Unnati's Recipes

Gluten- free Tea Cookies

2012-01-01T16:55:00.000-06:00

I have recently discovered that I am gluten intolerant which is not so exciting as I love to cook, bake and eat! I love to have cookies with my tea and I have been sorely missing the 'Marie biscuits' with my tea. I used to make these tea cookies with all purpose flour, which I have now made using gluten-free flour. I used 'King Arthur's Gluten- free all purpose flour' from Whole Foods. I got reasonably good results and even my friends and children who are not gluten intolerant did not notice the difference.
I have been experimenting with other gluten-free flours and I shall soon write about the other things I have tried.

INGREDIENTS:

Soft unsalted butter - 226g ( 1Cup)
Superfine sugar - 1/2 cup + 5 tbsp for coating cookies.
Gluten free all purpose flour - 2.5 cups
Finely chopped mixed nuts or almond meal - 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 1tsp

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
Sift the flour with salt and baking powder. Keep aside.
Add in the vanilla extract to the butter.
Slowly add the flour and roll into a soft dough.
Roll into 1" diameter balls and place on parchment.
Bake for 13-15 minutes or until just golden.
Remove and when still warm, roll into the sugar to coat. Place on cooling rack. Serve when cool.

NOTE: The gluten free flour can be substituted by all purpose flour for a non- gluten free version.

Spiced Caramel Corn

2011-12-30T17:06:00.000-06:00

Great snack for the winter. Very addicitng...enjoy...

INGREDIENTS:

Popped unsalted corn - 1 microwave bag or 12 cups
Salted mixed nuts or nuts of choice- 1 cup
Brown Sugar - 1 cup
Light Corn syrup - 1/4 cup
Unsalted butter - 1 stick ( 113g or 8 Tbsp)
Salt - 1tsp
Cayenne powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Cream of Tartar - 1/8 tsp (optional)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 225 deg F. Line a baking sheet with parchement.
Place popcorn and nuts in a large bowl.
Heat a thick bottomed pan. Add in the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt and bring to a boil. It is a good idea to use a wooden spoon.
Add in the baking soda, cream of Tartar and cayenne powder- reduce heat and stir continuously for about 4 minutes or till the syrup turns an amber colour.
Pour the caramel into the bowl with the popcorn and nuts and mix to coat the popcorn well. Be careful in this step as the caramel is very hot and can burn your skin easily.
Turn out the coated popcorn onto the baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour or till the popcorn is slightly dry, occasionally stirring the popcorn.
Once it is completely cool, store in an airtight jar.

Pinwheel Cookies

2011-12-20T11:38:00.000-06:00

Love these cookies! These were one of the first cookies I had ever baked! These are great to make with your kids . Basically a shortbread cookie, one flavored with chocolate and the other vanilla which are rolled into a log, cut in slices and baked. Often I make a double batch and freeze one batch to bake later.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour(APF) - 3cups
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Room temp. unsalted butter - 1 cup
Unsweetened chocolate, melted - 3oz(85 g)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1 tbsp
Egg, lightly beaten - 1

Method:

Sift the APF, salt and baking powder together. Keep aside.
Cream butter and sugar till light in colour. Add in the egg and milk and mix.
Add in the flour and mix just till it comes together. DO NOT OVERWORK!
Divide in two halves.
Add in the melted chocolate to one half and the vanilla to the other half. Knead the doughs separately. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for about 15- 30 minutes.
Roll the two dough separately into a 1/4" thk slab. Both should be roughly the same shape and size.
Place the chocolate layer over the vanilla layer and roll into a tight log. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.
Cut the log into 1/2" thk. slices. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes till they are just slightly golden brown.
When they are cool to touch, remove and let cool completely on baking rack.
Store in an airtight jar.

Maple Chipotle Chicken Wings

2011-11-16T17:06:00.001-06:00

This is a take on Buffalo Wild Wings. I have done away with deep frying the wings and have combined two flavours that I really like - maple syrup and chipotle in adobo sauce.

Ingredients:

Chicken wings - 1kg or 2.2 lbs
Melted butter, unsalted, preferred - 2 Tbsp
Hot sauce, preferably Frank's hot sauce - 2-3Tbsp
Chipotle chilli in adobo sauce - 2 finely chopped with about 2 tsp of the sauce
Maple Syrup or honey - 2 Tbsp+
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
All Purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Thyme or Oregano or Sage - 2Tbsp

Method:

If you wish, remove as much of the skin from the wings as easily possible. It is a good idea to keep some of the skin.
Preheat the oven to 500F. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a wire rack over it.
In a zip top bag , place the all purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black crushed pepper and the herb of your choice. Shake to mix well.
Place the chicken wings in the bag and close. Shake to ensure all the chicken wings are lightly coated with the flour mix.
Lightly spritz the flour covered wings with oil and bake in the hot preheated oven till they are golden brown in colour and crispy, about 45 minutes. It is a good idea to turn them over once so that they are all evenly browned. You will hear a lot of sizzling - that is good it is all the fat from the wings hitting the baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, mix in the other ingredients - melted butter, hot sauce, minced chipotle and maple syrup and salt as per taste. Taste the sauce. It should be a balanced taste of sweet, tangy and spicy. You could add more of either sweet/ tangy ( because of the hot sauce's vinegary flavour) and spicy as per preference.
Once the wings are cooked, add the same to the above and mix well till all the chicken wings are evenly coated.
Serve warm.

NOTE: To make this gluten free, substitute the 2 Tbsp of All Purpose Flour with 2 Tbsp of Rice Flour and follow the rest of the recipe.

Ratatouille's- Ratatouille

2011-10-18T14:57:00.003-05:00

Ever since I saw the movie, Ratatouille, I have wanted to make the version shown in the movie. Thomas Keller of French Laundry is the inspiration behind the Chef Rat -Remy. In the movie, the Ratatouille shown is a Thomas Keller version of the French Stew. This is my version.

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4; Prep time - 20 minutes; Cook time - 40 minutes

Eggplant, long slender ones or the small oblong ones - 8 or (200gms or 8 oz)
Red Bell Pepper- 1 to 2
Green Zucchini - 2 to 4
Summer squash( yellow zucchini) - 2 to 4
Onion, sliced thin - 1 medium
Tomatoes, peeled and cubed - 400g or 16 oz
Garlic Cloves, crushed - 5 to 6
Olive oil- 1 tbsp
Herbs de Provence - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Crushed fennel seeds -1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Vegetable or chicken stock - 1 cup
Parchment paper

METHOD:

Heat Olive oil.
Add in the onions and garlic.
Saute for a minute.
Add in the tomatoes.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stir once in a while.
Add in the herbs De Provence and other spices, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Add in the broth/stock and mix well.
Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste the sauce to ensure the taste is balanced. Sometimes, the tomatoes are sour, adding a pinch of sugar rounds out the flavour profile.
The sauce should become a little thick.
Turn off the heat and keep aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Slice the eggplant, summer squash, zucchini and bell pepper to about 1/8th to 1/16th of an inch.It is better to use a mandoline if you have one - makes the job easier and quicker.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
In a nice oven proof dish, spoon out the tomato sauce so that it is about 1/2 to 1/4" thick.
Starting from the out to the in, arrange the slices of eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini and bell pepper so that they are slightly overlapping almost resembling a spiral.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper( as per taste).
Cut out a piece of parchment paper to match that of the dish and lightly place on the vegetables.
Place in a preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or till the vegetables are just done.
Remove from the oven, remove the parchment and discard.
Serve with French bread.

NOTE: Herbs de Provence is a herb blend of 3tbsp each of oregano, thyme and savory, 2tbsp lavendar, 1tsp each of basil, sage and rosemary.

Mooli Salad ( Daikon Radish Salad)

2011-08-18T12:08:00.002-05:00

Love this salad for it's simplicity and use of fresh Mooli.

INGREDIENTS: serves 4; Prep time - 15 min ; Soak time - 20 mins

Mooli ( Daikon Radish), large hole grated - about 3 cups
Moong dal, dehusked and split in half - 3 tbsp
Green chilli -3
Cilantro - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar - 3/4 tsp
Lime/lemon juice - 1 tsp
Oil- 1 Tbsp
Brown mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE:

Soak the grated Mooli in cold water for about 5 minutes. Soak the Split Moong Dal in warm water for about 15-20 minutes. Keep Aside.
Chop the cilantro. Deseed and finely chop the green chilli. Keep aside.
Squeeze the Mooli of excess water and place in a bowl. Add in the cilantro and chopped green chilli.
Drain the Split Moong Dal and add to the above mixture.
Add the rest of the ingredients- salt, sugar and lime juice and mix. Check the seasonings .
In a small pan or wok, heat the oil. When hot add in the mustard seeds and the asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds crack open, quickly add to the salad. Mix well.
The above step is optional, but certainly imparts a wonderful flavour.
Serve either after step 6 or 7 as per personal preference.

NOTE - Sometimes the Mooli can be a little pungent and soaking in cold water for a few minutes helps mellow the radish.

Corn on the Cob Curry

2011-08-17T16:04:00.001-05:00

The Farmer's Market is full of corn and I thought of making something other than the usual grilled corn, corn salsa, corn relish and all the other corny stuff. Here's something very different. It is great fun to dip the corn in the gravy and suck on the cob - enjoy!

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4-6; Prep time 25 mins; Cook time 30 mins

The Spice Paste -

Fresh grated coconut - 75g
Chopped onion - 75g
Roasted, skin removed, peanuts - 75g
Dried red chillies - 2
Garlic cloves - 3
Roasted coriander powder - 2 tsp
Roasted cumin powder - 2 tsp
Sesame seeds, roasted -3 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1.5 tsp or to taste
Sugar or jaggery - 1.5 tsp

Shucked corn on the cob, cut in 1"- 1.25" rounds - 4

Oil- 1 tbsp

Bayleaf - 1

Cloves - 6

Cinnamon - 1"

Green cardamom - 4

Cilantro to garnish

PROCEDURE:

In a blender, add all the ingredients for the spice paste( from 1 to 11) and grind to a fine paste with a little water. Keep aside.

In a large skillet or deep pan, heat oil. Add the whole spices - bayleaf, cloves, cinnamon and green cardamon.

Add the above ground paste to the oil and fry the paste till fragrant and till oil leaves and separates from the spice paste.( See the photo)

If the paste starts sticking to the bottom of the pan add a tsp of water. The sauteing of the spice paste takes about 3-5 minutes.

Thin out with a cup of water.

Add the corn rounds in a single layer to the above. (See photo)

If need be, add in about 1/2 to 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or till the gravy is reduced, but coats the corn and the corn is ready to eat.

Check the seasonings and add any if needed.

Garnish in with cilantro and serve with flat bread or rice.

NOTE- the same spice paste could be used to make different curries. Try stuffing small green or purple eggplants( make cross wise slits till 3/4th way down on the eggplant, keeping the stalks intact) and follow the above 5 steps. You could even omit the whole spices. This is would be a variation of a very famous eggplant preparation called ' Bahgare Baingan'.

Israeli Couscous Salad

2011-08-15T16:20:00.000-05:00

Israeli couscous is also called Ptitim. It is made out of hard wheat flour and made into little white balls. Normally it is eaten with fried onions and tomato paste. It is very versatile. Could be used in soups, as a substitute for rice and in salad. It resembles and reminds me of 'Sabudana' - little white balls made out of arrowroot. This is used in Indian cooking.

INGREDIENTS: serves 4 ; Prep time 10 mins; Cook time 15 mins

Israeli couscous - 1 cup
Mixed diced vegetables of choice - 1 cup - cucumbers,tomato,bell peppers, onion, spinach, lettuce, radish, carrots
Parsley, chopped - 1/2 cup, lightly packed
Mint, chopped - 1/4 cup, lightly packed
Olive oil, extra virgin preferred - 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne powder - 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1tsp
Lime/ lemon juice - 1/2 to 1 tsp

PROCEDURE:

Cook the couscous as per manufacturer's instructions - usually allow to boil for 9 minutes in boiling water- just like pasta. Wash in cold water and drain well.
Mix in all the rest of the ingredients and mix.
Could be served cold or at room temperature.

Nankhatai

2011-06-23T16:01:00.001-05:00

Essentially a shortbread cookie with six basic ingredients. This recipe was developed in the 16th century by person named Dotiwala in a large port town in Western India called Surat. These cookies were served and still are served as tea cookies. In the US, they are very close in texture and flavor as the 'Sandies'. This recipe is unique in the absence of egg. I have used yoghurt here, one could substitute with milk too.

INGREDIENTS:

Powdered sugar 75g (3oz)
Granulated sugar 100g (4oz)
Ghee, clarified butter 100g (4oz)
Yoghurt 75 g (4 tbsp)
All Purpose Flour 250g (9oz)
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder 1/4 tsp
Pinch of salt
Powdered green cardamom 1 tsp

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 300F.
Cream together the sugars and ghee. Add in the yoghurt.
Sieve the dry ingredients together. Mix into the wet ingredients and combine to form a soft dough.
On a cookie sheet, place 1"dia balls of cookie dough and bake for about 20 minutes.
Cool on rack before storing.

NOTE- If you don't have powdered sugar, you can use granulated sugar. You could crush in a blender half of it.

The ghee or clarified butter gives the cookie a nutty flavor. Unsalted butter (125g) could be used instead of ghee.

Indian Saffron Cookies

2011-06-17T16:08:00.000-05:00

The secret ingredient in this recipe is ghee. Ghee is clarified butter. It has a deep nutty taste which cannot be replicated by butter. Ghee is available in all Indian stores. I however, prefer to make my own - recipe to follow soon.

INGREDIENTS: yield about 40 cookies, Prep time-15 minutes, cook time- 20 minutes

All Purpose Flour (APF) 150g (5 oz)
Fine Semolina (Rava) 150g (5 oz)
Baking Soda 1/4 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder 1/4 tsp (optional)
Powdered sugar 125g (4.5 oz)
Ghee (clarified butter) 100g (4oz)
Yoghurt 1 tbsp
Warm milk 1 tsp
Saffron strands 1/4 tsp

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 300F.
Grind the semolina to a coarse powder.
Sieve together the APF, semolina, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder if using, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Add the saffron in the warm milk and set aside for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cream together the ghee and sugar.
Add in the tablespoon of yoghurt and beat well. Add in the saffron-milk mix.
Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients and mix well to form a soft dough.
Break into small balls of 1" diameter and place on a baking sheet.
Bake till golden brown and delicious for about 30 minutes.
Let the cookies rest on the sheet for about 5 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely before storing.

NOTE: If you are not using yoghurt but using just water or milk, along with the baking soda, add 1/4 tsp baking powder. This will help the baking soda with the rising process.

Ratatouille Lasagna

2011-06-02T12:20:00.001-05:00

This version of lasagna is the only way to have my kids eat eggplant with a smile on their faces and for them to come back for more! This with a light salad of lettuce or Panzanella( an Italian bread salad with fresh tomatoes) is a complete meal. The lasagna has 3 parts to it. First is the Ratatouille, which is a rustic French vegetable stew. It has 5 basic ingredients - eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and red bell peppers mixed with herbs De Provence. The recipe here for the Ratatouille is my version of it. Second -the lasagna sheets which could be store bought. And third- the white sauce. All this comes together and is baked.

INGREDIENTS: serves 4-5; Prep time 40 minutes; cook time 40 minutes
For the Ratatouille

Eggplant, sliced thin - 400g
Zucchini, sliced thin - 1 medium
Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin- 1
Onion, sliced thin - 1 medium
Tomatoes, peeled and cubed - 400g
Garlic cloves, crushed - 5
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Herbs De Provence - 2 tsp (see note)
Coriander powder - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Crushed Fennel seeds - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Vegetable or chicken stock - 1 cup
Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Lasagna sheets about 10 to 14 (FOR GLUTEN FREE OPTION-use brown rice lasagna sheets)

For the white sauce

Olive oil - 1 Tbsp
Butter - 1 Tbsp
All Purpose Flour - 2to 3 Tbsp ( GLUTEN- FREE OPTION- use gluten free All Purpose Flour or Rice flour)
Salt
Pepper
Milk - 1 cup+
Chicken/Vegetable broth/stock - 1/2 cup (optional)
Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup

METHOD:

For the Ratatouille:

Heat oil. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute for a minute.
Add in the eggplant. Saute till the eggplant starts to change colour.
Add in the tomatoes . Cook for about 3 minutes, stir once in a while.
Add in the zucchini, bell peppers , the herbs De Provence and other spices, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Add in the broth/stock and mix well.
Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Taste the ratatouille and make necessary corrections in taste if required.
Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F. Make the white sauce.

For the white sauce:

In a thick bottomed skillet, heat the oil and butter together.
Just as the butter starts sizzling and melting, add the APF and turn down the heat. Stir to incorporate.
Slowly add in the milk and stir so that there are no lumps forming. You may need to add more milk or broth/ stock depending on how thick the sauce is becoming. Addition of milk will make the sauce more rich and the broth will make it less rich.
Add in the salt and pepper.Sometimes, I add in some prepared mustard to it.
Allow it to cook for a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Assembly:

Follow manufacturer's instructions for the lasagna sheets. Some sheets do not need boiling and can be directly baked.
In a large oven proof glassware/bake ware, generously spoon some of the white sauce. Leave enough white sauce to pour over at the end.
Put a layer of lasagna sheets.
Spoon some ratatouille generously.
Place a layer of lasagna sheets.
Again some ratatouille. Alternate the lasagna sheets and ratatouille till you have 5 layers of lasagna sheets.
On the last layer of sheet, pour over the remaining white sauce and sprinkle cheese evenly.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 25- 30 minutes or till the top is golden. Best served warm.

Rhubarb Chutney

2011-05-23T15:14:00.002-05:00

At the Farmer's Market, Rhubarb is everywhere. It was just wonderful to see the fresh, red coloured stalks of rhubarb. I didn't want to make a pie out of it so here's a recipe for an Indian inspired chutney!

INGREDIENTS: Prep time- 10 mins; Cook time- 30 mins; Yield- 500g (17.5-18 oz)

Rhubarb, washed and diced to 3/4" - 340- 350 g(12-12.5 oz)
Ginger,skin peeled and julienned - 15g(1/2 oz)
Raisins- any type - 25- 50g(1-2 oz) or as per personal preference
Sugar - 250g plus(9 oz)
Roasted cumin powder - 1 tsp
Cayenne powder - 2 tsp or as per preference
Bayleaf - 1
Dried red chilli - 1(optional, but highly recommended)
Panch phoran - 1 tsp OR 1/4tsp each of brown/yellow mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, Cumin seeds, Anise seeds, Nigella seeds( onion seeds). This is available in any Indian store as a ready mix.
Salt - 1-2 tsp or as per taste
Oil(vegetable or canola) - 1 tbsp

METHOD:

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet or saucepan.
When hot, add in the bayleaf, dried red chilli and 1 tsp of panch phoran.
When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add in the diced rhubarb. Saute for a minute.
Add in the ginger, cayenne powder, cumin powder, salt and sugar. Mix.
Lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
After about 10 minutes, the rhurbarb should have broken down into a mushy mass. Check the seasonings. If the mix is still too tart, add in 50g of sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Check the seasonings for salt, spiciness, sweet and sour. It should all balance out. It any of the flavors need to be balanced, do so at this stage.
Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes more.
Allow to cool. Once cool, store in an air tight jar. Should be kept in the refrigerator.

Not quite Shrewsbury Biscuits!

2011-05-19T13:01:00.001-05:00

In my hometown of Pune, India there is a bakery- Kayani's which makes the most fabulous Shrewsbury biscuits. The biscuits( cookies) are the palest yellow, have a superb buttery flavour and taste. I have been trying to get as close as I can to that taste of home. Though not close in taste, these cookies are good and are closer in texture and taste to ' Sandies'. Here's my version of the Shrewsbury Biscuits-

INGREDIENTS: makes about 30, 2" dia Prep time 30 mins Cook time 15 mins

100g (4 oz) unsalted butter
50g (2oz) ghee ( clarified butter)
25g (1oz) milk powder
130g (5oz) caster sugar or fine ground sugar
2 egg yolks, separated
225g (8oz) All purpose flour
1/4tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Beat the butter till it becomes light and fluffy.
Add in the sugar and the yolks till light and fluffy.( The colour of the butter mixture should lighten up)
Add in the vanilla extract.
Sieve together the salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour.
Slowly add into the butter mixture. Mix till it just comes together in a ball. The mixture should be a little crumbly at this stage. Pat it into a disc, wrap with cling film and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes roll the dough out till it is a little more than 1/4" thick but less than 1/2" thick. Using a cutter stamp out the dough in about 2" diameter circles and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake for about 7 minutes and then turn the sheet around and bake for another 7 to 8 mins or till they are done. The cookies should be golden brown in colour and should be a little soft to the touch when you get them out of the oven.
Cool on a rack right away, the cookies/ biscuits should firm up.

Venison Pickle

2011-05-19T13:00:00.002-05:00

A friend of ours hunts and he kindly gave me some venison to make an Indian style pickle. This pickle will work for pork, lamb or goat. This recipe calls for more black pepper than red chillies, however, one can play with the amount of spice as per personal preference. The ingredient list may appear long, but it is a recipe which requires very little effort. The pickle could be used in sandwhiches, or one can make a stew with it, just with plain steamed rice or chappatis, or in pot-pies, the list is endless. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS: Prep time, incl marinating time 20 mins+12 hrs Cook time 1 hr.

Lean meat in 1/2" cubes 750g(1 1/2lbs) could be pork, lamb, goat any red meat
Oil- canola or vegetable 3 tbsp
Brown mustard seeds 1 tsp
Garlic paste 25g (1oz)
Ginger paste 25g (1oz)
Finely chopped onion 50g (2oz) optional
Cayenne powder 1/2 - 1 tsp - or as per preference
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves 6-10
Sugar 2-3 tsp

Marinade

White vinegar 1-2 tbsp
Black pepper 1.5 tsp
Dried red chillies 2
Cloves 10
Cinnamon 1"
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds or shahjeera 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp

METHOD:

In a grinder or spice mill, grind to fine powder all the ingredients listed in the marinade except for vinegar.
Place the powder in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of the vinegar plus 2-3 tbsps of water to it and mix.
Rub the above paste to the meat and marinate the meat for at least 3 hrs, preferably overnight.
In a thick skillet or pan, heat the oil.
When hot, add in the curry leaves and the brown mustard seeds.
When the seeds begin to crackle and pop, add in the onions and the ginger-garlic pastes. Saute till oil starts leaving the sides of the mixture. If the mixture starts to stick at, add a few drops of water.
Add in the turmeric and the marinated meat with all the juices. Saute till the water/moisture from the meat dries up.
Add in the rest of the ingredients- cayenne powder, salt, cumin powder and sugar. Add water to cover the meat . Turn down the heat, cover and cook the meat till tender and till there is a thick gravy.
Add in the remaining vinegar and mix well. Check the seasonings. If something is lacking, now is a good time to correct the balance.
Once it is cooled down, spoon into a clean and air- tight jar and refrigerate.

Tandoori Chicken

2011-02-11T18:35:00.002-06:00

Tandoori Chicken is India's best known delicacy and barbecue chicken. This is made in a clay oven- the tandoor- and hence the name. Tandoor food is very popular and typically served at roadside cafes called dhabas. The chicken is usually eaten with naan or tandoori roti - kind of bread, a daal-lentil curry and a simple salad of onions with tomatoes.

I used a cornish hen for this recipe and splatched it. Basically, one cuts the backbone of the bird and with the heel of your hand, press down on the breast bone to flatten it out. I would highly recommend using the cornish hens to regular chicken.

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4; Prep time 30mins+ 12hrs marination; cook time 15 mins

Cornish hens or chicken, whole or cut into pieces - 1.2kg/ 3lbs
Salt
Cayenne powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 4 tbsp
Butter/ ghee for basting

The Marinade

Thick yoghurt- 100g/ 4 oz
Cream or thick yoghurt - 100gms/4oz
Ginger paste- 15gms/2.5 tsp
Garlic paste - 15 gms/ 2.5 tsp
Cumin powder - 1tsp
Garam Masala - 3gms/ 1/2 tsp - available in Indian stores
Saffron- 1 tsp
Orange colour - 1 drop (optional)
Raja Tandoori Masala - 2 tsp - SECRET INGREDIENT (optional)- available in Indian stores
Chaat masala - 1 tsp for garnish- available in Indian stores
Cilantro leaves - a few for garnish

NOTE: If you are using Raja Tandoori Masala, there is no need to add the food colouring. Tandoori chicken normally is coloured orange/red. It is not necessary to do so. Most times, I do not add the colouring.

METHOD:

After splatching the cornish hens(CH) or chicken, make incisions on the thighs and breast - 3 on each breast , 3 on each thigh and 2 on the drumstick.
Mix together the salt, about 1 tsp, cayenne powder and lemon juice. Rub this evenly on the CH or chicken. Keep aside for 15 - 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the marinade ingredients. Add salt about 2 tsps. Taste the marinade. It is should be just a little salty and ginger-garlicky. Remember, we still have to add the CH/ chicken.
Add in the chicken and massage the chicken with the marinade.
The marinated chicken should be kept in the fridge for 12 hours or a minimum of 4hrs before grilling.(I normally marinate the chicken/CH for 24 hrs. It keeps well in the freezer too for a few days. If it is in the freezer - thaw it out in the fridge - not on the counter!)
Grilling- you could grill directly on your grill. The chicken's internal temperature should reach 180 deg F. Baste the chicken with butter or ghee.
If you are using the oven. Set the oven setting to ' broiler' - we want the top filament to get hot.
Place the chicken on a wire rack which is over a baking sheet. Place in the middle rack in the oven.
Check after about 7 to 8 minutes. Baste the chicken with ghee or butter. Turn over and broil for another 7 to 8 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the chicken/ CH. It should read 180 deg F.
Once done, get it out of the oven. Squeeze a few drops of lemon/lime juice. Sprinkle with the chaat masala and cilantro leaves. Serve with onion rings dressed with lime juice, salt and cayenne pepper.

Chocolate Eclairs

2011-01-12T18:32:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favourite dessets. I remember the small bakery that we used to frequent where eclairs would have been made fresh everyday and kept in glass shelves.
Eclairs are really choux (shoo-)pastry - a light pastry made out of water, flour, butter and eggs. This was supposed invented by a Florentine chef-Panterelli in the 1500s.

Pastry:

All Purpose Flour- 65gms/2.25 oz
Pinch of salt
Butter, diced - 50gms/1.75 oz
Water - 150 ml/5 fl.oz
Eggs, lightly beaten- 2

Filling:

Double/heavy cream- 200 ml-300 ml/6.75floz- 10floz.
Sugar 5- 6 tsp
Vanilla essence ¼ tsp
Chocolate 75-100 gms/2.65oz to 4 oz
Butter 25 gms/1oz
Water 2 tbsp

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C.
Sift the APF with salt.
Combine the butter and water and heat on medium.
Increase heat and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low.
Remove from heat and add in the flour all at once. Get back on heat and stir till it forms a ball and is shiny.
Set aside to cool for 3 minutes. THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP- as the success of the choux pastry depends on the coolness of the flour mix.
Add in the beaten eggs and beat well till it is a shiny paste and thick enough to hold its shape. If the above step is not followed, the eggs will tend to cook resulting in a flat pastry.
Spoon choux pastry into bag fitted with 1“ plain nozzle. Pipe 4” lengths to the baking sheet with parchment on it. If you don't have a pastry bag, put it in a zipper bag. Snip off one of the corners at an angle- about an inch wide.
Place in the oven. Close the door and lower the temperature to 400°F/ 218°C. Bake for 25-30 minutes or till pastries are well risen and golden brown. Remove from oven and make a neat slit to release steam. Lower oven temperature to 350°F/180°C and bake for a further 5 minutes.
Let cool.

Filling:

Whip cream with sugar and vanilla till it holds its shape.
Spoon into piping bag.
Pipe whipped cream into split eclairs.

Glaze:

Place chocolate and water into a bowl set over hot water. Make sure the bowl does not touch hot water.
Melt chocolate, stirring untill smooth. Add in the butter and stir till smooth and shiny.
Dip the eclairs into the chocolate. Set in a cool place till chocolate sets. Best eaten within 2 hrs.

Tres Leche

2010-12-28T17:51:00.000-06:00

This cake is a very popular dessert in many parts of Latin America. 'Tres Leche' literally means '3 Milks'. This is essentially a sponge cake with less butter and more eggs. The cake is soaked in a mixture of evaporated milk, condensed milk and half-n-half.
There are many variations of Tres Leche, using the basic cake recipe. The cake itself can be soaked in a mixture of water, rum/brandy and sugar. This is called 'Pastel Borracho'- the drunken cake. This is popular in Mexico and Central America. The Carribean version uses coconut milk, rum and sugar.

INGREDIENTS: Yield- one 13"x9" cake. Total Prep time-1hr 30 mins + 12 hrs refrig.time

1. Cake Flour or All Purpose Flour (APF) - 192gms/6.75oz
2. Baking Powder - 1 tsp
3. Kosher Salt - 1/2 tsp
4. Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Unsalted butter, softened - 113gms/4 oz
7. Sugar -226gms/8 oz
8. Eggs, separated - 5
9. Vanillas essence - 1 1/2 tsp

For Glaze/Soaking Liquid
1. Evaporated milk* - 355ml/12 oz
2. Condensed milk - 414ml/14 oz
3. Half-n-half** - 240ml/1 cup

For Frosting
1. Heavy whipping cream - 480ml/2 cups
2. Sugar - 113gms/4 oz
3. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
4. Cherries or any other berry - a few to top (optional)

METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C.
2. Grease a 13"x9" metal cake pan and keep aside.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Keep aside.
4. Beat to stiff peaks the egg whites. Keep aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter till it is light and fluffy.
6. Add in the sugar and beat till light about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Add the egg yolks one at a time.
8. Add in the vanilla.
9. In batches of 3, slowly add in the flour until just incorporated.
10. Fold in the egg whites.
11. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
12. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
Glaze:
1. Mix together the 3 types of milk.
2. Prick the cooled cake with a fork all over.
3. Pour all of the mixed milk mixture on the cake. It will feel as though the milk mix is too much, but not to worry- all the liquid will be absorbed in a matter of minutes.
4. Cover lightly and refrigerate for 12/24 hrs.
Frosting:
1. Beat into stiff peaks the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla essence.
2. Spread the frosting over the cake and decorate with the berries if using. Serve.
( The frosting could be made sweeter if desired by adding more sugar - another 100gms/4 oz-although the milk soaked cake is quite sweet)

*Evaporated milk could be made by simply reducing and simmering regular milk to a thicker consistency OR 2/3 cup milk powder mixed with 3/4 cup water will yield 240ml/8 oz.

**Half-n-half can be made mixing equal parts milk and heavy cream.
This is absolutely delicious, though a little heavy.

Khausway

2010-11-29T16:04:00.002-06:00

Khausway ( khaoo-sway) is a street food from Burma. I first had this at a friend's place in India. Khausway is a curry noodle dish. It is basically noodles with a coconut-milk based curry with garnishes/ toppings of choice. of the toppings/garnishes. This dish is an explosion of taste and textures, each distinct, but still blend and come together beautifully in the end.

Ingredients: serves 4, prep time 30-45 mins, total time 30 min

For the Khausway ( Chicken curry)
1. Boneless chicken, cut in strips - about 700gms/1.5 lbs
2. Roughly chopped onions - 1 large
3. Ginger, roughly chopped - 2" ( about 20gms/ 3/4 oz)
4. Garlic cloves - 6 to 7 ( about 20gms/ 3/4 oz)
5. Serrano pepper, deseeded for less heat - 1
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Curry Powder - 2-3 tsp - SECRET INGREDIENT
8. Coconut milk - 2 cans of 14 oz
9. Oil - 1 tbsp

10. Noodles, uncooked - 500gms/1lb (FOR GLUTEN-FREE OPTION - use rice noodles for Pad-Thai)

For the Toppings/Garnishes
1. Garlic - 1 pod
2. Dried red chillies - 3
3. Oil - 3 Tbsp
4. Green chillies/ serrano peppers/ Thai chilli peppers - 4
5. Cilantro, chopped - 1 cup
6. Cabbage, shredded - 1 cup
7. Spring onion/green onion, chopped - 1 cup
8. Eggs, boiled - 4,quatered
9. Peanuts, roasted and coarsely chopped - 1 cup
10. Potato chips/wafers/kettle cooked, crushed - 1 cup
11. Lime, quatered - 4
12. Bean Sprouts - 1 cup (optional)
13. Fried shrimp or fried dry shrimp - 1/4 cup (optional)
14. White vinegar - 1/4 cup

METHOD:

Khausway-
1. Mix together 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1tsp of ginger and garlic paste , 1/2 tsp salt and chicken. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grind together in a rough paste, onion, ginger, garlic and chilli pepper. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan. Add in the onion paste and saute till the raw smell of onion goes away ( about 7- 8 minutes).
4. Add in the turmeric.
5. Add in the chicken along with it's marinade. Saute till the chicken turns a little brown.
6. Add in the coconut milk, cover and cook till the chicken is 3/4th done.
7. Add in the curry powder if using, cover and cook till chicken is cooked through.
8. Khausway is ready.
9. Cook noodles as per manufacturer's instructions.

Garnishes-
1. Chop the garlic in small pieces. Fry in oil the garlic till it is golden brown. Remove from oil and strain on a paper towel. Place in bowl.
2. Break the dry red chillies in about 1/2 inch pieces in a small bowl. Add in all of the hot oil from frying garlic ,should be about 3 to 4 tbsps of oil.
3. Chop the green chilli peppers into rings. Add in about 1/4 cup of white vinegar.
4. Prepare the rest of the ingredients and keep aside.

Assembly-

Take a small bowl. To this add some noodles, spoon over the curry ( depending on whether you'd want less or more), top with the garnishes as per personal preference. Give it a good squeeze of lime. Mix and it is ready to eat.

Instead of chicken, you could use shrimp/prawns, cauliflower with carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoots etc. Some recipes call for thickening with Bengal gram flour. I do not like to the curry very thick so usually I don't add the Bengal gram flour.

There is a Thai version of this dish. It is called Khao soi. It is popular in the northern part of Thailand. The Thai version calls for using Red curry paste as well as the Curry powder in the chicken curry along with Fish sauce. The number of garnishes in the Thai version are greatly reduced to finely chopped shallots, fried noodles, fried and crushed dried chillies, cilantro, pickled mustard greens and lime.

Cauliflower And Potatoes

2010-11-17T18:59:00.002-06:00

Cauliflower and Potatoes are cooked together throughout India and there are many recipes, styles and variations for this combination. The one featured here is one which I make quite often . This could be fancy enough for a party or just simply as one of the courses for a regular meal.

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower, cut in florets- 18 oz/500 gms

2. Potatoes, peeled & cubed - 9 oz/250 gms

3. Onions, finely chopped - 9 oz/250 gms

4. Tomatoes, chopped - 2

5. Ginger - julienned - 2"

6. Oil - 1 tbsp

Seasonings:
7. Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

9. Cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp ( or more as per personal choice - more for more heat)

10. Coriander powder - 2 tsp

11. Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp

12. Garam Masala - 3/4 tsp

13. Salt - 1 to 2 tsp

14. Cilantro - a few sprigs for garnish

Method:

1. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil. Add in the onions and saute till the onions begin to caramelize ( turn brown if using white onions or turn pink if using red onion).

2. Add in half the ginger and the tomatoes . Saute till the tomatoes turn mushy and it looks like one big mixture - the masala. Saute till the you see bubbles at the sides of the masala. This is actually the oil separating out from the mixture.

3. Add in a few drops of water and turmeric powder, cayenne pepper, coriander powder , cumin powder, half of the garam masala and salt. Saute till it starts drying out and a fragrant aroma starts wafting.( If the masala starts sticking to the pan, add a few drops of water)

4. Add in the potatoes and mix well. Add in about 1/4 cup of water. Cover and simmer till the potatoes are 3/4th cooked. If the potatoes haven't cooked and the water has dried out, add in a little more water.

5. Add in the cauliflower florets and the remaining ginger and mix well. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Uncover the skillet/pan and check the cauliflower. The cauliflower should be just cooked through and should have a little crunch.

6. Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly.

7. Before serving, sprinkle the remaining garam masala and stir.

8. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves and serve.

This could be made as a dry preparation which could be eaten with rice, roti, chapati, naan, dinner rolls etc. The variations to this are endless - with garlic, without ginger and garlic, without onions, with more potatoes etc....

This could be made ahead and kept. Be sure to not fully cook the cauliflower. So, when it is reheated, it cooks through at that time and doesn't become mushy.

Peanut Salad

2010-11-17T18:08:00.002-06:00

Peanut Salad is great as a snack, a salad or as an appetizer with cocktails. The recipe can be personalized to make it as tart or salty or pungent (spicy) as you'd want. The basic ingredients are simple and you as the cook has the option of adding or deleting any of the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1. Raw Shelled Peanuts - 1 cup

2. Shredded cabbage - 1/4 cup

3. Finely chopped onion - 1/4 cup

4. Chopped Tomato - 1

5. Finely chopped serrano/jalapeno pepper, deseeded - 2

6. Chopped cilantro - 1/4 cup

7. Finely chopped raw mango - 1/4 cup

8. Finely chopped carrot - 1/4 cup

9. Salt - 1-2 tsp

10. Lime juice- 2 tsp

11. Cayenne powder - 1 tsp

12. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the raw peanuts for about 2 to 4 hrs. Boil the peanuts till just tender, about 30-40 minutes. Drain.

2. Mix together all the ingredients. Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly.

3. Serve.

This salad keeps well. The ingredient list is just a starting point. One may add other ingredients like boiled potatoes, jicma cubes; omit ingredients like cabbage, tomato etc. The combinations are endless. One may always make it more/less spicy as per personal preference.

This is a popular street snack served on the beaches of Chennai, a city in Southern India.

Chicken Curry

2010-11-10T20:04:00.002-06:00

Chicken curry always brings memories of a lazy Sunday with family and friends, of evenings with unexpected guests staying for dinner, of the very first 'thing' that I cooked with my Mother looking on....

This chicken curry is great one-pot meal, as a part of a larger fancy dinner or just as it is...

This recipe has a delicate flavour and is probably one of the most popular chicken curries from India.

Ingredients:

Young chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces- 1- 1.5kg / 2-3 lbs

Boneless, cubed (1-1.5") chicken - 675g/ 1.5 lbs.

Oil 2- 3 tbsp
Onions, sliced 3 medium
Tomatoes, sliced 3 medium
Ginger pulp 1 tsp
Garlic pulp 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick 2.5 cm / 1"
Large black cardamom pods 2
Green cardamom pods 4
Cloves 4
Black peppercorns 4
Bay leaves 2
Black cummin seeds OR cummin seeds 1/2 tsp OR 1 tsp resp.
Garam Masala 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Yoghurt , plain 2 tbsp
Lemon juice 4 tbsp
Fresh chopped cilantro 2 tbsp
Tumeric 1 tsp

Method:

Mix together, 1/2 tsp of salt, turmeric, chilli powder and 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Keep aside.
Mix in trimmed pieces of chicken in above and leave for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in thick bottomed frying pan or skillet or wok.
Add in the spices- cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, black pepper, bay leaves and cummin. As it starts sizzling add in the onions.
Saute till the onions start changing colour.
Add the tomatoes. Saute for about 1 minute.
Add in the ginger and garlic, turmeric and remaining chilli powder. Saute for a further minute.
If the food starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a tbsp of water. Saute till the water evaporates. This process is called Bhunao ( bhoo- no).
By this time, there should be a nice aroma wafting thru.
Add in the chicken and saute till it is well coated by the spices and onion mix for about 7-8 minutes.
Add in yogurt to the above party.
Lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook till the chicken is cooked thru. Should take about 15-20 minutes. If you think the chicken is drying out, add about 1/2-1/4 cup of water or chicken stock.
Once it is cooked thru, add in the remaining lemon juice. Stir it in.
Taste the curry before serving for salt, spicy hot and sour flavours. Balance them out if something more is needed.
Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve either with Naan, Roti , steamed rice or crusty bread.

I have noticed that this always tastes better the next day. This freezes well, so making more and freezing the extra is great.

Sometimes, I make this as a dry preparation and use boneless chicken. I then use this as a filling for making Subs.