TOI
A kebab is usually marinated before being skewered over the tandoor, and cooks in the inherent water-content of the main raw ingredient. Originally, it was made, packed and consumed during long journeys across the Arabian sands as it had a longer shelf life because of low moisture content. Later, kebabs evolved to become an indispensable delicacy in the Royal repast of Nizams and Nawabs.
If you stopped short of making kebabs only because the recipe demanded meat, then these ones are for you. Here are some easy-to-make kebabs that vegetarians are sure to enjoy.
Khumb Nawabi
200 gm mushroom
2 gm cumin seeds
2 green chillies
10 gm onion (finely chopped)
5 gm garlic
5 gm green chilli paste
25 gm cheese (grated)
25 gm hung curd
10 gm cream
5 gm salt
10 ml sesame oil
10 ml mustard oil
5 gm mint
2 gm garam masala
5 gm chickpea flour.
Method :
Scoop out mushroom stem using a scooper
Finely chop stem and temper with freshly chopped mint, onion, garlic, green chilli and cumin seed
Mix in cheese and stuff into the mushroom cap
In a bowl, mix green chilli paste, hung curd, cream, salt, sesame oil, mustard oil, mint, dry mint leaves, garam masala and chick pea flour slowly to avoid lumps
Coat the mushroom with this marinade and cook in oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius
Serve with sauce of choice
Noorani Seekh
Ingredients
40 gm French beans
50 gm carrot
15 gm paneer (grated)
5 gm green chilli (finely chopped)
3 gm cauliflower
25gm potatoes
3 gm salt
2 gm garam masala
3 gm coriander leaves
3 gm turmeric powder
2 gm fried garlic.
Method :
Blanche the French beans, carrots, cauliflower and potatoes, squeeze the excess water, and blend till smooth Mix with grated paneer, green chillies, fried garlic, salt, garam masala , cumin powder, turmeric and coriander Now shape this like a seekh and heat in an oven for eight minutes at 180 degrees Celsius
Serve with a wedge of lemon and sliced onions.
Tulsi Paneer
200 gm paneer (cubed)
50 gm cheese (grated)
5 gm green chilli paste
10 gm cashew nut paste
25 gm cheddar cheese (grated)
25 gm hung curd
10 gm cream
3 gm white pepper
5 gm salt
10 ml sesame oil
25gms tulsi paste.
Mix cheese, green chilli and basil paste
Silt cubed paneer half way and stuff paste into it
In a bowl, mix green chilli paste, cashew nut paste, hung curd, cream, white pepper, salt and sesame oil
Coat the paneer cubes with this marinade and heat in oven for eight minutes at 180 degree Celsius.
Cheese Corn Tikki
Corn is an all time favourite snack amongst everyone.The recipe below enhances the taste & sweetness of corn in its own way.Try it to believe it.
100 gm American corn
25 gm cheddar cheese (grated)
50 gm paneer (grated)
3 gm cumin powder
3 gm cardamom powder
3 gm salt
2 gm green chilli (finely chopped)
3 gm coriander leaves
5 gm corn flour
Blanch the American corn, squeeze to remove excess water
Mince roughly in blender
Mix with cheese, paneer , cumin powder, garam masala , cardamom powder, salt, green chillies and corn flour
Divide mixture into small balls and pat them into coin shaped tikkis
Shallow fry till they turn light brown and serve with mint chutney
Note:
You can use vegetable oil instead of seasme oil
In case you do not have an oven, shallow / deep fry the same
I eliminated garlic, since I am not very fond of it, but in case you want a more strong flavor, increase the quantity
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Cherry Vinaigrette
This vinaigrette is good on everything! Try it on red leaf lettuce, on spinach, on cabbage, on tossed salads of all varieties. Just a few teaspoons of this one-of-a-kind dressing will make any salad burst with flavor. Your family and guests will eat it up, and ask for more
So all you need is to make this a bit in advance......Usually takes 10 - 15 days
1 cup pitted cherries
1.5 cups vinegar ( I used white vinegar, but in case you are looking for a dark color go for Balsamic Vinegar)
Blender
Blend the pitted cherries to a paste , with no addition of water
Add the paste to vinegar
You might see some froth initially , but that will settle down soon
Stir gently and keep it covered in a cool dry place , with not much exposure to light
Stir it every alternative day , and keep the same for 10 - 15 days
Once done , strain the mixture and store it in a sterilized glass container
Keep refrigerated
Note:
In case you do not want to strain, there is no hard and fast rule as such, you can use the dressing without straining the cherry pulp
If you are wanting to have a more thicker consistency , use equal quantities of vinegar and cherries
This recipe uses fresh cherries, but you can also opt for frozen ones, which can be thawed as directed and used as per the recipe
So all you need is to make this a bit in advance......Usually takes 10 - 15 days
1 cup pitted cherries
1.5 cups vinegar ( I used white vinegar, but in case you are looking for a dark color go for Balsamic Vinegar)
Blender
Blend the pitted cherries to a paste , with no addition of water
Add the paste to vinegar
You might see some froth initially , but that will settle down soon
Stir gently and keep it covered in a cool dry place , with not much exposure to light
Stir it every alternative day , and keep the same for 10 - 15 days
Once done , strain the mixture and store it in a sterilized glass container
Keep refrigerated
Note:
In case you do not want to strain, there is no hard and fast rule as such, you can use the dressing without straining the cherry pulp
If you are wanting to have a more thicker consistency , use equal quantities of vinegar and cherries
This recipe uses fresh cherries, but you can also opt for frozen ones, which can be thawed as directed and used as per the recipe
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Perfect The Art of Pasta Making
Courtesy : TOI
The chef's secrets turn your Italian experiments into finger-licking meals. Here's how
Italian cuisine is arguably the one non-Indian cuisine that has penetrated deeply into our kitchens. We all whip up lasagne, pasta and at least a bread-toast version of pizza in our homes. But it's the finer points that make all the difference between Italian and Udipi. Arjyo Banerjee, the head chef at Pizza Hut, and the man behind their new Tuscany menu, fine tunes your take on Italian cooking.
Good quality pasta
... will not make the boiling water cloudy or frothy. Stir the pasta in the beginning as this is when the maximum starch is released and the pasta tends to stick. You'll need 10 times more water than the quantity of pasta used.
Classic Italian cooking
...uses ingredients that are fresh and in season such as tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, etc. So at the risk of Indian-ising your pizza in favour of flavour, use vegetables such as marinated zucchini or eggplants instead of tinned mushrooms.
Fresh herbs taste
...better than dried ones. Buy small quantities of fresh basil, oregano, thyme, parsley etc. that you should use quickly. To store, wrap the fresh herbs in wet paper tissues and refrigerate.
Never add oil
...when boiling the pasta, or hold it under running water; or toss it with butter before letting it mix with the sauce. These prevent the sauce from coating the pasta during final cooking.
The perfect way
...is to cook the pasta a minute or two less than recommended (Average cooking time is between 8-10 minutes), adding about 7 grams of salt per litre, drain it and toss it in the sauce for a few minutes (which is on medium flame), where it will cook again, imbibing the flavours.
With over 200 kinds
...of pastas, pairing can be a bit tricky. A generic guide would be: Thin and delicate pastas like spaghetti are best paired with smooth and thin sauces which coat the surface evenly; Ridged pasta or tubed ones, like penne go best with chunkier sauces (like arabiatta) which can be trapped by their texture. Thicker pasta shapes like fettuccine go best with heavier and creamier sauces.
The correct proportion
...of sauce to pasta is equal portions of both, but a couple of extra spoons is fine if you like it that way.
Invest in good quality
...olive oil for salads, preferably extra virgin oil. Olive oil imparts a great taste and flavour when cooking.
When making the sauce
...use wine to deglaze — loosens burnt bits of sauce stuck at the bottom of the pan. This is where all the flavour is. The wine should be of moderate quality. Ideally, white wine should be used for deglazing milder flavoured sauces that contain cream, seafood and vegetarian ingredients; red wine is for red meats and sauces with stronger flavours such as Rosemary.
Put day-old bread
...to use in bruschettas, sandwiches or paninis. These tend to be crispier and hold toppings better.
Always sauce your pizza
...leaving a quarter inch of rim, and cover the sauce completely with cheese and toppings, so that it doesn't burn during cooking.
Pizza dough
If you are trying to make pizzas at home, getting the base right is the winning trick. Try the chef's special.
Makes 8 9-inch pizzas
Ingredients:
500 gm all purpose refined flour, 275 gm luke warm water, 15 gm fine sugar, 8 gm salt, 12 gm dry yeast, 20 ml olive oil
Method:
Mix the yeast in water and set aside for 5 minutes till the yeast starts to bubble. Mix flour, salt and sugar together. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and water. Mix using a spoon to get everything together. Transfer the mix on to a clean surface and knead well using your hands. Continue to knead till the dough is smooth. Let the dough rest for a couple of minutes and divide into 8 equal balls. Place the rounded dough balls on a lightly oiled tray and cover with a clean, wet kitchen towel. When the balls double in size (should take roughly one hour) they are ready to use.
The chef's secrets turn your Italian experiments into finger-licking meals. Here's how
Italian cuisine is arguably the one non-Indian cuisine that has penetrated deeply into our kitchens. We all whip up lasagne, pasta and at least a bread-toast version of pizza in our homes. But it's the finer points that make all the difference between Italian and Udipi. Arjyo Banerjee, the head chef at Pizza Hut, and the man behind their new Tuscany menu, fine tunes your take on Italian cooking.
Good quality pasta
... will not make the boiling water cloudy or frothy. Stir the pasta in the beginning as this is when the maximum starch is released and the pasta tends to stick. You'll need 10 times more water than the quantity of pasta used.
Classic Italian cooking
...uses ingredients that are fresh and in season such as tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, etc. So at the risk of Indian-ising your pizza in favour of flavour, use vegetables such as marinated zucchini or eggplants instead of tinned mushrooms.
Fresh herbs taste
...better than dried ones. Buy small quantities of fresh basil, oregano, thyme, parsley etc. that you should use quickly. To store, wrap the fresh herbs in wet paper tissues and refrigerate.
Never add oil
...when boiling the pasta, or hold it under running water; or toss it with butter before letting it mix with the sauce. These prevent the sauce from coating the pasta during final cooking.
The perfect way
...is to cook the pasta a minute or two less than recommended (Average cooking time is between 8-10 minutes), adding about 7 grams of salt per litre, drain it and toss it in the sauce for a few minutes (which is on medium flame), where it will cook again, imbibing the flavours.
With over 200 kinds
...of pastas, pairing can be a bit tricky. A generic guide would be: Thin and delicate pastas like spaghetti are best paired with smooth and thin sauces which coat the surface evenly; Ridged pasta or tubed ones, like penne go best with chunkier sauces (like arabiatta) which can be trapped by their texture. Thicker pasta shapes like fettuccine go best with heavier and creamier sauces.
The correct proportion
...of sauce to pasta is equal portions of both, but a couple of extra spoons is fine if you like it that way.
Invest in good quality
...olive oil for salads, preferably extra virgin oil. Olive oil imparts a great taste and flavour when cooking.
When making the sauce
...use wine to deglaze — loosens burnt bits of sauce stuck at the bottom of the pan. This is where all the flavour is. The wine should be of moderate quality. Ideally, white wine should be used for deglazing milder flavoured sauces that contain cream, seafood and vegetarian ingredients; red wine is for red meats and sauces with stronger flavours such as Rosemary.
Put day-old bread
...to use in bruschettas, sandwiches or paninis. These tend to be crispier and hold toppings better.
Always sauce your pizza
...leaving a quarter inch of rim, and cover the sauce completely with cheese and toppings, so that it doesn't burn during cooking.
Pizza dough
If you are trying to make pizzas at home, getting the base right is the winning trick. Try the chef's special.
Makes 8 9-inch pizzas
Ingredients:
500 gm all purpose refined flour, 275 gm luke warm water, 15 gm fine sugar, 8 gm salt, 12 gm dry yeast, 20 ml olive oil
Method:
Mix the yeast in water and set aside for 5 minutes till the yeast starts to bubble. Mix flour, salt and sugar together. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and water. Mix using a spoon to get everything together. Transfer the mix on to a clean surface and knead well using your hands. Continue to knead till the dough is smooth. Let the dough rest for a couple of minutes and divide into 8 equal balls. Place the rounded dough balls on a lightly oiled tray and cover with a clean, wet kitchen towel. When the balls double in size (should take roughly one hour) they are ready to use.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Apple Pie in a glass
Here is a quick and a easy recipe blend for those who crave for apple pie, without the need to bake it and the lovely thing is that you can whip this up in your blender less than what it takes you to pre heat your oven
So all you require is
1/2 Cup raw cashews
1.5 - 2 cups water ( depending on the thickness)
1 - 1.5 cups of unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp vanilla essence
1tsp cinnamon powder
A pinch of sea salt
Blend all the ingredients until its smooth and creamy
Pour into a tall old fashioned glass and serve immediately
So all you require is
1/2 Cup raw cashews
1.5 - 2 cups water ( depending on the thickness)
1 - 1.5 cups of unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp vanilla essence
1tsp cinnamon powder
A pinch of sea salt
Blend all the ingredients until its smooth and creamy
Pour into a tall old fashioned glass and serve immediately
Home Bar - Orange Punch
- 6 cups ginger ale (48 ounces or about 1 1/2 liters), chilled
- 2 1/2 cups orange juice, chilled
- 1 cup pineapple juice, chilled
- 12 scoops orange ice cream
- Combine ginger ale, orange juice, and pineapple juice in a punch bowl
- Float scoops of on top and let sit until Ice cream melts slightly, about 2 minutes
- Serve immediately
- Tip:
- Since this drink is not served over ice, make sure your punch bowl and all your ingredients are well chilled. To keep the punch cold for a longer period of time, fill a larger bowl with ice and nestle the punch bowl on top
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