For the gravy.

Moong Dal                              4 teaspoons

Turmeric powder                     ¼ teaspoon

Salt

Curry patta                              10 leaves

Onions                                     75 grams (ground to a paste)

Ginger paste                            ½ teaspoon

Garlic paste                             ½ teaspoon

Red chili powder                   1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder                       1 teaspoon

Green Chili                                2 (paste)

Cashew nut                             50 grams (paste)

Char Magaz                             25 grams (paste)

Tomatoes                                 2 medium size (ground to a paste and strained)

Cream                                      50 mls

Garam Masala                         ½ teaspoon (Grind mace, cardamom and cinnamon 1:1:1 ratio)

Butter                                      25 grams

Coriander leaves                     1 teaspoon

For the koftas.

Potatoes                                  3 (medium size cut into tiny bits ¼ inch)

Carrots                                                250 grams (cut into tiny bits ¼ inch)

Beans                                      150 grams (cut into tiny bits ¼ inch)

Cashew nuts                              20 grams ( fried)

Onions                                     200 grams (cut into tiny bits)

Bread crumbs                          8 teaspoons

Flour                                        4 teaspoons

Red chili powder                    ½ teaspoon

Turmeric powder                     ½ teaspoon

Green chili paste                     ½ teaspoon

Green chili paste                     1 teaspoon

Chinese green chili sauce        ½ teaspoon

Tomato sauce                         2 teaspoons

For Kofta stuffing.

Cashew nuts                               20 grams (fried and cut into tiny bits)

Cottage cheese                           50 grams

Green chill                                   3 (finely chopped)

Sugar                                           ½ teaspoon

Ginger                                          1 teaspoon finely chopped

Gravy preparation.

Wash and boil the moong dal with salt and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder. When the dal is half-cooked, add 10 curry patta leaves and let it boil till the dal is tender. Cool and grind to a paste.

Heat 3 teaspoons of oil, add the onion paste and cook for 3 minutes.

Now add ½ teaspoon of garlic paste, and ½ teaspoon of ginger paste. Add salt,

½ teaspoon of red chili powder, ½ teaspoons of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of green chili paste, 50 grams of Cashew nut paste, 25 grams Char Magaz paste , cook on medium heat for five minutes or  till oil separates. Add the tomato paste. Cook for five minutes till the gravy is thick.

Now  again add ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder,1/2 teaspoons of Red chili powder and cook for a minute.

Now add the Moong Dal paste and 100 mls of water and ½ teaspoons of Garam Masala (cardamom, mace and cinnamon), 50mls of cream, and coriander leaves. The gravy should not be very thick.

Last of all heat 50 grams of butter and pour in gravy.

For the koftas.

Heat oil ,deep fry  the tiny bits of potatoes till tender (don’t brown them), remove and keep aside.

Now take 4 teaspoons of oil, add the onions and fry till translucent, now   add 1 teaspoons of ginger paste and 1 teaspoon of garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add the finely chopped carrots and beans, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of water, cover and cook till tender.

Now add ½ teaspoons of turmeric powder, ½  teaspoon of red  chili powder, the fried potatoes, 8 teaspoons of crumbs, 4 teaspoons of flour, ½ teaspoon of green chili paste,

1 teaspoon of green chili paste, ½ teaspoon of Chinese green chili sauce, 2 teaspoons of tomato sauce and mix everything well. Remove to a tray to cool. Make kofta balls, using the filling.

Make a paste of 6 teaspoons of flour, 3 teaspoons of corn starch in 1 cup of water; dip the kofta balls in the flour mixture and deep fry. Remove and keep on kitchen paper to drain excess oil.

Just before serving, place the koftas in a dish and pour the gravy over it. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Dariabad is a village in Uttar Pardesh, district Barabanki, where my ancestral home is !!

Mince meat                             1 kg (non fat)

Raw papaya paste                   8 teaspoons

Onion paste                             3 onions, 9 teaspoons

Ginger paste                            2 teaspoons

Salt                                          2 teaspoons

Coriander powder                   6 teaspoons

Cumin powder                                    3 teaspoons

Red chili powder                    4 teaspoons

Black pepper powder              1 teaspoon

Black cardamom                     4

Cloves                                     6

Cinnamon                                ½ inch

Nutmeg                                   1/2

Mace                                       1 teaspoon

Gram flour                              10 teaspoon

Onion                                      1 cut finely

Green chilies                           10 cut finely

Coriander leaves                     4 teaspoons cut finely.

Mustard oil                              to shallow fry. (Any other oil can be used)
In 1 kg dry mincemeat, add papaya paste, onion paste, ginger paste and salt.

Mix well and leave for 1 hour.

Now add the coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder.

Dry grind the black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and mix to the mince meat.
Now add 10 teaspoons of gram flour and mix well.

Finally add finely cut onion, green chilli, coriander leaves.

Now make three-inch   by 1 inch long kebab and fry in mustard oil.

The mustard oil gives the kebab a unique flavor.

Rice                             1 kg

Meat                            2  kg

Oil/ ghee                   400 grams

Garlic paste              4 teaspoons.

Big cardamom                1

Cloves                                4

Cinnamon                         2”

Black peppers                10

Bay leaf                       3

For bouquet garnie

aniseed                        100 grams

Coriander seeds          100 grams

Garlic                               50 grams (cut into small pieces and pounded)

Garlic                               50 grams (pounded)

Onion                               100 grams

Red chili                         4-5 whole

Bay leaf                           3

For garnish

Onion                               1 medium size (finely sliced)

Green Cardamom        3

Ghee/oil                          4 teaspoons

Make a bouquet garnie, using a thin muslin cloth.

Wash meat properly. (The best meat to use is from the shoulders and the ribs)

Put the meat in a heavy bottom vessel (you can use a pressure cook, for quick cooking), Add the meat and the bouquet garnier and 1 ½ liters of water and boil the meat, covered, till the meat is almost tender.

Now separate the meat from the stock and strain the stock and keep aside.

Wash rice and pre soak for about one hour.

In a heavy bottom vessel, add the oil. On medium heat, add the big Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon, Black peppers, Bay leaf, fry for a minute. Now add the boiled meat, fry for a minute, and then add the garlic paste and fry for three to four minutes, add a little water making sure that the meat does not stick to the sides. Keep frying till the oil appears. Now add the stock (the ratio of the stock and rice should be 2:1, that is if you are using 5 cups of rice, then use 10 cups of stock) and salt. Let the rice boil, with the meat and the stock for 10 minutes, on medium heat. When the rice settles down, sprinkle one cup of milk over he rice and cover the vessel and reduce the heat to low and let it cook for another twenty minutes, till the rice is tender. Try not stirring the rice while it is cooking, as this will cause the rice to break.

Now fry some the sliced onions and the small cardamom in some oil till the onion is golden brown. Garnish with the brown onions.

Chicken                                   500 grams (cut into 1 inch pieces)

Salt

Soya sauce                              1 teaspoon

Flour                                        2 teaspoons

Oil                                           to deep fry

For Gravy.

Oil                                           6 teaspoons

Green Chili                              6 (cut into ½ inch pieces)

Tomato                                    2 (medium size, cut into tiny bits)

Salt

Red chill powder                    1 teaspoon

Chicken stock                         150 ml

Soya sauce                              3 teaspoons

Chinese green chili sauce        3 teaspoons

Tomato sauce                          3 teaspoons

Vinegar                                   3 teaspoons

Monosodium glutamate          a pinch

Corn starch                              1 teaspoon

Cut and wash chicken and add salt, 2 teaspoons of flour and 2 teaspoons of Soya sauce. Let it marinade for half an hour

Hear oil for deep-frying and fry the chicken pieces, on medium heat till the chicken is tender and light brown.

For the gravy, heat 6 teaspoons of oil; add green chilies, the finely chopped tomatoes, salt, 1 tea-spoon of red chill powder, and 150 ml of chicken stock. Cook on medium heat for two minutes.

Now add 3 teaspoons each of   Soya sauce, Chinese green chili sauce, vinegar.

Add the Mono Sodium Glutamate.

Keep cooking on medium heat, stirring constantly, till oil separates.

Now add the fried chicken.

Mix well and last of all add 1 teaspoon of corn starch mixed in half cup of water.

Cook for a minute.

Chicken                       one full 1 kgs cut into small pieces

Onion                          one large sliced

Garlic paste                 two teaspoons

Ginger paste                two teaspoons

Cumin powder                        two teaspoons

Black cumin seeds      two teaspoons

Yogurt                         500 grams

Sauf                             one teaspoon

Cumin seeds                one teaspoon

Kalaunji                       one teaspoon

Methi seeds                 one teaspoon

Green chili                   150 grams (about 20-25)

Wash chicken. Heat oil (10 teaspoons), and fry the chicken for five minutes to seal all the juices. Remove the chicken and in the same oil, fry the onions till golden brown. Now add the ginger/ garlic paste and the cumin powder and two teaspoons of water and cook till oil separates. Now add the chicken and cook till he chicken is half cooked.

In a small frying pan, heat the sauf, zeera, methi and kaulanji and then pound. Crush them coarsely and add to the yogurt and mix well. Add the green chilies to the yogurt. And mix well. Add this yogurt mix to the chicken and cook the chicken on low heat for about 20 minutes or till chicken is tender.

Cauliflower                 one medium size

Potatoes                      200 grams

Oil                               6 teaspoons

Cumin seeds               1 teaspoon

Ginger                         50 grams cut into julienne

Green chili                   4

Tomatoes                     two cut into long strips

Turmeric powder         1 teaspoon

Salt                              to taste

Cumin powder            ½ teaspoon

Coriander powder       ½ teaspoon

Chilli powder              ½ teaspoon

Heat oil; add the cumin seeds, when they start spluttering, add the julienne ginger and the green chili. Fry for a minute.

Now add the sliced onions and fry till the onions are translucent.

Now add the diced potatoes and the cauliflower, fry for two minutes.

Now add the  tomatoes, fry for two minutes.

Now add one teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt and leave it on low heat till the potatoes and cauliflower are almost done.

Now add the Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Chili powder.

Mix well and cook for another five minutes on low heat.

Milk (full fat)              2 liter

Rice (basmiti)              150 grams

Sugar                           500 grams

Mawa                          600 grams (if mawa/khoya is not available, double the quantity of milk)

Rose water                  2 teaspoons

Saffron                           1 gram (pre soak saffron in the rose water)

Wash rice properly and drain all the water, then soak it in 100 mls of water for ½ hour

Separate the water and keep aside. Grind rice coarsely, making a grainy powder.

Now in a pan, put mink, powdered rice, saffron and grated mawa and bring to boil. Now lower the heat to low and keep cooking, stirring regularly, till rice is cooked, and a thickish consistency is attained.

Add 500 grams of sugar, stirring regularly.

Add rose-water and remove from heat.

Pour rice pudding in separate desert bowl. Cool or serve hot as desired.

 2 liters of milk will make about 30 helpings.

White bread                4 pieces

Milk                               1 liter

Sugar                           1 cup (120 grams)

Green Cardamom        3 (seeds only)

Mawa/ Khoya             120 grams (or milk powder 1 cup)

Ghee/oil                       50 grams

Saffron                           1 gram

Almonds                     6

Pistachios                    8

Silver paper (warq)      5

Heat oil in a non stick-frying pan.  Fry the bread till golden brown. Remove from oil and place over kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

Now in a flat container, boil the mink, over medium heat, stirring it constantly. Add the sugar, cardamom seeds and the mawa or milk powder, lower the heat and let it cook till the milk starts to thicken.  Now put the fried pieces of bread in the thicken milk, add the pre soaked saffron, and let it simmer for sometime till the bread soaks the milk.

Remove the pieces of bread on a flat dish, pour the balance thicken milk over the bread, sprinkle with flakes of almonds and pistachios. Put silver paper on it. Serve hot or cold

Onions                         2 medium size

Garlic paste                 2 teaspoons

Ginger paste                2 teaspoons

Chill Powder               1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder         1 teaspoon

Black pepper               6 Ps

Green cardamom         4 Ps

Oil

Heat oils and add the sliced onions and sauté till translucent.

Now add the ginger and garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder and the other ingredients.

Bhuno/ stir fry, till the oil appears, repeat this process three times, adding a little water each time .

Now add the meat, and stir fry for 5 minutes.

Add water and Bhuno again, till oils appears. Now add some water and let it cook over medium heat till the meat is tender.

Bhuno till all the water evaporates and the meat turns deep brown.

Meat: 2 kgs (shoulder, leg and ribs)
Basmati Rice: 1 ½ Kgs (soaked for 1 hour)
Potatoes: 10 (large)
Ghee/oil: ½ kgs
Garlic paste: 6 teaspoons
Ginger paste: 6 teaspoons
Yogurt: 175 grams (approx. 8 teaspoons beaten)
Onion: 1 large
Lemon: 1
Milk: 400 ml
Rose water: 1 teaspoon
Saffron: 2 grams soaked in ½ cup of warm milk.

Garam masala: to be made into a powder.

Cardamom: 20
Nutmeg: ¼
Mace: 5 grams
Cinnamon: 1 ½” stick
Cloves: 6
White peppercorns: 10

Masala for boiling rice
Cloves: 9
Cardamom: 7
Cinnamon: 1 inch stick
Salt : 10 tablespoon

Ingredients for the meat

Cardamom: 9
Cloves: 14
Cinnamon: 2 inch stick
Red chili powder: ½ teaspoon
Green chili : 15 (3 chilies ground to a paste)

Meat preparation

In a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil, add the sliced onion and fry till light golden. Add meat. And the garlic, and ginger paste and 2 teaspoons salt and cook while stirring for five minutes.

Now add the Cardamom 9, Cloves 14, Cinnamon 2-inch stick, Red chili powder ½ teaspoon, Green chili 15 and 2 teaspoons of salt. Now cook the meat stirring it for 15 minutes.

Now add the beaten yogurt, mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally till the oil separates.

Now add 1-½ liters of water and let it cook over medium heat till the meat is tender.

Now remove the meat from the gravy and keep aside.

To the gravy, add 100 ml of water, juice of one lime, ½ teaspoon of green chili paste, red chili powder1/2 teaspoon. Check seasoning, the salt should a bit high. Strain the gravy to get a smooth stock. The volume of the gravy must be about 800 ml.

For the potatoes.

Cut them into half and boil them with 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of red chili powder, till 75 % done.

For the rice.

Boil water; add Cloves 9, Cardamom 7, Cinnamon 1-inch stick, Salt 10 tablespoon. Now add the washed and pre soaked rice, and cook till its 50 % done.

Remove about 300 ml of the boiled rice water. And keep aside.

The final preparation.

In a heavy bottom vessel which is large enough, first place the meat, add the stock / gravy, add 400 ml of milk, 5 teaspoon of the Garam masala powder and mix well.

Now place the boiled potatoes on the meat.

Sprinkle the rose water.

Now put one layer of the boiled rice.

Sprinkle the saffron.

Now put all the remaining rice.

Now pour the boiled rice water evenly all over the rice.

Seal the cooking pot tightly, to minimize loss of steam. Seal it with foil and a tight fitting lid.

Cook on high heat for 10 minutes to build up steam, and then reduce the flame to low and cook further for 15 minutes.

Open lid carefully. Now check if the rice is fully cooked. And to check that is no stock left at the bottom of the pot, take a spoon with a long handle and insert the handle in the middle of the pot, till it hits the bottom. Extract the spoon and tap the end on your palm. If there are drops of water on your palm then it indicated that there is water at the bottom, so cook further for ten minutes.