Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

 Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (2.5 oz / 71g) 
• 1/3 cup honey (4 oz/ 113g) 
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (6 oz /170g), at room temperature 
• 4 large eggs (7 oz /200g), at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (1.8 oz /50g) 
• 1 (15oz/ 425g) can unsweetened pumpkin puree 
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon  kosher salt (0.11 oz /3g) 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Brown the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  
3. Add honey and cook until it darkens some and you smell a savory nutty flavor. 
4. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream.
5. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. 
6. Add the brown sugar to the eggs and whisk until slightly lightened in color and foamy.
7. Add the pumpkin to the egg/sugar, then add the salt, spices and vanilla extract. Whisk really well to incorporate.
8. Slowly add the hot mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk as you add. 
9. Pout into your pie crust and bake at 325° for 45-60 minutes. 
10. It's done when the entire surface has puffed and is slightly domed and there is a slight wobble still in the pie. 

 

Fresh milled wheat pie crust

 Ingredients:

• 240g soft white wheat, sifted through a #40 sifter (You should mill around 320g, both for the loss after sifting, and also for some extra for working with the dough when rolling it out)
  
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 2 sticks cold butter
• 80-120g very cold water (1/3 - 1/2 cup) 

Directions: 

• Mill your flour and sift.
• Chill flour in the freezer or fridge (milling flour heats it up).
  
• In the bowl of a stand mixer/paddle attachment or food processor/metal blade, briefly pulse or whisk the flour, sugar and salt. 
• Add the butter pieces and mix until they are about thumb-nail size. You can also do this by hand by smashing all of the butter pieces with your thumb or a spoon. Then add the cold water and mix for just a few seconds until the water is incorporated.
• Flour your counter and remove the dough from your bowl. Bring it together and knead the dough about 5 times.
• Flour the counter again and the dough on all sides. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2" thick. Cut the dough in half, and fold each half into two small squares. Wrap them and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to three days. You can freeze the dough for up to three months. 
• After dough is chilled, roll out into desired pie shape/size.
  

 

Eggnog

  

Ingredients:

•  4 egg yolks 
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 4 egg whites

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.
2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Instant Pot Chicken Biryani

 Ingredients:

• 2 cup wada kolam rice, soaked 15-30 minutes, rinse a few times
• 6 tablespoons ghee 
• 2/3 cup cashews, halved
• 4 tablespoons golden raisins

Whole Spices

• 10 cardamom pods
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  

• 2 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons minced ginger
• 2-3 lbs pounds skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into quarters (cooked)
  

Ground Spices

• 4 teaspoons paprika
• 4 teaspoons salt, adjust to taste
• 2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

• 4 cup water
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 
  

Directions

1. Soak the rice in cold water for 15-30 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
2. Press the sauté button. Add the ghee to the pot. When it melts, add the cashews and raisins. Stir-fry until the cashews begin to turn golden. Remove the cashews and raisins. Set aside.
3. Add the whole spices and stir. Once they begin to sizzle add the onions. Stir-fry until they turn golden brown.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the ground spices and mix. 
6. Add chicken and stir to coat with spices
7. Dump the rice on top of the chicken (do not mix). Add water.
8. Sprinkle half the cilantro on top of the rice.
9. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 6 minutes at high pressure.
10. Naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Open the valve to release any remaining pressure.
11. Discard the whole spices. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and garnish with the ghee-coated cashews and raisins.

Fresh milled flour sourdough boule

 

 Ingredients:

• 520 grams fresh milled white whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 385 grams filtered water 
• 90 grams fed sourdough starter

Directions:

• Mix sourdough starter with water to incorporate.
• Add all ingredients together in a bowl and mix until incorporated.
• 15 minutes later, do a set of fold/slap/stretch to the dough (you'll want to have wet hands).
•  Repeat two more times every 15 minutes.
  
• Cover with plastic wrap and let sit out overnight. 
• The next day, proof in a banneton while coverd with plastic for 2-3 hours. 
• Preheat oven to 450 with a dutch oven inside. 
  
• Place dough on parchment paper and score dough.
  
• Put inside preheated dutch over with the lid on.
• Bake for 30 minutes with lid on. 
• Remove lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes. 
• Let cool for at least an hour before you slice.
  

Rogan Josh

 

Ingredients:

• 7 tbsp ghee 
• 2 cinnamon stick
• 12 green cardamom pods , lightly bruised
• 8 cloves
• 2 large onion , finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic , finely minced
• 2 tbsp ginger , finely grated
• 10 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp salt
• 3lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into cubes
• 3 cups chicken/vegetable stock 
• 1 cup greek yogurt
  

Spices:

• 4tbsp paprika 
• 2 tsp chilli powder, or less if you want it mild
• 8 tsp ground coriander
• 8 tsp ground cumin
• 4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp garam marsala
• 1 tsp fennel powder

Directions:

• Melt ghee over medium heat in large heavy based pot. Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and cook for one minute.
• Add onion and cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until pieces are golden and starting the brown on the edges.
• Add the garlic and ginger, cook for another minute.
• Stir in the Spices, cook for 30 seconds.
• Mix in the tomato puree and salt, then add stock and mix.
• Add lamb, stir, bring to simmer.
• Place lid on and adjust heat to low or medium low so it's simmering gently.
• Cook 1 hour 45 minutes, giving it an occasional stir, until lamb is quite tender - use 2 forks to check, it should pry apart pretty easily.
• Remove lid, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes (to reduce sauce slightly) - lamb should be very tender by this stage.
• Stir in the Yogurt,

Japanese Milk Bread

Ingredients:

For the starter (tangzhong)

• 45 grams bread flour
• ½ cup / 120 milliliters whole milk
• ½ cup / 120 milliliters water
  

For the dough

•  650 grams bread flour
•  120 grams sugar
•  14 grams active dry yeast
•  8 grams salt
•  2 eggs
•  1 cup / 240  milliliters warm whole milk, plus extra for brushing on the unbaked loaf
•  8 tablespoons / 120 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened at room temperature, plus extra for buttering bowls and pan

Directions:

1. Make the starter: In a small heavy pot, whisk flour, milk and 1/2 cup water (120 milliliters) together until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened but still pourable, about 10 minutes (it will thicken more as it cools). When it’s ready, the spoon will leave tracks on the bottom of the pot. Scrape into a measuring cup and lightly cover the surface with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
   
2. Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt and mix for a few seconds, just until evenly combined.
3. Add egg, milk and starter. Turn the mixer on low speed and knead 5 minutes.
4. Add soft butter and knead another 10 to 12 minutes (it will take a few minutes for butter to be incorporated), until the dough is smooth and springy and just a bit tacky.
5. Lightly butter the inside of a bowl. Use your hands to lift dough out of mixer bowl, shape into a ball and place in prepared bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 40 to 60 minutes.
6. Punch the dough down and use your hands to scoop it out onto a surface. Using a bench scraper or a large knife, cut dough in half. Lightly form each half into a ball, cover again and let rise 15 minutes.
7. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In the meantime, generously butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
8. Form dough into loaf and place in pan, seam side down.
9. Cover and let rest 30 to 40 minutes more, until the risen dough is peeking over the edge of the pan and the dough logs are meeting in the center. Brush the tops with milk and bake on the bottom shelf of the oven until golden brown and puffed, 35 to 40 minutes.
10. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour, to let the crust soften and keep the crumb lofty. (If cut too soon, the air bubbles trapped in the bread will deflate.)