Tag: recipes

Tales served in a plate!

Have a big party to host too soon? But are too bored of the clichéd party menus available (Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Indian or Mughlai)? I have just the thing for you, that will surely elevate your stature to the “PARTY KING/QUEEN” and give you and you’re fiction-fellas the best time of their lives! Yes, give way to your literary gastronomy as I bring forth a list of fictional literary food items that you’ve read about in novels or watched your favourite characters sip or bite onto them in movies and TV series!

1. Butterbeer (Harry potter series):

“Why don’t we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it’s a bit cold, isn’t it?”-Hermione Granger.
Ah! The reveries of sipping through the clouded peaks of tankard-full butterbeer, on chilly December mornings ,while crouching over the wooden benches of The Three Broomsticks, or Leaky Cauldron, has enticed us since our ripe days of innocence( and they still do). So, why not relive those days, just not in reveries but in reality! Set up old shaggy benches, restrict the light source to quivering candles, and Cheers!
INGREDIENTS
• Cream soda- 2 litre
• Butter extract- 2 tbsps.
• Rum extract- 2 tbsps.
*add drops of the extracts into a 2 litre bottle, put on the cap and slowly rotate (not shake) until combined.
• For the crème topping- 17oz container of marshmallow crème
• Whipping cream- 1 cup
• Rum extract- 1 tbsp.
METHOD

• Add all the items together in a blender and combine until smooth
• Pour the butterbeer into a glass and drizzle with the cream topping and Enjoy!

2. Scooby Snacks (Scooby- dooby doo series) :

Our very own beloved stoner mates of childhood! Remember the eternally hungry Scooby and Shaggy, who were always lured to chase the villains using this snack!
INGREDIENTS
• Dry oatmeal- 1 cup
• Flour- 2 cups
• Sugar- 1 cup
• Eggs- 2
• Butter- ¼ pound or ½ cup
• Walnut extract- 1 tsp.
• Vanilla essence – 1 tbsp.
• Cocoa powder- ½ cup
• Finely ground cannabis- 1 oz.
METHOD
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Stir continuously.
• If the consistency becomes too thick or tight making it difficult to stir, then add a tablespoon of milk into it, and mix.
• Taste the batter and adjust the sweetness according to preferences.
• On a lightly greased cooking sheet, place them in scoops or bone shape cut-outs and bake for 8-12 minutes ( depending upon the size of the cookies)
• If you wish to bite on to dry and crispy cookies, bake for longer, but if chewy and soft is your thing, a shorter time span for baking them, is fine.

3. Hotpie’s Wolf Bread (Game of thrones):

Does this ring a bell? In Season 3, this becomes a parting gift for Arya by Hotpie, remember? Of course you do! So, now imagine, breaking pieces from this Wolfbread we’re about t0 make and dipping it in the Virginia Woolf’s Boeuf en Daube (in the next point) , ah, heavenly delicious, and such a intermingled literary hotchpotch! Well, let’s proceed.

INGREDIENTS ( makes 3 breads)
• Coarse meal- 2 cups
• Wheat flour- 3 cups
• Egg(beaten with a little water, for the wash) – 1
• Baking powder-1 tsp.
• Baking soda- 1 tsp.
• Butter- 6 tbsps.
• Honey- 4 tbsps.
• Pinch of salt
• Buttermilk or sour milk
METHOD
• Combine the dry ingredients and rub in butter
• Then, stir in the honey, buttermilk, and fold in a soft workable dough
• Roll it out around 1/2″ thickness, and skilfully cut out the dire wolf shape with a knife by placing the template(below) over it( template given at the bottom)
• Once satisfied, transfer it to a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Brush all over it with the beaten egg
• Now, for 20 minutes, let it bake at 250 degrees F, until it’s tinted in lovely golden brown colour. Enjoy!

4. Boeuf en Daube (To the Lighthouse):

Direct from Virginia Woolf’s imaginative kitchen, this recipe is a star for any party especially if the dwellers are meat lovers. Known to spell magic with her words, Woolf in ‘To the Lighthouse’, one of the best English novels of the 20th century tickles the gastronomic sensations of her readers with her vivid descriptions of this delicacy. So let’s have a look at the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
• Primed beef (can also use mutton), cubed and trimmed of fat- 5 lbs.
• Peeled shallot or onions- 8-10 pieces
• Burgundy wine- 750 ml
• Olive oil- 1-2 tbsps.
• Fresh thyme- 1 bunch
• Garlic cloves( peeled and chopped finely) – 4-6
• Bay leaves- 2-4
• Lardons (or smoked bacon pieces) – 1 lb.
• Orange peel( dried) – 6-8 pieces
• Soft brown sugar- 1 tbsp
• Cepes( a type of mushroom), soaked for 1 hour- ½ ounce
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Sun-dried tomatoes (drained and chopped finely)- 2-3
• Cognac – 2 tbsps.
• Corn flour – 1-2 tbsps.
• Tomato sauce- 2 cups
METHOD
• In a bottle of red wine, marinade the beef with herbs, shallots, and garlic overnight. Drain and keep the wine aside.
• Take a large frying pan, pour olive oil and sear and brown the beef pieces over high heat, till nutty and golden brown.
• In a cast iron Le Creuset Casserole Dish, or a crock pot, place the beef. Fry the lardons or chopped bacon pieces until crispy and golden brown. Drain and add to the beef.
• Then, brown-fry the garlic in the bacon fat and add to the beef and bacon.
• In the crock pot, add all the ingredients including the reserved wine except the corn flour.
• Cook on high flame for 4 hours and low up for 6 hours. Or, preheat oven to 175 degrees C or 325 degrees F n cook for 4-6 hours, slowly. The meat must become extremely tender.
• Once done, stir in the corn flour and cognac into the stock encased within the crock pot.
• Serve with Mashed, steamed and pureed potatoes, and green beans, or with French bread, salads and pasta! Try and make it on the day before the party, it tastes better. Best for main course!

5. Turkish Delight (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe):

Remember Edmund in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, who after inhaling the Snow Queen’s Turkish Delight had betrayed his sibling?! Yes, disgust for the character seeps into your veins at this nostalgia, but never mind he learnt his lesson, right? And, the Turkish Delight, is surely a delight!

INGREDIENTS
• Water- 1 ½ cups
• Cold water- ½ cup
• Corn-starch- ¾ cup
• Orange juice- ½ cup
• Orange zest- 3 tbsps.
• Granulated sugar – 3 cups
• Light corn syrup- 3 tbsps.
• Unflavoured gelatin-3(.25 ounces) envelopes
• Vanilla extract- 1 tbsp
• Pistachio nuts( chopped)- ¾ cup
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
METHOD
• Take a large saucepan, place it over medium-high heat and add water, sugar and corn syrup to it and bring to boil. Stir continuously until the temperature reaches 115 degrees C or 240 degrees F, on a candy thermometer. Set aside and keep hot
• Stir in the orange juice and zest, and sprinkle with gelatin and set aside. Take a small bowl and pour in ½ cup of cold water, dissolve the corn-starch in it and stir into a hot syrup, over medium flame, until thick.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla essence, pistachio nuts and a little more of the orange juice. Sprinkle an 8×8 inch pan indulgently with the confectioners’ sugar. Pour the Turkish Delight into the pan and let it cool (do not refrigerate) until set, for 3-4 hours approx.
• Once cool, now sprinkle on top another thick layer of the special sugar. Cut them into 1-inch squares and dredge each well in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in room temperature in an airtight container! Serve with tea, coffee or just as welcome sweets or even as end-of-the-meal desserts!
Set the mood with the right décor, music and games, and the rest, leave it to these scrumptious delights to handle! Rest assured, just dig in!!!

September 14, 2014
The Lebanese Trail
Since my affection for Lebanese cuisine transformed into an obsession, and I started to empty my pockets at every other Lebanese joint in the city, which though made me popular and loved among their owners, but my savings began to race to the descending point. I was worried, and about to become penniless, but my obsession was experiencing its ascending waves and ridges, that didn’t seem to end. And, so I had this (brilliant) idea of saving myself, all that expense, with only a little bit of research and lots of effort. I started to cook, bake and indulge in the Lebanese delicacies on my own, and here’s the itinerary of my palate-pampering venture!
FALAFEL

A traditional Middle East delight, this dish takes only two hours of dedication, and delivers you with varied options of consumption of its heavenly taste. This can be enjoyed with pocket-mouth pita bread, or wrapped around with lafa, which is a flatbread. Top it up with some fresh salad, spicy hot sauce, pickled vegetables, or the traditional drizzle of tahini-based sauces would do the magic!

INGREDIENTS
- Dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans – 1 cup
- Chopped onion(large) – 1
- Chopped garlic – 2 cloves
- Chopped fresh parsley – 3 tablespoons
- Coriander – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin – 1 teaspoon
- Essentials according to taste – Salt, oil and pepper.
METHOD
- This step isn’t really required if you’re using canned beans. But otherwise, place the dried beans in a bowl and fill the bowl up with cold water. Allow them to soak overnight.
- Next morning, drain the chickpeas and pour them into a pan of fresh water and bring to boil.
- Let it boil for some 5 minutes and then allow to simmer on low flame, for about an hour. Then, drain and cool for 15minutes
- Assemble chickpeas, onion, coriander, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl and add flour to it.
- Mash the chickpeas along with all the other ingredients (this can be done in a food processor) to make a thick paste out of it.
- Make small balls out of the mixture, and slightly flatten them.
- Deep fry until golden brown.
- Serve hot, with humus, tahini or pita bread and salad!
TARATOR SAUCE

My personal favourite! This heavenly sauce goes with almost everything edible under the sun. Try it with veggies, seafood, beef, chicken, or lamb, and discover the extra edge.

INGREDIENTS
- Sesame seeds (for Tahini paste) – 2 cups
- Olive oil- 4 tablespoons
- Lemon juice – ¾ cup
- Water- 2 tablespoons
- Crushed garlic- 2 cloves
- Salt- ½ teaspoon
- Finely chopped parsley – ½ teaspoon
- A dash of cumin
METHOD
- To make the Tahini paste, roast the sesame seeds gently over low heat while stirring continuously for about 10 minutes. The colour is not needed to change, so when done, remove flame and keep it aside to cool.
- Add the roasted sesame seeds to a food processor bowl along with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and make a thick paste out of it. Add more oil if needed. Your tahini paste is ready, so let it cool and then refrigerate.
- Again, in a food processor, assemble tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and cumin together and mix well. Keep adding water while mixing, but maintain its thickness.
- Remove from the processor into a bowl and stir in parsley. Refrigerate it in jars and indulge!
LAMB AND KISHK KIBBEH

INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil( to deep fry)
- Greek-style yoghurt
- Tarator sauce for garnishing
Kibbeh shell
- Fine Burghul( cracked wheat) – 300g
- Hot water – 675ml
- Sabaht baharat (Lebanese seven spice: a combination of ¼ tsp. cloves, ¼ tsp. cardamom,2 tsps. cumin, ½ tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. coriander, ½ tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. pepper with 2 tsps. smoked paprika. Ready-made is available in stores)
- Lamb leg(all sinew removed and cut into small pieces)- 360g
- Salt and black pepper
Kibbeh farce
- Olive oil- 1 tablespoon
- Finely chopped garlic- 1 clove
- Finely chopped small brown onion- ½
- Finely chopped silverbeet leaves and stems- 2
- Cooked and mashed chickpeas- ½ cup
- Sabaht baharat- 1 tablespoon
- Peeled and chopped tomatoes- 2-3 cups
- Dried mint- 3teaspoon
- Kishk powder – 50g
- Labna- 30g
- Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
- For the kibbeh shell, soak the burghul in hot water until they turn soft. Drain the excess water after it’s done.
- Combine the softened burghul, sabaht baharat and lamb in a bowl, and season it with salt and pepper. Mix and then mince the mixture along with the meat.
- In a food processer then process the entire mixture until a thick and sticky consistency is formed. Cover and refrigerate.
- For the kishk farce, in a frying pan, add oil and garlic and sauté for 1- 2 minutes on medium flame, until its fragrance fills the air. Toss in the onion and silverbeet stems and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion softens.
- Add the silverbeet leaves, chickpeas, sabaht baharat and sprinkle a pinch of salt and let it cook until the leaves are wilted.
- Add the tomatoes and dried mint into it and cook for a minute, just to soften. Remove it from the flame and add the kishk powder and labna and mix. Transfer in a bowl and refrigerate.
- To assemble, take an egg sixe amount of kibbeh shell mixture and shape it into a ball. Poke a hole in it, using the thumb and keep digging deeper to make space for the filling. Stuff a tablespoon of kishk farce in it and seal the ball. Repeat it with the others. Once done, refrigerate them for half an hour to set and firm up
- Then, deep fry the kibbeh in a saucepan for 4-5 minutes until dark golden. Drain on a tissue to get rid of the every oil.
- Serve hot with the heavenly tarator sauce, or yogurt and salad.
LAMB SHAWARMA

INGREDIENTS
- Plain yogurt- 2 cups
- Distilled white vinegar – ¼ cup
- Olive oil – ¼ cup
- Lemon juice – 3 tablespoons
- Garlic, minced – 3 cloves
- Ground cinnamon – ½ teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – ½ teaspoon
- Dried oregano – ½ teaspoon
- Bay leaves- 2
- Boneless lamb legs(cut into strips) – 3 ½ pounds
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- Pita bread rounds (8-inch) – 8 pieces
- Tomatoes (thinly sliced) – 2
- Onion( thinly sliced) – 2
- Fresh mint or coriander leaves – ½ bunch
METHOD
- Whisk in yogurt, vinegar, ¼ cup of olive oil, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, oregano and bay leaves, in a bowl, and then pour the mixture into a re-sealable plastic bag.
- Put the thinly sliced meat into the bag to coat them with the marinade and seal the bag while squeezing out the excess air. Marinate the lamb, in a refrigerator, overnight.
- Next day, in a heated non-stick pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pour in the lamb and marinade. Cook until the lamb has lost its pinkish hue and is tender (for about 15-20 minutes).
- Continue stirring while the meat cooks. Once done, divide the cooked lamb among the warmed pita breads, and garnish with tomatoes, onions, fresh mint or coriander leaves. Serve with Tarator sauce at the side (you can also sauté the onions and tomatoes, for a spicier texture, but I like them fresh because it’s healthier that way!)
Tada!
July 30, 2014
Why AVOCADOS are Healthiest of all foods.

Avocados. Are. Really. Healthy. Do you know that? If you have eaten it, you have definitely experienced its benefits, but if you don’t consume it, maybe you doubt its perks. The Avocado, not so common in India is very renowned and beneficial fruit, healthiest of all. It has proven benefits and is loved all over the world and is consumed with all the consciousness. Avocado, also known as Alligator pear are commercially valuable and cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. Although it is techmically a fruit, this mild-flavored avocado is also used as a vegetable. It is also sometimes known as butter pear beacause of its saccharine flesh and its textured skin. Native to Mexico and Central America, there are 4 main varieties of avocado; Hass (considered to be best and used often), which has dark, greenish skin, Ettinger which is pear shaped, smooth skinned, Fuerte and Nabal which is spherical. This fruit is highly nutritious, containing Vitamin E, potassium, iron and niacin and gives nutrition to the body in a great way. It has excess of 25 essential nutrients including Vitamin A, B, C,K and also contain fiber, protein and other beneficial phytochemicals such as glutathione, lutein, betasitosterol, which protects our body against many diseases. It is available all year round in grocery stores and veggie and fruits area of your locality and Its best to keep it in fridge once ripe to maintain its freshness. If you have to decide about choosing the best avocados, go for an unblemished skin, not too soft but gives flesh when squeezed gently and if you buy hard ones , it can be ripen quickly by putting them in brown paper with a banana, out of the fridge.

The preparation of avocado and eating it easy. Just run the small, sharp knife all the way around avocado from top to bottom. To remove the stone out of avocado, ease it out with the spoon, firmly and lever out. The flesh of avocado discolours rapidly when exposed to air, so brush it with lemon juice, if you are not going to eat it straightway. Though Avocados are best used Raw, not cooked, yet there are many recipes with avocado and is even used as vegetables sometimes. You can mash it with tomatoes, garlic, chillies to make the classic Mexican dip, guacamole or you can even slice it thinly with tomato and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil to make an Italian Salad. Or enjoy it as you like.

The Mayan Indians have a popular saying,”Where avocados grow, hunger or malnutrition have no friends.”

Now, you may be having curiosity to know the health benefits of Avocado and why it is one of the healthiest foods in an entire world and why it is recommended to have one Avocado a day and how it can make a difference to your life;

Good for Heart: Avocados are best for heart health, Having Vitamin B6 and folic acid, which helps in maintaining homocysteine levels. It is something which is associated with increased risk of heart diseases if have high levels of homocysteine. Also, other nutrients like Vitamin E, glutathione, monounsaturated fat helps in maintaining heart health. In addition Oleic acid in avocados improves the cardiovascular condition.

High Fiber Content: If you’re tired and bored of eating and trying other things for fiber, come try the avocados. They have quite fiber content. There is like 10 grams of fiber in a medium-sized avocado, with 75 percent of fiber is insoluble; the one that speeds up the digesting process and other 25 percent is soluble; which is responsible for making you feel full.

Awesome for Skincare: Yes, you heard it right. Avocados prove to be great moisturizer, treat sunburns and even reduce wrinkles. There’s this simple face mask; Mix honey, yoghurt, avocado together and put it on your face on keep it there for some time. And just see the magic after how your face glows out. Also, there’s this thing called Avocado oil, simply awesome and is said to do wonders for your body. Even cooking with avocado oil, can fight many diseases like heart disease, cancer and signs of ageing. So, use Avocado and its oil to the rescue.

Antioxidant Properties: Avocado is wonderful antioxidant as it contains master antioxidant “glutathione” which is an antioxidant booster and helps in fighting free radicals in the body. It boosts the body’s immune system and keeps the nervous system healthy. So, this fruit an be a wonder for you.

Eye-Protection: Avocados are best for eyes and can prevent eye weakness and even age related eye health decline. Use avocados and eat then daily for perfect eyesight. As having carotenoid lutein, it protects the eyes from age-related eye degeneration and cataracts. For healthy eyes, go for avocados.

Avocados are fattening but in a good way: Don’t be surprised. I’m talking about avocados which contain incredibly healthy monounsaturated fats which is amazing for your heart . Yes, they do hav more fats than any other fruits, but ina healthy way. So, don’t deter from eating them for weight concern.

Some Quick Serving Ideas:

Use chopped avocados for garnishing on black bean soup.

You can combine sliced avocado with fennel, fresh mint and oranges and it can be a lovely salad.

Want something new? Spread ripe avocados on bread in place of mayonnaise when making a sandwich. It can be a very helthy replacement.

Add avocado to your creamy tofu-based dressing recipe to give it richness and beautiful green colour.

Well, with so much of info and so many recipes, you should run to your nearest fruit shop and start having it. Keep loving Avocado and it will love you back all the more.

Healthy Eating. Happy Life.

July 27, 2014