Dimer chop (Egg croquette)

For Baishampayan Da:

Method:

1. Boil eggs and  cut into quarters(so the croquettes are not too big). Keep aside.
2. Boil potatoes, mash them well and saute lightly with diced onions , salt , cumin powder, amchur, finely chopped cilantro and garam masala
3. Embed the egg in the potato mixture, and shape them into desirable shape (round or elliptical). 
4. Dip alternately into beaten egg and panko flakes/bread crumbs. Repeat.
5. Deep fry in hot oil. Serve hot with ketchup, chaat masala and raw onions.

You may also make vegetables, fish or chicken croquette using the same technique

Aloo matar tamatar (Baby potatoes with green peas and tomatoes)

Method:

1. Dry roast cumin, saunf, coriander seeds, whole pepper corn, cardamom, cinnamon , and cloves. then grind in coffee grinder.
2. Add kalonji seeds in a hot ghee and diced onions and  tomatoes with a pinch of black salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and hing.
3. Add boiled, skinned baby potatoes and stir in the mix. Add the ground masala, turn to coat well.
4. Add yogurt in little water and bring to boil. Add frozen green peas. Cover and simmer,

Taste for salt, serve with freshly chopped cilantro and hot rotis or luchi (phulke)

Almond milk with Savoiardi

Great for midnight cravings

Roasted duck legs

Honey-braised roast duck leg with shiitake mushrooms

1. For marinade: Make shallow cuts on the legs with a sharp knife and marinade in 4-5 tbsp soya sauce, freshly grated ginger, garlic, ground cinnamon, cloves, (green cardamoms optional) anise seed, and honey in a ziplock overnight.
2. Bake for about 2 - 3 hrs in a preheated oven at 375 F. Turn sides when necessary and braise honey and soya sauce to keep the skin from drying completely.
3. You can broil the last 5 minutes or at 500 F to brown the skin.
4. Slice oranges into thin round slices and place the roast legs with sprigs of your favorite herb.
5. You can serve with your favorite dipping or orange sauce

You can also add your favorite duck sauce to the baste or marinade. Sometimes, packaged Peking sauce can be added to enhance the natural flavors. Don't overkill.

If you have a whole duck and want to use the giblets, you can look up some suggestions here

Beef medallions wrapped in bacon with roasted asparagus

Sausage with cabbage

Ingredients:
Mild Italian sausage
Onions, quartered
Cabbage, shredded
Tomato, diced
Red dry chillies , broken
Herbs of your choice
Olive oil

Method:

1. Broil the sausage(if uncooked) in convection oven for about 15 minutes. Take out, cool and cut into thin slices.
2. In a wok, add a little olive oil, add quarted onion slices. Make sure the layers are seperated. Add the sausage if uncooked.
3. Add the cabbage- cook just right if you want it al dente. Overcooking will take the crunch away- it's your choice really. Add the tomatoes. Then add herbs of your choice- I like to sprinkle dried rosemary.

Soup version:
You can also make a soup version of this. Add water and diced potatoes in that case.

Variation:
You can add black peppercorn if you want to spice it up. A little soya sauce(adjust salt accordingly) can make a good variation. Diced bell peppers also go well with this dish. And whole garlic cloves for garlic lovers.

Goes well with cilantro pilaf or mushroom risotto. 

Sausage, Peppers and Onions

Rishta Palak (Meatballs in spinach gravy)

Recently, SG gifted me two new recipe books, one of which is about Wazwan (traditional Kashmiri Muslim) cuisine. I discovered some interesting ideas, and had to innovate because I don't have the dry cockscomb flower as an ingredient-yet. This recipe is as easy as 1-2-3 , but always a hit with guests, and my new favorite way to cook meatballs. We served it in a dinner I cooked for some of our friends visiting from Finland. They asked for the recipe.

For Miina

Ingredients:
Sliced onion
Garlic-ginger paste

Chopped Palak (spinach) - fresh or frozen
Meatballs - home made or frozen

Freshly ground:
Kali jeeri (different from Kalonji- got this from an Indian grocery store just for this recipe)
Shahi jeera
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Cloves

Curd/yogurt
Ghee
Water

Method:
1. Fry sliced onions in a little oil, add ginger-garlic paste, the freshly ground spices, and then the spinach. Add water
2. Add meatballs, stir. Add more warm water if necessary, don't let the balls get brown or dry.
3. Add curd- about 1 tbsp. Don't make it too sour.
4. Add a little ghee at the end, if you don't feel too guilty about it. Serve warm with saffron rice or peas pulao

Also, you might be interested in Meatballs with Ricotta in Tomato Sauce