Ingredients For With Ghee Liquid Dough
1 cup Whole wheat flour
2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
Salt to taste
1½ cup Water
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Ghee
For Without Ghee Liquid Dough
1 cup Whole wheat flour
Salt to taste
1½ cup Water
For Paratha Dough
1 cup Whole wheat flour
Salt to taste,
½-¾ cup Water
1 tbsp Ghee
A pinch Carom seeds
1 tsp Ghee
A pinch Degi red chilli powder
½ tbsp Ghee for frying
Process For With Ghee Liquid Dough
In a bowl, add whole wheat flour, coriander leaves, ginger garlic paste, salt to taste.
Add Water, turmeric powder and ghee whisk well.
Rest the batter for five minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan, pour prepared batter with the ladle & spread evenly.
Cook on low flame until it changes color then flip and cook from the other side.
For Without Ghee Liquid Dough
In a bowl, add whole wheat flour, salt to taste and water whisk it well.
Rest the batter for five minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan, pour prepared batter with the ladle & spread evenly.
Cook on low flame until it changes color then flip and cook from the other side.
For Paratha Dough
In a parat, add whole wheat flour, salt to taste, water and knead a semi soft dough.
Add some ghee and knead it again, cover it with muslin cloth and keep it aside for future use.
Roll the paratha in a round shape and sprinkle some carom seeds, ghee, degi red chilli powder.
Fold it into a book fold and roll it again to a square shape.
Gently press and keep rotating the paratha on the pan. Cook for 1 minute, drizzle a little ghee on top and flip.
Cook for one minute while gently pressing. Make sure to press the edges as that part takes more time to cook. Flip and cook for a minute and continue flipping and cooking until you see golden brown spots all over. Take it off the pan.
Serve hot.
Paneer Sandwich is an easy-to-make breakfast recipe that you can make for your loved ones anytime, and it is truly delicious.
Let’s check out the recipe:
Ingredients
Steps
Mix all the vegetables in a bowl
To prepare this easy recipe, peel and chop onion in a bowl. Next, crumble paneer in a large bowl if it’s homemade. If the paneer is store-bought and is tight, you can shred it with a grater. Then, shred cabbage in another bowl. Now, the next step is to take a large bowl and mix together paneer, chopped cucumber, capsicum, onion, tomato, cabbage, coriander leaves, salt and black pepper.
Apply butter on one bread slice, add the filling and cover with another slice
Now, take a bread slice and spread butter on it. For all the sandwiches, make sure that one side of the bread is buttered. Take another bread slice and spread the paneer mixture on it. Repeat the procedure for all the bread slices. Now close the sandwiches by placing the buttered bread on top.
Grill the sandwich for 2 minutes and serve hot
Grill the sandwich for about 2 minutes and enjoy the delicious paneer sandwich with green chutney or tomato ketchup, as you like.
Wheat flour (atta) kneaded into a dough 2 cups + f
Scraped fresh coconut 1 1/2 cups
Semolina (suji) 1 1/2 tablespoons
Nutmeg powder a pinch
Green cardamom powder a pinch
Sugar 1 cup
Cashewnuts crushed 8-10
Almonds crushed 8-10
Raisins 2 tablespoons
Ghee 4 tsps + for cooking
Method
Step 1
Mix together coconut, semolina, nutmeg powder, green cardamom powder, sugar, cashewnuts, almonds and raisins in a bowl.
Step 2
Divide the dough into equal portions, roll into balls, dust each ball with dry flour and further roll into a roti.
Step 3
Apply 1 tsp ghee on each roti, spread some coconut filling in the centre and fold the roti from all four sides.
Step 4
Dust each roti with some dry flour and roll into a parantha.
Step 5
Heat a non-stick tawa. Place one paratha at a time, on it and cook for a minute. Flip, apply a little ghee and flip again. Apply some ghee on the other side too and cook, flipping sides, till evenly golden on both sides.
Step 6
Cut into wedges, place on a serving plate and serve hot.
New Delhi [India]: Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and is the first day of the month of Shawwal. Muslims from all over the world get together for prayers and celebrations, enjoying a variety of delicious meat and sweet dishes.
From sumptuous biryanis to delicious desserts, take a look at the dishes you can savor this Eid ul-Fitr:
Biryani
Arguably the most popular dish, the Biryani, features either mutton or chicken, marinated with a variety of spices and slowly cooked with basmati rice and lots of love. Interestingly, in India, every region has its own version of delicious biryani, which every food lover should try.
Sheer Khurma
Khurma is a delicious milk pudding made from vermicelli, milk, dates and thick nuts. This dish is a denser version of Sevaiyan and is usually enjoyed the morning after the first namaz on the day of Eid.
Shahi Tukda
Shahi Tukda is made of fried small pieces of bread, soaked in condensed milk, added with some cardamom, and topped with dried fruits. Shahi Tukda is cited as one of Awadh’s greatest contributions to Indian cuisine.
Mutton Korma
This delicious mutton curry exudes aromatic masala, cashew nut paste, rose water and saffron. The juicy and flavorful mutton goes well with sheermal and bakarkhani.
Seekh/Galouti kabab
It is impossible to imagine the celebration of Eid without a smoky, juicy and delicious kebab. Seek Kebab is a delicacy made from a richly flavored mix of minced meat and perfectly grilled over charcoal. Galouti is a tender version, so it’s softness just melts in your mouth.
Phirni
Phirni is usually thickened with rice flour, seasoned with cardamom, saffron and rose water, and topped with pistachios and nuts. It uses ground rice instead of brown rice and is widely cooked during the celebration of Eid.
Traditionally, Phirni is served in a clay container that helps lower the temperature of the dessert. (ANI)
Chef Kunal Kapur shared a super easy recipe of red chutney and showed us how to make it at home. However, there is a caution of making this at home – “Making this chutney will make you addicted to making it again and again,” he wrote.
Let’s check out the recipe:
Ingredients:
Oil – 5tbsp
Sesame seeds (optional) – 2 tbsp
Onion chopped or sambhar onions – ½ cup
Garlic cloves – 6 nos
Curry leaves – handful
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Dry red chilli Kashmiri or Byadagi (soaked) – 8-10nos
In a pan, heat oil and add sesame seeds. Site and cook for a minute. Then add chopped onions, garlic and curry leaves. Cook for some time before removing the heat and adding these to a jar. Then add grated coconut, dry red chilli (soaked for an hour), tamarind, roasted channa dal, salt and water to the jar. Grind the mixture to a coarse paste. Refrigerate and consume the chutney fresh with other foot items. It can be refrigerated for two days and consumed.
Chef Kunal Kapur shared a super easy & simple recipe of mango jam on his Instagram profile to make your breakfast more interesting. “Mango Jam can be kept in refrigeration for 1 month or so. If canned properly, an unopened jar of jam should keep a number of months, which helps you enjoy that lovely flavour longer,” he added.
Add raw and ripe mango together into the mixer grinder and grind them to a fine puree. In case you want the jam to be bit chunky, you can leave a few pieces in there. Now add the puree to a pan and add sugar to it. Bring the puree to a boil and keep cooking in low heat till the quantity of the puree reduces to its one-third. The bright yellow colour of the puree will also become darker with more time. Remove it from the pan and cool it down completely before storing it in a jar. Refrigerate it and use within a month.
1. Banana bread or banana cake can be made in an oven or OTG or even in a kadai at home.
2. To prepare the banana walnut bread batter we first add peeled bananas to a mixer grinder along with sugar, curd, oil and vanilla extract. Make sure to keep aside ½ a banana to garnish the top of the bread later. Blend it to a smooth puree and keep aside.
3. In a bowl sift together through a sieve flour, baking powder, baking sode and cinnamon powder. Now gradually add the banana puree to the dry ingredients and mix them till there are no lumps. Fold in walnuts as well.
Line the baking tin with butter paper and pour the batter in to the mould. Do not tap down the batter as it will spread on its own. Slice ½ the banana and place them on top of the batter. Garnish with some more walnuts on top.
BAKING IN AN OVEN OR OTG
4. Preheat the oven or OTG at 180c for 15mins. Place the tin and bake the banana bread/cake for approx 55-60mins or more if it is still under cooked. To check simply insert a long toothpick of a thin knife in the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean then cake is ready.
In case it comes out wet then bake for some more time till it is cooked. In case it is getting a darker shade of colour on top and the batter is still undercooked then simply cover the top of the cake with a shoot of butter paper.
5. Once the banana bread is ready remove from the oven and let it sit for 3-4mins outside. Now hold the butter paper and lift the bread out and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled slice and serve.
BAKING IN A KADAI (NO OVEN RECIPE)
6. Heat a large kadai and add 1kg regular salt to it. Heat it for 10 mins on high heat. Place a katori or ring on the salt and then place the cake tin with batter. Cover it with another place on top and lower the heat to medium. Make sure that the cake tin does not touch the salt at any time.
Bake it for approx an hour or till it is fully cooked. To check simply insert a long toothpick of a thin knife in the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean then cake is ready. In case it comes out wet then bake for some more time till it is cooked.
7. Once the banana bread is ready remove from the oven and let it sit for 3-4mins outside. Now hold the butter paper and lift the bread out and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled slice and serve.
It’s that time of year again when cravings for mango delights are at an all time high as the mango season approaches because apart from being a delicious fruit, the immense health benefits of the tropical fruit can’t be looked over so, check out this easy recipe of Mango Rice below.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil
1cup raw rice
1 cup grated raw mango
15-20 curry patta leaves
Few slotted green chillies to taste
1/2 tsp whole cumin
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
10-12 pieces of fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp of raw urad dal
1 tsp of raw chana dal (gram)
2 tbsp of raw peanuts
2 medium size onions sliced
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1-2 tbsp of grated coconut
Method:
Boil the rice to 90% and keep aside. Take a kadhai, add the oil to it. Warm the oil for a minute or so, then add the whole cumin, whole mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, when they start spluttering. Add the urad dal, chana dal and peanuts and stir for few seconds. Then add the sliced onions, slotted green chillies and curry patta.
Stir fry till the onions become soft, then add the grated raw mango and the ginger-garlic paste, stir fry for few minutes. When the raw smell of the ginger garlic goes, add the grated coconut and the chopped coriander leaves. Stir fry for few minutes. Then add the turmeric and salt. Stir fry for few seconds then add the cooked rice.
Mix it in well and thoroughly gently stirring it. Cook on low flame for few minutes. Done. NB: can add more grated mango according to taste ,if the mango is sweet can add more.
To make the tamarind chutney, boil and shimmer all the ingredients together till the chutney thickens. For making the sweet curd, mix all the ingredients together and keep it aside. To make the pakori mix, take soaked moong dal, cumin, ginger, garlic, salt chilli powder and turmeric together and grind into a fine puree. Take no or very less water while making the puree. In heated oil, scoop out small portions of the mixture and fry. Place the pakoras on a plate and drizzle sweet curd on top, pour tamarind chutney, add a spoon of mint chutney. Sprinkle chaat masala, garnish with pomegranate and coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Maryland [US]: According to a new study by the University of Naples Federico II, blowing bubbles in dough bakes perfect yeast-free pizza.
The findings of the study were published by AIP Publishing, in the journal, ‘Physics of Fluids’. Researchers have developed a method to leaven pizza dough without yeast. The team, which included its very own professional pizza-maker/graduate student, prepared the dough by mixing water, flour, and salt and placing it in a hot autoclave, an industrial device designed to raise temperature and pressure.
From there, the process is like the one used to produce carbonation in soda. Gas is dissolved into the dough at high pressure, and bubbles form in the dough as pressure is released during baking.
In typical bread, yeast produces bubbles via a biochemical process, causing the dough to rise and develop into light, airy, and tasty treats. Without that yeast, it is difficult to make morsels with the same characteristic taste and texture.
The perfect, yeast-free pizza, as such a food, presents an important challenge for bakers and yeast-intolerant crust enthusiasts across the globe.
In comparison to other scientific experiments, the pressures involved were mild. They can be obtained by a typical at-home coffee maker.
However, the scientists-turned-bakers had to be cautious with the pressure release. Compared to soda, pizza dough does not respond as nicely to an abrupt change in pressure.
“The key to the process is to design the pressure release rate not to stress the dough, which likes to expand gently,” said author Ernesto Di Maio.
The authors evaluated their dough with rheology, which measures the flow and deformation of a material. Fine-tuning the pressure release through rheological analysis made it possible to gently inflate bubbles to the desired extent.
“We mainly studied how dough behaves with and without yeast. How the softness changes with leavening, and how the dough responds to a temperature program during baking,” said author Rossana Pasquino. “This was fundamental to designing the pressure protocol for the dough without yeast.”
After many unofficial taste tests, the researchers are purchasing a larger, food-grade autoclave that will make full-sized pizzas in future experiments. They hope to see their idea used in pizza shops.
“We had a lot of fun applying things we know well to delicious polymers, instead of our typical and sometimes boring smelly plastics,” said Pasquino. “The idea of approaching food samples with the same technologies and knowledge used for thermoplastic polymers was surprisingly successful!”
As a person with a yeast allergy, Di Maio is also excited about applications for other leavened products like bread, cakes, and snacks.
“This new technology can drive the development of new products, new dough formulations, and specific recipes for food intolerance, hopefully helping people enjoy healthy and tasty food,” he said. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], April 15 (ANI): Those who keep a sharp focus on the food scene have observed that fermented foods are at the confluence of two powerful trends – at the intersection of two huge trends, the demand for increasing demand for natural foods and immunity-boosting superfoods. There is general agreement that fermented foods are the next big thing. According to trade journals, the global market for just one fermented product Kombucha Tea was approximately USD 1.7 billion as of 2019. This tea is prepared with black, green or white tea and is flavoured with flowers like hibiscus, jasmine, fruits herbs and spices ginger and mint. Attractively packaged in 250 ml bottles the ‘refreshing and reinvigorating’ beverage is priced from Rs. 120 to Rs. 250 a pop.
Chefs are excited about exploring uncharted territory that gives them a chance to show their creativity and restaurant owners are happy to ride the big rising wave that is bringing in health-conscious millennials to their tables. From cocktail canapes to desserts fermentation is casting its magic spell.
Just before the COVID pandemic hit us and threw life out of gear modern fermenters were creating fizzy bubbles in India. Trendy eateries like restaurants Olive Bar and Kitchen in Mumbai, Delhi’s Greenr Cafe and FabCafe in Delhi had started organizing fermentation workshops to raise awareness and sustain interest in kombucha and kefir, sauerkraut and much more.
Bengaluru was the first to come up with India’s first ‘fermentary’ called Kobo, an e-shop dedicated to selling ferments only. Qualia in Mumbai relied on its rich repertoire of fermented foods at the time of its launch.
The craze for probiotic drinks and other fermented superfoods is building up once again as we resume life if not after then with COVID. Kombucha, Kimchi, Kefir, Doogh and Sauerkraut from distant lands are available and appear irresistible.
How easily we forget that the process of fermenting was well known to our ancestors who used it to enhance the shelf life and improve the taste of what they consumed. Pickles, cheeses and wines are all fermentation’s gifts.
Fermented foods have long been a part of the traditional Indian diet, especially in rural areas. In Gujarat it is dhokla and in the southern states of India idli, dosai and appam are prime examples of fermented breakfast items.
In the east in Bengal and Orissa pantha bhaat aka pakal is slightly fermented rice (cooked the night before and soaked in water) is considered the perfect light meal during the summers. Buttermilk-based dishes are many- Kadi, Kulu, Mor Kuzhambu, etc. Fermented dishes are prepared with cereals and lentils, milk and dairy, vegetables and fruits. Sweets like jalebi are prepared with fermented batter and Gundruk is immensely popular in Sikkim where the farmers first wilt green mustard and radish leaves for a couple of days then pound these adding a little water.
Greens are then packed in air-tight containers. After fermentation, the leaves are taken out and dried in the sun to be used as required. The ubiquitous condiment in North-Eastern states of India is fermented fish paste ngari its vegetarian rendering uses black soya beans. Hawaijar is prepared by fermenting cooked soya beans in banana or fig leaves packets that are put in a closed bamboo basket for 3-5 days.
This is considered adult food not fit for young children due to its rich protein content. Enduri pitha is a fermented batter based pancake that is steamed in turmeric leaves and served ritually on the prathamashtami festival. Singal in Uttarakhand (called Seli roti in Nepal) is prepared with semolina or rice flour soaked overnight and mixed with sugar to help fermentation.
Much before Greek Yogurt was a twinkle in the eye of gifted marketers Dahi a rich source of folic acid, riboflavin, vitamin B-complex, and lactic acid bacteria was used by Indians in their daily diet. It is rich in probiotics or good bacteria thereby improving gut health. It further impedes the growth of E. coli and other bad bacteria in the gut.
Advocates of fermented foods maintain that fermentation increases the nutritional properties of ingredients enhancing the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. Many of these claims are validated by scientific research.
Fermentation helps break complex carbohydrates and sugars making these easily digestible. Probiotic foods certainly improve gut health. But to accept that all fermented foods are superfoods that dramatically boost our immune system and retard ageing or that these can be magic bullets to cure diabetes, blood pressure, etc. doesn’t seem very wise.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above article are that of the writer and do not reflect that of ANI.
Baker Shivesh Bhatia shared a no-bake recipe of mango custard tart on his Instagram profile a day back and we cannot wait to make it already. Here’s the recipe:
To make the tart shell, take biscuits and make them to crumbs. Add melted butter to the crumbs and combine it together evenly. Add the mixture to the pan and use your hands to make it even. For making the custard, take a pan and boil milk and powdered sugar together. Add more milk and custard powder mixture to it and bring it to a boil. Then, let it cool down completely. Add the custard to the tard shell and make the top even. Simultaneously, make thin slices of mangoes and add it to the top of the custard. Garnish the tart with chopped pistachios and refrigerate it. Serve it cold.
Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 20-25 minutes Serving 2Ingredients
For Boiling Soya Nuggets
3-4 cups Water
½ tsp Sugar
½ inch Ginger, chopped
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 fresh Green chilli, slit in half
1½ cups Soya Nuggets
For Frying Soya Nuggets
Boiled Soya Nuggets
2 tbsp Corn-starch
Oil for frying
For Tempering
2 tbsp Oil
1-2 fresh Green chillies, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 inch Ginger, chopped
1 medium Onion, diced
1 medium Capsicum, diced
Sauce mixture
Water
½ tsp Black pepper powder
4-5 tbsp Corn-starch slurry
Fried Soya Nuggets
Few Coriander leaves, roughly tron
1 whole Spring onion, cut in 1 inch pieces
Process For Boiling Soya Nuggets
In a deep pan, add water once it starts boiling add sugar, ginger, soy sauce.
Add green chilli, soya nuggets and boil for 4-5 minutes.
Until the water is completely soaked.For Frying Soya Nuggets
In a bowl, add cornstarch, soaked soya nuggets and mix it well.
Heat oil in a kadai, add soya nuggets and fry until it turns crisp from all the sides.
Remove in an absorbent paper and keep it aside.
For Sauce Mixture
In a bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, tomato ketchup, red chilli sauce mix it well.
For Tempering
In a wok, add oil, once it’s hot add green chilli, garlic, ginger and saute it well.
Add onion, capsicum and saute on high flame till it slightly changes color.
Add sauce mixture, water, black pepper powder.
Add cornstarch slurry and mix until the gravy slightly thickens and turns glossy.
Add fried soya nuggets and toss everything well.
Add coriander leaves, spring onion and toss it well.
Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Festive occasions anywhere around the world seem incomplete without good food. We tend to look for easy snack ideas for our menus. Don’t we? And, on the festival of Holi here’s the list of about finger foods that would certainly gift you with maximum taste in minimum ingredients.
1. Bhang Ki Pakori
Let’s hit the Holi list with this recipe that can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Bhang is a popular intoxicating drink savoured during this festivity. However, you can make bhang ki pakodi and enjoy the occasion with your loved ones. Just make some crunchy pakodas dipped in gram flour with a hint of cannabis leaves (bhang). Serve it hot with green chutney.
2. Cheese Balls
Do you love to savour cheese in every form? If yes then try this out once and you’ll not regret it. These indulgent cheese balls are flaky and crispy on the outside, however, they are soft and gooey on the inside. So, without waiting much, cheese lovers can add this recipe for their Holi celebrations.
3. Fried Onion Rings
If you are looking out for really easy cooking ideas, this recipe is made for you. Onion rings dipped in a mouth-watering maida batter, egg mix and covered with crispy bread crumbs spell indulgence. You can prepare this in a jiffy in not more than 15 minutes. Pair it with a nice flavourful chutney and have a good time at home.
4. Green Peas Kebab
This makes for an ideal snack for any house parties or social gatherings. This food item is prepared with nutritious green peas, some flour and a bunch of spices all mixed together to create this one. It’s shallow-fried and could be a healthy alternative for snacking on the occasion.
New Delhi [India], March 15 (ANI): There was a time when almost everyone in India ate out of a thali. The word derives from thaal, a large circular tray, and has some connection with thal/sthal–a place. This is where food was traditionally ‘placed’ for consumption. It was a paatra (literally a vessel or container) deriving from the Sanskrit word patra meaning a leaf. The earliest thali was obviously fabricated with leaves. The biodegradable pattal and the banana leaves commonly used as a plate in southern and coastal India remind us of this lineage. Times change and so do our eating habits. Indians gave up metallic thalis and adopted plates of porcelain, melamine, plastic and stainless steel. They also stopped sitting cross-legged on the floor or on low stools and eating with their hands.
Thali was slowly erased from our memory. For the present generation, it has become synonymous with a specific set meal.
Thali meals are prefixed with geographical indicators or a particular community tag. Gujarati, Jain and Madrasi thalis are encountered all over the land. Gujarati thali is vegetarian so is the Jain one that adheres to even stricter commandments eschewing garlic, onion, roots and tubers that grow underground. The Madrasi thali is also vegetarian and comes in two versions: limited and full meals. Catering to North Indian patrons, the Udupi restaurants from Karnataka lost no time in introducing a North Indian thali with paneer, chhole, mah di daal and choice of bread: tandoori roti, paratha or kulcha.
In recent years the non-vegetarian south Indian thali has made a strong debut. Karaikudi-Chettinad recipes from Tamil Nadu and delicacies from Syrian Christian or Mopla Muslim repertoire in Kerala have won a small but loyal clientele. Andhra Pradesh took the lead in showcasing its ultra-hot meat and exceptional seafood in its regional thali. Restaurants like ‘Oh Calcutta’ and ‘6 Bally Gunj’ have popularised culinary classics from East (present-day Bangladesh) and West Bengal with tantalising menus that include fish, fowl and flesh.
The array of thalis that we can choose from is bewildering with prices ranging from twenty rupees to a thousand times more.
The roadside kiosks and pushcarts sell a set thali with two parathas, dahi and achar or three puris and sabzi for 20-30 rupees. Add a fiver and you could have a more substantial meal of four rotis, half a plate of chawal, two vegetables and dal. In between, there are other options, kadhi chawal, rajma chawal, chhole kulche, veg paneer biryani. At the other extreme are multi-starred eateries that offer a unique fine dining experience to their guests foreign. The Taj group was the first to introduce de lux thali in their speciality Indian restaurants a few decades back. There has been no looking back since.
From time to time, a curated thali strives to take on the degustation of classy European eateries. The prices are deterring even for the well-healed–Rs. 7,500 ** excluding the wine pairing. If you like to tipple as you nibble that the bill may well soar to stratospheric heights Rs 15,000 ++ without gratuities. There are compensations. The dishes you eat off are silverware or bell metal at least with gold plated cutlery. Some of the dishes in curated thali are rarely encountered in the public domain. At the Marwar-Mewar-Malwa fest at the Oberoi Delhi Kr. Hemendra Singhji of Bhaisoragarh unveiled Hari Mirch ka Maans, Safed Kathhal, Shikar ke Alu and Malwa Gosht the rustic robust ancestor of the much-hyped Lal Maans.
Some time back a TV channel launched a travel come food show titled ‘Utsav Thali’ hosted by celebrity chef Kunal Kapur. The programme explored different regions of India to rediscover forgotten thalis (vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian) each with a distinct identity and allure of its own. From Trami in the Valley of Kashmir to Bohri thaal in Gujrat and the sadya spread on a banana leaf it was a veritable mouth-watering feast for the eyes.
The greatest joy of eating a thali meal is that it allows the diner to compose his own symphony of tastes and take delight in arranging the course wise sequence as per preference like bespoke tailoring. The katori (small bowls) represent a wide chromatic spectrum that most of the time gives a clue to their taste and pungency of spices.
Some items are hot while others are at room temperature or even cold.
Ratika and Richa two enterprising Marwari sisters from Jaipur have come up with the fascinating idea of shrinking the thali into a pocket friendly ‘platter’ that reminds one of the table d’hote price fixe meals. The Cauldron Sisters as they like to call themselves have assembled/created some unusual thalis: the Parsi thali and Banarasi Thali. The platters priced between Rs. 250-500 come to the table in a handcrafted basket adorned with a piece of handwoven fabric with the edibles in clay pots.
The Thali continues to evolve. Those in search of the Thali Holy Grail can look forward to taste bud tickling multi-sensorial delights on this trail. Is this trend going to have an impact on the preparation and presentation of Indian foods or is there a twist in the tale awaiting us?
Cold coffee can beat any season! Enjoy this classic cold coffee recipe by Chef Kunal Kapur.
Ingredients
1 cupMilk (chilled)
½ tbspCoffee Powder (instant)
1 scoop (optional)Vanilla ice cream
a pinch Cinnamon powder
a dashVanilla extract
1 tbspSugar
MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO
1½ cupsIce Cubes
2tbspChocolate Sauce
½ tbspCoffee Powder (instant)
1½ tbspSugar (powdered)
a dashVanilla extract
for garnishingChocolate Sauce
CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO
FOR CARAMEL SAUCE
½ cupSugar
a dashWater
1 tspLemon juice
1 cupDairy Cream
1½ tbspButter
FOR CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO
1½ cupsIce Cubes
¾ cupMilk (chilled)
3 tbspCaramel Sauce
½ tbspCoffee Powder (instant)
a dashVanilla extract
¼ cupWhipped Cream
Steps
FOR COLD COFFEE
In a blender add milk, coffee powder (instant), vanilla ice cream, cinnamon powder (optional), vanilla extract, sugar and few ice cubes (optional). Blend it for a minute and remove. Serve it chilled.
FOR MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO
Frappuccino requires lots of ice and the drink has fine crystals throughout the drink. To make a Frappuccino mix together ice cubes, milk, chocolate sauce, coffee powder, sugar and vanilla extract in a blender. Blitz them till ice breaks down into fine crystals. In a chilled glass pour some chocolate sauce on the sides of the glass and then pour the drink. Garnish on top with some more chocolate sauce and serve.
FOR CARAMEL SAUCE
We first get the caramel sauce ready and to do so sprinkle sugar, water, and lemon juice in a pan and gently heat the pan to cook the sugar till gets a nice golden, caramel colour. This will take time so be patient and do not stir with a spoon or spatula, instead swirl the pan so that the sugar caramelises uniformly.
Once the sugar gets a light amber colour remove the pan from fire and add the cream. Make sure that cream is at room temperature when you add it to the hot sugar. Whisk it well and take it back to heat till the sauce thickens and becomes smooth. Now drop in the butter, mix it in and remove the sauce. Let it cool before you use.
FOR CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO
To make Caramel Frappuccino simply add ice cubes, milk, caramel sauce, coffee powder (instant) and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend till ice breaks into very fine crystals. Remove and pour into a glass. On top pipe whipped cream and pour some caramel sauce over the whipped cream to garnish it. Serve it immediately.
You can start your day with this tasty, healthy, delicious instant oat dosa and team it with delicious tomato chutney. This recipe is suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Prep time – 20mins
Cooking time – 30mins
(Serves – 2)
Ingredients
For Instant Dosa Batter
Oats – ½ cup
Water – ½ cup
Urad Dal (without skin) – 1½ tbsp
Methi dana soaked (fenugreek) – ¼ tsp
Green chilli chopped – 1no
Onion chopped – ¼ cup
Curry Leaves – a handful
Ginger chopped – 2tsp
Cumin (optional) – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar – 1tsp
For Tomato Chutney-
Dry Red Chilli – 3no
Cumin – 2tsp
Chana dal – 1tbsp
Urad dal – 1tbsp
Coconut grated – 1cup
Ginger chopped – 2tsp
Green chilli chopped – 1no
Curry Leaves – a handful
Water – a dash
Oil – ¼ cup + 2tbsp
Heeng (asafoetida) – ½ tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder – 2tsp
Coriander powder – 1tbsp
Salt – to taste
Tomato chopped – ½ cup
Tomato Puree (fresh) – 1cup
Jaggery – 2tbsp
Curry leaves – a handful
Steps
For oats batter
Add 4 cups of water to the oats and let it sit on the side for 5 minutes. Then stir them up and skim off the milk water on top. Add 4 cups of fresh water, stir and strain it through a sieve. Keep aside.
In the meantime heat a pan and add urad dal to lightly dry roast it for 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate, let it cool and then dry grind it to a powder.
Oats dosa
Add the oats in a mixer grinder along with methi, green chillies, onion, curry leaves, ginger and water. Grind it to a fine paste and remove to a bowl. Add salt, sugar and urad dal powder keep aside till we prepare our south indian style tomato chutney. Make sure to have a thick but pouring consistency of the dosa batter. Add some more water if it is too thick.
FOR THE CHUTNEY
Heat a pan aNd dry roast dry red chillies, cumin, chana dal and urad dal till the lentils are light brown. At this stage add coconut, ginger, chillies and curry leaves. Toss them for 3mins on high flame. Remove it to a mixer grinder and add a dash of water. Grind it ot a paste and keep aside.
Heat the pan again and pour oil. Once the oil I shot add heeng, stir and add the paste. Cook the paste till the oil oozes out front he sides. Add Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, tomato chopped and tomato puree. Now cook till the tomatoes are well cooked. This will take about 5-8mins. Add jaggery and curry leaves. Remove and let it cool and serve it with instant dosa.
Everyone likes hot, crispy and spicy paratha with their favourite accompaniments like curd, pickle and salad. Here is a quick recipe of spinach cheese paratha that you can try making in the morning or for a quick dinner tonight.
In a bowl, add all purpose flour, wheat flour, water and a pinch of salt to prepare dough.
Heat some oil in a wok and add garlic, chopped onion and salt as per taste. Cook till it turns translucent.
Add spinach. Add 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp paprika. Cook till spinach is wilted. Add 1 cup mozzarella cheese after spinach is cooled down.
Divide the dough into balls. Roll it a bit and put the stuffing and close it in a square shape. Roll it again. Heat a tawa and cook on both sides using oil or ghee. Serve it hot.
For Tamarind Chutney 2 tbsp Tamarind, soaked, 1½ cup Water 1 Dry Red chilli, deseeded & soaked 4 tbsp Jaggery 6-8 Dates, seedless Salt to taste ¼ tsp Asafoetida
For Garlic Chilli Chutney 15-20 Byadgi Dry Red chillies, soaked & deseeded 12-15 cloves Garlic 2 tbsp Peanut oil (optional)
For Dry Green Chutney 1 small bunch Coriander leaves Salt to taste 2 fresh Green chillies A few Mint leaves ¼ cup roasted Brown Chana
For Mumbai Bhel Mixture 2 cups Puffed rice, lightly roasted 4 tbsp Peanut, ⅓ cup Fried masala dal ⅛ cup Chana jor garam
For Sukhi Mumbai bhel 1 cup Mumbai bhel minutes 1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped ½ medium Onion, chopped ½2 medium Tomato, chopped ” medium Potatoes, boiled & chopped 1 fresh Green chilli, chopped ½ tsp Degi red chilli powder ¼ tsp Dried Mango powder ” small Lemon juice 1 tbsp Dry Green chutney 1 tbsp Sev 2-3 Fried Puri
For Geli Mumbai bhel 1 cup Mumbai bhel mixture 1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped ½ medium Onion, chopped ½ medium Tomato, chopped ½ medium Potatoes, boiled & chopped 1 fresh Green chilli, chopped ½ tsp Degi red chilli powder ¼ tsp Dried Mango powder ” small Lemon juice 1 tbsp Dry Green chutney 1 tsp Garlic chilli chutney 2-3 tbsp Tamarind chutn 2 tbsp Sev 2-3 Fried Puri
In a pan add strained tamarind pulp, water, dry red chilli, jaggery, dates, salt, asafoetida and boil it for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Once boiled, grind it properly using a hand blender and keep aside for further use.
For Garlic Chilli Chutney
In a grinder jar add soaked byadgi dry red chillies, garlic, and grind into a fine paste. Keep aside for further use.
For Dry Green Chutney
In a grinder jar add coriander leaves, green chillies, salt, a few mint leaves, roasted brown chana and grind it into a fine powder. Keep aside for further use.
For Mumbai Bhel Mixture
In a bowl add puffed rice, peanuts, fried masala dal, chana jor garam and mix everything properly and keep aside for further use.
For Sukhi Mumbai bhel
In a bowl add mumbai bhel mixture, coriander leaves, onion, tomato, potato, green chilli, degi red chilli powder, dry mango powder, lemon juice, dry green chutney and mix everything properly. Now put it in a paper cone and garnish with sev and fried puri.
For Geli Mumbai bhel
In a bowl add mumbai bhel mixture, coriander leaves, onion, tomato, potato, green chilli, degi red chilli powder, dry mango powder, lemon juice, dry green chutney, garlic chilli chutney, tamarind chutney and mix everything properly.
Now put it in a paper cone and garnish with sev and fried puri.
In a bowl add cauliflower, salt, corn-starch and mix it properly.
Meanwhile heat oil for frying in a kadai.
Then add these coated cauliflower in the prepared batter and deep fry in medium hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
Remove on an absorbent paper and keep aside for further use.
For Batter
In a bowl add ginger-garlic paste, salt, refined flour, corn-starch or arrowroot, black pepper powder, degi red chilli powder, water and mix to make flowy thick batter.
For Sauce
In a wok or kadai heat oil and add ginger, garlic saute for a minute.
Now add onion, capsicum, green chillies, celery and saute for 2 minutes.
Then add soya sauce, tomato ketchup, water, coriander leaves, spring onion saute once and add corn-starch slurry mix and cook for semi thick sauce.
Now add the fried cauliflower in it and mix it once and serve hot or add the sauce in the serving plate and place the fried cauliflower on it and garnish with spring onion.
Chicken lollipop is an hors d’oeuvre popular in Indo-Chinese cuisine. A chicken lollipop is, essentially a frenched chicken winglet, wherein the meat is cut loose from the bone end and pushed down creating a lollipop appearance. It is usually served hot with Szechuan sauce. Let’s check out the recipe below:
Ingredients
For chicken wings
12-14 chicken wings
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red chili powder
½ tsp black peppercorn powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp corn flour
oil to deep fry
For Szechuan Sauce
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 tbsp celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
salt to taste
1 tsp black pepper powder
½ cup kashmiri red chili paste
1 cup tomato ketchup
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
Process
For chicken wings
In the mixing bowl add chicken wings, ginger garlic paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper, corn flour and red chili powder; mix well. Marinate for 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in kadhai and deep fry marinated wings until golden brown and crisp.
Remove and serve hot with szechuan sauce.
For Szechuan Sauce
For sauce heat oil in sauce pan and saute ginger, garlic and celery until turn light brown in color.
Add kashmiri red chili paste and saute for 3-4 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Now add tomato ketchup and saute until it starts leaving oil from the edges.
Chilli Idli is a delicious vegetarian snack prepared with leftover idli and vegetables stir-fried in Indian Chinese sauce. It is a quick and easy recipe, making it a great option to include in the menu at any party.
Ingredients of Chilli Idli
6-7 Idli
1 large Onion (Cubed)
1 medium Capsicum
3-4 Green Chillies (Chopped)
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Garlic (Chopped)
1 tsp Black Pepper
to taste Salt
1 tbsp Red Chilli Sauce
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Corn Starch
1 tbsp Maida
Oil as required
Steps
1. You can use leftover idli or you can also use fresh idli to make chilli idli.
2. Take idlis and cut them into the desired shape. Make a thin batter by mixing corn starch, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and ginger garlic paste in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a pan, coat the idlis well in the batter and fry them in oil till they turn crispy golden.
4. After this, heat oil in another pan, add finely chopped garlic, green chili and onion and fry it lightly.
5. Add capsicum, black pepper and a little salt to it. Now add red chili sauce, ketchup, vinegar and soy sauce to it.
6. Cook all these things for a few seconds. Add corn starch liquid to it and mix. After this add fried idli and mix it well. Serve garnished with green onions.
Pickles in India hold an important place and refer to a variety of recipes that can be enjoyed with bread and rice or simply as a snack dip. Are you also craving some achar this season? Try whipping up mirchi ka achar to spice up your winter meals and snacks. But wait? Do you know there are some mistakes you should avoid while making this spicy chilli pickle? Chef Kunal Kapoor has brought to us a range of tips to help us make the perfect mirchi ka achar.
Chef Kunal Kapur shared the following tips if you are making Mirchi ka achar:
1) While you prepare any pickle, this is the first and foremost thing you need to keep in mind. The main ingredient of the pickle has to be extremely dry when you use it. Remove the water nicely before you use it. Water plays the role of an enemy for pickles, Kunal added.
2) Always remember that the flavours inside a pickle take time to blend in. It’s a combination of various ingredients that take time to mix properly. So, if you make a pickle now, you can consume it 6-7 hours later.Ads by
3) For Mirchi ka achar, remember that it’s a pickle, not a chilli curry. That’s why I turn off the stove before adding chillies into the preparation. This is to ensure that the chillies get tender in the remaining heat and release their flavour.
4) After some days, you’ll notice that the level of the pickle (if you’ve stored it in a jar or a container) is coming down. Well, that’s because the chillies are getting tender and releasing the flavours (water) slowly.
New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): No celebration in India is complete without special delicacies. And when it comes to commemorating a special day dedicated to the country — Republic Day, an elaborate spread of special dishes is the most appropriate way to reunite people for the occasion.
January 26 calls for a special celebration as this date marks the day when the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, cultural programs, cleanliness drives, donation drives and more took the front seat for celebrating Republic Day with great enthusiasm. But after the crisis, the celebrations took a new direction.
One thing that has not changed as per the tradition is waking up early and enjoying the Republic Day parade on the television sets.
So while you enjoy the special day at home amid the pandemic, there is no better way to pay homage to the country’s diverse culture by trying your hands at some tri-colour recipes that we have listed below:
1. Tri-colour Idli:
Idli is one of the most popular savoury rice cake dishes that hail from Southern India. For giving a tri-colour touch to the dish, prepare a batter of idli and then mix the puree of spinach and carrot into two parts separately to make red and green coloured idli.
If you do not like the taste of carrots, you can also use food colours to the batter separately.
Follow the same process for baking the idlis. Serve the dish by placing the red/saffron colour idli first followed by white then green in the end.
2. Tri-colour Pasta:
If you want to gorge on Italian cuisine with an Indian twist, then this tri-colour pasta recipe is sure to satiate your taste buds.
To prepare this, divide the cooked pasta into three portions in three different bowls. Add Penne tomato pasta sauce to the first portion followed by Alfredo sauce to the second and Pesto sauce to the third portion. Garnish the white sauce pasta with olives in a circular shape.
3. Tri-colour Fruit Sundae:
Any festival celebration is incomplete without a dessert. For this healthy yet easy to make recipe, take four ingredients — Kiwi fruit, orange fruit, a banana and fruit cream. The best thing about this recipe is it will be made from all the three seasonal fruits which you can easily buy from the market or fruit vendor.
In a glass tumbler or a mug, place chopped kiwi first, then put chopped banana mixed with fruit cream followed by peeled oranges on the top. You can also use fruit yoghurt instead of cream for the white layer. Garnish your sundae with chopped dry fruits.
4. Tri-colour Pulao/ Biryani
Level up your cooking skills by adding a pinch of creativity and colour to one of the common yet famous dishes of India — Pulao or Biryani.
The main difference between Biryani and Pulao is how they are cooked. Biryani is made using the draining method of cooking, while Pulao is made through the absorption method. Whatever you choose to cook, follow the mentioned method to give it a tri-colour twist.
Divide the cooked rice into three parts. Add red/saffron food colour to the first part and place it in the serving dish. Mix curd to the second part and place it in the dish followed by the red part. Prepare coriander chutney, drain the water and mix it with the third part. Place the third part in the dish followed by the second part. Garnish the middle portion with roasted cumin or a clove. Serve hot.
5. Tri-colour Paneer Tikka skewers
Here comes the recipe for the foodies who cannot miss having their favourite paneer on special occasions. People on diet can also have this dish, as it will not be spicy and oily, unlike the usual paneer tikka recipe.
The dish will look as good as you marinate it. Grill the paneer pieces in a non-stick pan or in a microwave. Take three different bowls for marinating. For orange marinating, mix red chilli powder, saffron food colour and garam masala in the hung curd.
For white colour, mix red chilli powder and garam masala in hung curd. For green marinating, add mint-coriander chutney (drained water), garam masala in hung curd. Mix funnel powder to all three pastes. Now take one piece of paneer from each bowl and fix it in a screwer. Grill for a few seconds. Add grilled carrot with orange coloured paneer, grilled onion with coloured paneer and grilled bell pepper (capsicum) or broccoli with green marinated paneer. Top up with white cream if you want.
Traditions are important, and delicious food can definitely add more fervour to them. So while you enjoy a patriotic movie or parade on your TV sets, relish your taste buds with these mouth-watering Indian flag-themed recipes.
New Delhi [India], January 19 (ANI): After the viral masala dosa-ice cream trend that left netizens disgusted, the internet has a new bizarre food recipe — momos-ice cream roll.
In the video posted by thegreatindianfoodie on social media platforms, the chef can be seen crushing momos into tiny pieces and mixing them with vanilla ice cream, combined with spicy momos chutney. Then, it is spread on the chilled freezer and shaped into ice cream rolls.
New Delhi [India], January 10 (ANI): Foraging food started as a vogue some ten years back–a push back to proliferating globalization and homogenization of food. The reaction, it was claimed, was to restore our link with Mother Earth and persuade us to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle full of enjoyment of fresh, rejuvenating flavours. Noma in Denmark was the trendsetter more than a decade back with the partner chef arguing persuasively that wild food connects people with nature and allows them a wonderful opportunity to slow down, reflect, introspect and discover themselves. It continues to retain its position at the top of the charts operates as Noma 2.0.
What appeared as a passing fad has over the years become a powerful addiction for the gourmet.
Traders are constrained to employ professional foragers to cope with the demand.
South Africa and Australia are home to many renowned restaurants with food inspired by the tradition of foraging. Australian Bush foods and ingredients from Outback form. Large part of the menu – Blue cornmeal, sweet potatoes, Bunya nuts, Yam Daisy find a prominent place in the carte.
Most chefs content themselves with adding a foraged twist to traditional recipes. But then there is a growing breed of innovators who accept foraging as their creed.
In Denmark, Faviken’s chefs use only food foraged from 20,000 acre grounds that the restaurant has access to. The only exceptions are salt, sugar and alcoholic vinegar. Much of the fare comprises dishes smoked dried pickled fermented, salted or burned.
Alex Atala in Sao Paulo is one of the leading exponents of going back to indigenous roots. His food celebrates his ancestral Amazonian culture.
Miyamasou a Japanese restaurant with Two Michelin stars is famed for its Kaisiki (evening meal) offering an exceptionally eclectic selection covering a wide range of foraged ingredients from fresh flowers to wild bear. Another restaurant utilizes everything from edible clay, corn, quinoa mahogany clams and horse mussels. There are other eateries specializing in foraged foods in different continents.
Chef Vigilio Martinez Veliz has a 17 dish tasting menu covering all the radians of Peru.
Kwan, a Korean Zen Buddhist nun prepares purely vegan repast from ingredients foraged from the Baekyangsa temple’s garden and the adjacent forest. This is part of her spiritual discipline.
Locavore philosophy emphasizes consuming only whatever is locally available. It also reminds the diners that in nature there is no waste and hence we shouldn’t waste any food we forage!
The modern city is often referred to as a concrete jungle but recently those who dwell in these mega settlements have started discovering the ‘forests’ it cradles inviting foragers to look for nourishment there.
How easily we forget that Indians in the rural hinterland have for generations subsisted on gatherings from the forest. Moringa (drumsticks) are widely used in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The nutritional value of mooring is well known and according to local lore that Fidel Castro once sent a Cuban expert to study if it could help meet the nutritional needs of his compatriots.
In Andhra Pradesh gongura (Roselle) leaves are the wild-growing greens that add a distinct sour tang to most savoury dishes. In Nepal, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and in the northeastern states linguda/lingdi (fiddlehead ferns) are relished as a stir-fried vegetable or in pickled form. Stinging Nettles were once the staple for the abjectly poor in the same belt. According to legend the mystic saint poet tantrik Millerappa had once sustained himself during a forty day-long fast on a diet of these nettles.
Tarud is a yam resembling the elephant foot yam that was painstakingly foraged in the Himalayan region. Bhutanese continue to farm asparagus in the wilderness and bamboo shoots in the northeastern states. Wild honey continues to be gathered from hives precariously perched on the ramparts of the thousand-year-old fort at Kalinjar in UP.
Palm Hearts (Sea Cabbage) are not usually encountered in India but Amaranths and Mulberry (Shehtoot) are foraged along with other berries and edible flowers. Guchhi are Kashmiri yellow morels that selling at about Rs 30 thousand per kilo are arguably the most expensive foraged food item.
Who doesn’t like chocolate? On a winter evening, there is nothing better than sitting back with a cup of hot chocolate and be comforted by its warmth. Drinking chocolate is like a dream come true for kids. This very simple to prepare recipe is going to make it easier for children to gulp down milk in a matter of seconds. With full fat milk, dark chocolate, and vanilla extract, it is a wonderful treat for one and all. This fancy beverage can be made so quickly. Let’s check out the recipe:
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 tablespoon sugar
marshmallow as required
150 gm dark chocolate
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Step 1 Boil milk and sugarTo begin with this simple recipe of hot chocolate, put a saucepan on medium flame and heat milk in it. After a boil, add sugar and stir for a few seconds.
Step 2 Add dark chocolateAfter that, chop the dark chocolate roughly in a bowl and put it in microwave for 30 seconds. Take out the bowl and give it a stir. Then, microwave it again and let the chocolate melt for another 30 seconds. Repeat this step in intervals of 30 seconds till the chocolate is entirely melted.
Step 3 Add vanilla extractThe milk will be ready by now. So, add the melted chocolate to the boiling milk and whisk it once to mix it well. Then, add vanilla extract in the end and let it cook for a minute.
Step 4 Garnish with marshmallowsAfter the hot chocolate is made, turn off the flame and pour it in large cups. Serve immediately, garnished with marshmallows. Note that whipped cream can also be used as garnish.
