Aarti Sequeira, the winner of The Next Food Network Star Season 6, has her new show Aarti Party premiering on Food Network today. On the show, she surprises viewers with unexpected flavors and techniques to expand their palates and culinary repertoire by imparting her knowledge of Indian cuisine and putting an approachable spin on all-American classics. Whether she’s sprucing up everyday pulled pork sandwiches and perfectly roasted chicken or taking classic bread pudding and basic red lentils to new heights, Aarti cleverly combines the familiar with the exotic to create mouthwatering meals. No matter the occasion, Aarti Party promises great food and endless fun for home cooks everywhere.

Aarti Party premieres Sunday, August 22, 2010 at Noon/11c.

Aarti Party Pilot episode clip for Indian Pizza

Aarti Party on Food Network promo

Here’s a recipe for roast chicken that will be on the show:

‘I Ain’t Chicken Chicken’
(Crispy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Orange and Cardamom)
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound small red new potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped
4 airline chicken breasts, on the bone, skin intact
¼ cup butter, softened but not melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
zest of 1 large orange
2 teaspoons grated ginger

Directions:
1) Turn oven to 500 degrees F. Grab two sheet trays and line one with a cooling rack and the other with parchment. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with a little olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Place on sheet tray lined with parchment.

2) In a small bowl, combine butter, ground cardamom, orange zest, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir together with a spoon until well mixed.

3) Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Poke a small opening in that clear membrane between the skin and the flesh of the chicken breast. Glide your index finger through the opening, loosening the skin from the flesh, without removing it completely. You’re creating a big pocket in which the butter will sit! Repeat with the other chicken breasts.

4) Place a spoonful of the butter mixture through the opening you made in the skin of the chicken breast. Once it’s in there, smooth out the butter by gliding your finger over the skin, until it’s evenly distributed. Repeat with the other breasts. Place chicken breasts on sheet tray lined with cooling rack. Wash your hands thoroughly.

5) If you wish, drizzle skin with a little oil, for extra crispy skin. Season with salt. Throw the whole shebang into the oven, and roast for about 30 minutes, turning pans once halfway through the cooking time and stirring the potatoes. Relax, sip a glass of wine and bask in the crackling sounds of butter and comforting smell of roasted chicken!

6) Chicken is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, but not touching the bone, should register about 160°F when it’s cooked. Pull them out at this point, tent with foil and allow to rest about 5 minutes.

7) Serve with potatoes.