Badam Kulfi (Almond Ice cream)

Preparation – Grind a slice of Bread, a tsp of Corn Flour and ½ cup of Milk into thick paste, for about 2-3 times. Pound the 5 Cardamoms to make fine powder. Slice 10 Almonds to thin pieces and keep aside.

Heat 3½ cups of Milk in a saucepan till it is reduced to 2½ cups of Milk, stirring in between. When the milk is reduced, add the Bread-cornflour paste and mix well. Keep stirring the milk till the mixture is thick. Add ¾ cup of Sugar, powdered Cardamom and mix till the right consistency is reached. Remove from the heat, add thinly sliced almonds and let it cool to room temperature. Spoon this mixture into Kulfi Moulds or into small cups and freeze for 6 hours. Serve chilled.

Gongura Pachadi (Red Sorrel Leaves Chutney)

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan; saute 5 cups of chopped Sorrel / Gongura leaves. Keep aside.

In the same pan, saute a pinch of Asafetida, ½ tsp of Fenugreek Seeds, 1 tbsp of Channa Dal, 1 tsp of Urad Dal, 10 red chilies and 3 cloves of Garlic. Allow it to cool and grind coarsely while adding Salt. Grind the Sorrel Leaves too along with it.

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan and add a tsp of Mustard seeds, 2 Red Chilies, Few Curry Leaves, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and a tsp of Cumin Seeds. Add this tempering to the ground gongura mixture in a bowl; add a tsp of Oil to it. Serve with rice and ghee.

Corn Toast

Topping – Heat a tbsp of Butter / Olive Oil in a pan and sauté 2 tbsp of All Purpose Flour till it acquires a mild brown color. Add ½ cup of Milk and whisk it thoroughly to avoid lumps. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper as it thickens. Add in 1½ cup of Boiled Corn Kernals, ½ cup chopped Onions, 1 tbsp Chili Sauce, 1 tbsp Tomato Sauce and mix well. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Toast – Apply the topping on 6 slices of White / wheat Bread and top with grated Mozzrella Cheese. Broil them in the oven for about 10 minutes and garnish with Coriander Leaves before serving warm.

Verusenaga Kodi Kura (Chicken Curry in Peanut paste)

Masala Paste - Dry roast 5-6 Dry Red Chilies, 1 tbsp of Poppy Seeds, Fistful of Peanuts and 1 tbsp of White Sesame Seeds and grind them into powder.

Curry - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan, add and sauté 2 medium chopped Onions, 4 slit Green Chillis, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste till translucent for 4 minutes on medium heat. Add a Kg of cleaned , diced Chicken pieces and cook on high heat for 5-6 minutes, mixing once in a while. Add ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1 tbsp of Coriander Powder, ¼ tsp of Cumin Powder, 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder, Salt to taste and mix well. Add the ground masala paste and a cup of Tomato Puree and mix. Reduce heat to medium, cook without lid for 7-8 minutes. Add ½ cup of Water and cook covered for 20-25 minutes or till the chicken is cooked. Add the a cup of Coconut Milk and cook without lid for a few minutes till you get the desired gravy consistency. Finally add a tsp of  Garam Masala Powder, mix well. Remove from heat into a serving bowl and garnish with Lemon Juice,Curry leaves sauteed to crisp or Coriander Leaves.

Serve warm with steamed rice or rotis.

Jalebi (with yeast)

Batter – Add a cup of All-purpose Flour, 1/8 tsp of Cardamom Powder, a tsp of proofed Rapid Rise Yeast (in ¾ cup fo Warm Water till frothy) and 2 tsp Corn Flour/Starch in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add a tsp of Oil, a tbsp of Yogurt and Water as needed; mix well until there are no lumps.

Take very warm water in a larger bowl and place the batter bowl inside the larger bowl. Cover the larger bowl and allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes. Mix the fermented batter well and fill the batter into a ketchup bottle.

Syrup – Cook a cup of Water, 1¼ cup of Sugar and pinch of Saffron in a heavy bottom pan for 15 minutes on medium heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer and add ¼ tsp of Cardamom Powder, a tsp of Lemon Juice; mix.

Jalebi - Squeeze out the batter into the hot oil to about 2-3 inches in diameter. Fry until the bottom side looks golden and flip once to cook the other side. Drain the Jalebi and place directly into sugar syrup. Allow jalebi to remain in the syrup for just a minute (flipping to coat both sides), shake off excess sugar syrup and place onto a plate.Continue frying remaining jalebis.

Enjoy them hot or allow them to cool and store in a container with a tight lid. They remain fresh for 4-5 days unrefrigerated.

Corn Chat & Tamarind Chutney

Chat - Combine 3 tbsps of Sev, 2 tbsp of crushed roasted Peanuts, a boiled Potato (diced into small cubes), ¼ cup of boiled Chick Peas (optional), small cup of boiled Corn Kernels, 1 small Onion, finely chopped, a Green Chilli, finely chopped, a small Tomato (de-seeded and chopped finely), 2 tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves, big pinch of Chaat Masala Powder (optional), ¼ tsp Red Chilli Powder, ½ tbsp Lemon Juice, Salt to taste in a bowl. Drizzle a tbsp of Tamarind Chutney over it and serve.

Tamarind Chutney - Add a cup of Tamarind Pulp, ½ cup of pureed fresh Dates, ¾ cup of grated Jaggery or Brown Sugar and 2 cups of Water to a pan and cook on a medium heat till the dates and tamarind turn soft. Remove from heat and allow cooling. Grind to a smooth paste.

Heat this ground sauce in a vessel on medium flame and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Add ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp Cumin Powder, 1 tsp Fennel Seeds Powder, 1 tsp Salt and mix well. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Cool and serve.

Dondakaya Verusenaga Vepudu (Ivy Gourds peanuts fry)

Wash the 250 gm of Ivy Gourds / Dondakayalu and nip the tip and tail ends. Slit each into two, length wise and slice them into thin long strips.

In a pan, dry roast ¾ tsp of Cumin Seeds, 2 torn Red Chillies and 1½ of Peanuts for a few seconds stirring continuosly. Remove from heat and grind to make a coarse powder.

Heat 1½ tbsp of Oil in a pan and splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp of Channa Dal, 1 tsp of Urad Dal and few Curry Leaves. Immediately add the sliced dondakayalu, Salt to taste, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and combine. Saute on medium heat for 3-4 minutes,while stirring continously. Reduce to low heat and cover cook till soft, approximately 12-15 minutes. Add the ground coarse powder, combine well and let it cook uncovered for another 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice, dal or sambar.

Munagakaya Jeedipappu Kura (Drumsticks and Cashew Gravy)

Preparation - Wash, dry and cut 4 Drumsticks / Munagakayalu into 3 inch pieces. Soak ½ cup of Cashews in water for ½ hour.

Gravy - Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan and splutter ¼ tsp each of Mustard & Cumin Seeds. Saute few Curry Leaves, a large roughly chopped Onion and 2-3 slit Green Chilies till the onions are soft. Add ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, a diced Tomato and saute till the tomato pieces are soft. Add in the drumstick pieces, soaked Cashews, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ¼ tsp of Coriander Powder, Salt to taste and 2 cups of Milk. Cover cook on medium heat till drumsticks and cashew pieces are soft and the desired consistency is reached. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Chum Chum

Paneer - Bring 4 cups of Milk in a saucepan to a rolling boil. Dilute ¼ cup of Lemon Juice in 2 tsp of Water and add to the boiling milk. Mix till the milk curdles completely and remove from the heat. Drain the whey and run water through the curdled milk into a wash cloth. Hand it over the sink for 30 minutes till all the whey is drained.

Remove the drained paneer from the wash cloth and place in a plate. Knead the paneer for about 5 minutes into a smooth soft dough.Add few drops of Food Color to it and knead. Divide the paneer into 8 equal sized balls and oval shape them.

Syrup - Take 5 cups of Water in a wide pan and bring it to boil. Add 2 cups of Sugar and stir to dissolve it well. Add the paneer balls to the syrup and bring it to boil. Turn to medium heat and cover cook for 10 minutes. Flip the chum chums and cook for 15 more minutes on medium heat. Check the paneer is cooked well - A perfect chum chum will have pores in it. Now turn off the heat and let the chum chums sit for 10 minutes in the syrup. Once the chum chums are cooled, take it out from the syrup, roll in 2 tbsp of Dessicated Coconut, garnish with Saffron strands and chill them for 24 hours. Serve chilled.

Mutton Vepudu (Lamb Fry Curry) - 2

Pressure cook 250 gm of cleaned and diced Mutton with 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp of Fennel Seeds and a pinch of Turmeric Powder and enough Water to cover the meat, for 8 whistles. 

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan and saute a finely sliced medium Onion till they turn translucent. Add and saute 3-4 slit Green Chililes, few Curry Leaves, 1 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste till the raw smell disappears. Add 1 tsp of Black Pepper Powder, 1 tbsp of Cumin Powder, 1 tbsp of Coriander Powder, 1 tsp of Garam Masala Powder, Salt to taste and mix well. Add the cooked mutton pieces and saute on low heat till the pieces get coated and roasted evenly. Sprinkle a tbsp of Lemon Juice over the curry.

Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Kodiguddu Vepudu (Boiled Egg Fry )

Boil 4 Eggs, peel and quarter them.

Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a pan, saute few Curry Leaves, 2 slit Green Chillis, ¼ tsp minced Ginger and 1 sliced Large Onion for 4-5 minutes. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, pinch of Methi Powder, pinch of Cumin Powder, ½ tsp of Coriander Powder, ¼ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, pinch of Garam Masala Powder and Salt to taste. Add ½ tsp of Kasuri Methi (dried Fenugreek Leaves) and combine. Place the quartered boiled eggs and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes mixing in between. Cook for another minute and remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and serve warm with rice.

Tomato Pulao

Heat 1 tbsp of Oil and a tsp of Ghee in a pan / pressure cooker, add and saute 1 tsp of Shahjeera, 6 Cloves, 1" Cinnamon stick and 2 Cardamoms for 30 seconds. Add a large thinly sliced Onion, 4 slit Green Chillies and saute for 3 minutes. Add 1 tsp of Ginger Garlic paste, 12-15 Mint Leaves and ½ tsp of Kasoori Methi (dried Fenugreek Leaves) and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder, a Pinch of Roasted Cumin Powder and mix. Add 2 large chopped Tomatoes, Salt to taste and mix. Cook for 8-9 minutes on low heat till the oil separates. Add 2 cups of Raw Rice and saute for a minute. Add 3¾ cups of Water and bring to a boil, cooking till the rice is done.

Garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves and serve with raita.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together a cup of Butter, a cup of White Sugar and a cup of Brown Sugar until light. Beat in 2 Eggs, one at a time, followed by 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract. Whisk in 3 cups of All Purpose Flour, 2 tsp of Corn starch (optional), a tsp of Baking Powder, a tsp of Baking Soda and a tsp of Salt, gradually blend in the flour mixture until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in 2 cups of Chocolate Chips.

Drop 1½ inch balls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies to allow for spread. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are set and lightly browned around the edges. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 3½ – 4 dozen cookies.

Kodiguddu Porutu (Scrambled Egg Curry)

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; sauté ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds and 1 tsp of Cumin seeds. Add few Curry Leaves, 2 chopped Onions to the pan along with 4 slit Green Chilies and fry till the onions are translucent. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder and Salt to taste, mixing well. Break 4 Eggs into the pan and stir well breaking the scrambled egg into smaller pieces. Add 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and combine well. When the egg are cooked, remove from heat, garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and serve with rotis or rice.

Vegetable Manchurian

Vegetable Balls - In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp of All Purpose Flour, 2 tbsp of Corn Flour, ½ tbsp of Rice Flour, a tbsp of Corn Starch, Salt as needed, 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, ½ tsp of Pepper Powder, ¼ tsp of Soy Sauce and 2 packed cups of finely chopped Cabbage, grated Carrot and finely chopped Spring Onion whites. Sprinkle little Water if needed to make a thick mixture and form small balls. 

Deep Fry / Air Fry -  Heat Oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. Carefully place each ball into the hot oil on reduced heat and deep fry the vegetable balls till cooked. Increase the heat towards the end of the cooking process and fry till they turn golden brown. Remove onto absorbent paper and keep aside.

If you are using air fryer, set the temperature at 380F and bake the balls for 15 minutes.

Manchurian - Heat a tbsp of Oil to piping hot in a large wok, add and stir fry 1½ tbsp of finely minced Garlic for a few seconds. Add and stir fry 2 finely chopped Green Chilies and ½ tbsp of finely chopped Ginger for a few seconds. Add and stir fry ¼ cup of Spring Onion Whites on high for 2 minutes, constantly tossing them. Reduce to medium heat, add 1 tsp of Brown Sugar, ½ tsp of Red Chili Powder, 2 tsp of Soya Sauce, 2 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup, ½ tbsp of Chilli Sauce, Salt as needed and 2 tsp of Vinegar / Lemon Juice. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes adding 3-4 tbsp of Water. Add the vegetable balls and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with 1½ tbsp of chopped Spring Onion Greens and serve hot.

Beerakaya Pachadi (RidgeGourd Chutney)

Clean, peel and chop a Ridgegourd (Beerakaya) into small pieces.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter and saute ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, a pinch of Asafetida, 1 tbsp of Chana Dal, 1 tbsp of Urad Dal and 5-6 slit Green Chilies. Once the dals are roasted a bit, add a pinch of Turmeric Powder and chopped beerakaya to the pan. Cover cook until the beerakaya is done cooked. Add Salt as needed and remove from heat and let it cool. Grind the mixture into a smooth paste with a tbsp of Tamarind Paste.

Garnish with Coriander Leaves and serve with White Rice.

Browned Butter Cookies with Lemon / Lime Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare the baking sheet.

Cookies - In a small saucepan over medium low heat brown ½ cup of Unsalted Butter by adding it to the pan and let it bubble; stirring constantly. When there is butter starts to turn brown, remove from heat and pour immediately into a bowl. Add 2/3 cup of Brown Sugar. an Egg, a tsp of Vanilla Extract and cream them together. Add 1½ cups of All Purpose Flour, ¼ tsp of Baking Powder, ¼ tsp of Baking Soda and ¼ tsp of Salt. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes and then roll into 1 tsp balls and bake on the baking sheet at 350 for10 minutes until the edges are just slightly brown. Flatter them a little in between. Let cool completely before adding the frosting.

Frosting - Beat together 4 Tbsp of softened Unsalted Butter with the 1 cup of powdered Sugar. Add Zest and Juice of a Lemon / Lime as needed. Stop adding juice if the icing is spreadable.Spread on the cooled cookie and top it with another.

Moong Dal Cheese Bread

Soak ½ cup of Moong Dal for 4 hrs or overnight. Grind soaked Moong Dal, 100 gm of Grated Cheese, Salt to taste, few chopped Coriander Leaves and 4 chopped Green Chillies to a fine paste in a mixer grinder.

Heat a pan and apply Oil to it. Apply 2 tbsp of paste on one side of a bread slice and place the applied side on the hot pan. Turn it over and roast on the other side until the bread turns light brown. Serve hot with Tomato Sauce or hot garlic sauce.

Perugu Pachadi (Yogurt Chutney)

Beat 2 cups of Yogurt well into a bowl and add finely chopped ½ of Onion, 3 Green Chilies, ½ of Tomato and Salt as needed to it. Slowly add Water as needed to the yogurt mixture till the right consistency is acquired. Garnish with few chopped Coriander Leaves and serve with any rice.

Beerakaya Vadiyalu Kura (Ridgegourd Fritters Curry)

Preparation - Wash, peel and cut ½ kg of Ridgegourd (Beerakaya) into small pieces and keep aside. Fry ¾ cup of Pesara Vadiyalu (fritters) in hot oil and keep aside.

Curry - Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan and sauté ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds and few Curry Leaves. When they splutter, add and sauté chopped large Onion, 5-6 slit Green Chilies till the onion pieces are transparent. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, mix well and add the beerakaya pieces to the pan. Add Salt to taste and cover cook till the beerakaya pieces are soft. When the beerakaya pieces are soft and cooked, add ½ tsp of Red Chili Powder and fried Vadiyalu to the pan and mix well. Remove from heat, cover and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Serve hot after garnishing with few chopped Coriander Leaves.

Watermelon Surprise

Blend 4 cups of Cold Watermelon Cubes along with a tbsp of Honey and 2 pinches of Chaat Masala. Serve in glasses, add ice cubes and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Challapongaralu (Yogurt Crepes) & Peanut Chutney

Batter - Wash and drain 2 cups of Rice, ½ cup of Barli, ½ cup of Beaten Rice/Poha and ½ cup of Sago thoroughly in water. Add 1 tbsp of Fenugreek Seeds, 1 cup of Yogurt, Sufficient Water and soak for 4 hours. Grind to fine batter and add Salt to taste. Mix well and ferment for an hour. 

Crepe - Heat a dosa pan and spread a tsp of Oil over it. Spread the batter into a crepe (thick as Uthappam)and cover cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Brown on both sides, remove from heat and serve hot with any chutney.

Peanut Chutney - Heat a tbsp of Oil in pan and saute a crushed Garlic Clove for a few seconds till lightly brown. Add a tbsp of Urad Dal, ½ tbsp of Coriander Seeds, ½ tbsp of Cumin Seeds, few Dried Red Chillies and saute till golden brown. Remove from heat and allow cooling. Grind along with a cup of Roasted Peanuts, small lime sized Tamarind, Salt to taste, ½ cup of Water till smooth and set aside.

Popu for Chutney - Heat a tsp of Oil in a pan, add and saute a tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, a tsp of Urad Dal and few Curry leaves till golden brown. Add the tempering to the chuntey and serve.

Alu Adaraki Palak Kebabs (Potato Ginger and Spinach Cutlets)

Preparation - Clean, peel, boil and mash 2 Potatoes in a bowl. To it, add cleaned and finely chopped 2 bunches of Spinach Leaves, finely chopped 2-3 Fresh Green Chilies, finely chopped large Onion, 1½ tbsp of grated Ginger and finely chopped small bunch Coriander Leaves. Combine well and add crumbled 4-5 Bread Slices, coarsely pounded 1 tbsp of Coriander Seeds, a big pinch of Garam Masala Powder, a tsp of Amchur Powder / 1-2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, Salt to taste. Mix well and shape into round patties.

Kebabs - Heat a non-stick tawa and drizzle some oil. Place the kebabs and shallow fry on both sides till brown. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Mutton Gravy Curry

Cashew Poppy Paste - Dry roast 1½ tbsp of Poppy Seeds for 4 minutes and soak along with 4 broken Cashewnuts in water for 10 minutes. Make paste out of them along with 4 tbsp of fresh grated Coconut and keep aside.

Mutton - Clean, wash and cube 1 kg of Mutton and marinate with 1½ cup of Yogurt, 2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1¼ tbsp of Coriander Powder, ¾ tsp of Cumin Powder and 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste. Keep aside for 30-40 minutes.

Gravy - Heat a tbsp of Oil and Ghee in a heavy bottomed pan; saute 4 Cloves, 1 Green Cardamom, 1" Cinnamon Stick and a Bay Leaf for few seconds. Add 2 large chopped Onions, 5-6 slit Green Chilies and saute till transparent. Add ½ tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and saute till browned. Add a large chopped Tomato and fry for 4-5 minutes. Add the marinated mutton and cook over medium heat with lid till the water from the meat and yogurt is almost absorbed. Add the cashew poppy paste to the mutton and mix well. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add 3 cups of Water, Salt to taste, ¾ tsp of Garam Masala Powder, cooking with lid on simmer till the mutton is tender and the gravy thickens. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and serve with rice or rotis.

Rasmalai (Paneer & Milk Kheer)

Ras – Heat 4 cups of Milk in a non-stick pan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and cook the milk till it reduces to half the quantity, stirring continuously. Add a pinch of Saffron, a tbsp of Sugar to taste and mix well. Once the milk is reduced, add 2 tbsp of chopped Almonds and Pistachios, a pinch of Cardamom Powder and remove from heat.

Malai - Heat 4 cups of Milk to a boil and slowly add 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice to it. When the milk curdles, remove from heat and strain in a cheesecloth. Pour cold water over the cheese cloth and drain the water off the paneer by hanging it over the tap for 30 minutes. Remove the paneer from the cheese cloth and knead till it becomes smooth dough. Make 12 small portions into balls and flatten them out without any cracks on the side.

Heat 5 cups of Water in a pressure cooker, dissolve 1 cup of Sugar and add the flattened paneer discs. Close pressure cooker lid and cook until one whistle. Immediately switch off the stove and set the timer for exactly 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully take the pressure cooker to the sink and pour cold water over the lid to remove the pressure. Remove the cooked paneer with a slotted spoon into a bowl and allow it to cool.

Ras Malai - Once the paneer is cool enough to touch, gently squeeze out the sugar syrup from the paneer and place the paneer into a serving dish. Pour the prepared reduced milk over the paneer and chill in the refrigerator.

Mutton Dum Biryani (Pakki Gosht ki Biryani)

Rice - Wash and soak 4 cups of Basmati Rice in a big bowl for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Add 1 tsp of Oil to a pan and sauté 1 tsp of Black Cumin Seeds till they sizzle and add the soaked rice along with Salt to taste. Add 9 cups of Water to the pan and bring to a boil and let it cook till the rice grains are just done. Drain and keep aside.

Garnish – Peel and thinly slice 2 big Yellow Onions and keep aside. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of Oil/Butter and fry the onions on low-medium heat until they are golden brown in color. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl and keep aside. Toast 3 tbsp of Almonds, Cashewnuts and Raisins in 1 tbsp of Butter/Oil and keep aside. Soak a pinch of Saffron in ½ cup of Warm Milk in a small bowl and keep aside.

Mutton Gravy - In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of Oil/Butter and add washed and cubed 1 kg of Lean Lamb leg Meat. Stir fry till the meat has browned on all sides and add ½ of the fried onions, 2 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and ½ tsp of Turmeric. Sauteing them for 2 minutes, add the 1½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 1 ½ tsp of Salt, 1 tbsp of Garam Masala, ½ cup of Water, 1½ cup of Yogurt and mix well. Pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes until the meat is tender.

Open the lid of the cooker and cook the meat mixture well without covering the lid on medium high heat until the meat mixture is done and most of the liquid has dried up. Add 4 tbsp of Lemon Juice to the meat and mix. Remove from heat.

Biryani - Preheat the oven at 350°F. In a large oven proof baking dish, add half of the rice in a layer at the bottom of the dish. Now add the whole meat mixture in one layer. Then cover it with the remaining rice completely. Garnish the layered rice with the reserved fried onions, ½ cup of Mint Leaves and ½ cup of Coriander Leaves, 4 slit Green Chillies, toasted nuts, and sprinkle the milk with saffron threads in it. Cover the dish with a tight lid or aluminium foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with Raita.

Roasted Red Pepper Panini

Roasted Red Pepper - Spray a large Red Pepper lightly with oil and roast over a flame, or broil in the oven at 450 F, till charred on the outside. Set aside and allow cooling. Once it comes to room temperature, peel the outside skin of the pepper and slice thinly.

Caramelized Onions - Heat 1 tbsp of Butter in a non-stick pan and saute a finely minced Garlic Clove, a large Onion, finely sliced with Salt to taste, Pepper to taste & ½ tsp of Curry Powder till caramelized and tender.

Panini - Layer roasted red pepper slices, caramelized onions, and top with Chopped Coriander Leaves and top with other slice of bread and heat in a Panini grill / pan till warm.

Miriyalu Kodi Vepudu 2 (Pepper Chicken Fry)

Marinade - Clean and cut the 500 gm of Chicken into bite-size pieces and marinate with 2 tsp of Vinegar, Salt to taste, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder and 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder for 3 hours. Then, boil the chicken in microwave or pan with closed lid for 10 minutes, till the water is evaporated.

Masala Powder - Grind 3 tsp of Black Pepper Corns, 3" inch of Cinnamon, 5 Cloves, 2 Cardamoms, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 tsp of Red Chili Powder and ½ tsp of Coriander Powder to a fine powder. Keep aside.

Vepudu (Fry) - Heat a pan with 2 tbsp of Oil. Add 2 finely chopped medium Onions, few Curry Leaves and saute till they are brown in colour. Add 2 tsp of Ginger – Garlic Paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the boiled chicken, cook for 5-10 minutes, and add the masala powder. Cover cook for 20 minutes or till cooked. Remove from heat, garnish with Coriander Leaves and serve hot.

Masala Lassi (Spicy Buttermilk)

Grind ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ tsp of Fenugreek Seeds, a tsp of minced Ginger, 1 Green Chilli, 1 tsp of Mint Leaves, 1 tsp of chopped Corainder Leaves, 3 chopped Curry Leaves to a paste. Add 3 cups of Yogurt and 2 cups of Water to it and blend again. Add Salt to taste and couple of Ice Cubes and blend once again. Serve chilled.

Charu (Tamarind Soup)

In a saucepan, boil 5-6 cups of Water along with 2 tsp of Tamrind paste. Add Salt to taste, 3 tsp of Rasam Powder, ½ tsp of Sugar,  ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder and finely chopped 2 Tomatoes. Boil for 12-15 minutes and keep aside.

Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a pan, splutter 1 tsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 Red Chillies, few Curry Leaves, 3 crushed Garlic Flakes and a pinch of Hing. Add the seasoning to the boiled charu and garnish with 2 tbsp of Coriander Leaves.

Serve with steamed white rice.

Paneer Samosas (Bengal Shingaras)

Paneer Filling - Grate Paneer to get a 1 cup of Grated Paneer. Wash, peel, boil and mash a small Potato to get ½ cup of mashed Potato. Mix them both together in a bowl. Add Salt as needed, 1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, 1 tsp of Garam Masala Powder, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, finely chopped 2 Green Chillies and chopped Coriander Leaves to the bowl and mix well. Keep aside.

Dough for Samosas (Shingaras) - Take 1 cup of All Purpose Flour In a bowl, add 3 tbsp of Oil and ¼ tsp of Salt to it kneading thoroughly for about 5 minutes. Add tsp of Water at a time to it, kneading for 3-5 minutes until the flour is made into a tight dough ball. Pinch off five equal sized balls from the kneaded dough, roll between your palms to get a circular shape, and keep aside covering with a moist cloth.

Using a rolling pin on a smooth hard surface, flatten out the dough ball into an oval shape. Bisect each of them across the width to get two triangular pieces. Take a single piece of the dough and fold it into a cone, cementing the folds together with a few drops of water each time you fold.

Into the cone, stuff the paneer filling and seal the top of the cone by closing the top flap onto the body using some water as glue.

Samosas (Shingaras) - Preheat the oven to 400 F and then on a baking sheet, arrange the prepared Samosas and bake for about 1 hour, flipping then in between, when necessary. Serve hot with Tamarind Chutney.