1. Vegetable Rice

Ingredients:

– 2 cups 🍚 basmati rice, soaked 30 mins + drained

– 3 tbsp 🧈 ghee/oil + 1 🌿 bay leaf + 4 🌿 cloves + 4 🌿 cardamom + 1 inch 🌿 cinnamon

– 1 🧅 small onion, sliced + 1 tbsp 🧄 ginger-garlic paste

– ½ cup 🥕 carrot, julienned + ½ cup 🫛 green peas + 2 tbsp 🌿 French beans, chopped

– 2 tbsp 🥜 cashew nuts + 2 tbsp 🍇 raisins – the nuts + golden bits

– 3½ cups 💧 hot water + 1 tsp 🧂 salt + ½ tsp 🍚 sugar

– 2 tbsp 🌿 spring onion greens, chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Fry nuts: Hot 🧈 ghee, fry 🥜 cashews till golden. Add 🍇 raisins 10 sec till puffed. Remove, set aside.

2. Whole spices: Same ghee, add 🌿 bay leaf + cloves + cardamom + cinnamon. Sizzle 30 sec.

3. Base: Add 🧅 onion, fry till light golden. Add 🧄 ginger-garlic paste, 1 min.

4. Veggies: Add 🥕 carrot + 🫛 peas + 🌿 beans. Stir-fry 2 mins. Don’t overcook – keep bright.

5. Rice: Add drained 🍚 rice, gently sauté 2 mins to coat. Pour 💧 hot water + 🧂 salt + 🍚 sugar. Boil, then cover + lowest heat 12 mins. No stirring.

6. Steam: Off heat, rest 10 mins covered. Fluff gently. Mix in fried 🥜 cashews + 🍇 raisins + 🌿 spring onion. Grains should be long + separate with veg specks.

2. Chicken Curry with Potato

Ingredients:

– 500g 🐔 chicken, curry cuts with bone – drumsticks + thigh pieces like your pic

– 1 🥔 large potato, halved – see the yellow potato in curry

– 2 🧅 onions, finely sliced + 1 tbsp 🧄 ginger-garlic paste + 2 🍅 tomatoes, pureed

– Spices: 1 tsp 🌶️ chili powder + 2 tsp 🌿 coriander powder + ½ tsp 🌿 turmeric + 1 tsp 🌿 garam masala + ½ tsp 🌿 cumin

– 3 tbsp 🧈 oil + ½ cup 💧 water + 🧂 salt + 🌿 dhania for garnish

Method:

1. Fry onions: Hot 🧈 oil, fry 🧅 onions 8-10 mins till deep golden brown. This gives the dark red color.

2. Masala: Add 🧄 ginger-garlic paste, 1 min. Add all dry spices, 30 sec. Add 🍅 tomato puree, cook 8 mins till oil separates + masala is thick dark red.

3. Chicken + potato: Add 🐔 chicken + 🥔 potato + 🧂 salt. Bhuno 5 mins till chicken is coated. Add ½ cup 💧 water.

4. Simmer: Cover, low heat 20-25 mins till chicken is tender + potato soft + gravy is thick + oily . Potato should be yellow + absorb color. Finish with 🌿 garam masala + 🌿 dhania.