Caramel Custard

Ingredients:

1. Sugar                               : 3/4 cup
2. Milk                                 : 2 1/2 cup
3. Eggs                                 : 4
4. Vanilla essence                 : 1 tsp

Method:

• Take quarter cup of sugar in a thick-bottomed pan. Add a few drops of water and heat till the sugar caramelises.
• Pour the caramel into a mould and let it cool. 
• Heat milk, either in a microwave  oven or on a gas stove. 
• Place a metallic ring in the pressure cooker. Add 4 cups of water and heat. 
• Break eggs into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, vanilla essence and mix gently. Add warm milk and mix. Strain the mixture.
• Pour the egg-milk mixture into the mould with the caramel.
• Cover with aluminium foil and place it in the cooker. Cover with lid and steam for 25-3- minutes.
• Do not use the whistle. Remove when done. 
• Serve, turned out with caramel side up, either hot or cold.

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Beetroot Chocolate Balls

Beetroot has phytonutrients that protect against heart diseases as well as boost your stamina to exercise.

Ingredients:

1. Flour                              : 50 gm
2. Beetroot pulp                 : 50 gm
3. Butter                             : 100 gm
4. Dark chocolate               : 100 gm
5. Granulated sugar             : 2 tbsp
6. Eggs                               : 3
7. Vanilla extract                 : 1 tsp

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. 
• Dab some butter in the holes of a muffin tin and sprinkle some flour in each.
• Melt 100 gm each of dark chocolate and butter and stir this till it is smooth.
• Beat together a little granulated sugar, 3 eggs and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract and add the chocolate mixture to it.
• Also add flour and fresh beetroot pulp.
• Pour this into the muffin holders and bake for a few minutes or until crisp

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Mutton Biriyani

Ingredients:

1. Mutton                                                : 1 kg (1 1/2 inch)
2. Basmati rice                                         : 1 1/2 cup
3. Ginger                                                 : 4-inch piece
4. Saffron                                                : 7-8 strands
5. Milk                                                    : 1/2 cup (warm)
6. Yogurt                                                 : 2 cups
7. Salt                                                     : to taste
8. Turmeric Powder                                : 1 tsp
9. Garlic paste                                         : 1 1/2 tbsp
10. Oil                                                      : to deep fry
11. Onions                                                : 4-5 (thinly sliced)
12. Cloves                                                : 4-5
13. Cinnamon                                           : 1-inch stick
14. Green cardamoms                              : 4-5
15. Black cardamoms                               : 1-2
16. Peppercones                                      : 6-8
17. Ghee                                                  : 5 tbsp
18. Green chillies                                      : 2 (chopped)
19. Coriander powder                              : 2 tbsp
20. Cumin powder                                   : 1 tbsp
21. Red chilli powder                               : 1 tsp
22. Tomatoes                                          : 4 (chopped)
23. Garam masala powder                       : 2 tsp
24. Fresh coriander leaves                       : 1/2 bunch (chopped)
25. Fresh mint leaves                               : 1/2 bunch (chopped)
26. Butter                                                : 3 tbsp

Method:

• Soak rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
• Cut half the ginger into julienne and make a paste of the rest.
• Soak saffron in warm milk and keep aside. 
• Marinate mutton in yogurt, salt, turmeric powder and one tbsp each of ginger and garlic paste. Marinate for four hours in a refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a kadai and fry half the sliced onions till brown. Drain and keep aside.
• Cook rice in salted boiling water along with cloves, cinnamon, green and black cardamoms and peppercorns till rice is almost cooked.
• Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Add remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook till onions are golden brown. Add remaining ginger and garlic paste. Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat for 7-8 minutes. Add coriander, cumin and red chilli powders. Mix and stir in 3 cups of water.
• On low heat, cook covered. Add tomatoes, salt, half the garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. 
• Arramge half the quantity of cooked mutton in an ovenproof dish and spread half the quantity of cooked rice on top of the mutton. Sprinkle some garam masala powder, half each of julienned ginger, dissolved saffron and mint leaves.
• Spread the mutton on top of the rice, followed by cooked rice and repeat the earlier process with the remaining quantities of ginger, saffron milk, garam masala, mint leaves and butter.
• Cover it with an aluminium foil and cook for 20 minutes.
• Serve hot.

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Rajma Gravy

Ingredients:

1. Rajma                                             : 1 cup (soaked, overnight)
2. Ginger                                             : 1 tsp (grated)
3. Tomatoes                                        : 1/2 cup (freshly pureed)
4. Cumin seeds                                    : 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder                             : 1 tsp
6. Roasted cumin powder                    : 1 tsp
7. Garam masala powder                     : 1 tsp
8. Cardamom powder                         : 1/2 tsp
9. Butter                                              : 1 tbsp
10. Coriander leaves                              : 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
11. Oil                                                   : 1 tsp
12. Salt                                                  : to taste

Method:

• Cook the soaked rajma in about three cups of water, until it turns very soft.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and add in the cumin seeds and grated ginger, allowing them to crackle. Saute everything together for 3 - 4 minutes on low heat.
• Now, stir in the tomatoes, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala powder, cardamom powder and saute again, till the tomatoes become soft, for about 2 - 3 minutes.
• Then add the cooked rajma, an additional cup of water and the butter and let it simmer for about 30 minutes or longer.
• The consistency of the gravy can also be adjusted by adding more or less water. Finally, garnish the rajma gravy with coriander leaves and serve it hot along with steamed rice.

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Grilled Fish

Ingredients:

1. Grouper Filler                     : 180 gm
2. Onions                                : 20 gm (chopped)
3. Garlic                                 : 10 gm (chopped)
4. Olive oil                              : 30 ml
5. Tomato concasse                : 30 gm
6. Heavy cream                       : 60 gm
7. White wine                          : 40 gm
8. Dijon mustard                      : 20 gm
9. Parsley                                : 15 gm (chopped)
10. Salt and pepper                   : to taste
11. Chicken stock                      : 120 ml

Method:

• Heat the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until transparent. Add the peppercorns and the Dijon mustard.
• Then mix white wine and the chicken stock. Bring it to a boil and add the grouper fillet and poach for approximately 15 minutes.
• Remove the fish and add the tomato concasse, heavy cream and salt and pepper.
• Add the chopped parsely and pour over the fish. Serve with boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes or pasta.

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Green Thai Curry

Ingredients:

1. Prawns                          : 1 kg
2. Oil                                 : 1 tbsp
3. Thai green curry paste    : 1/4 cup
4. Lime leaves                    : 4
5. Lemon grass                   : 1 stick (dry 1 tsp)
6. Coconut milk                  : 500 ml
7. Water                             : 200ml
8. Fish sauce                       : 1 1/2 tbsp
9. Snake beans                    : 150 gm
10. Peas                                : 50 gm (frozen or fresh)
11. Brown sugar                    : 2 tsp
12. Thai basil or sweet basil   : 1/2 cup(leaves)
13. Lime wedges                   : for garnish

Method:

• Shell and devein prawns, leaving tails intact. Cut along the centre back of prawns, without cutting all the way through.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan, cook curry paste, lime leaves and lemon grass over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
• Add coconut milk, water, fish sauce, beans and peas. Simmer until beans and peas are tender. 
• Add prawns and cook for about a minute. Stir in sugar. Season to taste with extra fish sauce or sugar, if needed.
• Remove lemon grass and lime leaves before serving.
• Serve curry with basil, lime and steamed rice.

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Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1. Fresh mushrooms                        : 12
2. Oil                                              : 1 tbsp
3. Garlic                                          : 1 tbsp (minced)
4. Cream cheese                              : 1 packet
5. Parmesan cheese                         : 1/4 cup (grated)
6. Black pepper                               : 1/4 tsp
7. Onion powder                              : 1/4 tsp

Method:

• Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and break off stems. Chop stems finely.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, add garlic and chopped mushrooms stems. fry until all moisture has disappeared. Set aside to cool.
• When the mixture cools down, stir in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, black pepper and onion powder. 
• With a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing. Arrange the mushrooms caps on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven and serve.

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Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

1. Rice                                : 2 cups
2. Coconut                          : 1/2 cup
3. Ghee                               : 2 tbsp
4. Black gram dal                : 2 tbsp
5. Broken pieces of nuts      : 2 tbsp
6. Dry chilli                         : 3 - 4
7. Curry leaves                   : few
8. Asafoetida powder         : a pinch
9. Coriander leaves             : for garnish
10. Salt                                : to taste

Method:

• Boil rice and keep aside. Fry coconut evenly to a golden color on a slow flame.
• Heat ghee in a kadai fry nuts and remove. Fry the broken pieces of dry chillies, black gram dal and curry leaves well.
• Mix rice, coconut, nuts, salt and 1 tsp of ghee. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with coconut chutney.

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Upma

Ingredients:

1. Rava / sooji                              : 1 cup
2. Onion                                       : 1 (chopped)
3. Green chillies                            : 3 - 4 (slit sideways)
4. Ginger                                      : 1 inch (chopped)
5. Carrot                                      : 1 (chopped)
6. Green peas                               : 1/4 cup
7. Mustard seeds                          : 1 tsp
8. Urad dal                                   : 1 tsp
9. Channa dal                               : 1 tsp
10. Cashew nuts                             : 2 tbsp (optional)
11. Oil                                            : 2 tbsp
12. Salt                                           : to taste
13. Curry leaves                              : few
14. Coriander leaves                        : 2 tsp (finely chopped)
15. Ghee                                          : 1 tbsp

Method:

• Heat ghee on a kadai and fry rava, stiring constantly to light brown color and set aside.
• Then heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow them to splatter and add urad dal, channa dal and curry leaves to it and fry till they turn light red.
• Add onion, ginger and green chillies, saute for 2 minutes. Then add all vegetables and salt to taste.
• Now add 3 cups of water and cover the pan and allow it simmer on low heat until the vegetables are done. Then add the fried rava to it stirring constantly till it becomes little thick.
• Remove from heat and garnigh with coriander leaves and cashews.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

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