(VEG) Red Swiss Chard Batter Fry

For the ingredients you need:

- Fresh Swiss Chard (washed thoroughly and then cut into uniformly sized pieces).
- We need to make batter with chick peas powder, a pinch of salt, a pinch of asafoetida, a pinch of baking soda, half teaspoon of fennel seeds (use "ajwain" seeds if possible) and water to mix. The consistency should be like pancake batter.

Heat oil hot. Dip the chard pieces into the batter and put into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry them golden brown and serve immediately.

TIP: you can use pancake batter to fry the leaves. Make sure you shake out the excess batter before frying.
Try it with lettuce leaves too. Equally delicious!

(MEAT or VEG ) Hearty Chicken (or veg) Stew

You need:

- Mixed chicken pieces
- Onions(for a whole chicken two white onions cut into chunk)
- Ginger (half inch in size and slit)
- Garlic six cloves,sliced.
- 1 bay leaf, half tsp ground clove, ground cinnamon, and ground cardamom
- 2 whole tomatoes diced
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp worstershire sauce (optional)
- Vegetables - potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, green beans and beetroot. (You can also use vegetables such as turnips, peas or asparagus. Cut into chunks).

To prepare:

- Coat the chicken pieces with flour, salt and pepper. Brown them and keep aside.
- In a pot heat oil and add the bay leaf.
- Put in the cut vegetables of your choice, onions, ginger and garlic.
- Saute them until they are light brown in color.
- Put in rest of the ingredients salt,pepper and 11/2 tsp of sugar, 3 cups of water (or low sodium chicken stock instead of water).
- Let it simmer on medium low heat for some time, or until the chicken and the veg are soft and tender.
- Thicken the gravy lightly with a little butter, flour and milk mixture..
- Let the stew rest for few minutes then serve with buttermilk biscuits or bread.

Vegetarians:

Use Tofu or Paneer if you want. Or just skip the chicken and use the vegetables of your choice. Use vegetable stock in place of chicken.

(MEAT or VEG) Crunchy Mini Pie

This is excellent for tea parties or quick lunches!

You need:

- Puff pastry sheet from your local supermarket
- Spinach (sauteed earlier with garlic and salt)
- Cooked ground meat(this is optional and vegetarians can omit it). I used leftover curried ground pork meat.You can use any cooked meat(sausage will be fine).
- Cream cheese (or any grated cheese)
- Heat oven 400F (205C)

Roll out the pastry sheet and with the help of a circular cookie cutter stamp out circular pieces.
Oil-spray a nonstick cupcake baking tin.
Into each cup layer a circular piece of the pastry sheet. Then add some of the sauteed spinach, a dollop of cream cheese and a little of the ground meat. Top it with another layer of that circular pastry sheet. Make two slits on top of each pie for the release of steam.
Brush it with beaten egg (vegetarians should instead brush it with some milk) and sprinkle some crushed cornflakes for crunchiness.
Bake it for 20-23 mts. It should be golden brown in color. Turn the heat off and leave the pies in the oven for few minutes. Take out and serve

(VEG) Cheesy Veggie Grilled Sandwich

This recipe is mainly for college students. (Or for anyone who is familiar with the Trader Joe's grocery chain in the US. Those who do not know Trader Joe's can still adapt it to the grocery store(s) you do use).

On your next trip to Trader Joe's, pick up:

- Their horseradish flavored spreadable cheddar cheese or any spreadable cheese. I love cheddar. You can do it with sliced cheese too.
- Bread ,of your choice
- Vegetable masala burger. (You will find it in the frozen section), or if you have no Trader Joe's then pull out that leftover cooked vegetable from your fridge. (Sauteed vegetable will be excellent).

To assemble:

- Take two slices of bread
- Spread cheese on both the slices.
- Prepare the burger - read the instructions on the box (or, if you use leftover cooked vegetables, layer them on the cheese).
- Sandwich the slices and butter the outer sides of the sandwich
- Grill it in a toaster oven or on the stove top using a griddle or a frying pan.
- Serve it with fruits and chips, and with soup bought from Trader Joe's.

(FISH) Tilapia Delight

This is traditional Bengali dish. (Bengal ,situated east of India). Well the common ingredients are of course a whole fresh tilapia fish, that you cut into steaks. (Do not throw away the head. Or, if you are uncomfortable cutting fresh fish, you can take some tilapia fillets, and cut them into reasonable sized pieces).

If you use fillet pieces, coat them with salt and turmeric and dust them with all purpose flour. Pan fry them and keep them aside. With fresh fish, coat the steak pieces with turmeric and salt and pan fry them. In either case, do not overheat the oil, because the fish should be lightly fried. Keep the pieces aside.

In the same pan pour some mustard oil (we traditionally cook in this oil). If you do not have it, then never mind, you can use any light oil.
-Put a pinch of nigela seeds if you have.
-Put sliced onions and diced tomatoes, 1tsp of turmeric powder, 1tsp of chilly powder (optional), salt and a little sugar. (I use brown sugar).
-Saute them together until the whole mixture looks fried and oily and has a lovely reddish color.
-Pour in half a cup of water, turn the heat low as it starts to boil, then slowly put in the fish pieces.
- Allow it to simmer for some time. Not too long, otherwise fish will break.
-The gravy should be thick and slightly oily.
- Garnish it with slit green chillies, and cilantro (coriander) leaves.

Enjoy!

TIP: if the gravy is too thin, then you can thicken it slightly with a little cornflour or all purpose flour.

College going cooks!

If you want to "go gourmet", then try this recipe. You can use any white fish fillet.

(FISH) Oatmeal Crusted Fish Fillet

Oatmeal crusted fish fillet (Oh my god - to die for)!

- Take any fish fillet, make sure it is even in thickness (if it is not, then pound it so that the thickness of the fillet is even.
- Salt and pepper the fillet, then marinate it in a ginger, garlic, green chilli paste.
- Squeeze lemon juice in some butter milk and put little salt and curry powder into it.
- Then dip the marinated fillet into the buttermilk and coat it with oatmeal.If you dont have oatmeal you can coat it with cornflakes.
- Pan fry.It should be golden brown in color on both sides.

I served it with masala mashed potatoes and green salad.

Enjoy!

(VEG) Vegetable Au Gratin

- Saute veg (mushroom,carrots and peas - or veg of your choice) with chopped onion and garlic in some butter.
- Put 1 tbsp of all purpose flour into the veg mixture while sauteeing.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Lower the heat and pour in a cup of milk and stir mixture until it thickens
- Turn off the heat.Pour the mixture in a casserole dish.
- Take a cup of gruyere cheese (or you can use some other cheese of your choice - provided it melts easily and is bubbly. I use cheddar cheese too).
- Layer it over the veg and put the dish under a broiler or grill.
- Keep it until the cheese is lightly brown, bubbly (and of course melted!).
- Serve hot with good bread and/or salad.