SPICY MIRCHI KA SALAN

INGREDIENTS

• 5-6 tbsp oil
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 cup dried coconut grated
• 25 gms of sesame seeds
• Fresh Alapenos.
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp kalaunji seeds
• 75 gm tamarind puree
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp green chilli paste
• 3 medium size onions sliced.
• 2 cups water and a little extra to grind the roasted stuff

METHOD

1. Heat a sauce pan, add 1 cup peanut and dried grated coconut, once they are roasted, add sesame seeds as the get roasted faster and grind it into a fine paste using a little water.
2. In a pan heat the oil and fry the Alapeno. Slit it across before you fry them.
3. In another pan, heat 3-4 tbsp of oil. 
4. Add fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, kalaunji seeds, cumin seed and mustard seeds.
5. Add some curry leaves, a tbsp of ginger garlic paste and saute for a min.
6. Now add 1 tsp green chilli paste.
7. Now add the tamarind puree to it. Mix well and cook for 2-3 mins.
8. Meanwhile roast the sliced onions in some hot oil till golden brown and crispy. Add the Roasted brown onions to cooked tamarind.
9. Add 1tsp of cumin and coriander powder.
10. Add 1/s tsp Turmeric powder, salt to taste and only 1 tsp red cilli powder.
11. Now add the coconut paste and cook well. When the curry leaves oil, the gravy is ready.
12. Now you can add water and the Alapenos. Cook for like 2 mins. Add some garam masala and give a final stir.

A perfect moughlai-hyderabadi curry to go with any biryani.

CHEESY PIZZA

INGREDIENTS

PIZZA BASE (makes 4-5 personal pan size bases)

• 1/2 kg all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• A pinch of dried basil
• A pinch of salt
• Dried yeast
• Water

METHOD

1. Mix all the dry ingredients and using water make a dough. The dough need to be of medium stiffness.Not  too hard, Not too soft. Cover it with a moist cloth and let it rest for half an hour.
2. Make 4 equal size balls and roll it out with a rolling pin.
3. Top the pizza with sauce and veggies and bake.

PIZZA TOPPINGS 

• 200 gms tomato puree
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp pizza sauce
• A pinch of salt
• Sliced red green and yellow capsicum
• Sliced onions
• Sliced baby corn
• Black olives
• Grated mozzarella pizza cheese 

METHOD

1. In a bowl, pour tomato puree, add chilli flakes, pizza sauce and salt and mix well.
2. Spread it over the rolled out base.
3. Spread little cheese over it, Top with the vegetables and top it again with lots and lots of cheese.
4. Place it on the grill rack in a pre heated oven for 12-15 mins. 

NOTE:

The baking time and temperature differs with every oven.

BANANA SCOTCH

INGREDIENTS

• 1 basic Vanilla sponge
• 3 bananas finely sliced
• 1 cup scotch
• 100 gms fresh whipped cream
• 400 ml milk
• 1 tbsp custard powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• A pinch of saffron
• A pinch of ilaichi
• lemon yellow colour
• Vanilla wafers crushed (optional)

METHOD

1. Prepare your vanila sponge and let it cool. You can see my basic sponge recipe.
2. Now in a sauce pan heat the milk, add the sugar, saffron and ilaichi powder.
3. Mix the custard powder in a tbsp of normal milk and slowly add the mixture to the boiling milk while continuously  stirring it. When you see the milk thickens, take it off the flame and let it cool.
4. In a silver bowl, caramelise the sugar and add chopped cashews to it and spread it over a plate and let it cool. As it cools, it will stiffen and you can slightly churn it in a food processor to a coarse texture.
5. Now in a pudding bowl, layer the sponge and make thick holes at distances so that it soaks in the custard properly.
6. Pour the cooled custard that you have made over the sponge. Let it set for 15-20 mins.
7. Top it with a layer of sliced bananas.
8. Then a layer of coarse scotch.
9. Then a layer of crushed wafer. (optional step. Adds crunchiness and a little more sweetness.
10. Finally colour one portion of the cream with lemon yellow colour and using a star nozzle and the double colour technique, decorate the pudding with the cream.

Tastes best when served chilled.

VEG HYDERABADI DUM BIRYANI

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Ghee
• A pinch of jeera and mustard seeds each
• handful of curry leaves
• Speces like ilaichi, laung, dal chini, tej patta, star anise pods and dry lal mirchi
• 2 onions sliced
• 5-6 long slit green chillies
• 2 Carrots cut into long pcs
• handful of french beans cut into same size as carrots
• 3-4 baby corn cut into pcs
• A small cup of cauliflower
• 100 grams paneer cut into pcs
• 2 medium size potato cut into pcs. 
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder
• A pinch of turmeric powder
• A small bunch of mint
• a pinch of saffron
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 cup curd
• Basmati Rice
• A tbsp of rose water
• Chopped coriander 

METHOD

1. Wash and soak rice in water for a minimum of 30 mins. Latter boil the rice. Add one portion of laung ilaichi, dal chini, tej patta, star anise pods tied in a handkerchief to the water and salt to the rice while boiling. When the rice is cooked, take away the handkerchief. 
2. In a sauce pan, heat oil, add the jeera and mustard seeds and when they start popping, add laung, ilaichi, dal chini, tej patta, star anise pods and dry lal mirchi.
3. Saute for 5-10 seconds and now add the onions. Cook till they turn translucent and add green chillies.
4. Cook until the onions turn golden.
5. To this add little turmeric powder, salt and red cilli powder. \Mix well.
6. Add all the vegetables and mix well. Add curd and little water to it. cover with a lid and let it cook till the vegetables are cooked.
7. In a small pan, heat milk, add chopped mint and a pinch of saffron, switch off the flame once the milk boils.
8. Now in a heavy based utensil, (i prefer a pressure cooker) grease the bottom with ghee.
9. Colour a small portion of rice with a orange or saffron colour and scatter it between the left over rice.
10. Pour in one portion of the rice. Then add half the masala that we made.
11. Now add one more portion of rice. You can add some curd and fresh cream at this point. Pour the milk and mint mixtture we made over the rice.
12. Add some more rice and add another layer of the masala.
13. Top with the left over rice.
14. Garnish with chopped coriander and roasted onions.
15. Sprinkle sone rose water over it and cover it with a lid. Let it cook for another 10-15 mins on low flame.
16. Serve hot with vegetable raita.

To enhance the taste, serve it with mirchi ka salan like i am doing today. Gives you a perfect hyderabadi flavour.

COUSCOUS BUNS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium size carrots
• Handful of french beans
• 1 cup full of cabbage
• A small portion of beetroot
• Finely chopped green chillies
• Finely chopped coriander
• Finely chopped curry leaves
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 1/2 cup curd
• Salt, red chilli powder and freshly ground black pepper as per taste.

METHOD

1. Finely chop all the vegetables.
2. In a skillet dry roast the couscous till it changes its colour to pink. Let it cool.
3. Now add all the vegetables except curry leaves and coriander to the couscous.
4. Add the curd and mix well.
5. To it add the spices and mix well.
6. We want a thick, non dripping consistency so that it can be easily poured in with a spoon. But we dont want it to be too stiff also that it forms lumps. You can add in a little more milk if you feel that the batter is too thick.
7. Now heat the skillet, pour a tsp of oil, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When it pops, add some green chilli and curry leaves. Pour in a heaping tsp of the batter and cover it with a lid.
8. Let it cook for 2-3 mins and using a wide turner, turn the bun to the other side.
9. Now cook for another min cover it with the lid and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

A perfect, quick and east to make snack wen you are getting late in the morning.

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 150 gm unsalted butter
• 120 gms milk
• 200 gms milkmaid
• 1/2 tsp chocolate essence

FOR GANACHE

• 150 gms cream 
• 150 of dark chocolate finely chopped

FOR THE MOUSE

• 250 ml whipped cream
• 125 gm chopped chocolate 

METHOD

1. In a bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, soda and cocoa powder.
2. Add the granulated sugar to it.
3. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and milk and let it come to a luke warm temperature.
4. Now add the dry ingredients to it and mix together in one direction.
5. To this, add the milkmaid and mix well.
6. Add the chocolate essence and mix again.
7. You can add a little more milk if you feel the matter is too thick. We need the batter to be in running consistency.
8. Grease the tin and sprinkle some flour over it. Take away the excess flour.
9. Pour the batter in the tin and bake in a pre heated oven for 25 mins.
10. When it is bake, let it come to room temperature and place it n the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours.

GANACHE

1. In a silver pan add the cream and heat it till it starts to bubble on medium heat.
2. Switch off the flame and add the chocolate pcs to it and soak them in cream properly. Leave for a min and start whisking it. When mixed properly, place it in a refrigerator for a minimum of an hour.

MOUSE

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and add a little cream to the melted chocolate and then add it to the entire whipped cream.

ICING 

1. Whip the cooled ganache with some whipped cream.
2. Take the cake off the tin, level it from the top and cut it in two layers.
3. On the first layer pour the ganache and place the other layer on it.
4. Over it, apply the mouse and also cover the sides with the mouse.
5. You can use the chocolate shavings and chocolate shads to decorate the cake.
6. Refrigerate it for a couple of hours before you actually serve it.

A desert loved by almot everyone.. It would simply melt in you mouth.

YAM KOORAM

INGREDIENTS

200 gms Yam washed and diced
1 cup tomato puree
1 onion chopped
2 tsp ginger garlic green chilli paste
Few curry leaves
1 cup curd 
Spices : red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala
1 tsp kasuri methi
A small bunch of fresh coriander washed and chopped.


METHOD

1. Deep fry the diced yam pieces till they turn pink and drain away the excess oil on a kitchen towel. Poke them with a fork. This would help them soak the gravy well enough.
2. In a skillet, heat a tbsp oil, add cumin, curry leaves, chopped onion. Cook till they turn translucent.
3. Now add the ginger garlic green chilli paste and cook till the onions turn golden.
4. Now add the tomato puree. Cook till its water evaporates.
5. Beat the curd till smooth and add it to the curry.
6. Now add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, a little garam masala. Add the Yam pieces and cook till the oil separates.
7. Garnish with coriander and kasuri methi.
8. Cover it for 10 mins and mix well before serving.

This makes the curry look and taste very much like a panner curry attracting the kids. My daughter loves it. Absolutely mouth watering.