Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's comfort recipes from his home kitchen that you can't miss

Those who love cooking will clearly relate to the fact that we often start learning to cook at home. From listening to our grandmothers' hacks to observing our mothers creating the right balance of flavours without using measuring cups, it all lies in the love for the process and the sensory magic the flavours create within those four walls. While some make cooking a survival skill, some make it a profession and for some, it's the route to success. For instance, Chef Sajeev Kapoor, who made cooking not just his profession but also his route to success too. Recently he decided to share some recipes from his home kitchen that have always held a special place in his heart. Take a look.

Ingredients: 4-6 French beans, 1/2 medium carrot, 2 fresh button mushrooms, 1/2 small cabbage, 1/2 medium green capsicum, 1 tbsp oil, 1 small onion, 2 inch celery, finely chopped, 1 inch ginger, 3 cups vegetable stock, salt to taste, 2 tbsps dark soy sauce, 2 tbsps green chilli sauce, fresh crushed black peppercorns to taste, 2 tbsps cornstarch, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 2-4 garlic cloves, ½ tsp sugar, and 1 stalk spring onion greens
Method: Heat oil in a deep non stick pan. Add onion, French beans, carrot, celery, mushrooms, cabbage, ginger, green capsicum and vegetable stock and cook. Add salt, dark soy sauce, green chilli sauce and mix. Add crushed peppercorns and mix and let the mixture come to a boil. Mix cornstarch in ½ cup water till smooth and add to the soup. Add ½ tbsp white vinegar and mix. Add garlic, sugar and remaining vinegar and mix well. Add spring onion greens and mix. Serving piping hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup soaked rice, 2 medium potatoes, 2 cups fresh spinach, 1 medium onion, 2 green chillies, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tbsp oil or ghee, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3–4 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon stick, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt to taste, 2 cups water, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and fresh coriander leaves
Method: To begin with, wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. In the meantime, hat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or heavy pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon. Let them splutter. Add sliced onions and sauté till light golden. Mix in ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Now, add cubed potatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, and salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly tender. Next, toss in chopped palak and cook until it wilts and reduces and then add rice & water and gently mix. Adjust salt. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Once done, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Ingredients: 1 cup besan, 1/2 cup ghee, 1 cup powdered jaggery, 1 tbsp chopped almonds, 1 tbsp chopped pistachios, 1 tbsp chopped cashew nuts, 2 tbsps dry coconut slices + for garnish, ½ tsp green cardamom powder, and 4-5 pistachios
Method: Heat ghee in a non-stick pan, add besan and sauté till the besan turns golden brown and fragrant. Meanwhile, bring 3-4 cups water to a boil in a deep pan. Switch the heat off of both the pans and pour the hot water little by little into the besan mixture, mixing continuously to make a smooth and a thin mixture. Place the pan back on heat and continuously keep mixing for 4-5 minutes. Increase the heat and add powdered jaggery, almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts and dry coconut slices and mix well. Continue to mix for 2-3 minutes. Add green cardamom powder, mix well and switch the heat off. Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with dry coconut slices and slivered pistachios. Serve hot.

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