Soft paneer cubes dunked in a creamy and aromatic sauce is a regal treat and Shahi means just that, Royal. This recipe has a curry that is oh so luxurious and rich with the use of nuts, cream, cardamom and saffron everything so exotic. This recipe is prepared with blanched onions and cashews. I like to strain the onion and cashew paste atleast once or even twice to make sure the curry is velvety. You can skip the turmeric and let the gravy be creamy white. I have added some turmeric in the picture below but don’t add it always. I have also added kasuri methi* ie sun-dried fenugreek leaves in this recipe but its optional. I personally love kasuri methi as it flavors the recipe beautifully and gives it a distinct aroma. It is an Indian spice that glams up a lot of curries.

Recipes are usually a reflection of the many influences we encounter in our lives. Some recipes are passed down for generations in our families and some are learnt from friends and others are adapted by trial and error from something we have eaten.

 “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” I am not sure what is the origin of this phrase, but I guess it is not difficult to fathom the idea behind this rendering. Do I agree with the saying? I guess Yes and No! No because the phrase is very archaic and sounds more like channeling the Betty Draper (from Madmen) inside you. And Yes! Sort of, in a very extensive interpretation of it. What I genuinely believe is

'The way to an honest heart lies through its belly’

I truly believe that food is an  intimate experience. Good food creates memories, it forges friendships, and makes the heart grow fonder.

“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.”     

Barbara Jordan

That is a thought I could get behind. The recipe I am sharing here is for serious chocolate enthusiasts. These brownie crinkle cookies are the best of both worlds’ cookies, and brownies. These cookies with their crispy crunchy outer shell and fudgy dark center are decadent and undoubtedly milk’s new best friend.

This might sound strange to you, but I did not have my first piece of cornbread until I was in my thirties. In India we make a flat bread with cornmeal, but not cornbread. When I moved to Singapore, I remember going to an American restaurant which served freshly baked warm cornbread on the house while we waited for our meal. It was outrageously good. I always ordered some extra and it became a happy discovery for me.