GINGER DATE BALLS

Ingredients
1/2 lb almonds, finely chopped,toasted and divide in 1/2
1 cup dates, pitted, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 ounce candied ginger, chopped
1/4 cup honey
Directions
1.Place one half of the almonds and the remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended.
2Roll into balls and then coat in the remaining almonds.
------------------------------------

LIME DRINK

Ingredients
Lemons 4
Green chilli 1
Sea salt to taste
Black salt to taste
Fresh mint leaves 10-12
Powdered sugar 2 tablespoons
Ice cubes as required
Fresh mint sprigs 4
Soda as required
Method
2.Quarter three lemons and halve the remaining one. Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves into a stainless steel glass.
2.Put the lemon pieces in it. Add green chilli, sea salt, black salt, mint leaves and crush with a wooden stick.
3.Add powdered sugar, half a cup of water and mix. Add ice cubes and shake to mix well.
4.Put a mint sprig in a serving glass, add ice cubes and strain the mixture through a strainer into the glass. Top it up with soda and mix. Serve immediately.

THALIPEETH

Ingredients
3 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan)
3 tablespoons millet flour (jowar)
3 tablespoons wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 green chillies, finely chopped
salt to taste
Other ingredients
oil for cooking
home-made white butter to serve
Method
1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and add enough water to make a thick batter.
2. Heat and grease a non-stick tava.
3. Spread a layer of the batter to form a pancake of 4 mm. thickness.
4. Cook on both sides till golden brown, using a little oil.
5. Repeat to make 3 more thalipeeth.
6. Serve hot with a dollop of home-made white butter.

CHINESE RICE

Ingredients
1 cup long grained rice
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
Method
1. Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Boil 6 to 8 cups of water, add salt and 1 tablespoon of oil.
3. Add the rice to the boiling water. Cook till the rice is 85% cooked.
4. Pour into a colander and let the water drain out. Pour some cold water on the rice to arrest further cooking.
5. Let all the water from the rice drain out ensuring that the rice does not contain any moisture.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and toss the rice in it
7. Spread the cooked rice on a flat surface till it is cool.
8. Use as required.

RICE PANCAKE

Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice
1/3 cup grated carrot
1/3 cup chopped spring onion
1/3 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1/2 cup Bengal gram flour (besan)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons curds
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
salt to taste
Other ingredients
oil to cook
Method
1. Combine the ingredients except the oil in a bowl.
2. Add enough water to make a sofr dough.
3. Divide the dough into 10 to 12 equal portions.
4. Using wet hands, press one portion of the dough onto a damp cloth to form a 100 mm. (4") diameter circle.
5. Lift the cloth and upturn the pancake on to a non-stick tava.
6. Cook on both sides till golden brown using a little oil. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 10 to 12 pancakes.
7. Serve hot with green chutney.

COOKIES

Ingredients
125 g butter
60 g icing sugar
60 g cornflour
125 g plain flour
1 pinch salt
Directions
1.Soften butter.
2.Place in a mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and knead well.
3.Roll tablespoon fulls of dough into balls, and flatten slightly on a lined biscuit tray.
4.Bake at 180C for 15 minutes, or until a light golden brown.
5.Be careful not to let them burn, they should only change colour slightly!

GATE AND WALNUT LADDOO

DATE AND WALNUT LADDOO
Ingredients
Dates, chopped 200 grams
Walnuts, toasted and crushed ½ cup
Apple juice 1 cup
Pear, grilled and chopped 1
Cinnamon 2 inch stick
Sponge cake crumbs ½ cup
Cocoa powder as required
Method
1.Heat apple juice in a pan, add dates and cook. Add pear and mix.
2.Add the cinnamon stick. Mix and cook till the pear and dates and soft and the mixture is a little dry.
3.Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add walnuts and mix.
4.Add sponge cake crumbs and mix well. Let the mixture cool in the refrigerator.
5.Shape into laddoos, roll in cocoa powder and serve.
This recipe is by Sanjeeve Kapoor