In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, sooj, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and cloves.

Mix wet ingredients into the dry, besides the milk. The milk will help form the dough.

Add the warmed milk slowly into the dough, and keep mixing to form a slightly firm yet smooth dough. Knead batter for 10-15 minutes. The dough is wet, so don’t be afraid that it is sticky.

Dust your working surface with flour. Divide the kneaded dough into four portions. Roll each portion of the dough into a large thick circle with a rolling pin. Roll until the circle is 1/8″ thick.

Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut into 1/2″ width long horizontal strips. Cut these strips vertically so that you achieve diamond cuts.

Fry shakarparas in an air-fryer at 375 degrees F for 5-6 minutes depending on size of cookie.
Once fried, cool shakarparas for 5 minutes and enjoy.

Step 1 Prepare the marinade
For the marination, take a bowl and mix chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, egg ,corn flour and salt together. This marination step is very important and will give this chicken recipe real flavour. You can keep it in the refrigerator for later use if necessary.

Step 2 Shallow fry the marinated chicken
Now, take a deep-bottomed pan and heat oil in it over medium flame. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, carefully put the marinated chicken pieces in the oil and shallow fry them till cooked or golden from both sides.

Step 3 Now ,take another deep-bottomed pan and heat oil and ghee in it over medium flame add tomato ketchup, chili garlic sauce, black pepper. Coat the cooked chicken.

Step 4 Now, remove and cook the chicken pieces This step will make the chicken crispier. Once done, add the green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaf. Mix well till the chicken pieces are well coated and continue to cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Transfer the dish in a serving bowl and garnish it with chopped spring onions.

Step 5 Enjoy your Chicken 65
Chicken 65 is ready. Serve as a snack or you can pair this easy snack recipe with drinks of your choice. Prepare this delectable snack on weekends or when guests are coming over!

About the cook: Anitra is a proud caker, baker, party maker. She loves entertaining her friends and family. She attributes her love of cooking to her mother. "I loved how my mom could transform simple basic elements into an experience. Her meals brought us together, and that's how we stayed connected. That's what I do with my family."

About the dish: A Touchdown for the Tastebuds An exotic, bite-size alternative to the traditional buffalo chicken. Just like the big game, this Indian-inspired appetizer takes you on an exciting ride. First, there's a rich sauce with smoky, spicy, and savory flavors that coat the chicken. Then, there's a cool creamy cucumber sauce atop a lightly toasted naan flatbread!

National Origin: Indian

Serves: 10

Estimated Time: 30 to 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups plain yogurt
1 cucumber
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp
ground cumin
2 tbsp dillweed
1 tsp salt
1 red onion
4 tbsp olive oil
20pcs naan bread
1 handful fresh mint leaves
2 tsp coriander powder
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic
3 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ginger powder
2 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp ground curry
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken

Preparation:

1-First, we’ll make our cucumber raita. Then, we will lightly toast our bread. Next, we will prepare our chicken. Last, we’ll put it all together for one big, delicious win!

2-Creamy Cucumber Raita: (a medium cucumber) Cut the cucumber in half. Set one half aside. Peel the other half of the cucumber. Then cut it in half lengthwise scoop out seeds, then cut into thin slices (slivers) or you could grate it with a cheese grater. In a bowl, stir 2 cups of yogurt until it is smooth. Mix in cumin, garlic, dill, and coriander. Combine mixture with cucumber slivers, sprinkle with cayenne or paprika, and chill before serving.

3-Lightly brush the naan flatbread minis with olive oil on flat side. Cook the flat side on medium heat for about 30 seconds and then remove from saucepan.

4-Tandoori Chicken: In a small bowl, blend all the spices with a whisk. Add the spice blend to remaining yogurt. Mix until fully incorporated. Adjust spices to your preference. (I tend to go heavy with cumin and garlic.) Add shredded (pulled) chicken to yogurt mixture. Stir until chicken is well-coated. Over medium-low heat, pour in remaining olive oil in medium saucepan. Add chicken and cook for 7-10 minutes. Keep on low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.

5-Time for the “Tastebud Touchdown”: Place naan flatbread minis on plate. Spoon some of the cucumber raita on naan. Pile on a mound of the tandoori chicken. Garnish with a sliver of purple onion, add a small dollop of cucumber raita, and a slice of cucumber. For a refreshing finish, top with mint! Lighter Fare (& Gluten-Free): You can substitute the naan flatbread minis for cucumber discs instead. A hearty gluten-free alternative!

6- Garnishes: Take the remaining cucumber and slice it into discs. Peel then cut (small) red onion into slices. Cut mint from stem.

HELPFUL TIPS: Cucumber Garnish- A mandoline (slicer) is handy for making uniform, even cucumber slices. A medium cucumber is best. Cucumber Raita- You can grate cucumber (instead of slicing) with a cheese grater. Tandoori Sauce- Can be made in an hour or two in advance. You can buy a pre-mixed Tandoori Spice Mix to save time. Chicken: A store-bought rotisserie chicken saves on cooking time. Spice blend: Spice blend can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature until ready to add to yogurt.Favorite

About the cook:

About the dish: This recipe is inspired by the vegetarian koftas (Indian meatballs) my mom used to make when I was growing up. I have tried to elevate it into meatless scotch eggs with a layer of mince soya made of split chickpeas and paneer. The rhubarb sauce adds a punch to the dish. All these indian flavors are sure to tickle your taste buds!

National Origin: Indian

Serves: 4

Estimated Time: 1 to 2 Hours

Ingredients:

For split chickpeas (chana dal) filling
1/2 cup Split chickpeas
1 cup water
salt and white pepper

For paneer (indian cottage cheese) filling
2 cups grated Paneer
salt and white pepper

For rhubarb sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
3 large stalks of rhubarb thinly sliced
100 ml water
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
Salt to taste

For mango achari (pickle) cream
3 tbsp Mango Achhar (Pickle)
100 gms Yogurt
2 -3 tbsp Fresh Cream
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder(raw mango powder)
Salt (if needed)

For beetroot pickled pearl onions
1½ cups white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried mint
8 ounces pearl onions, peeled, halved
½ small beet, peeled, halved

For crispy rhubarb shavings
Rhubarb stalks-1
Salt, pepper, seasoning
oil to drizzle

For spiced minced soya (Spiced Soya keema)
1 1/2-2 Cups Soy chunks
1 Onion , chopped
1 Green Chillies , chopped (optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
1 Black cardamom
2 Cloves
5 Whole Black Peppercorns
1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder (optional)
1/1 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp meat masala
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1-2 Boiled mashed potatoes(depends on the size you using, it should just bind the keema mixture)
Salt , to taste
Oil , as required

Preparation:

For split chickpeas (chana dal) filling – Pressure cook the chana dal with some salt in the water till the dal is fully cooked. Drain and mash it well. Avoid using turmeric or just a pinch only as we don’t want the color of the turmeric to bleed into the white paneer filling when preparing the eggs. Add white pepper. (avoid using black pepper, so that it doesn’t show when u cut the egg)

For paneer (indian cottage cheese) filling – Grate the paneer, add salt and white pepper (avoid using black pepper, so that it doesn’t show when u cut the egg) you can add some cornflour if needed to bind the paneer filling together.

For Spiced Soya keema – Boil some water and soak the Soya chunks into the hot water for 30 min. Once the granules have fully absorbed the water, take them out and squeeze them to drain extra water. Mince all the using a grinder. Heat oil, add cumin seeds into the pan. Once the seeds start to sputter, add bay leaf, black cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and sauté it for 2 minutes. Now add the finely chopped onions into the pan and cook it for 5-7 minutes or till the time they are golden in color. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and give it a good stir. Now add the ginger garlic paste, chopped green chili and let this mixture cook for 5 minutes or till the time oil gets separated from the spices. Add minced soya, salt and garam masala powder, lemon juice into the pan and give it a good stir. Cook it for 5 minutes and make sure that soya is not sticking to the bottom. If needed,add very little water, cover the pan and cook for few more minutes. For binding the mixture together add boiled mashed potato to it. Adjust seasoning and add very finely chopped coriander into the prepared keema and mix well.

For rhubarb sauce – Heat the olive oil in a pot and sautéed the onions and garlic for about 8 mins until softened. Stir in the remaining ingredients,bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 mins until the rhubarb is completely broken down and the sauce has thickened.Blend it well to have a smooth sauce.

For beetroot pickled pearl onions – Bring vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds, salt, and mint to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Reduce heat to a simmer and add pearl onions and beet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Pluck out and discard beet (the onions will continue to take on color as they sit). Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving. The flavor will mellow as it sits. Onions can be pickled 3 weeks ahead.

For Mango achari cream – Mix the pickle, yogurt, cumin powder, amchur and salt together. Add cream. Add in more for desired consistency. Strain to get a smooth sauce.

For Rhubarb shavings – Clean rhubarb stalks and trim ends. With a vegetable peeler, gently peel the red skin of the rhubarb off in order to create shavings. Season your rhubarb shavings with a bit of oil, salt, pepper, and optional lemon pepper or lemon garlic.Place on greased baking sheet. Transfer to the oven for 15 minute. Toss the shavings half way to make sure they are getting crispy. thinner shavings will cook faster. Once crispy, remove from oven.

For Assembling – Start with making the eggs. Make a small ball of the chickpea mixture. This is the yellow part of the egg. Then cover it with paneer filling making an egg shape. This is the white of the egg. Next cover that with the soya keema mixture.This replaces the meat in the traditional scotch eggs. Dip each egg in flour, then egg then breadcrumbs, repeat it for crispier coating around the egg. Deep Fry the eggs till they have a nice golden brown color and drain them on the kitchen towel. Once cool enough to touch, slice from the centre revealing all the scotch egg layers.
Serve with rhubarb sauce, achari cream, pickled onions, crisp rhubarb shavings and some beet leaves.Favorite

About the cook: Ashfaque Manzer is a 36 year old IT professional, whose real passion is cooking. He also loves to travel to new places, take lots of pictures and entertain people with good food and company. His dream in life is to become a successful restaurateur. For now, he dotes on his two daughters by taking them hiking and cooking their favorite dishes. He is also trying to combine his love for cooking and photography by capturing mouth-watering pictures of the food he makes and posting them on his social media platforms. On a relaxing day, he can be found leisurely spread on his couch, watching and learning from food videos.

About the dish: An exquisite dish from the cultural state of West Bengal, India. This dish is perfect to easily prepare and impress your guests and family members.

National Origin: Indian

Serves: 4

Estimated Time: Over 2 Hours

Ingredients:

10-12 Cashew nuts
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 kg Chicken (tastes better with bone-in chicken)
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 cup Yogurt
2 tbsp Oil
3 tbsp Ghee
3-4 Clove
6-8 Black pepper corns
2-inch Cinnamon
2 Green cardamom
2 Black cardamom
4-5 Dry red chilies
1 tsp White pepper powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder (Optional)
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 cup Onion paste
1 tbsp Ghee
2-3 drops Kewra essence
Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak cashew nuts and poppy seeds in warm water for 10 minutes.
• Make a smooth paste in a blender.
• Mix chicken, ginger paste, garlic paste and yogurt in a bowl and marinate for at least an hour. Preferably overnight.
• Heat ghee mixed with a little oil in a pan.
• When the ghee is hot, add cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom and dry red chilies.
• Fry for 5-10 seconds.
• Pick chicken pieces from the marinade and fry on high heat for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the remaining marinade, cashew nut and poppy seeds paste, white pepper powder, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder in the pan.
• Add the onion paste and 1 cup water.
• Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 40-50 minutes.
• Add ghee and kewra essence and mix well.
• Serve hot with rice or rumali roti or lachha paratha.Favorite

About the cook: Hi, I'm Brette- mom, wife, and out-of-home baker! My love for baking goes back to my mom's scraggly old worn out cookbook when I was a kid. The dessert recipe section was my little haven. Now I run my own little cake operation from my home (what you'd call a cottage kitchen!). Cake making for me is the perfect combination of art and science- I get such a thrill from playing around with new flavor combinations and new design ideas! When I'm not baking, you'll find me playing with my little boy, out for a run, or probably doing endless dishes!

About the dish: I wanted something different than your typical old vanilla or chocolate cake. This tahini coconut cupcake will give your mouth a totally new experience with cake! Don't be fooled by the tropical sounding name: With it's warm and nutty notes from the tahini, to the sweet crunch from the coconut you get all the early fall feels!

National Origin: American-Mediterranean

Serves: 4

Estimated Time: 1 to 2 Hours

Ingredients:

Tahini Cupcakes

1 cup & 2 tbsp flour
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1 egg
6 tbsp maple syrup
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ cup milk
¼ cup oil
¼ cup water
½ cup tahini

Coconut Buttercream

3 sticks butter softened
5 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
½ tsp lime juice
3 tbsp coconut cream (if it has separated into liquid and solids, mix it up before using)
1-2 tbsp milk

Toasted Coconut (For Topping)

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Preparation:

Cupcakes:
Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon so they are evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, buttermilk, oil, water, and tahini until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated together and there are no pockets of dry ingredients left. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Buttercream:
Beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add in the vanilla, coconut extract, coconut cream, and lime juice and beat for a few seconds to incorporate. Add one third of the powdered sugar in intervals. Mix in between each addition of powdered sugar until all the sugar is added and the buttercream is well blended and smooth. If it’s too thick to work with, add a tablespoon or two of milk and mix until incorporated and desired consistency is achieved. Using a knife spread a nice even layer of buttercream on each tahini cupcake. (I like to pipe my cupcakes using cake decorating bags and tips, but not everyone has these on hand, so a knife will also do the trick just fine!)

Toasted Coconut:
You can toast the coconut a few days in advance and store in an airtight container until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 325. On a parchment paper lined pan, spread the coconut in a thin even layer. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir the coconut around to ensure even toasting. Bake it for another 3-5 minutes, until flecked with golden brown spots. Allow to cool before using. Sprinkle coconut on frosted cupcakes (I use about 1 1/2 tsp of toasted coconut per cupcake)Favorite

About the cook: I am Dr. Sajida Afzal. I love to cook as it relaxes me. I like to cook Pakistani food and international food as well. My main inspiration for cooking is my mother. I Have always seen her cooking and learned from her. While being in Germany I miss Pakistani food that is why I always try to find an easy way to cook the food. I always put my own essence in the recipe by using different spices and different amount of spices. I have recently started my youtube channel named dhaabacuisine to promote my cooking.

About the dish: Crispy Veg Pakora is made with gram flour/chickpea flour and is one of the most famous snacks from Pakistan. We make it with different veggies or even with chicken.

National Origin: Pakistan

Serves: 4

Estimated Time: 30 to 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 Potato (medium size)
1 Onion (medium size)
1 Green Chili (julienne cut)
100g Baby Spinach
50g Cabbage (thinly sliced)
150g Chickpea Flour
½ tsp Red Chilli Flakes
¼ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Dried Coriander Seeds (powder or raw)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tbsp Fresh Coriander (finely sliced, optional)
Salt to taste
Water (as required for semi-thick batter)
250ml Oil (for deep or shallow fry)

Preparation:

1. Peel potatoes and cut them into thin layers. Slice onions and cabbage thinly. Rinse baby spinach to remove all dirt and roughly dice it.
2. Add chickpea flour to a bowl, add all vegetables, chili flakes, turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and salt.
3. Mix them with a spatula/spoon/hand and start adding water slowly until consistency reaches a semi-thick batter.
4. Now add fresh coriander, skip this step if you don’t like coriander.
5. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, wok, or fryer at medium flame. We will not cook pakora on high flame.
6. Now take the batter in a tbsp or by hand and start dropping small portions in the oil one by one. Don’t put many portions at a time and avoid crowding the pan.
7. Fry them while flipping from side to side until they get golden brown.
8. Place the finished product on a paper towel/kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
9. Serve with yogurt and mint dip.Favorite

About the cook: An architect, interior designer, a foodie, mom of two munchkins, love to explore the world.

About the dish: A main course royal dish inspired by Awadhi Cuisine with rich ingredients including Paneer (cottage cheese), Cream, Mava (Khoya), lots of nuts etc cooked in Ghee (clarified butter) to enhance its flavour.

National Origin: India

Serves: 2

Estimated Time: 30 to 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

For Paneer Roulade :
Paneer (Cottage Cheese) 250 gm whole
Spinach, 6-7 leaves
Dry Mango Powder [Amchur] 1tsp,
Unsweetened Mava (dried whole milk) 2 tbsp,
Red Chilli powder 1 tsp,
Garam Masala powder 1 tsp,
Canned pineapple chopped 2 tbsp,
Almonds, pistachios and Cashew nuts, finely crushed 2 tbsp,

For Yellow Shahi Gravy:
Ghee/Butter 3 tbsp
Onion, roughly chopped, 1 cup
Cashew nuts 2 tsp,
Almonds 1 tbsp,
poppy seeds 1 tsp,
Melon seeds 1 tbsp
Whole spices:
1 Bay leaf,
2-3 Cloves,
2-3 Green cardamom,
1 Black cardamom,
2-3 black pepper
1 Inch cinnamon,
Caraway or Shahi jeera 1 tsp
1 Star anise,
2 dry red chillis
Kasuri methi, 1 tbsp
Cardamon powder 1/2 tsp,
Saffron 1 pinch,
Salt to taste,
Yoghurt 1/2 cup,
Rose water 1 tsp
Dairy Cream 2 tbsp

Preparation:

For Palak Paneer Roulade:
Cut half the Paneer into thin slices.
Crumble rest of the paneer in a bowl, add amchur, mava, red chilli powder, salt, almonds, cashew nuts, pineapple and garam masala powder. Mix well.
add the filling on the slice of paneer and roll it in cylinder shape.
Blanch the Palak leaves and saute it in oil with garlic.
Wrap it on paneer rolls. Keep aside.

For Yellow Shahi Gravy :
Soak poppy seeds in 1 tablespoon water.
In a pan, boil onions, cashew nuts, almonds, melon seeds, ginger and garlic in 1.5 cups of water for 8-10 minutes till the onions are soft.
Strain the stock and keep aside.
Make a paste of the boiled ingredients with soaked poppy seeds by adding some strained stock to a smooth consistency.
In a pan heat oil, and fry whole garam masala, till the spices release its aroma.
Now add the prepared paste and saute it till the oil starts to leave the sides of the paste.
Add garam masala powder and stir.
Now add the whisked yoghurt, stock, salt and sugar. Stir well and simmer on low flame for 10-12 minutes till the gravy thickened slightly.
Whisk cream till smooth consistency and add in gravy.
Add cardamon powder, rose water and crushed saffron to enhance the flavor.
Put the paneer roll in the gravy carefully.
Serve hot with Nan or Paratha.Favorite

About the cook: I'm a nutrition and food coach living in San Diego California, and my goal is to spread the joy of healthy eating! Once you start having fun in the kitchen, and seeing how delicious healthy food can be, thats when nutrition becomes easy, and that's what I try to teach with every recipe.

About the dish: I am a huge fan of hummus, but I don't always love making it at home, because it takes a little bit of effort to get it as smooth as restaurant quality hummus.

By swapping the chickpeas with raw zucchini, this hummus becomes so creamy, so light and refreshing, and comes together so fast, it's my absolute favorite way to make hummus at home!

National Origin: Mediterranean

Serves: 6

Estimated Time: Under 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups small diced zucchini

6 tbsp tahini

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 tsp cumin

3-4 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender, and puree to desired consistency.Favorite