Jalebee

1 cup all-purpose flour (known as 'maida' in Hindi)

2 teaspoons gram flour (known as 'besan' in Hindi)

1/2 cup plain yogurt, beaten (known as 'dahi' in Hindi)

1/2 cup water

1 pinch baking soda

500 ml ghee or 500 ml oil

500 ml sugar syrup

1. Put flour in a mixing bowl.
2. Add gramflour.
3. Mix well.
4. Add yogurt and water.
5. Mix well, using a spoon, ensuring that no lumps remain.
6. Mix to obtain what is technically called,"ribbon consistency".
7. (Ribbon consistency simply requires you to mix for about 5-7 minutes, really well, so that when the mixture is dropped from the mixing spoon into the mixing bowl, it should fall like a ribbon. Don't let the term scare you, it's pretty easy, you just got to).
8. Add a pinch of baking soda.
9. At this point, this mixture (batter) can be refrigerated if you are planning on making the jalebis later.
10. If you plan to make the jalebis instantly, put the mixture in a jalebi bottle (you get these bottles to make jalebis in the market).
11. If you dont have a jalebi bottle, you can use an empty well-washed and thoroughly clean, tomato ketchup bottle.
12. If you got an icing bag, use that.
13. I used the icing bag with the"star" nozzle attachment.
14. You may experiment with the other nozzles, if you wish, but please dont, in any circumstances, try using the"writing" nozzle attachment, because if you do so, the jalebis that you'll be making will be the thinnest on the face of the planet,lol.
15. Heat oil on low-medium flame in a frying pan.
16. Meanwhile, spoon the above prepared batter in the icing bag fitted with the star nozzle/jalebi bottle/ tomato ketchup bottle.
17. Drop the batter by squeezing the bottle/icing bag, into the hot oil, in concentric circular motion to make the jalebis.
18. Lightly brown on either side.
19. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
20. On low flame heat the pre-prepared sugar-water syrup (known in Hindi as"chashni").
21. Add few threads of saffron to the syrup- these look really pretty on the jalebis later when you dip the latter into them.
22. Now, drain the excess oil from the jalebis.
23. Drop into the sugar-water syrup.
24. Dip well, toss well, to coat the jalebis in the syrup.
25. Drain excess syrup from the jalebis.
26. Serve immediately or serve hot if you plan to serve them later on, make sure to warm them a bit in the oven (2-3 minutes) and then serve.
27. Get ready to put on your apron and go make more of these because they'll vanish before you know!

Ghee

Ghee 

Ingredients 

Unsalted butter - 1 pound

Directions:

Place butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Bring butter to boil. 

This takes approximately 2 to 3 minutes. 

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. 

The butter will form a foam which will disappear. 

Ghee is done when a second foam forms on top of butter, second foam is in shape of large bubbles, and the butter turns golden. 

Approximately 7 to 8 minutes. 

Brown milk solids will be in bottom of pan. 

Use a heatproof mesh strainer and store.

Bombay Sandwich

Bombay Sandwich – Mouth-watering version of Indian Veggie Sandwich!

Soft White bread slices, with spicy green chutney spread, layered with slices of tomato, cucumber, onion and potato (extremely important) and topped with lots of grated cheese! 

I am not sure why it is called Bombay Sandwich but I am guessing, maybe because it started as cheap staple food of travelling Mubaikers, kids returning home from school or a quick grab for people travelling Bombay Locals (Mumbai subway systems). It must have got famous as its inexpensive, easy to make, and healthier option as compared to Wada Paav.   

You can get this in many places in Mumbai, Pune and lots of other cities in India. You can eat them in any neighborhood restaurant, stall owners sell them on every corner of the street, on railway stations and fancily packaged at airports :) 

You can add your own variations to Bombay Sandwich like adding few more veggies, toasting them, making different fillings and you will get these variations on streets on Mumbai!

My favorite places in Pune to have Bombay sandwich (sounds funny – Bombay sandwich in Pune… but yes its true) the one in Raviwar Peth, guy who sells it in Seven Loves Chauk they make the best basic Bombay Sandwiches! 

Ingredients:

• White Bread – 3 Slices
• Butter
• Mint-Coriander Chutney: 1/2 cup
• Large potatoes: 2 Boiled, peeled and sliced thick
• Cucumber: 1 sliced thin
• Tomato: 2 sliced thin
• Onion: 1 sliced very thin (optional)
• Fresh ground pepper
• Salt
• Cheese – grated (optional)
• Tomato Ketchup

Procedure:

1. Lay all the slices of bread on a cutting board and butter well.
2. Now spread a generous quantity of Mint-Coriander Chutney on each slice to cover entire slice.
3. Layer all the above veggies in desired quatities and combinations. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cover with the top slice.
5. You can trim edges. I like to leave them on.
6. This sandwich tastes equally good toasted or not.
7. Cut in half and garnish generously with grated cheese.
8. Serve with tomato ketchup