Ingredients

2 celery sticks, sliced into 1cm pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 really big carrots, halved lengthways then chunkily sliced
5 bay leaves
3 thyme sprigs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp each plain flour, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce
2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
850g feather blade beef, or other braising cut, cut into large chunks
850g large potatoes
25g each mature cheddar and parmesan, finely grated


Method
1.Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Soften the celery, onion, carrots, bay and 1 thyme sprig in a casserole with 1 tbsp oil and the butter for 10 mins. Stir in the flour, followed by the purée, Worcestershire sauce and stock cubes.
2.Gradually stir in 600ml hot water, then tip in the beef and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, then uncover and cook for 30 mins -1 hr more until the meat is really tender and sauce thickened.
3.Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a pan of boiling water until they’re not done but about ¾ of the way there.
4.Transfer meat to a baking dish. Slice spuds into 1cm thick rounds and gently toss with seasoning, the remaining oil and thyme leaves. Layer on the beef, scattering with the cheese as you layer. You can cover and chill the pie now for 1 day, or freeze for up to 3 months.
5.Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 30-40 mins until golden and crispy, and sauce bubbling if the dish went in cold. Serve with peas.


SOURCE

Ingredients
140g plain flour
3 eggs
300ml milk
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 Cumberland sausages
8 sage leaves
4 rosemary sprigs

Method
1.Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. In a food processor, combine the flour, eggs, milk, mustard and some salt and pepper, blitz until smooth, then leave to rest for 30 mins.
2.Pour the oil into a metal roasting tin about 30 x 23cm and 7.5cm deep. Brush the oil all over the sides and bottom, then place in the oven. When the roasting tin is very hot and smoking, place the sausages inside, evenly spread out, and cook for 5 mins.
3.Give the rested batter a stir and pour into the really hot tin – take care as it may spit. Quickly sprinkle over the sage leaves and rosemary, then place in the middle of the oven. Do not open the door for 25 mins, then check – if needed, cook for a further 5-10 mins. Cook until puffed up and brown and the batter is completely cooked through. Serve straight from the dish.


SOURCE

Ingredients
few dots of butter
600g shortcrust pastry, bought or homemade
little flour, for dusting
85g dried white breadcrumbs
400g good Cumberland sausages (about 6)
200g smoked bacon lardons
¼ tsp each ground mace, ground pepper and dried sage
1 egg, beaten with a fork
few pinches sesame seeds
piccalilli, homemade or bought, to serve

Method
1.Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line each hole of a 12-hole muffin tin with a thin strip of baking parchment across the middle that’s long enough so the ends stick out a centimetre or two – use a dab of butter to stick in place. Roll out two thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out 12 x 10cm circles (you may need to re-roll trimmings). Press a circle into each hole to line.
2.Sprinkle 1 tsp of breadcrumbs into the base of each pie. Tip the rest of the crumbs into a mixing bowl. Squeeze in the sausage meat, discarding the skins, along with the bacon, mace, pepper, sage and just a little salt. Get your hands in and mash and squish everything together until the breadcrumbs have just about disappeared. Divide mixture between the holes, packing in firmly and shaping to a dome in the middle.
3.Roll out the remaining pastry and stamp out 12 x 7cm circles. Brush with a little egg and add a top to each pie, egg-side down to stick, carefully pressing pastry edges together to seal. Brush with more egg (don’t throw away leftovers) and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 mins until golden then carefully remove the pies from the tin, using the parchment ends to help you lift them out. Sit on a parchment lined baking tray, brush all round the sides with more egg and put back in the oven for 8 mins. Cool completely then eat with piccalilli, or your favourite pickle.



SOURCE

Ingredients
Rice flour - 1 cup
Wheat flour  - 2 tblsp
Ripened Banana - 2 or 3
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
cardomom powder - 3/4 tsp
Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp
Toasted sesame seeds- 2 tsp


Method
1. Blend the banana nicely using a blender or mixie.
2. Add rice flour , brown sugar, baking powder, cardomom and blend it together. Add the sesame seeds to batter.
3. The consistency of the batter should be little thicker than the idli batter.
4. Heat the paniyaram griddle(puffed pancake griddle-made of cast Iron).
5. Add few drops of oil to each hole and pour the batter.
6. When the edges turns golden brown flip it,so that the other side will cook.
7. Allow it to cook on medium heat for another couple of minutes. If the heat is too high, the outside will get browned up too fast before the inside is cooked.
8. When the unniappam is done, it is like a ball and comes out easily from the griddle. Yummy unniappam is ready to serve.



SOURCE

Ingredients
Milk - 1/2 litre
Lemon Juice - 3 tblsp
All Purpose Flour - 1 tsp
Water - 2.5 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Rose water - 1 tsp

Method
1. Bring the milk to a boil in a milk cooker or in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. When the milk is boiling add the lemon juice little by little till the milk curdles. (i.e paneer seperates from the pale coloured whey.)
3. Switch off the stove and drain this using a clean kitchen cloth.
4. Squeeze out excess water with your hands.
5. Dust a clean surface with the all purpose flour and knead the paneer.
6. Applying pressure and knead for about 5 minutes till it forms a cohesive mass.
7. Combine the sugar and water in a wide pan or a pressure cooker. Let this come to a boil while you make the balls.
8. Make small marble sized balls with the paneer dough.
9. Roll each ball applying some pressure with your palms so that there aren't any cracks. (A smooth ball is very important for good rasgullas.)
9. Add the balls to the boiling sugar syrup and cook for about 20 minutes. If you are using a pressure cooker, cook for 2 whistles.
10. Switch off and add the rose water. The balls would have doubled in volume and become spongy.
11. Refrigerate for few hours and serve chilled.


SOURCE

Ingredients
Almonds - 1 cup (around 80 almonds)
Milk - 3 tblsp
Ghee - 3 tblsp
Sugar - 1 cup (or as needed)
Saffron - a pinch
Kesari Powder/ Yellow food colour - a pinch

Method
1. Soak the almonds in hot water for 2 hours and peel the skin off the almonds. To make it faster, boil the almonds with the water for 15-20 minutes and peel them or use store bought peeled almonds.
2. Grind the almonds in a blender or mixie along with the milk to make a paste. Add very little milk just to help the mixie moving.
3. Heat the sugar with 1/4 cup of water and bring it to a boil to make a simple syrup.
4. Add the milk-almond paste and keep stirring constantly to prevent it from getting burnt at the bottom.
5. Add saffron strands and food colour while mixing it.
6. Keep adding ghee little by little (1 tsp at a time) and keep stirring.
   Note :- It is best to use a non stick pan to prevent sticking at the bottom.
7. When the mixture cooks, there can be lot of hot splatterings. 
8. When the splattering reduces, it is an indication that the mixture is almost cooked.
9. Continue mixing until the halwa no longer sticks to the pan and ghee starts seperating out. (The perfect Halwa consistency!!!)
10. Garnish with fresh nuts and serve as such or top it with ice cream. 


SOURCE

Ingredients
Carrots - 2 cups (app. 4 carrots)
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Nuts & Raisins - 1/4 cup (Almonds &/ Cashews)
Cardamon - 2 (crushed or use 1/4 tsp cardomom powder)

Method
1. Wash and peel the carrots and grate them or grind them. Grating leaves some texture to the carrot at the end but grinding is equally good too.
2. Heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the nuts and raisins in it. 
3. Heat the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and add the carrot to it. 
4. Cover and cook it on medium flame, stirring occassionally to avoid sticking to the bottom. 
5. After about 15-20 minutes, when all the milk is absorbed by the carrot, add sugar and stir continuously.
6. After about 8 minutes the oil starts getting separated from the halwa. At this stage add cardomom powder, fried nuts and raisins and 1 tblsp of ghee.

7. Mix for another minute and switch off. 

SOURCE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (the best quality you can get)
1/4 cup chopped scallion (, white part only)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

Combine oil, scallions, parsley, cilantro, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper in the container of a food processor.

Process until smooth.

Rub the mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts and let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium hot.

Grill chicken breasts 5-7 minutes on each side, or until done.



SOURCE

Ingredients

•  2 onions, thickly sliced
•  3 cups water, or as needed
•  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•  1 slice white bread
•  1 cup milk
•  2 pounds lean ground beef
•  1 tablespoon curry powder
•  2 eggs
•  1 tablespoon white sugar
•  2 teaspoons salt
•  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
•  2 tablespoons vinegar
•  3 tablespoons chutney
•  6 almonds
•  1/2 cup raisins
•  4 bay leaves

Methods

• Heat water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and add the onion slices. Reduce heat and simmer until the onions appear translucent, 3 to five minutes. Remove the onions and finely chop them.
• 
  
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has browned slightly.
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 7x11-inch baking dish.
• 
  
• Soak the slice of bread in the milk and gently squeeze out the milk; set the milk aside. Crumb the bread into a large mixing bowl. Mix bread together with ground beef, curry powder, 1 egg, sugar, salt, black pepper, turmeric, vinegar, chutney, almonds and raisins.
• 
  
• Place the mixture the prepared baking dish. Insert the bay leaves into the meat. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
• 
  
• Beat the remaining egg with 3 tablespoons of the drained milk. Pour over the meat and bake for another 30 minutes.

SOURCE

Ingredients

• Olive oil spray
• 115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
• 140g (3/4 cup) instant polenta (cornmeal)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 125ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
• 125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
• 50g butter, melted
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• 310g can corn kernels, drained
• 20g butter, extra, melted
• Fresh continental parsley sprigs, to serve

Method

• Preheat a 25cm (base measurement) heavy skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Spray the base and side with oil.

• Combine the flour, polenta, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, stock and butter. Add the egg and corn and stir until just combined.

• Pour the mixture over the base of the skillet and spread to the edges. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and set.

• Preheat grill on medium-high. Drizzle the cornbread with extra butter. Cook under grill for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Cut into wedges and top with parsley.

SOURCE

Ingredients

• 600g frozen pitted cherries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• Vanilla ice-cream, to serve
• 1 1/3 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup custard powder
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 150g butter, chilled, chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons iced water

Method

• Make Pastry: Place flours, custard powder, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and iced water. Process until dough just comes together. Turn pastry out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc. Cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine cherries, lemon juice, cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until cherries have thawed and sugar is dissolved. Blend cornflour with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl. Stir into cherry mixture. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place an oven tray in oven. Grease a 4cm-deep, 20cm (base) round pie dish. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until large enough to line base and side of prepared dish (about 30cm). Line dish with pastry. Trim edge. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Spoon cooled cherry mixture into pastry. Roll out remaining pastry between 2 sheets baking paper, to form a 25cm-round (see note). Using a sharp knife, cut pastry round into 2cm-wide strips. Arrange pastry strips over filling to create a criss-cross lattice pattern. Press edges to seal. Trim edge. Brush pastry with a little egg white. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Place pie dish on heated tray in oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until pastry is golden and crisp (cover pastry edge with foil if over-browning). Stand for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with ice-cream.

SOURCE

Ingredients

Idli Batter - 2 cups (see recipe for idli)
Onions - 4 (finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 4 (minced)
Cilantro - 2 strands (finely chopped)
Oil – ¼ cup

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a frying pan.
2. Pour 1 big spoonful of the idli batter in the center of a heated frying pan. Let it spread on its own to     take a round shape.
3. Sprinkle few chopped onions, cilantro and green chilly on top of the batter.
4. When the base is golden brown i.e approximately 2 minutes, turn the side and cook well.
5. Serve piping hot with sambhar and/or chutney of your choice.



SOURCE

Ingredients 
Idli rice - 1 3/4 cup
Black gram - 1/2 cup
Fennugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tblsp

Method 
1. Soak rice and black gram separately in water for atleast 1 hour. Soaking overnight can be done too.     Add fenugreek seeds to black gram.
2. Drain the water and grind the black gram to a silky soft texture.
3. Next grind the rice coarsely. Mix it with black gram batter along with salt.
4. Now leave the batter to rest and ferment for atleast 6 hours till the batter rises to almost double the     size.
5. Grease the idli plates with few drops of oil and fill with idli batter.
6. Steam them for about 10 minutes till they rise and become firm. (If you do not have idli stand,             grease stainless steel tumblers,  fill it with batter and steam it as shown in the picture.)
7. Switch off the stove and let it rest for a minute or 2. After that use a wet spoon to remove the idlis       from the idli plate.


SOURCE

Ingredients

Rice - 3.5 cups
Urad dal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 2 tblsp
Bengalgram dal - 2tblsp (optional)
Gingelly Oil - to fry dosas
Salt - to taste

Method

• Wash and soak the rice and urad dal with bengalgram dal and fenugreek seeds separately or together . Traditionally it used to soaked separately and ground separately. But with modern mixies and grinders you can grind everything together itself.
• Similarly overnight soaking is good. But for urgent situations, even 1 hour of soaking will do for modern mixies and grinders.
• After soaking, drain and grind it to a smooth paste with salt and water enough to make a batter little thinner than idli batter. If the batter becomes thicker you can always add water later. 
• Let this batter ferment overnight till it raises to double its size.
• Heat a traditional indalium or cast iron dosa pan. You can also use non stick dosa pans.
• The pan should become hot enough so that when you sprinkle few drops of water on the pan, it should sizzle right away.
• Just add 3-4 drops of gingelly oil and spread it all over the pan using an onion slice or a clean kitchen towel.
• Pour a ladle full of batter. Spread it using the back of the spoon using circular motion to about 9 inch round dosa.
• Add few drops of oil around the edges of the dosa. 
• Once it turns slightly brown and the edges start lifting, flip and brown the other side too.
• Serve hot with sambhar, chutney or any non veg gravy

SOURCE

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 1/4 cups cold mashed Kent pumpkin (see note)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• Icing sugar and whipped cream, to serve

      Pastry

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 125g butter, chilled, chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon iced water

Method

• Make Pastry: Place flour, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and iced water. Process until dough just comes together. Turn pastry out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc. Cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place an oven tray in oven. Grease a 4cm-deep, 20cm (base) round pie dish. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until large enough to line base and side of prepared dish (about 30cm). Line dish with pastry. Trim edge. Pinch edge to make a decorative pattern. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Line pastry case with baking paper. Fill with ceramic pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights or rice. Bake a further 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is golden. Cool.

• Reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Combine brown sugar and cornflour in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin, maple syrup and mixed spice until combined. Pour into pastry case. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until filling has just set. Cool. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled. Dust pie with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

SOURCE

Ingredients
For the dosa
Dosa batter - as needed
Oil - as needed

For the masala
Potatoes - 3
Onion - 1
Green chilies - 3 or 4
Curry Leaves - 1 strand
cilantro - handful
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 spoon
Green Peas - 1/4 cup (optional)

Method
Making the potato masala
1. Boil the potatoes and mash them coarsly.
2. In a kadai heat little oil, temper the mustard seeds and chana Dal.
3. Add curry leaves, slitted green chillies and sliced onion. Saute it until the onion is transparent.Add turmeric to it.Add 1/2 a cup of water and salt to taste,let it boil.
4.Add the mashed potatoes and green peas to the mixture. Let it cook together for 2 mintutes, Spinkle soome chopped cilatro on top.

Making the masala dosa
1. Pour a spoonful of batter on a hot dosa griddle. Immediately spread it using the back of the spoon using concentric circular motion.
2. Add few drops of oil/ghee/butter on top.
3. Once the first side is cooked, you can flip the dosa or let it cook as it is.
4. Once the dosa is completely cooked add the masala in the center as shown.
5. Cover the masala with the dosa as shown in the picture.
6. Serve with hot sambhar and chutney varieties.
7. Serve it with coconut chutney and udipi sambhar.


SOURCE

Ingredients

• King fish steaks - 4-5 of medium size
• Ginger & garlic paste - 1- 1½tsp each
• Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 - 1½ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Whole pepper - ¼- 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice - 1-2 tsp
• Salt
• Coconut oil

Instructions

Apply little salt and lime juice on the fish pieces and wash it with water. Drain the water. Grind together ingredients listed from ginger- garlic to salt into a fine paste adding a little water. Make gashes in the fish pieces and marinate the pieces with the ground paste. Keep the marinated fish for half an hour. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish pieces.Serve with onion rings and a slice of lime.


SOURCE

Ingredients

2-3 slices sourdough bread, depending on size
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 heads Cos lettuce, leaves separated and torn
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese

For the dressing

1 free-range egg yolk
4 anchovies in olive oil, drained, oil reserved
½ garlic clove, grated
½ lemon, juice and zest
1 tsp Dijon mustard
25g/1oz parmesan cheese, finely grated
30ml/1fl oz olive oil
black pepper

Preparation method

• Heat a griddle pan over a high heat until smoking. Drizzle the bread with a little oil and then rub with the garlic clove.
• Griddle the bread for 30-40 seconds on each side, or until golden-brown and crisp with deep char-grill lines. Leave to cool slightly and then tear into bite-sized pieces.
• Meanwhile make the dressing. Put the egg yolk, anchovies, a tablespoon of the reserved anchovy oil, the garlic, lemon zest and juice, mustard and parmesan into a small food processor along with a pinch or two of pepper. Blend to a paste. (Alternatively, chop everything really fine, and mash into a paste in a mixing bowl until as smooth as possible.)
• With the motor running gradually trickle in the oil, a few drops at a time, until completely incorporated. If the dressing is too thick, add a little warm water (about two tablespoons) and blend again. Season to taste with black pepper.
• Put the lettuce into a serving bowl. Pour over some of the dressing and toss to mix and coat. Scatter over the croûtons and the grated parmesan and serve.

By Sophie Wright

Ingredients

50 gm butter 

2 large diced onions 

3 chopped red chillies 

2 tsp cumin roasted, ground 

400 gm lamb, minced 

1 Tbsp mustard 

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

300 gm kidney beans, pureed, cooked 

75 gm fresh bread crumbs 

4 Tbsp  parsley, chopped

1 large egg, beaten 

Oil for shallow frying 

6 buns

1 onion, sliced 

2 large tomatoes, sliced

1  lettuce, shredded

Flour to coat 

For roasted pepper relish:

1/2 kg red bell peppers, quartered and seeded 

1 tsp roasted cumin 

2 Tbsp chilli sauce, mild and sweet 

50 ml salad/olive oil

Method

For the relish: 

Grill peppers until skin blackens. Remove skin. 

Blend the peppers with cumin and sauce until smooth. 

Gradually add oil. 

Cover and chill before using.

For the chilli burger:

Heat butter, add onion, chillies and cumin. 

Cook until onion softens. 

Combine with meat, mustard, sauce, bean paste, breadcrumbs, parsley and egg. Mix well. Shape into 6 large patties. 

Chill well and coat with flour. Shallow fry in hot oil until colored and cooked. 

Halve and toast bread rolls. Spread with relish, top with burgers, lettuce, onion rings and tomato slices. 

Key Ingredients: Butter, Onion, Red Chilli, Cumin Seeds, Lamb Meat, Mustard Powder, Breadcrumbs, Vegetable Oil, Tomato, Bell Pepper, Kidney Beans, Parsley, Egg, Onion, Lettuce, Flour