What Are spices

 Spices are strongly flavored or

aromatic parts of plants used in
small quantities in food as a
preservative, or flavouring in
cooking. Spices are often used
in perfumes and cosmetics, and
many have been used in
medicine and religious ritual as
well. Spices are distinguished
from other plant products used
for similar purposes, such as
herbs (which are green, leafy
parts of plants), aromatic
vegetables, and dried fruits.
 Introduction to spices
• Babur founder of the mughal empire in India wrote in his memoirs ‘
Had my countrymen had the knowledge of spices the Indians have, I
would have conquered the world.’
• Indeed the art of seasoning is the ancient one in the Indian
subcontinent. Particles of black pepper, cumin,coriander,mustard
seeds were found in 4,500 years old of grinding stone from pre-
historic cities of mohenjodaro and harrappa in the Indus valley
civilization. In later centuries , spices were the exotic treasures that
lured daring explorers from afar to India. The European advances
led to warfare and colonization, and changed the course of history.
 Introduction to Spices
• In spite of geopolitical transformation that has eroded its
wealth, India still remains the bastion of spices, and
spices are proud symbol of Indian culture and heritage.
They serve many functions in this subcontinent;
• 1 Flavours
• 2 Taste
• 3 Seasoning
• 4 Texture
• 5 Preservatives in tropical climate
• 6 Remedies in the ancient form of medicine -
Ayurveda
 Introduction to Spices
• To this day , the Indian cook’s most exciting and striking feature is
the ability to bring out the flavours through the meticulous use of
spices . different spices dominate in different regions of the country.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, cloves cumin, coriander are
prominently featured in the north, while mustard seeds, fenugreek
seeds, kairi leaves govern the south. Chillies are the common factor
in all Indian cooking.
• To master spices, one has to learn to mix them judiciously and in
proper sequence. I firmly believe that the food taste best when its
natural flavours is accented with the right amount of seasoning. This
seasoning should never overpower the dish.
 Spices

• Black pepper • Mango powder

• Cumin • Kachri
• Corriander • Fenugreek seeds
• Clove • Mustard seeds
• Black cardamom • Rock salt
• Green cardamom • Nigella seeds
• Bay leaves • Saffron
• Carom seeds • Mixed spices
• Asafetida • Chaat masala
• Mace • Kala masala
• Nutmeg • Garam masala
• Turmeric • Bharwan masala
• Red chillies • Achaar masala
 Spices
• Fennel
• Tamarind
• Kassori methi
• Kala namak
• Poppy seeds
• Sesame seeds black and
white
• Ratanjot
• Char magaz
 Blends of spices
• Garam masala
• Chat masala
• Kala masala
• Panch phoran
• Achari masala
• Chutney masala
• Chai masala
• Shikanji masala
Lets Know What is What
The Spices
 MUSTARD
• In the south of India and along the
coast, mustard is primarily used in
tempering. This simple procedure of
• Indian name heating oil until very hot, dropping in
RAI the mustard seeds and cooking until it
pop and crackle, gives many dishes a
distinctive flavour. In Bengal, mustard
seeds are crushed to paste for use in
fiery marinades and curries that can
• Latin name shock the senses. Mustard is an
BRASSICA / excellent preservative and split seeds,
which look like tiny lentils, are widely
SINAPSIS used for pickling
 CHILLIES
• Chillies or chilli powder are used in virtually
every savoury dish in India. All Chillies need
to be treated with respect. The capsaicin in
• Indian name chillies is highly irritant to skin, so be careful
when preparing them. Try to avoid contact
LAL MIRCH / with inside of the fruit and wash hands with
soap and water immediately after use or
HARI MIRCH wear gloves when chopping. Keep hands
away from the face. To reduce the
pungency of chillies, discard the seeds and
soak them in cold salted water. For
maximum fire, slice the chilly and leave the
• Latin name seeds in. To prepare dried chillies, also
wash in cold water, dry, remove stems and
CAPSICUM shake out the seeds. They can be torn,
soaked in warm water and ground to a
ANNUUM paste.
 CARAWAY
• Caraway is used to flavour
bread, cakes and cheese.
• Indian name Caraway flavoured Indian
cheese is popular but is
SHAHI JEERA available only in certain parts
of India. The famous liqueur
kummel is laced with the
• Latin name extract of caraway. In Indian
CARUM CARVI cookery it is used to
complement or rice dish. 
 CUMIN
• Suited to almost any cuisine in the
world. In India most curries start of
• Indian name with a loud crackle as cumin
seeds hit the hot oil, before the
JEERA meat and vegetable are added.
Roasted cumin powder is
sprinkled on top of salads or
yoghurt as a dark, contrasting,
• Latin name aromatic garnish. It is also the
CUMINUM very essence of jaljeera – a tasty
digestive drink. It is also used in
CYMINUM spice blend like panch phoran and
tandoori Masala.
 CASSIA
• In India, cassia is exactly used as
cinnamon, incurries, rice and
• Indian name vegetables. It is not added to
sweets because of its astringency.
JUNGLI The Chinese use it in their blend
of five-spice powder. Cassia buds
DALCHINI are used in cooking as well as in
• paan a betel leaf filled with nuts,
• Seeds and spices and eaten after
• Latin name a rich meal to freshen the breath.
A single bud often fastens the leaf
CINNAMOMUM envelope to hold in the contents.
CASSIA
 CINNAMON
• Cinnamon is used to flavour
rice,curries,deserts and meats.
• Indian name It is also an essential part of
the standard blend of garam
DALCHINI masala which includes
cardamom,cloves and
peppercorn. Garam Masala is
• Latin name the magic spice mixture which
CINNAMOMUM gives many Indian dishes that
rich,heady fragrance. Masala
VERUM chai is tea with milk and
sugar,which is liberally laced
with cinnamon
 CORIANDER
• Suited to almost every savoury Indian
dishes,coriander the spice and the
herb is used daily in
• Indian name curries,chutneys,soups and drinks.
DHANIA Roasted coriander is a indispensable
item in the spice box and cool yoghurt
based salads and drinks like raita and
lassi are dusted with it for a delicious
zing. An apple green chutney made by
• Latin name grinding coriander
CORIANDRUM leaves,coconut,ginger,garlic and
spices is a popular sandwich spread or
SATIVUM meal accompaniment. The volatile oil
is used to flavour liqueurs and
chocolate
 SAFFRON
• Saffron enhances
savoury food as well as
• Indian name
sweet. A few strands
KESAR soaked in little warm
water or milk and added
along with the liquid to
• Latin name
the dish adds a fragrant
CROCUS richness. It especially
SATIVUS complements milk
deserts,rice and chicken
 TURMERIC
• Turmeric is used in virtually every
Indian meat,lentil and vegetable
( except greens ) dishes. It is an
• Indian name excellent preservative and therefore it
is used extensively in pickles. It can be
HALDI added to food for its colour, taste or as
a thickening agent. If it is added to the
oil before vegetable, meat or lentil,it
imparts a deep colour and pungent
taste to the dish. The leaves of the
• Latin name turmeric plant can be dried and used
to flavour ghee. Leaves also can be
CURCUMA used to wrap foods like fish or sweets
before steaming. Unlike the powder
LONGA which has a musky dry smell, the
leaves smell rich and sweet.
 CARDAMOM
• Indian savouries and sweets
both are flavoured with
• Indian name cardamom. This fragrant spice
is used in rich, red curries and
ELAICHI milky deserts. In India tea and
coffee are sometimes
sprinkled with cardamom.
Around the world it is used in
• Latin name spiced cakes and breads.
ELETTARIA Brown cardamom is used only
in savouries, especially in rice
CARDAMOMUM dishes like biriyani. Along with
green cardamom, it is an
essential ingredients in garam
Masala.
 FENNEL

• Fennel seems to add

richness to gravies,
• Indian name sweetness to deserts and a
SAUNF special zest to vegetables. It
is used powdered or whole
in crisp fried sweets which
are drenched in fennel
• Latin name flavoured sugar syrup.
Fennel is also used in
FOENICULUM pickles and chutneys in north
VULGARE india and a fennel infusion is
a delicious base for
refreshing drinks.
 BAY LEAF
• Used chiefly in main dishes &
rice cookery of north India ,
• Indian name bay leaves are removed from
the dish before serving. They
TEJ PATTA are added to hot oil before the
main ingredient, as frying
releases their sweet perfume.
In the West, they are used to
• Latin name flavour stuffing, roast meats
and sauces. In India, they
LAURUS constitute a part of garam
NOBILIS Masala
 NUTMEG / MACE
• In India, both the spices
• Indian name are used to enhance
JAIPHAL / JAVITRI main dishes, rice and
deserts. Rice pudding
swirled with nutmeg is a
• Latin name delicacy. Powdered
nutmeg is often sprinkled
MYRISTICA
on creamy set milk desert
FRAGRANCE
for a decorative and
•
aromatic touch
 NIGELLA
• Even in India, nigella is a
mysterious spice. Many people
• Indian name are not aware of its flavour and
therefore tend to being
KALONJI skeptical of its use.
• However, nigella goes in naan
bread and in salads. In west
Bengal the most prolific spice
blend is panch phoran, a
• Latin name mixture of five spices including
nigella, and this gives
NIGELLA vegetables, pulses and lentils
SATIVA a distinctive Bengali taste.
 ALLSPICE
• This spice is called allspice because it
has the flavour of cloves,
nutmeg,cinnamon and black pepper all
• Indian name rolled in to one. Allspice is indigenous
to west indies but is also used in some
KABABCHINI regional Indian cookery. It is one of the
spices that seldom comes out of the
country, but it is sometimes the secret
magic ingredient that gives such a
sent of heaven to north Indian curries
and biryani.
• Latin name • Although south Indian food has no
use of allspice, it takes its special
PIMENTA place along side the garam Masala
,cardamom and bay leaf on the north
OFFICINALIS Indian house wives kitchen shelves.
 ANISEED
• Aniseed is one of the
twenty odd spices we
• Indian name have. Mainly used as a
VILAYATI SAUNF mouth freshner or as
decocotion to various
drinks and curries. It is
also thrown into hot oil
• Latin name and poured over
PIMPINELLA vegetables and lentils as
ANISUM a sizzling fragrant
garnish. Powdered
aniseed is added to
sweets and beverages
 PEPPER-King Of All Spices
• In India, pepper is used in every type
of regional cookery. In the north it
flavours main dishes, in the south,
• Indian name lentils, in the east and in the west,
vegetables. It is thrown whole into hot
KALI MIRCH oil, roasted and ground with coconut
and spices, and made it into paste and
applied to meats. It is also used to
make herbal tea. Green pepper is
usually pickled. In view of preservative
qualities of pepper, it is used
extensively in canning and pickling.
• Latin name Several spice mix like garam Masala
feature pepper is a key ingredient.
PIPER NIGRUM Around the world pepper is used to
flavour sauces, meats and marinades.
 POMEGRANATE SEEDS
• Used in north indian cookery,
anardana adds tang to the
• Indian name chutneys, curries, stuffing,
ANARDANA vegetables and lentils. Punjabi
cookery relies on anardana for
flavouring pulses like
chickpeas. In Indian
• Latin name pomegranate seeds are
sprinkled on yoghurt raitas and
PUNICA sprouted pulses as a pretty
GRANATUM garnish.
 AJOWAN
• Ajowan goes particularly well
with green beans , root
• Indian name vegetables and based, all of
which from an important part of
AJWAIN India`s vast vegetarian cuisine.
Snacks like Bombay mix and
potato balls depend on spices
like ajowan for a special zing.
• Latin name Breads are also flavoured with
the spice. It is often added to
lentils and pulses as they are
TRACHYSPERMUM difficult to digest
AMMI
 FENUGREEK
• Fenugreek is used to flavour all
Indian savouries like kadhi,
• Indian name sitaphal etc. It is an essential
ingredient for curry powder and is
METHI widely used in southern Indian
cookery in breads, batters,
chutneys and lentils. The leaves
are eaten in number of ways.
• Latin name Fenugreek is also used as a
essential ingredient for pickle.
TRIGONELLA ( PANCH PHORAN )
FOENUM
 Essence (Ruh)
• Essence are concentrated liquid
flavourings extracted from various plant
products, including flowers, barks, and
wood by steam distillation. The 2
commonly used extracts in indian cooking
are ruh-kewra and ruh-gulab. These are
used to aromatise pillaus, desserts and
beverages.
 Khoya or mawa
• This fudge like soft dough is made by
cooking milk slowly until 85% of its water
content evaporates. Khoya is mainly used
in desserts and especially in mughal
cuisine.
 Yogurt, Curd (Dahi)
• Is one of the common ing to all regions of
India. This dairy product always
accompany our food in one way or the
other- mixed with vegetables and spices
as a raita, in a hot or cold soup or most
commonly just a little plain yogurt .
 Paneer or Cottage Cheese
• Paneer is a fresh white cheese with a
mellow flavour and creamy texture. Like all
cheese, it started as a way to preserve
fresh milk, and has become a favourite
food in its own right.
• The first step in making paneer is to add
an acidic ingredient to the fresh milk to
cause it to curdle (separate into semisolid
curds and liquid whey)
 Paneer or Cottage cheese
• Its cooking qualities differ considerably
from other types of cheese; it has enough
body to sauté, or deep fry without
crumbling, softening or getting stringy.
• Most can be assembled cooked ahead of
time, which is a boon to the modern cook.
 Rotis or Indian Breads
• From the clay oven to the iron griddle,
breads have a significant status in Indian
folkfore. Rotis the famed primary food is
generic term for all breads. Although made
from the same basic ingredients
stoneground grains and water. Indians
breads vary tremendously from tissue thin
and crackly to soft, moist and chewy.
 Breads
• Numerous flour mixtures, shaping
techniques, and cooking methods yield an
astounding range of flovours and textures.
• Varieties; rotis,
The vegetarian cooking
The Culinary Vocabulary
 Baghar (Tempering):

Spices and herbs are added one at a time to

hot oil and this tempering is either done as the
first step in the cooking process before adding
the vegetables or as the last,
pouring the tempered oil over dal. The oil
extracts and retains all the sharp flavours of the
rai, kadipatta, jeera, hing, etc and coats the
entire dish being prepared.Also known as tadka
or chonk.
Bhunao(Saute/Stir-fry):

• Small quantities of water, yogurt, and stock

are introduced to the pan if and when the
ingredients start to stick. Usually onions,
tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies are
fried in oil, but to make sure that this doesn’t
stick, burn or cook unevenly, a small amount
of water is added, repeatedly. After the oil
separates from the mixture, the main
ingredient vegetables are added and cooked.
 Dhuanaar (Smoking):
• Glowing charcoal is placed in a small katori, or
bowl, cooked vegetables are placed around this.
Dry spices and ghee are poured on top of the
coals and a lid is quickly placed over the
vegetables. This smoking adds a delicate flavour
to the prepared fooe. In Rajasthan, for example,
matha or buttermilk is served after ghee is
poured over hot coals and placed under a lid
along with an earthenware pot of buttermilk for a
minute or so.
 Dum (Steaming):
• In the olden days, the utensil was
sealed with atta (dough) to capture the
moisture within the food as it cooked
slowly over a charcoal fire. Some coal is
placed on the lid to ensure even
cooking. The food continues to cook in
its own steam, retaining all its flavour
and aroma. Dum means, “to steam” or
“mature” a dish.
 Handi:

• The cooking is done in a thick bottom

pan so that the food does not stick or
burn; the lid helps retain the aroma and
flavour. Both bhunao and dum are
aspects of Handi cooking
 Talna (Frying):
• In Indian cooking frying, when it is
called for, is done in a wok or kadhai.
The round bottom uses less oil and
cooks the food evenly.
 List of Equipments Used In
Indian Kitchen
• Belan
• Chakla
• Haandi
• Hammam Dasta
• Jhaari
• Kadahi
• Kadchi
• Paraat
• Sil Batta
• Tawa
• Tandoor
 Kitchen Equipments
• Kadahi is used for frying, sauteing, and
just about all other forms of stove top
cooking.
• Tava a round single burner iron griddle
used in toasting spices, chappatis. Its
smooth with a concave surface
• Rolling pin or belan, about a foot long with
a long taper from the centre.
 Kitchen Equipment
• Spice grinder (chakki ) a peep into an old
time or modern Indian kitchen will reveal a
wide variety of grinding stones. So
important is the spice blend to Indian
cookery that in some parts of the sub
continent, the bride ensures a solid
foundation to the marriage by making her
vows standing on the grinding stone
 Cooking Mediums
• Deis ghee is made by melting butter and
separating water and milk solids. It has its
own sweetish nutty flavour.
• Mustard oil made from the extracts of
sarson seeds. There are 2 kinds kacchi
ghani and pacci ghani (cold and hot
compress )
• Seasme oil (til ka tael )
 Cooking Mediums
• Coconut oil most popular in south
• Peanut oil
• Seetha phal seed oil
• Lauki seed oil
• Almond oil
• Walnut oil
• Varieties of flavoured oil
 Garnishes
• Warq : gold & silver
• Dry Fruit Garnishes : almonds, pistachio
cashewnuts, walnuts, dessicated coconut,
etc.
• Vegetables : coriander, ginger & green
chillies, mint, lemon etc.
• Innovation garnishes: slivers of fried
pumpkin, morrels, bhujia etc.
 Silver and Gold leaves (warq)
• Fragile and delicate as butterfly wings,
these thin sheets of silver or gold foil are
especially associated with Mughal
cooking. Warq is made by placing minute
silver pellets between sheets of tissue
paper, which is then enclosed in a leather
pouch and hammered to form feather thin
foil.
 Cookery class
• List of vegetables we will cook
• History of vegetable
• Varieties
• Famous dishes from the vegetable
• Name of dish we will cook
• Practical cooking
 Vegetables we will cook
• Potatoes
• Ghia
• Colacasia
• Pumpkin
• Dried Peas
• Tomatoes
• Chillies
Potato
 History of potatoes
• There is general
agreement between
contemporary botanists
that the potato originated
in the Andes, all the way
from Colombia to
northern Argentina, but
with a concentration of
genetic diversity, both in
the form of cultivated and
wild species, in the area
of modern day Peru
 Varieties
• Potatoes have been bred into • Desiree
many standard or well-known
varieties, each of which have
• Kipfler
particular agricultural or • Nicola
culinary attributes. Varieties
• Pink Eye
are generally categorized into
a few main groups, such as • Pink Fir Apple
Russets, Reds, Whites, • Pontiac
Yellows (aka Yukons), based
on common characteristics. • Russet Burbank
Popular varieties found in • Spunta
markets may include
• Baby Potatoes
 Nutrition
• Potatoes are an important
source of carbohydrate.Once
thought to be fattening we now
know that, on the
contrary,potatoes can be an
excellent part of calorie
controlled diet- provided, of
course they are not fried in oil
or mashed with too much
butter.
• Potatoes are also very good
source of vitamin C, and
during the winter potatoes are
often the main source of this
vitamin. They also contain
potassium, iron and vitamin B.
Carrot
 History of Carrots
• Until the middle ages,
carrots came from
holland,from where they
were exported in the
seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries.
Although purple and
white carrots continued to
be eaten in france,
nowadays they are
something of a rarity.
 Nutrition
• The carrot is:
• Low in Saturated Fat and
Cholesterol
• High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A,
Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium,
Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6,
Folate and Manganese
• The nutritional value and health
benefits of carrots make them
ideal for:
• Maintaining optimum health
• Weight loss
• Don't include too many carrots in
your diet if you're interested in:
• Weight gain
 Nutrition
Carrots contain large
amounts of carotene and
vitamin A, along with
useful amounts of
vitamins B3, C and E.
When eaten raw they also
provide good quantity of
potassium, calcium, iron
and zinc, but these are
reduced when carrots are
boiled.
Beans
 History
• Being a crop of the arid regions,
the origination of guar is
controversial as different people
have different opinions about it.
The actual place of origin is not
known but it is believed that it
grew wildly in the hot and arid
areas of Africa or the deserts of
Middle East. The Arab people first
domesticated guar to feed their
horses with it. When the trade
started flourishing in the Middle
East during the silk route trading
days, the traders brought with
them the pods of guar wherever
they went and as a result the
seeds of this crop got scattered in
those countries. This is how guar
was introduced into India.
 Production of guar in
India
• India produces 600000 lakh tons of
guar annually i.e. the maximum level
of production in the world. It
contributes to around 80% share in
the world’s total production. The
major producing regions of this crop
in India are
 Nutrition
• Beans are high in
protein and
carbohydrates and
are also a good
source of vitamins
A,B1 and B2. They
also provide
potassium and iron as
well as several other
minerals.
Pumpkin
 History of pumpkin
The name pumpkin originated from the
Greek word for "large melon" which
is "pepon." "Pepon" was nasalized by
the French into "pompon." The
English changed "pompon" to
"Pumpion." Shakespeare referred to
the "pumpion" in his Merry Wives of
Windsor. American colonists changed
"pumpion" into "pumpkin." The
"pumpkin" is referred to in The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Peter,
Peter, Pumpkin Eater and Cinderella.
 Varieties of Pumpkin
• Acron Squashes
• Butternut Squashes
• Delicata Squashes
• English Pumpkins
• Hubbard Squashes
• Kabocha Squashes
• Onion Squashes
 Nutrition
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)

• Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
• Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Corn
 History of Corns
• In 1492, as christopher
columbus disembarked on the
island now called cuba, he was
met by american indians
offering two gifts of hospitality-
one was tobbaco and other
something the indian called
mais. The english word for
staple food was then corn, so
that when columbus and his
crew saw that maize was the
staple food for Indians, it was
dubbed “Indian corn”
 Varieties
• There are five main varieties of
corn-
• Popcorn, sweet corn, dent
corn, flint corn and flour corn.
• Dent corn is the most
commonly grown worldwide,
for animal feeds and oil, and
the corn we eat on the cobs is
sweet corn. Baby sweet corn
cobs are picked when
immature and are cooked and
eaten whole.
 Nutrition

Diet Nutrition & Corn:

• Corn contains beta-
carotene, small amounts
of B vitamins and vitamin
C. It is a useful source of
protein and is rich in
fiber. Canned corn is less
nutritious, higher in
calories and usually
much higher in added
sodium.
• Calories in Corn:
1 x 5" ear = 65 calories
1 cup cooked = 170
Cauliflower
 History of cauliflower
• Cauliflower is thought to have
come origanally from china
and thence to the middle east.
The moors introduced it to
spain in the twelfth century and
from there it found its way to
england via established trading
routes. The early cauliflower
was the size of a tennis ball
but they have gradually been
cultivated to the enormous
sizes we see today. Ironically,
baby cauliflower are now
fashionable.
 Varieties
• Green and occasionally
purple cauliflower are
available in the shops.
Dwarf varieties of
cauliflowers are now
commonly available in
shops, as well as baby
white cauliflower.
 Nutrition
• Cauliflower contains
potassium, iron and
zinc, although
cooking reduces the
amounts. It is also a
good source of
vitamin A and C
Tomatoes
 History of tomatoes
• Tomatoes are natives to western south
america. By the time of the spanish
invasions in the sixteenth century, they were
widely cultivated throughout the whole of
south america and mexico. Hernan Cortes,
conquerer of the Aztecs, sent the first
tomatoes plants, a yellow variety to spain.
However, people did not instinctively take to
this “golden apple”. English horticulturists
mostly grew them as ornamental plants to
adorn their gardens and had little positive to
say about them as food. Spain is recorded
as the first country to use tomatoes in
cooking, stewing them with oil and
seasoning. Italy followed suit, but elsewhere
they were treated with suspicion.
 Nutrition
• Tomatoes are high in the
antioxidant vitamins beta-
carotene, vitamin C and vitamin
E, as well as the carotenoid
lycopene. This means that
tomatoes are helpful in
preventing heart disease and
cancers. Tomatoes are also high
in potassium but very low in
sodium which means they help
combat high blood pressure and
fluid retention.
• Unlike some other canned foods,
canned tomatoes retain most of
their nutrients. In fact, cooked or
canned tomatoes contain more
lycopene than raw tomatoes. If
buying canned tomatoes choose
varieties without added sodium.
Chillies
 History
• Indigenous to Central and South
America and the West Indies, they
have been cultivated there for
thousands of years before the Spanish
conquest, which eventually
introduced them to the rest of the
world. Mexican cooking is one of the
worlds oldest cuisines, the explorers
of the New World brought back the
tomatoes and peppers, red hot chillis,
avocados, various beans, vanilla and
chocolate, these flavours were to
change the flavour of Europe
Varieties
 Nutrition
Chillis are:
• Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium
• High in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6,
Potassium, Copper, Manganese, Dietary Fiber, Thiamin,
Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus
• The nutritional value and health benefits of chilli makes it
ideal for:
• Maintaining optimum health
• Weight loss
• Don't include too many chillis in your diet if you're
interested in: Weight gain
 Vegetable Specialities we will
cook

• Khatta meetha seetaphal

• Aloo methi
• Bhuni Arbi
• Arhar daal
• Mangaudi pullao
• Ghiya raita
 Gatta curry
• Ingredients Quantity
• For gattas
• Bengal gram flour (besan) 1½ cups
• Ginger ½ inch piece
• Fresh mint leaves 5-6
• Yogurt 2 tbsps
• Cumin seeds ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Soda-bicarbonate a pinch
• Garam masala powder ½ tsp
• Oil to deep fry
 Snacks

• Moong kishmish pakori

• Mathri

• Mattra (kulch)
 Sweets
• Badaam halwa

• Aamra

• Kesari Phirni
 Gatta Curry
• For gravy
• Onions 2 medium sized
• Yogurt 1½ cups
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 2 tsps
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Oil 2 tbsps
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Cloves 4
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Garam masala powder ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
 Gatta Curry
• 1. Sieve besan. Peel, wash and grate ginger. Wash and chop mint leaves. Mix all the
ingredients for the gattas except oil, add a little water to make a stiff dough. Divide
into six equal parts and roll into cylindrical shapes.
• 2. Cook in two cups of boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes. Drain and reserve
water for making gravy. Let gattas cool and cut into one-inch pieces.
• 3.Heat oil in a deep frying pan and deep fry gattas to a golden brown. Drain and keep
aside.
• 4. For gravy, peel, wash and grate onions. Mix yogurt, red chilli powder, coriander
powder, and turmeric powder.
• 5.Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, cloves and asafoetida. When cumin seeds
begin to change colour, add grated onions and cook on high heat till onions turn pink.
• 6. Add spiced yogurt and cook on low heat for five minutes.
• 7. Add gattas and the reserved water. Add salt to taste. Simmer till gravy
thickens. Garnish with garam masala powder and serve hot.
 
 Lauki ke Kofte
• Ingredients Quantity

• Bottle gourd (Lauki) 1 kg

• Besan ¼ cup
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder 1 tblspn
• Tamarind with seeds 10-12
• Oil for deep-frying
 Lauki ke Kofte
• Gravy
• Tomato 2 medium sized
• Onion 2 medium sized
• Ginger two 1" knobs
• Garlic 6-8 cloves
• Dry red chilli 6-8
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp
• Coriander powder 2 tblspns
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves a few sprigs
• Oil 4 tblspn
 Lauki ke Kofte
• Method of preparation:

3. Peel and grate the bottle gourd. Mix half-teaspoon salt and keep aside for
fifteen minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water. Add besan, red chilli
powder and mix to make dough. Divide it in to ten to twelve equal portions.  
4. Stuff one-piece tamarind into each portion of this mixture. Wet your palm
and shape the stuffed portion into a ball.  
5. Heat oil in a kadai and deep-fry the prepared koftas, in small batches for two
to three minutes or until golden brown in colour and crisp from the outside.
Drain and remove onto an absorbent paper. 
6. Peel and finely chop onion. Clean and remove stems from dry red chillies.
Peel ginger, garlic and grind to a fine paste along with dry red chillies. 
 Lauki ke Kofte
1. Wash and puree tomatoes in a blender. Clean, wash and finely chop fresh
coriander leaves.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and sauté until light golden brown.
Add ginger, garlic and red chilli paste, stir-fry briefly.
3. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli
powder. Continue to cook on medium heat for one minute, stirring
continuously
4. Stir in tomato puree and cook on high heat, stirring continuously till oil
begins to separate. Add two cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add salt,
reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.
5. Gently add the fried koftas and simmer for another three to four minutes.
6. Sprinkle garam masala powder and serve garnished with chopped fresh
coriander leaves.
 Kaddu ki Subzi
• Ingredients Quantity
• Red pumpkin 500 gms.
• Oil 1 tbsp.
• Methi seeds 1 tsp.
• Green chillies, chopped 2
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp.
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp.
• Coriander powder 2 tsps.
• Salt to taste
• Sugar 1 tsp.
• Lemon 1
• Coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbsp.
 Kaddu ki Subzi
• Method of preparation
• 1.Peel pumpkin and cut into 1” pieces.
• 2. Heat oil. Add methi seeds, chopped green chillies,
pumpkin pieces and stir.
• 3. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander
powder and sauté. Add water, salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, cover and cook till done.
• 4. Mash the pumpkin pieces, add sugar and lemon juice.
Mix well.
Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves
 Bharwan Mirch

• Ingredients Quantity
• Green chillies (Bhavnagri) 8 large sized
• Salt to taste
• Oil 5 tbsps
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Mustard seeds ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Coconut (scraped) 2 cups
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Aniseed powder ½ tsp
• Cumin powder ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder ¼ tsp
• Raw mango (grated) 1 small sized
• Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped) a few sprigs
 Bharwan Mirch
Method of preparation

• 1. Slit green chillies and deseed. Apply a little salt and keep aside for
thirty minutes. Wash and drain well.
• 2. Heat two tablespoons of oil and temper with asafoetida, mustard seeds
and turmeric powder.
• 3. Add coconut and sauté till lightly coloured.
• 4. Add red chilli powder, aniseed powder, cumin powder, coriander
powder and raw mango. Sauté till well mixed and dry.
• 5. Add salt and chopped coriander leaves. Remove from heat and set
aside.
• 6. Stuff mixture into chillies and keep aside.
• 7. Heat remaining oil in a shallow pan. Place chillies, cover and cook for
five minutes.
• 8. Remove and serve hot.
 Bhutte ka Shahi Kees
Ingredients Quantity
• Grated corn 500 gm
• Onion 250 gm
• Green chillies 8-10
• Ginger 2 inch
• Fennel 1 tsp
• Jeera 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Milk 1 litre
• Ghee 250 gms
• Lemon 1
• Sugar 1 tsp.
• Coconut (finely sliced) ½ cup
• Badam, raisin, cashew nut 1 cup
• Green coriander 1 cup
• Mawa 100 gms
• Salt to taste
 Bhutte ka Shahi Kees
• Method of preparation: -
• 1. Heat ghee in a non-stick kadai, add the coconut chips sauté till golden
brown and remove and keep aside.
• 2. Add jeera and fennel in the same kadai when crackled, add chopped
onion and saute till translucent, add chopped green chillies, chopped ginger,
red chilli powder, turmeric powder and sauté.
• 3. Add salt, add grated corn and sauté.
• 4. Add milk and cook till the all the milk has evaporated.
• 5. Add grated mawa, mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• 6. Add sugar and lemon juice and mix well. Remove from heat and mix in
the dry fruits.
• 7. Remove in a plate serve garnished with coconut chips and chopped
green coriander.
 Gobhi Shalgham ka Achar
• Ingredients Quantity
• Carrots (gajar) 1 kg.
• Cauliflower (gobhi) 1 kg.
• Turnips (shalgam) 1 kg.
• Ginger 250 gms.
• Garlic 100 gms.
• Mustard 100 gms.
• Cumin seeds ½ tbsp.
• Peppercorns 20
• Cinnamon 2 one inch pieces
• Cloves 10
• Black cardamoms 2.
• Mustard oil 250 – 300 gms.
• Red chilli powder (deghi mirch) 2 tsps
• Jaggery 400 gms.
• Vinegar 1 cup
• Salt 200 gms
 Gobhi Shalgam ka Achar
• Method of preparation
• 1. Peel, wash and cut the carrots into quarters lengthwise. Further cut them into one
and a half inch sized pieces.
• 2. Wash the cauliflower thoroughly and separate into mediums sized florets.
• 3. Peel, wash and cut the turnips into quarters lengthwise. Further cut them into one
and a half inch sized pieces. Blanch all the vegetables in boiling water for five
minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly.
• 4. Peel, wash and crush ginger and garlic. Coarsely grind mustard, peppercorns,
cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and black cardamoms.
• 5. Heat oil to boiling point. Cool for a while. Heat again and add crushed ginger-
garlic and saute till brown. Add the coarsely ground spice powder, red chilli powder
and salt. Take off the heat and add jaggery and vinegar. Keep covered for five
minutes.
• 6. Add the blanched vegetables and mix well. When completely cooled store in
sterilised bottles.
 Moong Dal Halwa
• Ingredients Quantity
• Green gram split (moong dal) 1 cup
• Sugar 1 cup
• Saffron pinch
• Milk ½ cup
• Ghee 1 cup
• Khoya/mawa (crumbled) ¾ cup
• Almonds (blanche & slivered) 10-12
 Moong Dal Halwa
1.Wash and soak moong dal for six hours. Grind it coarsely using
very little water.
• 2.Prepare one-string sugar syrup with sugar and one and half cups
of water.
• 3.Soak saffron in hot milk.
• 4.Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan and add the ground moong
dal. Keep stirring over low heat till the dal turns golden brown.
• 5.Add the sugar syrup and saffron milk. Stir till they are thoroughly
incorporated and the halwa is of dropping consistency. Add mawa
and cook till it dissolves.
• 6.Serve hot garnished with almond slivers.
 Gulab Jamun
• Ingredients Quantity
• Khoya (mawa) 1½ cups
• Chenna (paneer) ¼ cup
• Soda bicarbonate ¼ tsp
• Refined flour (maida) 3 tbsps
• Green cardamom powder ¼ tsp
• Sugar 2 cups
• Ghee/oil to deep fry
 Gulab Jamun
• Method of preparation
• 1.Grate khoya and mash chenna and keep aside.
• 2.Mix the two along with soda bicarbonate, refined flour, green
cardamom powder and a little water to make a soft dough.
• 3.Divide into sixteen equal portions and shape into balls.
• 4.Prepare a sugar syrup with sugar and two cups of water. Clear the
syrup by removing the scum, if any.
• 5.Heat ghee/oil in a kadai. Add the balls and deep fry on low heat
till golden in colour.
• 6.Drain and soak in the sugar syrup for atleast fifteen to twenty
minutes before serving.
 Phirni
• Ingredients Quantity
• Rice 5 tbsps
• Milk 5 cups
• Pistachios 10-15
• Saffron 8-10 strands
• Sugar ¾ cup
• Green cardamom powder ½ tsp
 Phirni
• Method of preparation
• 1.Pick, wash and soak rice for half an hour in two cups of water.
Drain and grind to a coarse paste.
• 2.Blanch pistachios in half a cup of hot water for five minutes. Drain,
cool, remove skin and slice.
• 3.Bring milk to a boil. Add rice paste dissolved in a little water or
cold milk. Cook till rice is completely cooked. Stir constantly. Add
saffron and mix well.
• 4.Add sugar, cardamom powder and cook till sugar is completely
dissolved.
• 5.Pour into earthenware or china bowls and garnish with sliced
pistachios.
• 6.Chill in a refrigerator for an hour before serving.
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