Shahi Paneer

Ingredients:
3 large bell pappers( red)
Paneer (cottage cheese) cut into cubes
4 Chilies
6 white cardamom pods
5-6 curry leaves
Cashew nuts 1/2 cup
1/2 cup heavy cream

Paprika powder 1tsp

Method:
In a deep pot boil water and add the bellpeppers, cashew nuts, cardamom and chilies.
Boil till the bell peppers are soft and forkable.
Put all the ingredients in the pot in a blender and blend well.
Pour the mixture in a pan and add Paneer and paprika powder.
Stir for a few minutes and add the cream and curry leaves.
Cover and simmer for a few minutes till you get the desired consistency. Add salt to taste.
Serve hot with naan/roti.

Jeera (cumin) Shrimp

Ingredients
· 12 king prawns
· 4 Tbsp. ghee or possibly vegetable oil
· 1 onion finely minced
· 1 tomato sliced
· 1 inch smashed piece of fresh ginger
· 2 tsp garlic paste
· 1/2 red capsicum in thin strips
· 1 salt and pepper
· 1 Tbsp. whole cumin seeds
· 1 tsp turmeric

Method
Shell and clean and strain the prawns.
In a pan heat the oil to warm.
Fry the cumin add in the onion, ginger and garlic
When well cooked lower heat add in the turmeric, tomato and capsicum
Stir-fry till the capsicum has softened but retains its color then turn up the heat to high. Add in the prawns and coriander and stir fry for about 5 min then serve.
It takes only 15 mins to cook and can be served with either naan or rice.

Yellow Curry Chicken

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes. Serve with jasmine rice.

Chicken Pesto

Ingredients
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Oil
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 to 2 garlic cloves
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
For pesto, combine the first five ingredients in a blender; cover and process until blended. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish; brush with butter and pour the pesto sauce over it. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30-35 minutes. Serve hot with pasta!

You can also make this dish the meatball style as I have done following the same directions except you can buy the chicken meatballs to prepare the dish.

Rajma Masala( Red Bean Curry)

Ingredients
Rajma Seeds - 1 cup
Onions - 1 (cut thinly)
Green chillies - 4
Tomatoes- 4
Curry leaves - few
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Chilli powder - to taste
Salt to taste
Jeera (Cumin) seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 5
Butter - 1 tbs

Method:
Soak Rajma Seeds overnight

Pressure cook Rajma Seeds with two cups of water until 4-5 whistles.

Cut & puree tomatoes, green chillies in a blender

Heat oil in a vessel & add jeera, onions, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves. Saute until onions turn golden brown.

Add the blended mixture and little water & let it boil for about 5 minutes.

Add pressure cooked red beans to this (with the leftover water in the cooker). Add coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and chilly powder. Cook until the extra water evaporates & the gravy begins to thicken.

Add a dash of butter and remove from flame. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Shrimp Curry

Shrimps - (medium sized, cooked)
3 medium sized onions chopped
Green chillies - 8
(split half)
Curry leaves - 2 stems
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
Tomato(big) - 1
(sliced)

For marinating:
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt- As reqd

1)Marinate shrimps with vinegar, ginger-garlic paste, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, black pepper and salt for atleast 1/2 hour.
2)Heat oil in a pan.
3)Splutter mustard seeds.
4)Add marinated shrimps into it.
5)Saute for 5 mins on a medium-high flame. Stir it occasionally.
6)Add chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves and saute on a medium flame for 15 mins.
7)Let the juice in shrimp and the onions mix with each other.
8)Add sliced tomato to the boiling curry and close with a lid.
9)Turn off the flame and let it stay undisturbed for atleast 15 mins.
10)Add required salt.Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice.

P.S: You will easily find the ginger-garlic paste in the market but there is nothing like the homemade taste. So get a mortar-and-pestle and start cooking!

Chocolate Rum cake

Ingredients:
1 bar of chocolate, chopped coarse
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons bourbon or dark rum
1 1/2 cups pecans (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup egg whites (from 7 to 8 large eggs)
1/4 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper or foil.

In a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolates and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and stir in bourbon or rum.

In a food processor pulse pecans with 3/4 cup sugar until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in flour.

In another bowl with an electric mixer or hand mixer beat whites with salt at medium speed. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until whites hold soft (not stiff), slightly glossy peaks. Stir in pecan mixture with a spatula until well blended and fold in chocolate mixture.
Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake cake in middle of oven 50 minutes, or until a fork inserted into center comes out clean. Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen and invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

Remove parchment or foil and transfer cake to a platter. For a fancier look, dust cake with confectioners' sugar.