When it comes to street food there is not much better than Mumbai! (or Bombay as we used to call it when growing up).

There is always something rustic and fulfilling about street style meals. I always enjoyed it most during the monsoons or cool summer nights, the wooden carts filled with each street hawkers delicacy, his or her secret recipe and tastes.

One such dish is the kheema hara masala. This is ground lamb, beef, or chicken cooked in aromatic spices and some greens to give it the taste and look of Hara which literally means green. As complicated as the name might sound its quite easy to make and even easier to relish, so lets get cooking!

Ingredients

2 pounds – ground lamb

1- potato medium diced (optional)

1tbs- garlic paste

1tbs- ginger paste

1 large -onion finely chopped

1/4 cup -spinach blanched

2 tbs-fresh/dry fenugreek leaves or dill leaves

1/2 cup- cilantro

2 -green or red tomato finely chopped

2 -green chillies slit length wise

1/2cup- frozen peas (or fresh cooking times might vary )

1 tsp- garam masala

1tsp -chilli powder

1tsp-turmeric powder

3tbs-corriander powder

1tsp- garam masala

1tsp-whole cumin seeds

1- bayleaf

1-whole inch stick cinnamon

5- whole peppercorns

4 – whole cloves

3- whole green cardamoms

3-4 tbs of cooking oil

Salt to taste

In a blender, add the blanched or frozen spinach, fenugreek or dill leaves, cilantro and blend it into a smooth paste and set aside.

In a heavy bottom wok or pan heat oil on a medium flame. As that heats up add all the whole spices and in about 15 seconds add the onions and saute until golden brown on the edges. Add the the ginger garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Now add the ground meat and keep stirring so that it won’t clump up, searing it well fora few minutes.

Add the corriander powder, chilli powder, and turmeric powder, mixing well. Next add the tomatoes, add salt to taste, stir well cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

After five minutes add the potatoes cover and cook for 7 minutes. Now add the green paste, green chillies and cook until most of the moisture is gone (about 5 minutes) after which you add the frozen green peas (if using fresh peas cook longer until peas are cooked) and garam masala.

Cover and cook for a couple more minutes, then turn off the flame and serve with your choice of bread or rice.

Tres Leches is a very popular cake in Latin America and Mexico. Its name literally means “three milks” — an apt description of this delicious treat! Traditionally this cake does not use butter , this cake is drenched in three different types of milk.

Today I am going to share with you my Tres leches recipe with an Indian twist. I am also going to use butter in this recipe because I want a dense cake (you will see why!), and some additional Indian flavors to give this cake the twist. So let’s get baking!

Ingredients

2 cups – all purpose flour

2 tsp- baking powder

1/4 tsp -salt

1 cup- sugar

3 -eggs

3/4th cup- milk

1 tsp – vanilla extract

1 stick – melted butter

2 tbs – ground pistacios and almonds

1/4 tsp- ground cardamom

for the Tres leches milk mixture

1/2 cup whole milk

14 ounce- can sweetened condensed milk

12 ounce -evaporated milk

2 to 3 pinches -of saffron

1/2 tsp- ground cardamom

for the frosting

1 1/2 cup -heavy whipping cream

1 tsp – powdered sugar

1 tsp – Rose water

for garnish

chopped almonds and pistacios

dried rose petals (optional).

In a bowl or measuring cup – add whole milk , evaporated milk, condensend milk , saffron and cardamom. Stir well and set aside.

Heat oven to 350 F. Line a 13*9 – inch pan with parchment paper and lightly brush with melted butter. In a medium bowl sift flour, salt and baking powder.

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. After another 30 seconds gradually add the flour and ground pistachio and almonds. Combine well into a batter. Spread this batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 -30 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake for 30 mins. Once cooled poke the cake with a toothpick all over the top, and pour all the milk mixture to soak the entire cake. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or best overnight.

In a stand mixer bowl add the heavy whipping cream and beat with the whisking attachment on low speed for a minute. As the cream starts to thicken add the powdered sugar and rose water, beat until stiff peaks form. Top the cake with the frosting and evenly spread , garnish with chopped pistachios, almonds and dried rose petals. Serve and enjoy!