INGREDIENTS

• Day-old Brioche cut in hearty slices
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp milk
• Sprinkle of salt
• Crumbly goat cheese
• 1 tsp orange zest
• Maple syrup
• 1 tbsp oil
• Assorted berries (we use strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
  
• Bacon - optional (but really, is it optional?!) - you can also use vegan bacon, but why would you??
  

PREPARATION

1. Break the egg in a plate and mix with the milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla essence, and salt.
2. Dredge the brioche slices through the egg mixture, and put into a hot skillet which already has the oil in it.
3. Let it cook through for about 3-4 min on each side until it's slightly browned on both sides.
4. Put on a serving plate, put maple syrup on top, throw on the berries, crumble the goat cheese on top, and zest the orange on top.
   
5. While cooking the french toast, zap the bacon in the microwave for crispy, non-greasy bacon.
   
6. Serve with juice and coffee.  You're good for the day!
   

INGREDIENTS

• 200g paneer (1 packet - store bought - I can also post a recipe at some point to make home-made paneer in a different post, if you're feeling adventurous and have a couple hours on your hands).
• 1 Hungarian paprika - julienne
• 1 large onion - julienne
• 2 cloves garlic - diced
• 1 tbsp onion seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt (or more)
• 1 tsp red chili powder (or paprika powder)
• 1 tsp tandoori powder
• 3-5 Kashmiri dried chillies
  
• 2-3 tbsp butter
  
• 1 handful of coriander

PREPARATION

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the paneer, paprika, garlic, onion, and a few sprigs of the coriander leaves (roughly chopped).
2. Put in the spices and salt, and then pour vegetable oil all over it.
3. Fold it all together it with your hands thoroughly, but do it carefully so that you don't break up the paneer cubes.
4. Let it rest for like 10 min to absorb the spices.
5. Throw in the butter / ghee into a hot skillet / wok, and then throw in the onion seeds and dried Kashmiri red chillies.
   
6. Once you start seeing the chillies starting to smoke a darken a bit, throw in the paneer, paprika, onion, garlic mixture with marinade into the skillet.
   
7. Mix it thoroughly but carefully and keep it moving so that nothing burns.
   
8. You can deglaze with a little water after a few minutes, but make sure it's NOT enough to make a sauce (because then it will steam the whole thing and that's not a good thing - you want this to be more dry than wet.
   
9. Take it off the burner, and put it n a serving bowl, and sprinkle coriander leaves all over it.
   

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large onion - quartered
• 1 medium onion - diced
• 2 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
• 2 clove garlic - diced
• 1 handful of cashew nuts
• 2 tomatoes - roughly chopped
• 3 tsp cumin powder
• 3 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp black pepper crushed
• 3 tsp paprika powder
• 1 handful cilantro leaves
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp butter
  
• 1 tsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 2-3 chicken breasts - clean and diced into 1 inch (2cm) cubes
• 3 tbsp natural yogurt

PREPARATION

1. Boil water in a vessel - to this add the 1 large onion (quartered), 2 cloves garlic (roughly chopped), handful of cashew nuts, 1 tsp each of turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika powder, and salt.  Boil for say 10-15 min until everything is super soft.
2. Pour out the excess water in a retaining vessel (you may need to add back water while blending) and leave enough so that its covering the contents of the vessel.
3. Before moving to the next step, marinade the diced chicken with1 clove garlic diced, 1 tsp of paprika and turmeric, salt, 1 tsp oil, and 3 tbsp yogurt.  Let it rest while proceeding to the next couple steps - it needs about 15 min to marinade.
4. In another vessel, throw in 2 tbsp butter, 1 medium onion (sliced), 1 garlic clove (diced), and the butter, and sautée until the onions are translucent.  Throw in 1 tsp salt and a pinch of sugar.  Also throw in 1 tsp ketchup, 1 tsp tomato paste, and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar. Stir well on medium heat until the mixture thickens, and the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
5. Throw the tomato mixture into the vessel with the cashew / onion / garlic / spices mixture.
6. Using a hand-blender, blend the heck out of this mixture until it's a thick, rich consistency.  Add back some the liquid if you need.  It should be able to pour, so make it like as thick as a smoothie. This is your korma curry mixture.  It will be way more than you need for this dish, so I like to put half of it in a jar and stick it into the freezer to use on another day.
   
7. Heat up a skilled on med-high heat, and put in the rest of the butter.  Wait till the bubbles disappear without letting it burn.  Throw in the chicken, marinade and all, and let it cook until the yogurt liquid disappears.  The chicken should be pretty much cooked through already at this point.
   
8. Add enough of the thick korma curry mixture to cover the chicken.  Simmer the whole thing for like 5 min stirring well to incorporate into the chicken fully. Throw coriander leaves over the top and mix through.
   
9. Turn off the burner, and let rest for about 15 - 30 min before serving so that the flavors get fully absorbed by the chicken.
   

INGREDIENTS

• Spaghetti (number 3 is ideal, but number 5 will also do)
  
• 2 eggs
• 100 g parmigiano cheese (but feel free to add more)
• 10-12 slices of Speck from Grissom (Switzerland) or any thinly sliced bacon will do.
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  
• 5 tbsp olive oil (2 for garlic, 2 for pasta, 1 for cherry tomatoes)
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Cherry tomatoes
  

PREPARATION (takes like 10-15 min)

Put on your water to boil and salt it.  While it's heating up, break the eggs into a mixing bowl, and grate the cheese all over it.  Throw in a bit of pepper and let sit.

Meanwhile, slice your bacon strips into bits and put them in a skillet on medium heat.  Let them render the fat - take out some of it's excessive, and when the bacon is browning, throw in the garlic.  Be sure to scrape up all the crusty bits at the bottom, taking care to not let them burn.  Once the garlic has browned a bit and the bacon looks perfect, take it off.

By this time your water should be ready, so throw in the pasta for like 5-7 min until it is al-dente.  Drain most of your water, keeping some in reserve if needed later.  Turn off the burner.

Throw in the bacon and garlic with some of the rendered fat that's in the pan.  Then, throw in the egg-parmigiano mixture and stir it in so that it coats the pasta fully.  Add more water back if needed to keep moist.

Drizzle with olive oil and twist some black pepper on the top.

The tomato salad is super-simple - it's just cherry tomatoes sliced in half, with some salt and pepper thrown in, and a drizzle of olive oil on top - mixed well.  Served on the side.

PREPARATION

1. Chop the onion and garlic into thin slices (but don’t worry too much as it will be blended anyway eventually)
   
2. Take out the contents of the can of chipotle peppers and chop the peppers up into smaller pieces (make sure you keep the adobo red seasoning liquid on the side)
   
3. Take out half the contents of the can of tomatoes and store the rest in the fridge (you’re only going to need half a can of tomatoes)
   
4. Pour the oil in a cooking vessel (ideally a saucepan with a lid) - Bring oil to medium hot setting on stove - Add the garlic and onions
   
5. Add in the other spices (cumin, coriander, oregano, cinnamon
   
6. Stir the spices into the onion / garlic and keep on medium heat until onions are softened
   
7. Stir in the ketchup
   
8. Let the mixture simmer until it becomes bubbly and a thick paste
   
9. Deglaze the pan with the 1/3 cup of red wine and keep stirring until dissolved all the little brown bits at the bottom of the pan
   
10. Keep the pan uncovered and keep stirring until the mixture becomes thick once again
    
11. Add he chipotle peppers and he 1/2 can of tomatoes, salt
    
12. Give it a stir until it is all nicely homogeneous - If you have a potato masher, use this to mash the tomatoes and chipotle peppers into the mixture (if you don’t, then just cook for 5 min longer so that the whole thing melts together) - Mix really well so that there are not huge chunks of tomato (crush as much as you can so that it’s a good chunky mixture but not too big pieces of anything)
    
13. Simmer for 10 min on lower heat (covered, else you will have sauce all over the kitchen!)
    
14. Once it’s done, you should have a chunky consistency and not watery
    
15. Put the sauce in the blender (or use a stick / immersion blender) and give it a big whirl for like 30-45 seconds (or more / less until you have the consistency that you like). - Taste it for salt and spice
    
16. If too spicy, add more tomatoes and cook for another 5 min, mashing the tomatoes into the mix well - If not spicy enough, then add in the adobo chili liquid or add more spice to it - If not salty enough, then add more salt - If too salty you’re screwed! (Just kidding - just add more tomatoes and the reserved adobo liquid from the peppers).
    

INGREDIENTS

For the beef:
100g of beef per person, as a heuristic.
1 handful of cilantro - chopped roughly (use half for the beef - stemmy part, and half - leafy part for the guac)
1 large onion - 3/4 chopped in slices (half-moons) for the beef; the rest 1/4 finely diced for the guacamole
2 large garlic cloves, slivered
1 tbsp Lawry's seasoned salt (or regular salt)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp worchestershire sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 a Hungarian paprika (use bell-pepper if you want, but it's more watery) - finely julienned.

For the beans:
1 can refried beans (black / pinto - don't care)

For the guacamole:
2 ripe avocados - deseed and scoop out using a fork.
1/4 onion (from your beef prep step) - finely diced
1/2 handful of cilantro leaves (leafy part - from beef prep step)
1/2 lime - squeeze well into the guac
1 tsp salt (Lawry's if you have it, else regular)
1/2 birds eye chili pepper

For the assembly (from pantry or store):
1 packet soft shell tacos
1 packet hard shell tacos
Chipotle sauce

PREPARATION

The beef:
Cut the beef into thin strips against the grain ensuring a good absorption of the marinade.  Add the salt.  Put in the garlic, sliced onions, and paprika strips.  Add in the spices, then add in the sauce and finally the cilantro leaves and oil.  Mix it well by hand.  Wash your hands carefully after, letting the marinade sit while you make the other stuff.

The guacamole:
Add the onions to a bowl, add the cilantro leaves, chillies, and then the avocado bits.  Then squeeze in the lime and add the salt.  Mash it well with a fork and let it sit.

Final Assembly:
Start by putting a generous 'shmear' of a creamy-chunky guacamole (no tomatoes - just avocado, shallots, green chillies, Lawry's seasoned salt, freshly chopped cilantro, and a sprinkle of lime) on a soft tortilla (home made is best - will be discussed in another recipe - but store-bought is fine too).  Then, here's where the plot takes a twist - put a warm (oven-warmed), hard taco shell in the middle! Add your refried black (or pinto) beans into the hard taco and layer in your beef onto them.  Throw in a little chipotle sauce for good measure, and then take a big bite through the hard shell and soft shell goodness together - it's fantastic!!

INGREDIENTS

Okra (count on 5-6 pieces per person)
4 handfuls of peanuts (any sort - salted) - nearly powdered but still with some crunchy texture
1 tsp ginger - grated
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 medium onion - diced
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chili powder (if you want)
1 pinch sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 handful of coriander leaves
3 tbsp vegetable oil

PREPARATION

First prepare the peanut mixture by grinding the peanuts in a food processor until they are of a powdery texture but still have some crunch and grittiness.  Put the blended peanut it into a mixing bowl.  Add half the spices (1 tsp each of cumin, coriander turmeric, chili, sugar, salt).  Finely chop the handful the coriander and add half of it into the peanut mixture.  Add the pinch of sugar here too. Add 1 tbsp oil, and mix well by hand.  Set aside.

Don't cut off the head of the okra.  Make an incision in each of the okra from the head downward, being careful not to slice through.  Once you're done with all the okra, then begin stuffing with the peanut mixture from the previous step.

Gently part the okra slit with one hand, and insert the peanut mixture with the other (it takes some practice), until you're done with the lot.

Put 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet, and set burner on medium.  Add the mustard seeds and wait for the oil to heat up enough so that they begin to 'pop'.  Once you hear the popping, add the spices, stir around for a minute, and then add the onion, garlic, and sautee until the onions are soft. Add the stuffed okra into this, and fold them into the onion-garlic mixture.  Also add the rest of the peanut stuffing, and add a half cup of water, mixing around gently (to not break the okra).  Cover the skillet with a lid and let it simmer for 10 min. 

Take off the lid and give a good stir - the peanut mixture will tend to stick to the bottom - be careful to not let it burn.  Add water if you need, to create a thickish slurry type of consistency.

In 10-12 min the okra will be cooked,  Add water occasionally, and keep stirring.  Finally, add the coriander leaves on top, and serve.

INGREDIENTS
5 large potatoes (whatever type) - peeled
2 handfuls of spinach (ideally pre-washed)
2 large cloves garlic - chopped
1 medium onion - rough dice
2-3 Kashmiri dried red chillies - whole
1 tsp fresh ginger - chopped
1 tbsp onion seeds (you can substitute with mustard seeds if you don't want to bother with getting onion seeds just for this recipe).
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste

PREPARE
Put the burner on medium.  Pour your oil into a large skillet, and put in the spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chili powder, onion seeds, Kashmiri red chillies),  When the oil starts to sizzle a bit with the spices (make sure they don't burn) - this should take like 5 min - throw in the garlic, onion, ginger.  Give it a good stir.

Then add the potatoes and a good shake of salt (like 1 tsp) make sure you coat the potatoes with all the spices, salt, and aromatics.  Let it rest a bit and keep stirring at intervals of 3-4 min so as not to burn the bottom of the potatoes.  Once the potatoes develop a bit of a crispy edge,  throw in the spinach and give the whole mixture a good stir so that the spinach starts to wilt and blend into the potato mixture.  Once the spinach wilts completely, switch off the burner.  Taste it - check whether you need more salt.

That's it!! Easy peasy!