Chocolate Martini

Ingredients:

Baileys creme liquor
Vodka
Chocolate in a cone
Ice

Garnish:chocolate cigar

Glass:Martini

Method:
Grease the glass with chocolate.
Put ice in the mixer.
Pour the creme liquor, vodka on the ice.
Shake it.
Pour it into the glass.
Stick in the chocolate cigar.
Serve!


Courtesy: Chef Shatbhi Basu,

Rich Fruit Plum Cake - Christmas Special

Ingredients:
1 cup All purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup of dried fruits-(dates, raisins, dried cherries,plums,pears, prunes and apricots)
1/2 cup dried nuts-(almonds, cashews and walnuts)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp candied lemon and orange peels
1 tsp spice powder(cinnamon, nutmeg,clove and dry ginger)
1/2 cup Rum or Brandy(or) grape juice- 1/4 cup and orange juice- 1/4 cup
For caramelizing
sugar-1/4 cup
water - 1tbsp + 1/2 cup

Method:Chop the dried fruits and soak them in Rum /Brandy or grape and orange juice for a few hours.
Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp water in a sauce pan and allow it to boil.

Do not stir it and after a few minutes ,the sugar syrup changes to a cherry wood coloured caramel.
Remove the pan from fire immediately ,keep under sink and add 1/4 cup of water to it.

Be very careful as the caramel is very hot and it may splash.
Let it cool completely. Add the vanilla essence to it.
Powder the sugar, chop the nuts and bring the eggs and butter to room temperature.
Sift the flour, baking powder,baking soda and salt.

Add the spice powder to it and mix well.
Seperate the egg whites and yolks. Beat the whites until soft peaks are formed.
keep aside .

Beat the powdered sugar and butter in a mixing bowl till light and fluffy.
Now add the egg yolks to it one by one and beat well until the mixture is creamy.
Add the sifted flour and the caramel to it and mix well.

Add the beaten egg whites and fold them in gently .
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cake pans with parchment paper and butter and dust them.
Now its time to add the chopped nuts and the soaked dry fruits to the cake mixture.

Fold them gently into the cake batter.
Spoon them into the greased cake pans and bake them for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into it comes out clean.
Cool completely before storing it.


Courtesy: Chef Sri Vidya.,

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Aloo Poshto

Ingredients:
3-4 potatoes - chopped
3 tbsp poppy seeds
3 green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 dried red chillies
salt to taste
fresh coriander for garnishing
oil

Method:
Roast the poppy seeds for about a minute. Grind the roasted poppy seeds and green chillies into a paste with some water.

Deep-fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown. Keep aside.

In another pan heat 1½ tbsp of oil. Add the cumin seeds, turmeric powder and dried red chillies.

Stir well till they begin to crackle. Add the poppy seed paste and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.

Now mix in the potatoes, pour a dash of water and leave it to simmer for 7-8 minutes.
Garnish and serve.



Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal

Garlic Paratha

Ingredients:

3 cups maida
3 tsp desi ghee
3 tsp yoghurt
1 tsp garlic
Salt
Water
Method:Mix garlic, desi ghee, yoghurt and water. 
Mix flour and salt separately. 
Add the prepared mixture of garlic and yoghurt and make a dough.

Roll into paranthas and cook on a tawa. Serve hot.


Courtesy: Chef Marut Sikka,

Mutton With Okra Curry

Ingredients:
½ kg mutton
250 gms okra (bhindi)
4 tbs oil
3-4 cups of water
2 onions - finely sliced
1 ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp garam masala
3 tbs of curd
1 cup of tamarind water
salt to taste
fresh coriander - for garnishing


Method:
Heat 2 tbs of oil in a pan and lightly fry the okra. Keep aside.


In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil and saute the onions till golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and a dash of water. Stir it all together.


Mix in the mutton and brown for 5-7 minutes. Add the tamarind water, curd and okra. Cook for 7-8 minutes.


Pour enough water for a thin gravy. Simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes.


Finally, sprinkle the garam masala. Garnish and serve hot.



Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal., 

Kosha Mangsho

Ingredients:
1 kg mutton
2 tbsp mustard oil
1 inch of cinnamon
4 green cardamoms
4 cloves
1 cup of grated onion
2½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 cup hung curd
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
fresh coriander for garnishing

Method:Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute the green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Brown the onion, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder with a dash of water.

Add the mutton and salt. Mix well with the masala. Now mix in the hung curd.

In another pan, roast and pound the cumin seeds. Add this to the mutton with some more water.

Pour 1 more tbsp of mustard oil, cover and let it simmer for 30 - 40 mins, till the mutton is tender.

Garnish with coriander and serve hot.





Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal, 

Mirchi Ka Salan

Ingredients:
8-10 green chillies - de-seeded
½ tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ cup coconut - desiccated
1 onion - sliced
4 tsp tamarind water
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup curd
2 tsp oil
salt to taste
fresh coriander - for garnishing
Method:
Dry roast the sesame seeds, peanuts, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Keep aside.

Saute the onion in 1 tsp of oil until transparent. Grind the sesame seeds, peanuts, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sauteed onions and coconut together making it a paste.

Saute the green chillies in 1 tsp of oil and keep aside. In the same pan, saute the ground masala along with ginger-garlic paste, tamarind water and curd.

Add a tsp of salt and some water. Finally, add the green chillies and let the mixture come to a boil.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.



Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal., 

Murg Noorjehani

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp aniseed
8 pieces garlic
4-5 cloves
½ inch ginger
4 green chillies
1 cinnamon stick
3 brown cardamom
2 cups of whipped curd
6 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
3 finely chopped onions
3 bay leaves
½ cup milk
a pinch of saffron
½ tsp oil
5-6 sultanas and almonds

Method:
For the paste, grind together the green chillies, aniseed, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and salt with a little water.

Add the paste to the chicken and prick the meat for the flavor to sink in.

Add whipped curd to the chicken and leave it to marinate for 3 hours at least.

Heat the ghee in a pan, add the bay leaves and onions and saute on high flame till they turn golden- brown.

In another pan, warm the milk, add the saffron, stir gently and keep aside.

Add the marinated chicken to the sauteed onions. Let it cook on high flame for 5-6 minutes.

Now pour the milk into the chicken and cook on low flame for 30-40 minutes.

Roast the sultanas and almonds with a dash of oil for a few mins.

Garnish with the roasted sultanas and almonds. Serve hot.




Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal., 

Lamb Chops

Ingredients:
8 pieces lamb chops
4 green chillies
5 pieces garlic
½ inch ginger
1 tsp garam masala
2-3 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 strands of coriander
2 chopped onions
2 tomatoes
juice of 1 lemon
oil

Method:
Blend the green chilli, garlic, ginger, garam masala, white vinegar, red chilli powder and salt together making it a think paste.

Smear the lamb chops with the paste. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Place the lamb chops in the pan on high flame. 
Leave to cook till golden brown. Keep aside.

Heat 1-2 tsp. of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. 
Once the seeds begin to crackle, add chopped onions. 
Cook well till the onions turn golden brown.

Add lamb chops and salt to the onions, and in the end add tomatoes. 
Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes till the chops turn tender.

Lastly, add 2-3 green chillies and lemon juice. 
Remove from fire and Garnish with fresh coriander.





Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal

Methi Machchi (Fenugreek Fish)

Ingredients:
750 gms sole fish
Juice of 1 lemon
1½ tsp white pepper
250 gms spinach
250 gms fenugreek
1½ tsp ginger - finely chopped
1 tsp garlic - finely chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 onion - chopped
5-6 tomatoes - pureed
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
oil


Method:
Smear the fish with lemon juice, white pepper and 1 tsp salt.

In a pan, take 6 tbsp. of oil and deep fry the fish till golden brown.

In another pan boil the spinach and fenugreek together with some water.
Keep the fish aside once fully cooked.

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a pn. Add garlic, ginger, cumin powder, chopped onion and a little oil from the pan where the fish was fried.

Meanwhile, remove the spinach and fenugreek from the fire and chop it finely.

Add the tomato puree little by little to the frying pan.
Once a thick gravy begins to form, add the spinach and fenugreek mixture, along with 1 tsp. salt and a pinch of red chilli powder.

Finally add the fish and mix gently.

Serve hot.



Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal

Banjara Gosht

Ingredients:
½ kg mutton
2 tbsp oil
2 cups of water
1 onion - sliced
4 whole red chillies
2-3 pieces mace
1 brown cardamom
2-3 green cardamom
1 stick of cinnamon
4-5 black peppercorns
½ tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1½ cups of curd
½ tsp coriander seeds - roasted and crushed
fresh coriander
salt to taste


Method:
Boil the mutton in a pressure cooker with some salt and water. Keep aside after 1 whistle.
Grind the mace, green cardamom, cinnamon, brown cardamom, black peppercorns and cumin seeds together making the garam masala.
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and lightly brown the onion with 2 whole red chillies.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and a dash of water.
Stir and cook for a few mins.
Pour the mutton stock in a bowl and add the mutton to the onion masala. Mix well.
Now add the stock to the mutton and stir. Sprinkle some salt and add the curd.
Add the crushed coriander and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Garnish with fresh coriander and 2 whole red chillies and serve hot.




Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal

Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken
2 whole red chillies
5 cloves of garlic
1 tsp aniseed
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorns
4 cloves
a stick of cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
2 onions - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
4 tbsp oil
salt to taste
Method:
Grind the red chillies, ginger, garlic, aniseed, cumin seeds and black peppercorns together with some water forming a paste. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions till they turn golden brown. Add cloves, cinnamon stick, ground masala paste, turmeric, salt, tomato and some water. Stir well.
Add the chicken coating it well with the masala. Finally, add some water and let it simmer till the gravy thickens and the chicken is tender.
Serve hot.



Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal

Amritsari Murgh Makhani

Ingredients for Marination:

500 gm chicken pieces (boneless)
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
3 tsp sour curd
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
½ onion, chopped
1½ tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste

Ingredients for Gravy:6 tomatoes
1 ½ tbsp butter
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger - finely chopped
1 green chilli - finely chopped
¼ tsp orange colour
2 ½ tbsp fresh cream
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Ingredients for Garnish:2 green chilies - chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh cream
fresh coriander leaves
Method:Blend 6 tomatoes to a puree. Mix all the ingredients for marination to make a paste. Smear the chicken pieces with the paste and let it marinate for 2 hours.

Heat 1½ tbsp of butter in a heavy bottom wok and add the marinated chicken to it. Cook till the chicken is tender.

In a saucepan, heat 1½ tbsp butter and add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger, salt and 1 chopped green chilli.

Fry for some time. Add tomato puree, orange color, fresh cream and cook on medium flame till the puree thickens.

Add the puree to the tender chicken along with 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cream. Let it simmer for 25 minutes.

Garnish with fresh cream, finely chopped green chillies and coriander leaves.

Serve with 1 tbsp butter.







Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal,