Hearty Spices

Prep - Rinse and drain 2 cups of Brown Basmati Rice thoroughly. Add 2 cups of Water to the rice to soak for atleast 2 hours. Wash and drain 2 pounds of Chicken Breasts and poke / cut them into pieces, as needed.  Marinade - In a small bowl, add 2 tsp of Garam Masala, 2 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, a tbsp of Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1/4 cup of finely chopped Mint Leaves, 1/4 cup of finely chopped Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, 3/4 cup of Yogurt, 2 tsp of Salt and mix well. Add this to the Chicken and coat evenly. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Turn the Instant pot on Saute and add a tbsp of Ghee to it. Add a large Onion, thinly sliced cooking for 12 minutes stirring continuously until they are brown. Take out half of the onions and reserve to garnish later. Add another tbsp of Ghee, 4 thinly sliced Green Chillies, 2 small Bay Leaves to the instant pot. Add the Chicken along with the marinade and deglaze the pot by scrapping the bottom of the pot....

Prep -  Grease a 8x8 pan / glass dish and keep aside. Preheat the oven to 340F. Cake -  In a bowl, beat  5 Eggs and 3/4 cup of Sugar  in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer until frothy. Add  2 tsp of Vanilla Essence, 2 tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 cup Oil  and beat for 2 minutes. Add in  3 tbsp of Sooji, a cup of All Purpose Flour  to the batter and mix well till incorporated with a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes and keep aside to cool. Creamy mixture -   In a mixing bowl, take  a cup of Heavy Whipping Cream, 1/4 cup Sugar, 1/4 cup of Milk Powder, 3 cups of Milk  and whisk well. Refrigerate until use.  With a skewer, poke holes all over the top of the cake and pour the prepared cream mixture on top of it. Let it chill in refrigerator. Caramel -  Heat  a tbsp of Butter  in a skillet and add a cup of Sugar to it. Stirring continuously till the sugar caramelize...

Dressing - In a "Ball" container, take 1/3 cup of Red Wine Vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp of Mustard, 1/2 tsp of Oregano, 1/2 tsp of Italian Seasoning, a tsp of Sugar, 1/2 Cup Olive Oil, 2 tbsp of Mayo, Salt and Pepper as needed. Put the lid on and shake well. Refrigerate until use. You'll only need half of the dressing for this recipe.  Salad - In a large Salad Bowl, add 8 oz of roughly chopped Romaine Lettuce, 1/2 cup Black Olives, 2 sliced large Roma Tomatoes, 1/4 th of 1 large Red Onion, 6 whole Pepperoncini and toss them together. When ready to serve, Add half of the dressing to the Salad and toss well. Top with a cup of Croutons and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

To a "Ball'" container, add 1/3 cup of Rolled Oats, 1/3 cup of Milk, 1/2 tbsp of Chia Seeds, a tbsp of Honey / Maple Syrup, a tbsp of Greek Yogurt, 6-7 cleaned and drained Raspberries and 1/4 tsp of Vanilla Extract . Give it a good stir and close the lid. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to eat, give it another stir and Enjoy!

Prep - Preheat oven to 350F. Clean 1 1/2 lbs of Broccoli Florets . Heat a skillet with 2 inches of Salt Water and cook the cleaned Broccoli for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the Broccoli into a 3 qt Casserole dish. Cheese Sauce - In a mixing bowl, bring 8 oz of Cream Cheese to room temperature. To it, add 1/4 cup Sour Cream, a cup of Cheddar Cheese, 1/4 cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese, 2 minced Garlic Cloves, a tsp of Italian Seasoning,  Salt & Pepper to taste and mix well. Add the Cheese sauce to the broccoli and mix well. Bake for 18 minutes and serve warm after garnishing with Red Pepper flakes .

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Melt 3/4 cup of Butter in a mixing bowl and add 2/3 cups of Sugar to it. Cream together with a hand mixer or a spatula. Add an Egg, a tsp of Vanilla Extract and mix well. Add 1/2 tsp of Salt, 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder and 1 3/4 cups of All Purpose Flour to the mixture and mix well until incorporated. Make an inch balls with the dough and keep aside. Take 1/2 cup of Sugar in a bowl. Roll the dough balls in sugar and place on the prepared sheet pan about 2 inches apart. Make a small indentation with your thumb on the balls. Fill each hole with Strawberry Jam and bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are browned. Remove from oven and let them cool.  

Wash, drain and cut a small Cauliflower head into bite sized pieces. Preheat the oven to 450 F and prepare a baking sheet by lining with greased aluminium foil or baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup All purpose Flour, 1/2 cup Milk, Salt & Pepper as needed, 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder, 1/2 tsp of Red Chilli Flakes and make into a smooth batter. Take a cup of Panko Breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Toss the Cauliflower in the batter and coat them well. Transfer them to the bread crumbs bowl to coat completely and then place them on to the baking sheet giving some space between them.  Bake for 22 minutes and prepare the Sauce in the meantime. Sauce - Heat a saucepan with 5 tbsp of Maple Syrup, 3 tbsp of Soy Sauce, 1/2 tsp of Sesame Seeds, 1/4 tsp of Black Pepper, 1/4 tsp of finely minced Ginger . Bring to a boil and add a tsp of Corn starch mixed in a tsp of Water to the saucepan. Whisking frequently, remove from heat and let it cool.  Toss the baked Cauliflower wings in th...

Cauliflower Rice - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a skillet and add 10oz of Cauliflower Rice to it. Sauté for 10 minutes and add 2 tsp of Taco seasoning, a tsp of red chilli powder and Salt as needed . Mix well and remove from heat. Drain a can of Black Beans and rinse well. On a Sheet Pan, spread out 8 oz of Tortilla Chips and then layer with the prepared cauliflower rice. On top of that, spread out the beans, finely chopped Onions, red Bell pepper, Jalapeños, Cilantro, Olives, Sweet Corn .  Drizzle 2 tsp of Hot Sauce over the nachos and layer with enough Mexican cheese blend . Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt. Remove from oven and drizzle Sour Cream, Salsa and Guacamole . Serve immediately.

W ash and drain 15 oz  can of Black Beans and take them into a bowl. To the same bowl, add 4 minced Green Chillies, 4 minced Green Onions, 3-4 dashes of Hot Sauce, 1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder and Salt to taste . With a spoon or spatula, mix well to form chunky mixture. Take 15 6-inch Corn Tortillas and spoon a tbsp of the bean mixture on to each Tortilla. Tightly roll the tortilla into a taquito and place the prepared ones next to each other on a prepared baking sheet  on their seams. Preheat the oven to 400F.  Bake for 7 minutes and then sprinkle 3 tbsp of Mexican Cheese Blend on top of them. Top with fresh Salsa, Guacamole, chopped Cilantro and Sour Cream. Serve warm.

Wash, drain and soak 1 cup of Urad Dal in a bowl for 2 hours. Then, grind the Dal with less than 1/4 cup water or less until thick batter (like vada batter) is made. Remove the batter into a bowl and add a pinch of Salt and Orange Color to it and mix well. Fluff up the batter with you hand until very light and fluffy for 10 minutes. Take a ziplock and nip the tiny end of it. Fill the batter into the ziplock and remove any air.  Heat a saucepan and pour an inch depth of Oil.  Heat another saucepan with a cup of Sugar and water needed just to dissolve it. Keep stirring until the sugar is melted and the mixture is reached a single thread consistency. Add few drops of lemon juice and rose water .  Draw 2 circles with ziplock batter in the hot oil and then swirl around the circles to form a Jangiri. Using skewers or chopsticks, turn the Jangiri so it is cooked on both sides and bubbles around it recede. Remove from oil and place in sugar syrup and let it coat and ...

Prep - Cut a medium Carrot into thin matchstick shaped pieces (about a cup).  Start the IP on "Saute" mode and add 2 cups of Water and a cup of Milk to it. Add 2 cups of Broccoli Florets, Shredded Carrots, Salt as needed, 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper, 1/2 tsp of Red Chilli Flakes, 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder, 1/2 lb of Pasta (almost 2 3/4 cup of Shells) and mix well.  Cover with the lid and cook on "manual pressure" for 3 minutes on "sealing" position. Once the cooking time is up, manually release the pressure in bursts until all the pressure is gone.  Open the lid, add  1/2 cup of Water, 1/2 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 1/2 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese and mix well. Allow to rest for 2 minutes and serve hot.

Mint - Coriander Paste - Clean a bunch of Coriander and Mint Leaves into a blender / mixie jar. Add 7-9 Green Chillies, a tbsp of Lime Juice, 1/4 cup Cashews and 2 tbsp of Yogurt to make a smooth paste adding water as needed. Chicken - Marinate the cleaned and drained 1 1/2 lb of Boneless Chicken Thighs cut into bite sized pieces with Salt as needed, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, the above mint-coriander paste and a pinch of Turmeric and set aside for 2 hours. Gravy - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan. Once hot, add finely chopped large Onion and saute till light brown. Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and cook on high for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and cover cook for another 15 minutes. Add a tsp of Garam Masala Powder and mix well. Cook until the chicken is cooked. Serve hot with Naan or Ghee rice.

Caramel - Heat a sautepan on medium and add 1/2 cup of Sugar to it. Keep stirring until caramel is formed (golden brown color). Remove from heat immediately and pour into the pie pan. Swirl caramel around so it coats the pan evenly. Take a mixing bowl and break 6 Eggs into it. Whisking well, add in 3 cups of Milk, 1 1/2 tsp of Vanilla essence, 1/2 cup Sugar and a tsp of Orange zest . Mix well till everything is incorporated. Pour this mixture into the caramel coated pan.  Prep - Preheat the oven to 325F. Take a cookie sheet pan and carefully place the pie pan in the middle. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and add hot water to the cookie sheet and around the pie pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until the knife a knife comes out clean. Allow to cool and then chill for 4 hours. Gently run a butter knife or a spatula around the sides of the pan and place a plate over the pan and flip it. Spoon over the remaining caramel on top of the Flan, slice and serve. 

Batter - Take 3/4 cup of Chick Pea Flou r in a bowl. Add 2 1/2 tbsp of Rice Flour, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Turmeri c, 2 tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves, Salt as needed, 1/2 tsp of Ajwain Seeds and Water as needed  to make a smooth batter (like dosa batter).  Oil -  Heat a wide pan with  Oil, as needed  for deep frying. Bread -  Take  6 Slices of Bread  and gently cut them into half. Dip them one by one in the batter till fully coated and slip them into the hot Oil kept for deep frying. Do not overcrowd the pan. Gently fry them on both sides and remove and drain them from oil when they are golden brown. Serve hot with Muri Upma or as a appetizer with mint chutney or tomato sauce.

Clean and cut 1 lb of Boneless Chicken Thighs into bite sized pieces. Keep aside. Saute 10 Cashewnuts in a tbsp of Butter and keep aside. Tomato Paste -  Make a smooth paste of 2 Tomatoes, 1/4 cup of Cashews and 5 Green Chillies and keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan and splutter 1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds . Add 2 Cardamoms, an inch of Cinnamon Stick and a Bay Leaf and saute for few seconds. Add in a finely chopped large Onion, 2 slit Green chillies and saute till onion is golden brown. Add in 1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and saute till the rawness disappears.  Now increase the heat to high and add the chicken pieces. Saute them for 3-4 minutes and add Salt to taste, a tsp of Coriander Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder and 1/2 a tsp of Garam Masala Powder . Mix well and cook on medium heat until the oil surfaces. Add the tomato paste to the chicken and cook for 10 minutes mixing well in between to avoid the curry sticking to t...

Cook 16 oz or 1 lb Macaroni / Elbow pasta according to the instructions and keep aside. Reserve 2 cups of Pasta water and keep aside. Melt 3 tbsp of Butter in a saucepan and saute 3 finely minced Garlic Cloves till golden brown. Add a cup of Heavy Whipping Cream and whisk it. Add 2 tbsp of All Purpose Flour and continue to whisk until sauce thickens. Season with Salt to taste, Pepper to taste, a tsp of Italian Seasoning and 3/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese . Continue whisking until the sauce is thickened. Add the reserved pasta water to thin it out a bit as needed for the pasta. Now, toss in the cooked pasta and mix well. Sprinkle a tsp of Red Chilli Flakes and 3 tsp of finely chopped Parsley . Top with a cup of grated Mozarella Cheese and place under broiler on High for 5 minutes or until the cheese gets golden brown spots. Garnish with more Parmesan Cheese and Parsley , if preferred. Serve hot.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line the cookie sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper. Cinnamon Sugar - In a small bowl, add 2 tbsp of Sugar and 2 tsp of Cinnamon and mix well. Keep aside. In a bowl, melt a cup of unsalted Butter and add in 1 1/4 cup of White Sugar and 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar . Beat the mixture until creamy. Add in 1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract and 2 Eggs , beating on low till smooth mixture consistency is reached. Add a tsp of Cinnamon, 2 tsp of Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp of Salt and slowly incorporate 2 1/4 cups of All Purpose Flour . Do not over mix. Cover the bowl and put in the freezer for 15 minutes. Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and taking a 1 1/2 tbsp of dough at a time, make a round balls with all the dough. Now roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet, about an inch apart. Lightly press the ball to flatten it on the top.  Bake for 11 minutes and serve. 

Peel and dice a Mango and a Banana into a blender. Add 1 1/4 cups of Milk, a scoop of Vanilla Icecream, a tbsp of Sugar / Honey and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately. 

Wash 5 large Limes and remove the peel for 3 of them. Cut them into 1/8ths and remove the white pith. Add them and 6 cups of Cold Water to the blender and pulse 7-8 times. Strain the juice through a strainer by pressing the pulp against it.  Add the strained liquid back to the blender along with a can of Condensed Milk (14 oz) and pulse until creamy and frothy. Add Ice as needed and blend again few times. Serve cold with a slice of lime .