There are no separate courses in a Vedic meal, though for a full-scale feast menu  more than 30 dishes  there is an order of serving. Fruits may be served at any time in the meal, from beginning to sweet conclusion. For breakfast, cut fruit often make up the entire meal. As a snack, a combination of three or four fruits is infinitely satisfying. Fruit combinations are endless, limited only by availability and imagination. Try specialty fruits such as cherimoyas, guavas, kiwis, carambolas, persimmons and fresh figs. Chat plates require no preparation except the peeling and cutting of the fruits. Fruits are served in large pieces with a lime wedge and an optional sprinkle of either chat masala or black salt. To enhance the flavor of the fruits. I have suggested two fruit dressings. Crème Fraiche Cardamom and Fruit Juice. The following recipes make about 1 cup (240 ml) of dressing. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended.   Fruit Combinations: • Tangerines, blueberries and cherimoyas • Orange and papaya slices with pineapple cubes • Avocado slices, * grapefruit segments and stuffed fresh dates • Sweet cherries, bananas* and yellow peaches* • Sliced pears,* seedless green grapes and prickly pears • Guava cubes, kiwi slices and persimmons • Apple slices, * raspberries and fresh figs • Cucumber slices, strawberries and blue plum slices • Passion fruit, lychees and cape gooseberries • Carambolas, tangelos and pomegranates • Casaba melon, cantaloupe and Crenshaw melon   *Dip in lemon, lime or pineapple juice to prevent discoloration.   Ingredients For the Crème Fraiche-Cardamom Dressing: • Crème fraiche, yogurt or sour cream – 1 cup (240 ml)  • Honey – 2 tablespoons (30 ml)  • Strained fresh orange juice – 2 tablespoons (30 ml)  • Ground cardamom – 1 teaspoon (5 ml)    For the fruit juice Dressing:...

In Bengal this halva is called mohan bhog, “captivating dish”, and is a personal favorite. Flavored with warm aromatics –saffron, black pepper, fennel seeds and cassia leaves –it is rib-sticking fare for a cold winter day.   Preparation and cooking (after assembling ingredients): about 30 minutes   Ingredients • Milk or a mixture of 1 cup (240 ml) milk and 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) water – 2 ¼ cups (540 ml) • Sugar – 1 cup (210 g)  • Good-quality saffron threads – ¼ teaspoon (! Ml)  • Currants – ¼ cup (35 g)  • Ghee or unsalted buffer – ½ cup (120 ml)  • Cassia or allspice leaf, or ½ bay leaf – 1  • Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon (2 ml)  • Sifted chickpea flour (Sifted before measuring) – ½ cup (50 g)  • Fine-grained semolina (pasta flour) – ¾ cup (125 g)  • Sliced or slivered almonds – ½ cup (55 g) • Freshly ground black pepper – 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml)  • Freshly ground nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon (1 ml)    Preparation 1. Combine the milk or milk-water mixture and sugar in a heavy saucepan and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, add the saffron and currants, and cover. 2. Place the ghee or butter in a heavy pan over moderate heat. When it is hot, add the cassia, allspice or bay leaf and fennel seeds, and fry for several seconds. Stir in the chickpea flour, semolina or farina and almonds. Reduce the heat to moderately low and, stirring constantly, toast the ingredients for 10-12 minutes. It is ready when the chickpea flour and semolina darken a few shades to a warm golden color; they should not be allowed to brown. 3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stirring constantly, slowly pour...

Ingredients • Oil – 2 tbsp • Mustard seeds – 1 tbsp • Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp • Pinch of asafetida powder • Turmeric powder – ½ tsp • Raw peanuts – 2 tbsp • Dalia – 2 tbsp • Curry Leaves – 10-15 • Green Chilies – 3 to 4 • Powdered Sugar – 1 tsp • Cashew nuts – 1 tbsp • Thin Poha – 3 cups Preparation 1. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan. 2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and let them splutter for 2 minutes. 3. Add turmeric powder, asafetida powder, cashew nuts, and peanuts, mix well and stir them for 1 minute. 4. Add Dalia and again cook for 1 minute. 5. Add poha, mix well for 3 minutes stirring after every one minute. 6. Add salt and powdered sugar, mix well. 7. Poha Chivda is ready. Serves 4 Persons By Bhaktin Ranjana  ...

Preparation Time: 10 minutes, Baking Time: 35 minutes Ingredients • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I put half white flour and half whole flower) • 1 cup curd/yogurt • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/2 tsp baking soda • 1 1/4 tsps baking powder • 1/2 cup refined oil (I used sunflower oil) • Spice or added flavor of your choice (I used cinnamon and nutmeg) Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 mts. Grease and flour an 8″-9″ inch baking pan. 2. Cream the sugar and yogurt until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add baking pwd and baking soda and combine. Leave aside for 3 mts. You will find that bubbles appear. 3. Add vegetable oil and flavoring and combine well. Now, slowly add little flour/maida at a time using a large whisk and blend with the wet ingredients. 4. Bake in preheated oven at 200 degree C for 10 mts, reduce temperature to 175 and bake for 20-25 mts or till a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. 5. Cool the cake for 20-30 mts and then overturn onto a plate. You can add frosting or not. Here is a nice frosting recipe that I used: For Buttermilk Frosting: • 1/4 cup ghee • 4 cups powdered sugar • 3 tablespoons buttermilk or regular milk, or yogurt. By Bhaktin Christina Source : https://www.facebook.com/KrsnasTreatsAndInspiringIdeas  ...

Shrikhand is a classic dessert of Western India. Plain yogurt is transformed into an aromatic delicacy flavored with saffron and cardamom. With this Popsicle recipe you can change the flavor to whatever you want (Mango or Strawberry for example). Ingredients • 4 cups of yogurt • ¾ cup of sugar as needed • Few strands of saffron • 1 tablespoon warm milk (instead of milk and saffron I just used a pinch of turmeric) • About ¼ teaspoon crushed cardamom • 1 tablespoon sliced almonds • 1 tablespoon sliced pistachios Preparation 1. Drain the yogurt. Put a muslin or cheese cloth over a strainer. Now pour the yogurt over muslin cloth to drain. Place a bowl underneath the strainer to collect the excess water. 2. Next gently squeeze the excess water from yogurt. Make sure not to squeeze out the yogurt. 3. Move the yogurt with strainer and bowl into the refrigerator for at least six hours to drain excess water. 4. Yogurt will become thick in consistency. 5. Dissolve the saffron in warm milk. Milk will take on the saffron color, yellowish orange. 6. Add sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron milk to yogurt and beat well till sugar dissolves. You may use a mixer. 7. Mix in most of the almonds and pistachios to the yogurt place mixture inside little cups or a Popsicle tray. 8. Add little wood sticks and freeze over night. Note 1. When the water is draining from the yogurt, it’s suggested to keep the yogurt in the refrigerator in order to keep the yogurt from becoming more sour. By Bhaktin Christina Source : https://www.facebook.com/KrsnasTreatsAndInspiringIdeas  ...

Ingredients • Leftover Dal – 1 cup • Whole Wheat flour – 1 ½ cup • Salt – as required • Peanut Oil – for deep frying Preparation 1. First make a paste of the dal and then knead the dough with whole wheat flour and salt water if required. 2. Roll out thin chapatis of it and cut them into 1 inch diamonds (or in any shape desired). 3. Heat peanut oil in a skillet on a medium – high flame. 4. Let the oil become hot then gently put these diamonds into hot oil and fry both sides or until crispy. 5. After they turn golden brown in color, transfer them onto paper towels to drain excess oil. 6. Let it cool and then transfer it to an airtight container. Serves 3-4 Persons By Bhaktin Mallika  ...

In south India these are as popular as potato chips are in America. It is a national snack pastime, and in much of the south, is almost always fried in coconut oil. This tasty oil is also pastime, and in much of the south, is almost fried in coconut oil. This tasty oil is also highly saturated, and should be avoided if you are on a cholesterol reduced diet; try sunflower, safflower or soybean oil instead. South Indians, from roadside cooks to housewives, swear by a special frying treatment for the wafers. Since it involves sprinkling water in hot oil, it breaks all safety rules. To avoid splattering, use a spray bottle set on the finest mist. It will cause the oil to foam, but splatter no more than when adding potato straws for frying.   Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 10 minutes Soaking time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes   Ingredients • Uripe plantains, each 9-12 inches (23-30 cm) long – 2 large • Turmeric – ½ table spoon (7 ml)  • Hot water – 2 table spoons (30 ml)  • Melted coconut or vegetable oil for frying   Preaparation 1. Cut away the hard skins from the plantains with a paring knife and slice cross-wise, slightly on the diagonal, as thinly as possible. Soak the plantain in ice water for at least ½ hour, then drain and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. 2. Dissolve the salt and turmeric in the hot water and place it in a spray bottle. Pour 2 inches (5 cm) of oil into a deep-frying vessel. Place the pan over moderate heat and slowly heat to 370 F (190 C) on a deep-frying thermometer. When it is hot, drop in enough plantain slices to float to a layer on top...

This snack could easily become as popular as pretzels. It is a crunchy spiral, made from roasted chickpea flour and rice flour, shaped by forcing soft dough through a star-shaped nozzle or disk. A seviya machine is used to shape this and several other fried snacks in this chapter. It is available at Indian grocery stores. Because any star shape will do, you can also use a pastry bag fitted with a 5-star nozzle or a continuous-flow cookie gun, like the sawa, available through the William Sonoma mail order catalogue.   Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 20 minutes Frying time: 15 minutes   Ingreidents • Sifted chickpea flour (Sifted before measuring) – 1 ½ cups (145 g)  • Coarse rice flour or ground rice – ½ cup (80 g)  • Salt – 1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml)  • Cayenne pepper – 1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml)  • Yellow asafetida powder (hing) – ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) • Baking soda – 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml)  • Sesame seeds – ¼ cup (40 g) • Grated fresh coconut Or dry coconut, unsweetened – 3 tablespoons (45 ml)  • Vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon (15 ml)  • Water – ¾ cup (180 ml) • Ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying   Note: This amount applies only to yellow Cobra brand. Reduce any other asafetida by three-fourths.   Preparation 1. Place the chickpea flour in a heavy pan over moderate heat and dry-roast, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until the color darkens one or two shades. 2. Transfer to a large bowl, add the rice flour, salt, cayenne, asafetida, baking soda, sesame seeds and coconut, and stir to mix. Pour in the oil and then rub between your palms until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the water and work into a soft dough (similar in texture...

Ingredients: • Ghee  • Popcorn • Salt   Preparation: 1. A pot with a heavy bottom and a tempered glass lid is ideal for this preparation. 2. First, add enough ghee to coat the bottom of the pot. Then add enough popcorn kernels to do likewise. A few more could have been added here, since there are still blank spaces: 3. Then cover the pot and leave it on high heat a few minutes until you can see and hear the popcorn begin popping. 4. While popping, push and pull the pot in a back and forth motion over the flame. This keeps the kernels moving a bit initially, and the flame from being concentrated in one area only.  5. When the popping sound lightens up, turn off the heat and carefully lift the lid to release the steam. 6. You can pour the finished popcorn, while still hot, into a large paper grocery bag. That makes it much easier to add salt. Add salt as desired and shake the sealed bag well.    By Bhaktin Priya  ...

• Besan (Chick Pea flour)-1 cup (95 gms) (1 cup=235ml) • Sooji/Rawa (Semolina)- 2 tbsp • Maida (All Purpose Flour)- 1 cup (120gms) • Salt-1/4 tsp or as needed • Red Chilly flakes- 1 tsp or more if needed • Ajwain (Carom seeds)- ¼ tsp • Hing (Asafetida)- a pinch • Oil- 4 tbsp • Warm Water- ½ cup   Preparation 1. Mix all the dry flours, salt, chilly flakes, carom seeds and asafetida. 2. Add oil and mix till it crumbles. 3. Then add luke warm water little by little and make a firm dough. Dough will be sticky due to the besan. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. 4. Oil the fingers and knead the dough again. 5. Divide into 4 equal parts. 6. Roll each part in a thin round shape. If it sticks to the surface, just oil the surface a bit. 7. Cut into rectangles or squares and fry them on medium heat till it is completely cooked and turns golden brown colour. Do not fry them on full gas as they will not get cooked properly. 8. Drain on a paper napkin and let cool. 9. Serve to the Lord and store in an airtight container. 10. Can be had during tea time or taken while traveling.   By Bhaktin...

Ingredients • Rice flour – 1 cup • Besan (chickpea flour) – ¼ cup • Butter (unsalted) – ¼ tsp • Asafetida – ½ tsp • Chili powder – 1-2 tsp • Salt – as required • Oil for deep frying Preparation 1. Heat the oil for deep frying in a wide saucepan. 2. Mix  rice flour, besan, chili powder, asafetida. 3. Cut the butter into small pieces, rub into the mixture with your fingers and add water to make soft dough. 4. Put into a murukku press and squeeze into hot oil in circular motion – as big as the pan can hold. 5. Deep fry till golden brown. 6. Leave to drain and cool onto an absorbent paper towels. 7. Cool it completely and store in air-tight tins when cool. Serves 4 Persons By Bhaktin Sushma  ...

Ingredients • Puri – 6 • Mixed sprouts – 2/3 • Boiled potatoes, cubed – 2/3 • Dates, tamarind Chutney – 1 cup • Curds (dahi) – 3 cups • Salt to taste For Garnishing: • Sev – ½ cup • Chili powder – 2 tsp • Roasted cumin seeds (jeera) powder – 2 tsp • Chopped coriander (dhania) – 2 tbsp Preparation 1. Arrange the puris on a serving plate. 2. Crack a small hole in the centre of each puri. 3. Add salt to the curds and mix well. 4. Fill the puris with the mixed sprouts, potato, Dates, tamarind Chutney and top with fresh curds. 5. Sprinkle nylon sev, chili powder and cumin seed powder on top. 6. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve immediately. Serves 1 Persons By Bhaktin Malathy  ...

Ingredients • 4 medium potatoes • ¾ C bread crumbs • 2 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour • ¾ Tsp cumin powder • ½ Tsp turmeric powder • ½ Tsp paprika • ¼ Tsp red chili powder (optional) • ½ Tsp garam masala • 1 Tbsp finely grated ginger • 2 hot green chilies, chopped • 1¼ Tsp salt • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves • Ghee/oil for pan frying To serve: • 1 recipe ChickPea Curry (chana masala) {look under grain dishes} • 1 recipe coriander and mint chutney {look under chutneys} • 1 recipe tamarind chutney {look under chutneys} • 3 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves • Sev {Chickpea noodles(optional)} Preparation 1. Boil the potatoes until tender. Peel the skin and mash the potatoes. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the ghee/oil. Knead until well blended and divide into 12 parts. Roll each part into a ball, and then flatten into a smooth round patty about ½-inch thick. 3. Heat a film of ghee/oil in an iron griddle or nonstick pan over moderate heat. place 3-5 patties arranged in a single layer. Pan fry the patties on each side slowly over medium-low heat until crisp and brownish. 4. To serve: Place patties on a serving platter. Pour some chana masala over the patties. Add some coriander mint chutney and tamarind chutney. Sprinkle some coriander and sev on top. Serve hot. ** Alternatively you may serve these potato patties with just the coriander & mint chutney/tamarind chutney/any sauce. Yield 12 Patties By Anand Lila Devi Dasi  ...

Ingredients • 3 large potatoes • 1¼ Tsp salt • 3 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour • 2 Tsp curry powder • ½ Tsp yellow asafetida powder • 1 Tsp paprika • ½ Tsp black pepper powder • Oil for deep frying Preparation 1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 4-inch long and 1 or 1.25cm thick strips. In a mixing bowl, combine the cut potatoes and salt. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and pat dry them. 2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, curry powder, asafetida, paprika and pepper. Add the spice-mix to the potatoes to coat well. 3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over moderately high heat. 4. Gently slip a few pieces of the potatoes into the hot oil and deep fry until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat the same for the remaining potatoes. Serve hot. Serves 4 By Anand Lila Devi Dasi    ...

Ingredients •¾ cup carob powder •1 ¾ cup sugar •1 ¾ cup flour •1/3 cup oil •1 cup sour cream •¼ cup corn syrup or honey •1 ½ tsp egg replacer, mixed with 2 tbsp warm water •1 tsp vanilla extract •1 tsp baking soda •½ cup chopped walnuts Preparation Grease a 9×13‐inch pan. In a large bowl, combine carob, sugar, flour, oil, sour cream, syrup, egg replacer mixture, vanilla, and baking soda. Beat all ingredients until smooth then fold in walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan evenly. Bake in a 350F oven for 25 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for an hour before cutting. ***Brownies have the texture of everything. They are like fudges, cakes, cookies, or all together. They can be chewy, soft like cakes, or anything in between, depends upon your recipes. This recipe is more on the chewy side! You may add carob chips, white chocolate chips, or any dried fruits you like. Serves 24 By Madhavi Devi Dasi     ...

Ingredients • Self raising flour – 450g + Plain flour – 50g  • Mixed dried fruits (I used a mixture of dates, apricots, prunes, cranberries, raisins, sultanas and cherries) – 350g  • Dark brown sugar (such as muscavado) – 320g  • Sparkling water – 250ml  • Chopped pecans – 80g  • Ground almonds – 100g  • Baking soda – 1 tsp • Baking powder – 2 tsp  • Ground mixed spice (cloves, nutmeg, coriander seed powder) – 3 tsp  • Ground cinnamon – 2 tsp  • Cornflour – 2 tsp  • Zest of 1 lemon • Zest of 1 orange • Lemon juice – 50ml  • Orange juice – 60ml  • Natural yogurt – 2 tsp  • Apple cider vinegar – 1 ½ tsp  • Sunflower oil – 2 tbsp   To decorate: • Marzipan – 250g  • White icing (ready to roll) – 250g  • Golden syrup (or dark corn syrup) to brush on the cakes and stick the decorations on • Red and green food colours • Icing sugar to dust • Edible glitter   Preparation: 1. Mix together the dried fruits (chop up any large pieces) and chopped pecans with 50g plain flour. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl sift together the self raising flour, baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice, cinnamon and cornflour. Sift again then gently fold in the ground almonds, lemon and orange zest. 3. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, yogurt, apple cider vinegar and oil. 4. Add the wet ingredients to the sifted flour mixture and add the sparkling water. Whisk and then fold in the flour-dusted fruits and nuts. Be careful not to overwork the cake batter. 5. Spoon the mixture into a lined cupcake tray. Bake at 160 degrees C for around 20 minutes or until a skewer poked through the centre comes out clean. Don’t open the oven door...

Ingredients- • All purpose flour – 1 ¾ cup  • Carob powder – ¾ cup  • Sugar – 2 cup  • Baking powder – 1 ½ tsp  • Baking soda – 1 ½ tsp  • Salt – 1 tsp  • Yoghurt – ½ cup  • Milk – 1 cup  • Vegetable oil –  ½ cup  • Vanilla essence – 2 tsp  • Boiling water – 1 cup    For Chocolatey Chocolate frosting • Butter/margarine (1/2 cup) – 1 stick  • Carob powder – 2/3 cup  • Powdered sugar – 3 cup  • Milk – 1/3 cup  • Vanilla extract – 1 tsp    Method 1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round pans. 2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. 3. Add yoghurt, milk, oil, vanilla essence. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. 4. Stir in boiling water. (batter will be thin) 5. Pour into pans. 6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or till wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 7. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks. Cool completely. 8. Apply pink buttercream icing or chocolate icing between the cakes and on top for decoration. (I used pink butter cream icing to match with the pink daisies. Icing recepe is in Japamala apple raisin cake recepe. But I will give a delicious chocolate frosting recepe here.)   For Chocolatey Chocolate frosting 1. Melt butter. Stir in carob powder. 2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. 3. Add more milk if necessary. Stir in vanilla essence.   Gerbera Daisy flower, Ivy leaves and lily leaves – were made with Gumpaste few days ahead and refrigerated.   For the flower watch–  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YeX9LAKxE. For the Ivy leaves watch–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqQ2wF8ZM88. I veined the leaves by hand. To wire the leaves watch– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOOp50S-yrM Cover the wire with green tape and then join the leaves.   Decorate the cake with the flowers and leaves. Shine the leaves with a brush of corn syrup. It...

Ingredients • Selfrising flour – 2 cups • Carob powder/hersheys cocoa powder – ½ cup • Sugar – 1cup+2Tbsp • Salt – 1/4tsp • Soda – ¾ tsp • Oil – 1/3 cup • Yogurt – ¼ cup • Water/milk – 1 cup • Chocolate essence/vanilla essence – 1 tsp   Preparation 1. Prepare the pan well with baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. 2. Mix Self rising flour, carob powder, salt, soda and sugar and sieve. 3. In a separate bowl, mix oil, yogurt, water and chocolate essence. 4. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients little at a time, stirring continuously with a hand blender, till well mixed, soft and creamy. The batter will be thin in consistency. 5. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out dry. This will give a 2 inch layer when baked in a 10 inch round cake pan. Make 2 such layers and fill strawberry cream filling in between the layers. 6. Ice with piped vanilla or chocolate cream frosting. You can colour the vanilla frosting with any food colour you like. 7. Strawberry cream filling – to put between the cakes 8. Put the bowl and the wire whisk in the freezer 15 minutes before whipping.   Ingredients • Chilled Whipping cream – 1 cup • Sugar -2-3tbsp • Chilled Strawberry jam -2-3tbsp. • Chilled Strawberries -7-8 • Vanilla essence – ½ tsp   1. Beat 1 cup of cold whipping cream or full fat cream with 2-3tbsp of sugar, vanilla essence till stiff peaks are formed. Don’t overbeat it. Add 7-8 finely chopped strawberries, and 2-3 tbsp of strawberry jam. Fold in well with a fork. Spread it between the 2 layers of cake.   Vanilla Whipped cream frosting-to ice/decorate the cake 1. Put the bowl and the wire whisk in the freezer 15 minutes before whipping. Everything should...

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