QuikFix

Serves: 2 Preparation time: 5 minutes Ingredients: 4-6 slices white or brown bread 1 teaspoon cooking oil (canola/ vegetable or olive) Salt and chilli powder to taste Method: Cut the slices of bread into cubes. In a non-stick frying pan, add a teaspoon of oil and put the bread slices in. Stir. When they are semi-crispy, add salt and chilli powder. It is ready when the bread pieces turn darker in colour and crispy.

Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 2 tablespoon semolina (also called suji or rawa) 500 gm desiccated coconut 4-5 peeled cardamom seeds (only seeds, not skin) 250 gm sweetened condensed milk Method: In a frying pan, dry roast semolina. Add coconut. Add cardamom seeds. Then, pour sweetened condensed milk. Mix them all till it forms a thick consistency. Turn off heat and pour the mix onto a flat tray. Cool it in the refrigerator. Then, with a knife cut it in diamond shapes. Each diamond is a barfi. For Ladoo: Turn off heat and while the mix is still warm, scoop out portions and roll them in your palms to form balls. The balls become harder and look nicer when they cool down. You can store these in a box in fridge and have them over a few days.

Serves: 3 Preparation time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 6 chicken drumsticks 4 medium potatoes, cut in half 1 medium onion chopped 8-10 cloves garlic freshly pounded 3-4 green chillies sliced along the length 100 gm plain yoghurt 1 teaspoon cooking oil 1 tablespoon ghee Biryani masala 2 tablespoon white vinegar Steamed basmati rice Method: In a deep pan, put cooking oil. When it is warm, add onion, garlic. Stir to fry. Add potatoes and chicken pieces. Stir to fry. Add biryani masala and yoghurt. Cover and cook till potato and chicken are soft, and the oil separates from the gravy. In a wide and deep bowl, arrange steamed rice and the cooked chicken in layers. Garnish with warm ghee. Serve hot. The taste improves with time. So it is a good idea to cook this the night before you plan to have it.