Ingredients:
For Kofta

• Minced Meat - 1/2 kg
• Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder  - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp, roasted
• Black pepper powder - a pinch
• Green chillies - 4, finely chopped and crushed
• Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch
• Salt - to taste

For Gravy

• Onion - 2 medium, thinly sliced and browned in oil and ghee and mixed with yoghurt below
• Yoghurt - 1/4 cup, beaten
• Tomatoes - 2, medium size, chopped
• Green cardamoms - 2
• Cloves -2
• Black peppercorns - 3
• Cinnamon - 1, small
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Green chillies - 3-4, chopped
• Biryani masala - 1 tbsp
• Oil and ghee

 For Rice

• Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• Green cardamom - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Salt - to taste, on the higher side
• Oil and ghee
• Milk - 1 tbsp

Method

• Mix all the ingredients required for the koftas, make into balls and refrigerate for about 30 minutes
• Shallow fry them in a very little oil in a non-stick pan for around 2-3 minutes on each side 
• In a kadhai, heat oil and ghee, add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and black peppercorns and saute till they are fragrant
• Add tomatoes and fry until a bit cooked and oil rises to the top
• Add the biryani masala, ginger garlic paste, salt and cook until the oil rises on top again
• Add the onion yoghurt mix, green chillies and stir. Add the koftas and cook until the gravy is thick and the oil rises to the top once again
• To make the rice, add ghee in a pot and crackle cardamom and bay leaves. Add water and bring to a boil, add salt and drained rice and cook till 90% done. Strain the water
• Now in a pot, layer the rice, then kofta gravy, sprinkle fried onions and coriander leaves and repeat till all rice and kofta gravy is used up
• Drizzle milk over the top and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid
• Simmer for 20 minutes and leave it to rest for another 5 minutes
• Serve hot!!! 

Also see my post on How to make a perfect biryani

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 1/2 cups, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• Onions - 2, finely sliced and fried till golden brown
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Cloves -1 
• Bay leaf - 1
• Carrots - 1, cut into slices
• Cauliflower - 1, cut into cubes
• Potatoes - 2, peeled, cut into thick wedges and fried
• Peas - 1/4 cup, boiled for 5 minutes and drained
• Oil - 1/4 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Chillies - 2-3, chopped
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Tomatoes - 1, chopped
• Yoghurt - 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Biryani masala - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Milk - 2 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a deep pot, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf till they become fragrant
• Add the tomatoes and green chillies and cook for few minutes
• Add half of the fried onions 
• Add ginger, garlic pastes and stir till raw smell goes off
• Add the cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook till oil separates
• Add yoghurt and cook until the gravy is thick
• Add all the vegetables except the potatoes and stir fry for a couple of minutes
• Add little water and cover and simmer on low heat to cook the veggies through. Just stir every now and then
• Once the veggies are done, add the remaining green chillies, biryani masala
• Add the fried potatoes and stir
• To make the rice, add ghee in a pot and crackle cardamom and bay leaves. Add water and bring to a boil, add salt and drained rice and cook till 90% done. Strain the water
• Now in a pot, layer the rice, then vegetable gravy, sprinkle fried onions and coriander leaves and repeat till all rice and vegetable gravy is used up
• Drizzle milk over the top and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Place it over tava
• Simmer for 20 minutes and leave it to rest for another 5 minutes
• Serve hot!!!

Ingredients:

• Chocolate - as required, cut into even small pieces

Method:

• Place the chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl
• Heat it on microwave medium, P50 for 30 seconds and stir
• Again place it in microwave low for 30 seconds and stir
• Repeat the process till the chocolate pieces are completely melted

Note - The bowl and the spoon used should be completely dry, no drop of water should come in contact with the chocolates or else it will be of no use

Measuring involves 2 types of ingredients:

• Dry ingredients
• Liquid ingredients

Measuring equipments for dry ingredients include:

• Cups - It comes in 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup measuring size
• Spoons - It comes in 1 tbsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp measuring size

Measuring equipments for liquid ingredients include:

• Clear glass or plastic cups or jars with a spout - It comes in cups, mls and ounces measurement

Below are some common ingredients and their measuring technique:

• Flour - Stir flour in the storage container. Using a big spoon, add the flour to the measuring cup. Do not shake the cup just level it up with a spatula

• Baking powder and Baking Soda - Stir in the container. Using the measuring spoon, lightly scoop it out of the container, then just level it off with a spatula
   
• Sugar - Scoop out the sugar with the measuring spoon or cup and level it off with a spatula

Ingredients:

• Bananas - 2, ripe
• Milk - 2 tsp

Method:

• Peel and cut the bananas into chunks
• Place it in the freezer for around 10 hours till they become hard
• Blend it along with the milk
• Drizzle chocolate sauce or any topping of your choice and serve

Ingredients:

• Garlic cloves  - 2 large, finely sliced
• Salt - 1/4 tsp, adjust to taste
• Lemon juice - 1/4 cup
• Vegetable oil - 1 cup
• Egg white - 1

Method:

• In a mixer, blend the garlic and salt till they become a smooth paste
• Add half the oil and blend for 10 seconds
• Add half lemon juice and blend again
• Repeat the process
• Add the egg white and blend till mayonnaise consistency is achieved

Here are the items which I choose to make myself from scratch and the items that I prefer to buy while I prepare my everyday meals:

• Yoghurt - I Make, it is easy to make and tastes better, also store bought turn out to be expensive
• Ghee - I Make, homemade ghee tastes better than any brand of store bought ghee
• Paneer - I Buy, as I use paneer only once a week, I prefer to buy and use
• Chapati - I Make, there is nothing in comparison to homemade hot rotis/chapatis
• Bread - I Buy, it is a complex process to make, requires lots of time
• Pizza crust - I Make, it turns out to be more soft than store bought
• Pizza sauce - I Make, turns out tasty and original flavor
• Pasta sauce - I Make, easy to make and turns out to be much tastier
• Spices - I Buy, find a good brand that suits your taste and buy the same
• Ginger/ garlic paste - I Make, easy to make and no preservatives as present in the packaged ones
• Pickle - I Buy, unless you have time and perfect masalas for making it
• Dips and chutneys - I Make, prepared in minutes
  
• Soup - I Make, always prefer the original home made soup
• Stock/ broth - I Make, healthier and without any chemicals added

Items which I use very less, I usually prefer to buy it and use rather than going through the hassles of making it.

Ingredients:

• Whole milk - 1litre
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Butter - 1 tbsp

Method:

• In a heavy bottom saucepan, add milk and sugar and cook over medium heat until boiling point. 
• Stir occasionally so that sugar is completely dissolved
• Reduce the heat to lowest and simmer till it reduces to half, stir every 15 minutes
• Add butter and stir
• Let it cool down and use in your recipes

Ingredients:

• Milk powder - 1 cup
• Sugar - 2/3 cup
• Butter - 1/4 cup, melted
• Water - 1/2 cup, boiling

Method:

• In a blender add sugar, butter and water and blend
• Slowly add the milk powder and blend to smooth consistency
• Adjust the texture by adding more boiling water till desired consistency is achieved
• Use as required in your recipes or store in the fridge and can be used for 5 days

Ingredients:

• Broken dry seviyan (vermicelli) - 100 gms
• Green cardamoms - 3
• Sugar - 100 gms
• Almonds - 1/4 cup, blanched and chopped
• Pistachios - 1/4 cup, blanched and chopped
• Saffron - a pinch
• Ghee

Method:

• In saucepan, make a simple sugar syrup by combining 200 ml of water with 100 gms of sugar, add 1 cardamom pod and saffron. Cook it for around 10 minutes
• In a pot, add ghee and cardamom, once the aroma develops gently roast the seviyan. Keep stirring continuously till it changes to medium brown in colour
• Add the sugar syrup in the pot of seviyan and continue to stir till all water dries up
• Add 1 cup of boiling water and cook for another 5-8 minutes till vermicelli is cooked and soft and water dries up
• Garnish with almonds and pistachios and serve!!!

Ingredients:

• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup

Method:

• In a bowl add the above ingredients and give a gentle stir till they are almost blended
• Place the bowl on microwave high for 3 minutes
• Stir the mixture and place it again in microwave for another 3 minutes
• Give a final stir and let it cool to room temperature
• Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Onions - 4-6 medium, thinly sliced and browned in oil and ghee and mixed with yoghurt below
• Yoghurt - 2 cups, beaten
• Tomatoes - 3-4 medium, chopped
• Cloves - 10
• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Green cardamom - 10
• Black peppercorns - 15
• Star anise - 2 (optional)
• Basmati rice - 2 1/2 cups, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• Oil - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 2 tbsp

For making the green masala, grind the following to a smooth paste:

• Coriander leaves - 2 1/2 cups
• Mint leaves - 1 cup
• Ginger - 2 inch
• Garlic - 4-5 cloves
• Salt - to taste
• Green chilli - 3-4
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• In a pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee and 1/4 cup of oil and fry the chicken pieces on medium heat until brown but not cooked through
• In a kadhai, heat 2 tbsp of ghee and 1/4 cup of oil, add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper corns and star anise and saute till they are fragrant
• Add tomatoes and fry until a bit cooked and oil rises to the top
• Add the green masala paste and cook until the oil rises on top again
• Add the onion yoghurt mix and stir. Add half cooked chicken and cook until the curry is thick and the oil rises to the top once again
• To make the rice, add ghee in a pot and crackle cardamom and bay leaves. Add water and bring to a boil, add salt and drained rice and cook till 90% done. Strain the water
• Now in a pot, layer the rice, then chicken gravy, sprinkle fried onions and mint leaves and repeat till all rice and chicken gravy is used up
• Drizzle milk over the top and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid
• Simmer for 20 minutes and leave it to rest for another 5 minutes
• Serve hot!!!
   
  Also see my post on How to make a perfect biryani

Cook the paya in a pressure till 1 whistle and then allow it to simmer for an hour on slow flame. Add lots of water in it. If you realize the water is less, just remove pressure cooker from heat and allow it to cool. Open and check the water and add more and continue cooking

Here are some tips for making a perfect biryani:

• The gravy for biryani should always be dry
• While layering, follow this sequence: rice, mutton/chicken gravy, fried onions, coriander leaves and repeat
• Drizzle 1 tbsp of milk over the top of the rice finally
• Place a tawa below the biryani pot for dum
• Leave the biryani on dum for 20 minutes and let it rest for another 5 minutes before serving

Ingredients:

• Cabbage - 1 cup, finely shredded
• Carrots - 1, finely shredded
• Thick yoghurt - 2 tbsp
• Mayonnaise - 1/4 cup
• Black pepper - a pinch
• Salt - a pinch
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice - few drops

Method:

• Mix all the above ingredients
• Refrigerate for the flavors to develop
• Serve as a side dish

Ingredients:

• Stale bread slices
• Salted butter
• Black pepper powder

Method:

• Apply salted butter on both sides of the bread, sprinkle black pepper powder and cut it into cubes
• Heat a pan, then lower the heat and put the bread cubes in
• Keep tossing them with a wooden spoon every few minutes to make sure all the sides are browning
• For extra crispiness bake them in an oven for about 5-10 minutes on low heat

Ingredients:

• Onions - 1
• Tomatoes - 1
• Salt - to taste
• Green chillies - to taste, finely chopped
• Lemon - 1
• Coriander leaves - a few, chopped

Method:

• Finely slice the onions and sprinkle salt over it and let it rest for few minutes
• Rinse with water to remove the salt and drain
• Slice the tomatoes
• Now mix the onions and tomatoes and season it with green chillies, salt, lemon juice and coriander leaves