Dorm Culinaire

Black Dog Mocha

2011-01-26T14:39:00.000+05:30

When leading a bachelor life, alcohol is one thing that there is never any shortage of at your pad. So, naturally, it has to find its way into everything you make. There is something divine about the smell of alcohol as it wafts from a dish you cooked. Its intoxicating. And it takes the pleasure of cooking to a whole different level. It amplifies the joy there is in that simple act.
So, here is something simple to start you off on cooking with alcohol.

Black Dog Mocha

1 part Coffee
1 part Chocolate
1 part Sugar
1 part Black Dog Whisky
3 parts Hot Milk

Blend it all together till foamy.

This wasn't really food. But it is a start. And maybe someday, you would be dishing out masterpieces. Here is a toast to that day. Cheers!

Paneer: Indian Cottage Cheese

2011-01-23T16:56:00.000+05:30

Paneer is the most common cheese used in India. It is fresh, un-aged, non-melting and completely vegetarian. Unlike most cheeses, paneer is not coagulated used rennet. Instead, only fruit acids are used to curdle hot milk. The process of making paneer is simple. You heat up the milk and add in a curdling acid (lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid. effectively, anything acidic and edible) and separate the curds. Now what you do after this if your wish.

There exist variations across the country from this point on. What you do depends on what you want out of the end product. You can press dry it for a harder cheese or just hang it dry to get a softer, more moist version. You can ripen it or consume it un-aged. You can beat it smooth and make rasagullas or koftas or cut out slabs and make one of innumerable number of spicy dishes.

Here is the recipe I use to make paneer:

Ingredients:

1 Lt. Full Cream Cow's Milk

1 No. Juice of Whole Lemon

Procedure:

1. Bring milk to a boil.

2. Add the lemon juice.

3. Turn off the heat.

4. Strain the curds. Reserve the whey. There might be some use for it.

5. Leave to hang dry for 2-3 hours. Place under a weight and press dry, in case you require cubes or slabs.

Thats all there is to it, really! So go ahead and get your fix of this simple cheese.

Soubise

2010-01-17T15:11:00.001+05:30

The recipe for Soubise requires minimal interference from the cook, and as such, one can divert their attention to other pursuits while it slowly cooks away. Preparation required is minimal. This dish can be puréed and used as a sauce/gravy for meat dishes, especially chicken and fish. The key trick to this dish is finishing off the cooking of the rice in the water released from the onions. Use yellow onions for a pleasant golden colour because red onions result in the dish looking a bit muddy. Other vegetables with high water content can also be used for this purpose. Just remember the thumb rule, 1 cup Rice + 2 cups Water. Go ahead and try it out.

This was the other recipe I submitted for the campus magazine, The Fourth Estate. The magazine is still not out, but I just could not deprive my online readers anymore.

Ramen Carbonara

2010-01-17T15:01:00.001+05:30

The recipe which I am sharing today is a personal favorite of mine. A cheap, vegetarian version of Spaghetti alla carbonara, using Ramen noodles instead of the pasta and substituting the bacon with bell peppers. The major time in the creation of this dish is spent in the preparation with the actual cooking coming together within ten minutes. This recipe should only be used as a guideline and let your judgment and taste buds make the final call. I have tried to make sure that the ingredients used are readily available but the dish is pretty versatile to allow for the omission, replacement or addition of vegetables, meats and/or cheeses.

This was one part of a recipe I submitted for the campus magazine, The Fourth Estate. The magazine is still not out, but I just could not deprive my online readers anymore.

Rice and Shine!

2009-10-11T00:14:00.000+05:30

I realized that I have been neglecting this blog for a long time. Forgive me for that, but I return not empty-handed. A bit of a news first. I wrote two recipes for the college magazine. I will post them here once the magazine gets published. Until then, I present to you "The Humble Rice".

Comprised primarily of starch and fiber, rice is a source of vitamins B1 and B2 and minerals like potassium and phosphorous also, while being low in sodium content. The carbohydrates in rice are digested slowly, which allows for the body to utilize the energy over a longer time. Rice contains only traces of fat and absolutely no cholesterol, making it an extremely healthy food.

Rice is a staple food in India and most of the eastern nations, with each nation having its typical dishes made from rice. The variety of dishes that can be made with rice is astounding. These grains can be used in any course of the meal, be it appetizer or soup or entrée or a side or dessert. It can be had for breakfast or lunch, evening snacks or for dinner. While the West likes its Risotto with short-grained Arborio rice, Paella with medium-grained Bomba and Pilafs with long-grained rice, the Far East prefers its sticky(-ier (?)) rice in Sushi rolls and as Stir-Fried Rice or steamed rice and a bit soup-like as congee.
Even within India, the preferences of the populace varies widely. The North, typically, prefers wheat over rice with the rice eaters opting for seasoned rice dishes over plain rice. The South, predominantly, opts for plain steamed rice and has it with a wide variety of stews, sambhar, rasam, pappus, pachdis, podis and what not, everything washed down with a dollop of cooling curd rice. The omnipresent rice dishes of India, though, would have to be the Royal Biryanis and Pulaos made with the patented Basmati rice. As I pointed out, rather dramatically, at my other blog, the former is layered and the latter is stirred.
The main problem people face with beginning to cook rice is to get it to the proper consistency. So here are my tips:

Always wash the rice before cooking to remove excess starch from the surface. Any surface starch will make the cooked rice gummy and sticky. If necessary, depending on the freshness of the rice, soak the rice in cold water.
As a general rule, use 2 cups of water for a cup of long-grained white rice. Brown rices require more water. Shorter-grained rice require less water. More water gives softer, stickier rice - which is great for stir-fries, while less water results in firmer rice - good for rice salads.
Use a heavy-bottomed vessel to cook the rice in. This will result in lesser scorching at the bottom, through greater dissipation of heat.
Also, use a tight lid to trap the steam in. This is essential, since the water level keeps decreasing as more and more water is converted to steam. The rice at the top is cooked by the steam and the rice at the bottom is cooked by the boiling water.
After all the moisture is absorbed, i.e. the cooking is finished, remove the vessel and keep undisturbed for at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes so that the moisture is redistributed evenly among the rice grains.

The result: fluffy, perfect rice. Well, eventually. It does take a few trials to get it right, to get the feel of the rice variety you use, your cooking vessel and the heat levels of your stove.

Some New Toys!

2009-06-20T22:15:00.001+05:30

I have been eyeing a couple of handy gadgets for the Dorm Culinaire kitchen. They are not essential but are just something that I would really like to have on hand, for they would make life so much easier without occupying too much space in the room or digging deep into your pockets: two constraints that every college student has. I do not in any way advocate filling up your room with every little gadget that you can possibly lay your hands on, but some well thought out purchases can go a great way to filling up those ever hungry student stomachs or whipping up something to quieten that midnight growling while studying for that all-important test you have next morning.
The first one, a handheld blender. It is so useful in any kitchen. And it increases the scope of what you can prepare to include drinks (smoothies, juices, shakes). Tired of those chumky soups, I can puree it up now. This is top of my wishlist at the moment.
The other gadget is a Sandwich Press or Panini Press, whatever you may wish to call it. This is for those beautiful grilled sandwiches or the ultra-gooey panini. This can also be used to grill meats, vegetables, patties. It would be like having a mini smoke-free (till you don't burn anything up) BBQ right inside your room. Imagine how much fun that would be. Come rain or shine, your barbeque party just won't stop. This would nicely complement all the beer that anyway flows freely in the residences.
This is my summer wishlist. In case you want to be quick and gift it to me before I purchase it, do inform me! Keep cooking with passion!

Edit-to-Add I have purchased the Sandwich Grill. It is not some fancy piece of equipment but it works fine enough for me to handle it. Looking forward to cooking with it.

Omelet Time

2009-04-25T21:47:00.003+05:30

Now who doesn't like omelets. Light, fluffy, well-made sheet of eggy goodness. As I have mentioned earlier , the modest egg is the most versatile ingredient that one can work with. The Omelet is yet another display of its power to hold the sway of humans from the time it is served till the last bite vanishes down the throat and a moment more. Making this doesn't even take that much time.

The key to to making a fluffy omelet: Beat the eggs, don't stir them. Stirring just mixes up the materials. Beating incorporates air into the mixture and if the material is capable, like eggs are, the air gets trapped. Stirring at this point will only aid in removing the trapped air. You can beat the eggs using a fork or an egg-beater, in case you have one. The beater just gets the job done quicker for it allows for more air to come in contact.

The white and the yolk have different capacity for trapping air. For really fluffy omelets, beat the yolk and the white separately. Beat the whites till stiff. Add salt, pepper and hot water (about a tablespoon per yolk) to the yolks and beat. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture carefully so that the trapped air does not get released. Any spices you want to add should be added to the hot water and mixed thoroughly before adding to the eggs.

Vegetables and meat can be added either into the egg mixture or arranged on the semi-set omelet. The first method is the easier option, just fold the vegetables in, not stir them. The second method is a bit more difficult since the omelet gets cooked so quickly that you need to have everything ready next to you before you pour the eggs into the pan. One thing to remember, DO NOT OVERLOAD! Overloading the omelet will cause it to break apart.

Coming to the pan itself. Make sure that the pan is well greased. Heat the pan on medium heat. Melt butter without letting it burn. Butter adds flavour to everything, but it also racks up the calorie count.

Plain Omelet (with Onions, Tomatoes and Chillies)

Serve one egg per person. One yolk contains enough cholesterol to fulfill the daily intake requirement.

1/2 Medium Onion per egg, sliced thinly

1 Tomato per egg, sliced thinly

Couple of Green Chillies, chopped

Salt

Pepper

Method:

Beat the eggs. Mix in the vegetables.

Heat the pan. Melt some butter.

When the butter is melted, turn in the egg mixture. Swirl around so that the pan is covered with the mixture.

When the bottom is set and browned, run a spatula around the edge and under it to separate it from the pan.

Flip the omelet over and cook the other side till the mixture sets completely. It should be firm to the touch and not stick.

I'll leave you with a video of a spatula free flip that I did. Enjoy. And don't forget to keep cooking!

Soupy Delights: Potage d'oignon

2009-04-17T22:56:00.001+05:30

One of the most delectable ways of feeling the love between all the vegetables and meats is to throw them all in to a pot and let them all bubble away. It might sound a very sappy thing to say, but it is in fact quite "soup"y. A well made soup brings out the flavors of the ingredients composing it in such a burst of sensation that plays a merry jig on your taste buds all over your tongue. And as with everything that I instruct my readers about, it is a really simple thing to do. Just a matter of choosing your vegetables, your meat (Optional, in case you are one of the poor, hopeless souls inhabiting the earth and calling yourself Vegetarian just so that you can be Green, like a Martian perhaps!) and the garnish.
There are three vegetables that are almost omnipresent in every soup. The three great aromatics: Onion, Carrot and Celery. If not directly present, they are present in the form of the stock (or flavor concentrated water, if you please). Add to these, a few herbs and spices of choice, in quantities so as to not overpower the chief flavor you want to bring out. And the meat, you may brown it lightly in a bit of fat to get that delicious flavor that comes with the color. And now boil away. When everything seems cooked and smells absolutely heavenly, turn off the heat. Now, you can decide if you want a smooth soup or have it chunky to have a texturally different mouthfeel.

Potage d'oignon au dortoir (Dorm Onion Soup)

For those who might not be familiar with this extremely famous recipe straight from the Vatican of Culinary Delights, France, it might seem surprising that people are willing to drink this soup. A justified doubt, for hardly anyone likes the raw bite that an onion carries with it, nor the tears it brings to every eye. But it is not such effort as you might imagine it to be.

What you need:
Onions, sliced thinly
Oil, enough to coat the onions
Water
Stock Cubes (Optional)
Salt, to season
Pepper, to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Using a heavy bottomed pan is necessary for the proper dissipation of heat, for we shall sauté (or lightly fry in a dab of oil) the onion slices. Do not turn up the heat too high or else the oil might get too hot.
Drop in the sliced onions. You should hear a wonderful sizzle as the onions strikes the pan. Sauté till the onion turn brown. This is called caramelizing. (Remember: If it is Brown it is Cooked, if it is Black it is Fucked) Stir occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
Add water. How much water depends on how many people you want to serve and the strength of the flavor you need. Throw in the stock cube too.
Stir well. Taste and add salt and pepper as required. The commercially available stock cubes are very salty, so don't salt with an overly heavy hand.
Boil away on high for about 10 mins so that the onion flavor gets into the water.

Serving suggestions:
Ladle into a bowl or cup and top with toasted bread of size sufficient to cover it.

Variation:
On a special occasion, you might add a bit of red wine before adding the water, if you feel like it.
Grate some parmesan on top of the bread and toast it together.

Hope you enjoy having this. For this particular soup is something that I totally love.

The Joy of Simple Veggies

2009-03-13T06:26:00.000+05:30

Vegetables contain texture, flavor and loads of nutrients, thus making them a really necessary part of the diet. This is especially true in the case of college going students for the regular dose of fast food is unable to completely fulfill our body's requirement for nutrition even though it might fill up the stomach. But, admit it, none of us really like eating vegetables. Given a choice between a healthy salad or a heart stopping bacon explosion, I would definitely choose the latter.
But veggies are good, tasty and easy to make. And it does no harm to that wonderful piece of meat that has been making your mouth water. Good side dishes always add to the experience of the meal. And even simple Pan-Roasted or Sautéed Veggies will add the texture to every mouthful along with a burst of varying flavor.
Some vegetables that you might consider using are:

Root vegetables of various kinds, like Potatoes, Carrots, Beets etc.
Beans of various kinds, like French Beans, Broad Beans, Soybeans etc.
Baby Onions

To prepare:

Size the veggies into bite sized pieces if required.
Blanch the root vegetables by placing them in cold water and heating till boiling. Remove to a bowl of cold water.
Drop beans into boiling water. Wait for water to return to boil. Count off 8 seconds and remove to cold water.
Heat cooking oil in a pan. Add the vegetables and toss to coat them with oil.
Remove when the vegetables slightly brown.
Season with a bit of salt, pepper and chilly powder (if required).

Vegetables can be prepared in a simple way like this. Or they can be worked upon by adding layers of complexity in flavor through several techniques. One of them is working in a vinaigrette, which I will deal with in the next post.
Who said eating healthy meant eating drab! Go ahead and experiment with the vegetables you come across. Happy Cooking!

No Heat Cooking: Sandwiches

2009-02-23T17:46:00.001+05:30

Cooking doesn't always involve heat and all that goes with it. Sandwiches are a great way to satisfy the midnight hunger attacks. All you require is:

Some slices of bread
Something to put in between

With just these two components, there are so many variations possible that the world is still not tired of discovering new recipes, be it for those summertime picnics or the sophisticated tea parties.
Choose a bread that you like. I prefer simple Brown Bread for my sandwiches, but you can even get yourself a Baguette and slice it up. For the inner layer I would give the following suggestions:

Tomatoes
Cucumber
Lettuce
Onions
Salami
Bacon

Buy want you want and only as much as you need. For these stuff won't last long without proper storage which is difficult to attain outside of a refrigerator, which I am assuming that you don't have. In case you have one, go ahead and stock it up. Just have a few jars of jam or peanut butter or mayonnaise or mustard and ketchup on hand and a whole new dimension will be added to what started as a midnight snack.
The sandwich is a perfect dorm room dish because it is fast, clean and filling. And it is healthy too. So go ahead and make yourself some!

Eggs and Eggheads

2009-02-08T07:14:00.000+05:30

Eggs are, perhaps, the simplest of proteins that you can manipulate to satisfy your appetite. And the simplest act of cooking that can be performed on it, Boiling.
Eggs can be boiled up to different stages of the setting of the yolk. Runny, soft, medium or hard. A runny yolk is in no way unfit for consumption for it is still cooked to the temperatures where Salmonella does not remain a problem.
Choosing eggs:

Choose eggs without cracks.
Eggs should be about 3 to 5 days old. (Stored hygienically, of course.)

To boil eggs:

Place eggs at bottom of the vessel and cover with cold water to cover an inch above.
Heat to boil the water. When it comes to a rolling boil, remove and set aside with a lid on.
Keep for 3-5 mins for soft yolk, 5-7 mins for medium-cooked yolk and 12-20 mins for hard yolks depending on size of the eggs.
Remove from the water and quench the eggs into cold water to stop them overcooking. De-shell and enjoy.

Whats Cooking America has a good set of tips, techniques and how the different types of yolks should look.

The eggs that you have prepared now can be enjoyed as is with a dash of S&P (Salt and Pepper, of course.) Hard-boiled eggs can be converted into salads when paired up with a few vegetables and greens, or sliced and layered into sandwiches or minced up and mixed into spreads.
My friends just ate up the eggs as I peeled of the shell. But, I decided to spruce up the eggs and made some Deviled Eggs. It was just a bit more of an effort. But really, was it even an effort so far?

To make Deviled Eggs:

Cut up the hard boiled egg lengthwise into two. Remove yolk.
Now mix the yolk with whatever you want to mix. (I used a bit of mayo, some self-made mustard, chili powder, salt and pepper.)
Spoon out the yolk mixture back into the egg whites.

Prelude: Equipment Needed

2009-02-04T10:04:00.000+05:30

What every kitchen requires in order to dish out good food is not much. People think that restaurants produce such great food because they have lots of equipment. Pots, pans, loads of knives, blenders, food processors, ovens, microwaves and lots of other devices which require utmost delicacy to handle. Well, they do have all that and they spend a fortune for all that. But, then, they make a fortune too.
I, on the other hand, get a little allowance every month, usually at the beginning, which I have to utilize till the end. What do I do in such a situation? Well, I team up with some of the seven hungry souls that I promise to feed, and I go and win some contests and use up that prize money to get the necessary equipment.
The following is a list of the bare essentials required for any Dorm Room Cook (What I have with me is marked with a *):

*Heat source: Preferably something that won't burn the building down. Gas supply is a big NO-NO!
*Cooking vessel: This is what you cook in. You can have several. But that is really not required. One is enough. More just makes the job easier.
*Knife: A good multipurpose knife is the most ideal. But you can make do with what you can get hold of. I have this awesome 10" Chef's Knife that I use at home. But, I dare not bring it here for some people have a tendency to wave about sharp objects and hurt others. Specifically by almost cutting of the thumb.
Frying pan/Skillet: Required unless you want to get bored of eating only boiled or steamed or stewed stuff. It will take a long time to get bored of those when there is a creative mind at play. But, trust me, a bit of dry heat adds so much more flavor complexes to what you eat.
Blender: A hand-held one is great for use. For all those puréed soups and juices that one can't get enough of.
Microwave/Convection Oven: It depends on how large a room you have. I, unfortunately, don't have one large enough. Nor, do I want to prepare any roasts or cakes or tarts. Dang, I think I do. But, it is too much of a fire hazard. Hence, I won't.
*Seasonings: That is just Salt. :)
Flavorings: Most of the stuff that adds to the base flavor of the food being prepared. Like pepper, sugar, citrus juices, chili powder etc.
*Cutlery: How else are you going to eat what has been prepared so lovingly and passionately?
And, of course, the raw produce that you are going to turn into a wonderful meal.

Feel free to gift me any of the above things for my next birthday! I would love you for the rest of my life. Irrespective of your sex and sexual preferences.

This was just a prelude to while away the time while I get my cooking supplies. Posts with food in it, and invitations to join and dig in, will follow soon. Till then, keep eating. And enjoy my non-food blog here.

P.S.: The title of my previous post was exactly how you would have been welcomed to my room. Smells tend to linger in my room.

Welcoming Everyone with the smell of Fresh Coffee and Sweated Onions

2009-02-02T23:18:00.000+05:30

Hello reader,

I would like to welcome you to the world of Dorm Room Cooking. Here, I would be detailing my culinary experiments and cooking for a group of seven hungry guys while restricted to the bare minimum that can be possible in a tiny room for one. I will try to incorporate pictures of what I cook too. Since that would have to be done on a borrowed camera, I cannot assure you of that.
This is my first food blog and I hope you will encourage me by being a regular reader and writing your comments for the posts you read. I completely open to tips and suggestions, even from those who have never even boiled a cup of water in their life.

The first actual post will be up real soon. It will be about the basic equipment required.

Until then, enjoy my other non-food (almost) blog here.