Malpoora Soft Cakes in Yoghurt

2 ¼ cups self-raising flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 ¼ cups cold water
ghee for deep frying
5 cups natural yoghurt, chilled
¾ cup caster sugar
1 ½ cups strawberries, washed and quartered

· Sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl. Add the water gradually, stirring with a wire whisk until the mixture reaches a consistency somewhere between batter and dough. Spoon in 1 tablespoon of yoghurt and whisk again. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

· Heat the ghee with a depth of 7cm to moderately low heat 160C.

· Spoon a tablespoon of batter from the bowl and scrape it into the ghee with a second spoon. Quickly do this for about 6 cakes at a time in the ghee. Allow the cakes to inflate and then roll them over with a slotted spoon to fry for about 3 – 4 minutes until they are golden brown all over. Remove and drain. Fry more batches until the batter is used up.

· Combine the yoghurt and cater sugar in a bowl. Crush a few strawberries into the yoghurt with your fingers and then add the other strawberries and mix through.

· Carefully fold the fried cakes into the fruit yoghurt and refrigerate about 30 minutes before serving.

Gayatri
Instructor
Australian School of Meditation and Yoga

Pushpanna (Flower Rice)

225g fresh ricotta cheese

2/4 cup cashews or blanched almonds

11/2 cups grated coconut

6 tbs ghee

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

6 cardamom pods, bruised

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp asafetida

½ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground cloves

2 cups basmati rice

¾ cup raisins

3 ½ cups water

½ cup sugar

1 tbs salt



* Cube the ricotta cheese and fry until golden brown and drain well
* Toast the grated coconut in 2 tablespoons of the ghee and set aside
* Fry the nuts and drain well
* Heat the remaining ghee and when it begins to smoke, toss in the fennel, cumin, bay leaves and cardamom
* After 30 seconds add all the powdered spices and stir-fry for a few seconds
* Add the rice and stir until the grains are translucent and lightly browned
* Add the fried ricotta cheese, raisins, sugar, salt and water and mix gently
* Bring to the boil covered with a tightly fitted lid and simmer for 5 minutes and turn the heat off leaving to steam for 20 minutes
* Add the fried nuts and coconut and mix gently before serving

Gayatri
Instructor
Australian School of Meditation and Yoga

Red Lentil Dhal with eggplant

2 cups (400g) red lentils
1 litre (4 cups) water
2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee
3 baby eggplants (500g), chopped coarsely
2 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil or ghee
1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped finely
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon of chili flakes
2 large tomato’s (500g), chopped coarsely

• Rinse lentils in large colander under cold water until water runs clear.
• Add lentils to the water and stock bring to a boil in a large heavy based pot. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for about 40minutes or until dhal mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.
• Heat two tablespoons of oil or ghee in a heavy-based saucepan; cook eggplant until lightly browned and soft.
• Add eggplant and tomato paste to dhal.
• Heat two teaspoons of oil or ghee in the saucepan and cook onion. Add garlic first, then mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin and chili flakes.
• Add tomato’s to saucepan and mix then add to dhal pot.
• Serve with fresh coriander and a dollop of natural yogurt.
• Optional: squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon over the dhal and stir before serving

Gayatri
Instructor
Australian School of Meditation and Yoga

Parathas (buttery unleavened bread)

Paratha Ingredients:
· 4 cups of white flour or Whole Wheat Bread Flour - fine ground
· ½ tsp Salt
· Water, preferably warm (makes softer bread)
· 250g ghee or butter

Equipment:
· Bowl
· Rolling pin
· Cast Iron frying pan
· Heat source
· Cookie sheet or baking paper for putting the uncooked rolled out parathas on
· Dish or cake pan for putting cooked parathas on
· Foil to keep them warm

Method:
· Mix sifted flour and salt in a bowl
· Pour in enough water to make a soft dough (will depend on the flour) you can easily knead without having to add too much flour to the board or counter.
· Knead for a few minutes using additional flour to avoid sticking until the dough is smooth and elastic.
· Place the dough back in the bowl, spread it out, poke some holes in with your finger, and pour a little more (warm, or not is okay) water on the dough, cover, and let sit while you go do something else. This step is not necessary but makes the bread more tender.
· Come back and re-knead the dough just for a minute or two until it's smooth and cohesive.
· Chop or cut the dough into equal small egg-sized pieces
· Sprinkle a little flour on them to keep them from drying out.
· Take each segment of dough and roll into a round ball in your palms - either one by one as you roll them out with the rolling pin, or all at once.
· Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough a few mm thick.
· Brush some ghee, melted butter or oil over half the circle, and fold it over.
· Roll it out carefully again (it will form a sort of rounded triangle) and brush ghee over half of that, fold over, and roll out a bit again.
· Now, put a little ghee in the frying pan and fry the paratha in a sort of similar way, on medium heat - pressing/rubbing it a bit with a good sized spoon, and then turning over once or twice.

These puff up a little and usually get some dark brown spots here and there. Keep warm until ready to eat.

Gayatri
Australian School of Meditation an Yoga

Matar Dal Bara (split-pea croquettes)

2 ½ cups plain yoghurt
1 ¾ cups green or yellow split-peas
2 tbs chopped coriander or parsley leaves
2 tbs grated fresh ginger
2 tbs ground coriander
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and minced
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp asafetida
5 tsp salt
4 ¼ cups warm water
ghee for deep-frying

· Soak the split-peas overnight in water twice their volume and drain well
· Blend the split-peas in an electric blender, adding just enough fresh water to make a very thick paste, scrape past into a bowl
· Add half of each spice to the paste, along with 1 teaspoon of the salt, mix well and set aside
· Reserve a teaspoon of the remaining salt and dissolve the rest into the warm water, set the water aside.
· Heat the ghee over medium heat, moisten your ands and form the paste into small patties
· Fry them in the ghee turning once or twice until they are nicely browned on all sides
· Remover the patties and let them drain over the ghee for a moment, then drop them into the salted water to soak for AT Least 15 minutes
· Combine the yoghurt with the remaining spices and salt in a bowl mixing well
· After the baras have soaked, remove them from the salted water and place them in a serving bowl, cover with the spiced yoghurt
· Bake in moderate oven for 20-30 minutes

Gayatri
Instructor
Australian School of Meditation

Aloo-Bonda (battered potato balls)

Batter
100g baisen flour (chick pea flour)
Salt
Pinch of baking powder
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
150 mls water
Ghee for deep frying

Filling
500g potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
2.5cm ginger root, peeled and finely grated or chopped
1-2 green chillis, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly gound black pepper to taste
Salt
2 teaspoons dry mango powder

· Sift flour and salt together with baking powder and chilli powder
· Add water and mix well to make a smooth batter
· If the batter is too thick add a little extra water
· If it is too thin add extra sifted baisen flour
· Put aside to rest
· In a large bowl, put cubed potates, coriander, ginger, chillis and lemon juice
· Mix well and sprinkle with pepper, salt and mango powder
· Mix well and take a small lump to form a smooth ball the size of a gold ball
· Mould remaining mixture in the same way.
· Heat oil and dip potato bonda in baisen batter
· Coat well and slide into ghee
· Fry a few at a time until the bonda are golden brown
· Drain on kitchen paper
· Serve hot

Gayatri
Instructor
Australian School of Meditation