                              -  1 cup

Egg yolks                       - 2 large eggs

White flour                    -  2 cup

Vanilla essence              -  1/2 tsp

Baking powder              -  1/2 tsp

Salt                                -  1/2 tsp

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Combine the flour and sugar to a smooth paste. Add the egg yolks one by one and beat well.  
• Add vanilla essence. Sift the white flour, baking powder and salt and keep aside. 

Cabbage salad

       Cabbage salad is one of the simple nutritious recipes which can make up in a few minutes. Let's see how to prepare simple and easy cabbage salad at home.

Cabbage salad
(Photo courtesy: Off Shell)

Ingredients

Cabbage (soft leaves)  -  1 cup

Curd                            -  1/2 cup

Salt                              -  to taste

Green chilli                 -  1 or 2

Preparation

       Mix all the ingredients (Cabbage, curd, salt and green chilli) in a bowl and serve it.

Useful tips:

• You can also use capsicum instead of green chillies. 

Sugar cookies

       The sugar cookie recipe is one of simple and easy cookie recipe made with the main ingredients such as flour, butter, sugar and eggs.

Ingredients

    Sugar cookies
 (Photo courtesy:  Raielcla /
 Wikimedia Commons)

White flour          - 1 cup

Butter                  -  1/3 cup

Sugar                   - 1/2 cup

Baking powder    - 1/2 tsp

Salt                      - 1 pinch

Vanilla essence    - 1/2 tsp

Eggs                     - 1

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375°F. 
• In a bowl, take flour and baking powder. Mix well and keep aside. 
• Beat the butter with a high-speed mixer for 45 seconds. Then add the sugar and salt followed by the vanilla essence and eggs to it. Mix well. Then add the baking powder mixed flour to it. 
• Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for half an hour. 
• Roll out the dough and cut to desired shapes using cookie cutters. 
• Arrange the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes till the edges turn crisp and bottom brown.

Tomato mint salsa

Ingredients

Chopped tomato          -  1 cup

White onion                 -  1/2 cup

Mint leaves (chopped) -  1/4 cup

Lime juice                   - 1 tbsp

Orange juice                -  1tbsp

Salt and pepper           -  to taste

Preparation

                    Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Carrot halwa

       Carrot halwa is also known as gajar ka halwa which is a traditional Indian halwa sweet made by carrots in milk. Let's start to prepare yummy delicious halwa!.

Carrot halwa
(Photo courtesy: Prerna Jaddwani / 
Wikimedia Commons)

Ingredients

Carrots (grated)             -  2 cup

Sugar                             -  1/2 cup

Milk                               -  1 cup

Ghee                              -  2 tablespoon

Cardamom powder       -  One pinch

Cashew nuts                  -  As required

Preparation

• Heat ghee in a pan. Roast the cashew nuts and keep aside. 
• Then boil the milk in a pan. Add the grated carrots to it. Stir occasionally. Cook until the milk has completely evaporated. 
• Add sugar, cardamom powder and ghee to it and mix well. Sugar will release a lot of moisture. Continue to cook until the halwa thickens. 

Coconut barfi

       Do you know that we can make a tasty sweet by using coconut and sugar? Coconut barfi is a simple delicious sweet made with coconut. Let's see how to prepare this very easily.

Ingredients

    

Coconut barfi
(Photo courtesy: Divya Kudua /
Wikimedia Commons)

Grated coconut               - 1 cup

Sugar                              -  1/2 cup

Milk                                -  1 tbsp

Ghee                                -  2 tbsp

Cardamom  powder        -  One pinch

Chopped cashews           -  As needed

Preparation

• Heat ghee in a pan. Toast the cashews if using and set aside. 
• Then add coconut and sugar to it and mix well in a medium flame. 
• Add cardamom powder to it. 
• After that add one tablespoon milk and continue the cooking until the mixture comes together and begins to leave the sides of the pan. 
• Then pour it immediately to a greased plate and level it well. 
• Decorate the barfi with cashew nuts and allow to cool. Cut them to desired sizes.