Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake

Ingredients 

Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup

All purpose flour - 1 3/4 cups

Baking powder - 2 teaspoons

Sugar - 1 cup

Eggs - 3 psc

Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon

Milk Chocolate - 70 gms

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Generously butter a Baking pan and set aside. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt the milk Chocolate on a boiling water bath. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time to this mix and add the Vanilla extract. Add flour in 2 batches. Mix well and divide this batter into 2 parts. To one part add the molten chocolate and mix well. 

Now lay out the two batters (regular and chocolate) into the baking pan in alternating spoonful. To get the Marble effect, swirl the batter using a wooden skewer.

In a preheated oven, bake this mix for 35 to 40 minutes till a cake tester comes out clean. Let it cool for 5 minutes before turning out the cake from pan. Serve warm!

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Chicken - 1 kg

Ginger Paste - 1 spoon

Garlic Paste - 1 spoon

Onions 2 Large - finely chopped

Biryani Masala - 2 tea spoons

Salt to taste

Pepper corns - 6 to 8

Ghee - 2 table spoon

Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped

Mustard Oil for cooking

Finely chopped Coriander leaves

Indian Spices: Chili, Coriander, Cumin powder - 1 table spoon each

Garam Masala: Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves, Star Anise & Bay Leaf - 4 each

Preparation (30 Minutes)

In a pan boil water - add Cinnamon, Cardamom and Cloves - 2 each. When the water come to a boil add soaked Basmati rice. Let the rice boil till its almost done. Drain the hot water and add regular water to the pot (rice will not stick)

In a pan heat Mustard Oil, add the Garam Masala and pepper corns. Once they spices let out aroma add finely chopped onions, caramelize it before adding the medium size chopped marinated chicken. Mix well and let the Chicken take on a little roast before adding the Spices mixed in half cup of warm water. Mix the spices well to the chicken and add chopped tomatoes. Let the mix simmer for 20 minutes before adding ghee and turning off the fire.

Divide this chicken into 3 parts. leave 1/3 of it in the pan, cover it with 1/3 of the rice, then lay out 1/3 chicken on top of the rice. Alternate this till you have 3 layers of rice and chicken alternating each other. Sprinkle a few fried onions and garnish it with Coriander leaves before serving. Usually goes well with 'Raita' and 'Kebabs' on the side!

Chocolate Cup-Cakes

Ingredients (6 cupcakes)

All-purpose flour - 1/2 cups

Baking Soda - 1/4 tea spoon

Baking powder - 1 tea spoon

Butter - 3/4 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Eggs - 1 psc

Milk Chocolate - 30 gms

Vanilla Extract - 1/2 tea spoon

Pinch of Salt

Preparation (20 minutes)

Put a bowl in boiling water bath and melt the chocolate. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside. In a mixer blend together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the molten chocolate to the mix. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then add 1/2 tea spoon of vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture alternately while beat well.

Coat ramekins (muffin cups) with butter and fill them 3/4 full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let it cool for 5 minutes and take out the cup-cakes, serve while warm!

Chicken Sheek Kababs!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Minced Chicken - 400 gms

Tandoori masala - 1 tea spoon

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tea spoon each

Chili powder - 1 tea spoon

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 table spoon

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable Oil

Preparation (20 minutes)

Mix the minced chicken with salt, oil, pepper, garam masala, tandoori masala, ginger garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder and chopped coriander leaves.

Cover the Skewers with  this marinated paste and grill/BBQ/fry them till brown. Serve them with a dash of lime, chopped onions and chat masala!

Chicken Keema

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Chicken Keema - 500 gms

Onion - 2 medium

Crushed Tomatoes - 100 gms

Salt, Sugar and crushed pepper

Mustard Oil

Ghee - 1 table spoon

Ginger Garlic paste

Indian Spices: Chili, Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin Powder

Garam Masala: Bay Leaf, Cloves, Cardamom and Cinnamon

 

Preparation (40-45 Minutes)

In a pan, heat Oil and add Cardamom, Cloves, Bay leaves - 2 each. Wait for a minutes and add finely chopped onions to it. Once the onions are golden brown add crushed tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, garam masala and 1 tea spoon each of Indian spices mixed in half cup of warm water and mix well, cook it for 5 minutes at medium heat. Add the Chicken Keema, salt and pepper, mix well and cook it at medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Serve with sweet Indian Pualo!

Paw Bhaji - Mumbaiyya Estyle!

Ingredients (Serves 6)

Capsicum - 1/4

Cauliflower - 1/2

Green Peas - 50 grams boiled

Potato - 1 Large boiled

Onion - 1 large

Tomato - 2 Large puree

Butter - 1/4 Cup

Vegetable Oil

Ginger Garlic Paste

Paw Bhaji Buns - 6

Preparation (30 Minutes)

In a pan heat oil, add the finely chopped onions. Once the onions are translucent, add 1 tea spoon each of Ginger and Garlic paste, mix well. To this add the mashed potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum, peas, pureed tomatoes and add salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add spices - red chilly, coriander and cumin powder along with paw bhaji masala, mix well and simmer for 5 minutes.

By now, the veggies would be tender. Mash up the veggies in the pan using a masher. In a separate pan, heat butter add a table spoon of chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves, kasuri-methi and a dash of lime juice. Then mix this to the bhaji in the main pan. Add water if the bhaji is too dry. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Take the buns and slice them up from the middle. In a hot pan add melted butter and lightly toast the buns on butter. Server the bhaji in a bowl with a scoop of butter and freshly chopped coriander leaves on top. Add the butter toasted buns on the side.

Fruity Mango Yogurt

Ingredients (Serves 2-3):

Curd - 350 ml

Mango Pulp - 200 ml

Fruits (3 - 4 four different)

Rasins - 10 gms

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Preparation (5 minutes):

Evenly mix (in a mixer) curd, mango pulp and sugar. In this mix add chopped up fruits (inset picture has Apples, Jackfruit, Banana, Peach and rasins). Serve chilled!

Grilled Whole Chicken with Italian Spices

Ingredients (Serves 2-3):

Whole Chicken

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dry Italian Herbs and Spices:

Rosemary, Chives, Basil and Oregano

Preparation (30 - 35 minutes):

Rub Olive oil on the chicken, rub salt and pepper on to it along with Italian herbs and spices. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.

In a pre-heated oven, let it grill for 30-35 minutes at 375ºF.

Once done, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving!