Tawa Pulao

 Tawa Pulao is a popular spicy Indian street food in Mumbai. It's a quick and simple recipe made with cooked rice and vegetables and seasoned with Pav Bhaji masala.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomato - 2, medium sized
• Green bell pepper - 1
• Boiled potato - 2, cubed
• Green peas - 1/2 cup
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Pav Bhaji masala - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - as required
• Coriander leaves - to garnish
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 2 tbsp

     For chilli garlic paste

• Kashmiri red chillies - 6, deseeded
• Garlic cloves - 5

Method

1. Soak the red chillies for about an hour and grind along with garlic cloves into a smooth paste. Chilli garlic paste is ready.
2. Soak the rice for about 30 minutes.
3. Par boil the rice with turmeric powder and salt, strain and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a wide pan and add finely chopped onion. Saute well until the onions become translucent.
5. Add chilli garlic paste and saute till oil separates from its sides.
6. Add chilli powder, garam masala and pav bhaji masala. Mix well.
7. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till they are mashed well.
8. Then add bell pepper, boiled potatoes, green peas and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes.
9. Add the cooked rice and mix gently.
10. Adjust salt to taste, add lemon juice and butter, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita and papad.

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Chilli Chicken Noodles

Chilli Chicken Noodles is a delicious Indo-chinese dish that's everyone's favorite. It's a popular street food in India. Here chicken is marinated and fried before adding to the noodles.

Ingredients

• Noodles - 500g
• Garlic - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Green chillies - 1, sliced lengthwise
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Spring onions - 5
• Carrot - 1, finely chopped
• Cabbage - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Capsicum - 1, finely chopped
• Eggs - 2
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Green chilli sauce - 1 tbsp
• Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - as required

    For chilli chicken

• Boneless chicken breasts - 250g, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• Corn flour - 2 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tsp
• Egg - 1
• Salt - as required
• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp + 1 tsp

Method

    Cooking the chicken

1. Optional step but recommended if using chicken breasts - First brine the chicken breasts. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl. Fill with warm water to cover them and add 2 tbsp of salt. Cover the bowl and refrigerate them for 30 minutes or upto 4-6 hrs. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, and pat them dry with paper towels. Chop them.
2. Marinate the chicken breasts with corn flour, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, soy sauce, egg, 1 tsp of oil and salt for at least 10 minutes (or upto 24 hrs in the refrigerator).
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute the chicken for 7-10 mins on high flame until cooked. Keep aside.

   Cooking Noodles

1. Meanwhile boil some water in a pot add noodles along with a tsp of oil and some salt. Cook until firm. 
2. Drain and mix with a tsp of oil and soy sauce. Keep aside.

    Chilli Chicken Noodles

1. Heat oil in a wide pan on a high flame.
2. Saute garlic for 30 secs and add onion, green chillies, and spring onion whites and cook for 30 secs.
3. Add carrot, cabbage, bell pepper, salt and saute for 1-2 mins.
4. Move the veggies into one side of the pan and pour a tsp of oil. Add beaten eggs and scramble them until they are done.
5. Mix the veggies and eggs together.
6. Add the cooked chicken and mix well.
7. Then add green chilli sauce and vinegar. Mix well.
8. Now add the cooked noodles, black pepper powder and stir for couple of minutes.
9. Sprinkle with spring onion greens and serve hot.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes are delicious dessert topped with the popular cream cheese frosting or any frosting of your choice. 

Buttermilk is essential in baking red velvet cupcakes as it adds the tangy flavor to the cupcakes and also makes them moist. The additional vinegar makes the batter color brighter and when reacted with baking soda makes the cupcakes super light and fluffy.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
• Sugar - 1 1/3 cups
• Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• Baking soda - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 cup
• Egg whites - 2
• Red food coloring - 1 tbsp
• White vinegar - 1 tsp
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Red colored sugar for decorating (optional)

    To make buttermilk

• Milk - 1 1/2 cups
• Lemon juice/White vinegar - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and keep aside.
3. To make buttermilk, in a small bowl stir lemon juice into milk. Allow it to stand for 5 mins or until thickened and slightly curdled.
4. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and keep aside.
5. In another bowl, mix buttermilk, oil, egg whites, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla extract together until combined.
6. Make a hole in the middle of dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture. Mix until combined.
7. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with batter.
8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean or with few crumbs, not wet batter.
9. Cool in the muffin tins for 5 mins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Frost the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting and sprinkle with red colored sugar, if using. Enjoy!

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Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are popular delicious treat consumed on different occasions. They can be cut and decorated for any season or holiday. It's a perfect snack for both kids and adults. Let the kids get creative and have fun decorating the cookies. These cookies contain lots of sugar and are not good for health if consumed regularly.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1 1/2 tsp
• Egg - 1
• All-purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups
• Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
• Salt - 3/4 tsp

    For the frosting

• Powdered sugar - 3 cups
• Milk - 3-4 tbsp
• Light corn syrup - 2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Food coloring (optional)
• Sprinkles or colored sugar crystals for decorating (optional)

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk/sieve together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream mixture and mix well until combined.
5. Divide the sticky dough in half. 
6. Cover each dough ball in a clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours/overnight or until firm.
7. Take one cookie dough and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to 1/4"or 1/8" thickness (optional but recommended - refrigerate for at least 1 hr)
8. Preheat oven to 350F.
9. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
10. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and transfer the shapes to the lined tray using a spatula.
11. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown.
12. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

   Sugar Cookie Frosting

1. Mix sugar, milk, corn syrup and vanilla extract in a bowl until combined.
2. Add more sugar or milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
3. If coloring the frosting, divide into bowls and add color. Mix well.
4. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag/ziplock bags and pipe on the cookies.
5. If using, decorate the cookies with sprinkles and colored sugar crystals.
6. Allow the frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container.

Notes

- If not frosting the cookies, sprinkle with sprinkles and colored sugar crystals before baking them.

- The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

- Instead of piping the frosting, the cookies can be dipped top side down into frosting.

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Black Bean Patties/Cutlets

Patties/Cutlets are popular snacks in India. These are usually crumb coated so that they get crispy. This recipe is very simple to make just by mixing all the ingredients together. The cutlets are not coated in breadcrumbs in this recipe, yet turned out crispy and delicious. These can be eaten as snacks with ketchup or can be used as patties for burgers.

Black beans are rich in antioxidants, fiber, protein, Vitamin A and minerals like Iron, Calcium and Potassium.

Ingredients

• Black beans - 1/2 cup
• Sweet Corn - 2 tbsp, frozen(optional)
• Onion - 1, small sized
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Egg - 1
• All purpose flour - 1/4 cup
• Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup or as needed
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Oil - to shallow fry the cutlets

Method

1. Soak black beans in water with little salt overnight or about 8 hrs and pressure cook for 10 whistles. 
2. Drain the beans and let it cool completely.
3. Add all the ingredients along with the cooked beans except oil in a blender.
4. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are combined but still slightly chunky.
5. Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add more bread crumbs if it is too wet or sticky. Mix well.
6. To make uniform size perfect patties, use the lid of a jar to shape the patties. Cover the lid in plastic wrap. Place some mixture inside the lid and press it down evenly. Flip the patty out. Repeat the same for all the patties.
7. Refrigerate the patties for about 1 hr.
8. Heat oil in an iron skillet. Shallow fry for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
9. Use the patties for burgers or can be served as cutlets with ketchup/green chutney.

Notes

- To get all the health benefits of black beans, rinse the beans thoroughly in cold water and soak them. Bring the water to boil for about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the stove and leave it overnight or about 6-8 hours.

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