Pitted plums/prunes (soaked in water & chopped) 200 gm

Eggs (beaten) four

Milk ½ glass

Dark rum ½ glass

Almond (blanched and chopped) 175 gm

Raisins and currants (each) 250 gm

Flour (sifted) 100 gm

Sugar 250 gm

Dried breadcrumbs 115 gm

Candied peels 250 gm

Sugar 150 gm

Mixed spice ½ tsp

Rind of half lemon (grated)

A pinch each of cinnamon and nutmeg powder

A pinch of salt

Method
Mix the eggs, milk and rum. Then pour over other ingredients (except 150 gm sugar and pitted plums/prunes) placed beforehand in a large bowl. Boil 150 gm of sugar with half glass cold water to caramelise it, slowly stir in 1 cup boiling water. Add this to the mixture in the bowl. Stir briskly for about 15 minutes. Lightly butter a large pudding mould and line its bottom with waxed paper. Place the pitted plums after draining and pour the rich pudding mixture. Cover with a round sheet of waxed paper. Then cover this parcel in a muslin cloth or aluminium foil and place the mould in a pressure cooker with enough water to reach half way up the mould. Cook for 1-1/2 hours timing from the moment the steam begins to escape. Steam in the cooker for another hour before serving. Let it cool. Turn upside down in a plate. Remove the cloth and foil and enjoy hot or cold.

Mauj  Masti  ka  Pyaala 

Please not that the measures are suggestive for eight persons imbibing one drink each and choosing tea or coffee based fortified drinks in equal measure.

Strong coffee (preferred readymade powder or blend may be used) 4 cups

Strong tea (brewed with tea bags) 4 cups

(You may happily experiment

with masala, lemon-ginger

or Tulsi based bags)

Dark rum 120ml

Kahlua liquor (optional) 60 ml

Brandy or whisky 150ml

Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp

Whipped cream 2 tbsp

Honey 1tsp

A sprig of mint leaf

Method
Serve piping hot tea & coffee in large glasses or transparent mugs. Pour rum into coffee, sprinkle a little cinnamon powder and garnish with a blob of whipped cream. Add the brandy or whisky to the tea with little honey, stir well and garnish with a mint leaf.

Bharwan  Roti

Pita breads (halved) 12

Masala paneer 200 gm

Cauliflower ( bite-sized florets) 200 gm

Ginger (scraped and diced) 1" piece

Green chillies

(deseeded and chopped fine) two

Cloves of garlic crushed two

Peanuts (roasted and spiced

or fried with besan) 100 gm

Hung yogurt whisked ¼ cup

Mustard paste/kasundhi 1 tsp

Peppercorns (freshly and coarsely ground) 1 tsp

Honey (optional) 1 tbsp

Olive oil or salad oil 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

A pinch of red chilli powder

A pinch of shahi zeera

A few leaves of lettuce (preferably iceberg washed

well and shredded)

Method
Blanch the cauliflower in boiling water for three minutes and refresh in cold water and keep aside. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Put in the garlic cloves and stir-fry the cauliflower and paneer in this pan for about two minutes. Sprinkle red chilli powder, shahi zeera, green chillies, ginger along with salt. Continue cooking for one more minute.

Blend the yogurt and mustard paste by whisking and line the pita bread halves with it. Make a bed with shredded lettuce leaf and pack it with a portion of paneer-gobhi mixture. Drizzle a little pepper and a large drop of honey if using. Garnish with a generous amount of crunchy peanuts and a sprig of mint or hara dhania.

Mirchi  Ka  Salan

Green chillies 250 gm

Onions (ground to a paste) 100 gm

Ginger (ground to a paste) 1" piece

Garlic paste 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds (dry roasted and powdered) 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds (dry roasted and powdered) 1 tsp

Sesame seeds (dry roasted and powdered) 3 tbsp

Peanuts (dry roasted and powdered) 1/4cup

Poppy seeds (dry roasted and powdered) 1 tsp

Coconut (grated and roasted) 1 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Jaggery or sugar 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp extract 1/4 cup

Curry leaves 10-15

Oil 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method
Make the spice paste by grinding together the onions, roasted spices, ginger and garlic, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and jaggery/sugar with tamarind extract. Heat oil in a pan, add the green chillies and fry very lightly for about 15 seconds. Add curry leaves and after a moment, the spice paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Now add the green chillies. Cook over medium heat, stirring once or twice till the oil rises to the surface.

Baked  Pulao

Rice (not basmati) 4 cups

Vegetable stock or stock made from meat bones 8 cups

Bay leaf one

Peppercorn 1 tsp

Cloves 12-14

Garam masala 1tsp

Dhania powder 1tsp

Zeera powder 1tsp

Turmeric powder ¼ tsp

A large pinch of turmeric powder

Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp

Cardamom powder ¼ tsp

Clove powder ¼ tsp

Baigan long  six

Ghee (clarified butter) 3 tbsp

Onions five (4 sliced &

one whole)

Tomatoes (medium-sized sliced) three

Oil 4 tbsp

Salt to taste

Goa sausages two to three

Or spicy chicken sausages/ready to eat seekh kebab 400 gm

Mangodi-Amritsri vadian 100 gm

Peas (shelled) 200 gm

Black mushroom dried 100 gm

Hard-boiled eggs (optional) halved four

Figs dried (chopped) 100 gm

Raisins (lightly fried) 100 gm

Method
Pick and wash the rice and soak it for about 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside. 

Simmer stock with a large pinch of turmeric and one sliced onion. When onion is soft, add Goan sausages. (If using chicken sausages or seekh kebab don’t boil these but pan grill on a non-stick pan cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the rice when it is being placed on the serving dish).

Continue cooking for about 15 minutes more. Remove sausages very carefully and keep aside. Strain stock. Cool and skim the fat from the surface.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry the vadian and mongodi in it till brown. Remove and drain excess oil on kitchen towels. Place the frozen peas in hot water for 10 minutes.

Refresh the dried mushrooms by soaking these in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Place these on the top of the rice before serving.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry two sliced onions till golden. Add sliced tomatoes and rice. Mix well and fry till all liquid is absorbed.

Add enough water to stock (to make 8 cups in all), along with the bay leaf, peppercorn and pour in the pan with the rice. Put a whole peeled onion studded with cloves in the pan at the same time. Add salt to taste. (Add the vadiyan/mogodi and peas at this stage for the vegetarian version)

Cover and bake in a pre-heated oven on moderate heat or cook over low heat, stirring once or twice with a fork. Test if rice is done and stock is absorbed.

Wash and slit the baigan lengthwise in halves ensuring that these remain intact at the stem. Mix the turmeric, dhania, mirchi and zeera powders with a little water to make a thick pastes, along with salt to taste, and stuff the baigan with it. Cover the non-stick pan with a thin film of oil and pan grill the baigan on low medium heat. Sprinkle the aromatic clove cinnamon and cardamom powders. Remove and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry two sliced onions till golden. Add sliced tomatoes and rice. Mix well and fry till all liquid is absorbed.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry one sliced onion till brown.

Place a layer of rice onto flat serving dish, place the baigan on top along with sausages/kebab or mushrooms and garnish with chopped dried fruits deep fried onions and hard-boiled eggs if using. Serve with mirchi ka salan.