Crema Catalana

Ingredients: (recipe adapted from Spain on a fork)

Instructions:

• 3 tbsp All purpose Flour
• 3 tbsp Cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• Salt, a generous pinch
• 4 tbsp Milk 
• 1/4 tsp Coffee (mix it with the milk)
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence/ extract
• 2 tsp Nutella (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp Chocolate Chips/ chunks (optional)

1. In a mug, combine the dry ingredients with a small whisk/ spoon. 
   
   
   
2. Pour in the wet ingredients and the chocolate chips/chunks. Mix well without any lumps. 
   
   
   
3. Microwave for a minute or 10 seconds extra, on high. (Timing can vary depending upon your oven, I had to do a minute and 10 seconds)
4. Allow the brownie to cook slightly and enjoy with a dollop of ice cream and berries of your choice!

• 2 eggs 
• 1 Scallion, chopped
• 1/4 Capsicum, chopped
• 1 small Onion, finely chopped
• 6-7 White Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small Garlic clove, minced 
• Salt, as required 
• 1/4 tsp Oregano 
• 1/2 ripe Avocado, sliced thinly 
• Olive oil
• Crushed Chilli flakes

1. In a pan, pour olive oil and add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and sauté until raw smell disappears and add in the sliced mushrooms.
2. Add salt as required and a splash of water.
3. Next add in the chopped capsicum and sauté and finally add in oregano. And transfer the mushroom mix to a bowl.
4. In another bowl, crack in 2 eggs and add in the chopped scallions and salt as required and mix well using a fork.
5. In the same pan used earlier, pour some olive oil and pour the egg mix to the hot pan and swirl areas with excess eggs using a silicone or wooden spoon and allow to cook on low heat.
6. Spread the mushroom mix prepared earlier on half of the omelette and place the uniformly sliced avocado over the bed of mushrooms and sprinkle the crushed chili flake’s and flip over the other side of the omelette and transfer to a plate and serve with fresh cherry tomatoes.

• 1 cup lukewarm water/milk
• 3+1/4 Cup All Purpose flour/ Bread Flour
• 1/4 Sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp Instant yeast (6 gms)
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 tsp Salt

1. In a bowl combine sugar, water and the yeast using a whisk .
2. Next add in the vegetable oil and add in your Flour and mis well using a wooden spatula and once almost combined, lightly flour your countertop and flip the dough ball onto the counter top.
3. Knead the dough for a good 5-10 minutes until the gluten develops and check if the dough is ready by doing the window pan test, (simply stretch a portion of the dough and the dough shouldn't tear apart and light should pass through the stretched dough).
   
   
   
4. Grease the bowl well and drop the dough, cover using a cling film. Allow to proof/ rest for an hour or until the dough rises double in size. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Using your fist, punch the dough to release any air bubbles.
6. Now transfer the dough to the clean counter top and flatten the dough into a rectangle shape with the help of your finger tips. Keep in mind, that the width should be the size of the loaf pan.
7. Once the dough has been flattened, roll the dough into a log and place the dough log in a well greased loaf pan.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Cover the loaf pan and allow to rise in a warm and dark place for 30 minutes, during this time, pre heat your oven at 180 deg C.
   
   
   
9. Now bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, depending on your oven temperature. *
10. Remove the lid of the loaf pan and turn the loaf pan, to release the bread from the loaf pan.
    
    
    
11. Cover the bread using a kitchen towel and allow the bread to cool down completely.
12. Now, using a serrated knife, cut the bread into slices and store in a zip lock bag, or a bread basket covered in kitchen towel until further use.
    
    
    
13. Enjoy your freshly baked home made bread! 

• 1/4 Cup Sugar, for the yolk
• 1/4 Cup Sugar, for the white
• 1/4+1 tsp Cup Plain Flour
• 1/4 Cup Corn Flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking powder 
• 1/4 Cup +1 tsp Whole milk
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Lemon Zest

• 1 Cup Whipping Cream
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla 
• 1/2 cup Mascarpone (optional)

• 1 Mango, peeled abd chopped 
• 3 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Lemon juice

1. Separate the Egg yolks from the egg whites, and whip the egg yolks, lemon zest with sugar and in another bowl, whip the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks, now fold the egg whites into the egg yolks.
2. Using a strainer, sift the plain flour, corn flour and baking powder and very gently fold the dry ingredients.
3. Now add in the milk and vegetable oil, and make sure you go well under there and scoop and fold the wet ingredients wellaas they tend to stay at the bottom.        
4. Preheat the oevn at 170 deg C, line a 33*33 cm baking tray with baking paper and pour the cake batter and evel using a off set spatula.
5. Bake for 25 minutes and broil for the last 5 minutes for that perfect baked tops.
   
   
   
6. Prepare the coulis by cooking Mango pieces with sugar and lemon juice on simmer for around 10 minutes and once cooled make a paste using an emulsion blender.
7. Next prepare the Chantilly cream, whip the cream with sugar and vanilla and fold in the beaten Mascarpone if you have it! Whip everything well till you have medium peaks.
8. Once the sponge cake has baked, drop the baked top facing on a new baking paper and remove the baking paper used for baking, trim off the edges using a knife and smear the cake generously with the Mango coulis, this is where the flavor comes from!
   
   
   
9. Spread the chantilly cream, be careful not to over do it, as it will be difficult to roll otherwise!
10. Roll it up real tight, as shown in the video on my Instagram reel, and allow to chill for 30 minutes, covered.
    
    
    
11. Spread the remaining chantilly over the Swiss roll and decorate as per your liking. 
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. Enjoy chilled!

• 250 gms Boneless Beef, thin strips
• 1/4 Cup each Red, green and yellow Bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 Cup Onion, sliced
• 4-5 Garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• Salt, as required
• 1/2 tsp white and black pepper powder
• 15 Cashews, fried and split into half
• 4-5 Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 4-5 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• Salt
• Sugar, a pinch
• Spring Onion, to garnish
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Sesame seeds*

Batter:

1. In a bowl add all the ingredients mentioned under "batter". Mix well and set aside.
2. Marinate the beef strips with salt, soy sauce and black pepper powder.
3. Now add the batter to the marinated meat, combine well.
4. In a fry pan, slightly fry the cashews until golden, drain and set aside.
5. In the same oil and pan, fry the beef strips coated in batter individually, without overcrowding for around 6-7 minutes, no more or less. 
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crispy fried beef to an oil straining rack. 
7. Transfer excess oil to a jar and without around 2 tbsp oil in the pan/wok add in the finely chopped garlic.
8. Once fragrant, break the dry red Chillies and add them in. 
9. Sauté well and add the sliced onion and once translucent add in the cashews.
10. Next add in all your sauces, salt, sugar and saute well.
11. Next add in the fried cashews, spring onion and the bell peppers. 
    
    
    
12. Toss everything well on high heat and add in your crispy beef and give one final toss and immediately serve them on your serving platter and garnish with chopped spring onion and sesame seeds.

• 1 1/2 ripe Avocado
• 2-3 tbsp Peanut Butter (unsweetened)
• 2 tbsp Hung Curd
• 3-4 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 Vanilla Essence / Extract
• 3 tbsp Cocoa powder (unsweetened), levelled
• 75 gms Dark Chocolate (unsweetened )
• Berries 

1. Just blend all the ingredients in a food processor and Serve cold or as it is.
2. Pipe the mousse into ramekins or a large desert jar topped with strawberries, blueberries or any of your favorite berries and enjoy!

• 2 large Eggplants
• Olive Oil, to drizzle
• Salt, as required
• 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
• 2 small Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/4 sweetcorn niblets
• 1 tsp Curry powder/ garam masala powder
• 1/4 Black pepper powder
• Red chillies,sliced, to garnish
• Coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish

1. In a oven safe tray, like the tray with a baking paper and slice the eggplants into half and smear/drizzle the eggplants with olive oil and sprinkle salt.
2. Allow to roast in a preheated oven at 200 deg C and roast for about 35 minutes.
3. Once the eggplants develop a charred color and are very tender, remove from the oven.
   
   
   
4. Scoop the flesh of the eggplants and set aside. 
   
   
   
5. In a pan, pour some olive oil and add in your chopped onion and garlic, sauté well.
6. Next add in the boiled chickpeas, sweetcorn niblets and add in the spices and salt, as required.
7. Add in the scooped eggplant and saute well.
8. Now prepare Cilbir as mentioned on my blog post and make an indentation over the stuffing and add the cilbir and enjoy warm.
9. Garnish with red chillies and chopped coriander leaves.
   
   
   

• 3 Garlic cloves, chopped finely 
• Bunch of Scallions, chopped 
• 150 gms chicken, chopped (preferably boneless)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Freshly cracked Black Pepper 
• Salt, as required 
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1/2 cup Frozen Vegetables 
• A pinch each of Cinnamon powder, Fennel powder, Black Pepper powder
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• 1 1/2 cup day old short grain Brown rice*

1. Marinate the cleaned boneless chicken pieces with garlic powder, black pepper powder, soy sauce and salt.
2. In a pan, pour olive oil, add in the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. 
3. Next add in the chopped scallions and add in the chicken pieces, and cook covered.
4. Then, add in the frozen veggies, (I added frozen corn too) and add in the spice powders and allow to heat well.
5. Next add in your day old brown rice, soy sauce and stir fry everything well on high heat. 
6. Serve in a bowl, garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

• 15 pieces Chakka kuru
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt, as required
• 1/2 Tomato, chopped
• 2 Green chillies, slit
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
• 2 Shallots (not more)
• 1-2 Garlic clove

• 2 tbsp Coconut oil
• Curry leaves
• Dried Red Chilli

1. Remove the outer covering of the Jackfruit seed using a paring knife, and just slightly rub off the brown covering of the Jackfruit seed using a small knife.
2. Wash the seeds, and chop each seeds into 3-4 pieces.
   
   
   
3. In a pressure cooker, add the chopped jackfruit seeds, chopped tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric, salt, water and pressure cook for 1 whistle or cook covered in a pot for 15 minutes and check using aknofeif it needs further cooking.
4. In a mixer grinder, add the shredded coconut, shallots, garlic cloves and groun to a fine paste using little water.
   
   
   
5. Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked chakka kuru/ Jackfruit seeds. 
6. Finally temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chillies in coconut oil.

• 2-3 medium Potatoes
• 1/4 Onion chopped finely
• 1/4 Capsicum, chopped finely
• Salad Leaves
• 1/4 Cup Boiled Black Beans 

• 2-3 boneless Chicken pieces
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper powder
• Salt, as required
• Olive oil

• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 very small Garlic clove, miced
• 1/4 tsp Freshly crushed Black pepper
• 1/4 tsp Oregano
• 2-3 tbsp Olive oil 

1. In a pressure cooker, cook the potatoes with same level water and cook for 3 whistles, let the pressure release naturally.
2. Remove the potatoes from the pressure cooker and allow to cool completely.
3. Remove the skin of the potatoes and chop them into medium to small cubes.
   
   
   
4. Marinate the chicken pieces in garlic, black pepper and salt and fry them in olive oil. Once slightly cooled, chop them and set aside.
   
   
   
5. Add the chopped veggies to the chopped potatoes and add the chopped chicken pieces to the salad.
   
   
   
6. Now make a dressing of the above mentioned ingredients and add it to the salad and toss everything. 
7. You may have this salad as it is or along with set course of dishes. Either way it is a delicious salad.