lebenese platter

LEBANESE PLATTER

An assorted platter of snacks, dips & salads.
Serves 2

Pita bread 1
Falafels 4
Vegetable samosas 4
Hummus dip 4tbsp
Tabouleh salad 4 tbsp
Cottage cheese salad 6 tbsp
Arabic pickle
Lettuce leaves

Make all the recipes as given in earlier posts.
To arrange, take a serving platter. Starting from the left side, put a small lettuce, arrange Arabic pickle on it. Next to it put the tabouleh salad on a lettuce leaf, arrange Arabic pickle on it. Next to it put the tabouleh salad on a lettuce leaf & then put paneer salad.
Put 2 falafel cutlets & 2 hot samosas in the centre of the plate.
Put hummus dip on the right side of the plate. Warm pits bread on hot tawa, turning sides till hot.
Cut in to 6-8 triangular pieces & serve separately on the side. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve.

Cheese & Pepper Salad

CHEESE & PEPPER SALAD

Serves 3-4

Cottage cheese cut into 2”square 100 gms
Onion chopped 1
Chopped coriander ¼ cup

DRESSING
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Vinegar 1 tbsp
Lemon juice 1-2 tbsp
Sugar ½ tsp
Garlic paste ½ tsp
Salt & pepper ¼ tsp

Mix all the ingredients of dressing in a bowl.
Add cottage cheese, onion & coriander. Mix well. Serve.

Mixed Arabic Pickle

ARABIC PICKLE

Serves 4

Peeled carrot cut into thick sticks ¼ cup
Cucumber cut into fingers with peel ¼ cup
Cauliflower florets ½ cup
Flakes of garlic sliced 3 large
Onion cut into 8 pieces 1
Vinegar ¼ cup
Salt ½ tsp
Water 1 cup
Sugar ½ tsp

Mix 1 cup water, vinegar, salt & sugar in a pan. Bring to a boil.Remove from fire.
Add all vegetables & olive oil. Mix & keep aside for 2 hours.
Store in an air tight glass jar.

Tabulleh(Labenese Salad)

TABULLEH

Serves4

Bulgur wheat (dalia) ½ cup
Oil 2 tbsp
Cottage cheese grated 100gm
Ground cumin seeds ½ tsp
Salt ¼ tsp
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Cinnamon powder ½ tsp
Minced onion ½ cup
Pine nuts ¼ cup
Chopped tomatoes ½ cup
Finely chopped cucumber ½ cup
Finely chopped coriander leaves ¼ cup
Finely chopped mint leaves ¼ cup
Finely chopped spring onions ¼ cup
Lemon juice 2 ½ tbsp
Olive oil 2 ½ tbsp

Place the bulgur in a large bowl & pour in enough hot water to cover generously. Let it stand until the grains soften, about 15 minutes. Drain well in a fine mesh strainer, pressing out excess water. Set aside.
In a frying pan, heat the oil over the medium high heat. Add cottage cheese. Cook about 5 minutes.
Add the onions. Sauté until soft.
Add the pine nuts & cook until roasted. Remove from the heat.
Place the mince mixture into a bowl. Add the bulgur & the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.

HUMMUS(Chickpea Dip)

HUMMUS

Anyone familiar with Middle Eastern food recognizes this rich sauce as a favourite.

Serves 4
Chickpeas (boiled) ½ cup
Lemon juice 3 tbsp
Sesame seeds ½ tbsp
Olive oil 4 tbsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
A pinch of pepper powder
Salt to taste

Heat pan add sesame seeds & toast, shaking frequently, until fragrant but not brown. Remove from heat & cool.
Place sesame seeds & 2tbsp olive oil in the grinder & grind to paste.
Add the channas, lemon juice & garlic. Churn again until smooth.Season with salt& pepper.
If you find it little thick add little water to make sauce like consistency.
Drizzle with remaining olive oil.

labenese samosa

LABENESE SAMOSA

Makes 10

Cornflour ¼ cup
Flour ¾ cup
Salt & sugar ½ tsp
Oil 1tbsp
Water ½ cup

FILLING
Cottage cheese(grated) 50gms
Coriander finely chopped ¼ cup
Red chilli powder ¼ tsp
Salt ¼ tsp
Onion chopped 2tbsp

GRIND TO MAKE POWDER
Black peppercorns 1/2 tsp
Laung 4-5
Nutmeg ¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds ¼ tsp
Ginger powder ¼ tsp
Green cardamom seeds ½ tsp
Fennel seeds ½ tsp
Cinnamon 1” stick

Mix all ingredients of the dough. Add enough water to make firm dough. Knead well.
Cover and leave aside for 1 hour.
For the filling, mix all the ingredients of the filling & keep aside.
Divide dough into small lemon sized balls. Roll out to form circles (2-3” diameter)
Put filling on one side of circle. Fold over one end to make semicircles. Press edges with fingers so that they stick together.
Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. Serve hot.

Crispy CHILLI CORN Recipie - Lip Smacking Appetizer

Crispy Chili Corn


Sweet corns 1pkt
Cornflour 1 cup
Salt & Pepper
Bread crumbs 1 cup
Oil for fry
Onion chopped 2 cups
Capsicum chopped 2 cups
Salt & pepper
Tomato sauce 1 tbsp
Soya sauce 1 tbsp
Chilli sauce 2 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Ginger garlic green chilli paste 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp

Boil sweet corn in microwave for 10 minutes. Strain the water completely
In a bowl, add corn flour, salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper powder, water and make a thick paste
Add cooked sweet corn to the corn flour paste. Mix well.
In a plate, roll the corn mixture on the bread crumbs. Fry the coated corn in oil until golden brown.
In a separate pan, fry chopped onions & capsicum with pinch of salt, pepper and all sauces, add the friedcorn. Saute well.
Crispy chilli corn is ready.

Poha Roll

POHA ROLL

30 gms poha (rice flakes)
100 gms potato
2 green chillies
20 gms roasted peanuts
1/4 tsp amchur (dry mango powder)
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Few coriander sprigs



How to make poha roll :

• Boil, peel and mash the potatoes.
• Wash the poha in a strainer. Coarsely grind the roasted peanut.
• Wash & chop the green chillies and corainder sprigs.
• Add poha, peanuts, chillies, corainder leaves and spices to the mashed potatoes.
• Mix well and roll into desirable shapes.
• Coat with breadcrumbs.
• Deep fry in oil till rolls golden brown.
• Serve hot with tamarind chutney.

Festive food

KALAKAND

(Packed with calcium & protein)

Makes 16 pieces

Cottage cheese ¾ cup
Whole milk powder 8 tbsp
Sugar ¼ cup
Cream ½ cup
Cardamom powder ½ tsp

For the garnish
Almonds, slivered 10

Combine all the ingredients in non stick pan
Cook over a medium flame stirring continuously for 10 to 15 minutes till the mixture thickens & leaves the sides of the pan.
Spread on to a pie dish. Cool & cut into 16 pieces.
Garnish with almonds & served chilled.

liquid fruit salad

LIQUID FRUIT SALAD

Makes 8-10 glasses

Chopped fresh fruits (Cherries, Peach, Mango, Grapes or any available fruit) 2cups
Chopped mint leaves ½ cup
Lemon wedges ½ cup
Lemon juice 2 cups
Sugar syrup 2 cups
Readymade litchi juice 1litre bottle
Soda 1 bottle

Put 1 tbsp of fruits in each mocktail glass, followed by ½ tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp sugar syrup.
Pour 2 tbsp litchi juice in each glass.
At the time of serving, put crushed ice, mint leaves, lemon wedges & soda.
Enjoy refreshing liquid fruit salad.

Mango Lassi

Serves 4
Combine 21/2 cups peeled & chopped mangoes, 1 cup each ice & butter milk and 1/4 cup honey in blender.
Puree until smooth.
Pour into chilled glasses & sprinkle tops cardamom & finely chopped toasted pistachios.

Thai Green Mango Salad

Serves 4
Mix 3 grated raw mangoes, 1tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp red chillies, 1tbsp roasted rice powder, 1 tbsp fresh coriander, 5-6 mint leaves, torn & juice of 1 lemon.
Chill & serve

Ragda Pattise

RAGDA PATTISE
Serves 4

PATTISE
Potatoes boiled& mashed 6
Cornflour 3tsp
Salt to taste

RAGDA
Dry peas (matar) soaked overnight 1 cup
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Onion finely chopped 1
Few curry leaves oil 1 tbsp
Ginger 1”piece
Garlic flakes 3-4 crushed to a paste
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Dhania powder 2 tsp
Salt 1 ½ tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp

TO SERVE
Some hari chutney
Some meethi chutney
Some chopped coriander & finely chopped onion

To prepare the patties, mix potatoes with cornflour & salt. Make 8 big lemon size balls. Flatten balls slightly. Heat 4 tbsp oil in frying pan & shallow fry till brown & crisp.

To prepare the ragda, drain the water from the peas & pressure cook peas with 1 ½ cups water. After the first whistle, keep on slow fire for 10 min. Remove from fire.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add asafoetida, chopped onion & stir fry for 2 minutes. Add curry leaves & ginger garlic paste. Stir fry till onion turns light brown.

Add turmeric, red chilli powder, jeera powder & dhania powder. Mix & add 1 cup water.

Add boiled peas & salt. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add garam masala, mix & remove from fire.

To serve, place 2 fried patties in a plate. Pour 4 tbsp ragda over it. Pour a spoonful of green chutney & tamarind chutney. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & finely chopped onion.

CORN BHEL

CORN BHEL

Juicy sweet corn kernels tossed in a fresh tomato & onion salad & spiced up with Tabasco & green chillies. Serve with broken Papadis.
Serves 4
American corn boiled 500gm
Tomatoes chopped 3
Onion chopped 3
Green chillies chopped 2 lemon juice 2 tsp
Tamarind chutney 5 tbsp
Tabasco sauce 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder 2 tsp
Papadis 40 sev 200g
Coriander leaves chopped 3 tsp

Toss the sweet corn, tomato & onion with green chilli, lemon juice, tamarind chutney & Tabasco sauce. Add salt & chilli powder & toss well to combine.
Break Papadis into uneven pieces & mix in to the bhel. Top with the sev & coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

DABELI..different from usual Vada Pav

DABELI

Warm pavs seared in butter & stuffed with a sweet, spicy. Sour potato mixture, and crunchy groundnuts, sev & pomegranate seeds

Serves 4
FOR THE DATE & TAMARIND CHUTNEY, Blend
Dates, boiled & mashed 200g
Tamarind pulp 2 tbsp
Cumin powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 1 tsp

FOR THE DABELI
Oil 2 tsp
Dabeli masala (ready available)
Potatoes, boiled, peeled & mashed
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped 1 tbsp
Pomegranate seeds 2 tbsp
Green grapes chopped 2 tbsp
Pavs 4
Garlic chutney 2 tsp
Groundnuts 4tsp
Sev 4tsp
Butter for cooking 2 tsp

Heat the oil in a pan & add 2 tbsp of date & tamarind chutney & dabeli masala. Sauté for a second.
Add potatoes, salt & just enough water to ensure it doesn’t burn and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate & sprinkle coriander leaves pomegranate & grapes evenly over. Set aside.
Slit the pavs, keeping one side intact. Smear some garlic chutney & some of the remaining date & tamarind chutney.
Top with one-fourth of potato mixture, 1 tsp each of onions, groundnuts & sev. Press down to close.
Melt ½ tsp butter in a pan & sear dabeli for a minute on each side. Similarly, stuff & prepare the other three dabelis. Serve immediately.

GARLIC CHUTNEY
Blend 12 flakes garlic, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1tsp groundnuts & salt.

Kadahi paneer WITH Garlic naan

Serves 4

KADAHI PANEER
Cottage cheese 250 gms
Capsicum sliced 2
Onion chopped 2
Garlic ginger chilli paste 1 tbsp
Tomato puree 1 cup
Cream 1 tsp
Salt, red chilli powder as per taste
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) 2 tsp

In a wok, heat 1 tbsp oil.
Add ginger garlic paste
Add onion, sauté for 1 minute
Add all spices & fenugreek leaves
Cook for 1 minute
Add capsicum,sauté & tomato puree.
Cook till puree thickens
Add ½ cup water, simmer for 1 minute.
Add cottage cheese & cream. Cook till well coated.

GARLIC NAAN
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour (or half and half whole wheat and all purpose)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm skim milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
butter or ghee

1. Dissolve sugar in milk and add yeast. Stir to combine and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, blend flour, salt, and seasonings.
3. Pour in the milk and yogurt and stir with a spoon until you are unable to do so. Continue by kneading until all flour is incorporated and dough is soft and elastic.
4. Form into a ball, return to bowl and cover with a damp towel for 2-3 hours (or until doubled).
5. When ready, pull dough into 5-10 pieces.
6. Roll out to 1/8″ thickness.
7. In hot skillet, melt butter or ghee.
8. Brush naan with water and place in pan. When large bubbles begin to form, brush with water and flip over.
9. You can also bake your naan: Turn oven to 400°F, line a baking tray in aluminium foil, brush dough with butter, ghee or olive oil, bake until dough begins to bubble and brown. Flip over and allow to finish.

VEGETABLE SHASHLIK

VEGETABLE SHASHLIK

Serves 3

RICE
Uncooked rice soaked for 1 hr 1 cup
Onion finely sliced 1
Cloves 2
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp

DIP
Hung curd 1 cup
Tandoori masala 1 tbsp

ONION PASTE
Onion 1 big
Garlic flakes 3
Ginger ½”

GRAVY
Tomatoes pureed in a mixer 2
Soya sauce 1 tsp
Tomato ketchup 1 tbsp
Chilli sauce 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1tbsp

VEGETABLES
Onions 2
Cauliflower ½
Cottage cheese 100gms
Capsicum 1 piece
Cucumber ½
Tomato 1

To prepare rice, heat oil. Add onions & cloves. Fry till golden brown.
Add 2 cups of water, salt & chilli powder. When water boils, add rice.
Slow down the fire to minimum and cook till water is dry & rice is done.
Grind onions, ginger & garlic together to a paste
To prepare the gravy, heat oil. Add onion paste & cook till golden brown.
Add tomato puree & cook till oil separates.
Add enough water to make the gravy of a thick pouring consistency.
Add soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes till oil separates. Keep gravy aside.
Cut capsicum & cucumber into rings.
Cut onions & tomatoes, each into four pieces.
Cut cottage cheese into flat, thin, rectangular pieces.
Cut cauliflower into medium florets & boil in salted water for 1 minute.
Remove stalks of mushrooms & boil in salted water for 1-2 minutes.
Prepare the dip by mixing curd & tandoori masala in a big bowl.
Dip cottage cheese, cauliflower, onions & mushrooms in curd mixture. Spread in a greased oven proof glass dish.
At serving time, grill in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
Place cucumber, capsicum & tomatoes, without dipping in curd, on the grilled vegetables.
To serve, add the left over curd to the prepared gravy. Boil the gravy, simmer for 5 minutes.
Spread rice in a serving platter.
Pour the hot gravy over it.
Place hot grilled veg. dipped in curd on the rice.
Decorate with hot tomatoes, capsicum & cucumber.

MIX & SIP

FRUIT PUNCH

Orange juice 4 tbsp
Mango juice 4 tbsp
Pineapple juice 4 tbsp
Lemon juice 2 tsp
Fresh cream 1 tbsp
Shake all ingredients along with ice in a cocktail shaker & serve.

LITCHI PARADISE
Litchi crush 2 cups
Pineapple juice 2 tbsp
Chocolate syrup ¼ bottle
Ice cream ½ cup
Mix all the ingredients before serving this drink chilled.

STRAWBERRY SURPRISE
Plain yoghurt 4oz
Sliced fresh strawberries 1 cup
Oranges 2
Cold milk 1 cup
Strawberry ice cream ½ cup
Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add crushed ice & serve.

Best Lebanese Dish

FALAFEL IN PITA BREAD

Serves 4

Dried chick peas ½ cup
Onion chopped ½
Garlic crushed 1 flake
Coriander leaves chopped 1 ½ tbsp
Coriander powder 1tsp
Cumin ground 1tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder ¼ tsp
Black pepper powder ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Semolina 2 tbsp
Baking soda ½ tsp
Oil for frying
Thousand Island dressing 1 cup
Onion sliced 2
Capsicum sliced 2
Pita bread 4

Soak the chick peas overnight. Drain and place in the mixer.
Add the onions, garlic, coriander leaves, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, black pepper powder and salt. Grind to make a fine paste.
Add the semolina and baking soda. Mix well. Make small round balls, flatten them slightly.
Heat oil for frying. Fry 3 – 4 tikkis at a time till brown and cooked from inside.
Remove and drain on paper towel.
Mix onion capsicum in dressing.Cut pita bread in to 4 triangles and slit each triangle horizontally till end to make pita pockets.
Now spread 1 big spoon of dressing in pocket and place single tikki on it.
Single pita bread makes 4 triangles with pockets. Repeat it with all 4 pita breads.
Serve hot.

Dilli Ki Chaat

CHATPATI KATHI ROTI

Serves 4

Nutri nugget granules 1 cup soaked for an hour & drained
Peas boiled ½ cup
Tomato puree 1 cup
Tomato 1 chopped
Onion 1 chopped
Hing 2 pinches
Cumin seeds ½ tsp
Dry red chilli crushed 1
Garammasala ½ tsp
Dhania powder 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Dry mango powder ½ tsp
Red chilli powder ¼ tsp
Green chilli finely chopped 1
Juice of ½ lemon
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Pao bhaji masala 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped 2 tbsp

PANEER VEG STICKS
Paneer 125gms ¾” squares capsicum 1 cut into 1” pieces
Tomato 1 cut into 1”pieces
Some chaat masala

BATTER
Gram flour (besan) 1 cup
Water ½ cup
Baking powder 2 pinches
Red chilli powder ¾ tsp
Salt to taste
Green chilli 1 chopped finely

Soak nutri in 1 cup water, keep aside. Strain through soup strainer. Wash several times with water.
Press the nuggets in the strainer, squeezing out excess water from nuggets.
Heat 4 tbsp oil in a kadhi; add hing, jeera, green chillies & red chilli. Wait for 30 seconds.
Add chopped onion & cook ill golden
Add nutri & bhuno for 5 minutes.
Add peas, ginger paste, dhania powder, salt, pao bhaji masala & chopped tomatoes. Bhuno for 5 minutes. Add tomato puree, red chilli powder & amchoor. Mix well & cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup water thoroughly. Give one boil. Simmer for 5 minutes till semi dry masala is ready. Add coriander & mix. Remove from fire.
For the sticks, make a thick batter with all the ingredients. Beat well & keep aside for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle chat masala nicely on paneer, capsicum & tomato pieces. Mix lightly.
Thread a capsicum, a paneer & then tomato piece on each tooth pick. Keep aside till serving time.
Heat oil for deep frying. Dip the paneer sticks in the prepared batter. Coat well with the fingers, sticking the batter nicely. Deep fry till golden
To serve, sprinkle sticks with some chaat masala. Add lemon juice to the subzi. Serve subzi topped with a hot stick with roomali roti.

Flavour of Summer

WATERMELON COOLER

Serves 2

1. Mix 2 glasses of watermelon juice, 5-6 crushed fresh mint leaves, juice of ½ lemon,1tbsp honey, 2tbsp coconut milk & 1 tbsp vodka(optional)
2. Serve in a tall glass decorated with a melon slice & garnished with mint leaves.

FRUITY SALAD
Serves 4

1. Combine 4 cups of diced watermelon, 2 ripe kiwis(peeled, halved lengthwise & sliced thin, juice of a1/2 lemon, 1tbsp honey, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, a pinch of rock salt, a pinch cinnamon powder 1 tbsp pine nuts
2. Garnish with finely chopped green chilli.
3. Toss, serve chilled on a bed of lettuce

Paneer Corn

PANEER CORN TAKA TAK

Serves 4

Cottage cheese-cut into 1” pieces
Fenugreek leaves dry 1 tbsp
Butter 2tbsp oil 1 ½ tbsp
Red tomatoes – grind to a puree in a mixer
Salt 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Small onions 2 cut into rings
Corn boiled or frozen 1 cup
Capsicum cut into 1’’ pieces
Cream 2-3 tbsp

Heat 2 tbsp butter in a wok. Add freshly ground tomatoes. Cook till dry. Add salt, chilli powder .cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Keep aside.

Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil in a non stick pan. Add onions, capsicum & corn, sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Add cottage cheese to prepared tomato masala. Mix well.

Add ½ cup warm water & fenugreek leaves. Simmer till well blended.

Add cream & mix well. Remove from heat. Serve hot.