Food from all across the world and lots more...

Memories: My cousin couldn't enjoy too many things bought from the confectionery or bakery due to a skin condition. Even when she was a pre-schooler, she used to give me and my younger sister all the chocolates she got at school. So, to give her something in return, I found his 'Grandma' recipe in an old encyclopaedia (ya really!) and it tastes awesome. Ingredients 2 cup sugar 8 tbsp cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup and 2 tbsp of whole milk Later: 1-2 tablespoons butter [Use 2 tbsp if you like it silky] (plus more for greasing the dish) 2 teaspoons vanilla essence Optional: Walnuts and/or almonds (chopped)- a generous handful Another delight Dark Chokolate: Black Coffee- 1 tsp Method: Heat a heavy-bottomed dish. Mix the sugar and the milk along with the cocoa powder. Pour into the heavy bottomed dish and heat on medium flame stirring till sugar dissolves. Keep on heat and stir till all sugar melts. Keep cooking till chocolate thickens. You c...

INGREDIENTS Curd/Yoghurt-500 gms Salt-1 1/2 tbsp (can be adjusted to taste) Options for flavours to be added 1.Garlic flakes 2.Freshly ground pepper 3.Red chilli Flakes 4.Oregano 5.Basil Hang the curd(preferably overnight) till all the water drains out. Hang in the refrigerator if possible. The Hung Curd is to be used. Whisk well adding salt and any of the desired flavours Use 100 gms. of a flavour if using in isolation or 50 gms. if in combination with another. Suggested combinations: 1.Salt and Pepper 2.Oregano and Pepper 3.Garlic flakes,Red chilli flakes and Pepper 4.Garlic flakes and Red chilli flakes 5.Basil and Oregano Whisk well and serve with breads and sandwiches. Is a healthy and tasty alternative that tastes exactly like cheese spread. Best used within 2 to 3 days when kept refrigerated. And actually,i realized the spread lasts a lot longer when kept in the fridge, only if we kept our hands off it!!

Chickpeas(Channa)- 200 gms Potatoes (optional)- 2 small Onions- 2 Tomatoes- 3to4 PASTE Onion- 1 Ginger- 1 inch garlic- 6 cloves Green Chilli- 2 Whole spices- 3 cloves,1 Cardamom, 1' cardamon,2 Black pepper Bay leaf- 1 Coriander pd- 2 tbsp Cumin pd- 1 tbsp Red chilli pd- 1 tsp Channa Masala -2 tsp Black salt- 1 tsp Salt- to taste Oil- to cook Coriander leaves- for garnishing Soak the chickpeas overnight. Steam with potatoes till cooked. Cut potatoes into medium-sized portions. Chop the onion for the gravy. Grind the paste. Puree the tomatoes. Coarsely powder the whole spices. Heat oil. Add the bay leaf and powdered whole spices. Fry till a light scent of roasted spices starts coming. Add chopped onion and fry till it starts brown. Add pureed tomatoes. Fry till puree starts drying. Add spice powders and salt and fry till colour turns dark. Put in steamed chickpeas and potatoes and stir. Add 2 cups of water and let it cook for 5-7 minutes. If you like it thick, simmer for some more ti...

My Mother's recipe of stuffing this otherwise tasteless vegetable with a paste of spice powders and then cooking it. It turns out quite nice, pulling in the flavours and stewing in the tastes. I am giving the number of vegetables to be used and not the weight as I find this easier to determine the stuffing ratio. Ingredients Parwal- 12 Onion- 2 Powders Coriander pd (Dhania pd)- 3 tbsp Cumin powder (Jeera pd)- 2 tbsp [Freshly roasted and ground Cumin and coriander powders preferred] Chilli powder- 1 tbsp (Can be reduced to taste) Turmeric pd (optional)- 1 tsp Dry mango powder (Amchur) -2 tsp Salt- 2 tsp or to taste Water - 1/4 cup ( to make a thick paste) Oil- to fry Water- to cook Wash the Parwal and make a deep slit taking care not to cut it in half. Slice the onion fine. Mix the spice powders and water to make a thick paste. Take a small spoon and fill the parwal with the masala. Heat the oil, put the onions in and fry slightly. When it starts turning ...

INGREDIENTS Rice- 200 grams (1 cup) Soya Chunks (Nutrela brand is famous)- 15 Red chilli powder- 1-2 tsp Onion- 2 Ginger- garlic paste- 1 tsp Pudina- chilli paste- 1 tbsp (Paste made from ½ bowl of mint leaves and 1 green chilli) Mint leaves- 8 Curd- ½ cup Saffron (optional)- 6 to 7 strands soaked in ½ cup milk Oil or Ghee to fry Water- 2 cups Biryani masala – 2 tsp I use Everest Shahi Biryani Masala- is quite tasty Or Quick Biryani Mix {(2 Cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon,3 black pepper, 2 cloves powdered), 1 small bay leaf, ¼ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder) Salt- to taste PROCEDURE Wash rice rice well, strain and leave for atleast half to one hour before cooking. Heat 2 cups of water. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp salt and red chilli powder. Immerse the soya chunks and leave for atleast 20 minutes. Take out squeeze and put in again for 10 minutes. Squeeze out water, taking care not to break any and leave aside. Slice onions into thin slices. Fry one onion till golden b...

INGREDIENTS Cauliflower- 1 Batta Masala (Ground Masala) Whole Coriander seeds- 1 tbsp Whole Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp Red chillies- 5 My Eastern Curry Paste Onion – 1 large Ginger- 1 inch Garlic- 10 to 12 large Green chilies- 2 Tomatoes – 2 large Onions- 2 Turmeric powder- 2 tsp Red chilli powder- 1 tsp Kasuri Methi- 2 tsp Sugar- ½ tsp Salt- to taste Oil Water Preparation Puree the tomatoes by grinding them. Make the Eastern Curry Paste. Slice the onions thin. Soak the kasuri methi in about 50 ml. of water Prepare the Batta masala by soaking the seeds and chillies in about 50 ml of water for atleast an hour. Then remove them and grind them while gradually adding the water in between. Cut the Cauliflower into florets, soak in water to which turmeric and a pinch of salt has been added. Cooking procedure Heat 2 tbsp of oil. Fry the drained cauliflower till slightly brown. Remove from heat. Add a little oil if required and when heated, the curry paste to the pan. Fry till it gets well fried an...