MUSHROOM PILAU

Perfect for an easy and quick supper. I love this.

INGREDIENTS

175 gms mushrooms

2 shallots, slices

1 small onion, sliced

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

4 cardamoms

1-2 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp garam masala

1 cup basmati rice

2 cups water

2 tbsp. ghee/ butter

1 tbsp. Olive oil

Salt/ 1 cube

2 tbsp Chopped coriander

Heat olive oil in a pan, add cardamoms. When they splutter add garlic, shallots, onion and let it cook till onions brown. Add the ghee and mushrooms and stir fry for two minutes. Add ginger paste and stir well. Throw in the rice and add garam masala. Stir. Add water and the cube and bring to boil. Cover with a lid and let it simmer on low for about ten minutes. Add coriander and cover it and let it sit for 5-10 minutes and Voila!!

BUTTER CHICKEN (MURGH MAKHANI)

I don’t think I’ve met a single non vegetarian on the face of the Earth who doesn’t love butter chicken. This recipe is inspired by Camellia Panjabi, one of my favorite chefs. Here is my version.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken- 900gms (2lb)

5 tbsp. oil

For marinade

Yoghurt- 200ml

1.5 tbsp. ginger paste

1.5 tbsp. garlic paste

2 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder (you can use 3 tsp if you’re using Everest Kashmirilal)

3 tsp. coriander powder

1.5 tsp. cumin powder

½ or 1 tsp. garam masala

2 tsp. Lime Juice

Salt

For Makhani Gravy

3 Medium sized tomatoes, blended, but not to a fine paste, should be slightly lumpy and thick

1 tbsp. dried fenugreek (kasuri methi)

75 gms butter (you can reduce this if you like)

1/2 tsp. paprika/Kashmiri chilli powder

½ tsp. garam masala

40 gms cream

1 stick of cinnamon

5 small cardamoms

1-2 tbsp. sugar

Clean the chicken and make slits in the pieces. Mix all the ingredients for marinade and marinate the chicken in it for atleast 2 hours. For best results, leave it overnight in the fridge.

Heat oil in a vessel. Pour marinated chicken into it, cover and cook on low medium heat until it is done. Make sure to turn the chicken in between.

Heat oil in another big vessel. Put cinnamon and cardamoms and wait for it to splatter. Add the pureed tomatoes and let it cook for 5 minutes till the oil separates from the pulp and the water slightly evaporates.  Add butter and paprika. After the butter fully melts let it cook for another minute. Add kasuri methi, garam masala and salt (I used maggi cubes instead). After a minute, add the cream and stir well till the cream is well blended. Add sugar and adjust taste. Then add the cooked chicken pieces, cover and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

Butter chicken is ready. It goes best with naan or rice and tastes just like the ones you get in restaurants. 

Just perfect for Friday Afternoon!! Happy weekend everyone!

HOME MADE QUICKIE PIZZA

I was craving a pizza yesterday and it was quite late so I quickly whipped this up with whatever I had at home and forgot to take pictures once it was done! Lol so enjoy as much as you get to see!

INGREDIENTS

Ready pizza crust (I didn’t have this so just used Lebanese bread)

Quarter green capsicum, chopped

Half tomato, chopped

Half small onion, chopped

2 tbsp. black sliced olives

1 sausage, chopped (optional)

2 tbsp. ready pizza sauce

Half cup grated cheese (any will do. I used cheddar)

Tabasco and oregano (if you like having them on your pizza)

Spread the pizza sauce on the crust. Add the chopped veggies and sausages. Add olives and grated cheese on top. Microwave for about 2 minutes or until cheese melts. If you don’t have a microwave you can put it on a greased pan on low flame until cheese melts. Ensure the base doesn’t get burned though. Add tabasco and oregano.

You can add or deduct ingredients as you like because either way you have a winning combination with pizza sauce and cheese. So go crazy. This has got to be the quickest easiest pizza you can make. Your welcome.

NUTELLA COOKIES By Sarika

Once again we have a fantastic recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Laura Vitale. Sarika made these awesome looking cookies and I was so inspired by them that I had to try them out for myself.

What makes these cookies so great is the soft texture as compared to the usual cookie hardness. These are at par with subway cookies. So if you like 'em soft, always under bake them a little bit like Sarika did. I, on the other hand, baked them for as long as the recipe said I should. They were just perfect!

You can find the recipe here:
Nutella Cookies by Laura Vitale

Sarika's

Mine

Before they got into the oven

 After coming out from the oven

 After cooling.

TIPS

I thought I'd share somethings that could help you while making these.

1. I placed them on the upper most rack of the oven to avoid burning.
2. I lined the parchment paper (very important) with good amount of butter.
3. I didn't have parchment paper so I used wax paper. A lot of people said they had trouble using wax paper and it created a lot of smoke inside the oven. I experienced no such problem. But yes, wax leaves a residue onto the tray.
4. I didn't have an ice cream scoop so I made medium sized balls and placed them onto the tray as seen in the above picture.
5. My first batch didn't flatten as much as I wanted it to, so for the second batch I made smaller balls and pressed them a little in between my palms. So in the above picture you can see two different sized cookies, one set shaped better than the other.

And Sarika's cookies look absolutely perfect and delicious. No idea how she did them so well.

Feel free to ask anymore questions! Till then, Happy Baking.

DONNA HAY'S 4 TIER CHOCOLATE CAKE

One more chocolate cake extravaganza from budding pastry chef and upcoming food photographer (lol), Rachna Bhatia. This cake makes my drool wanna drool. And Donna Hay is pure genius. But of course you knew that!

PS budding chef has a fear of the numbers 1, 3 and 4, hence ended up in a 2 tier cake tasting just as awesome.

You can find the recipe here:
Donna Hay's 4 Tier Chocolate Cake

Yes, those are fresh raspberries! Muhahahahaha

FUDGY BROWNIES

If you're like me and you love fudgy brownies, you're probably going to air paint my name in a heart when you try out this recipe by Laura Vitale. It's unbelievably easy and undoubtedly the best brownie recipe I've tried till date. It's just so warm and gooey and fudgy and mmmmm *vanishes into the perfect brownie fantasy*

INGREDIENTS

150 gms of Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
200 gms of Bittersweet Chocolate, melted
1 Cup of Sugar
2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp of Salt
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp of warm Water
1 tsp of Instant Espresso Powder ( I used Nescafe Coffee powder)
2/3 Cup of All Purpose Flour (Maida)

1) Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2) In a small cup mix together the warm water with the instant espresso powder, set aside.
3) In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and espresso mixture. Beat until all is combined.
4) Add the melted chocolate and whisk, add the dry ingredients and mix everything together until it’s incorporated but don’t over mix.
5) Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs but not wet batter.
6) Cool for about 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cut into bars and serve!

PS I always make them a day in advance because they taste just perfect the next day!!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES By Rachna Bhatia

Here goes Rachna's favourite Red Velvet Recipe with Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting. Pretty awesome!

INGREDIENTS

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons red food coloring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and salt and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

double recipe to frost a 2 layer 9-inch cake

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, cold (I used room temperature)

scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.

Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

Let me know how it goes and thank Rachna if its awesome! Weekend's almost here and I'm having a lunch party soon, so lots of yummy stuff coming up, keep checking in.

Oh and Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to my Indian Readers! Wish I knew how to make my favourite Modaks!