Category: Food

Bean It Up!

Green Beans are popular among vegetarians as well as non vegetarians because of their high nutritional value. Beans are classified into Bush beans, Pole beans, Shell beans, Mottled beans, White beans, Yellow wax beans, Red or Kidney beans, Black beans and Pink beans.

Fresh green beans are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins (especially Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Folates) and minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese Phosphorus, Zinc, Iron and Potassium). Moreover, they are low in calories and contain no saturated fats.

How to prepare beans before cooking?

Wash raw beans in cold water. Just before using, remove the strings and trim the ends.

Green beans can be used in grilled-salads, curries, soups, stews, stir fry (with rice) and be steamed with other vegetables. It tastes brilliant when mixed with butter, meat, seafood, nuts, mushrooms, leafy vegetables, cheese, etc. With anything and everything, it is good to go!

So, Bean It Up!

Bean Enchiladas

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil, 2 onions (chopped), 280g carrots (grated), 2 – 3 tsp chilli powder, 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, 2 x 400g cans pulses in water (drained), 6 small whole meal tortillas, 200g low-fat yogurt, 50g extra-mature cheddar cheese (finely grated)

Method: Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onions and carrots for 5-8 minutes until soft – add a splash of water if they start to stick. Sprinkle in the chilli powder and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the tomatoes and pulses and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well.Heat grill to high. Spread a spoonful of the bean chilli over a large ovenproof dish. Lay each tortilla onto a board; fill with a few tbsp of chilli mixture, fold over the ends and roll up to seal. Place them into the ovenproof dish. Spoon the remaining chilli on top.Mix the yogurt and grated cheese together with some seasoning, and spoon over the enchiladas. Grill for a few minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.

Broad Bean Bruschetta

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 300g podded broad beans, 4 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzing, juice 1 lemon, handful mint leaves, 4 slices rustic white bread, 1 garlic clove (peeled but left whole), 140g pecorino cheese (shaved with a peeler)

Method: Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, drain again and then peel from their skins.Use a masher to roughly crush the beans with the olive oil and lemon juice and then stir through the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Heat a griddle pan; toast the bread on both sides, then rub with the garlic clove. Spoon some of the beans over each slice of bread, scatter over the pecorino and drizzle with more olive oil to serve.

Spanish Bean Stew

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 200g chorizo sausage (thickly sliced), 1 onion (chopped), 400g chicken thigh fillets (cubed), 1 tomato (roughly chopped), 410g can cannellini beans (drained), 1 large potato (cut into small cubes), 500ml hot chicken stock, 4 tbsp chopped parsley

Method: Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the chorizo, onion and chicken over a high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until pulpy.Stir in the beans, potato and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes until the potato is soft and the chicken cooked through. Stir through the parsley and serve. You can cool and freeze the stew for up to 2 months. To serve, defrost and heat through thoroughly.

Fettuccine with Beans and Pancetta

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 100g pack smoked pancetta rashers, 350g fettuccine, 400g runner beans (trimmed and thickly sliced on the diagonal), 6 tbsp crème fraÎche, 15g pack chives (snipped), finely grates parmesan (optional)

Method: Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, separate the rashers of pancetta and cook them in two batches (without oil) in a large non-stick frying pan until the fat on the pancetta is golden. Lift out onto a plate to crisp up.When the water is boiling, add salt and the pasta to the pan and boil for 6 minutes. Tip in the beans, quickly return to the boil and cook for about 4 minutes more until both the pasta and beans are just tender.Drain and tip into a large serving bowl. Toss with the crème fraîche, chives or basil and plenty of seasoning and then quickly tear in the crisp pancetta (keeping it quite chunky). Serve with the Parmesan, a simple tomato salad and some crusty bread (optional).

Butter Bean

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (crushed), 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp sugar, 2 x 400g tins butter beans (rinsed and drained), small bunch basil (chopped)

Method: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Fry the garlic for 1 min, then add the tomatoes, sugar and some seasoning. Tip in the beans and a splash of water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the basil and serve.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

May 29, 2014
14 STEPS TO A PERFECT CARAMEL PUDDING

Imagine a scenario where you have to make something for the office pool in party,or a case where you really want to make a scrumptious dish to please your better half ,and if none of the above are your case,then a simple craving to eat something at home,to satiate that chronic sweet tooth of yours,here is a simple 14 step guide to making the perfect caramel pudding .Those tempted looks,the mouthwatering sight,the craving to devour the sublime looking pudding seated in some bakery’s show case refrigerator now wont be much of a big deal for you when you have the key to making a savory caramel pudding at home.

What You Need:
1)A pudding mold,or any vessel depending on the size ,shape and quantity of pudding that you wish to make.
2)A shallow vessel bigger than the pudding bowl for heating
3)Milk
4)Eggs
5)Cinnamon powder
6)Vanilla essence
7)Sugar
8)White butter (Optional)
9)A few slices of bread
10)Aluminum foil

Depending on the number of people you want to make the pudding for,the pudding can be of one egg as well.The key to do quantity based pudding preparation is 1:1:1 ratio of egg ,sugar and milk.i.e One egg to be mixed with one table spoon of sugar and one cup of milk.
Taking a pudding that is to be made for two,follow the given steps

1)Beginning with the caramel, take white butter (optional,as used for greasing only ) and heat it,sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar on the base of the pudding mold/vessel.Heat the contents until you get a brown texture.
Note:If your choice of vessel is a Borosil bowl,then perform the above step in a steel/aluminum vessel and pour the contents while hot.

2)While the caramel cools down a bit,break two eggs and pour them in with two cups of milk and two table spoons of sugar in a mixy

3)Add to the above mixture about a pinch of cinnamon and 5-6 drops of Vanilla essence and churn the contents in the mixy,until fluffy

4)Once the contents of the mixy are fluffy and well churned ,pour them in the vessel containing caramel.Note:Do not fill it up to the rim of the bowl

5)Cover the upper surface of the pudding bowl with pieces of a slice of bread,and cover well with and aluminum foil.wrap it as tightly as you can.You wouldn’t want water seeping into your pudding!

6)Fill the shallow vessel with water and place the pudding bowl in it. Water level should be such that it is about an inch below the rim of the pudding bowl.Shallower the vessel better the heating will be.

7)Place a plate on top of the aluminum foil covered pudding bowl and place a heavy object on top of the plate.Place another plate to cover the entire ensemble.

8)Heat the entire ensemble on gas flame.once the water in the shallow vessel begins to boil,slow down the gas flame and wait for at least 15-20 minutes for the pudding to be well done.

9)Turn off the gas once the estimated time is crossed.Carefully lift the lid of the pudding bowl,take a toothpick and insert it in the middle of the pudding.If the pudding sticks to the toothpick surface then reheat for about 10 minutes else you re now ready to refrigerate the pudding.You can also use the back of a spoon to check whether the pudding is done or not.

10)Let the pudding bowl reach a normal temperature and after 10 minutes or so you can refrigerate the pudding for about an hour or more.

Now comes the part where you are going to plate the pudding.For which you must follow the given steps:
11)Now here comes the tricky step.Take a knife(preferably sharp),and neatly run it along the inside (periphery)of the pudding bowl.Be careful that you must not ruin the shape of the pudding or slash its sides.

12)Place the plate on which you wish to serve the pudding on top of the pudding bowl such that the serving side of the plate must face downward towards the pudding.

13)Gently turn the bowl and plate upside down,(i.e the plate is now placed as it would be while serving and the bowl’s opening is facing downwards).

14)Tap the base of the pudding bowl gently and carefully lift up the bowl from the plate,and viola! A soft ,mouthwatering pudding is sitting on top of the plate.

For further processes of presentation,in case you are making it for some occasion,you can make extra caramel after the plating and pour it on the side of the serving dish to decorate.A clover or two of basil or mint leaves can also enhance the look(remember that’s just for the appearance and not for consumption!).

The best part about this particular pudding is the simple 1:1:1 ratio of milk,sugar and eggs that will enable you to make pudding for larger quantities very easily.Vanilla essence and cinnamon can be added till about a tea spoon or two for bigger puddings.Moreover you can choose any vessel for the choice of shape.Borosil bowls can also be used due to their high endurance to heat ,though caramel must be made in an aluminum or steel vessel and then poured into the Borosil bowl.Hence pudding molds and steel/aluminum utensils save the task of converting the caramel and enable in making the pudding of various shapes and sizes as well.
Having done a tremendous job ,you deserve a good serving of your own pudding.Treat yourself after such hard work! BON APPETITE !!

May 29, 2014
Homemade and Healthy

Too much fast food is not good for your health. Even at home, we usually aimlessly settle for the fat-rich food while snacking – for the simple reason that it looks (and sounds) more appealing and is way tastier. I’m not going to argue about the taste but in this age, where most of us are suffering from obesity or simply trying to stay fit, the high calorie and high fat delicacies does not help.

So what’s the alternative?

I’m not asking you to give up your favourite meal but you could try to make it a tad bit healthier. Then a tad more. And then a bit more. Adapt and adjust (if only for your own good).

Truly speaking, it’s quite a win-win situation.

So, here’s your stairway to a low-fat Biriyani, a feel good soup and a much lighter dessert:

Low-fat Chicken Biriyani

Time – 2 hours

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 3 garlic cloves (finely grated), 2 tsp finely grated ginger, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp turmeric, 5 tbsp natural yogurt, 600g boneless chicken breasts (cut into 4 cm pieces), 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk, good pinch saffron, 4 medium onions, 4 tbsp rapeseed oil, ½ tsp chilli powder, 1 cinnamon stick (broken in half), 5 green cardamom pods (lightly bashed to split), 3 cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 280g basmati rice, 700ml chicken stock, 1 tsp garam masala, handful chopped mint and coriander leaves

Method – In a mixing bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and yogurt with some pepper and ¼ tsp salt. Tip in the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour. Warm the milk to tepid, stir in the saffron and set aside. Heat oven to 180C. Slice each onion in half lengthways, reserve half and cut the other into thin slices. Pour ½ tbsp of the oil onto a baking tray, scatter over the sliced onion, toss to coat, then spread out in a thin, even layer. Roast for about 40 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden. When the chicken has marinated, thinly slice the reserved onion. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion for 5minutes until golden. Stir in the chicken, a spoonful at a time, frying until it is no longer opaque, before adding the next spoonful. Once the last of the chicken has been added, stir fry for a further 15 minutes until everything looks juicy. Scrape any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, stir in the chilli powder, then pour in 100ml water, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Cook the rice while the chicken simmers. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, then drop in the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Fry briefly until their aroma is released. Tip in the rice and fry for 1 min, stirring constantly. Stir in the stock and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave with the lid on for a few minutes. Stir the garam masala into the remaining 1 ½ tsp oil and set aside. When the onions are roasted, remove and reduce oven to 180C. Spoon half the chicken and its juices into an ovenproof dish, then scatter over a third of the roasted onions. Remove the whole spices from the rice, then layer half of the rice over the chicken and onions. Drizzle over the spiced oil. Spoon over the rest of the chicken and a third more onions. Top with the remaining rice and drizzle over the saffron- infused milk. Scatter over the rest of the onions, cover lightly with foil and heat through in the oven for about 25 minutes. Serve scattered with the mint and coriander.

Three bean and Chilli Soup

Time – 25 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 1 chopped red onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 finely diced red chilli, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 x 400g cans drained mixed beans, 800 ml vegetable stock

Method – Fry chopped onion in olive oil in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Add the chilli and cook for 5 minutes. Add oregano, tomatoes, mixed beans and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Season and then serve.

Coffee Panna Cotta

Time – 15 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 125ml whipping cream, 50g golden caster sugar, ½ vanilla pod (slit lengthways), 2 small gelatine leaves, 2 tsp instant coffee granules, 150g full-fat Greek Yogurt, 150 ml buttermilk, sifted cocoa powder (for dusting)

Method – Put the cream and sugar in a small saucepan. Scrape thin the seeds from the vanilla pod and then drop in the pod. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture just to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Meanwhile lay the gelatine leaves in a shallow dish and pour over enough cold water to cover them. Soak for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the gelatin leaves from the water, then stir the leaves into the cream until dissolved. Stir in the coffee granules until they are also dissolved. Leave the mixture to become cold, stirring occasionally. Keep checking so that you can catch it before it starts to set. Discard the vanilla pod. Beat the yogurt and buttermilk together in a large bowl, then gradually pour and beat in the cold coffee mixture. Transfer it to a jug, then pour into 4 small dariole moulds. Chill for 4 to 5 hours. When ready to serve, dip each mould into a bowl of very hot water for a few seconds only, then turn each dessert out onto a small plate. Serve with a light dusting of cocoa.

HAPPY EATING!!

Recipe Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

Image Courtesy – daawat-a-biriyani.com, aurorasgypsycafe.com, yelp.com

May 29, 2014
Mary Had a Little Lamb

The first time I had lamb was last year during Durga Puja (October-ish ) at Food Station, College Street, Kolkata. It was ‘Roasted Lamb cooked in Oyster Sauce‘ as far as I remember and it was heavenly. I would have licked my plate clean if only I were at home and not in a restaurant. From then on, I have had lamb a number of times, either at home or in a fancy restaurant, each time craving for more.

Lamb is delicious but it is quite expensive. So, if you are cooking at home, opt for the cheaper cuts (for example – neck fillet, boneless loin or shoulder).

“New-season lamb shoulder, cooked pink, is the perfect platform for a mixture of fresh and cooked herbs.”

-Yotam Ottolenghi

3 lovely lamb recipes for you to try out :

Dukkah Lamb Cutlets with Eggplant Dip and Salad

Ingredients – 1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds (toasted), 1 ½ tbsp cumin seeds (toasted), 1 ½ tbsp pine nuts (toasted), 1 ½ tbsp Brazil nuts (toasted), 2 tbsp pistachio nuts (toasted), 1 tbsp olive oil (plus extra to drizzle), 400g lamb rack (cut into double cutlets), 1 tbsp honey, 1 eggplant, 1 tbsp tahini, 1 ½ garlic clove (crushed), ½ lemon (juiced), 1 pomegranate (seeded), 12 cherry tomatoes (quartered), 2 tbsp thinly sliced mint, 2 tbsp thinly sliced coriander, salt (to taste)

Method – Preheat oven to 180C.To make dukkah, pound spices in a mortar and pestle until finely ground, then add nuts and coarsely grind. Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat. Sear lamb for 1-2 minutes until browned. Remove lamb from heat, rub with honey and then coat with dukkah (reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish). Place lamb in a roasting pan and cook in oven for 15 minutes until cooked to medium. Set aside to rest. Meanwhile, char eggplant on a gas stove-top. Peel and place in a blender with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt to taste, processing until smooth. To make salad, combine pomegranate seeds (reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish), tomatoes, mint, and coriander in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Season with salt. Serve cutlets with dip and salad on the side. Sprinkle with reserved dukkah and pomegranate seeds.

Lamb, Walnut and Pineapple Braise

Ingredients – 2tbsp plain flour, 1.2kg lamb forequarter (trimmed, cut into 3 cm cubes), 60ml olive oil, 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped), 1 cm knob garlic (finely grated), 2 tsp curry powder, 140 g tomato paste, 80ml soy sauce, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 500ml pineapple juice, 75g walnuts (toasted), salt and pepper (to taste), buttered egg noodles or steamed brown rice (to serve)

Method – Preheat oven to 180C. Place flour into a large zip-lock bag. Add lamb and shake in bag to coat in flour. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Cook lamb for about 5 minutes until brown. Transfer lamb to a bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 tbsp oil with garlic in a bowl. Place a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic mixture for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add curry powder, tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar, and stir to combine. Stir in pineapple juice. Bring to the boil and then add meat to pan. Cover the surface with a cartouche made out of baking paper, then cover with a lid, and place in a oven for about 2 hours until meat is tender. Stir in walnuts and season to taste. Serve with braised buttered egg noodles or steamed brown rice.

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Garlic, rosemary and Anchovy

Ingredients – 1. 5kg lamb leg, 50 ml grape seed oil, 400 g skim milk, 6 garlic cloves (halved), 12 anchovy fillets in olive oil (drained, halved lengthwise), 4 rosemary sprigs, splash white wine, ½ tsp Dijon mustard, 500 g chicken stock, salt (to taste), Roast potatoes (to serve)

Method – Preheat oven to 90 C. Heat oil in a flame proof roasting pan over high heat until smoking. Season lamb with salt, then sear until completely golden brown. Place a roasting rack underneath the lamb set inside the pan. Meanwhile, bring 100g milk to simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and allow to simmer for 1 minute. Drain through a fine sieve, retaining the garlic and discarding the milk. Repeat process 3 times using the remaining milk. Cut blanched garlic into slivers. Using a sharp knife, cut small slits in the surface of the lamb at regular intervals. If necessary, use a small spoon to enlarge holes. Fill holes with an anchovy slice, a garlic sliver and a few rosemary leaves. Place lamb in oven for 1.5 -2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 57C. Remove lamb from oven, wrap in foil, and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium heat. Add a splash of white wine to deglaze, whisk in mustard and stock, then reduce to a saucy consistency. Pour into a warm jug. To serve, remove foil, and place lamb on a chopping board. Cut meat from the top, downwards, until the knife meets bone, to desired thickness, all the way along the top of the leg. Run the knife horizontally across the meat, just above the bone, separating the slices. Turn over and repeat on the other side. Arrange lamb on a platter and serve with roast potatoes and sauce.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/masterchef/recipes

May 29, 2014
Baking A Cake – Do it YOUR Way!

While baking a cake, I love to experiment and try out new stuff. Maybe add some blueberries or crushed almonds or simply drizzle some fruity syrup over the plain old basic cake – Anything. Anything and everything will do. Gradually you inherit the good sense of what goes with what. And if not, what’s life without a few mistakes, or in this case, a few badly turned / burnt cakes?

First, you need to know how to bake the basic cake. Once that foundation is made, it is easier to branch out, give a solid structure to your new ideas and bake.

Here are a few extremely basic age-old favourite cakes. Feel free to dab in your innovative ideas anywhere.

Let’s start with the basic Vanilla Sponge Cake. It is pretty easy to make and you can tempt your inner creative genius to work. (I usually add some raisins and cashew nuts to it.)

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients: 200g plain flour, 2 tablespoons cornflour, 200g caster sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 70g margarine,150ml milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,1 egg

Method: Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease and flour a 20cm square tin.Sieve flour, cornflour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add margarine and milk. Mix until smooth, then add vanilla and egg. Mix well.Pour into prepared tin. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Princess Cake (this cake was invented in the 1930s )

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients: 1 ready-made 18cm round vanilla sponge cake, 500ml double cream, 200ml thick vanilla custard, 3 tbsp raspberry jam, 200g fresh raspberries, 350g marzipan (coloured pale green), icing sugar (for dusting)

Method: Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the sponge cake through the middle into3 layers. Whip the cream until stiff. Spread a thin layer of cream on top of the bottom cake layer, then carefully spread over the vanilla custard within 2cm of the edge. Spread the raspberry jam on top of the middle cake layer and arrange about half the raspberries in the centre. Place on top of the bottom cake. Position the final top layer of the cake on top of the raspberries. Using a palette knife, spread a little of the whipped cream around the side of the cake. Keep the best-looking raspberry for decoration, pile up the remainder in the centre, then cover these with the remaining cream. Try to create a dome effect across the top of the cake. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll the marzipan to a circle large enough to cover the cake completely. Carellfully drape it over and gently smooth it in place, letting it fall into neat folds. Using scissors, trim away any excess marzipan around the base. Sit your star raspberry on top, then dust with icing.

Basic Chocolate Cake

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 9 – 10 people

Ingredients: Cooking Spray, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 3 large eggs, ¾ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 ½ cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low, beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

Marble Bundt Cake

Time: 1 hour

Serves: cuts into 8 – 10 slices

Ingredients: 300g butter (softened, plus extra for greasing), 300g golden caster sugar, 6 medium eggs, 150ml whole milk, 280g self-raising flour (plus extra for the tin), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 100g dark chocolate (coarsely chopped into chips or chocolate chunks, plus extra for decorating (optional) ), 25g cocoa powder (sifted), 1 tbsp dark rum, icing sugar (optional)

Method: Heat oven to 170C. grease a 25cm bundt ring mould with butter, then dust with flour. Cream together the butter and sugar in a food processor. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the milk. Divide the mixture between 2 large bowls. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add 150g of the flour to one bowl and fold in carefully with the vanilla, then fold in the chocolate chips. Fold the remaining flour and the cocoa into the other bowl, along with the rum. Spoon the cocoa mixture into the base of the mould, creating a slight trough, then smooth the vanilla mixture on top. This arrangement of the 2 mixtures with the cocoa mixture on the base should minimize the possibility of the cakes sticking. Bake for 50 minutes until risen and set. Run a knife around the inner and outer edges and leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes. Put a cake stand or plate on top of the mould and invert it. Leave to cool completely.

So grab your aprons, take the baking tin out, pour in some batter and start baking!

“Let them eat cake.”

–Marie Antoinette

Recipe Courtesy: foodnetwork.com, bbcgoodfood.com

Image Courtesy:foodlibrarin.com, flick.com, yourrecipesonline.com, foodnetwork.com

May 29, 2014
The Veggie Kitchen

I’m going vegan for a week.

Being a meat lover and someone who hardly has her vegetables at meal time, this was turning out to be quite a hellish challenge to overcome.

I spent the first two days craving for some meat. Anything meaty. Any meat look-a-like. Today is the sixth day and I’m more than okay. I guess I’ll survive.

I was always a fussy eater. Not this. Not that. This is soggy. That looks weird. Eww. “Mum, the fish tastes fishy. I don’t like it.” I made up all kinds of excuses to not eat my meals properly, especially the greens.

Well, I’m twenty now. These excuses work no more.

Anyway, when mum dared me to go all vegan for a week, I readily took up the challenge. I had to prove her wrong, didn’t I?

Why? Why did I have to prove her wrong? *sighs*

Since my bruised ego had already done the needful, I braced my taste buds and entered the Veggie Kitchen.

(I would rather not admit this, but I don’t hate the green beings any more. The Vegetable Mornay is one of the yummiest vegetable dishes I have had so far. As far as egg-less desserts go, the Peanut Butter Fudge is my favourite. )

From the Veggie Kitchen:

Vegetable Mornay

Time – 40 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 2 to 3 carrots, 2 leeks, 1 head of broccoli, 1 cauliflower, 25g butter, 1 tbsp plain flour or cornflour, 500-700ml milk, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional), 100g mature cheese (grated, 75 g for the sauce and 25 g for the topping), ½ tsp mustard, Black pepper to taste

Method – Preheat the oven to 180C. chop the carrots into sticks, slice the leeks and cut the broccoli and cauliflower into manageable florets. Place in a steamer and cook until the cauliflower is tender but not soft. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter gently in a saucepan in medium heat. Add the flour or cornflour and stir well with a wooden spoon. Add the milk a little at a time, continuing to stir to avoid lumps. Switch to a balloon whisk. Continue to stir over a medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken. The balloon whisk will also help to eradicate any lumps that may have materialized. Add more milk as necessary to get the desired thickness. The sauce should be the thickness of custard. If you are using nutritional yeast flakes, add these before the grated cheese as they will reduce the amount of cheese you will need. Add the cheese and mustard and stir well. Season with black pepper. When the vegetables are ready, transfer them to an oven proof dish. Pour over the sauce and garnish with the remaining grated cheese. Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or grill until the top is golden.

Creamy Beetroot Curry

Time – 50 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 onions ( very finely chopped), 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds, 3 tbsp Madras curry paste, 1 kg raw beetroot (peeled, halved and thickly sliced), 1 green chilli (halved lengthways), 400g can chopped tomatoes, 3tbsp ground almonds, 4 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt (plus extra to serve), basmati rice (to serve, optional)

Method – Heat the oil in a large lidded pan, stir in the onions and cook for 8 minutes until soft. Tip in the mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute until toasted. Stir through the curry paste and sizzle for 3 minutes. Mix the beetroot through the spicy onions, then add the chilli, tomatoes and 2 cans of water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beetroot is tender. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook until the sauce is thick. Take off the heat, then stir through the almonds, yogurt and some seasoning. Top with yogurt and serve with basmati rice(optional).

Coconut and Lime Rice

Time –22 minutes

Serves –4

Ingredients – 250g basmati rice, 5 tbsp desiccated coconut, zest and juice 1 lime, small pack coriander (roughly chopped)

Method – Cook the rice. Add the coconut about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Stir in the lime zest and juice, and the coriander. Serve immediately.

Chickpea Patties with Carrot and Raisin Salad

Time –15 minutes

Serves –2

Ingredients –

For the Patties: 400g chickpeas (drained), 1 garlic clove, 1 egg, 1 tbsp ground almonds, 2 tsp harissa, 1 tsp ground cumin, 3 tbsp chopped parsley, 2 tsp rapeseed oil (for frying)

For the Salad: 1 tbsp raisins, 1 carrot and 1 courgette (shaved into ribbons with a peeler), 5 radishes (thinly sliced), 2 handfuls from a bag of watercress, rocket and spinach, 1 tsp each hemp or rapeseed oil and white wine vinegar, or lemon wedges (optional)

Method – Tip the chickpeas, garlic, egg, almonds, harissa and cumin into a bowl and blitz with ahand blender until smooth. Stir in the parsley. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and dollop in the mixture in 8 big spoonfuls, spaced apart. Cook for 5 minutes on each side.

For the salad, toss the raisins and all the vegetables together, but don’t dress with the oil and vinegar until you are about to eat. If taking to work, add a wedge of lemon to squeeze over instead of the dressing.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Time – 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – ½ cup butter, 2 ¼ cups brown sugar, ½ cup milk, ¾ cup peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Method – Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over confectioners’ sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth; pour in to an 8×8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into pieces.

Vegan Brownies

Time – 50 minutes

Serves – 16 brownies

Ingredients – 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 cups white sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup water, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method – Preheat the oven to 175 C. Ina large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Pour in water, vegetable oil and vanilla; mix until well blended. Spread evenly in a 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the toothpick inserted in the brownie comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Recipe Courtesy: allrecipes.com, bbcgoodfood.com

Picture courtesy: allrecipes.com, bbcgoodfood.com, aliveandcooking.com.au, toriavey.com,

May 29, 2014
Unparalleled Taste of the Awadhi Cuisine

The sumptuous meal that the city of Awadh has to offer is nothing short of magical. The royalty and the grandeur of it will leave you mesmerized. It will leave an everlasting impression on your taste buds. You’ll always want some more of it. You will get the Nawabi feel in every bite you take. Such is the magnificence of the Awadhi cuisine. The city is notably famous for the dum style of cooking. It originated in Awadh, or the present day Lucknow. This style of cooking goes back to the 16^th century. The food is cooked over a slow fire in a closed container. With the increased time of cooking, the entire flavour of the spices and herbs used, is released into the dish. This gives a distinct taste to the Awadhi cuisine. Sometimes cooking dough is used to seal the mouth of the container in which the dish is being prepared. This leads to aroma of the spices to seep through the dough, thus providing it with a flavour.

Awadhi Dumpukht

Not just the style of cooking, but also the way in which the meal is spread out elaborately, will make your mouth water. The presentation of the food has a royal touch to it. When you sit down to eat, it will appear to you that you’re a king and everyone on the table is waiting for you to take the first bite! In the olden times, the spread was laid out in the centre and it was necessary for everyone to sit around and eat together. Such a spread is known as Dastarkhwan. It consists of a variety of dishes like kebabs, korma, biryani, roomali rotis, nihari kulchas, sheermal etc. Such practices can still be observed around the city. The menu of the Dastarkhwan changes with the seasons.

A typical example of the spread: Dastarkhwan

The menu of winters is very different from that of spring. In winters, heat giving, rich meat is preferred. During spring, various kinds of crispy snacks are prepared. Similarly during summers, a variety of dishes and desserts are prepared using raw mangoes. Sewaiyan is another sweet dish which can be often seen in the houses during the pious months of Ramzan. The dishes that form a major part of the Awadhi platter are Kebabs, Biryani, Korma and a variety of breads. Kebab is the identity and pride of Lucknow. Kebabs are made from meat, fish or vegetables that are grilled on a chulha. Lucknow boasts a wide variety of Kebabs, namely, Kakori Kebabs, Seekh Kebabs, Galawat ke Kebabs, Ghutwa Kebabs, Shami Kebabs, and Boti Kebabs etc. Vegetarian kebabs are made using yam, kidney beans, jackfruit (kathal), peas and taro (arbi). The most famous shop for kebabs in Lucknow is the Tunde Ke Kabab. It is a 100 year old shop which serves the best kebabs in the city. It boasts of using 160 different homemade spices which is their trade secret. The who’s who of Bollywood come all the way to try out these kebabs. The list of the fans is endless. So many of the Bollywood biggies fly out the khansamas (cooks) from here to cater their functions. This is surely a feat to be proud of.

Galouti Kebabs

Lakhnawi biryani is another dish that is famous worldwide. It is a special preparation of basmati rice with species, curd, meat and/or vegetables. It uses the method of layering. The meat and the rice are cooked separately. They are then layered on top of each other and baked. Vegetarian biryani is also very common.

Biryani

The various types of breads that are eaten are chapatis, pooris, parathas, naans, roomali roti, tandoori roti and sheermal (sweet naan). Korma is the curry used which is made by braising meat or vegetables in case of navratan korma. The Awadhi desserts have the perfect kind of sweetness and taste that is required after a meal. Kulfi is one such dessert which is famous among the masses. It is made from rich milk and cream. Prakash Ki Mashhoor Kulfi is the oldest known shop for kulfi. They offer the best falooda kulfi in the city. A type of halwa which is specially prepared in Lucknow is the sohan halwa. Different cereals like gram flour, sooji, wheat etc. are used to prepare halwa. It is heavily garnished with rich dry fruits. The barfi, jalebi and rabri are some other desserts to look up to. After the meal, consumption of Paan is quite common. An evening without Paan is thought to be incomplete. Paan is made from betel leaf which is garnished with saffron, spices, silver foils and other condiments.

Falooda Kulfi By Prakaksh ki Mashoor Kulfi

After boasting of the nawabi Awadhi cuisine, Lucknow still has a lot to show off in terms of street food. Be it Idris ki biryani or Shukla ki Chaat, be it Rahim ke Kulchey Nihari or Royal Café k paani-batashe, every single one of them is worth a try. And when you try them once, you’re surely going to be a fan. The originality of the taste will hold you spellbound. Paapdi chaat, tikki chaat, dahi bada, paani poori, sev poori etc., the names are enough to tickle your taste buds. Where else can you get eight different types of paani for the paani puri at one stall? That’s right, in this magical city which has a cuisine so quintessential!

Aaloo Tikki by Shukla ki Chaat

The mouth-watering delicacies that this culture offers are just too many to name. Piece of advice, go try out some Awadhi cuisine, you are missing out on a lot. Trust me, you’ll be thankful!

May 29, 2014
Maggi Mania

On Mondays, they serve Matar Paneer in the mess. But as my friend down the hall puts it, it is better described as “water Paneer” – a few peas and an even fewer pieced of cottage cheese swimming in a curry that’s all but water. Needless to spell out, you walk out of the mess feeling less than full. Two hours on, you fall prey to crazy hunger pangs. The solution? Why, a packet of Maggi noodles of course!

If you have ever lived in a hostel in the last thirty years or so, the story above must be only too familiar. But the massive popularity of Maggi noodles is definitely not confined within the poster-clad walls of college hostels. If you live in India, you probably have slurped on a plateful at some point or another. So much so, that everyone has a “Maggi memory” – and the manufactures have very cleverly tapped into this nostalgia factor associated with Maggi noodles as a major marketing strategy. In fact, in India, “Maggi” is synonymous with instant noodles, despite the existence of other brands. According to a report by Euromonitor, Nestle has 60% of the instant noodle market in India with Maggi – the first instant noodle introduced in the country. Marketed as a “2 Minute Noodles” since 1982, the manufacturers seem to have stumbled upon a highly saleable hit formula back then and never looked back.

At the same time, despite being arguably one of India’s most popular food brands, Maggi has repeatedly come under the scanner for being unhealthy. What, then, accounts for the unparalleled popularity of Maggi noodles in India? And what is the controversy all about? Let’s explore.

The popularity:

Why are Maggi noodles as popular as they are? Perhaps, the most common-sensical answer is the extreme convenience they guarantee. They are very inexpensive – available in packets worth 10 and 5. This implies that almost everyone, from broke college students to budget-conscious moms, can afford to put a few packets of Maggi on their shopping list – and pretty frequently. Besides, Maggi noodles are as easy to cook as can be. If you were a child of the ‘80s, the ‘90s, or the ‘00s (yes – three generations), chances are Maggi was the first thing you were ever actually allowed to cook. Late night hunger pangs at home? Campsite snack-craving? Maggi is your one simple answer.

Effective marketing is another factor that accounts for the unprecedented popularity of Maggi noodles in India.

“Mummy Bhookh lagi!”

“Bas 2 minute!”

These signature Maggi lines are indeed unforgettable. They highlight how easy it is to cook the noodles, the fact that they are seldom ready in 2 minutes notwithstanding. Here’s another slogan you’ll remember: “Taste Bhi, Health Bhi”. This one’s aimed at putting a mom’s misgivings about exposing her child to a potentially unhealthy food at rest. A food that your child loves – and you will indeed have a hard time finding a child whodoes not love Maggi noodles – and it promises health? That’s the dream!

Perhaps, another reason why Maggi noodles have a wide appeal is the fact that they take well to the addition of different ingredients – veggies, chicken, cheese, butter, ketchup, etc. In fact, there are entire road-side joints selling only different types of Maggi noodles – Masala Maggi, Cheese Maggi, Butter Maggi, Chicken Maggi, Egg Maggi, Spicy Maggi – you name it, they have it.

The Controversy:

You have probably received emails and SMSes warning you against the possible wax content of Maggi noodles. Yes, the same ones that probably also told you about Kurkure containing plastic and Coke being an excellent toilet cleaner, etc. While viral mass messages are rarely to be taken at face value, food critics have also condemned Maggi noodles for being low in nutrition and high in salt, MSG, and fat. It was to counter this ‘unhealthy’ tag that the brand marketers quickly came up with the “Taste Bhi Health Bhi” slogan. They also came up with the new Maggi Atta noodles. With a healthy green packaging and new tags – with the “goodness of three rotis” and “with vegetables” – these noodles were obviously aimed at driving home a more-than-subliminal message about better health.

So, on the one hand there are all these allegations about the noodles being fried in wax and animal fat before packaging and apprehensions about unhealthy packaging that causes the plastic to leach into the actual food, and on the other, there is the manufacturer’s claim that it’s all good and safe and healthy. What do we as consumers believe?

The Middle-way:

While we may never know the full truth, it probably lies somewhere in between the scare-mongering and the slick marketing. The Atta noodles may be slightly better than the maida ones, but three desiccated peas and five shreds of dehydrated carrots in the Tastemaker hardly count for “added vegetables”. Nutritionally there isn’t much that Maggi noodles can offer, unless you decide to mix in your own ingredients (like fresh vegetables or protein-rich lean meats). Also, now that the ‘No MSG’ claim is prominently made on the packet, know that it is highly plausible that other substitutes are used for it – such as excess salt. There is also the claim that the product has “goodness of protein/calcium/fibre” – know that it perhaps has just enough to let the manufacturers legally make that claim.

So while you may love Maggi – for reasons of taste, nostalgia, or convenience, don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking that it is anything close to as healthy as the marketing chaps would have you believe. But that does not mean that you have to buy into the charges of toxicity made by the alarmists either. Like so many other things in life, moderation is the key. An occasional Maggi meal really doesn’t need to make you feel guilty.

May 29, 2014
Midnight Demons : Counter Your Cravings

It is 11:00 p.m. You are watching T.V. Suddenly, a Dominoz commercial appears on the screen with their latest schemes and a sumptuous pizza flashes on the screen, and WHOOOSH…!!! U get severe hunger pangs, and well, you go to the kitchen, search for stock of chocolates, cakes or your favorite cookies to munch on. For most of the people, their midnight Maggi is the ultimate solace for these cravings. Ah, well, the tale doesn’t here. Then, after you satisfy your temptations, you have guilty feelings for consuming those extra calories. But you convince yourself by thinking that, it is just for tonight, and if we’re not meant to have midnight snacks, why is there a light in the fridge? And after coming to senses, you promise yourself to control this craving from next day. And the whole midnight tale repeats itself the following night.

The reasons behind these late night snacking are complex and various and range from boredom, restlessness, insomnia to loneliness, self-denial and nutritional imbalance and the first step towards overcoming a late-night snacking habit is figuring out the reason behind your nocturnal munching.

So here are a few simple steps which can help you control those hunger demons –

Self- talk : Go in front of the mirror and talk to yourself out loud about what you plan to eat, and why, and what you can do instead or how your favorite dress will become tight if you eat this piece of cake.

Aromatherapy : Burning aromatic candles can lower your appetite, but obviously, avoid chocolate and vanilla aromas, as they stimulate chocolate and ice-cream craving. Keep a pack of lavender with you at this time.

Keep only healthy foods at home : This is one of the best ways to stop yourself from gorging on those extra carbs. Bringing healthy snacks like muesli, digestive fibre biscuits etc. at home can help you keep your cravings at bay.

Stay busy : Take up a hobby like knitting, reading, jigsaw puzzle which will help to keep your mind off snacking.

Have a late dinner : Push your dinner back an hour or two and you will find yourself ready for bed before you have a chance to start craving a snack.

Also, here are some diet-friendly midnight snacks that will control self-destructive eating:

Water: Thirst also mimics hunger pangs, so before reaching a box of chocolates next time from your fridge, hydrate yourself with a cup or two of water. If you want something that is more savory to the taste buds, you can flavor it with sliced lemon or lime.

Milk : Milk has tryptophan, a sleep inducing amino acid that helps lull you into a deep sleep. Along with this, milk also provides us with Calcium and Vitamin D which is very good for our bones.

Popcorn : Watching a late night movie? Well popcorn is actually the right snack for you. Not only it is a good source of complex carbs, also is low in calories, in addition to being the fun movie snack.

Nuts : Nuts are a great night time nosh, they regulate blood sugar levels and promote serotonin production in body. So, reaching for a handful of your favorite nuts, which are rich in anti-oxidants is quite beneficial for you.

Craving for snacks in midnight is not a disease in itself, but it does cause obesity- related problems ad can sabotage your weight loss efforts. So as interesting and tasty as consuming these snacks sound, they are not so good for your health.

May 26, 2014
The Business of Food
Every business has a set of people who it targets, in some cases a particular group of society. They fight competition to satisfy their target customers and attract them with different marketing strategies. Every business might have a particular saturation point beyond which it is tough to expand or experiment. But, if there is one business which doesn’t have any such restrictions it is “The Business of Food”. The food business either small or large doesn’t have restrictions. You are free to explore, there is both scope and necessity for experimenting, and most importantly food has no seasons! Every business has one major goal which is “money” and you will be surprised with the amount of money involved in the food business.

Recent Trends

The Food business had not taken off until a few decades back in India, mainly because of the mindset of our people who were still not open to the idea of eating out. Indians love their home food and there were several caste restrictions when it came to eating out. But over the past two decades people have come out of their inhibitions, which have been helped by the number of people leaving their hometowns for studies and jobs.

India is the world’s second largest producer of food next to China. The total food production in India is likely to double in the next ten years and it gives immense opportunity and scope for people to invest money and effort in this huge yet budding industry.

People have started realizing the possibilities, and it can be seen with the steady increase in the number of people getting involved in food business. The myth of family business has been broken and people from all walks of life are starting to invest on food, which includes setting up small restaurants or sometimes kiosks. The youngsters especially have started taking this seriously and it is not very uncommon to engineering graduates setting up restaurants these days.

Scope

Scope and choices for food business are abundant and it requires much less effort and thought compared to most other jobs. There is immense scope since all you need for your business to shine, is to provide quality food and a few hungry people which is not very difficult to find.

There is no one way to success but the favorite choices for people who are new entrants to food business have been:
- Chat shops
- Fresh juice shops
- Ice cream parlors
- Shewermas and khatti rolls
These fast foods don’t require any huge investments in money or place. They require modest capital and just small kiosks in front of places like supermarkets and restaurants.

Food business is not restricted to these fast foods and restaurants. The raw materials required for making food, packing and selling these raw materials are also an important part of the food industry.

Employment

India is an agricultural country and still more than 70% of the people in the country are farmers, the food business has kept the trend by employing over 10million people which includes food packaging, catering among other disciplines. Catering and Hotel Management which had very few takers until a decade back are some of the hottest courses for students these days, which is an obvious indication of the job opportunities.

“Sakthi Masala” a South Indian based masala and kitchen Materials Company has a distinction of having a workforce which consists of 27% people who are physically challenged. There are several other food packaging industries which are tapping on these disabled work forces.

Food for Thought

Despite the growing interest in food industry as a source of income and employment India still contributes only 1.4% in terms of food export which is behind even some of the under-developed countries. There is a lot of demand for Indian food materials in Middle-East and Western countries which is not being utilized properly.

In addition, it is said that India produces 250 million tones food every year out of which only 220 million is consumed, while the rest is wasted. According to WHO, India wastes about Rs.58,000 crore worth food every year which is the highest among all the nations. In a country where still millions of people go to bed hungry, these stats are mind-boggling and inhuman.

The Bright Spots

In spite of all these challenges, the Indian Food industry in a pure business point of view is a real source of inspiration because of its massive success and growth in such a short span of time. The food business has caught on like a house on fire with the people, and more people have started investing heavily on food and food-oriented businesses.

There are several major business houses which are looking to enter the food business, the latest being the interest shown by Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani. These heavy investments will definitely boost the food business further.

Most importantly unlike other businesses it is highly unlikely that the food business will face a recession because “Living well means Eating well” and there is never a bad day to satisfy your taste buds!
May 26, 2014