Hearty Spices

Heat 1/3 cup of Oil in a pan and add a finely sliced large Onion . Saute till the onion is brown and drain them to a plate. In a large cooking pot, add washed, drained 1/2 kg Chicken, a tsp of Shahi Jeera, a Bay Leaf, 2 Cardamoms, 4 Cloves, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 1/3 cup of Fried Onions, 2 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp of chopped Mint Leaves, 2 tsp of Ghee, Juice of a Lemon, a tbsp of chopped Green Chilli, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Coriander, 1/2 tsp Garam Masala, a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt as needed, oil from fried onion and a cup of Yogurt . Massage each chicken piece with the masalas to coat well for 20 minutes. Marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator. Bring 2 liters of Water to boil in a large cooking pot. Add a tsp of Shahi Jeera, a Bay Leaf, a Cinnamon Stick, 3 Cardamoms, 4 Cloves, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 2 tbsp of Salt . When the water comes to a boil, add 1 1/2 cups of Basmati Rice and let cook until the rice is 70% cooked.  To the ...

In a 8 oz widemouthed "Ball" container, add ½ cup of Rolled Oats, ⅓ cup of Greek Vanilla Yogurt, ⅔ cup of Milk, a tsp of Chia Seeds, 1 tsp of Honey/Maple Syrup . Mix well and refrigerate overnight.  Before serving, top it off with ½ chopped ripe Banana and 2 tbsp of Chocolate Chips . 

Add 1/2 cup rolled Oats to 8 oz widemouthed "Ball" container and pour in 1/2 cup of Milk and 1/4 cup of low-fat Yogurt . Add in a layer of 1/2 cup chopped Apples, and top off with 1/8 tsp of Cinnamon, a tsp of Honey, and a tsp of Chia Seeds .  Place in fridge overnight and serve.

Prep - Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan. Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, soften 3/4 cup of Unsalted Butter . Add in 3 Eggs and 3/4 cup of Milk and beat util incorporated. Add in 2 1/4 cups of All Purpose Flour, 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder, 3/4 tsp of Salt, 1 1/4 cups of Sugar and a tbsp of grated Lemon zest and blend well.  Add 4 1/2 tsps of Lemon Juice to the batter and mix well (Skip this if you want to add the lemon glaze over the bread afterwards). Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 75 minutes (1:15 hours) or until the toothpick test is passed.  Optional - Heat a small pan and add 4 1/2 tsps of Lemon juice along with 2 tsps of Sugar stirring constantly till the liquid thickens. Brush the syrup over the bread once the bread is cooled down.  

In a 8 oz widemouthed "Ball" container, add 1/2 cup rolled Oats, a tbsp of Chia Seeds, 1/2 cup Milk and 1 tsp of Honey . Mix well and refrigerate overnight. Add 1/2 cup diced Mango pieces and a tsp of sliced Pistachios before serving. 

Preparation - Take 6 large White Bread slices and crumble them into small pieces. Add ¾ cup of Yogurt, ½ cup of Rice Flour, ¼ cup of Sooji, ½ tsp of Cumin Seeds, ½ finely chopped Onion, an inch of finely minced Ginger, 4-5 Curry Leaves, 3 finely chopped Green Chillies, few finely chopped Coriander Leaves and 2-3 finely chopped Mint Leaves to the bowl, Add Salt to taste and mix to form a soft dough.  Vada - Make small balls, gently flatten them on the palm and make a small hole in the center. Deep fry in oil till golden brown, drain on paper tiwel and remove the excess oil. Serve hot with Chutney, Tomato ketchup or Sambar. 

Masala Powder - Dry roast  3 to 4 Guntur chilies, 1 tbsp of Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp Desiccated coconut, ¼ tsp of Cumin Seeds, 2 green Cardamom, 2 inch Cinnamon stick, 3 to 4 Cloves, Few Peppercorns  and grind to fine powder Marinade - Marinate 250 gms of diced Chicken with  Salt to taste,  ¼ cup of coarsely crushed Onions,  1½ tsp of Lemon juice,  1 slit Green Chili,  1 tsp of Red Chili Powder,  ⅛ tsp Turmeric,  1 tbsp of melted Ghee,  1 tsp of Ginger Garlic paste and  set aside for at least 30 mins. Cook the chicken in a pan until fully cooked and there is no moisture left.  Heat a tbsp of Ghee, splutter few Curry Leaves and ad d the chicken,  ground masala and saute till it comes together.  Add  ¼ tsp of Black P epper powder, a tbsp of Cashewnut Powder, and a tbsp of Ghee . Mix well and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat.  Serve with rice.

Prep - Preheat oven to 350F. Keep 3 eggs and a cup of Butter out on the counter so they are at room temperature. Grease and flour a Budnt or Loaf pan.  In a large mixing bowl, cream  a cup of unsalted Butter with 1 1/2 cups of Sugar . Add 1/2 cup of Sour Cream and mix until incorporated. Add 2 Eggs and 1/2 tsp of Vanilla essence and beat until fluffy. Add in the 1/4 tsp of Baking Soda and 1 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour to the bowl and mix well.  Pour the batter into a pan and bake for 45 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

Saute 10 Red Chillies, 2 tbsp of Coriander Seeds, a tbsp of shredded Coconut, a tsp of Peppercorns, 4 Cardamoms, an inch of Cinnamon stick, 3 Cloves, a pinch of Star Anise Powder in a dry pan. Let it cool down and grind to a fine powder.  Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in the same pan and saute few Curry Leaves, Salt to taste, 2 small Onions, chopped till the onions are golden brown. Add a pinch of Turmeric, a tsp of Fennel Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, 1/2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and saute till the rawness of ginger-garlic disappears. Add the 500 gms of diced Chicken and mix well. Cover cook for 5 minutes and then add 2 tbsp of Tomato Puree and cook for 2 minutes. Add the prepared masala, mix well and cook till well incorporated. Add a tbsp of Cashewnut powder and cook for 2 more minutes and serve hot with Rice.  

Wash, peel and cube 3 Carrots and keep aside.  Heat a tbsp of Ghee in a pan, add and saute a sliced Onion, a tsp of Ginger Green Chilli paste for 2-3 minutes. Add the cubed carrots and saute for another 7-8 minutes. Add 6 1/2 cups of Water along with an inch of Cinnamon stick and 4-5 Cloves . Cook till the carrot turn tender, approx 25-30 minutes and then allow to cool. Strain and puree the carrot-onion mixture. Add  ¼ cup of Coconut  Milk to the pureed mixture, the left over strained stock and a tsp of Jaggery and let it simmer on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add Salt to taste and combine. Serve hot with croutons.

Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a sauté pan. Add a finely chopped Onion, 2 finely chopped Green Chilies  and sauté until golden brown. Add a pinch of Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste and mix well. Add 2 handfuls of finely chopped Spinach Leaves and cover cook on low heat until the leaves wilt. Crack open 4 Eggs into the sauté pan and let it rest for 2 minutes on medium heat. Scramble them until the eggs are cooked. Serve hot with rice or chapathis.

Preheat oven to 400F and grease a 8" round pan or 4x7 loaf pan with oil. Sprinkle some flour until all sides and bottom of the pan are coated.  Take a mixing bowl and add a cup of Yogurt and beat until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of Sugar, 1 1/4 tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda, 2 tsp of Vanilla essence and beat until frothy. Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup of Oil, a pinch of Salt and 1/3 cup of Tutti Frutti . Pour the batter into the prepared pan and reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake for 35-40 minutes.    Glaze - Once done, brush the cake with a tsp of Milk and put it back in the over for 2 minutes. Remove the pan and rest it for 5 minutes before running a sharp knife around the edges. Gently, turn it upside down and let it cool.

Marinate the 500 gms bite sized boneless Chicken pieces with 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste, a pinch of Turneric Powder, Salt to taste, a tsp Red Chilli Powder,  1½ tbsp Oil   and   set aside for about 1:15 hours. Heat  ½ tbsp of Oil in a pan and sauté a tbsp of minced Ginger,  ½ tbsp minced Garlic till golden brown. Add a medium finely chopped Onion, 3 slit Green Chillies and sauté till pink.  Add the marinated chicken and sauté until the chicken is half cooked.  Add a tsp of Garam Masala Powder, A pinch of sugar and stir for 2 -3 minutes.  Add  ½ tbsp of soya sauce and cook till the chicken is soft and tender.  Add finely chopped handful of Mint leaves and fry till the chicken is well cooked and is dry . Chicken should just be moist but not with dripping sauces. Cook to evaporate any excess moisture.  Serve hot.

Wash, drain and marinate 500 gms of diced boneless Chicken with 1/2 tsp Turmeric, Salt to taste, 2 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, 2 tbsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp of Garam Masala, a tsp of roasted Cumin Powder, Juice from  ½ a Lemon, 2  tbsp of Oil in a bowl. Massage the chicken well for 3-4 minutes.   S et aside in the refrigerator overnight, preferably. If not, marinate for atleast an hour.  Heat 1/4 cup of Oil in a pan, add a sprig of Curry Leaves, 5-6 slit Green chillies and saute for a minute. Add the marinated chicken to the pan and roast on med-high heat for 15-18 minutes. Once the oil seperates, add a tsp of Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp of roasted Cumin Powder and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of chopped Coriander Leaves and remove from heat. Serve hot and it can be saved in an air tight container for couple days in the refrigerator. 

Wash and pat ¼ kg of Okra on a towel and cut into 1 inch pieces. Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan; splutter a tbsp of Mustard Seeds, 2 split Green Chillies, few Curry Leaves and a pinch of asafetida. Add a tbsp of Urad Dal, a pinch of Fenugreek Seeds, a tbsp of Channa Dal and saute for a minute. Add and saute a big sliced Onion along with Salt to taste till they turn light brown. Add the Okra pieces and fry till they lose the raw smell. Add a tbsp of Yogurt to get rid of the stickiness, a chopped Tomato and cook till the mixture is tender.  Allow to cool, add a inch of Tamarind to the mixture and grind along with a tsp of Cumin seeds and fresh Coriander Leaves without water. 

Cream 1/2 cup of softened Butter, 3 tbsp of Cream Cheese and 1/2 cup of Liquid Sugar substitute along with a tsp of Vanilla extract, an Egg in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of Coconut Flour, 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder, 1/4 tsp of Salt and beat until smooth.  Place the mixture on a wax or parchment paper and mould into a log shape. Wrap the dough and secure the ends. Refrigerate the dough at least for an hour.  Preheat the oven to 350F and line the cookie tray with parchment paper or baking sheet. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it into 1 cm slices. Place the slices on the prepared cookie tray and bake for 17-19 minutes or until golden brown. 

Parotta -  Take 4 cups of All Purpose Flour, a tbsp of Oil, a tsp of Salt and a tsp of Sugar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add water to make it a soft dough. Cover and keep aside for 2-3 hours. After greasing the surface and hands with oil, pinch dough to make smooth round tennis sized balls, greasing them with oil.  Roll each ball into a 4 or 5 inch roti and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Take a rolled out thick roti and spread it out thin using a rolling pin or using your palms and fingers to stretch out into a thin sheet while smearing oil as you spread the sheet. Now using the fingers, slowly lift up one end of the sheet and make pleats moving towards the other end. Once its pleated hold one end of the long strip and roll it towards the other end to create a rosette and tuck the end under the rosette. Prepare with the rest of other thick rotis and keep the rosettes greased at all times. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.  On the greased work surface, pla...

Paste - Heat a tbsp of Oi l in a sauté pan. Sauté a sliced medium Onion until soft, add 8 chopped Green Chillies and sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Grind the cooled Onion with a cup of Coriander Leaves, 1/2 cup of Mint Leaves and 10-12 Curry Leaves with 3 tbsp of Water  into a thick paste. Heat 5 to 6 tbsp of Oil in a pan and saute a tsp of Cumin Seeds, an inch of Cinnamon and few Curry Leaves for few seconds. Add finely chopped 2 large Onions and saute until golden brown. Add 3 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste and saute for another 5 minutes. Add 2 sliced small Tomatoes, Salt to taste and cook for another 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder, a tsp of Chilli Powder and mix well. Add 2 lbs of cleaned and drained Chicken pieces and sauté on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Cook for another 8-10 minutes on medium heat mixing in between. Add the green masala paste, a tsp of Garam Masala Powder and mix well. Add 3/4 cup of Water and cook for an...

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, take ½ cup of Butter, chilled and cut into pieces. Add   2½ tsp of baking powder,  ½ tsp of baking soda,  ½ tsp of Salt, a tbsp of Sugar and   rub with your fingertips until mixture resembles very coarse sand. Add 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, a cup of Sour Cream and   ½ cup chopped green onion, knead until dough is moistened, then turn out on to a lightly floured surface and lightly knead until the ball comes together smoothly.  Press dough out until it is ½ inch thick. Use a 2½ - 3 inch round cookie/biscuit cutter to cut rounds, and then place on baking sheet. Dough can be gathered and rerolled once. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until tops of biscuits are golden and sides are puffed and firm. Cool on a wire rack before serving. Makes about 10 biscuits.

Peel, de-stone and cut 2 Mangoes into small pieces and keep aside. Beat 8 oz of Cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cup of Milk. Add 3.4 oz of Jello Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding mix; mix well. Whisk in a cup of COOL WHIP. Layer half each of the mangoes and pudding mixture in 8 parfait glasses. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of COOL WHIP.