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Phool Surprise

Phool Surprise is a signature dessert from chef Kunal Kapur which was showcased on MasterChef TV program. I was awestruck when I saw this program as the Phool surprise was really so beautiful and awesome. I was so impressed that I wanted to try it out, though I knew it would a tough task. After couple of attempts I was able to prepare it although its not as perfect as the actual recipe. I have also uploaded the video of the petals opening from my recipe. This recipe has four components, first one berry cheesecake, second one crispy ghevar, third one white chocolate petals and finally french vanilla & turmeric flavored custard. I have shared the Ghevar recipe separately and remaining three recipes are part of this recipe. This dessert is as delicious as beautiful. Berry cheesecake gives a sweet and sour tingling taste to otherwise sweet chocolate and custard. It could look like a daunting task however if you have patience you can certainly make this recipe and surprise your friends and family with it. Some important aspects of the recipe are mentioned in the recipe notes so please read them before you start preparing this recipe. 


Ghevar With Raspberry Rabri

Ghevar is a very popular Rajasthani dessert which is prepared during festivals like Teej, Rakshabandhan or any other special occasion. Traditionally, this awesome dessert goes really well with milk rabri. In this recipe, I have used rabri with raspberry and mango yogurt which gives it a sweet and sour taste and neutralizes its sweetness.  At first it is a little complicated recipe to prepare however once you get a hang of it, it comes out really well and the effort is worth it. Ghevar is made using all purpose flour batter and deep fried in oil or ghee. Ghevar has a light, lacy and crispy texture. The two very important aspects of making Ghever are batter consistency and oil/ghee temperature. The right batter brings out the lacy texture and oil/ghee temperature helps it to rise and give the right shape and texture. Once ready, it is soaked in sugar syrup before serving. The ghevar can be stored in air tight containers for up to 2 weeks, and just before serving, soak in warm sugar syrup and garnish with raspberry rabdi and mango yogurt. I am so excited to share this recipe as it is my first time making it, and took me couple attempts to get it right.

ghevar

Paneer Mutter Masala

Paneer mutter masala is one of most popular dish in North India. Paneer is one of the most liked ingredient to adults as well as kids. There are varieties of paneer recipes like paneer butter masala, methi paneer mutter masala, paneer tikka masala, palak paneer, chili paneer masala   and so on. This recipe is a considered as a delicacy and prepared only on special occasions. It is also one of the most sought out dish in restaurants. The recipe looks very appealing in its orange red color gravy which is generally due to food coloring. However I have used beetroot to get the same color to the recipe.  The main ingredient in the recipe is paneer and mutter which is added to a rich tomato based gravy with spices, cashew nut and cream. The wonderful aroma due to spices and awesome taste of curry is extremely appetizing. The curry goes very well with Naan, Poori, Parathas and plain or jeera rice. If you are not a fan of paneer, you can use Tofu instead. Prepare this dish to celebrate your special days with family and friend, however indulge at your own risk.paneer-mutter-masala_9

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is a Mediterranean appetizer dip. This dip a small variation to the original hummus dip as I have used roasted red pepper in this recipe to give a little twist in the taste. Also, I have substituted tahini sauce with roasted sesame seeds in this recipe.  I have shared a similar recipe earlier named Avocado hummus in which Avocado was a special ingredient. The dip goes very well with pita chips, crackers, falafel and fresh veggies like celery, carrots, zucchini, cucumber. You could also use it as spread in a sandwich. This dip is really easy to prepare and goes well in parties.

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Wheat Berries & Stir Fry Veggies

Wheat berries is a whole grain which is good source of protein and fiber. You can prepare various recipes using wheat berries like cereal, salad or soup. You could also grind it to make flour and prepare flour based recipes. Wheat berries could take little long to cook so cooking in pressure cooker is advisable however you can cook it in a open pan too at low to medium heat. Wheat berries can be served with red beans curry, chicken curry or any other curry. For this recipe I have used stir fired vegetable along with wheat berries which make is simple, healthy and a light meal. You could always change the mix of veggies as per your choice and adding a tandoori masala to fried veggies give a zesty flavor. 

wheat-berries

Chicken Masala

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There are varieties of recipes which one can make using Chicken. Different states in India have different chicken masala flavor. This recipe preparation is specifically based on the one which is used in Northern part of India. For this recipe chicken is roasted and cooked in a pan and then mixed with beetroot & tomato based gravy. Using whole spices in the preparation gives awesome garam masala flavor. Chicken masala goes well with plain rice, jeera rice, paratha, naan or phulka. We all loved this recipe, even kids too as I did not make it very spicy. If you a chicken lover, I am sure you and your family would like this too.

Beet Greens Rice Roll

Leafy vegetables like spinach, mustard, kale or beet root are very healthy and everyone should add them as part of their meal plan on daily basis. This recipe is inspired from Japanese Sushi although completely vegetarian and a different texture. The recipe is very easy to prepare basically just saute beet greens with garlic and roll it into brown rice. When served with red beans sauce it tastes amazing. I have used brown rice however you can use any other rice whichever you like. The rolls can also be served with fried yellow daal and it tastes awesome with that too. The green beets can also be just eaten with Rice, Paratha or Roti. Add this recipe as part of you lunch or dinner and enjoy!
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Soya Methi Thepla

Thepla is a famous Gujarati flat bread dish prepared using wheat and gram flour. Since it’s a dry dish and remains good for long period, you could prepare it and carry it on your vacation travel. It also goes well for lunch boxes or a snack with a cup of tea. This recipe is prepared using methi(fenugreek), soya(dill) leaves along with basic ingredients and spices. These green vegetables gives nice aroma and great taste to Thepla. Thepla goes well with Jam and any Pickle and you don’t need a side dish with it. soya-methi_1