Chicken Biryani

1 kg boneless chicken or 2 kgs chicken with bone

1 1/2 cup yogurt (beaten)

1 cup cilantro leaves (loosely chopped)

1 cup mint leaves (loosely chopped)

2 1/2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste

2-4 green chilies chopped.

1 1/2 tablespoons whole peppercorns

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 large bay leaf

4-6 cloves

6 whole green cardamom

2 black cardamom

1 inch piece cinnamon

salt

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp mace (javetri)

2 tbsp raisins (optional )

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp corriander powder

3/4 cup oil

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

1 tbsp saffron

1/2 onion chopped into longitudnal pieces and pan fried till crispy (optional)

Marinate chicken with yogurt, 1/2 cup oil mixed with all spices other than saffron and raisins. (45 minutes to an hour)

Meanwhile, soak basmati rice for 30 mins in water (water should be cold and perhaps 2 mm over rice level

Drain the rice. Cook the rice in salted water and 1/4 cup oil. You can add cumin seeds and cardamom and a few sprigs of mint and cilantro (optional).

When the rice is about half done ( becoming translucent but still crunchy) remove the rice and drain it.

Now empty the marinated chicken into a heavy bottomed large pan and layer the half-cooked rice on top of it. Top this with the fried onion and saffron.

Cover tightly and cook on medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes.

Note: Make sure the rice is well drained. If not, you will end up with mushy biryani.

Do not try to shorten the cooking time by increasing the heat, it chars the chicken at the bottom.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

2 golden potatoes (cubed)

3 carrots (cubed)

1 cup frozen peas

1 chicken breast (cubed)

1/2 red onion (finely diced)

1/4 cup butter

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp minced garlic

Pie crust:

1 cup + 3 tbsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable shortening

3 tbsp cold water

1 tsp salt

1 9" pie pan

Protocol:

To make pie crust:

Mix together flour and salt and cut in vegetable shortening into the mixture with two forks.

The pie crust should form flaky blobs which barely bind together

add the cold water and make it a loosely bound piece of dough

Roll out pie crust on a lightly floured surface using a well floured rolling pin. (Note: Do not role backwards and forwards.)

The rolled out pie crust should be 1-2 inches larger than the inverted pie pan

Gently slide the pie crust into the pie pan and lightly press on.

Filling:

Boil together chicken, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and salt. Add frozen peas last and boil for 2-4 minutes after this addition. All vegetables and meat should be tender but not gooey.

Strain and set aside.

In a saucepan melt butter and fry onions till finely translucent. Add the flour, and mix. Now add chicken broth and milk and cook while making sure the flour dissolves and does not congeal. Add a little salt and pepper.

Place the chicken vegetable mixture on the pie pan and tip with the onion-sauce.

Bake the chicken pot pie in the oven at 425o for 25- 30 minutes.

Pineapple Rasam

Ingredients:

1.5 tsp rasam powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

a pinch of asafoetida

1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind

3 cups water

1/2 cup toor dal

1 cup pineapple pieces (roughly copped)

1 ripe tomato (finely diced)

For garnish

1.5 tsp mustard seeds

6-7 curry leaves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chillies (roughly chopped)

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

and some corriander leaves (cilantro)

Protocol:

Pressure cook toor dal with 1.5 cups of water for 3 whistles. Mash when its still hot.

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for 30 mins-1 hr. Squeeze all the juice out of the tamarind and throw away the pulp.

In a wok, add tamarind water, rasam powder, turmeric and asafoetida and cook on low flame till the raw smell of the rasam powder is gone.

Add the mashed toor dal to the wok and cook for 4-5 minutes

Now add the tomato, pineapple, and 1 cup of water to the mixture and allow to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes till the tomato pieces are not visible and a light froth begins to form at the top.

Garnish (Tadka)

Heat the ghee in a separate pan and add mustard and cumin seeds to the ghee.

Once the mustard seeds start to sputter, add green chillies and curry leaves and saute for 2 mins.

Add the hot garnish to the pineapple rasam.

Top it off with corriander leaves.

Eggplant Gotsu

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized egg plant (diced)

1 tomato (finely chopped)

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp asofoetida

1 tsp channa dal

6-8 curry leaves chopped

3 dried red chillies

1 green chilli (cut)

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp jaggery

2 tbsp oil

1 lime-sized ball of tamarind

2 cups water

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

1 tbsp shredded coconut (optional)

Protocol:

Soak tamarind in 1 cup water for 45 mins, to make tamarind juice. Squeeze water out of tamarind and throw tamarind pieces but retain water.

Heat oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds, red chillies, asofoetida and channa dal. Roast till mustard seeds sputter and dal turns a dark brown. Add ginger, curry leaves and green chilli and cook for 2 mins.

Add tomatoes and fry for 3-4 minutes till they soften. Add the egg plant and tamarind water. Add extra water till the eggplant is barely covered. Add salt and turmeric.

Simmer till egg plant is cooked and mixture thickens . Add jaggery and let it melt into the mixture.

Add 1 tbsp shredded coconut (optional)

Vegetable and Paneer Jalfarezi

Ingredients:

1.5 medium carrots

20 French beans

1.5 onions

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

2 Roma tomatoes

paneer (400 grams)

2 broken red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

1tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp corriander powder

1 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp butter

salt to taste

ginger julienne

Protocol:

Cut the vegetables and paneer into long slices.

Boil the carrots and blanch the beans.

Heat oil in the pan and add cumin seed and broken red chillies to the oil. Wait till they crackle.

Add onions and bell peppers and saute for 5-10 minutes till onions turn a golden brown color.

Add the carrots and beans. Saute some more, adding turmeric, and red chilli powder.

Now clear an island in the middle of the pan, and place butter in it allowing butter to melt. Add paneer pieces to the melted butter and lightly fry till the paneer takes on a light golden color.

Add sliced tomatoes, and stir paneer with vegetables, adding garam masala, corriander powder and salt. Saute till tomatoes are cooked.

Garnish with ginger julienne and serve with rice or rotis.

Cinnamon Carrot and Pineapple bread

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups carrots, shredded

1 can of crushed pineapple (undrained)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp chopped ginger

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

Protocol:

Beat eggs, sugar and oil together in a large mixing bowl.

Add carrots, pineapple, vanilla extract and ginger and mix well.

Add dry ingredients and whisk together.

Pour batter into greased loaf tins and bake for 1 hour at 325 oF,

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from tins.

Lemon Icebox Pie

Ingredients:

fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup)

sweetened condensed milk (28 oz)

4 large egg yolks

1 tsp lemon zest

1 9" graham cracker pie crust

Protocol:

Whisk together egg yolks, condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest in a non-stick saucepan.

Heat over medium heat stirring till the mixture is hot to touch and smooth. Do not let this come to a boil.

Pour mixture into the pie crust, making a slight dome in the center.

Chill uncovered for 2-3 hours. Cover and chill over night.

Serve with whipped cream