Heat frying pan over medium heat and lightly spray with cooking spray. Crack the egg into the pan and break the yolk.

Cook the egg to desired firmness. Warm sliced ham in the pan while assembling sandwich.

Toast pancakes in toaster and place one pancake on plate.

Place egg on top of pancake. Pour 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over egg, place the cheese on top of egg, and a slice of warmed ham on top of the cheese.

Top the sandwich with the second pancake and pour another 1 tablespoon of maple syrup over the top of the sandwich.

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In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm, 120 degrees F (50 degreesC).

In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt.

Mix milk mixture into flour mixture, and then mix in egg. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Cover, and let rise for 30 to 35 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
For Hot Dog Buns: Shape each piece into a 6×4 inch rectangle.

Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly, and pinch edges and ends to seal. Let rise about 20 to 25 minutes. Bake as above. These buns are pretty big. I usually make 16 instead of 12.

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Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add couscous, bell pepper, pistachios, shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the couscous is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Stir in water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Stir in 1 tablespoon each parsley and oregano.

Sprinkle salmon with pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place the salmon on top of the couscous, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the salmon is cooked through and the water is absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes.

Serve garnished with herbs, if desired, and lemon wedges.

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Chop up your cilantro, zest and juice up your limes, mince your garlic and chop your red onion into small chunks.
You can either mince your red onion by throwing it into a food processor or mince it by hand. I find it easier to just throw it in the processor, and let it do the work

In a medium bowl, mix together the lime zest and juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, minced red onion, red pepper flakes, chopped cilantro and a pinch of salt and pepper.Put the chicken breasts into a ziploc bag and pour in the mixture. Zip up the bag, and give it a couple of shakes to make sure that all of the chicken breasts are evenly coated.

Put the bagged chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinate for 2-4 hours or up to 6 hours.

Note: I wouldn’t recommend marinating the chicken breasts for more than 6 hours, as they will get a bit rubbery. If you want to make this a true make ahead meal and marinate it for more than 6 hours, then you can pick up some boneless chicken thighs. They will take in the marinade beautifully and can handle marinating overnight or for more than 6 hours.

Once the chicken has marinated, call upon your grill master (that would be my husband) to get the grill nice and hot. Grill the chicken breasts about 7 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked (when they reach an internal temp of 165 degrees). Chicken breasts vary is size so it usually takes longer than 7 minutes per side, that is why I always test my chicken with a meat thermometer.

Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes, and then slice the chicken breasts into thin slices.
While the chicken is resting, throw the tortillas on the grill, and grill them until slightly charred and pliable, about 20 seconds per side.

These tacos are not complete without the mango avocado salsa, seriously, it adds so much flavor.

Top each tortilla with the sliced chicken, mango avocado salsa, cotija cheese or queso fresco and some fresh cilantro.

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A tedious recipe for the upcoming festive season, but the outcome is so delicious that every minute spent on cooking this is well worth it. A mouth watering and aromatic mutton biryani.

Derived from the Persian word ‘biriyan’, this delicious layered rice dish is slow cooked with spices, a choice of meats and flavouring agents. Biryani was considered a royal dish, fit for kings. It was said to be a favourite of emperors Akbar and Shah Jahan and went on to occupy pride of place in the kitchens of the nawabs (kings) and nizams of India. One of the most aromatic dishes, biryani is sprinkled with rose water, saffron and kewda.

Marinating the mutton:

To the mutton add the beaten curd, ginger-garlic paste, raw papaya paste, chilli powder, salt, lemon juice, garam masala.

Allow the mutton to marinate for 3 hours.

Making fried onions or Barista:

Slice 2 onions very thinly. Separate the slices.

In a pan or kadai add oil and fry the onion slices till nicely brown.

Take care not to burn them. Fry in small batches. Do not put all the slices at a time, that will lead to lumpy messy onions.

Make sure all the onion slices frying are dipped in oil, if needed add more oil. Keep stirring continuously but gently for an even brown color.

Take the fried onions out with a slotted spoon or ladle.

Keep them on a paper-towel lined plate. This crispy brown fried onion slices are called Barista.

Cooking the mutton:

Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook, stirring continuously, till onions are light golden brown.

Add ginger paste and garlic paste and mix well.

Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat for seven to eight minutes.

Add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix thoroughly.

Stir in three cups of water, bring it to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till mutton is almost cooked.

Add tomatoes, salt, garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves.

Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. The ghee would be separated from the spices and there should not be any watery gravy to the meat.

Preparing the rice:

Use only good quality long grain Basmati rice. Soak the rice for 20 minutes in water. Wash well till the water runs clear. Drain all the water.

In a small piece of cloth take cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, javitri, jaiphal, black peppercorn, shahi jeera, star anise and tie a knot to make a bag (potli).

Bring 750 ml water to boil, add rice, bay leaf, salt and potli, cover and cook till rice is done 1/3rd.

Drain the water & remove the whole masala potli.

Preparing the saffron-milk:

Take 1/4th cup warm milk in a cup and dissolve saffron strands in the milk.

Cover and wait for 20 minutes. Add rose water and kewra essence in the milk. Mix well and cover. Keep aside.

Layering the biryani:

Take a large heavy bottom pan with tight fitting lid.

Add 2tbsp ghee to the pan. Melt the ghee on low heat. Turn and rotate the pan carefully so the ghee can coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Switch off the heat.

Add a layer of cooked rice, then cooked meat pieces, sprinkle saffron water, add fried onion slices and ghee.

Again add a layer of rice, then meat…go on like this till you are done. Top and bottom layer will be of rice.

Cover with chopped pudina and coriander, fried onion and slit green chillies and juice of half a lemon.

Put the lid on. Seal the pan with flour dough or aluminium foil, then put the lid. Keep the heat to lowest. And cook the Biryani in this ‘Dum’ process for 40 minutes.

Make sure your pan is heavy-bottomed or the rice will burn. Or you can place a flat tawa then keep the pan on that tawa.

After 40 minutes switch off the heat and let the biryani stand for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve with raita and salad.

Cucumber Raita Recipe :

2   cucumber – peeled, seeded and thinly sliced

2 cups Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

• Stir together the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

 

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1. To make the paste, put all the paste ingredients in a mini food processor and blend to a thick paste, adding a splash of water if needed.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or karahi over a medium heat. 
3. Add the mustard seeds and urid dal and fry for 30 seconds, then add the paste and the turmeric, and fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. 
4. Add the water, bring to the boil then add the cod. Cook for 5 minutes, or until cooked through, occasionally shaking the pan gently to distribute the heat (avoid using a utensil to stir as the fish is delicate and will break up). 
5. Finally add the curry leaves and coriander to the pan and serve with rice and Indian bread.

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