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Indian food, is a reflection, of the heritage of its people. All different cultures, religious as well as geographical factors played a great role in influencing Indian cuisine.
People from different regions and cultures use the herbs and spices in many diversified ways in their cooking.
Cooking is more of an art than a science. It is highly personalized. It reflects individual tastes.
Foundation of any cooking depends on the flavoring.
Indian cooking has its own distinct character given, by the use of herbs and spices, in different combinations.
​The same dish prepared by different cooks exhibits as many flavors as it has presentations.

Spices & Herbs used in Folk Remedies:
Spices are dried organic matter like roots, leaves, barks of trees, buds, stems and seeds of plants all of which are difficult to digest in their raw form.                 
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Delicious Recipes including festival dishes.
Appetizers:  Bhein pakora, Punjabi Samosa, Aloo ke Tikki with channa, & Besan Puda are some of Punjabi delicacies. 

Vegetable cheese Cutlets - Cheesy-Tikki (Paneer Cutlets)   
Ingredients for vegetables:
50gm French beans, cut in long 1” bites and boiled
50gm carrots, cubed and boiled; 50gm peas, boiled
1 medium potato cut into 2”-2 ½“long and ¼” thick sticks for French fries
For the Tikka:
250gm Cottage cheese, crumbled
½tsp salt or to taste
½tsp freshly grounded black pepper
1tsp finely cut green coriander;
For paste: 2Tbsp all- purpose flour or corn flour, water to make a paste of coating consistency
2Tbsp corn flour
Oil for frying;
Method:
1. Mix cheese and seasoning. Make 1 ½ “round tikkis. Roll the rounds in the corn flour and then dip in the batter. Shallow fry the tikkis in hot oil till they are golden brown on all sides.
2. Sauce: In 1Tbsp of oil fry 1Tbsp chopped onion. When onion becomes transparent add ½tsp each of ginger and garlic paste, cook for 2 seconds then add 1 medium size chopped tomato. Stir continuously and cook the tomatoes for 1 minute. Now stir in 2Tbsp tomato puree, let the sauce simmer on slow heat until the oil comes to the top. Add salt, pepper to taste, ½tsp each of cumin powder, coriander powder and garam- masala.
3. Deep fry the potato sticks to make the French fries.
4. To serve: In a serving platter put boiled vegetables on one side decoratively. Put the sauce in the middle of the plate and put the Paneer Tikka on it. On the other side of the plate put French fries

Entrees - Main dishes like traditional dishes, different types of Indian Breads, Different types of palaus, Dals, Curry dishes, dry dishes and low fat dishes, Saboot Moong Dal, Sarsoo ke Saag & Makai ke Roti, Spicy Kawality Channa, Aloo Pooriwale   
esserts:
Punjabi desserts - Gajar Halwa, Phirni, Rasmali, Urad dal Pinni, Channa dal Pinni, Jalebi, Sugi /Atta-Besan Halwa is made in every auspicious events - like pujas, birthdays, festivals etc.

Drinks: Boondi Kangi, Pineapple mango cocktail, Lassi - buttermilk, chaash   

Relishes & Prickle: Aam ke achaar, nimbo ke achaar, Mango chutney,
Gobi, salgam, gajjar ka achaar

​Festival Recipes: Simla Mirch aloo, Masala Bindhi, Baigan Aloo, Eggplant with Peas, Paneer Shasklik and more.
Lahori Rajma, Amritsari Kadhi, Dal Makhani, Channa Bhatura, Stuffed Kerala,  

​Paneer Dishes
​1. Paneer Shasklik: Paneer (Cottage cheese) Shasklik:              4 servings
​Ingredients;
250 gm Paneer, cut in 1 ½ “cubes
1 medium Capsicum, cut in 8 pieces
1 small Zucchini cut in 1 1/2 “pieces
1 big Onion, cut in 1 ½ “pieces
2 medium Tomatoes, each cut into 4 pieces
For Marinade:
½ C Curds
¼ tsp each crushed Garlic and Ginger
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Chili powder- Cayenne
¼ tsp Tandori food color
½ tsp Chili Tandori Paste
Chat masala to sprinkle on the dish
Salt to taste
1 oz Butter, melted
Method: Prepare the marinate by mixing curds, crushed garlic and ginger, salt, chili, garam masala, chili tandori paste and tandori color.
Whip well to mix.
2. Place Paneer cubes in a small bowl, marinate in half of the curd mixture. In the other half of the marinate mixture add the rest of the
vegetables and coat them with the mixture. Marinade for 15-20 minutes.
3. Grease the baking tray or thread onion, paneer, tomato, capsicum and zucchini on a skewer in two layers. Skew the rest of the vegetable
pieces and the paneer cubes in the above order.   
4. Bake it on the greased tray or grill for 5 minutes. Brush with
​butter and again grill till lightly browned on all sides.
5 Serve hot and sprinkle chaat masala before serving

2. Mugali Gucchi (Morels), Phool Makhana Paneer: 
Ingredients: 1lb Tomato pureed from Fresh Tomatoes or Tinned
25-50gm desiccated fresh Coconut
250gm Paneer, cubed into ½“ pieces, lightly stir-fried
1 ½ C chopped Tomatoes
25-30gm Makhana, lightly stir-fried 
10gm Gucchi (Morels) washed thoroughly to remove the grit and
soak in water for 1 hour and drained
8-10 whole Cashews
½ C grated Onion
1tbsp Garlic Chili Chutney
2tbsp Coriander powder
½tsp chili powder
½tsp garam masala
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
½tsp sugar (Optional)
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)– soaked in 2 tbsp water
for 15-20 minutes and grind to a paste
½C oil
¼C water
2tbsp whipping cream
For Garnish: 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan, fry onions to light brown over medium heat.
2. Add garlic chili chutney, continue cooking for 2 minutes. Put in black pepper, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cook for 10 minutes
more or until the oil separates.
3. Add grated coconut and Phool Makhana. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stir in gradually poppy seed paste. Continue cooking while stirring until the rawness
of the curry ingredients has gone. 10 minutes approx.)
4. Add chopped tomatoes, mix, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, until a sauce is formed.
5, Stir in Guggchi and cashews with 2 tbsp water. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat.
Now lower the heat to medium and add tomato puree. Stir and cook
for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Test for sourness, if needed add ½tsp sugar.
6. Lower heat to medium low, add paneer cubes and cook stirring gently for 1-2
minutes until the paneer cubes are coated with the gravy.
7. Stir in the cream and let the curry simmer for 1-2 minutes more. Shut off the heat
and sprinkle garam masala over it.  Before serving, garnish with coriander leaves. 

​3.​ Shabnam Curry with Paneer cubes & Mushrooms: 
6 servings Cooking time: 30-35 minutes + soaking time.

Ingredients: for Recipe of red chili garlic paste:
6 whole red dry chilies soaked in water for 1 hour.
Drain and grind them with 3-4 garlic cloves, ¼tsp salt,
and 1 tbsp lemon juice, to make a smooth paste.
This is used in the following curry. 
Ingredients  for the main recipe:
8 oz mushrooms, cut 4 pieces each
4 oz Paneer, cut in 1” long pieces
½ C Peas
½ C corn kennels
¼ C (4tbsp) Cashew pieces soaked in ¼ C hot water, for 15 minutes
and made into paste, or make a fine powder of unsalted cashews
1 tsp Cumin seeds
½ “piece or (1tsp) crushed Ginger
3-4tbsp Canola oil
2 medium sized Onions, chopped finely (1¼ C)
1 tbsp Garlic Red Chili Paste
1 tsp Kasoori Methi
½ tsp Red Chili Powder
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 ¼ tsp Salt
2 Cloves (optional)
2 Green Cardamoms whole or crushed seeds
2 Tomatoes, blanched and pureed
Method:
1. Put mushroom pieces in 2 C boiling water with 1tsp salt, 1tsp sugar and
1tbsp lemon juice, for 3-4 minutes. Remove them from the boiled water, and keep aside.
2. Add corn and peas to the boiling water. Boil for a minute. Drain the peas and corn, keep aside.
3. Make a paste with curd and cashew powder.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. When they flutter add onion,
and ginger, cook until onions are lightly brown color.
5. Add kastori methi. Cook for a minute and add tomato puree. Cook, stirring
until oil leaves the sides. Add garlic chili paste. Stir for 2 minutes,
then add salt, red chili powder and garam masala or freshly grind black pepper.
Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Take the pan from heat and let it cool for 2 minutes and then add the cashew curd paste. Put the pan back on the fire and cook for 1-2 minutes on low fire, stirring to blend the curds in the curry.
7. Add 1 ½ C water. Stir. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add paneer pieces just before serving. Bring the curry to a boil ​
and let simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes.
8. Add cloves and crushed cardamom crushed.
Remove from heat and transfer to the serving dish. 

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