Vegetable Pulav

Ingredients: Rice (3 cups) Carrot (2-3 carrots; diced) Green Peas (1 cup) Green Beans (1 cup; sliced 1/2 inch) Cauliflower (cut florets into small pieces) Water (6 cups) Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon) Cilantro (half a bunch; finely chopped) Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) Ghee (2 tablespoon) Directions: Rinse the rice thoroughly and then soak…

Pavakka Thoran (Stir Fried Bitter Gourd)

Ingredients: Bitter Gourd (2-3) Chili Powder (1 tablespoon) Turmeric Powder (1/4 teaspoon) White Vinegar (2-3 tablespoons) Salt (1-2 tablespoons) Oil (3-5 tablespoons) Directions: Cut the bitter gourd lengthwise into halves and remove the seeds from the inside. Slice the halves into roughly two-inch long cubes and finally slice the cubes into thin sticks. Add the…

Boozy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients: Milk (3 cups) Heavy Cream (1 cup) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (1/3 cup) Sugar (3/4 cup) Nutmeg (grated; a pinch) Salt (a pinch) Whiskey/Bourbon/Rum (2 ounces) Peppermint Candy (optional; for garnish) Marshmallow (optional; for garnish) Directions: In a bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and nutmeg. In a saucepan, add the milk and bring it…

Methi Malai Matar (Creamy Fenugreek Green Peas)

Ingredients: Fenugreek Leaves (2 bunches; roughly chopped) Onion (1; cubed) Green Chilies (2; slit into halves) Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 teaspoon) Cashew nuts (1/4 cup; soaked) Heavy cream (1/2 cup) Green Peas (1 cup; if using frozen soak it in warm water for 10 minutes) Cumin seeds (1 teaspoon) Water (1 cup) Gara Masala (1/4 teaspoon)…

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Ingredients: For Pie Crust: All-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups) Salt (1 1/4 teaspoon) Sugar(1 tablespoon) Unsalted Chilled Butter (1 cup) Ice Water (1/2 cup) Pie Filling: Pecans (2 1/2 cups; roughly chopped) Eggs (3) Maple Syrup (1/4 cup) Light Corn Syrup (1 cup) Salt (3/4 teaspoon) Dark Brown Sugar (3/4 cup) Vanilla Extract (1 tablespoon)…

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients: Cranberries (12 oz/0.75 lb) Sugar (3/4 cup) Star Anise (2) Green Cardamom (4 pods) Orange Zest (1 orange) Orange Juice (1 orange) Nutmeg (a pinch; grated) Red Wine (1 ounce) Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) Directions: In a saucepan, add the sugar and star anise and place it on low heat. Lightly bash…

Upma

Ingredients Semolina/Rava (2 cups; dry roasted) Carrot (2; diced) Green Beans (6-7; cut into small pieces) Peas (1/2 cup; if using frozen soak it in warm water for 5-10 minutes) Water (4 cups, for every cup of semolina 2 cups of water) Onion (1 medium-sized, finely chopped) Mustard Seeds (1 teaspoon) Green Chilies (2-3, cut…

Kappa Kuzhachathu (Mashed Tapioca)

Ingredients: Tapioca (2-3 pounds; peeled and sliced into small pieces) Coconut (2 cups; shredded) Green Chili (3 chilies) Cumin seeds (2 teaspoons) Garlic cloves (3-4 cloves) Shallots (3; peeled and roughly chopped) Curry leaves (1 spring) Turmeric powder (1-2 tablespoons) Salt (to taste) For tempering: Coconut oil (2 tablespoons) Cumin seeds (1 tablespoon) Dried Red…

Chana Palak Masala

Ingredients: Chickpeas (16 oz, I used canned) Spinach (2 cups) Garlic (6-7, sliced) Black cardamom (1-2) Green cardamom (1-2) Cloves (3-4) Peppercorns (3-4) Bay leaf (2-3) Onion (2 medium finely chopped or you could use onion paste) Tomato paste (2 tablespoons) Green chilies (1-2; sliced into halves) Coriander powder (1 tablespoon) Chili powder (1 tablespoon)…

Chicken in a crust

Ingredients: Whole chicken (3-5 pounds) Dried Porcini mushrooms (5-6) Garlic cloves (3-4 cloves) Variety of mushrooms (I used portobella, baby bella and shiitake) Thyme (a bunch; fresh preferred; I used dried) Butter (12 tablespoons) Parsley (1/2 bunch; finely chopped) Flour (4 cups) Olive oil Salt (to taste) Pepper (to taste) Directions: In a small bowl,…