We all know how important food is, and what part it plays in our daily lives. It’s what makes any occasion “extra special”. Love is one of the key secret ingredient behind every good recipe; and to me nothing can seal the approval better than the smile that i see on my wife’s face after eating the dish I cook.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Cups of Basmati/Long Grained Rice
• 1 Green Bell pepper chopped length wise
• 1 Orange Bell pepper chopped length wise
• .5Cup of frozen corn
• .5 Beans chopped
• .5 Cup Cabbage Shredded
• 1 Big Onion sliced
• 1 Jalapeno pepper chopped
• 2 Green chilies chopped
• 1 Bunch of Spring Onions chopped
• 6 Garlic Flakes Chopped lengthwise
• 1.5 inch Ginger chopped lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp Soya Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sambal Oleak( this is used to get that kick that is needed in shezawan fried rice)
• 1 Tbsp jeera seeds
• 1 Tbsp of fresh / dried Mint leaves
• 1 tsp fresh Black pepper corns mashed lightly
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt as per taste.

METHOD:

* Heat about 1 Tb spoon of olive oil and add in jeera seeds and pepper corns and wait until jeera starts sputtering.
* To this add nicely washed basmati rice and fry for another 3 mins.
* Add 4 cups of water and cook the rice in an open pan until done and cool it.
* Now heat the remaining oil and add in onion and fry until the onions are browned.
* To this add garlic and fry until soft.
* Then add ginger and all the other veggies except cabbage and spring onion along with required amount of salt and fry them for another 2 mins. Note that the veggies need to be crisp.
* Now add in the spring onions and cabbage + soya souce+ sambal oleak and fry for just a min.
* Sereve hot.This is so tasty that it does not need any kind of ketchup or raitha.
* Enjoy!!!

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To add even more flavor to this Szechuan dish, feel free to garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving. Bang Bang Chicken serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound chicken meat (1/2 small chicken or 1 pound of chicken breasts, bone-in)
• 1 cucumber
• Salt, as needed, to desalt cucumbers
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon roasted Sichuan peppercorn, optional
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed paste (can substitute chunky peanut butter)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, red or black if possible
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame seed oil
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 – 2 tablespoons hot chili oil, or 1 – 2 teaspoons chili flakes, both optional
• 1 tablespoon shredded scallion (green onion, spring onion), white part only

PREPARATION:

1. In a large saucepan, bring enough water to cover the chicken to a boil. Add the chicken and cook in the boiling water for 20 minutes, until the chicken turns white and is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool.
2. Debone the chicken and cut into small strips as close to the size and thickness of matchsticks as possible.
3. Peel the cucumber, and cut into slices to match the chicken. Peel the carrot and cut into thin matchstick strips.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame seed paste or peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, sugar and hot chili oil or chili flakes.
5. To serve, arrange the cucumber slices on a serving platter. Lay the chicken on top. Add the Sichuan peppercorn if using. Pour the sauce over. Garnish with the carrot strips and shredded scallion.

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Made with hot chile peppers, chili oil is the secret ingredient in many Szechuan dishes. Besides its use in cooking, chili oil (also called hot chili oil or pepper oil) is frequently served as a condiment in dim sum or noodle restaurants. Like all hot oil infusions, the secret to making chili oil lies in getting the temperature of the heated oil just right. Too cool and the oil won’t absorb the flavors; too hot and the chili flakes will burn. Ideally, the temperature should be about 225 – 240 degrees Fahrenheit (107 to 122.5 degrees Celsius). For best results, use peanut or canola oil. You can also use olive oil if desired; just make sure it has a high enough smoking point. (Steer clear of extra virgin olive oil).

This is a basic recipe for chili oil. Once you’ve got the technique down, feel free to jazz it up by adding garlic, ginger, cumin, sugar or other spices. To make it even hotter, add more dried chiles or reduce the oil to 1/3 cup. The chili oil can be used almost immediately, but for best results leave the oil for a day to allow the flavors to blend.

Chili Oil Ingredients
10 – 12 small dried chilies (1 – 2 inches long) to make 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped chili flakes
1/2 cup peanut, canola, or olive oil.
1 tablespoon sesame oil, optional

Preparing the Dried Chiles

Cut off the stems of the dried chilies and remove the seeds.
Chop the chiles into coarse flakes (it’s easiest to do this by processing them in a blender for about 20 seconds).
(Handle the chile peppers with care – the oil in capsicum can be very dangerous for your skin and eyes. You may want to wear plastic gloves when handling the chile peppers. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward).
Placing the Chili Flakes in a Container

Place the chili flakes in a heat resistant jar with a seal.

Heating the Oil

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high to high heat until it is starting to smoke. Continue heating the oil for 20 – 30 seconds.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Wait 3 minutes, or until the oil has cooled to 225 – 240 degrees Fahrenheit (107 to 122.5 degrees Celsius).
Infusing the Oil With the Chili Flakes

Pour the oil over the flakes. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil if using.Cooling and Straining

Cool and strain the oil. (Be sure to save the chili flakes to use in other recipes).

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Traditional white birthday cakes are pretty boring
by themselves.  Scoop a little ice cream onto the
plate and I’ll perk up a bit.  But, hey baby, bring
a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake to the party and I’ll
be the first one in line with a plastic fork.  This
4500-unit ice cream chain stacks several varieties of
pre-made ice cream cakes in its freezer, but I’ve
discovered the most popular version, over and over
again, is the one made from white cake with pralines
and cream ice cream on top.  So that’s got to be the
version we clone here.  But don’t think you’re locked
into this formula – you can use any flavor of cake and
ice cream you fancy for your homemade masterpiece.
Just be sure the ice cream you choose comes in a box.
It should be rectangular shape so that the ice cream
layer stacks up right.  Then you’ll want to find a real
sharp serrated knife to cut the ice cream in half while
it’s in the box.  And check this out:  That white stuff
that coats the cake is actually softened ice cream spread
on a thin layer like frosting, and then re-frozen.
After it sets up, you can decorate the cake any way
you like with pre-made frosting in whatever color suits
your festive occasion.  Voilà!  You’ve just made an ice
cream cake at home that looks and tastes like those in the
stores that costs around 35 buck each.

Cake
1 box white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites

1/2-gallon box pralines and cream ice cream
4 cups (2 pints) vanilla ice cream
1 12-ounce container white frosting

Optional
colored frosting
A sharp bread knife makes box slicing easy

Ice cream on top of the cake, and all the trimming

1. Make your cake following the directions on the box.
If you are making the white cake you will likely blend
the cake mix with water, oil, and 3 eggs. Pour the batter
into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees
for 30 to 35 minutes. This will make a thin cake for our bottom
layer. When cake is done, let it cool to room temperature.
2. When the cake has cooled, carefully remove it from the
pan and place it on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet, or a
platter or tray that will fit into your freezer.
3. Use a sharp serrated knife (a bread knife works great)
to slice the ice cream lengthwise through the middle, box
and all, so that you have two 2-inch thick sheets of ice cream.
Peel the cardboard off the ice cream and lay the halves next
to each other on the cake. Slice the edges of the cake all
the way around so that the cake is the same size as the ice
cream on top. Work quickly so that the ice cream doesn’t melt.
When the cake has been trimmed, place it into the freezer
for an hour or two.
4. When you are ready to frost the cake, take the two pints
(4 cups) of vanilla ice cream out of the freezer for 20 to 30
minutes to soften. Sitr the ice cream so that it is smooth,
like frosting. Use a frosting knife or spatula to coat your
cake with about 2 cups of ice cream. Cover the entire surface
thoroughly so that you cannot see any of the cake or ice cream
underneath. Pop the cake into the freezer for an hour or so
to set up.
5. When the cake has set, fill a pastry bag (with a fancy tip)
with white frosting to decorate all around the top edge of the
cake. Also decorate around the bottom of the cake. Use colored
frosting and different tips to add inspired artistic flair and writing on the cake, as needed. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and keep it in your freezer until party time.
6. When you are ready to serve the cake, leave it out for 10
minutes before slicing. Cut the cake with a sharp knife that
has been held under hot water.
Makes 1 large cake (16 – 20 servings).

Tidbits
You may wish to use another flavor cake mix such as chocolate
or devil’s food for this dessert – even low-fat cake mix works.
It’s up to you. Just follow the directions on the box for making
the cake in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
You can also use any flavor of ice cream. Just be sure to get
it in a box.

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The truth is, the rub in this recipe is so good that the meat doesn’t even need a sauce, but if tomatoes are in season, whip up this cooked salsa for a colourful flourish. Fire-roast the vegetables over Direct High heat, then cook the meat over Direct Medium heat.

For the sauce:

8 ripe, plum tomatoes, stems removed
1 jalapeno, stem removed and seeded
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup roughly chopped red onion
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the rub:

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
Extra-virgin olive oil

To make the sauce: Grill the tomatoes and jalapeno over Direct High heat until black and blistered in spots, turning as needed. The tomatoes will take 4 to 6 minutes and the jalapeno will take 2 to 3 minutes. Put the tomatoes and jalapeno in a food processor along with the other sauce ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste, and process until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make the rub: In a small bowl combine the rub ingredients and crush them together with your fingertips.

Trim excess fat and silver skin from the tenderloins. Lightly brush or spray the tenderloins with olive oil. Spread the rub all over the tenderloin and press the spices into the surface of the meat.

Grill the tenderloins over Direct Medium heat until the centres are barely pink, 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove the tenderloins from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Thanks to www.weber.com

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A good soak in a seasoned brine puts osmosis to work inside your pork chops. The meat absorbs moisture and flavour, giving you a shot at your best chops yet. Note: The chops are first seared over Direct High heat and then finished over Indirect Medium heat.

For the brine:

3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 whole branches fresh rosemary
4 bone-in loin pork chops, about 1 inch thick each
Extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare the brine: In a medium bowl combine the salt and sugar. Pour 1 cup of hot water into the bowl, and whisk to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add 2 cups of cold water along with the remaining brine ingredients.

Place the pork chops in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the brine. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the brine, place the bag in a bowl, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove the pork chops from the bag and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Lightly brush or spray both sides of the chops with oil. Allow to stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before grilling. Sear the pork chops over Direct High heat for 6 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Continue grilling over Indirect Medium heat until the juices run clear, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve warm with an herbed pasta salad, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Thanks to www.weber.com

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• 4 pork steaks, 4″ to 6″ in diameter, just under 1/2″ thick to serve four
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground white pepper 1/2 ripe sweet red pepper, grated very fine
• 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. water
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. caraway seeds

Wipe the steaks well with a dry cloth. Trim all but a tiny thread of fat from the edges, and score the edges in several places to prevent the meat from curling.

Combine flour, salt, white pepper and red pepper in the water to make a thin paste. Dip the steaks in the paste, place on grill over high heat and cook 1 minute per side to set the coating, then reduce heat and cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning often. Brush with remaining coating liquid just before turning.

In a twist of aluminum foil at the end of the grill, heat the cayenne and caraway seeds while the steaks cook. Remove the steaks to serving plates, sprinkle with the seasoned caraway seeds and serve.

Thanks to www.ducane.com

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The grill adds a special dimension to this delicious, authentic Asian dish.

For the pork chops:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon anise seed, ground in a spice mill to make a powder
6 pork loin chops (about 6 ounces each), cut 1/2-inch thick

For the sauce:

1 cup chicken broth
2 roasted red peppers, quartered
5 apricots (about 1/2 pound), halved and pits removed or 5 dried apricots
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Soy sauce
Jasmine rice

To make the pork chops: In a small bowl combine soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and anise powder. Place pork chops in a large plastic resealable bag. Pour marinade over chops; close bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan place chicken broth, roasted red peppers, apricots, garlic, and lemon zest.

Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a blender or food processor, purée until smooth and thickened. Adjust consistency by adding more chicken stock to thin or using heat to reduce and thicken, as needed. Add soy sauce, to taste. Keep warm.

Remove chops from bag; discard marinade. Place chops in centre of cooking grate. Grill 12 to 16 minutes for medium (160°F/71°C) or 17 to 20 minutes for well-done (170°F/77°C), turning once halfway through grilling time.

Serve each chop with some sauce and jasmine rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Thanks to www.weber.com

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Don’t even try to find this one on the menu at Applebee’s,
because it isn’t there; though it’s the most popular soup
served each day at this huge restaurant chain.  This is the
first of several big-time soup clones we’ll unveil here in
the next few weeks to help get you through the cold winter
months. And they’re all a cinch to make. Just be sure you
have some oven-safe soup bowls for this one, since we’ll
have to broil it a bit before serving. Under the gooey
melted provolone of the original version you get from A
pplebee’s is a unique round crouton that’s made from bread
similar to a hamburger bun. So that’s exactly what we’ll use
in our clone.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 medium white onions, sliced
8 cups beef broth (Swanson is best)
1 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 plain hamburger buns
10 slices provolone cheese
10 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese

1. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large soup pot or saucepan
over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté
for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start
to become translucent. You don’t want them to brown.
2. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and
black pepper to the pan and bring mixture to a boil.
When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for
45 minutes.
3. To make the croutons cut off the top half of each top
of the hamburger bun so that the bread is the same thickness
as the bottom half of each bun. Throw the tops away. Now you
should have 10 round pieces of bread — 5 bottom buns, and 5
top buns with the tops cut off. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place the bread in the the oven directly on the rack and bake
for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown
and crispy. Set these croutons aside until you need them.
4. When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven-safe
bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice
of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon
of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone.
5. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the
soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and
starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are
making more than one bowl at a time). Sprinkle an additional
1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the
soup and serve. Repeat process to prepare remaining servings.
Makes 10 servings.

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4 cups cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas – thawed
2 tbsp finely grated carrot
2 eggs – beaten
½ cup diced onion
1½ tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt
pepper

Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups
water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat
and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes). Pour rice
into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator. Scramble
the eggs in a small pan over medium heat. Separate the scrambled
chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking. When rice
has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot,
scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl. Carefully toss all
of the ingredients together. Melt 1½ tbsp of butter in a large
frying pan over medium/high heat. When butter has completely
melted, dump the bowl of rice and other ingredients into the
pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper. Cook
rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Makes 4 servings.

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Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins’ idea to franchise their ice
cream stores for rapid growth was so inspired that the
company’s former milk shake machine salesman, Ray Kroc,
adopted the technique to successfully expand his new chain
of McDonald’s hamburger outlets.
Ice cream is this chain’s staple. So this coffee drink,
unlike the Frappuccino made famous by Starbucks, requires
adding ice cream for a creamy texture and rich taste.
If you’ve got a blender you can clone either of the two
varieties of this refreshing coffee beverage. For
chocoholics bent on everything mocha, just add some
chocolate syrup to the mix.

Cappuccino
1 cup double-strength coffee (see Tidbits)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping cup vanilla ice cream
2 cups crushed ice or ice cubes

Garnish
whipped cream
cinnamon

1. Combine the strong coffee, milk and sugar in a blender
and mix on medium speed for 15 seconds to dissolve sugar.
2. Add ice cream and ice then blend on high speed until smooth
and creamy.
3. Pour drink into two 16-ounce glasses. If desired, add
whipped cream to the top of each drink followed by a sprinkle
of cinnamon.
Makes 2 large drinks.

Mocha
For this version, add 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup to
the recipe above and prepare as described.

Tidbits
Make double-strength coffee in your coffee maker by adding
half the water suggested by the manufacturer. Allow coffee
to chill in the refrigerator before using it in this recipe.

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Servings Size: 1
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tsp Yeast, 1/2 tsp Brown sugar, 1 tsp Salt, 1 1/2 c Water,
4 c Bread flour, 2 tsp Baking soda, 2 c Warm water, 1/2 lb Butter,
2 Tbsp Honey, White sugar Brown sugar.
*********
Preparation Instructions: Mix yeast, brown sugar, dash of salt
and 1 1/2 cups water. Let sit for five minutes. Add bread flour.
Knead well. Let rise for about one hour. Grease baking sheet.
Mix baking soda and warm water. Take a piece of dough and roll
and shape into a pretzel. The easiest way to shape is to roll
into a rope, whatever size you prefer. Pinch ends of rope then
bring ends of rope to other side of circle. Dip pretzels in
warm water and baking soda mixture and put on baking sheet.
Bake at 425F for about 12 minutes. While still hot, brush
with melted butter and honey. Sprinkle with white and brown
sugar (approx. half and half mixture).

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Although the beef sandwiches from Arby’s would
be very hard to duplicate since they are made
from specially processed beef hunks, thinly sliced,
this fast food chain’s barbecue sauce can be cloned
easily. Now you can whip up this slightly tangy
sauce to put on your own homemade sandwich creations,
even barbecued ribs or chicken.

1 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook
over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins
to boil, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Remove the sauce from the heat. Cover and allow to cool.
3. Pour into a covered container for storage in your refrigerator.
Keeps for a month or two.
Makes 1 cup.

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