Hearty Spices

Wash ¼ kg of Chikkudukaaya / Broad Beans , string and cut them into 1″ pieces. Par-boil them in a saucepan till half-cooked. Heat ½ tbsp of Oil  in a pan; saute 3 slit Green Chillis, a dry Red Chilli, few fresh Curry Leaves, a finely chopped Onion and saute on medium heat for 4-5 minutes till the onions turns transparent. Add ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, Pinch of Turmeric Powder, Pinch of Cumin Powder, ¾ tsp of Coriander Powder, Salt to taste and combine. Add  a chopped Tomato and cook till they turn soft or till oil separates. Add the par-boiled broad beans, a tsp of Jaggery and combine. Sprinkle approx 5-6 tbsp of Water and cover cook for 10 minutes. When the beans are cooked, remove from heat and garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves.

Wash, peel and grate a pound of Carrots (approx 4 cups).  Press "Saute" and add grated Carrots, 1/2 cup of Whole Milk, 1/2 cup of Water to the pot. Close the lid, set the pressure valve and cook for 1 minute at high pressure. Open the valve to quick release. Press "Saute", add 1/2 cup of Sugar and cook for 7 minutes stirring continuously in between. Add 4 tbsp of Ghee and cook further until the halwa becomes dry. Add a tsp of Cardamom Powder and sliced Pistachio and Almonds . Mix well and serve.

Masala Powder – Dry roast an inch of Cinnamon Stick, 4 Cloves, ½ tsp Cumin Seeds, 1 ½ tsp Corainder Seeds and 1 tsp of Peppercorns and grind to fine powder. Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan; add and sauté a finely chopped medium Red Onion till translucent. Add 1½ tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté for 3 minutes. Add and sauté 2 finely chopped medium Tomatoes, 3-4 slit Green Chili till mushy. Add 2 lb of cleaned and diced Chicken, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste, a tsp of Masala Powder and cook for 10-15 minutes till chicken is cooked on medium heat. Remove from heat, add remaining masala powder, few Curry Leaves and garnish with 3 tbsp of Chopped Corainder Leaves . Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Coriander Mint paste – Grind a cup of Mint Leaves, a cup of Coriander Leaves and 6 Green Chilies into a smooth paste and keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds . Add and sauté a large finely chopped Onion, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder till golden brown. Add 1½ tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears. Add a large finely chopped Tomato and sauté till mushy. Add the ground paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add an lb of washed, bite-size diced Chicken, ½ tsp of Garam Masala, a tsp of Chicken Masala Powder, a tsp of Red Chili Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, Salt to taste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add a cup of Water and cover cook till the chicken pieces are cooked and oil seperates. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan. Once hot, add and saute  a Bay Leaf, 4 Cloves and 1" of a Cinnamon Stick for 10 seconds. Add in ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, a large finely chopped Onion and saute. Add Salt and allow the Onions to cook for 5 minutes. Add  a finely chopped tbsp of Garlic, finely chopped 3-4 Green Chillies and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add  a finely chopped large Tomato , mix, cover cook for about 10 minutes; stirring in between to make sure it does not burn. Add a tsp of Cumin Powder a tsp of Red Chilli Powder , mix and add ¼ kg of cleaned and quartered Mushrooms . Mix and allow them to cook uncovered. Once the Mushrooms are cooked, add a tbsp of Fenugreek Leaves , mix and serve hot with Rotis or Naans.

Preheat oven to 325F. Beat a cup of Butter along with 2/3 cup of White Sugar, 2/3 cup of Brown Sugar and a tsp of Vanilla Extract into a creamy mixture. Add 2 eggs to it one at a time, incorporating into the creamy mixture. Gradually add in ½ tsp of Salt, a tsp of Baking Soda, 2/3 Cocoa Powder and 2 cups of All Purpose Flour to make a cookie batter. Stir in the 1 2/3 cup of Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels . Drop well-rounded tbsps of cookie batter onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool for 2 minutes before storing in air tight container.

As per the instructions, boil water with 1 tbsp of Oil and 1 tsp of Salt . Once the water is boiling, drop a pack of Chineese Noodles in boiling water and cook as per instructions in pack for 4 to 9 minutes. Drain the water and run some cold water through the noodles so that they don't stick to each other. In a wok, heat 2 tbsp of Oil and saute a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste  for 30 seconds. Add and saute a finely chopped Onion for 2 minutes. Add Salt to taste, 2 cups of finely chopped / length wise Vegetables (Carrots, Beans, capsicum, Cabbage) and cook till they are almost cooked. Add a finely chopped Spring Onion , mix and immediately add the noddles, 1-2 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup, a tsp of Venigar, 1-2 tbsp of Soya Sauce, 1 tsp of Chilli Sauce, a tsp of Black Pepper Powder and combine.