Prepare quick dinner for unexpected guests

Crunchy Bread-Potato Bites

Material: 6 bread slices, 3 boiled potatoes, 1 small onion (finely chopped), 1 green chilli, finely chopped, 2 tbsp coriander, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp chaat masala, ½ tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp gram flour, salt as per taste, oil for frying.

Method: First of all, mash the boiled potatoes well. Add onion, green chilli, green coriander, red chilli, chaat masala, garam masala and salt and mix well. Now cut the edges of the bread slices and separate them. Soften the bread by applying water on it and gently squeeze out the excess water. Place the prepared potato mixture in it and close the bread from all sides and make small bites. Coat them in light gram flour. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the bites on medium flame until they become golden and crisp from all sides. Serve hot with green chutney and tamarind chutney.

Masala Lachha Paratha

Material: 2 cups wheat flour, ½ teaspoon celery, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon chaat masala, ½ teaspoon kasoori methi, salt as per taste, 2 tablespoons ghee or oil, water as per requirement.

Method: Add salt and celery to the flour. Knead a soft dough with the help of water and keep it covered for 15-20 minutes. Now take a ball and roll it into a thin roti. Apply some ghee on it and sprinkle red chilli, chaat masala and kasoori methi. Fold the roti like a fan to form a long strip and then roll it into a round shape and give it a ball-like shape. Prepare paratha by rolling it gently. Put it on a hot pan, apply some ghee on both the sides and cook on medium flame till it becomes golden and crisp. Open its layers by pressing lightly with hands and serve hot.

Bread Shahi Tukda

Material: For Shahi Tukde: 6 bread slices, 2 tbsp ghee, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup water, ½ tsp cardamom powder, 2 tbsp chopped cashews almonds, 1 tbsp pistachios, few saffron threads (optional).

For Rabdi: 500 ml milk, 2 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp cardamom powder, 1 tbsp chopped almonds and pistachios, 5-6 saffron threads.

Method: First of all, cut the edges of the bread slices and cut each slice into a triangular shape. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Bake the bread pieces on medium flame until golden and crisp on both sides. Keep in mind that the flame should not be too high, otherwise the bread will brown quickly from outside and may remain soft from inside. After roasting all the bread slices, prepare the syrup. Put sugar and water in a pan and cook on medium flame. After the sugar dissolves completely, cook it for 2-3 more minutes. Add cardamom powder to it and turn off the gas. Now for Rabdi, pour milk in a heavy bottom pan and boil it on medium flame. After the milk starts boiling, reduce the flame. When the milk thickens a little and remains about three-fourth, then add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron in it. Cook for 4-5 more minutes and turn off the gas. Finally add chopped almonds and pistachios. Now dip the baked bread in the prepared syrup for a few seconds and immediately take it out in a plate. Keeping bread in syrup for too long can become very soft. Pour hot or slightly cold rabri over the bread.

Gram flour shahi koftas

Material: For Kofta: 1 cup gram flour, 1 small onion (finely chopped), 1 green chilli (finely chopped), 2 tbsp coriander, ½ tsp celery, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp garam masala, salt as per taste, 2-3 tbsp water, oil (for baking).

Method: First of all, take gram flour in a bowl. Add finely chopped onion, green chilli and green coriander to it. Now mix all the spices and make pedas and fry them in hot oil. Take out the prepared koftas in a plate and keep them aside. Now prepare the gravy. Roughly chop onion and tomato. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. After this add onion and fry till it becomes light golden. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for a few seconds. Now add tomatoes and cook until they become completely soft. After it cools down, grind it in a mixer to make a smooth paste. Put it back in the pan and add turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli and salt. Fry the spices until the oil starts to separate slightly. Beat the curd well. Lower the flame and slowly add curd to the gravy and keep stirring continuously. This will prevent the curd from curdling and the gravy will also remain smooth. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes on low flame. Add Kasoori Methi and serve hot.

Pomegranate-mint raita

Material: 2 cups thick curd, ½ cup pomegranate seeds, 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint, ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon chaat masala, salt as per taste.

Method: Beat the curd well and make it smooth. Add mint, roasted cumin, black pepper, chaat masala and salt and mix. Now add half the pomegranate seeds to the curd and mix gently. Garnish the raita with the remaining pomegranate seeds. Cool it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes and then serve.