Masala buns - iyengar bakery style

Ingredients:
Bun
Flour- 2 1/2 cup (50/50 wheat flour and all-purpose flour)
active dry yeast - 1 1/2 tbsp
milk - 1/2 cup
water- 3/4 cup
sugar- 1 tsp
kasoori methi- 1 tbsp
Ajwain seeds- 1/2 tsp
salt- 1/2 tsp
oil - 3 tbsp

Bun filling
potatoes- 3
carrot- 1
green beans- 10
cabbage, chopped- 1/2 cup
ginger, grated- 1 tsp
oil- 2 tbsp
asafoetida- 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
coriander powder- 1 tsp
chili powder- 1/2 tsp
sambar powder- 1/2 tsp
curry powder- 1/2 tsp
dry mango powder- 1 tsp
cumin seeds- 1 tsp
curry leaves- 1 string
coriander leaves, chopped- 2 tbsp

Method:
Dough

• Warm the milk and water. Dissolve the dry yeast and sugar in it and set it aside for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.  
• Mix the flour, salt, kasoori methi, and ajwain seeds oil in a bowl. Add the frothy mix and yeast mixture and start kneading the dough with warm water.  
• Knead the dough well for 10 minutes. transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it. Allow the dough to rise for an hour.

Filling

• In the meantime steam the chopped potatoes carrots and green beans. 
• Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds to crackle. Add ginger and curry leaves and saute it for a few seconds and then add the chopped cabbage and asafoetida and saute them until the cabbage turns golden brown. 
• Then add turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, curry powder, sambar masala, dry mango powder and saute them for a minute. 
• Add the boiled veggies to the pan and mash them. Add salt and saute them well for 5 minutes to make sure that all water from the vegetables has been evaporated. 
• Turn off the heat and sprinkle some coriander leaves and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
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Rolling and stuffing 

• After an hour when the dough has doubled its size, punch and knead the dough again on a surface dusted with flour. knead for 5 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal parts. 
• Line the baking tray with parchment sheet and dust it with some flour and arrange the rolls with enough space to expand.
• Roll the filling about 3/4 size of the roll and stuff it into the rolls. The rolls would have risen a little bit. Flatten the rolls on your palm and place the filling in the middles and close them by pinching the sides. 
• Place the stuffed rolls on the baking tray with the pinched side the rolls facing downwards.
• Brush some oil and cover the rolls and allow it to rise for 10 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush some milk on the rolls and bake them for 15-20 minutes until the buns turn golden brown
• As soon as you remove the buns from the oven immediately brush them with oil or butter. This makes the buns to remain soft once it cools down. 
• Allow the buns to cool and serve them with your favorite chutney.

Capsicum Masala rice / Bellpepper rice

Ingredients
Colored Capsicum chopped- 1 cup
Cabbage chopped- 1/2 cup
Basmati rice - 1 cup, uncooked
Ghee-5 tbsp
mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 string
ginger- 1 inch
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
hing- 1/4 tsp
coriander leaves to garnish
salt to taste

To roast and grind
coriander seeds- 1 tsp
cumin seeds- 1 tsp
urad dal- 1 tsp
chana dal 1 tsp
red chilies-
black pepper- 1/2 tsp
clove- 2
cinnamon- 1 stick, an inch
peanuts- 2 tbsp
Marathi moggu- 1
hing- 1 pinch
ghee- 1 tsp

Method

• Cook basmati rice separately with 2 tbsp of ghee and salt
• Heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, peanuts, marathi moggu and hing. Cool and grind the spices and set it aside.
• Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add hing, curry leaves, and ginger, and saute is a little bit and then add chopped cabbage.
• Saute the cabbage until it becomes translucent. Now add the chopped capsicum(bell peppers). Add salt and saute it until it becomes soft. Make sure not to overcook the capsicum. 
• Now add the ground spice mixture and garam masala and the cooked rice.
• Turn the gas to low flame and mix the rice, capsicum and the spice mixture. Handle with care not to break the rice.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with raita of your choice!

Kashi Halwa

Ingredients

ash gourd/ white pumpkin- 2 cups, shredded and squeezed

granulated sugar- 1 cup

saffron - a pinch

cardamon- 1

cashews/almonds- 1 tbsp

ghee- 2-3 tbsp

Method:

• Peel the skin and remove the seeds of the white pumpkin. 
• Shred them in a grater. 
• Place the shredded pumpkin in a muslin cloth and gently squeeze the excess water. Save this squeezed water to cook the pumpkin
• Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Add the cashews and almonds and fry them until golden brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
• Add the shredded squeezed pumpkin with 1/4 cup of squeezed water and cook covered until soft on medium flame. Saute and mash the pumpkin regularly to ensure even cooking. 
• Once the pumpkin is well cooked, add 1 cup of sugar and a pinch of saffron.
• After the sugar is added the mixture would leave out water. 
• Cook on a low flame until the halwa thickens and separates from the pan.
• Add the remaining ghee and crushed cardamom and cook the halwa until it leaves the sides.
• Garnish with the roasted cashews and serve hot.

Curry Udon noodles

Ingredients
uncooked udon noodles- 6oz
Grapeseed oil- 3 tbsp
carrots- 1,  large
cabbage shredded- 1cup
purple cabbage shredded- 1/2 cup
green beans- 1/2 cup chopped
coconut milk- 1 can
turmeric- 1/4 tsp
corriander powder- 2 tsp
cumin powder- 1 tsp
curry powder- 3 tsp
soy sauce- 1 tbsp
coconut sugar- 1 tbsp
black pepper- 1/4 tsp
hot sauce- 1/4 tsp optional
corn starch/ tapioca starch- 1 tbsp
water/ vegetable broth- 5 cups
salt to taste
cilantro leaves to garnish

Method

• Cook the noodles as per instructions on the package and set aside.
• Heat grape seed oil in a stock pot. Add  turmeric, shredded white cabbage, purple cabbage, chopped carrots, chopped green and saute it for 2 mins. 
• Add the spice powders such as coriander, cumin and curry powder and black pepper and saute it for a minute. 
• Pour in water or vegetable broth. Add salt, soy sauce, coconut sugar and coconut milk and allow it to boil and then simmer.
• Dissolve tapioca starch in 1/8 cup of water. Add it slowly stirring the boiling curry sauce so that no lumps are formed.
• Allow it to cook for 3 minutes and then turn the stove off.
• Place the cooked noodles in serving bowl and pour the the required curry sauce over it. 

Suggestions

• Tofu or tempeh or broccolli can be used for added protein.