Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 lb
Oil- 1 tsp + 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 3
Onion - 2 big roughly chopped
Tomato - 2 medium roughly chopped
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Curry masala - 1 1/2 tsp
C.salt - 2 tsp
Water - as needed


Method:
In a pan, pour oil and add ing from mustard to garlic. Sauté well and keep aside. Cool and grind to a paste with little water.
In the same pan, pour remaining oil and sauté onion till translucent. Then add tomato and turmeric. Once tomato is well cooked, cool and grind the onion-tomato mixture.
Turn the heat to high and add the chicken pieces. Sauté for a min till the meat turns white or it releases water. Then lower the heat and add both the masala & onion-tomato paste. Mix well. Add chilli powder, garam masala, curry masala and salt. Cover and cook for 15-20 mins till chicken is done. Check for seasoning. Add water to adjust the gravy to desired consistency.

Tastes good with rice and roti.


Notes:

• Soak chicken in buttermilk and turmeric for 15 mins before cooking- removes stink. Drain the buttermilk and keep chicken ready.
• For a quicker/easier version, substitute coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns with their respective powders.

Egg Florentine

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2
Spinach - handful chopped
Milk - 2 tbsp
Cheddar cheese - 2 tbsp grated
Salt - a big pinch
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp / use spray

Method:
Break eggs into a bowl and whisk till frothy. Add the remaining ingredients except oil. Combine well.
Take a nonstick skillet and spray Pam. Once hot, pour the egg mixture and cook till ready.

Egg & spinach omelette ready!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Butter - 1/2 cup or 1 stick
Granulated sugar - 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 1/3 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/8tsp
Milk - 1/3 cup


Method:
Preheat oven to 350F
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease well with butter.
Combine the 3 dry ing. except sugar and sift them to remove lumps.
In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar using a stand mixer/hand mixer until creamy. Then add the eggs and vanilla essence. Whisk well. It may look curdled but that's ok. Turn of the mixer and add the dry ing. Turn the mixer back on on low speed. Gradually pour milk. Turn off once the mixture comes together. The batter is slightly thick.
Scoop and fill the liners 3/4 th the way up.

Bake for 20- 25 mins or until done.

I added a spoon of nutella on top of the batter and gave it a swirl for extra flavor.
The plain cupcakes don't crack on top. So no need to cover on top with frosting!


Notes:

• Butter and eggs should be at room temp.
• After adding milk, turn of the mixer quickly once combined. If the batter is over mixed, it will become doughy.

Source: Laura Vitale

Paneer Peas Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer -250gms cubed
Peas - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4  tsp
Onion - 1 chopped fine
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Tomato - 2 small puréed
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
C.salt - 1 1/4 tsp
Cashews -1 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Hot water - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Water - as needed

Method:

Soak cashew & poppy seeds in hot water for 15 mins. Then grind to a paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add cumin seeds. Then add onion and GG paste. Sauté till onion is translucent and there is no raw smell from GG paste. Add the tomato purée. Cook for a few mins. Then add the 5 powders. Sauté for 2 mins and add paneer &peas. Add little water and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and cook till the gravy thickens. Finally add the cashew paste and cook for another 5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Best when served with chapathi/roti

Notes:

• Cashew and poppy seed paste is optional. I usually avoid. Using the paste gives richness to the gravy.
• I used frozen peas. If fresh peas is used, cook them first separately and add to the gravy.

Brown Channa/Chickpeas Curry

Ingredients :

Brown sundal/channa - 3/4 cup (soak overnight)
Shallots -6 chopped
Brinjal - 2 small chopped
C. Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

To roast and grind:
Oil- 1 tbsp
Shallots -12
Curry leaves - few
Tomato - 1 roughly chopped
Coconut - <1/2 cup
Curry kuzhambu powder - 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp

To temper:
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - few

Method:
Pressure cook brown channa with turmeric and water for 8 whistles.

In a pan, pour oil and fry the items mentioned under roast and grind. Turn off heat immediately after adding the curry powder. Cool and grind.

In the same pan, pour little oil and sauté the chopped shallots. Add brinjal and sauté till it is cooked. Add the grinder curry paste and bring it to a boil. Pour the content into the PC and add salt. After all the raw smell subsides, add tamarind paste and cook for 10 mins.

Meanwhile, temper separately in a small kadai and add to the PC.


Notes:

• Pressure cook channa till it is well cooked and retain its skin intact. 
• Chilli powder may be added if more spice is needed.

Radish Poriyal

Ingredients:

Radish - 2 chopped bite size
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Garlic - 2 finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander power - 1 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp grated (optional)

To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Dry red chilli - 1

Method:
In a pan, pour oil and do the tempering. Add onion and garlic. Sauté till they are cooked. Add the 3 powders and sprinkle some water. Then add radish and cook covered till it's done. Sauté every now and then to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan. Add salt when radish is half cooked. Finally add coconut when radish is done.


Notes:

• Pressure cook radish for a whistle and add to the onion mixture for a quick version.

Stuffed Baguette Recipe

Ingredients:

Baguette - 2 small or cut into 6" slices.

Eggs - 2

Buttermilk - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Onion - 1/2 sliced long

Mushroom - 5 chopped

Spinach - 1/4 cup chopped

Cheddar cheese - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 350d F.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.

Cut open the top of the baguette and empty the bread leaving a half inch at the base.

In a pan, pour oil. Sauté onion and mushroom till half done. 

In a mixing bowl, blend eggs and buttermilk well. To it, add onion-mushroom mixture, spinach, cheese, salt and pepper. Place the baguette on the baking tray. Pour the egg mixture into the bread and bake for 30 mins or until the egg is set.