Instantpot: Spinach Rice

Start the Instantpot in "Saute" mode. Add 2 tbsp of Ghee and a Cinnamon Stick, a Bay Leaf, 2 Cardamoms, 4 Cloves and a tsp of Cumin Seeds. After 30 seconds, add 1/4 cup of Cashews and roast till golden brown. Add a sliced Onion, 2-3 Slit Green Chillies and cook until the onions turn golden brown. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic paste and cook for another minute. Add a chopped Tomato, 1/4 cup of Peas and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Click on "cancel" and add 1 1/2 cups of Water, a cup of Basmati Rice, a tsp of of Salt, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and give it a good stir.

Set the Instantpot to "Manual" and pressure cook for 5 minutes on Sealing mode. After the time is up, allow the pressure to be naturally released. Open the lid and fluff up the rice with a fork. Garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and serve warm with Potato chips and Raita.

Sree Krishna Sweets Mysorepak

Heat 3/4 cup of Oil in a bowl and keep aside. Take a cup of Chickpea Flour / Besan in a bowl, add the hot Oil to it and whisk until smooth. 

Heat a pan with a cup of Sugar and 1/2 cup of Water until the sugar melts. Bring to a boil and cook till one-string consistency is reached. Add the besan mixture and mix well. Then add the 3/4 cup of warm Ghee and mix well until the mixture is thick and smooth. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes until it gets thick and bubly. Now, remove from the heat and continue to mix for another minute. Pour the mixture into a greased pan/mould and spread evenly. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, unmould and slice.

Chicken Haleem

Wash, drain and soak 500 gms of diced boneless chicken in a bowl with Salt Water.

In a bowl, take 1/3 cup of Cracked Wheat, a tbsp of Rice, 1 1/2 tbsp of Oats, a tbsp of Urad Dal, 1/2 tbsp Masoor Dal, 1/2 tbsp of Moong Dal, a tbsp of Chana Dal, a tsp of Sesame Seeds, Water as needed and soak for atleast 4 hours. After 4 hours, drain the water and grind the pulses to a fine, smooth mixture adding water as needed. 

In a pressure cooker, add 4 tbsp of Ghee and heat it. Once hot, roast 1/2 cup of Cashews and drain them into a plate once they are golden brown. In the same ghee, add 12 Almonds and roast till nice aroma emanates. Drain them on to the same plate and add 15 Pistachios and roast and drain as well. In the same ghee, add a Cinnamon Stick, 4 Cardamoms, 5 Cloves, 1 tsp of Black Peppercorns, a tsp of Shahijeera, a small sliced Onion and roast till golden brown. Add 2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and roast for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, 3-4 Slit Green chillies and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper Powder, a tsp of Coriander powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder and 2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder and mix well, cooking for another 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of thick Yogurt, 3 tbsp of Chopped Mint Leaves, 3 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves and mix well. Add 500 ml of Hot Water and mix well. Pressure cook on medium heat for 4-5 whistles. 

Take half of the roasted nuts into a mixie jar, add 1/2 cup of Yogurt and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Now, open the pressure cooker and with a masher, mash the chicken into paste. Keep aside.

Heat a deep pan and add 4 tbsp of Ghee. Add the ground pulses mixture, a cup of Water to it and cook on medium heat while stirring continuously for 12-13 minutes until the mixture thickens. Add the cooked chicken and mix well. Keep mashing with the masher for 15 minutes and then add the nuts paste to it. Keep mixing and mashing for another 15 minutes. Then, add a tsp of Garam Masala, 4 tbsp of Ghee and mash, mix for another 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of Fried Onion, 3 tbsp of Chopped Mint Leaves, 3 tbsp of Chopped Coriander Leaves and mix and mash for another 15 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of dried Rose Petals / a tbsp of Rose Water, 1/4 cup of Milk and mix well for another 5 minutes. Add another 2 tbsp of Ghee and remove from heat. 

Once cooled, add to a serving bowl and garnish with another tbsp of Ghee, fried onions and the remaining roasted nuts. Serve hot.

Iced Coffee

Bring 4 cups of Water to boil in a saucepan and add 6 tsp of Instant Coffee powder to it. Let it boil for 3 more minutes and remove from heat. Add a cup of Condensed Milk and mix well. Let it cool for sometime. 

Add ice cubes to a tall glass and pour the coffee into it and serve immediately.

Nutella Iced Coffee

Take 500 ml of chilled Milk in a blender and add 2 tbsp of Instant Coffee, 2 tbsp of Sugar, 1/2 cup Nutella, 1/4 cup of whipping cream, Blend well. 

Prepare a long glass with drizzled Chocolate syrup on the insides and add 4-5 Ice Cubes, Pour the blended coffee in to the prepared glass and serve with whipped cream on the top. 

Pecan Sandies

In a large bowl,  cream a cup of Butter along with 1/2 cup of White Sugar and 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar until fluffy. Add in a large Egg, 1/4 tsp of Salt, a tsp of Vanilla Extract and 3/4 cups of chopped Pecans and blend well. Gently add in 2 cups of All Purpose Flour and make a soft dough. 

Cover with wax paper and refrigerate for 4 hours at least. Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove from the fridge and wax paper. Slice the cookie dough into 1/2 inch slices. Place on a un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 13-14 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Indo Chinnese Egg Noodles

In a saucepan, cook a pack of Chinese Noodles until just right and remove from heat. Drain the noodles on to plate and drizzle some oil on them. Spread the noodles and let them dry completely.

Take a wok and heat 3 tbsp of Oil. Break 2 Eggs into a small bowl and beat well. Pour the beaten Egg mixture into the wok and let it cook untouched for a minute. After the omlette is cooked on one side, flip over and break into big pieces, Move the omlette to one side of the pan and add thinly sliced half an Onion, a cup of shredded Cabbage, 1/2 cup of Shredded Carrot, thinly sliced Bellpepper. chopped 3 Spring Onions. Cook on high heat till they are 50% cooked. Add the cooled Noodles and mix well. Add a tsp of Sugar, Salt as needed, a tsp of White Pepper Powder, a tsp of Vinegar, 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper Powder, 1/2 tsp of Light Soya Sauce and toss on high heat. Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with tomato ketchup.

Garlic Paratha with Cheese dip

Dough - Take a cup of All Purpose Flour, a cup of Wheat Flour, 1/4 cup Sooji, 1/4 tsp of Salt, a tsp of Sugar, 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder, 2 tbsp of Oil in a bowl. Start mixing the dough with a cup of Water, by adding little by little. Knead well for 6 -7 minutes, spread a tsp of Oil over it and set aside covered in a bowl for 30 minutes.

Garlic Mixture - In a bowl, melt 3 tbsp of Butter and add a grated or 3 tsp of minced Garlic Cloves, 2 tbsp of minced Coriander Leaves, 1/4 tsp of Red Chilli Flakes and 1/4 tsp of mixed herbs.

Make 8-9 golf ball sized balls out of the dough. And start making roti out a ball. Melt the garlic mixture in microwave for few seconds and apply some over the rolled out roti. And then, start pleating it and roll into a ball (to create layers). Roll the pleated ball again into a roti. Use all the other dough balls to make rolled out rotis, stuffed with Garlic mixture.

Preheat the griddle on medium heat and put each rolled roti on it and cook until golden brown with some Ghee. Serve with spicy curry or cheese dip.

Cheese Dip - Heat a tbsp of Butter in a pan. Add and bring 1/4 cup of Milk to boil on low heat. Reduce the heat and add a tsp of Milk Powder, 3 tbsp of Processed Cheese like Cream Cheese / Cheese Bread / Slices. Once the cheese is melted, remove from heat. Allow to cool. 

Quinoa Oats Dosa

Take a cup of Quinoa, 1/2 cup of Rolled Oats, 1/2 cup of Urad Dal, a tsp of Methi Seeds, 1/2 cup of Chana Dal (optional) in a bowl. Rinse and drain out the water and then soak in 3-4 cups of Water for 5-6 hours.

Drain out all the water and blend with required Water to the desired consistency (like pancake batter). Add Salt and mix well.

Allow to rest for an hour or can ferment for couple hours before making dosas.

Preheat the griddle, spread the dosa batter in the shape of a dosa. Add Ghee, as needed and allow the dosa to become crisp. Remove it on to a plate and serve hot with peanut chutney.

Rosh Bora

Heat a tsp of Ghee in a pan. Add a cup of Sooji / Semolina to it and roast till it turns aromatic. Add 1 1/2 cup of Milk to it and keep stirring on medium heat until the rava absorbs the milk. When the mixture separates from pan, remove from heat and let it sit aside with the cover / lid on.

Sugar Syrup - In a pan, add 2 cups of Water, 2 cups of Sugar, 2 Cardamom pods and stir continuously on medium until the sugar is melted. Boil for 5 minutes and add a tsp of Rose Water and a tsp of Lemon Juice. Mix well, cover with lid and keep aside.

Transfer the rava mixture to a large bowl and add 1/4 tsp of Baking Soda, 1/4 cup of Milk Powder, 1/4 tsp of Cardamom Powder and knead to a smooth dough. Add few tsp of Milk if needed. Separate 1/4th dough into a smaller bowl and add a pinch of Yellow Color, 1/4 cup of Nuts Powder and a tbsp of Milk. Mix well to form a soft dough and make small balls.

Pinch Rava mixture and make medium balls until all the mixture is done. Flatten the rava mixture ball and place the yellow rava mixture ball in it and make into oval shapes. 

Deep fry them on medium and drain them into the prepared sugar syrup. They will absorb the sugar syrup and enlarge after resting for 2-3 hours.

Green Beans Stir fry with Peanut-Sesame spice

Spice mixture - Dry roast a tbsp of Sesame Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, 2 tbsp of Peanuts for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Add 4 Garlic Cloves, 2 tbsp of dry Coconut, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder and Salt, as needed to the pan. Grind everything together to make a coarse powder and set aside.

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a saute pan and splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds, a sprig of Curry Leaves. Add finely chopped 250 gm of washed Green Beans, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt and cook till the beans are slightly tender. Add a tsp of Coriander Powder and add few tbsp of Water. Mix well and cover cook till the beans are tender. Add the prepared spice mixture, mix well and remove from heat.  Close the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Serve hot with white rice and Ghee.

Pappu Mamidikaya (Lentils cooked with Raw Mango)

Pappu - Take a cup of Toor Dal, a cup of Mango, cubed into pieces after peeling, 3 slit Green Chillies, 2 1/2 cup of Water in a pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

In a tempering pan, add 2 tsp of Ghee, a tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, 2 crushed Garlic Cloves, 2 broken Red Chillies, a sprig of Curry Leaves and let them splutter for 4 minutes. Add this to the "Pappu" mixture along with a tsp of Salt (or as needed). 

Serve hot with white rice and ghee. 

Indian Street Style Naan Pizzas

Prep - Preheat the oven to 400F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil. Lay out 6 readymade Naan on it and smear them with 1/2 tbsp Butter each. 

Wash, dry and cut a Yellow Bellpepper, an orange Bellpepper and a Green Bellpepper into tiny pieces and put in a bowl. Add a finely chopped Red Onion, finely minced 3 Garlic Cloves, 1/2 cup finely chopped Cilantro leaves, finely minced 2 Green Chillies, Salt to taste, Pepper flakes, if needed into the bowl and mix well. 

Bake the naan for 3 minutes and then spread 1/2 tbsp of Tomato Ketchup, 1/2 tsp Sri Racha sauce. Spread the veggie mixture and then shred some Amul Cheese / shredded mozzarella cheese evenly on top of it. Bake for another 5 minutes and when the cheese is melting, remove and serve warm.

Gulab Jamun with Pancake Mix

Take a cup of Pancake Mix in a bowl. Add water as needed to make soft dough and keep aside for 15 minutes. Make marble sized balls with the dough and keep aside.

Heat 2 cups of Water and 2 cups of Sugar in a saucepan. Add pinch of Saffron strands, 1/2 tsp of Cardamom Powder and stir for 10 minutes on medium heat.

Heat oil in a deep pan for deep frying the jamuns. Deep fry the jamuns until golden brown and drain them from oil and put them immediately in the sugar syrup.

Allow the jamuns to soak the syrup and serve hot or chilled.

Royyala Iguru (spicy shrimp fry)

Clean and wash 250 gm of cooked Shrimp and marinate with 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste, 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Salt and a tsp of Lemon Juice. Set aside for an hour.

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a Pan. Splutter a tsp of Cumin Seeds, few Curry Leaves. Sauté 2 finely chopped Onions till golden brown on low- medium heat. Add in a tsp of Ginger garlic paste, 2 slit Green Chillies, Salt to taste, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and sauté till the raw smell disappears. Add a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala powder and mix well. Add the Shrimp and cover cook till the shrimp curls up. Sprinkle water as needed to keep the shrimp moist. Serve hot after garnishing with Coriander Leaves.

Pulagam, Pachi Pulusu and Verusenaga Chutney (Rayalaseema style)

Pulagam - Wash together a cup of Moong Dal along with 1 1/2 cup of Rice and pressure cook with a tsp of Salt and 6 cups of Water for 4 whistles.

Pachipulusu - Lightly roast a cup of Groundnuts, 1/4 cup of Sesame Seeds and 2 tbsp of Fried Gram / Daliya. Grind them to fine powder, transfer to a saucepan and add a litre of Water. Heat the water-powder mixture in a bowl and add a pinch of Turmeric powder, Salt as needed, 2 tbsp of crushed Jaggery, a tbsp of Tamarind Paste and a tsp of Red Chilli Powder. Mix well and allow to come to a boil on low-medium heat. Add 1/2 an Onion, chopped into pieces on top of the pulusu before serving.

Chutney - Saute 1/2 cup of Groundnuts on medium heat until crisp. Remove them into a mixie jar. Lightly saute 2 cloves of crushed Garlic, 1/2 tsp of Cumin Seeds and 3 slit Green Chillies in a tsp of Oil and add them to the groundnuts. Grind them to a smooth chutney adding enough water. Add a tsp of Tamarind Paste, Salt as needed and transfer it into a bowl. Heat a tsp of Oil in a tempering pan, splutter 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds, few Curry Leaves and a broken Red Chilli. Add to the top of the chutney and mix well.

Serve hot Pulagam with a dollop of Ghee along with chutney and Pachipulusu on the side 

Mughalai Chicken Biryani

Cut a large Onion into thin slices and saute them in 4 tbsp of Oil until golden brown. Drain and keep aside.

In a bowl, take 500 gm of cleaned and cut chicken pieces along with 2 tbsp of broken Cashews, 2 tbsp of chopped Almonds, 2 tbsp of chopped Pista, 1/4 cup of whipping Cream, 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1 tbsp of Ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp of chopped Mint leaves, 2 tbsp of chopped Coriander leaves, 2 slit Green Chillies, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala, 2 tsp of Red Chilli Powder, Salt as needed, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp of Cardamom Powder, 1 Star Anise broken, 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder, an inch of Cinnamon, 4-5 Cloves, a tsp of Shahi Jeera, a Bay Leaf and combine everything. Massage the chicken with the masalas. Add oil from the fried onions, half of the fried onions, a tbsp of Ghee, a pinch of Saffron mixed in a tbsp of Water to the chicken and massage again. Keep aside in the refrigerator for atleast an hour.

Bring 4 cups of Water to boil in a saucepan and add an inch of Cinnamon, 4 Cardamoms, 4 Cloves, a tsp of Shahi Jeera, 1 Star Anise, 2 Bay Leaves, 2 slit Green Chillies, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, a tbsp of Salt. Once you see another boil, add 1 1/2 cups of washed, drained and soaked Basmati Rice, 2 tbsp of Mint Leaves, 2 tbsp of Coriander Leaves and 1/2 a Lemon. Cook the rice until 60% cooked. 

Arrange the marinated chicken in a biryani pot in a even layer. Drain 2 ladles of 60% cooked rice and evenly spread on the chicken. After 2 minutes, drain another 2 ladles of 70% cooked rice and evenly spread on the rice. After another 2 minutes, drain another 2 ladles (the last) of 80% cooked rice and evenly spread in the pot. Add 1/4 cup of Ghee and 1/3 cup of rice cooked-water around the edges of the pot, a tbsp of Coriander Leaves, a tbsp of Mint Leaves, 2 tbsp of Fried Onions, 2 tbsp of Oil on the top. Cover cook (with a weight on the top) for 8 minutes on high flame and 7 minutes on medium flame and let it sit for 20 minutes afterwards. 

Serve hot with Raita.

Doubletree Chocolate chip cookie

Pulse 1/2 cup of Rolled Oats into fine powder and keep aside. 

Melt a cup of Butter in a medium bowl and add 3/4 cup of Brown Sugar, 3/4 cup of White Sugar and cream together with a hand mixer. Add 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract, 1/2 tsp of Lemon Juice and 2 Eggs and mix well till incorporated. Add the pulsed Oats, 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda, a tsp of Salt, 1/4 tsp of Ground Cinnamon, 2 1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour and mix lightly with spatula. Do not over mix.  Add 2 cups of Chocolate Chips and a cup of chopped Walnuts (optional) and mix again. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop 2 tbsp dough into balls in a pan an inch from each other and freeze for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F and bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely before storing.

Chicken Legs Pepper Fry

Clean and cut up to 3-4 places on 6 Chicken Drumsticks and keep aside.

Add 2 tsp of Coconut Oil in a pan, saute 2 Red Chillies, 1/2 tsp of Cumin Seeds, a tsp of Pepper Seeds for a minute. Add a finely chopped Onion, 1 1/2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and saute for 4 minutes. Add Salt, as needed, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder and saute for minute. Add a cup of Water to de-glaze the pan and remove from heat. Set aside to cool. Grind to a very smooth paste.

Heat a tsp of Coconut Oil in a pressure cooker pan and saute a sprig of Curry Leaves, a finely chopped Onion until the onion is cooked. Add in a chopped tomato and cook until mushy. Add the ground paste, 1/2 cup of Water and mix well. Add the chicken legs and pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium heat. Remove from heat and let the pressure settle on its own. Once done, open the cooker and remove the chicken legs and set aside. Return the gravy to heat and simmer until thick. Once the gravy is thick, add in the chicken legs back along with a tsp of Pepper powder and a sprig of Curry Leaves.

Serve hot with rice.

Airfryer: Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Cinnamon dipping sauce

Preheat the airfryer to 380F.

Wash, peel and cut 2 large Sweet Potatoes into about 1/4-1/2 inch fries. Place the fries in a bowl of cold water for an hour. Drain the fries and dry them with towels. 

Add them to a mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 tbsp of Corn Starch, 2 tsp of Paprika, 2 tsp of Garlic Powder, a tbsp of Olive Oil and Salt to taste. Combine well and spread them out in a single layer in the airfryer basket. Cook for 20-23 minutes, frequently tossing them after every 10 minutes at 380F.

Garnish and Serve.

Sauce - Add 1/4 cup of Sour Cream, 1 1/2 tbsp of Maple Syrup, 1/4 tsp of Cinnamon, Salt to taste in a small mixing bowl and mix well until combined. Serve with the fries.

Airfryer: French Fries

Wash and cut 2 Russet Potatoes into about between 1/4 to 1/2 inch fries. (No need to peel). Add them into a mixing bowl of cold water and let sit for 45 minutes.

Drain the french fried and dry them with towels. Add the dried french fries to a mixing bowl and mix 2 tsp of Olive oil, Salt to taste and Mixed Pepper seasoning (I use readymade 5 pepper seasoning) as needed.  

Preheat the air fryer to 350F. Spread out the fries in a single layer and cook for 15 minutes or until crisp, turning halfway through cooking. Garnish and Serve.

Mini Keylime Cheesecake

Prep - Keep 12 oz of Cream Cheese on the kitchen counter to bring to room temperature along with an Egg. Preheat oven to 325F and spray the lined 12-count cupcake / muffin pan. Keep aside. 

Crust - Take 6 full sheets of Graham Crackers (or 3/4 cups of crumbs) and process them to crumbs. To it, add 3 tbsp of melted Butter and 2 tbsp of Sugar and mix well. Evenly distribute the mixture between all the 12 liners making sure to press down firmly into an even layer. Bake at 325F for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Filling - Beat 12 oz of Cream Cheese in a bowl along with 1/4 cup of Sour Cream, 1/2 Sugar until well combined. Add in 3 tbsp of Lime Juice, a tsp of Vanilla Extract, a tsp of Key Lime Zest and a drop of green food dye (optional). Mix well until incorporated and add a Large Egg to it as well. Mix until combined.

Evenly distribute the filling between all the 12 liners.Return to the oven and bake at 325 for 20 minutes or until the top of the cheesecakes are set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for an hour. Transfer to a airtight container and chill until served. Garnish with a thin slice of Lime.

Instantpot: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Set the Instantpot on "Saute". Add 2 tbsp of Oil, a small chopped Onion, 3 crushed Garlic Cloves, 2/3 cup of chopped Cilantro and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in 4 cups of Chicken broth, 14.5 oz of diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes, 2 whole Chicken Breasts, a thinly sliced Carrot, a cup of Black Beans, a cup of boiled Corn, 3/4 tsp of Salt, 3/4 tbsp of Cumin Powder, 1/2 tbsp of Red Chili Powder, 1/4 tsp of Cayenne Pepper, 1-2 Bay Leaves and push the chicken to the bottom of the pot.  Lock the lid into place and set on "Pressure Cook" for 10 minutes. 

Perform a quick release. Open the lid, remove the cooked chicken breasts with tongs and either chop or shred them. Add the chicken pieces back to the soup. Stir in a cup of Monterey Jack Cheese / any mexican blend cheese.

Serve into bowls and garnish with crushed Tortilla chips and 1/2 cup of Monterey Jack / Mexican Cheese blend.

Tandoori Roti (on Tawa)

In a large bowl, take 2 1/2 cups of Wheat Flour, a tsp of Sugar, a tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp of  Salt, 1/4 tsp of Baking Soda. Mix everything until well combined. Add 1/2 cup of Yogurt, 2 tbsp of Oil and knead into a smooth and soft dough by adding Water, as required. Cover and set aside for about an hour.

After an hour, knead the dough again for 5 minutes. Separate the dough into ball sized dough and dust with some wheat flour to roll out the rotis. Roll gently making sure the rotis are slightly thick. Heat a tawa on medium heat. Sprinkle a tsp of water one side of the rolled roti and place it water face down on a hot tawa. Press gently and allow to cook for a minute or until the base is cooked. Now flip the tawa and cook the other side of the Roti.

Serve warm.

Instantpot: Tomato Rice

Wash, drain and soak 1 1/2 cup of Basmati Rice in a bowl.

Press "saute" on the InstantPot. Add 1 1/2 tbsp of Oil and saute 2 tbsp of Cashews till golden brown. Remove the cashews and keep aside. Add a Bayleaf, 3/4 tsp of Cumin Seeds, an inch of Cinnamon, 3 Cardamoms, 3 Cloves and saute for 30 seconds. Add a finely chopped Onion, 2 slit Green chillies and  a tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste. Saute until the onions are golden brown. Add a cup of chopped Tomatoes, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste, 3/4 tsp of Garam Masala and 1/2 tsp of Red chilli Powder. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.

Add the soaked rice, 2 cups of Water and press "cancel". Scrape off the bits from the bottom and secure the lid with the whistle in Sealing position. Set the mode to "Manual" and timer to 5 minutes. Once the timer is done, manually release the pressure after 5 minutes.

Sprinkle a tbsp of Lemon Juice and chopped Coriander Leaves before serving warm.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a foil or parchment paper on the Baking sheet. Take 1/4 cup of Confectioner's Sugar in a bowl and keep aside.

In a bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil and 2 cups of Sugar along with 4 Eggs and 2 tsps of Vanilla Extract until well combined.

To the same bowl, add in 2 tsp of Baking Powder, a cup of Cocoa, 1/2 tsp of Salt and mix well till incorporated. Slowly add 2 cups of All Purpose Flour while mixing. Once well incorporated, chill the dough for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and shape the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll these balls into Confectioner's sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes and then allow to cool for 2 minutes on the wire rack.

Instantpot: Veg Pulao with Coconut Milk

Press "saute" mode on the Instant Pot. Add 2 tbsp of Coconut Oil. Once hot, add a Bayleaf, 4 Cloves, 2 Cardamoms, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, 4-5 slit Green Chillies, 3-4 Curry Leaves and a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste. Saute for a minute.

Add a finely sliced Onion and cook till golden brown. Add 2 cups of Vegetable mix (chopped Carrots, Peas & French Beans) and cook for another 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of Thick Coconut Milk, a cup of Water, 2 cups of washed Basmati Rice, Salt to taste and mix well. 

Close the lid and set the vent to "Sealing". Hit "Cancel" and set to "Manual" and set timer for 6 minutes. After the timer is up, release the pressure manually after 15 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves and ghee roasted Cashews.

Eggplant Parmesan

Slice a large Eggplant into 1/4" slices. Salt both sides of the slices and place them on a colander or wire rack over the sink. Let the liquid drain for an hour. After an hour, brush off the excess Salt.

In a shallow plate, take  1 1/2 cup of Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs. In another shallow plate, whisk together 2 Eggs and 1/4 cup of Milk. Dip both sides of the eggplant slice into the milk mixture and then cover with breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place on a plate or baking sheet and repeat until all the slices are done.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add a tbsp of Vegetable Oil. Place the eggplant slices and cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove and set on a large plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until you've pan-fried all.

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large casserole dish, add a cup of Marinara Sauce to the bottom. Add a layer of eggplant slices and top with a dollop of Marinara Sauce. Sprinkle generous amount of Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese. Repeat the layers until you run out of eggplant slices. Top the casserole with more cheese and place in oven for 20 minutes. Use Broil for 5 minutes to get the browned spots on the cheese.

Serve with chopped Basil Leaves.

Thai Noodle Bowl

Cook 5 oz of Thai rice noodles according to the instructions and keep aside.

Sauce - Whisk together 1/4 cup of Soya Sauce, a tbsp of Honey, a tbsp of Peanut butter and a tsp of Red Pepper Flakes and keep aside for 2 minutes. Add the sauce to the noodles and mix well.

Heat a tbsp of Sesame Oil in a saute pan. Add 1/4 cup of chopped Green Onions, a cup of Shredded Purple Cabbage, 1/2 cup of shredded Carrots and saute for 6-7 minutes. Add this veggie mixture to the noodles, add Salt as needed and mix well. 

Garnish with 1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro and 1/4 cup of crushed unsalted Peanuts. Serve immediately.

Creamcheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep - Let 1/4 cup / 2 oz of Cream Cheese and 1/2 cup of Unsalted Butter sit on the counter till it gets to room temperature. Line a baking sheet with Parchment paper or aluminium foil and set aside. 

Take the room temperature cream cheese and butter in to a bowl. Add 3/4 cup of White Sugar, 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar and an Egg to the bowl and cream together. Add 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract, 2 tsp of Corn Flour, a tsp of Baking Soda and incorporate well with hand mixer. 

Add in 2 1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour and mix till combined into soft dough. Add 2 1/2 cups of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and mix again. Chill the dough for 2 hours so it can be managed easily.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Make an inch balls with the cookie dough and place them 2 inch apart. Slightly press them on the top to flatten them out. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the corners are slightly browned.

Let cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. 

Romaine Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

Chop 2 hearts of Romain Lettuce and keep aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp of grated Parmesan Cheese, 2 tsp of Dijon Mustard, 2 tbsp of Red Wine Vinegar, a clove of minced Garlic, 1/3 cup of Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper as needed.

Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.