How to make perfect hard-boiled eggs

Making perfect hard boiled eggs have always been a challenge for me in the past. I have always liked to eat hard boiled eggs for breakfast, but they never came out perfect. Sometimes the shell was broken, sometimes they became runny and sometimes simply too hard, and uncooked at a lot of times. So I thought maybe it is really very difficult to do them perfectly. And I was totally convinced, until I discovered this wonderful method of doing the hard boiled eggs perfectly, and realized how wrong I actually was !!

Here I shall show a really simple method of making the perfect hard-boiled eggs. The first thing I did after the success of boiled eggs was to prepare Punjabi Egg curry.

1. Add the eggs to the pan in which boiling, single layer. I boil 4 at a time, but if boiling more, you will need more water, hence more time. 
2. Fill up the container with water so all the eggs are fully immersed in water.
3. Add a bit of salt, 1/2 tsp. should be okay. This keeps the egg shells from breaking and also becoming runny.
4. Heat this vessel on the highest temperature and bring the water to a rolling boil. This should take 6-7 minutes for about 6 eggs.
5. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Leave for 10-12 minutes. This might vary with temperature of the place you live in, the vessel used and the number of eggs done together. 
6. I use induction cooking range so it stays hot for quite sometime. If using stove-top, cover and simmer the heat to a minimum for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave for another 12 minutes. 
7. The eggs should be done within 12 minutes. To be extra safe, wait another 2 minutes. Or if doing a large batch, try and break open a single egg to check. If it is not done, boil for another 2 minutes. This method can never overcook eggs even if left covered for 20 minutes. 

Aaloo Matar Sabzi (Potato-peas)

Simple Aaloo matar subzi for the weekdays, light on platter and easy, quick to make with the minimal ingredients readily available in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (cubed): 4
Peas: 1 cup
Tomato (chopped): 1
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Ginger (chopped): 1 inch
Garlic (chopped): 3 cloves
Onion (sliced): 1
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, let them splutter.
2. Add the onions and saute them until they become transparent. Add the garlic and fry for about a minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, green chilli and ginger. Mix well. Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric. Let this mix cook for about a minute.
4. Add the potatoes and mix well. Fry them with the masala for another minute. Add the peas and mix well. Add little water and close the pressure cooker. 
5. Cook until two whistles. Remove from heat, let the pressure escape, open and serve hot. Garnish with coriander leaves (optional).

Beetroot Raita

When I first wanted to make beetroot raita, I was very sceptical  about how would it taste. So I kept on procrastinating the idea of preparing it for weeks; but just yesterday I got the opportunity. So, with hesitation, I tried to make a colourful beetroot raita, and the outcome was super delicious..

Ingredients:

Beetroot: 1/2
Yoghurt: 1 cup
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp.
Tawa fry masala/Chaat masala
Salt: to taste

1. Grate beetroot and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Temper the cumin seeds and add the grated beetroot. Fry for about a minute.
3. Add the tawa fry masala/ chaat masala. Mix and turn off the heat. Add this tempering to the yoghurt. Mix and serve chilled.

Chocolate Strawberry

I simply love strawberries.. and chocolates. And who doesn't? But how would the combination be of both? Yes, just super yummy (add all other adjectives). The simple way to make this is by the use of melted chocolates/ nutella.

1. Wash the strawberries and pat dry. Keep aside.
2. Heat nutella in a microwave for about 10 seconds, till it is of a bit of liquid consistency. You can also melt dark chocolates in the microwave. Do not microwave for long, or it might burn.
3. Roll all the strawberries in the melted chocolate and keep on aluminium foil/butter paper. Add edible toppings if you want. 
4. Set in the refrigerator to set for about an hour. Take out and savour.  

Masala Pulao (Spiced Rice)

This spiced and flavourful rice can be an amazing companion for a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries, or can simply be served just like that with a variety of raita for a light dinner/lunch. I have made it many times and have served with Kaju Curry Korma, Punjabi Dal Fry and Malai Kofta for the vegetarian menus, and also with Dahi Masala Kadhai Chicken and Thai Chicken Curry for the non-vegetarian lunch/dinner with Boondi Raita, Garlic Raita etc. and it has always been a hit.

Easy to prepare with an aromatic blend of spices, this can offer a versatility and change from the regular menu. Here's how to prepare this:

Ingredients:

Rice: 2 cups
Onion (sliced): 1
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Cloves: 3
Peppercorns: 1/4 tsp.
Bay leaves: 2
Cinnamon Stick: 1/2 inch.
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.

1. Wash and soak the rice in water for about 30 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a deep-bottomed vessel (in which you cook rice) and temper the cumin seeds. Add onions and sauté till they are transparent.
3. Add the cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns and bay leaves. Let them fry for about 2 minutes till they start releasing wonderful aroma.
4. Add the drained rice to the pan and mix well. Let cook for about a minute. 
5. Add 2 cups of water to the pan and let cook on medium flame till all the water is absorbed. Remove from flame and serve hot.

Tandoori Roti in Oven

Tandoori Roti has always been loved by me.. Every restaurant we used to visit, we order either tandoori roti or naan, which is wonderfully satisfying and tastes amazing, specially with any non-vegetarian dish. Traditionally this is prepared in a big tandoor, but can be prepared in the regular oven as well. There will be a slight difference in the colour and texture because it is very different from the tandoor, but there is no compromise in taste.. Made with whole wheat, I served these with Dhaba Style Chicken Curry. These are best eaten hot, because when cooled down, they become hard and stiff, not easy to eat.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat: 2 cups
Water as required
Salt (optional)
Butter/Ghee: to grease the surface and to top the rotis.

1. Mix the salt with the wheat flour (if using, I did not use any).
2. Knead to a soft dough just liek we do for chappatis. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
3. Pinch out balls and roll into chappatis, just that the chappatis be a bit thicker than the usual which we cook on a girdle. Roll all the chappatis.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 for 10 minutes. 
5. Grease a baking tray well and place all the rolled chappatis over the top. Set in oven and reduce temperature to 150. Turn after 3-4 minutes, keep a watchful eye so as not to burn the rotis from one side. 
6. Let cook from both sides, remove carefully from oven, top with ghee/butter and serve hot.

Dhaba Style Chicken Curry

Dhaba (or Indian eateries) have always been my favourite. We have been doing a lot of road trips and many of them were via the area of Punjab. So, dhaba food was always welcome; specially non-vegetarian food. The dhaba style chicken curry has always been loved by all. The speciality is that it's easy to prepare with just the basic ingredients, and you can enjoy the spiced, aromatic Dhaba style Chicken in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

Chicken: 200 gm.
Onion: chopped and blended (1)
Tomato puree of one tomato
Ginger-garlic paste: 3 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Salt: to taste
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon stick: 1/2 inch
Bay leaves : 2
Fennel seeds. 1/2 tsp.
Whisked yoghurt: 4 tsp.
Mustard oil: 4 tsp.

1. Wash the chicken well and sprinkle turmeric powder and keep aside.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan (for this recipe, mustard oil is necessary; if replaced with another oil, it will lose its taste). Temper cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and fennel seeds. 
3. Add onion + ginger-garlic paste. I chop onions, ginger and garlic and blend in a mixer. Else could be made separately into a paste. Let cook until it starts leaving oil on the sides. This step is very important, otherwise you will get raw taste. 
4. Add the tomato puree. Mix well and add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and cumin powder. Mix well and let cook until this masala starts leaving oil on the sides. 
5. Add the chicken and yoghurt and mix well. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove cover and serve hot with Roomali Roti