Month: March 2026

Ingredients:

• 200 g maida (all-purpose flour)
• 4 g salt
• 10 g sugar
• 15 g vegetable oil/ghee
• 100–110 g hot water
• vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method:

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH1kB0u35dI

1. Take maida in a mixing bowl, with salt, sugar, and oil/ghee. Distribute the oil evenly so that a fistful of flour when pressed together retains its shape. 
2. Add hot water little at time and be very careful about adding water. Do not add all 110ml since can lead to sticky dough. Add water while kneading the flour for 10 minutes. The dough may seem a little tacky at first, but it will come together in the end. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
3. When you are ready to roll the luchis out, heat vegetable oil in a kadai for deep-frying.
4. Oil your rolling surface and rolling pin, and roll the luchis into flat discs of about 10 cm diameter.
5. Carefully lower the luchi (one at a time if you are a beginner) into hot oil (oil temp: ~220°C). Press down gently and rotate to help it puff. Flip, and fry the other side.
6. Drain from the oil and serve hot.

Ingredients:

• Suji (3/4 cup for 3 people)
• carrot
• peas
• curry leaves
• green chilli
• onion
• ginger paste
• mustard seeds
• chana dal little for seasoning
• urad dal little for seasoning
• hing
• ghee
• oil
• salt
• water

Method :
Cut some onion in thin, small pieces. Cut some carrot and keep aside.
To a cooking pot, add some oil, ghee and warm it. Add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, chana dal, urad dal as seasoning and heat until they splutter.
Add the finely cut onion, saute, add some carrot and green peas. Put some salt, little water, cover and cook in low flame for about 10 mins.
Add little ginger paste, green chilli, saute again.
Now add suji. Stir the mixture in low flame for some time. Then add water till it is little above the
suji layer . Add salt as required and mix well.
Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and cook in low flame for about 5 mins.
Open the lid and bring it to a dry state.
In this prep, ghee/oil is required a little more.

Ingredients:

• Musoor dal
• beans
• carrot
• onion
• tomato
• pach foran
• bay leaf
• hing
• dry red chilli
• turmeric powder
• oil
• salt

Method:
Cut vegetables appropriately.
Grate a little onion. Finely cut a tomato.
Heat a little oil in pressure cooker. Add pach foran, dry red chilli, hing and saute. Add the grated onion and fry for some time.

Add bay leaf. Add tomato and stir till the tomato is soft and fried . Add the washed dal to this mixture. Add the vegetables such as beans and carrot

Add salt, turmeric powder and water as required.
Cover the lid and cook in high flame. When the sound of maximum pressure arises, then switch off the burner.
Open the lid when the pressure subsides.
Add additional water if needed to desired consistency, heat and stir.
The dal is ready to be eaten with rice, with a little lime juice sprinkled.

Ingredients

• 400–500 g kabocha (Pumpkin), large chunks (skin on)

Sauce

• 250 ml dashi (or water)
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1½–2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1–1½ tbsp sugar

Method

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a pot and bring to a gentle boil.
2. Add kabocha, skin-side down.
3. Place wet kitchen paper directly on top (otoshibuta).
4. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes until tender.
5. Serve immediately or let cool naturally off heat

Ingredients

For the Borscht Soup Base

• 1/2 large beet, peeled and grated
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 2 medium Meikuin potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/8 cabbage, finely sliced
• 200 g kidney beans or white beans (canned, with liquid)

For the Zazharka (Vegetable Sauté)

• 2 small green bell peppers, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 400 g tomato purée

Flavorings

• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, pressed

Instructions
1. Prep Vegetables
Peel, grate, and slice all vegetables.
2. Cook the Soup Base
In a large soup pot, combine the vegetable broth and bay leaves.
Add the grated beet, potatoes, cabbage, and carrot.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.
3. Make the Zazharka
In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil.
Sauté the chopped onion and green bell peppers for 7–8 minutes, until softened and lightly golden.
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 30 seconds.
Transfer the mixture to the soup pot.
4. Season & Finish
Add the beans (with their liquid), salt, black pepper, and pressed garlic.
Simmer for 2–3 minutes, then adjust salt to taste.

Serving Suggestion

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and extra fresh dill on top.