Ingredients 1½ cups basmati rice 2 tbsp ghee 2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 1 bay leaf 2 cloves 1 small cinnamon stick 3 cups water Salt to taste Method Wash the rice until the water runs clear and soak for 20 minutes. Heat ghee in a pot. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon; sauté for 30 seconds. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Gently stir for 1–2 minutes. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat for 12–15 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Tried Creamy Iffa Chicken today using bone-in chicken thighs in my cast iron skillet. The sauce is quite light—it coats the chicken rather than becoming a full gravy. Definitely one I'll make again. Ingredients For the chicken marinade: 125g Greek yogurt 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder ¼ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander powder ½ tsp black pepper powder ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp salt 1 tsp vinegar 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs For the creamy sauce: 2 boiled egg whites 2 garlic cloves 1 slice cheese (about 25g) 1 tsp vinegar 80ml milk ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp sugar Method - Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. - Add the chicken and coat well. Let it marinate while you prepare the sauce. - Blend together the egg whites, garlic, cheese, vinegar, milk, salt, and sugar until smooth. - Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat. - Add the marinated chicken and cook for about 4–5 minutes on each side. - Continue cooking for another 3–5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the marinade has thickened. - Lower the heat and pour the creamy sauce over the chicken. - Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. - Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve. Nutrition (entire recipe) Calories: 835 Protein: 123g Fat: 31g Carbohydrates: 17g Would you pair this with rice, naan, or a salad?

Some days, cooking feels like too much. On those days, this is enough. This is a simple dal and rice - nothing complicated, nothing overwhelming. Just something warm to come back to. What you need: • ½ cup toor dal (or any lentil you have) • 1½ cups water • ½ tsp turmeric • Salt (to taste) For tempering (optional but nice): • 1 tsp oil or ghee • Mustard seeds • Cumin seeds • A pinch of asafoetida (hing) • Curry leaves (if you have) Steps: Wash the dal gently. Add water, turmeric, and a little salt. Cook until soft (pressure cooker or pot—both are fine). Once cooked, mash lightly. If you have the energy: Heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin, hing, and curry leaves. Pour this over the dal. Rice: Cook rice the way you normally do. Nothing special needed here. A small reminder This does not have to be perfect. It just has to be enough for today. Even showing up to cook this much counts. If you try this, share a photo or just tell us how it felt to cook today.