Hearty Spices

Take a cup of All Purpose Flour / Maida in a mixing bowl. To it, add 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda and 1/4 cup of melted Butter / Ghee and mix well. Add required water and knead to make soft dough. Cover the dough and keep aside for an hour. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Take one of them and roll out into a thin chapati. Grease it with Ghee and sprinkle All Purpose Flour / Maida on it. From one end of the chapati, roll it into a tight roll. Wet the end a little so the end sticks to the roll. Cut the roll into an inch pieces. With your index finger or rolling pin, press them lightly to make them look like Kajas. Repeat for the rest of the dough. Heat 2 cups of Water in a saucepan and let it boil. Stir in 2 cups of Sugar and allow the mixture to get to a 1-string consistency. Leave the pan on low heat while frying the kajas. Heat oil in a pan until piping hot and remove from heat. Drop the prepared kajas into the oil and allow them to float. Then put the pan back on medi...

Clean, drain the Broccoli florets (1/2 lb) and remove the thick stalks. Heat a skillet and add a tbsp of Oil to it. Once hot, add a tsp of Cumin Seeds, few Curry Leaves, 2 cloves of minced Garlic and pinch of Hing / Asafoetida . Saute for 2 minutes and add finely chopped 3 Green Chillies and saute for another minute. Add the drained Broccoli florets and cover cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Add Salt to taste and cover cook again for 2-3 minutes.  Spice Powder - In a small mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup of Chickpea Flour, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste, a tsp of Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp of Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp of Cumin Powder and a tsp of Red Chilli Powder . Add a tbsp of Oil and mix well to form a lumpy spice powder.  Sprinkle this on the broccoli florets and cover cook for 5-6 minutes (without stirring). Sprinkle few drops of water on the broccoli and cover cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle some lemon juice and serve wi...

Dough - Take a mixing Bowl and add 1 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup of Wheat Flour, 1/2 tsp of Salt and 2 tbsp of Oil . Mix well and add water and knead to make a soft dough consistency. Coat the dough with some oil and cover with a kitchen towel to keep aside for an hour. Cheese Mixture - In a small mixing bowl, add a cup of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese , finely chopped 3 tbsp of Onion, finely chopped 3 Green Chillies, few Coriander Leaves, a tsp of Chaat Masala, Salt and a tsp of Red Chili Powder . Mix well. Paratha - Take the dough out of the bowl and prepare the working surface by sprinkling some flour. Put the dough on the surface and knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 balls and knead each for few seconds and keep aside. Take one ball and roll into a thick roti and place 2 tbsp of cheese mixture in the middle of the roti. Now pick up the sides and close it into a ball and then make roti of it. Repeat with the other 7 dough balls too. Heat a tawa and add...

Boil 42 oz of Sweet Corn Kernels or 6 Sweet Corns (whole) and then de-kernal them into a bowl. Keep aside. In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp of Butter and saute 3 minced Garlic Cloves for a minute on low-medium heat. Add in the corn, Salt and Pepper , mix well and saute for 5 minutes. Add in 8 oz of cubed Cream Cheese, 1/2 cup of Milk and mix till cheese is incorporated. Add in 1/2 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese, a tsp of Red Chilli Flakes and mix well till the cheese melts. Remove from heat once the desired consistency is reached.  Serve warm.

Heat Oil in a pan for deep frying Boondi. Take 2 cups of coarse Chickpea Flour (Besan) along with a pinch of Yellow food color in a bowl. Adding water to the bowl to until the mixture is of runny consistency.  Take a Boondi laddle and pour 1/2 a cup of chickpea flour mixture on it over the hot oil to make Boondi. Once the boondi is golden brown, drain and remove them from heat into a plate. Keep aside. Heat 1 1/4 cups of Sugar along with 3/4 cup of Water in a saucepan. Allow the sugar to melt and let it come to a boil. Bring the syrup to a soft ball consistency. Add the boondi to the sugar syrup and mix well untill well coated. Remove from heat. While the mixture is still hot, take a handful of hot boondi and tightly roll them into a ball. 

Pasta - Cook 1/2 lb of Fettuccine or Spaghetti per instructions. Drain and toss with few drops of Oil and keep aside. Alfredo Sauce - Heat a saucepan on medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of Butter and saute 1/2 tsp of minced Garlic for a minute. Add 2 oz of softened Cream Cheese, a cup of Heavy Cream, 1/2 cup of Milk and a tsp of Garlic Powder, mixing well. Add 2 tsp of Pepper Powder, Salt to taste, a tsp of Parsley flakes and a cup of grated Parmesan cheese . Reduce the heat to low and whisk till no lumps are found and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss well. Serve warm and immediately.  

Prep - Soak 1/4 cup of Khus-Khus (gasagasalu) and 1/4 cup of freshly grated Coconut in 1/2 cup of Milk for 20 minutes. Grind to a smooth paste and keep aside. Add a tbsp of Oil to a saute pan and saute a thinly sliced 1/2 a small Onion till dark brown for some fried onions. Marinade - Marinate 1lb of Chicken (cleaned Cornish Hen cut into pieces) in a bowl with 3/4 cup Yogurt, 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, 2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and Salt . Set aside for an hour. Gravy - Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp of Oil . Saute a tsp of Shah Jeera, Bay Leaf, an inch of Cinnamon, 2-3 Cloves, a tsp of Black Peppers, 2 Cardamoms, a Star Anise, 1/2 tsp of Nutmeg Powder on medium heat. Add 2 finely chopped Onions once the spices emanate smell. Cook till the onions are light brown and add a tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste, 5 slit Green Chillies and cook till the rawness disappears. Add 1/4 cup of Mint Leaves and cook till the oil separates. Add the marinated chicken, mix ...