A bit of fire creates wonders

... But mind, you don't want to burn your fingers!

Hhhahahahaheeahhehahahahehaahhahehehehahhaheheha.... I'm only talking about the stove! Doesn't it create food - the wonder? Yeah, it creates disasters too, but if you're sure of how your hands move - which box to open, which spoon to pick, how much of what to add and when to put off the flame, you're good to be the fire's friend. You're very very hot. Every guy wants a wife who can cook. Naaaaaa, that's when I decide to marry and disown my cooking skills at the right time!

So, for us students out there, a few recipes. Easy ones for that.

Butter maggi:

Cook your maggi dry and add butter to it. You're done. A few tips for becoming a pro maggi chef -
1. Add only 3 teacups of water to cook your maggy.
2. Add your taste maker before you boil the water. This avoids the formation of lumps. I always use an extra maggi taste maker sachet because i like my maggi all spiced up.
3. Butter maggi tastes the best when it is dry.

Ema datshe:

Ema datshe is an easy peasy cheesy dish from The Land of the Thunder dragon - Bhutan. I learnt it from a friend from post grad college. It's real real simple and real real delicious. All you need:

2 tablespoons oil / butter
2 chillies split
2 cloves garlic chopped
5 potatoes sliced
5 cubes of cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Heat the pan and add oil and add the garlic and chillies right after and saute for around 2 minutes till the aroma of the garlic releases. Adding the garlic to the oil before it heats prevents it from burning. Don't over fry, chilly and garlic burn easily. Keep an eye.
2. Add the potatoes and fry for 6-7 minutes on high. Keep stirring.
3. Add the cheese and cook on medium flame for around 5-6 minutes. Cheese - more the merrier. Add a lot. And keep stirring.
4. If you think the gravy is thickening too much, then add a little water. Do not add more than 1/4 cup because the cheese gravy is meant to be creamy thick.
5. Season with salt and pepper and remove off heat.

Serve with rice. Perfect! You're cool!

Bhel puri substitute:

This has always been my favorite. No hara/lal chutney, but yummmmm never the less. What you need:

1 packet of aloo bhujia (the pack, not the sachet)
Half an onion, chopped
one small tomato, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
Few coriander leaves
Juice of half a lemon

Mix all the ingredients together and dig in! You can add or quit ingredients according to what suits your taste buds.

Ghee fried rotis:

Needless to comment on the sort of roties you get in hostels and PGs. Here's a tip, apply some ghee to your badly cooked hostel rotis and toss them in a heated saucepan for a few seconds. A better dinner. Yayyyy.

Tequila mock:

Last but not the least, tequila mock. It's the shiznit, baby! Because it's your right to chill! All you need to stay away from alcohol and create yourself a pure natural paramount flavour with an edge are:

Juice of half a lemon
2 chillies, sliced
Half a teaspoon of sugar, preferably icing sugar for the kick. But any other sugar should work just fine.
2 pinches salt
2 glasses of chilled soda
Lemon slices to garnish

Method:

1. Squeeze out the lemon juice into a bowl and add the chillies. Release the chilly oils with a spoon.
2. Stir in the sugar and the salt and add the soda.
3. Put the lemon slices in and poke them using a spoon.
4. Leave aside for around 2 minutes with the lid on for the ingredients to infuse together. Don't forget the lid or the punch will be gone!

Bottoms up!

Give your taste buds the sensation!