Easy veggie kebabs

If you stopped short of making kebabs only because the recipe demanded meat, then these ones are for you. We present some easy-to-make kebabs that vegetarians are sure to enjoy.
Khumb Nawabi

Ingredients :

200 gm mushroom,

2 gm cumin seeds,

2 green chillies,

10 gm onion (finely chopped),

5 gm garlic,

5 gm green chilli paste,

25 gm cheese (grated),

25 gm hung curd,

10 gm cream,

5 gm salt,

10 ml sesame oil,

10 ml mustard oil,

5 gm mint,

2 gm garam masala ,

5 gm chickpea flour.

Method : Scoop out mushroom stem using a scooper. Finely chop stem and temper with freshly chopped mint, onion, garlic, green chilli and cumin seed. Mix in cheese and stuff into the mushroom cap. In a bowl, mix green chilli paste, hung curd, cream, salt, sesame oil, mustard oil, mint, dry mint leaves, garam masala and chick pea flour slowly to avoid lumps. Coat the mushroom with this marinade and cook in oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Serve with sauce of choice.

Source: TOI

Gnocchi: The delightful dumplings

Italian food holds a lot of appeal for Indians. Look at the way we are putting away plates of penne and pizza margherita.

But there’s more to the carb-rich comfort of Italy, besides these two favourites. Like soft, plump gnocchi, for instance. These, pronounced nyoki, are dumplings that could be made from semolina flour, bread crumbs, potatoes and even plain flour.
Gnocchi, Italians believe, have a very long history, going back to Roman times. Different areas in the region have different types of dumplings in their culinary traditions. In Sardinia, for instance, dumplings are crafted from semolina flour and eggs. In other places you’ll find gnocchi with spinach in it. The French have their own take. The Parisian- style gnocchi is made from choux paste cooked in rapidly boiling water and then drizzled with sauce and very good it is, too.

Gnocchi will take any kind of sauce that goes with pasta shapes. Bolognaise works very well, if you want something meaty, but even a simple tomato sauce with fresh basil tastes delightful. Some Italian cooks go extra-creamy, letting gooey gorgonzola melt over the gnocchi. This is a combination that’s delicious, not to forget sinful, with all those calories from the full fat cheese. Potato gnocchi are a far more recent addition to the Italian kitchen, but are now hugely popular. They take some effort to make, but if you are up to the task, then the results are well worth it.

Potato Gnocchi

You will need...
1 kilo starchy potatoes
¼ cup egg yolk, lightly beaten and
1 cup white flour
Fine salt

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water till tender. This will take about 40 minutes. Do not be tempted to pressure-cook.

2. Drain and while potatoes are still warm, peel them. The quicker you peel and mash the potatoes, the better the texture you will achieve.

3. Use a fork or potato masher and aim for a smooth, lump-free consistency. But do not turn the mash into a paste.

4. Let the mashed potatoes cool and then make a mound of them. Pour the egg yolks on top and scatter with ¾ cup of the flour.

5. Using a light motion — a metal spatula is best for the purpose, incorporate egg and flour into the potatoes. Add more flour if required.

6. You need a soft, non-sticky dough. Divide the dough into about eight pieces, roll each into a long, thin cylinder, scattering the work surface with a little flour if required. Cut into ¾-inch bits. Make an indentation in each piece with the tines of a fork. This helps the gnocchi catch the sauce.

7. Once all the gnocchi are shaped, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Put in the pieces, about 15-20 at a time. Once they are cooked, they will bob to the surface. Drain and set aside.

8. Once all the gnocchi is cooked, toss in sauce —pesto works great, drizzle with some good olive oil, top with parmesan, if you wish, and serve in large, deep plates

Source: TOI

Dakshini Crab Cakes

After squeezing extra moisture out of the crab meat, serve hot with coconut chutney...

Ingredients :

White Crab Meat - 400 gms.
Garlic, finely chopped - 4 Cloves.
Red Chili Flakes - 1 Tsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1 Tbl sp
Ghee/Oil - 2 Tbl sp
Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
Coriander, chopped - ½ Bunch
Salt - To taste
Curry Leaves, finely slivered - 3 Tbl sp
Potato, boiled and grated - 1 Medium size Potato

Method:

1. Heat ghee/oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. As soon as they crackle add curry leaves and chopped garlic.
2. Sauté for a couple of minutes, till the garlic is golden in color and then add red chilli flakes, turmeric power, potatoes and salt.

3. Cook the mixture while mixing well for another minute and then take it off the fire and leave it to cool.
4. Squeeze extra moisture out of the crab meat through a muslin cloth and mix in the potato mixture.
5. Make crab cakes with the help of a mould or just make patties of your desired shape and size.
6. Cook crab cakes in a non-stick pan or griddle using very little oil.
7. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Source: TOI

Prawn Dumpling

INGREDIENTS:

Prawns (chopped)100 gm
Carrots (chopped) 20 gm
Ginger (chopped) 10 gm
Sesame oil 05 ml
Refined oil or pork fat 10 ml
White pepper powder 04 gm
Salt to taste

FOR THE DOUGH (12 PIECES )
INGREDIENTS:

Tanmein flour 60 gm I Potato starch 60 gm I hot water 50 ml (temperature should be more than 100C)

METHOD

CRYSTAL PRAWN STUFFING

In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients well and season. Keep in a refrigerator

FOR THE DOUGH

In a mixing bowl, take both flours and mix together with boiling water. I Knead to make dough. Cut into small balls and keep it aside. I With the help of a chopper, flatten them in circular motion. Sheet them and keep aside. I Spoon one each with prepared mix and seal the sides neatly.

TO SERVE

Arrange banana leaf in bamboo baskets, steam for 5 mins. Serve with sweet chilly sauce

Source: TOI

Spaghetti in cream sauce

Ingredients

Spaghetti (boiled): 160 gm, Fresh cream: 180 ml, Spinach leaf: 80 gm, Olive oil: 1 tbsp, Chopped garlic: 1/2 tsp, Chopped onion: 1/2 tsp, Salt: 1/2 tsp, Fresh basil: 2 gm, Grated Parmesan cheese: 25 gm, Butter: 1 tsp

Method

Heat saucepan and add olive oil and chopped garlic and onion. Saute’ garlic-onion lightly and add fresh cream till thick. Then add boiled spaghetti, toss it in cream. Add trim and washed shredded spinach leaves. Finish with grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and butter. Add salt as per taste and serve immediately. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and sprig of fresh parsley.

Sounce:TOI

Mixed Vegetable Salad

It won’t take more than five minutes for you to make this mixed vegetable salad. Not only this assortment appears good to eyes but tastes equally delicious and also keep you fit and healthy....

Ingredients:

50gms French beans
3-4 carrots
1 small cabbage
100gms broccoli
(cut into florets)
1 capsicum
Salt to taste
1 tomato (cut into thin rings)
2 green chilies (slit vertically)
Finely chopped coriander leaves
1 lemon juice
Black pepper powder to taste

Method:

Cut and steam the vegetables.
Add tomatoes, green chilies salt, pepper powder and lemon juice, and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Source: TOI

Young Turmeric Bekti with Chenin Blanc

Ingredients

Baby fennel, 1 bulb
Young turmeric, 1 piece
Bekti, 180 gms
Juice of 1 lemon
Late harvest Chenin Blanc, 45 ml
Kokum, 10 gms
Ajwain, 2 gms
Jalapeno, 10 gms

Method

Infuse the young turmeric in warm oil to extract the colour and flavours. Make a marination of the flavoured oil, fennel puree and lemon juice and salt. Marinate the fillet and pan sear in a frying pan. Seal both the sides and bake at 180 degrees C. Cook till the core temperature reaches 60 degrees. Reduce the Chenin Blanc and the kokum together with a little ajwain and jalapeno, till it forms a glaze. Saute some spinach and assorted leaves to form the base. Place the cooked fish on top of this and lightly drizzle some of the reduction. Garnish with a lemon wedge and a dill sprig.
Note: Other serving options — make a dry okra and garlic sabzi and serve the fish on it with the drizzle.

Source: TOI

Lamb shanks with mashed potato

Ingredients (for the marinade)

Paprika, 1 tsp, Garlic, 3-4 cloves Rosemary, 1 sprig, Thyme 1 sprig, Oil, 1 tbs, Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the mirepoix)

Carrot, 1 I Celery, 1 I Onion, 1 I Leek, 1 I Tomato puree, 250gms I Red wine, 100 ml I Lamb stock, 500ml I Bay leaf, 1 I Peppercorns, 6-7 I Thyme & rosemary, a few sprigs

Ingredients (for couscous)

I Couscous, 100gms I Veg stock, 150ml I Parsley, 50gms I Red pepper, ½ I Lime juice, 1 tbs I EVO 1tbs I Salt, to taste.

Method

Marinate the lamb shanks with all the mentioned ingredients. Wash and clean the mirepoix vegetables. Roughly cut them. Heat a heavy bottom sauce pan, add oil, bay leaf, peppercorn, and vegetables sauté till brown. Add tomato puree, carrot deglazed with red wine, add the lamb stock, bring it to boil. Seal the lamb shanks golden brown in a separate pan, add to this mix, cover with greaseproof paper and aluminium foil, cook at 180 degrees C for four hours or until the flesh falls off from the bone strain the liquid reduce further. For the couscous, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Pour over the couscous and cover with the plastic film. Remove the cover after five minutes and loosen the couscous with a fork. Mix in the lime juice, EVO, chopped red peppers, parsley and mix well. Serve the lamb shanks on top of the mashed potato and eggplant puree. Spoon over the sauce on top of it. Sprinkle with cardamom powder, drizzle over some rose water and garnish with fresh rose petals.

Source: TOI

Rasmalai-Mascarpone Cheese Cake

If you think hilsa should be dipped and eaten only with thick mustard sauce or kulfi should be had only with faluda, then think again! Here’s a palate of contemporary fusion cuisine for the global Indian, who likes a bit of tartar sauce on his dum aloo or gulab jamuns dripping in chocolate fondue!

(Serves 1 portion)

Ingredients

Rasmalai 2 pieces, Fresh mascarpone cheese, 40 gms , Whipped cream 40 gms, Gelatin, 1 leaf , sponge (as required for base), Nutmeg powder, small pinch, Raisins, (few, soaked in rum)

Method

Soak the gelatin leaf in the syrup of the rasmalai, warm it gently, cool. Cream the mascarpone to a smooth and thick paste, add raisins, nutmeg, and gelatin syrup. Also add half of the rasmalai cut into chunks. Fold in the whipped cream. Take an individual mould, line it with a thin layer of sponge at the base. Pour in the rasmalai-mascarpone mixture. Set for 1 hour in the deep-freezer. Take the mould out and top it with the slices of remaining rasmalai. Glaze, de-mould and serve.

Working mum? Watch your child’s health!

Children whose mothers work are likely to lead unhealthier lifestyles than those whose mums don’t, says a new research. Children of working mums are more sedentary and are more likely to be driven to school.

In the study conducted in UK, mothers were quizzed about the hours they worked and their children’s diet, exercise levels and sedentary activities. They were also asked how much time their child spent in front of the TV or computer each day.

Questions included how much sweets and crisps, sugary drinks, fruits and vegetables the child consumed and whether the child took part in organised exercise and how he/she got to school.

It showed that children whose mothers worked part or full time were more likely to primarily consume sugary drinks between meals than kids whose mothers had never worked. These children were also more likely to spend the least hours a day in front of the TV or computer, and they were more likely to be driven to school rather than walking or cycling.

Children whose mothers worked full time were less likely to primarily snack on fruit and vegetables between meals or eat three or more portions of fruit a day. “Our results do not imply that mothers should not work,” wrote the study authors, “rather, they highlight the need for policies and programmes to help support parents to create a healthy environment for their children.”

These findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Source: TOI