Tortellini Tapas with Spicy Ranch Dip

Ingredients

1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 (16-ounce) bottle Ranch-style dressing with peppercorns, divided*
2 large eggs
2 cups fine, dry breadcrumbs
3/4 cup mild chunky salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups vegetable oil
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and cool.

Whisk together 1 cup dressing and eggs in a large bowl until blended. Add tortellini, and let stand 10 minutes. Drain and dredge in breadcrumbs; place on a baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour.

Stir together remaining dressing, salsa, and cilantro; chill.

Pour oil into a Dutch oven; heat to 375°. Fry tortellini, in batches, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with dip; garnish, if desired.

*1 (16-ounce) bottle Ranch-style dressing plus 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper may be substituted.

NOTE: To make ahead, fry tortellini according to directions; drain and place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 200º oven for 2 hours.

Filet Mignon with Sweet Bourbon-Coffee Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon beef-flavored bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Sprinkle pepper and salt over both sides of steaks. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks; cook 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium; cook steaks 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a platter; cover and keep warm.

Add bourbon mixture to pan; cook over medium-high heat until mixture has reduced to 1/4 cup (about 3 minutes). Serve sauce over beef; sprinkle with parsley.

Hamburgers With Oven Chips

INGREDIENTS

1pound new potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick
2tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
1pound ground beef
4 hamburger buns
1/4cup mayonnaise
1 pickle, sliced
1 small head butter lettuce
1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

METHOD

• Heat oven to 400° F.
• In a bowl, toss the potatoes and oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.
• Meanwhile, heat a grill or grill pan to medium.
• Shape the beef into four 1-inch-thick patties. Season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium.
• Transfer the patties to buns and top with the mayonnaise, pickle, lettuce, and tomato. Serve with the chips.

Sticky glazed ribs

Ingredients

2kg spare ribs, cut into individual ribs
2 tbsp barbecue spice mix
For the glaze
150g tomato ketchup
140g chilli ketchup
3 tbsp soy sauce
140g runny honey
3 tbsp teriyaki sauce
4 tbsp bourbon whiskey

Method

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Place the ribs in a large bowl, then toss with the spice mix so they’re covered all over. Place a wire rack in a roasting pan and arrange the ribs in a layer, then cook for 1 hour, until browned and tender.
• Meanwhile, to make the glaze, place the ketchups, soy sauce, honey, teriyaki and whiskey, if using, into a pan, stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 5 mins until thickened and sticky, then remove from the heat.
• When the ribs are done, remove from the oven and increase the heat to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Using a pair of tongs, dip each rib in the glaze, then return to the rack. Place back in the oven and cook for 10 mins. Remove from oven, dip into the glaze again, then return to the oven for another 10-12 mins until sticky. Serve hot with the autumn slaw (see below), chips if you want, and a big pile of napkins.

Crispy Cajun onion rings

Ingredients

50g plain flour
1 large onion
, cut into 1cm slices, rings separated
2 egg white
olive oil
, for greasing
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
100g breadcrumb

Method

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the flour in a large sealable plastic bag. Season, then tip in the onion and shake well. Whisk the egg whites until foamy, add the onions and stir to coat.
• Lightly oil a baking sheet. Add the seasoning and breadcrumbs to the bag; then, working in batches, add the eggy onion rings and coat in the crumbs. Arrange onion rings, in a single layer, on the baking sheet and cook for 25-30 mins, turning halfway through, until the onion is tender and the crumbs are golden.

Adai

Adai

Ingredients:

Rice 1 cup

Urad Daal 1/3 cup

Chana Daal 1/3 cup

Yellow Split Peas 1/3 cup

Salt 1 tsp.

Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp.

Onion (opt.) 1 (large)

Carrot (opt.) 1

Coconut - grated (opt.) 1/4 cup

Preparation

· Mix Rice, Chana Daal, Urad Daal, and Yellow Split Peas in a large vessel.

Soak in a lot of water for about 2 hours.

· Grind the soaked mixture with Chilli Power and salt coarsely, without

adding much water.

· Ferment for about 3-4 hours, then refrigerate or freeze. In cold weather,

the fermenting process might take longer, and it might be a good idea to

ferment in an oven(the pilot light will keep the mixture warm).

· Add either onions (finely cut), carrot (grated) or coconut before preparing.

INDIAN PIZZA

1 cup chopped roasted chicken breast
1/2 cup Sweet Mango Chutney
1 (12-inch) pre baked pizza crust
1/3 cup Mild Curry Paste
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup coconut
1/3 cup unsalted peanuts

Preheat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, stir together chicken and mango chutney.
Spread pizza crust with curry paste. Top with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with
mozzarella, raisins, coconut, and peanuts. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden
brown.
Servings: 4
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ekoori

3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon peeled and finely grated ginger
1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium size non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the
onion and sauté until soft. Add ginger, chilli, fresh coriander, turmeric, cumin and
tomato. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until tomatoes are soft.

Put in the beaten eggs and season lightly. Stir the eggs gently until they form thick
curds. Cook the scrambled eggs to desired consistency. Serve with toast or Indian
bread.

Akoori - Scrambled Eggs (Parsi)

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6
6-8 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ghee or butter
6 spring onions or
2 small white onions, finely chopped
2-3 fresh red or green chillies, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 ripe tomato, peeled and diced, optional
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Garnish: tomato wedges
sprig of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves

Method:

Beat eggs until well mixed. Add the milk, salt and pepper. Heat ghee or butter in a
large, heavy frying pan and cook the onions, chillies and ginger until soft. Add
turmeric, coriander leaves and tomato, if used, and fry for a minute or two longer,
and then stir in the egg mixture and the ground cumin. Cook over low heat, stirring
and lifting the eggs as they begin to set on the base of the pan. Mix and cook until
the eggs are of a creamy consistency-they should not be cooked until dry. Turn on
to a serving plate and garnish with tomato and coriander. Serve with chapattis,
parathas or toasted bread.

Parsi Poro Pan Omelette (Parsi)

Ingredients:

Serves: 2
1 cup diced potato
2 tablespoons ghee or oil 4 eggs
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 fresh red or green chillies, seeded and chopped

Method:

Parboil potato in lightly salted boiling water for a minute or two, drain well in
colander.
Heat ghee or oil in a frying pan and fry the potato until lightly browned. Lift out on
slotted spoon and set aside. Separate eggs and beat the whites until frothy, then
beat in the yolks, salt, pepper and cumin. Fold in coriander, onion and chillies.
Golden brown on bottom, turn omelette over and cook until brown on other side.
Serve hot with chapattis or bread.

Semolina Pilaf Bombay style - Khara Rava Bombay Style

Ingredients:

1 cup(s) semolina (or cream of wheat)
1 medium onion(s) sliced finely
4 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) / butter
1 teaspoon(s) each of mustard and cumin seeds
1 teaspoon(s) ginger chopped
2 green chillies slit / chopped
2 tablespoon(s) grated coconut if available
4 curry leaves
2 cup(s) water
salt to taste

Fry cashew nuts and finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Heat half of the ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Fry semolina, stirring continuously,
to a golden colour on medium / low level for about 2 minute(s). Keep aside.
Heat the remaining ghee (clarified butter) in a pan. Toss in the mustard seeds
followed by the cumin seeds and fry till the seeds splutter fully. Add the onion(s),
ginger, green chillies and stir fry on medium level for about 3 minutes or till the
onions are transparent and soft.
Mix in the semolina, curry leaves and salt. Add water to this and mix well. Cover
and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes or till the mixture is almost dry.
Garnish with fried cashew nuts, grated coconut and finely chopped coriander
leaves

Semolina Pilaf – Upma

Ingredients:
1 cup semolina
2 cups water
3-4 cashews broken
1 teaspoon Urad dal (optional)
1\4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon oil
2 green chillies diced
Small piece of ginger chopped thin
Half a dozen curry leaves (optional)
3\4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetables like carrots, peas, cauliflower beans in bite size and slightly
steamed in the microwave or pan
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon of salt free butter or Ghee
Lime juice, salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a sauce pan. Add chena dal, urad dal, mustard seeds and heat on
a low fire. When the dal's become light brown and the mustard seeds crack up, add
the green chillies, ginger, onion and curry leaves.
2. when the onions are cooked soft, add peas and carrots. Sauté for 1 minute
3. Add 2 cups of water and salt. When water starts boiling add one cup of cream of
wheat continuously stirring. Then add one table spoon of butter.
3. Reduce the heat and cook till it becomes a soft pudding. Remove from fire and
keep it for 5 minutes. Add lime juice and salt to taste
4. Serve with tomato/ginger chutney or any other chutney or pickle.

Tapioca Pilaf - Sabudana khichdi

Ingredients:
2 cup sago or Tapioca
1 potato diced small
3-4 green chillies,
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional),
1 small piece ginger (optional),
1/2 cup peanut bits
2-3 teaspoon sugar,
salt to taste,
1 tbspoon oil,
2 teaspoon cumin seeds,
coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:
1. Soak sago/tapioca in water. Drain the water and keep it aside for half an hour to
one hour.
2. Now add peanut powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice and mix the tapioca
3. Cut green chillies into small pieces and grate ginger.
4. Heat oil or ghee in a pan.
6. Add cumin seeds, potato pieces and chillies.
7. As soon as potatoes are tender, add sago and stir. Continue to cook tapioca by
carefully turning the tapioca as to cook all of it.
8. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Instant Rice Pilaf - Kaande Pohe

Ingredients:
2 cup Pohe (Flaked, beaten rice),
1 small onion,
1 potato,
3-4 green chillies,
1 teaspoon lemon juice,
2-3 teaspoon sugar,
salt to taste,
1 tbspoon oil,
2 teaspoon mustard seeds,
1 teaspoon asafoetida,
2 teaspoon turmeric powder,
coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:
1. Soak Pohe in water. Drain water and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Now rub some salt, sugar and lemon juice to it.
3. Chop green chillies, onion and potatoes.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add asafoetida,
turmeric powder, onion pieces, potato pieces and green chillies.
5. When potatoes turn tender, add pohe and stir.
6. Cover and cook for sometime. Remove the lid, stir and again allow it to cook for
2 minutes.
7. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Masala Parathas

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup rice or all purpose flour
1 onion
1 carrot
3 to 4 cabbage leaves
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1 potato
4 green chillies
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Directions:
Finely chop all the vegetables either in a chopper or by hand in a large plate. You
may even grate them if a chopper is not available. Add the flours, 2 tablespoons
oil, salt, cayenne, turmeric and knead to very stiff dough. Do not keep the dough
for long after kneading, or it will become gooey and soft. This would make it
difficult to roll the parathas.
Divide into 3 parts. Roll into 5.inch rounds. Shallow fry on a hot griddle (tawa) on
both sides until golden brown using the remaining oil. Eat hot or carry away for
later, with sauce, tamarind or onion chutney.

Cheela Tomato

1 pound tomatoes, peeled and pureed
1 pound besan or gram flour
4 green chillies, minced
1 small bunch of coriander leaves, minced
1 teaspoon til (sesame seeds)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt and chilli powder to taste
6 teaspoons sugar

Recipe Directions:
1. Form a soft batter by mixing together all the above ingredients.
2. Heat a griddle (tawa) to smoking. Then lower the heat and grease it well with
ghee.
3. Put 1/4 cup of batter on it and spread it into a thin even round shape. When the
undersides turn golden, put a little more ghee around the edges and turn over.
4. Remove from heat when both sides turn golden brown. Serve piping hot with
green chutney

Bhindi Dopeaza

1 lb. okra
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic paste or powder
1/4 teaspoon coriander paste or powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
3 large tomatoes
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
Cut the tip and the very bottom from the okra just to clean it, but do not slice. Heat
oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add all
ingredients except okra, tomato and cilantro. Cook for 3 minutes. Add okra, and
then cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Garnish with tomato and cilantro. Serve with rice,
Naan or pita bread.

Bhel Puri

2 cups puffed rice
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 oz. crushed potato chips
2 oz. salted peanuts
1 tbsp. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

Directions:
Mix the puffed rice, chickpeas, potatoes, onions and peanuts. Add tomato sauce,
mix well and then sprinkle salt and the sev/potato chips. The mixture must be
made immediately before serving, or the puffed rice will turn soggy.

Aloo Tikki

Ingredients:
6 oiled and peeled potatoes mashed
fresh green chilli chopped finely - to taste
1 tsp. ginger (finely chopped)
1/2 cup. Cilantro leaves (chopped)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. coriander powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. mango powder called amchur
Oil for pan frying

Method:
1. Boil the potato. Cool. Peel the skin and mash the potato.
2. Mix all ingredients except the oil.
3. Make small hamburger size patties but about 1/2 inch high.
4. Pan Fry in a non-stick pan with oil until both sides are golden brown.
5. Serve with tamarind or green chutney.

Samosa

For the pastry:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. oil
4 Tbsp. water

For the stuffing:
4-5 medium potatoes, boiled in their jackets and allowed to cool
4 Tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup (175 g) shelled peas
1 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. very finely chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro)
3 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
oil for deep frying

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the 4 tablespoons on oil and rub it in with
your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add about 4
tablespoons water -- or a tiny bit more -- and gather the dough into a stiff ball.
Empty the ball out on to clean work surface. Knead the dough for about 10
minutes or until it is smooth. Make a ball. Rub the ball with about 1/4 teaspoon
oil and slip it into a plastic bag. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer.
Make the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch dice. Heat 4
tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the
onion. Stir and fry until brown at the edges. Add the peas, ginger, green chilli,
fresh coriander (cilantro), and 3 tablespoons water. Cover, lower heat and simmer
until peas are cooked. Stir every now and then and add a little more water if the
frying pan seems to dry out.
Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander seeds, Garam Masala, roasted cumin,
cayenne, and lemon juice. Stir to mix. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring
gently as you do so. Check balance of salt and lemon juice. You may want more of
both. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Knead the pastry dough again and divide it into eight balls. Keep 7 covered while
you work with the eight. Roll this ball out into a 7 inch (18 cm) round. Cut it into
half with a sharp, pointed knife. Pick up one half and form a cone, making a 1/4
inch wide (5 mm), and overlapping seam. Glue this seam together with a little
water. Fill the cone with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture. Close
the top of the cone by sticking the open edges together with a little water. Again,
your seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide. Press the top seam down with
the prongs of a fork or flute it with your fingers. Make 7 more samosas.
Heat about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) of oil for deep frying over a medium-low
flame. You may use a small, deep, frying pan for this or an Indian wok. When the
oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas as the pan will hold in a single layer.
Fry slowly, turning the samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towel and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.