Grilled Cheese

2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, cut into 3 even pieces

2 slices hearty white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm or Arnold

2 to 4 slices American, cheddar, or Jack cheese

Kosher salt

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 piece of butter over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add both bread slices and cook, swirling occasionally, until pale golden brown on bottom sides, about 2 minutes.

Transfer bread to a work surface, toasted side up. Place cheese slices on top of one slice, then close sandwich, with both toasted sides facing inward.

Add 1 piece of butter to skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until melted. Add sandwich and cook, swirling occasionally and pressing with your hand or a cooking weight, until deep, even golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, transfer sandwich to work surface. Add remaining butter to skillet, cook until melted, then return sandwich to skillet, toasted side up. Season with salt. Cook, swirling occasionally, until second side is deep, even golden brown and cheese is thoroughly melted, about 5 minutes; if cheese isn't fully melted, cover skillet and continue to cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi bele bhath is a rice-based dish with its origins in the state of Karnataka, India.

It is usually served with Raita and Papad.

Rice - 1 cup

Thuvar Dhal - 1/2 cup

Oil - 3 tbsp.

Shallot - 10

Green Chilli - 2, slit

Drumstick, Eggplant, Carrot, Tomato - 1 1/2 cup

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

Salt

Tamarind Juice - 1/2 cup

For Ground Paste:

Red Chilli - 2

Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp.

Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp.

Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dhal - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Peppercorn - 1 tsp

Fenugreek - 1 tsp

Asafetida - 1/4 tsp

Coconut - 2 tbsp., grated

For Tempering:

Ghee - 1 tbsp.

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli - 2

Curry Leaves

In a pressure cooker add the Rice and Thuvar Dhal along with 3 1/2 cups of Water. Close the lid and pressure cook for 5 whistles. Keep aside and allow the Pressure to come down naturally.

Dry roast Red Chilli, Coriander seeds, Channa Dhal, Sesame seeds, Urad Dhal, Cumin seeds, Peppercorn, Fenugreek, Asafetida and grated Coconut. Allow this mixture to come down naturally and grind to a fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat Oil in a large pan. Sauté Sambhar Onion and Green Chilli for few seconds. Add the Vegetables and fry for few seconds. Stir in Turmeric, Sambhar powder and required Salt; sauté for another 30 sec. Add 1/2 cup Water and Tamarind Juice; cook closed for 15 min or until the Vegetables are soft. Once the Vegetables are done stir in the cooked Rice-Dhal mixture along with the prepared Spice paste. Mix thoroughly and cook closed for another 5 min. Transfer the prepared Bisi Bele Bath to the serving dish.

Temper Mustard, Fenugreek, Red Chilli and Curry Leaves in Ghee and garnish the above Rice.

Serve with Appalam / Chips.

Paneer Paratha

Paneer - 1 cup, grated

Onion - 1, diced

Green Chilli - 2, minced

Ginger - 1/2 tsp, grated

Ajwain - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Cilantro

Salt

Chappatti Dough

In a bowl, add the grated Paneer along with diced Onion, minced Green Chillies, grated Ginger, Ajwain, Turmeric, Chilli Powder, Amchur powder, Garam Masala, Cilantro and required Salt. Mix well and keep aside.

​Take a lemon sized ball from the Chapatti Dough and spread it with your hands. Stuff the Dough with 1/4 cup of the stuffing mixture and seal the edges; shape the stuffed Dough into a ball. Spread the ball like a Chapatti making sure not to tear the Dough and spill the stuffing. Sprinkle Flour on the Dough while spreading as needed to prevent the Dough from sticking to the Surface.

Place the rolled out Paratha on a hot tawa and allow cooking for 15 seconds. Flip the Paratha and let it cook for a few more seconds. Keep on flipping and cooking until all the Dough is completely done. Smear with Ghee on both the sides and remove form heat.

Serve hot Paratha with Pickle or Raita.