5 minute Chocolate Cake

Ever had those late night chocolate cravings? Well I have the perfect recipe for you! This no fuss chocolate cake will surely satisfy any sweet tooth...and its so easy to make! All you need is a mug and a microwave. Yes I know you heard of those microwave coffe mug cakes (and none of them ever seem to turn out well), but after a lot of trial and testing, I have finally found the ONE! So grab a big mug and treat yourself to this!

Caution: Measure this to the T or the cake wont work for you

4tbsp flour

4tbsp sugar

1tbsp cocoa powder

2tbsp (beaten) egg

3tbsp milk

3tbsp oil

Mix all ingredients together starting with the dry and then moving on to the wet ingredients last. Microwave for 3minutes or till cake rises completely. Serve with some ice cream.

Note: 1 egg is too much, 1 egg white is too eggy, 1 yolk is too dense, but 2 tblsp is just right!

Tip: For a fudgier version, omit the egg altogether. Add a splash of Vanilla or any liqueur for a dash of flavour and some nuts for some crunch. 

Half bake the cake if you want it gooey and oozey like te pic above^

French Toast Crème Brûlée

French Toast always reminds me of sunday morning breakfast as a child. I loved waking up to the smell of cinnamonny warm buttery bread...so comforting! So I've taken my mom's traditional recipe and given my own Masterchef spin. Thankfully it still retains that comforting aroma and tastes yum.

1 loaf of rich bread (I prefer Brioche)
1 1/3 cup of whole full fat milk
2/3 cup of cream
4 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2/3 cup for the topping
1tsp Grand Marnier, Cointreau or any orange liqueur ( If you dont have liqueur your can use a zest of an orange)
2 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. Cut the loaf into thick slices.  Arrange the bread on a baking tray that can fit them in one layer. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Pour the mixture over the slices. Turn the bread to ensure it soaks up the liquid evenly. Let the break soak the mix for atleast half hour. Arrange the bread with a little space so as to avoid making one mega-frech toast! Bake toast in the oven until a knife inserted into the centre of the slice does not release any liquid. 

Melt the remaining 2/3 cup of sugar in a heavy bottom pan. Make sure the saucepan is completely dry. Met the sugar over moderate heat, stirring occasionaly, till the sugar caramelizes into a honey coloured liquid.

Once the toasts are out of the oven, spoon some caramel over the top of the toast. Because your caramel will continue to deepen in colour as you work, its best to act quickly. Serve with fresh berries or some whipped cream.

Warning: Caramel is extremely hot and can easily burn you. Please wear mittens and handle carefully

Tip: If you feel too confident of being a Masterchef, sprinkle the sugar on top of the warm toast and use a blow torch to caramelize it.
If you spread your caramel too thick, you will have a candy lid and a nice crunch everytime you bite in. But I like spreading a thin layer so that I get that nice caramel flavour.
Use cinnamon in the egg mixture or add it to the sugar you are caramelizing to make the toasts simply irresistible.

Tomato Soup

I love Tomato soup on a rainy day or on those cold winter days. Theres something so reassuring in a hearty bowl of tomatoey goodness. And I love the mix of flavors - sweet, sour, tangy, creamy - all in one bowl. For this recipe I have used whole tomatoes (skin, seeds et all), but if you are a picky eater, run the soup through a sieve before serving.

1kg Tomatoes
1 large Onion
4 cloves of Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
1 can diced Tomato (if you cannot find canned tomato use tomato puree)
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Fresh Cream and some Basil to garnish

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add diced onion, garlic and a whole bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent. Add the fresh tomatoes and cook till tender. Now add the canned tomatoes, sugar and the broth. Cook till the mixture comes to a boil. Now reduce the heat and cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot, or use a food processor to blend. The soup should be smooth with a few tomato chunks. If you like your soup very smooth just pass it through a sieve to get rid of the chunks.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of cream and some basil. Serve with toasted crusty bread or croutons on the side.

Tip: Try roasting your tomatoes in the oven before adding them to the pot and pureeing it.

Spaghetti Carbonara

The most popular of all pasta dishes out there, a traditional Spaghetti Carbonara is very simple at the heart of it (though its not so simple when it comes to your heart and cholesterol). The classic recipe uses cream, eggs and bacon over a bed of spaghetti. But ofcourse it has evolved, and each cook has their own secret ingredient to add. Traditionally only spaghetti and bacon are used (and its a marriage made in heaven), but   obviously you can use any pasta, any meat and add some veggies to the mix.


Here's my take on the Spaghetti Carbonara


250g Spaghetti
3 rashes of Bacon
2 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp chopped Parsley or 2-3 leaves of Basil
Salt & Pepper to taste




Add water and a little salt to a big pot and bring to boil. Drop spaghetti into the pot of boiling water and cook for about 8 mins or till al dente. Drain and keep hot. While the pasta is cooking, heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add bacon and let it cook till its a little crisp and golden.


In a separate bowl combine eggs, cream and cheese and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper according to taste. This is a basic carbonara sauce.


Add pasta to the bacon pan. Now toss the egg mixture into the hot pasta coating it well. Add parsley and serve.




Tip: While cooking the Spaghettin in the pot, add a tablespoon of oil. This will prevent the pasta from sticking to each other. Likewise also add some oil or butter after draining the pasta to prevent it from sticking and adding some additional flavour.


I love adding some spinach and mushrooms to this dish to give it a little earthy flavour.


My secret is to add a dash of nutmeg to the carbonara. It adds a beautiful flavour and aroma and really brings out the sauce.


Note: Bacon is already fatty and hence no oil is required in cooking it. Please do not add oil to crisp the bacon


It is important to keep the pasta hot after draining because the heat of the pasta actually 'cooks' the egg in the carbonara sauce and gradually thickens it. Just ensure you mix the two well.