Cupcakes

Ingredients

100gms Unsalted butter
100gms self raising flour (sifted)
1oo gms caster sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking powder


Method

Preheat the oven at 180°C. Line the muffin tin with liners. Using an electric whisk, food processor or wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next. Add the vanilla essence.Carefully fold in the flour and baking powder. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Don't overcook the cupcakes otherwise they will dry out. Lift the cupcakes out of the muffin tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.


Butter cream Frosting

125gms Unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk


Place butter in small bowl and beat until butter is as white as possible.Gradually add about half the sifted icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk, beating constantly.Beat in the remaining icing sugar, and milk, if necessary.Mixture should be smooth and easy to spread with a spatula. Add extra milk or icing sugar until cupcake frosting is of a spreadable or piping consistency.

Chicken Dum Biryani

Biryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice (usually basmati) and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted".[1]
The cooking method of Biryani originated in Iran (Persia) and it was brought to the Indian subcontinent by Iranian travelers and merchants. In India, the recipe of biryani developed to its current form.

Ingredients:

1kg Chicken (Boneless and Diced)
2 Large Onions Sliced
2 medium Onions Chopped
8-10 Garlic Cloves
2 inch Ginger
4-5 green Chillies
750gms Basmati Rice (Washed and Soaked for half an hour)
2tsp Saffron
1/2 Cup Milk
2tsp Kewra Water
1 Cup Freshly Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 cup Freshly Chopped Mint Leaves
1 cup Desi Ghee (Purified Butter)
Chaat Masala

Whole Spices (Make two seperate sets each consisting of)
5 Green Cardamoms (Crushed)
1 Black Cardamom (Crushed)
10 Whole Black PepperCorns
5 Cloves
4-5 Bay Leaves
1 inch stick Cinnamon
1tsp Cumin Seeds

Marinade
250gms Yoghurt
2tsp Red Chilli Powder
2tsp Coriander Powder
2tsp Cumin Powder
2tsp Garam Masala
2 pinches of Mace Powder
2 tbl spoon Lemon Juice
2 tbl spoon Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli paste
Salt to taste

Method

Step 1
Grind the ginger garlic and green chillies to a fine paste and Marinate the chicken with half the paste and other ingredients listed for the marinade. Keep aside for 45 minutes.

Step 2
Soak the saffron with milk and kewra water. Keep aside.
Sauté the Sliced onions till golden brown and keep aside on an absorbent paper.

Step 3
Tie one Set of whole spices in a muslin cloth. Start boiling the rice with the muslin bag in it till the rice is 3/4th cooked.
Meanwhile chicken would be well marinated, Heat oil in a wok and tip in the second set of whole spices and crackle, Now add the chopped onions, fry till golden brown and add the remaining ginger garlic and green chilli paste. Saute for a 2 minutes and then add the chicken along with the marinade and allow to cook till the chicken in tender to a thick consistency, add the chopped mint leaves.
Drain the rice

Step 4
Take a large heavy bottomed deep pan or skillet. Add a layer of rice , sprinkle the saffron and kewra milk, melted desi ghee, golden brown sliced onionn, freshly chopped coriander and 2-3 pinches of chaat masala. Now add a layer of cooked chicken. Follow the process to make 2 layers of chicken and 3 layers of rice. with rice on the topmost level.
Close the lid and cover with silver foil and cook the biryani on dum for 15 minutes on the lowest flame.


Serve hot with Mint raita and sliced onion salad.

Chicken Liver Pâté

Ingredients

450gms Chicken Liver (washed and trimmed)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 Garlic Cloves (crushed)

2 Green Chillies (chopped)
1 tsp freshly crushed black peppercorn
150 gms of butter (divided into 3 portions of 50gms each)

2 tsp Garam Masala Powder

2-3 Bay Leaves
salt to taste
8-10 fresh coriander leaves (torn)


Method

Heat 50gms Butter in a wok, add the garam masala and the bay leaves. Then tip in the chopped onions and sauté till medium brown. Now add the crushed garlic and chillies, saute for a minute and add the chicken livers ,season with salt and freshly crushed peppercorn. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes ,add the torn coriander leaves and transfer in a bowl, allow to cool. Now add 50gms butter and and blend to a smooth paste. Transfer the pâté to serving ramekins or small dish. Melt the remaining butter and and pour over the pâté. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Serve with Caramelised Onions, Toasted Garlic Bread and fresh rocket salad.

Caramelised Onions

Ingredients

2 Large onions (thinly sliced)
1 tbl spoon Olive Oil
1 tbl spoon butter
2 tsp Natural Brown Sugar(demerara sugar)
1 pinch of salt


Method

Heat a thick bottomed pan on high flame, now turn the flame to minimum and heat olive oil, add butter and then tip in the sliced onions and allow to sweat for 4-5 minutes, turning them occasionally. Now add the salt and sugar and and cook
till they turn golden brown and are caramelised.

Tri- Coloured Cheesy Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

5 Large Slices of Garlic Bread
1 Large Red Onion Sliced/Rings
Mixed Bell Peppers Julienne
1 Cup Mature Cheddar (Grated)
Reggae Reggae Sauce
Ground Black Pepper


Method:

Pre heat the Oven at 180 deg Celsius.Arrange the Garlic bread slices on a baking dish , Spread the Reggae Reggae Sauce on each then a layer of grated cheese, then arrange sliced/Ring Onions. Finally arrange arrange the Mixed Bell Peppers Julienne of a colour each. Sprinkle ground pepper. Grill for 12-15 minutes depending on how crusty you want the bread to be.

Serve hot.

Malai Kofta Curry

Malai Kofta Curry comes from Mughlai cuisine. Mughlai cuisine is a style of cooking developed in the Indian subcontinent by the imperial kitchens of the Mughal Empire. It represents the cooking styles used in North India (especially Uttar Pradesh and Delhi).

Ingredients:

Koftas:

3-4 medium sized Potatoes (boiled and grated)
1 cup Paneer (grated)
2-3 Green Chillies ( de seeded and finely chopped)
2-3 tbl Spoon Corn Starch
Salt
1 Cup Raisins/Sultanas/Kishmish

Curry:
3 Medium sized Onions
1 inch Ginger
4 Garlic Cloves
2-3 Green Chillies.
5 medium sized Tomatoes (Puréed)
1 cup Mawa/Khoya
1 Cup Fresh Cream
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped Coriander

Method:

Mix the kofta ingredients together and roll into balls, stuff a few raisins and roll into batons and deep fry. Meanwhile boil the onions and grind to a fine paste. then grind ginger, garlic and green chilli to a fine paste.Mix the Mawa/Khoya with 2 cups of water and Keep aside. Now heat oil in a pan, Tip in the Onion paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Now add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste. Add turmeric and coriander powder. Sauté for another minute , now add the puréed tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala and sauté till masala leaves oil. Add the Mawa/Khoya mixture and bring to boil. Add fresh cream and stir for a minute. Place the koftas in a serving bowl and pour the curry. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.

Serve hot with Garlic Coriander Naan.

Chicken Kiev with Pan fried Veg

Chicken Kiev is a popular dish of boneless chicken breast pounded and rolled around cold garlic butter with herbs, then breaded and either fried or baked.The dish has traditionally been considered Ukrainian in origin and the name of it comes from the name of the capital of Ukraine, Kiev.

Ingredients:

Chicken Kiev
3 Chicken Breast
100 gms Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
1 Cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Cloves of Garlic (roasted on a pan and crushed)
Freshly crushed Pepper
Plain Flour (Maida)
1 tsp Spicy Seasoning
1 Egg (beaten)
Bread Crumbs
Salt to taste
Piping Bag

Pan Fried Veg
10-12 Baby Potatoes
10-12 Cherry Tomatoes
8-10 Mushrooms (Quartered)
2 Cloves of Garlic (finely Sliced)
2 tbl Spoon Olive Oil
2 tbl Spoon Unsalted Butter
Freshly crushed Pepper
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Coriander
Salt to taste


Method:
Mix the butter at room temperature with parsley, roasted and crushed garlic, freshly crushed pepper and salt and fill into a piping bag and keep side. Wash and make an incision into the chicken breast with a knife to make a pocket. and pipe in the garlic herb butter mixture. Close the slit with toothpicks and keep aside.

Mix the flour with spicy seasoning and salt. Now fold the chicken breast into the flour, then into the beaten egg and finally cover with bread crumbs and pan fry for 2 minutes on each sides.Heat the Oven at 190 deg celsius.Arrange all the pan fried chicken breasts into a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat olive oil in a pan, add sliced garlic . Sauté for a minute. Now add the baby potatoes(pre roasted with the skin in oven at 190 deg celsius for 20 minutes). Stir Fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and mushrooms. Season with salt and freshly crushed pepper. Add the rosemary and coriander leaves. Now add the butter and allow it to melt. stir fry for another two minutes.

Cut the cooked chicken breast into halves and serve hot with the pan fried veg.