A Pocket Full of Pie

by Leena Clover

  Add a drop of Kewra water or Kewra essence (optional). Be very careful with this since it is quite potent.

  Serve with Naan or rice.

  RECIPE – Cheesy Jalapeno eggs

  Ingredients

  6 large eggs

  1 Tbsp sour cream

  1 Tbsp butter

  ½ jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped fine

  ½ cup shredded cheese

  Method

  Crack eggs into bowl. Add a splash of water and sour cream and whisk until frothy.

  Add a knob of butter to a pan.

  As butter begins to melt, add in the jalapeno pepper. Fry until the pepper sizzles a bit and becomes aromatic.

  Pour the whisked eggs into the pan.

  Cook slowly on low heat, stirring occasionally.

  Add in the cheese as eggs begin to set and switch off the heat.

  Fold lightly a couple of times before serving.

  RECIPE – Orange Tequila Grilled Chicken

  Ingredients

  4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

  4 cloves garlic, crushed

  1 cup orange juice

  1 tsp orange zest

  30-60 ml tequila

  ¼ cup olive oil

  ½ tsp dried oregano

  ½ tsp cumin, ground

  ½ tsp chili seasoning or

  1-2 chipotles in adobo

  1 Tbsp brown sugar

  Salt to taste

  Method

  Marinate chicken breasts with all the ingredients for 4-6 hours or overnight.

  Place the chicken breasts on hot grill and cook about 10-12 minutes on each side until done.

  Serve with fresh lime and orange wedges and sides.

  RECIPE - Cheese Pakora Fritters

  Ingredients

  8 ounce processed cheese/ mozzarella cheese

  1 cup gram flour

  ¼ tsp turmeric, ground

  Pinch of cayenne pepper

  ¼ tsp carom seeds or Ajwain

  ½ tsp baking soda

  Pinch of baking powder

  Salt to taste

  Oil for deep frying

  Method

  Whisk all the flour and spices together. Add half a cup of water and more if needed to get a thick pancake like batter.

  Add in the baking powder and set aside for 10 minutes. Add baking soda just before you are ready to fry the fritters.

  Cube any hard cheese of choice. You can cut it in squares or sticks – any shape you want.

  Heat oil in a wok for frying. When the oil is hot enough, you are ready to fry the pakora fritters.

  Dip a piece of cheese in the batter, coat well and drop it in the hot oil. Fry for a few seconds until it puffs up slightly and becomes light brown. Use slotted spoon to transfer to plate.

  Repeat the process for the rest of the cheese.

  Serve cheese pakoras hot with ketchup or chili sauce.

  Note – The batter should be thick enough to coat the cheese so that it doesn’t burst open in the hot oil. The batter should not ‘fall off’ the cheese.

  Author’s Note

  I have always been an avid mystery fan. Some of my favorite mystery authors include Agatha Christie and M. C. Beaton. The cozy mystery genre has exploded in recent years with plenty of new authors joining the fray. The culinary cozy emerged as a big sub genre and I couldn’t be happier since it combined two of my passions, mystery books and food.

  I hope you liked meeting the Patel family and enjoyed a glimpse of Indian culture. Although every book in the series can be read as a standalone, you will enjoy them more if you read them in order. The first book has more about Meera and her family and friends. The subsequent books will be more focused on solving the mystery, but there will also be things from Meera’s life. Meera’s life will move forward, so readers will be witness to many life events Meera has to deal with.

  I have planned many more books in the series. So I hope you stay in touch and keep enjoying the Meera Patel Cozy Mystery series.

  Please feel free to drop me a line at leenaclover@gmail.com in case you have any questions or comments.

  Thank you very much for giving this new indie author a chance.