Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup corn kernels
• 2–3 tbsp oil (for popping)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (or white sugar)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Instructions: 

1. Pop the Corn:
   ● Heat a wide pan with a little oil.
   ● Add the corn kernels and toss them in the oil.
   ● Cover the pan and wait for the kernels to pop into fluffy popcorn.
   ● Once done, transfer the popcorn to a separate bowl.
2. Prepare the Caramel:
   ● In the same pan, add butter and a little oil.
   ● Once melted, add brown sugar (or white sugar).
   ● Melt the sugar slowly over medium heat. Do not stir with a spoon continuously, otherwise the sugar will stick to the spoon and crystallize. Stir only occasionally.
   ● Let the sugar caramelize and turn a rich brown color.
3. Add Baking Soda:
   ● Add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
   ● The caramel will froth and turn shiny, creating a beautiful glaze for your popcorn.
4. Coat the Popcorn:
   ● Pour the caramel over the popped corn.
   ● Gently mix to coat each piece. The caramel may harden quickly, causing the popcorn to stick together.
5. Separate and Cool:
   ● Transfer the sticky popcorn onto a plate or tray.
   ● Let it slightly cool down for 2–3 minutes, and then, using clean, dry hands, gently separate the pieces. Be careful, it might be hot.
6. Serve or Store:
   ● Enjoy your crunchy, shiny caramel popcorn!
   ● Store any leftovers in an airtight container for later snacking.

Veg Fried Rice

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups cooked rice (preferably leftover rice from the fridge)
• 1–2 tsp oil
• 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2–3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 5–6 beans, finely chopped
• 1/2 capsicum, diced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp red chili sauce
• 1 tbsp green chili sauce
• Salt as per taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Spring onion leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions: 

1. Prepare the Rice:
   • Leftover rice from the fridge works best.
   • If you’re using freshly cooked rice, cook it normally and let it sit uncovered for a few hours so the steam escapes. This prevents the rice from getting mushy while frying.
2. Prep the Veggies:
   • Chop all the vegetables finely and diced those that need quick cooking, like capsicum.
3. Cook the Base:
   • Heat oil in a pan. 
   • Add chopped garlic and let it lightly brown. 
   • Then add chopped green chilies and sauté briefly. 
   • Next, add onions and cook until they change color slightly.
4. Add the Veggies:
   • Add the finely chopped carrots and beans. Mix well and cook until they are tender but still slightly crisp. 
   • Capsicum is added last because it cooks very quickly. Stir it in just before adding the sauces. 
   • You may add little salt here. But be careful as many sauces already contain a small amount of salt, and your rice may also have some salt from cooking. 
5. Prepare the Sauce:
   • In a small bowl, mix soy sauce (slightly more than the other sauces), red chili sauce, and green chili sauce. Keep it aside.
6. Combine Everything:
   • Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked veggies and mix well. 
   • Add the rice and fold gently so every grain is coated with the sauce and mixed evenly. 
   • Add chopped coriander leaves and mix again.
   • Taste for some extra salt. If your cooked rice doesn’t have any salt, you can adjust and add a little more as needed.
7. Serve:
   • Garnish with chopped spring onion leaves and serve hot.

Suran Bhaji Recipe (Elephant Foot Yam Curry)

Ingredients: 

• 250–300 g elephant foot yam (suran) – chopped into small pieces
• 1–2 tsp coriander seeds (dhaniya)
• 2–3 dry red chillies (sukhi lal mirch)
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• ½ cup freshly grated coconut (nariyal)
• Small lemon-sized ball tamarind (imli) – soaked in warm water
• 2–3 tbsp oil
• Whole garam masala – cloves (laung), cinnamon (dalchini), cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (adrak-lehsun paste)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (lal mirch)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• Salt – to taste
• Water  as needed

Instructions: 

1. Prepare the coconut masala:
   • Dry roast coriander seeds and red chillies and keep separate.
   • Add a little oil and roast half the onion until light brown.
   • Add grated coconut and stir continuously until light brown and aromatic.
   • Let it cool and grind into a paste. For a gravy, grind finely; for a sabzi, keep it coarse.
2. Prepare tamarind water:
   • Soak tamarind in warm water and keep aside.
3. Cook the base:
   • Heat oil in a kadai and add whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamon, cumin).
   • When they splutter, add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown and translucent.
   • Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.
   • Stir in red chilli powder and turmeric; cook for a minute.
4. Combine masala and tamarind:
   • Add the coconut masala paste and mix well.
   • Pour in tamarind water and cook for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
5. Cook the yam:
   • Add the chopped elephant foot yam and salt.
   • Add enough water to cover the yam.
   • Cook on medium flame until the yam is soft and tender, stirring gently.
   • Cooking of yam might take some time. You can also pressure cook yam separately for 2 whistles and add them to base curry.
6. Serve:
   • Once the yam is cooked, check seasoning and serve hot as a curry or sabzi.