Hearty Spices

Cube the bread into inch pieces, will need about 2 heaped cups . Heat  ¼ cup  of  brewed coffee in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute. Dissolve 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, 2 tbsp of Semi sweet Chocolate morsels, 2 tbsp of Nutella in the hot coffee, without forming any lumps. Keep aside. Beat an egg lightly in a big bowl. Add   ¾ cup of Sugar, 2 tbsp of Cream cheese, ½ cup Milk, ¼ cup Heavy Cream, ½ tsp Vanilla essence, pinch of cardamom powder and  1/8 tsp Nutmeg   and mix well. Mix in the coffee-cocoa mixture and whisk to combine.  Butter a  loaf pan / dish and pour the mixture into it. Add the bread cubes and soak for at least 20 minutes, up to an hour. Press down the bread occasionally using a spoon or fork, making sure all the bread is submerged.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Place the pan in a roasting pan/tray filled with hot water. The water must come up to an inch of the pudding pan...

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds and few Curry Leaves . Add a cup of shredded Cabbage and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add Salt to taste and cover cook for 10 minutes. Add a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder,  ¼ cup of fresh/dry grated Coconut, 2 tbsp of Crushed Peanuts (optional) and remove from heat. Serve hot with steamed rice and papad.

Pressure cook ¾ cup of Toor Dal with 2½ cups of Water, 2 cups of chopped Bottlegourd, ½ medium sliced Onion, 3-4 slit Green Chillies, a pinch of Turmeric and marble sized Tamarind. Remove from heat after 3 whistles and let it cool. Open the lid, add Salt to taste and mash the dal. Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan, splutter few Curry Leaves, 3 crushed Garlic cloves, ¼ tsp of Mustard and Cumin Seeds .When they start to pop, add a pinch of Asafotedia and remove from heat. Add the popu to the Dal and mix well. Serve with roti or rice.

Masala Powder - Dry roast 1½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, a tbsp of Coriander Seeds, a tbsp of Sesame Seeds and 5 Dry Red Chillies till sesame seeds are golden brown. Add a tbsp of Dry Coconut and sauté for a minute before removing from the stove. After cooling, make a coarse powder and keep aside. Wash and wipe 500 gms of Ivy gourds , cutting them into thin slices or rounds. Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan and splutter a tsp of Mustard seeds, ½ tsp Cumin Seeds and ½ tsp of Urad Dal . Add and sauté 5 crushed Garlic cloves and few Curry Leaves . Add the Ivy gourd pieces, Salt to taste , ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder and cover cook for 15 minutes stirring in between. Reduce the heat to low and cook till for 5 minutes. Add the ground powder and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes before removing from heat. Serve hot with white rice.

Line up a layer of Nilla Wafers  in a 2-quart dish. Over the Nilla Wafers, layer a sliced Banana evenly. In a bowl, take 2 ½ cups of Cold Milk and whisk in 5 oz of Vanilla Pudding mix and mix well for 2 minutes. Let it sit on the counter-top till it sets. Layer half of it over the banana layer in the dish. Repeat the layers with Nilla Wafers, another Banana and more Vanilla pudding.  Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Clean and dice a Kg of Chicken to bite sized pieces. to it, add Salt to taste, a tsp of Red Chili Powder and set aside. Heat a pan and roast  a tbsp of Coriander Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, 10-12 Red Chilies till they turn slightly brown and set aside. In the same pan, saute 1½ cups of diced Red Onions, 10 cloves of Garlic, 2 inches of Ginger saute till the onion turns brown. Cool and blend together with the coriander, chilies and cumin seeds. Now in a pan / pressure cooker, heat 2 tsp of Oil and splutter  ¼ inch of Cinnamon, a tsp of Fennel Seeds, 2-3 Cloves, few Curry leaves , followed by ½ cup of roughly chopped Red Onion and saute till they turn translucent. Add the chicken pieces, ½ tsp of Turmeric Powder and saute till the outside of the chicken gets a bit brown (about 8-10 minutes). Now add  2 medium chopped Tomatoes and let them get cooked and start to get mushy. Add the ground masala and about ¼ c...

Coarsely crush a tsp of Cumin seeds with 3-4 cloves of Garlic and keep aside. Heat a tbsp of Oil to a pan; add and saute 3 slit Green Chillies, 2 Dry Red Chillies, few Curry Leaves for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Add 4 thinly sliced medium Onions, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and fry till the onions turn light golden brown. Add 2 cups of diced Pumpkin, Salt, a tbsp of Red Chilli Powder ; mix well and cover cook till the pumpkin cubes turn soft on medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Remove the lid, add 2 cups of Water, 1½ tbsp of Tamarind Paste, a cup of Powdered Jaggery and bring to boil. Add the coarsely crushed garlic mixture to it, mix and cover cook for 10 minutes till the stew turns a little thick consistency. Garnish with fresh Coriander Leaves and serve warm with steamed white rice.

Boil 5-6 Eggs , peel and make 2-3 slits to them. Masala Paste - Dry roast ¾ tsp of Fennel Seeds, 1 tsp Poppy Seeds, 1” Cinnamon, 1 Cardamom, 2 Cloves, 4-5 tbsp of grated fresh Coconut, 5-6 Cashew nuts for 2 minutes and grind to a coarse paste. Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan;  add and saute 2 finely sliced medium Onions till transparent. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic paste, 8-10 Fresh Mint Leaves and saute for 5 minutes. Add chopped Curry Leaves, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, Salt to taste  and combine. Add  a finely chopped Tomato and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the ground masala paste and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring in between to prevent it sticking to the pan. Add the boiled eggs and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and cover cook on low heat till the gravy thickens. Remove from heat and serve warm with Pulao / roti / white rice.

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together  1½ tbsp of Instant coffee and a tbsp of Warm water   until coffee is dissolved In a large bowl, cream together a cup of Butter and 1½ cups of Brown Sugar until light and creamy. Beat in 2 Eggs one at a time, followed by a tsp of Vanilla extract, C offee and ½ cup of quick cooking rolled Oats . Gradually blend in 2½ cups of All Purpose Flour, ½ tsp of Baking Soda, ½ tsp of Baking Powder, ¾ tsp of Salt until completely incorporated and no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Fold in 2 cups of mini Chocolate Chips . In a shallow bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp of Sugar and a tsp of Ground Cinnamon . Shape cookie dough into 1-inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Arrange cookies in prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between cookies to allow for spread. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until cookies are set and lightly browned around the edge.

Take  500gms of washed and diced boneless Chicken in a bowl along with ½ cup of Yogurt, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of Garam Masala Powder, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, a tsp of roasted Cumin Powder, a tsp of roasted Coriander Powder, 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, a tsp of Salt, a tsp of Ajwain Seeds and a tbsp of finely chopped Coriander Leaves . Mix well and marinate for 1 hour to overnight in refrigerator. Thread 4-5 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and grill on medium heat, 350°F on a grill rack placed on an aluminium foil lined baking tray; for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently and basting with Oil , as needed. Once done, remove the chicken skewers from the pan and place in a platter. Cover and let rest for 2-3 minutes once off the heat. Remove the chicken from the skewers and serve hot with lemon wedges .

Wash and cook a cup of Basmati Rice along with 2 cups of Water and cook till done. Boil 2 cups of Water in a saucepan along with a pinch of Salt and add 20 Soya Chunks to it. Cook for 10 minutes, drain water completely and keep aside. Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter 4 Cloves, an inch of Cinamon, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds . Add and sauté a medium sliced Onion and 3-4 slit Green Chillies till golden brown. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, a medium chopped Tomato and mix well. Add the drained soya chunks and mix well. Add the chopped 2 cups of Spinach Leaves , combine well, sprinkle 1 tbsp of Water and cover cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. Add Salt to taste , mix well and remove from heat. Add the cooked rice to the curry and mix well. Serve hot with yogurt/raita.

Heat a pan, add 10-15 Red Chillies, a tsp of Pepper, a tbsp of Corainder seeds and a tsp of Cumin Seeds and dry roast for 5 minutes. Add 5-6 Cardamoms, 5 Cloves and an inch of Cinnamon stick and dry roast for another 5 minutes. Grind all of it into fine powder and keep aside. Clean 500 gms of Chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Soak it in Salt water for an hour. Heat 3 tbsp of Oil to a Iron pan. Add a finely chopped small Onion and saute till golden brown. Add the drained Chicken pieces and saute on high for x minutes. Add a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and Salt as needed and cook until the chicken is cooked. Add 1/2 cup ground Tomato paste and the ground masala powder and mix well. Sprinkle 50 ml of Water and cover cook on medium for 8 minutes. Mix well and sprinkle another 50 ml of Water and cover cook on medium for another 8 minutes. Continue to do so for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle juice from a Lemon and garnish with chopped Coriander Leaves . Serve warm with...

Let the 6 tbsp of Butter come to room temperature in a big bowl and add a pinch of Salt, ½ cup of Powdered Sugar, ½ tsp Vanilla essence to it. Beat well with an electric mixer for 3-4 mins until a soft and creamy mixture is achieved. Sprinkle a cup of All Purpose Flour in batches, ½ cup of Tutti Frutti and mix to get a soft dough consistency. If dough is very crumbly, add 1-2 tbsp of Milk to mix the dough. If the dough is very sticky sprinkle some flour to mix the dough. Divide the dough into 2 portions and make each portion into a 2" cylinder log and wrap it in butter paper. Freeze the packed dough for 40-45 mins. Preheat the oven at 320 F for 12-15 mins. Remove the dough from freezer and remove the log from the butter paper and cut the log into 1/2" roundels using a sharp knife. Place a butter paper or cookie sheet on the baking tray and arrange these cookies leaving 2" gap in between them. Bake them for 10-12 mins until the edges turn slightly b...

Wash ¾ cups of Masoor dal, ¼ cups of Moong dal and pressure cook with 2 cups of Water along with a tsp of Ginger, a tsp of chopped Garlic, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste and 3-4 slit Green Chillies . Heat  a tbsp of Ghee in a pan; splutter ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, few Curry Leaves and 1-2 Dry Red Chilli. Add a sliced medium Onion and saute till golden brown. Then, add a medium finely chopped Tomato and saute for 2 minutes. Add the pressure cooked dals and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Garnish with  Coriander Leaves and serve hot rotis/parathas or steamed rice.

Paneer - Saute  200 gms of Paneer  in a tbsp of Ghee till golden brown and remove into a dish. To it, add  a cup of Hot Water and keep aside for 5 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside. Veggies - In the same pan, saute a big diced Tomato and  a big diced   Green Capsicum for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Make a paste of 3 medium Onions and keep aside. Make a puree of a big Tomato and keep aside. Curry - Heat 1½ tbsp of Ghee / Oil in a pan; add and saute the onion paste till oil separates. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic paste and saute for 3 minutes. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, Salt to taste  and mix well. Add the Tomato puree, mix and cook for 5 minutes. Add ¼ tsp of Kasturi Methi , fried paneer cubes and cover cook for 2-3 minutes. Add a cup of Water, ¼ tsp of Garam Masala Powder , sauted capsicum and tomatoes;...

Chop a Carrot, 8-10 French Beans, a cup of roughly chopped Cabbage and a medium Potato into fine pieces.  Heat a tbsp of Butter in a saucepan, add and saute a finely sliced Onion till golden brown. Add the finely chopped Vegetables and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add 3 cups of Water and cook till the vegetables are soft. In a bowl, mix 1½ tbsp of Corn Flour / All purpose Flour with a cup of Milk to a smooth paste.   Add this mixture, Salt to taste  to the vegetables and cook for 5-6 minutes. Serve hot garnished with 2 tbsp of Grated Cheddar Cheese .

In a heavy bottomed bowl add 2 cups of Whipping Cream and 2 tbsp of Sugar . Using a hand mixer whip the cream until you get soft peaks. Now slowly incorporate 3 cups of Mango Pulp little at a time to the whipped cream mixture. Gently fold in the mango pulp with out over mixing. Transfer the mixture into individual bowls or any serving dish. Garnish with Slivered Almonds and freeze the Mango mousse until set.

Parboiled Veggies - Boil few cups of Water in a saucepan; add  ½ tsp of Salt, few florets of Broccoli, a Carrot cut into thick pieces, a cup of finely chopped Cabbage, 8-10 French Beans cut into 1" pieces and cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat, drain the water and keep aside. Noodles - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a wok; add a pinch of Salt, ¾ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of light Soy Sauce, a tsp of Tomato Sauce and mix. Add 3 cups of Boiled Noodles and fry till the noodles are browned a bit, approx 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.  Veggie Mixture - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a large wok; saute  8-10 Cashewnuts or Walnuts  to a golden shade, remove and keep aside. Add 3 crushed Cloved of Garlic, ½ tsp of grated Ginger and saute for a few seconds, add 2-3 dry broken Red Chillis and saute for few seconds. Add  2 sliced Onions , cook on high heat for a minute. Add the parboiled vegetables, 4-5 diagonally cho...

Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter a tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tsp of Cumin Seeds, a Bay Leaf, an inch of Cinnamon and 2 broken Red Chilli . Add  a non-peeled, shredded Zucchini to it and sauté for a minute. Add 1½ cup of Basmati Rice, Salt to taste, ½ Lemon’s Juice and sauté for a minute. Add 3 cups of Water and cook till the rice is cooked. Garnish with few chopped Coriander Leaves  and serve hot.

Methi - Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan; add and sauté a cup of washed Fresh Methi Leaves for 7-8 minutes or till they turn crisp. Remove and keep aside. Onion - Yogurt Paste - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan and saute 2 large Onions till golden brown. Make a paste of the browned onions with ¼ cup of Yogurt and keep aside. Cashew Paste - Soak 7-8 Cashewnuts  in few tsp of Warm Water and make smooth paste. Curry - Heat the a tsp of Oil in a pan; add and saute ¾ tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 2-3 finely chopped Green Chillies  for 3-4 minutes. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, ¾ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder and combine. Add  a pureed Tomato and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onion-yogurt paste and cook for another 3 minutes. Add  a kg of washed and diced boneless Chicken and combine well. Cook on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, reduce head and cover cook till three fourth done. Add Salt to taste, t...