Ramzan special: From Malpua to Shammi Kebabs, here are four recipes you must try at home

1. Special Malpua

Ingredients: 200 gm all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon powdered green cardamom, 1 cup ghee, 250 ml water, 50 gm khoya, 100 gm semolina, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 500 ml milk, 250 gm sugar, Saffron as required 

For Garnishing: 2 tablespoon chopped pistachios 

Method:  
1. To prepare the sugar syrup, place water in a pan over medium flame. Add sugar in it and stir until fully dissolved. Then add 2-3 tsp milk and stir again, after a few minutes remove the scum that rises to the top. Once the sugar syrup is thick, remove the pan from the flame and keep aside.
2. Mix maida, rava, khoya, baking powder, fennel seeds, cardamom powder and milk. Ensure that the mixture has a pourable consistency and is not too thick. Once the batter is ready, keep it aside for a few minutes so that the flavour of spices and herbs are fully absorbed.
3. Now add heat ghee in a pan over low flame. Pour a ladleful of the mixture and spread evenly. Keep the flame low and cook until it is light brown on both sides. Remove the cooked Malpua and drain the excess ghee.
4. Drop the Malpua in sugar syrup and allow it to soak for 10 minutes. Repeat the same with the remaining batter.
5. Drain the Malpua from the syrup, garnish with pistachios and serve hot.

2. Shammi Kebab

Ingredients: 1 cup chana dal, 500 gram chicken thigh (cubes, boneless), 2 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp red chilli (crushed), 7 pieces dry red chilli (whole), 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp coriander whole, 7 cloves (laung), 10 black pepper (whole), 2 small cinnamon sticks, 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain), 6 eggs, 1/2 bunch coriander leaves - chopped, 1/2 bunch mint leaves - chopped, 6 green chillies, 1 tbsp ginger, 10 cloves garlic – chopped, oil to fry

Method:1. Boil the chana dal along with the chicken thigh cubes and spices. Let the chicken cook. Strain and keep aside to cool.
2. Then add 3 eggs, chopped coriander, mint, green chillies, ginger and garlic. Mix well and mince. Make round shape kebabs of the mixture.
3. Slightly coat the kebabs in the remaining eggs, and pan-fry them in oil.
4. One can serve this with mint chutney and tamarind chutney.

3. Rajma & Palak Ka Kebab

Ingredients: Rajma 400gms, palak  300gms, fried potatoes 250gms, chopped green chillies 50gms, chopped ginger 40gms, chopped onions 100gms, chopped garlic 50gms, lemon juice 30ml, jeera powder 10 gms, kasoori methi powder 5gms, dhaniya powder 10gms, chopped coriander 100gms, coriander powder 50gms, chaat masala 10 gms, finely crushed peppercorn 10gms, rice powder 100gms, roasted besan 150 gms, black salt 30gms, salt70 gms

Method:

1. Soak Rajma overnight. Afterwards, add some salt and clove and boil them well. 
2. Thoroughly wash and clean the spinach. Afterwards, deep fry the spinach. 
3. Now thoroughly wash the potatoes and boil them till they are semi-done and afterwards, deep fry them.
4. Wash the corn thoroughly and squeeze out almost all the moisture.
5. In a mixing bowl, add boiled rajma, fried spinach, fried potatoes, all the spices and mix it well.
6. Now mince the mixture in the mincer machine and allow it to rest for some time. Afterwards, give it a shape of tikkis and deep fat fry on medium heat until they turn golden brown.
7. Garnish it with laccha onions and serve mint chutney on the side.

4. Murgh Kasoori Kebab

Ingredients: Chicken leg boneless 1kg, ginger garlic paste gms 150, green chilli paste 150 gms, cashew nut paste 100 gms, lemon juice 30ml, malt vinegar 30ml, hung curd 200gms, chopped green chilli 50gms, chopped garlic 30gms, chopped coriander 30gms, kasoori methi powder 10gms, crushed peppercorn powder 10gms, garam masala powder 5gms, jeera powder 10gms, coriander powder 15gms, chat masala 10gms, roasted basan 150 gms, cream 100ml, oil 150ml

Method:

1. Thoroughly wash the chicken cube and leave it in the strainer to allow the excess water to drain out. 
2. Transfer the chicken in the mixing bowl and start adding all the paste, spices together and mix thoroughly. Allow the chicken to marinate for around two or three hrs.
3. Skewer the chicken and cook it in the Sigri for 15 to 20 mins until it's soft and cooked.
4. Serve it on kebab stand on the table

(Shammi Kebab and Malpua recipes are by Chef Merajuddin Ansari, Four Points by Sheraton Navi Mumbai, and Murgh Masoori Kebab and Rajma Palak Kebab are by Chef Kaushal Kumar Sinha from Club Mahindra Corbett)