Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients–

• 8 tortillas
• 500 gm boneless chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 capsicum, chopped
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Cheddar cheese
• Mozzarella cheese

Method –

1. Take a mixing bowl.
2. Add chicken, oil, salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder, paprika powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, thyme, oregano. Mix well and rest for 30 minutes
3. Put the marinated chicken in a heated pan, stir well, cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame
4. Add the capsicum, corn, tomato, onion. Stir well and cook till the moisture evaporates
5. Take a tortilla, sprinkle the cheeses on one half of the tortilla
6. Place chicken stuffing and top it with both cheeses
7. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled half
8. Heat a pan with oil. Place the tortilla on it and cook both sides till golden brown
9. Cut the tortilla in half and serve with lime cilantro sour cream

For Lime Cilantro Sour Cream –

• Mix 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves, juice of 1/2 lime. Mix well till combined. Add salt to taste

Tortilla

Ingredients–

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup warm water

Method –

1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl
2. Mix the dry ingredients until well combined
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add oil and water
4. Stir well until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough forms a loose ball
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1-2 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth
6. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface.
7. Divide into 16 equal portions. Turn each piece to coat with flour. Form each piece into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand.
8. Cover flattened balls of dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes (or as much as 2 hours) before proceeding.
9. After the rest period, heat a large pan over medium heat.
10. Roll each dough piece into a rough circle, about 6-7 inches in diameter, keep work surface and rolling pin lightly floured.
11. Don’t stack uncooked tortillas on top of each other or they will stick together. (I like to separate my tortillas with parchment paper.)
12. When the pan is hot, place one dough circle into the pan and allow to cook 45 seconds to 1 minute or until the bottom surface has a few pale brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. If browning too fast, reduce the heat a bit. If it’s taking longer than a minute to see a few pale golden brown spots on the underside of tortillas, increase the heat a bit. Flip to other side and cook for 15-20 seconds. The tortillas should be nice and soft but have a few small brown spots on the surface.

Sour Cream

Ingredients–

• 1 cup low fat cream
• 1/4 cup full fat milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method–

1. Transfer the cream in a sterilised glass jar
2. Add lemon juice in milk and keep aside for 5 minutes
3. Add the milk mixture with the cream
4. Mix well
5. Cover the jar and set aside for 24 hours at room temperature
6. Refrigerate the jar for 6-8 hours
7. It’s ready to be used now

Medu Vadai

Ingredients –

• 1 cup urad dal
• 4 green chillies
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp asafoetida powder
• A bunch of finely chopped coriander leaves
• Oil for deep frying

Method –

1. Soak the urad dal in 2 cups of water for 3 hours
2. Drain off excess water completely
3. Add the green chillies, salt and asafoetida powder
4. Grind to a smooth batter, using very little water
5. Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well
6. Heat oil in a kadhai
7. Take a tea strainer, invert it, wet it and place a ball of prepared mixture
8. With wet finger, make a hole in centre
9. Invert the tea strainer into the hot oil and drop the mixture ball
10. Similarly, prepare 2-3 more vadas
11. Deep fry on medium flame till golden brown in colour
12. Serve with sambhar and chutney

Pound Cake

Ingredients–

3 large (150 grams) eggs, at room temperature

3 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Method –

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, along with the milk and vanilla extract.

In a mixing bowl), place the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar, and beat with hand mixer on low speed until well mixed (about 30 seconds).

Cut the butter into pieces and add to the dry ingredients, along with half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining egg mixture, in two additions, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds) to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake’s structure.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered foil.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

The Pound Cake can be covered and stored for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

Makes one loaf.

Chole/Chana Masala Powder

Ingredients–

• 12-15 whole dry Kashmiri red chillies
• 3” cinnamon stick
• 2 black cardamoms
• 4-6 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp caraway seeds (shahjeera)
• 4 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 8 cloves
• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp dried ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp mace powder
• 1 tsp dried mango powder
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
• 2 tsp black salt
• 1 tsp salt

Method –

1. Take a heavy bottomed pan and heat it
2. Add Kashmiri dry red chillies
3. Add the cinnamon, black cardamoms and bay leaves
4. Dry roast them on medium flame for 4-5 minutes
5. Transfer to a plate and let them cool
6. In the same pan, add the cumin seeds, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, carrom seeds, cloves, pomegranate seeds and black peppercorns
7. Dry roast them on medium flame for 2 minutes or till they change colour
8. Transfer to a plate and keep aside to cool
9. Mix together all the dry roasted ingredients and grind in a mixer till smooth
10. Put the mixture in a bowl and add the nutmeg, dried mango powder, mace powder, asafoetida powder, black salt and salt
11. Mix well and remove all lumps
12. Store in an airtight container

Til Bota (Black Sesame Seeds Chutney)

Ingredients–

• 1/4 cup black sesame seeds
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 green chilli
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp mustard oil (optional)

Method –

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds in a pan for 2-3 minutes
2. Once cool, transfer to a grinder jar and add garlic cloves, green chilli and salt along with the water
3. Grind to a fine paste
4. Drizzle 1/2 tsp raw mustard oil (optional)

Shakshuka

Ingredients –

• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp parsley, finely chopped

Method –

1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add in the chopped garlic
2. Fry for 30 seconds in medium flame
3. Add in the onions and green pepper
4. Fry for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft
5. Add the tomatoes
6. Add the cumin powder, paprika and salt
7. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes
8. Make a small dent in the sauce for each egg
9. Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture
10. Cover and simmer for about 8 minutes or until the eggs are no longer translucent
11. If you want the eggs runny, you can cook for shorter time
12. Garnish with chopped parsley and remove from heat
13. Serve with hot buttered toast

Spinach and Radish Leaves with Vegetables Stir Fry

Ingredients–

• 250 gm spinach leaves
• 200 gm radish leaves
• 150 gm potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 150 gm pumpkin, cubed
• A few boris, fried
• 1 tsp panch phoran
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil

Method –

1. Remove thick stalks of leaves and chop the leaves very finely
2. Cut potatoes and pumpkin into medium cubes
3. Heat mustard oil.
4. Temper the oil with panch phoran and slit chillies
5. Add the pumpkin and potatoes
6. Saute for a minute and add turmeric powder and salt
7. Cook covered till nearly done, sprinkling water in between
8. Add ginger garlic paste halfway through
9. Add the greens
10. and cook on high heat for 2-4 minutes
11. Add boris and cook another 30 seconds
12. Remove from flame and rest for 5 minutes before serving

Potato Chana Salad (Potato Chickpea Salad)

Ingredients –

For Potato Chana Salad –

• 1 cup boiled and peeled potato cubes
• 1 1/4 cups soaked and boiled chickpeas
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes

To be Mixed into a Dressing–

• 4 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp oil
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Method –

1. Combine the chickpeas, potatoes and tomatoes in a deep bowl and toss gently
2. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl
3. Add the dressing to the salad and toss well
4. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour and serve chilled