Onion Kulche

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp Active Instant Dry Yeast
• 3 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Luke warm Milk
• 1/4 cup Luke warm water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• Some kalonji seeds or finely chopped dhania and hari mirch for garnish

Method:

• Whisk flour to aerate. Only then measure out required quantity.
• This step is very important, as you end up with more flour than is needed for the recipe.
• Next add sugar to the warm water. And the yeast, Leave covered for 10 min till it becomes frothy. Now add salt along with yeast solution to the flour with milk.
• Using a wooden spoon mix it to a sticky mass and let it rest for 10 mins for Autolyse.
• Remove cover put finger in oil. Pinch dough and stretch up..you will see the gluten developing. Bring pinched dough into the middle, from all sides…moving in a concentric circle. Continue pinching and folding the sticky dough, Dipping fingers in oil, intermittently.
• Keep working the dough for 5-6 minutes…till it starts to come together and the sides start to become somewhat clean
• When you lift dough, it should now be, just a little sticky. Transfer to a greased bowl. Bring the dough together, from all sides and pinch ends together.
• Flip to bring smooth side on top and spray lightly with oil.
• Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave aside for an hour.
• After one hour, the dough will more than double.
• Punch dough lightly, bring sides together and pinch ends, flip to bring smooth side up.
• At this stage if you want, you can refrigerate dough in a large zip lock bag for 2-3 days.
• If using right away…transfer dough to a work surface sprayed lightly with oil.
• Cut dough into 18 equal pieces. Spray your hands with oil and squish each piece gently.
• Pat with fingers to spread. Bring edges into the middle, moving in a concentric circle. Pinch edges to seal.
• Flip to bring smooth surface on top. Repeat with all the 18 pieces. Spray them lightly with oil.
• Spread each piece into a small flat disc,
• And then cover with a damp cloth and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Now pat each disc, to form thin circular kulchas.
• Transfer to greased aluminum bake ware (I use steel thalis)
• Avoid using non-stick, if you want soft white kulchas!
• Sprinkle with kalonji seeds if you like.
• Press kulchas lightly with finger tips, to predss topping in and adjust shape. If you like, you can sprinkle with finely chopped green chilies and dhania, like I do.
• Preheat oven at 400F. Place Kulcha trays on middle rack and bake for 6 minutes.
• Then transfer trays to bottom rack and bake for another 2 minutes. Now remove kulchas from oven and cool on wire rack.
• Once cool, they can be stored in an air tight container or zip lock. If you like you can even freeze them for later use. For serving, heat a tava or non stick pan, warm the kulchas applying a little butter if you like.
• Serve warm with Chole

Chana Masala

Ingredients

Chole

• 2 cups chana
• 3 onions sliced
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 inch ginger minced
• 3 green chillies slit

Chana Masala:

• 1 Cup Anardana
• 1/2 cup dhania seeds
• 1/2 cup khadi lal mirch
• 2 tsp laung
• 5 big tej patta
• 10 badi elaichi
• 10 small pieces if dalchini
• 5 choti elaichi
• 1/4 cup jeera
• 1 tbsp Kali mirch
• 1/2 cup kasoori methi

Garam Masala

• 1 1/2 tbsp jeera (cumin)
• 1 tbsp badi elaichi (black cardamom)
• 1 tsp hari elaichi (green cardamom)
•  2 tsp kali mirch (black pepper)
• 2 tsp laung (cloves)
• 3 pieces of dalchini…1 1/2 inch long (cinnamon)
• 3 big tejpatta (bay leaf)
• The next 3 ingredients are optional
• 1/2 jaiphal (nutmeg)
• 1 chakri phool(star anise)
• 1 javitri (mace)

Method

Chana Masala

• Dry roast the above ingredients and grind them together.

Garam Masala

• Dry roast all whole spices till fragrant.
• Grind the roasted spices in dry grinder till they resemble a fine powder.

Chana

• Pressure cook kabuli chana with some kala namak till soft. Adding kala namak adds a unique taste to these Chole! Heat oil and and sauté a little sliced onion till golden brown.Then add the cooked chana along with the water in which it was boiled, roughly chopped tomatoes sliced ginger and sliced green chillies. Add Chana Masala liberally or alternatively, add garam masala powder+anardana powder. Cook uncovered for at least 2 hours. Add tadka of ghee, hing, jeera and red chili powder. Just before serving add a twist of lime! Serve with Kulcha/bhatura/ Poori
• Note: The addition of onions/ garlic is optional in the recipe. It was not in the original recipe, but I prefer to add just a little, as it helps make them more saucy! Also the chana should be cooked till the outer covering of the chana comes off and melts to form a smooth sauce! If water dries up before that u can add more water for cooking.

Roast Chicken

Ingredients

Marinade

• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp peeled, finely chopped root ginger
• 2 tbsp finely chopped or crushed garlic
• 3 hot green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala

Chicken

• 1.75 kg whole chicken, skinned
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Marinating time 30 minutes
•  Resting time 10-15 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
• Place all the marinade ingredients in a blender and process to a paste.
• Using a sharp knife, make two deep, diagonal cuts into each breast of the chicken, going all the way down to the bone. Make two equally deep slashes in the thighs and two in the drumsticks as well. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a roasting tray lined with enough foil to cover the bird completely. Pour the marinade paste over the chicken, rubbing it well into all the cuts. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the chilli powder and black pepper over the chicken evenly. Wrap up the chicken in the foil so it is completely covered, with the tightly closed seam at the top. Bake in the middle of the hot oven for one hour. Unwrap, without letting the juices run out, and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, basting two or three times with the juices.
• Check the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, between the leg and the body. If the juices run clear with no trace of pink, it is cooked. Continue to cook for a little longer if needed. 
• Set the chicken in a warm place to rest for 10–15 minutes, then carve and serve.

Beetroot Coconut Curry

Ingredients

• 2 beetroots, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, slit
• An inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder 
• 1 teaspoon homemade garam masala powder 
• 200 ml of thick coconut milk 
• oil for cooking
• salt and red chilli powder to taste

Directions

• To begin making the Beetroot Curry, we will first cook the vegetables together in a pressure cooker.
• Place the beetroot, onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies into a pressure cooker adding a cup of water, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for about 2 whistles. After the first two whistles, turn the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. The vegetables continue to cook in the pressure that was created in the cooker.
• Once the pressure releases from the cooker, open the cooker, stir in coconut milk,coriander powder, garam masala powder and bring the beetroot curry to a brisk boil. Turn off the heat and transfer the beetroot curry to a serving bowl.
• Serve the hot Beetroot Curry in Coconut Milk for lunch or dinner along with steamed rice or phulka's

Rice Pudding/Kheer

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 1 litre full fat organic milk
• ¼ cup basmati rice
• 5 to 6 tbsp sugar or as required
• 6 green cardamoms/hari elaichi, powdered
• a pinch of saffron/kesar
• 15-20 almonds/badam, blanched and sliced
• 12-15 cashews/kaju
• 1 tbsp golden raisins
• 1 tsp ghee

Method

• Rinse the rice till the water runs clears of the starch.
• Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
• Heat milk and let it come to a boil.
• Meanwhile drain the rice and sauté it in 1 tsp of ghee (my secret).
• Reduce the flame and add the rice.
• Stir and simmer the milk and let the rice grains cook.
• The whole process of cooking the rice in the milk takes about approx 60 minutes on a low flame.
• You want the rice to really cook well and the kheer also thickened somewhat.
• Scrape the sides of the pan and add this dried milk into the pan.
• Meanwhile in a microwave safe bowl take the almonds and cover it with water.
• Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
• Let the almonds cool and then peel them.
• Slice them along with the cashews. rinse the raisins and keep aside.
• Take the cardamoms in a mortar-pestle and then powder them finely.
• Remove the peels and keep the powdered cardamom aside.
• When the rice is almost ¾th done, add the almonds, cashews,cardamom powder, sugar and saffron.
• Stir and continue to stir often so that lumps are not formed as it is caramelization  process of sugar
• Cook further till the rice grains are completely cooked.
• The kheer would also thicken by then.
• Remember to keep on scraping the sides and adding the dried milk from the sides in the simmering kheer.
• Switch off the flame and add the raisins. stir.
• You can serve the rice kheer, hot or warm. or pour in serving bowls and refrigerate.
• This rice kheer stays good for 1-2 days in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Panna Cotta with Kashmiri Berries Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/4 tsp. plain gelatin
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese or additional
•  heavy cream
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup  bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
•  finely chopped

Directions:

• Coat four 5 ramekins or 6 custard cups lightly with flavorless oil.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the cream into a small heatproof bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of hot water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the remaining 1 1/4 cups cream, the mascarpone, sugar and salt just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
• Add the gelatin mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well blended. Pour through a fine strainer into a 4-cup glass measuring cup or a bowl with a pour spout. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins and let cool to room temperature.
• Cover the panna cotta loosely and refrigerate until set and thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 1 day.
• To serve, dip the ramekins one at a time into a bowl of hot water for about 5 seconds, then run a table knife around the edges of the custard and invert onto a chilled serving plate.
• For Kashmiri Berry Sauce, boil kashmiri berries, water and sugar and strain it after it is reduced. Spoon it over panna cotta. Serve chill

Rose Panna Cotta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 to 3 teaspoons rose water
• 1 tbsp rose syrup
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) berries in syrup, drained and quartered, syrup reserved
• 1 pint raspberries, halved
• 4 dark chocolate grated

DIRECTIONS

• Mix cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture just begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes. Add to hot cream mixture, stirring until gelatin dissolves.
• Place mascarpone in a medium bowl. Strain cream mixture over top, stirring until smooth. Add rose water, and rose syrup. Strain mixture into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl. Divide among four demitasse cups or 2-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours (or overnight).
• Dip bottoms of molds into hot water to loosen, then invert onto plates.
• Mix berries, raspberries, and sugar powder with water and boil. Strain and make a syrup of it
• Garnish each with a rose petal if using. Pour 2 tablespoons syrup onto each plate. Place over a bed of dark chocolate and Serve immediately.