Aloo Palak

Ingredients

3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

METHOD: Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.
Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of atoes.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Kalakand (Milk Burfi)

Ingredients
2 litres milk
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds)
silver foil (optional)
1/2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water.

Method
Boil half the milk and add the citric solution as it comes to boil
Switch off gas. Once the chenna settles sieve through muslin cloth, press out excess water, take in a plate and press down. Do not knead.
Put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to half.
Add the chenna and boil till the mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring all the while till softly thickens in a lump.
Set in a tray, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts.

Khajur Burfi or Rolls

Ingredients
1 tin condensed milk
1 kg khajur deseeded (dates)
250 gm mixed dryfruits (badam, cashew, pista)
1/2 cup dessicated dry coconut

Method
Break up khajur coarsely
Add milkmaid and dryfruit all in a heavy, non-stick pan.
Cook on slow flame, stirring continuously.
Do not allow to stick to bottom.
It takes a while to cook
Stir gently till a soft lump forms.
Spread some of the coconut on a butter paper sheet.
Grease hands and take a chunk of the mixture and roll into a thick roll, on the sheet, all the coconut to cover it.
Chill the rolls in the fridge
Cut into slices Or set in a tray and cut into squares.

Kaju (Cashew) Barfi

Ingredients
150 gm cashewnuts
400 gm sugar
elaichi powdered
silver foil (optional)
500 gm khoya

Method
Dry grind the cashew
Mix khoya (grated) and sugar
Heat in a heavy pan, stirring continuously.
Once the sugar dissolves, add the cashew (powdered) and elaichi
Cooking, constantly stir till soft lump is formed and does not stick to sides
Roll on a flat surface to desired thickness and apply silver foil.

Imarti (Jaangri)

Ingredients
2 cups urad dal
3 cups sugar
300 ml. water
saffron colour
1/2 tsp. cardomom ground
500 gms. ghee to fry

Method
1.Soak urad dal overnight in plenty of water.
2.Wash and drain. Grind to fine thick batter. Put water little by little.
3.Add colour and mix very well.
4.If using a mixie, beat the dal well by hand till fluffy after grinding.
5.Keep aside for 3 hours. More is weather is cold.
6.Make 1 tar sugar syrup as shown in introduction.
7.Add cardomom powder to syrup.
8.Using either an imarti bottle (with nozzle) or cloth as shown in note, form imartis in the hot ghee. Lower flame and allow to crisp turning once.
9.Remove from ghee, drain and dip in hot syrup.
10.Soak for 3-4 minutes, drain and serve.
11.Repeat for remaining batter.
12.Make 4-5 imartis at a time, depending on size of frying pan.

Note:
Use a flat bottomed frying pan.
The imarti bottle can be substituted with a soft plastic sauce bottle with a nozzle.
If not available, take a 12"x 12" thick cloth, make a buttonhole type hole in centre.
Place over a tumbler and pour in some batter.
Hold like a pouch and press out imartis like icing.
Shape the imartis as follows, make a ring first, then form small ringlets all along the ring.
Till you come to the start.

Making time: 1 hour (excluding soaking and keeping time)
Makes: 20 imartis
Shelflife: (1) Keep unsoaked in syrup for a day. (2) Soak in syrup as required.