THE RECIPE LARDER

Seed Paté

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Some time back, the husband and I started on a diet with Deepika, who works with Luke. She has been in touch with me on a daily basis, and I cannot convey in words how wonderful we both started feeling within weeks of our nutritional plan. Unlike other “dieticians” they don’t nail our heads to a wooden plank, if we cheat or if we don’t follow instructions to the hilt. It’s actually a slow gentle coaxing to start changing our lifestyle and eating habits. So many small issues like sleeplessness, bloating etc are taken care of, using natural home remedies. And I must say it works, because now I sleep like the proverbial log, and in the mornings the bed and I are like lovers – loathe to leave each other.

Without realising, we have now changed our eating habits. The old hogging days no longer appeal to us, and on a very elemental level, we have started opting for healthy, nutritious and wholesome meals. Overeating even a little bit makes us groan and moan unbelievably.

This diet takes care of us very holistically. Small ailments are sorted almost immediately. Over the period of a year, my blood pressure and cholesterol are within normal limits.They care for our mental, emotional and physical health. After all this, we cannot return back to our old ways of eating aimlessly and only for taste. I now look for recipes that are healthy but tasty. This  Seed Paté is one of the many such recipes.

It’s a very versatile recipe. You don’t have to follow it the way it’s written. The dill can be replaced with coriander or any other herb of your choice.  Please read the notes following the recipe, before making the Seed Paté.

It can be used in many different ways. Eat it like a sandwich, mix it in vegetables as a gravy, dip with pita, layered with a salad — the options are endless and left to your imagination.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.


Seed Pate
Print Recipe
Versatile, super quick, easy, gluten free and healthy.
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Seed Pate
Print Recipe
Versatile, super quick, easy, gluten free and healthy.
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 pax 5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: pax
Instructions
  1. Put everything in a mixie and grind to a coarse mix.
  2. Don't over grind. You want a coarse texture. Even if some seeds are only partially ground, it's fine. That's what you want.
  3. Cut the bread slices into 1 inch broad fingers and toast till crisp.
  4. To serve, heap the paté on the toast and spread. It should be a thick layer.
  5. Garnish with sesame seeds and olive oil and serve immediately. Preparing too much in advance will make the toast soggy.
  6. The paté can also be had as a dip.
Recipe Notes

Seeds : You can use any of these seeds, or a mix of all. I have used Pumpkin, Water melon, Melon, Hemp and Sunflower.

Water: I have used the same water which was left over from boiling the chickpea. The left over water is thick, and sluggish and does not flow easily. This lends a heavy texture to the paté and does not make it runny. If for some reason, you are not using this water, you can use normal filtered water. BUT REDUCE THE QUANTITY. Use a little at a time. You will not need more than 1 - 2 Tbpsn max.

Herbs: The flavour of dill is very strong. But the quantity in the recipe is just enough to give you a hint of flavour. You can do away with dill altogether and increase the parsley. You can also replace it with coriander, or basil. It's totally up to you and your preference. But some herb definitely has to be used.

 

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Cucumber Boat Salad

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Chilled Cucumber Boat Salad

The Daughter made another demand — I’m so pleased she has got into cooking! The chef in me feels fulfilled and the mom and me feel happy! 😛

I make this salad very often at home. It needs to be served really really chilled, so it is a good idea to make it a wee bit in advance.

It’s a messy salad though! Be prepared for a white moustache and a few drips down your chin! But it’s worth the dishevelled look you will sport while eating it.

Look for crisp cucumbers with a clean green interior. I always cut off the side of the cucumber and taste it before using it. Sometimes cucumbers can be very very bitter, and even one bitter cucumber in a salad of 20 cucumbers can spoil the entire dish. Taste it and throw it away if its bitter. (You can always chuck it in the compost pile of course!)

The yoghurt should be thick, so hang it for an hour or so if you want. There is zero neatness in this salad, so there really isn’t any right or wrong way to fill it. Slice the spring onions really thin and small. Garlic can be upped as per your taste. To my mind, too much garlic takes away the sweetness of the yoghurt and the original taste of the cucumber.

I add a little of chilli flakes, but you can always add some herbs too – parsley, thyme, oregano. Don’t use very strong herbs. Again – it takes away the original flavours.

The boats can get very wobbly, as the base is rounded. You can slice off a small part of the cucumber from the bottom to make a little steadier base. But – mostly, it will wobble and fall a little to the side, but if the yoghurt is not too drippy things should not slide out and drip into the plate.

I’m attaching a quick video for you.

I hope you enjoy this salad. Do write in.

As always – Cheers! and Happy Times!


Cucumber Boat Salad
Print Recipe
Crips. filling, gooey, and crunchy. Great as a cocktail snack, as well as a salad. Don't let the fancy look deter you from making this perfectly easy and hearty salad.
Servings
4 peopl
Servings
4 peopl
Cucumber Boat Salad
Print Recipe
Crips. filling, gooey, and crunchy. Great as a cocktail snack, as well as a salad. Don't let the fancy look deter you from making this perfectly easy and hearty salad.
Servings
4 peopl
Servings
4 peopl
Ingredients
Servings: peopl
Instructions
  1. Peel and slit the cucumbers lengthwise.
  2. De seed the inner core using a spoon (see video) Chill in refrigerator till you need to fill it.
  3. Chop the green onions finely. Use all the whites and some of the greens
  4. Soak the alfa alfa in iced water, so that it untangles and the sprouts open up. Drain before using.
  5. In a clean bowl, mix the hung curd or greek yoghurt with all the other ingredients.
  6. Taking a small spoon, fill the cores of the cucumbers with the filling. A little will drip out. You can either leave it, or wipe it with a clean paper towel.
  7. Heap the sprouts on the yoghurt mix.
  8. This salad can be filled in advance, or just before eating. Either way, the filled boat, or the filling and cored cucumber should be in the refrigerator till served.
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Aamba Haldi on Goat’s Cheese toast.

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amba haldi

amba haldi

This is something my grandmother used to have on her table, every winter – with big chunks of garlic and green chillies. This tart, sour mix tastes absolutely amazing with Indian meals. Try it with khichadi, roti, rice and dal, anything.

I made something completely off beat with it though. This is how it happened – I had guests coming over for dinner, I had fresh goat’s cheese on hand, and I love goat’s cheese, – And – I was bored of serving the same old goat’s cheese with the quintessential caramelised onions, or roasted veggies. So I looked in the fridge and saw my freshly made amba haldi.

I ran the tastes of both goat’s cheese and amba haldi in my mind, and thought it was worth taking the risk. I served it with great trepidation and waited with baited breath for feed back (no I had no time to taste it before serving it! – in any case I had already liked the pairing in my head!)

amba haldi on goat's cheese toast

amba haldi on goat’s cheese toast

Everyone liked it. They loved the taste. And thank God, because it was very offbeat and very risky to serve something so bizarre!

Amba Haldi, is basically fresh white turmeric or mango turmeric. This is the yellow slices you see. The orange one is new turmeric. Ordinarily these two go together in this very traditional Indian pickle, optionally along with garlic and green chillies. It’s available in the onset of winter, and makes for a good healthy pickle which also works to build your immunity.

amba haldi with garlic and green chillies, in lemon juice

amba haldi with garlic and green chillies, in lemon juice

Amba haldi, tastes sour and tart. A lot like raw mango; even without the lemon juice decoction. Turmeric – well most of us have turmeric as a spice in our food. It really has no taste, but the raw turmeric does. It has an odd piquant taste, not very strong. Not something you need to get used to like truffles. It’s just a very different taste. I cannot liken it to any other flavour I have had.

Scrape the skin with a sharp knife, as the peeler will take away too much of the flesh. The skin is so thin and new that scraping with a  sharp knife is good enough. Be careful as the turmeric will colour your hands yellow. It needs a load of lemon juice. Adding garlic and chillies is completely your call, as is adding salt. We Indians, any case eat a lot of salt in our diet, so I skipped it in my amba haldi pickle.

amba haldi on goat's cheese toast 5

pile on the amba haldi as per your taste

pile on the amba haldi as per your taste

It hits the market as soon as the weather starts getting pleasant and the skin feels a bit dry! Also, try and get the fresh green peppers. I will give you the recipe for that real soon.

Enjoy and do send me feedback about this very off the beaten track combination.

 

Aamba Haldi on Goat's Cheese toast.
Print Recipe
Sour, tart amba haldi with soothing goats cheese.
Servings
4 -6 people
Servings
4 -6 people
Aamba Haldi on Goat's Cheese toast.
Print Recipe
Sour, tart amba haldi with soothing goats cheese.
Servings
4 -6 people
Servings
4 -6 people
Ingredients
amba haldi
goats cheese toast with amba haldi
other stuff
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Scrape the amba haldi and fresh turmeric and dip in cold water to clean remnants of peels
  2. Slice into long thin slices (juliennes)
  3. Put the juliennes and the optional green chillies, garlic, salt in the glass jar.
  4. Top with lemon juice
  5. Keep in sun for 2 days (optional). You can also just leave it outside at room tempreture
  6. Use after two days.
  7. Can be served as a pickle with meals. Referigerate.
For the goat's cheese toast
  1. Slightly toast the baguette slices
  2. Add a good thick layer of goat's cheese (appx 2 tbspn) and spread it.
  3. Add juliennes of amba haldi on it. Do this just before serving, as the goat's cheese will get stained yellow. Add as many juliennes as you would like.
  4. Some people will not be able to have too many at a go, while some might like a load of it. You could leave it for your guest to add at their discretion. Though I wouldn't do that. Forcing them to try atleast a slice, with a few pieces would be ideal.
  5. You could leave some of the amba haldi in a bowl for people to add more if they so desire.
Recipe Notes

To keep your amba haldi fresh and uncomtaminated till it's over, always use a fresh clean and dry spoon to take it out of the jar. If you need to take out some more after the first round, use another spoon. We normally keep our spoons on the counter, where it either mixes with something else, or gets contaminated via the surrounding air and its bacteria.

Remember - each time a new spoon. And don't leave the spoon inside the jar.

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Lettuce Wedge Salad

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I first had Lettuce Wedge Salad, in London, in a restaurant called Roka. Of course, the restaurant has stayed a favourite, as has this salad. I would always, analyse it, gaze at it in wonder and awe, thinking I will replicate it in some manner. And – I would always forget.

lettuce wedge salad

The fresh crisp lettuce, perfect square wedges of stacked leaves, the immensely flavourful dressing – everything made it a favourite, of ordered a dish.

lettuce wedge salad

I went on a hunch, (because I was daunted by those perfect square wedges) and bought two fresh heads of lettuce. I had no idea how to cut it. No matter how many times I would visit the salad in my mind’s eye, knife in hand, I could not figure out how to cut it. I have no formal training in cuisine, so these skills are alien to me, till I figure them out.

lettuce wedge salad2

With great trepidation, I cut the salad in half, vertically, root to the top of the head. Then I sank all the four heads in ice water, (more ice, less water) and left it to hydrate for approximately 30 minutes. Let me tell you what happened! The lettuce took in so much water, it took me another 10 minutes to drain it. But the lettuce was happy to have had that water. The leaves were crisp and clean.

Then I randomly chopped here and there, but the wedges were nowhere near perfect. I took a pause and really visualised, and them hit on the right technique.

This is how it is done.

Firstly – try not to use a metal knife. The metal in the knife oxidises the leaves and makes them look soggy.  A plastic or ceramic knife works very well. I had bought a ceramic knife from Japan, Kyocera brand, and was warned that it could lop off my fingers if I am not careful. I use it very sparingly, because hey! I love my digits.

Now then on to the method –

I am going to be showing pics at every step because I am finding it very difficult to explain the process! Words are just not enough.

Chop the lettuce vertically, from the root to the top. (see pic below)

Cut from root to top.

Cut from root to top.

Dunk in ice water, and drain well after 30 minutes.

Now take the chopped side, the side where you can see all the layer of leaves, and place that to your right. (see pic below)

The side which is cut, keep it to your right

The side which is cut, keep it to your right

Then, take three, (if you have a larger head of lettuce then take four or five) long wooden barbecue sticks, (they should be larger than cocktail toothpicks – about 4 to 5 inches long) and leaving an inch from the side of the cut side of the lettuce, poke them at 1 and 1/2 inches interval. This is done 90 Deg from the cut side of the lettuce, and not parallel to the root and cut side of the lettuce. (see pic below)

Stick bbq sticks into the lettuce

Stick bbq sticks into the lettuce

The cutting will happen from the non-cut side of the lettuce. The one which is the root side and on your left. The opposite side of the cut side of the lettuce. (see pic below)

This from where you will cut a large wedge

This from where you will cut a large wedge

Taking your knife and leaving an inch from the uncut side of the lettuce, cut off the part with the toothpick inserts. The toothpick inserts should now be all in a row, and the large wedge should have separated from the main head of lettuce. (see pic below)

how to cut into wedges 2

Slice of the entire strip with the bbq sticks

Slice of the entire strip with the bbq sticks

Now, just lop off individual wedges, seeing that you get as close to a square as possible. (see pic below)

Cut off individual wedges.

Cut off individual wedges.

Trim the wayward leaves, and push the stack of cut lettuce wedge further into the stick.

Garnish, turning it all around.

Garnish well - rotating all sides.

Garnish well – rotating all sides.

Serve Chilled.

Lettuce wedge salad with Japanese sesame oil dressing

Lettuce wedge salad with Japanese sesame oil dressing

 

Lettuce Wedge Salad
Print Recipe
Crisp, refreshing and immensely flavourful salad. Quick and easy to make, though it looks a bit daunting.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 20 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 20 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Lettuce Wedge Salad
Print Recipe
Crisp, refreshing and immensely flavourful salad. Quick and easy to make, though it looks a bit daunting.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 20 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 20 minutes
Passive Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
For the dressing
Last garnish
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Chop the lettuce vertically, from the root to the top.
    Chop the lettuce vertically, from the root to the top.
  2. Dunk in ice water, and drain well after 30 minutes.
  3. Now take the chopped side, the side where you can see all the layer of leaves, and place that to your right.
    Now take the chopped side, the side where you can see all the layer of leaves, and place that to your right.
  4. Then, take three, (if you have a larger head of lettuce then take four or five) long wooden barbecue sticks, (they should be larger than cocktail toothpicks - about 4 to 5 inches long) and leaving an inch from the side of the cut side of the lettuce, poke them at 1 and 1/2 inches interval. This is done 90 Deg from the cut side of the lettuce, and not parallel to the root and cut side of the lettuce.
    Then, take three, (if you have a larger head of lettuce then take four or five) long wooden barbecue sticks, (they should be larger than cocktail toothpicks - about 4 to 5 inches long) and leaving an inch from the side of the cut side of the lettuce, poke them at 1 and 1/2 inches interval. This is done 90 Deg from the cut side of the lettuce, and not parallel to the root and cut side of the lettuce.
  5. The cutting will happen from the non cut side of the lettuce. The one which is the root side and on your left. The opposite side of the cut side of the lettuce.
    The cutting will happen from the non cut side of the lettuce. The one which is the root side and on your left. The opposite side of the cut side of the lettuce.
  6. Taking your knife and leaving an inch from the uncut side of the lettuce, cut off the part with the toothpick inserts. The toothpick inserts should now be all in a row, and the large wedge should have separated from the main head off lettuce.
    Taking your knife and leaving an inch from the uncut side of the lettuce, cut off the part with the toothpick inserts. The toothpick inserts should now be all in a row, and the large wedge should have separated from the main head off lettuce.
  7. Now, just lop off individual wedges, seeing that you get as close to a square as possible.
    Now, just lop off individual wedges, seeing that you get as close to a square as possible.
  8. Trip the wayward leaves, and push the wedges little further into the bbq stick.
  9. Repeat the same way with the balance left over lettuce head.
  10. if serving later, keep covered, in ice water.
Sesame oil dressing
  1. Mix all the ingredients and give it a good whisk.
Finishing
  1. Rotate the lettuce wedges, and drizzle dressing generously.
  2. Serve Chilled. Garnish with sesame seeds just before serving.
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Beer Battered Onion Rings

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First and foremost let me be fiercely profuse in my apologies for just disappearing. I spent 3 weeks running around Europe having a mad time. First two weeks with my girlfriends in Ireland, and then with the husband and another couple in Germany. It was a sabbatical of enormous proportions.

The super special girls' trip.

The super special girls’ trip.

Our farm in Mahabaleshwar is well on its way to being planted. The rains were particularly vicious this year. We lost many trees and shrubs. But well, that’s the ebb and flow of life, and we are looking forward to some organic, homegrown fruits and vegetables.

I had my best friend over in Mahabaleshwar, and we kindled up the wood-fired oven and made ourselves some pizza. I make the dough using fresh yeast. When it is nice and plumply risen, I roll out small rounds and give it an initial dance into the fire. Once it’s mildly pre-cooked, I add the pizza sauce, cheese and toppings and send it for another jig. As a result, I get thin – and I mean ultra thin pizzas, with a crunchy crisp bite.

Nishi and me.

Nishi and me.

This time around, the wood was still wet from the rains. The fire would not catch, the hearth would not heat and the pizzas would just not pre-cook. After a few exasperated tries (the dough was rising, and would have spoilt) I picked up the rolled out pizza dough and flipped it straight into the flames.

I heard a collective gasp from my helpers. One started dancing on his feet, saying “ It will burn, it will burn”. I just grinned and took a tong and flipped it over to let it cook the other side. All this took just a few seconds. And out came the most fantastic precooked pizza. It had blown up like a pita bread, but the results were sooooo good. Crunchy, with oozing melting cheese which stuck to our palates and teeth.

beer battered onion rings

beer battered onion rings

What I am trying to say here is cooking is an art – agreed, but it is also instinct. When I give cooking classes, I always tell my students, don’t think too much. If you want to substitute an ingredient with another do it. If you want to increase the heat do it. There is no right or wrong in cooking. Some person somewhere must have had jam with goat’s cheese and then started the trend of serving preserves with cheese. To my taste buds – nothing tastes better!

beer battered onion rings with a sprinkling of chaat masala

beer battered onion rings with a sprinkling of chaat masala

Enjoy the beer battered onion rings. These are my favourite fried snack, and my kids love them.

Darned easy to make. Just a little planning, as the onions have to marinate at least for two hours before they can be fried.

I make a quick fix, cheat sauce with these onion rings. They taste way better than, some store-bought sauce (though mine is a mix of store bought sauces :P) The fried ring, with the tart hot sauce gives it an amazing balance. Of course, you can substitute it with any other sauce of your choice. But do give my recipe a fair chance too.

beer battered onion rings and a chilled beer

beer battered onion rings and a chilled beer

Baking powder is a crucial ingredient in this recipe, so don’t try to substitute or do away with it. It is what gives the onion rings the crisp and crunchy texture when mixed with a beer in the batter.

My friend and me feasted on them, in Mahabaleshwar. Hope you like them too – PS: they go really well with chilled beer!!!

 

Beer Battered Onion Rings
Print Recipe
My favourite snack, darned easy to make. It will be an instant hit amongst your friends.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 2 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 2 hours
Beer Battered Onion Rings
Print Recipe
My favourite snack, darned easy to make. It will be an instant hit amongst your friends.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 2 hours
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
15 minutes 2 hours
Ingredients
For the onion rings
For the batter
other stuff
Quick Cheat Sauce
Servings: people
Instructions
To make the marinade
  1. Mix all the ingredients of the marinade in a vessel.
  2. Pull out all the rings of onions from the diced rounds. Each onion should be separated. The ring should be whole, without any cuts.
  3. Submerge the rings into the beer marinade and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours, and a maximum of 4 hours.
To make the batter
  1. Add all ingredients of the batter in a bowl
  2. The batter should be thick and should fall with a plop when dropped from a spoon.
  3. Give the batter a good mix with a whisk. It should have no lumps.
  4. Make this batter just before you need to fry the onion rings.
For frying the rings
  1. Pour oil into the non stick and heat well on slow to medium flame. It should not start smoking. If it does, let it cool down before popping in the onion rings.
  2. Wipe each ring, using a kitchen towel or a good quality paper napkin. Each ring should be completely dry.
  3. Dip one ring at a time, into the batter. Give it a quick flick to take off extra batter.
  4. Drop the ring into the hot oil.
  5. Work quickly and put in as many onions as you can, till the pan fills up.
  6. After appx 30 seconds (or when the batter looks well fried) turn the rings, using the tong, so that the other side can fry.
  7. Pick out the fried rings with the tong and place on a paper napkin to drain off excess oil. You can press it down slightly (not too hard) with another towel to drain off more oil.
  8. Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve hot, with the cheat sauce.
For the sauce
  1. Add all ingredients together and mix well.
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Cheese Toast

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Cheese toast with Cucumbers, onions and green chillies

Cheese toast with Cucumbers, onions and green chillies

Whats so special about cheese toast? For me — very special, because my grandmom used to make it the minute I entered her house. It was my absolute favourite and I still have it when I need some comforting.

Why is it special for you? Because it’s not just a cheese toast. It is many other things clinging to the cheese. Cucumbers, onion, green chillies….

My grandmom (Nani) was an amazing cook. Hell- she was an amazing lady. We lost her a few years ago, and that hole will never fill up. But the memories now make me smile and laugh and sometimes shed a tear or two. Always perfectly coiffured, immaculately dressed, Nani taught me everything I seem to know to survive and exist.

my perfect grand mom

my perfect grandmom and me

She decided she must perfect her English, so she grabbed hold of a teacher and started reading and understanding books I would not read unless I had an exam on it. She borrowed some money from her husband, learnt how to dabble in stocks, and struck gold. Then she decided she should help the underprivileged kids for education, so she opened an NGO, which now runs 2 schools and 1 vocational training centre. We used to get sweets as treats every year when the school results were declared.

When I made the cheese toast recently, the smell emanating from the oven, gave me a huge wave of nostalgia. I was thrown back into her house where I practically grew up.

open cheese toast

open cheese toast

The heavenly very soothing and reassuring fragrance of my favourite food, unlimited coke, my Nani’s gorgeous smile, those days spent learning how to walk, speak, garden, just about everything that a kid needs to feel loved and wanted. I know she is with me, when I cook when I eat and when I hug my loved ones.

my nani's special cheese toast

my nani’s special cheese toast

I make many of her recipes, but this one has a special place in my heart. It can be a complete meal on its own, or just pair it with soup- serve it as an appetiser. However, you use it – don’t forget to derive comfort from the melting cheese and crunchy cucumbers and onion as it hits your palate.

And Hey!! Go hug your grandmom right now!! Life is full of small pleasures!

cheese toast

cheese toast

 

 

Cheese Toast
Print Recipe
Melting cheese with a heavy dose of cucumbers and love.
Servings Prep Time
2 slices 10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Servings Prep Time
2 slices 10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Cheese Toast
Print Recipe
Melting cheese with a heavy dose of cucumbers and love.
Servings Prep Time
2 slices 10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Servings Prep Time
2 slices 10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
Servings: slices
Instructions
  1. Slater the bread slices with butter and keep aside
  2. Pre heat oven to 150 Deg C
  3. Grate cucumber and squeeze out the water.
  4. Chop onions finely.
  5. Add all ingredients together and give it a good mix.
  6. Spread the cheese mix on the toast and bake in hot oven till cheese melts.
  7. Cut into squares and serve hot with ketchup or chilli sauce.
Recipe Notes

You can increase or decrease the spice level to your liking, but don't do away with it altogether.

Enjoy!

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

By 2 Comments

Our trip to Japan was largely about Japanese food. Tofu meals, Zen meals and meals in the temple. We all developed a love and respect for Tofu and all its variations. This one restaurant that we went to and which was purely fusion was Rigoletto, in the Roppongi area of Tokyo. They had very few choices for vegetarians, but all of them were sumptuous.

I made the garlic mashed potatoes for my husband’s birthday. It was a smashing hit.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Yeah yeah, it has a lot of calories and all that. But hey! it is really tasty. And you gotta cheat once in a while right? How else will you enjoy life?

The potatoes have to be boiled and later mashed along with all the other ingredients. The entire mixture can be a heavy load for most blenders. Even mine protested mightily but held its own. By no means am I proclaiming Technora blenders to be the best, but where I am concerned it has stood the test of time and use. I love their inbuilt stirrer. I don’t have to open the lid and stir the food, I can do it while the blending is on. Pure genius.

garlic potatoes

This is a copycat recipe, so my imagination can take no credit for it. But I added a twist to its story, by cooking it in an earthen bowl. It wasn’t coated inside with any kind of ceramic polish. Just pure earthenware. So when the garlic mashed potatoes cooked, the flavour and fragrance of the natural clay seeped into the potato, giving it that extra kick and twist.

Wash the earthenware once and dry it in the sun if you can. Fill the mashed goodness, add dollops of butter, garnish and bake. It’s a quick and easy recipe, and I shall become famous – because everyone is going to ask you for this recipe.

😉

Have fun guys – I promise you a piece of heaven!

Ciao!

garlic mashed potatoes 2

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Print Recipe
Served in earthen ware, so the smells and flavours infuse into one good yummy dish!
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 10 minutes
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Print Recipe
Served in earthen ware, so the smells and flavours infuse into one good yummy dish!
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 20 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
20 minutes 10 minutes
Ingredients
For the potatoe
To Garnish before cooking.
Accessories
Servings: pieces
Instructions
  1. Boil the potatoes.
  2. Once the potatoes are boiled, peel and run it through the ricer.
  3. Add all the ingredients for the potatoes and load it into the blender.
  4. Blend well. You might have to do it in parts. It should have no lumps.
Garnish
  1. While the potato is boiling, peel the garlic meant for the garnish. Slice the garlic into thin slivers.
  2. Rub the olive oil and salt on it and pop into the oven. Bake for appx 10 minutes, till it is dehydrated and a wee bit brown. You don't want to make it crisp and completely baked
    Rub the olive oil and salt on it and pop into the oven. Bake for appx 10 minutes, till it is dehydrated and a wee bit brown. You don't want to make it crisp and completely baked
Final Dish
  1. Ladle the mixture in the earthen ware / baking dish, garnish with parsley, chilli flakes and the par baked garlic.
  2. Add dollops of butter (the one kept aside for the garnish) on all sides and slide into the oven.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes. First the butter will melt and then cook and infuse into the potato. When the butter sizzles, and the garlic on top looks browned, take out and serve hot.
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Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil

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Scrambled eggs with truffle oil

Scrambled eggs with truffle oil

We ate at the most amazing restaurant in Hong Kong a few months back. Chef Patrick of La Table De Patrick. It was a small restaurant, with immediate and intimate service. We had called earlier to let them know we are vegetarians. He rotated our entire 5-course meal around it, using wonderful freshly available ingredients.

One dish which Chef served had a sprinkling of truffles on it. With gleeful hands, we tore at the food, but it came up short on the truffle flavour. It was crunchier and had very mild to non-existent truffle taste.

Chef explained that it was summer truffles, and has very little flavour. We uneducated, but truffle fans, learnt a lot that evening.

The most flavourful truffles are the winter ones. The white winter truffles are available from October to Christmas. These have a strong flavour and can deter new truffle tasters.

The black winter truffles are what most people serve and is more easily available. Its the most preferred variety of the lot. Available from Mid Jan to Easter. (What will happen to us truffle lovers from Christmas to Mid Jan? Hoarde! Hoarde! )

The summer Truffle is available from April to July and has a very light flavour. Almost non-existent. None of us much appreciated it.

Autumn burgundy truffles are more medium bodied and great for someone who likes truffles but cannot have too much of it because of the strong flavour and aroma.

scrabled eggs

 

scrambled egg with truffle oil

scrambled egg with truffle oil

In my family of four – three of us adore it, while the fourth needs to taste the autumn burgundy one to start developing a taste. (I have no clue where to get it from!!)

scrambled on toast

It was an educative and tasty evening and inspired me to make this scrambled egg.

If you have seen the movie or read the book – A hundred foot journey- the, to be a great chef, Hassan meets Mallory the owner of the restaurant. This is a synopsis from the book -Hassan, having heard from Marguerite that Mallory hires potential chefs by taste-testing an omelette and deciding whether the person is indeed a great chef, asks if he may cook an omelette for her to his recipe. Due to his injured hands, Mallory helps under Hassan’s supervision. After tasting the omelette, Mallory recognizes Hassan’s potential and invites him to work for her.

The omelette they made looked so amazing!! I used a part of the recipe for this blog.

Take a look!

 

scrambled egg and oil bottle

Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil
Print Recipe
Simple scrambled eggs, finished with a copious dash of black truffle oil.
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil
Print Recipe
Simple scrambled eggs, finished with a copious dash of black truffle oil.
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
The Eggs
The Accessories
Servings: person
Instructions
  1. Break the eggs in the bowl. Yolks and all.
  2. Add the milk, salt and pepper and whisk gently. We dont need air here, just the mixture semi blended.
  3. Add the mint and chilli flakes, and mix gently till incorporated well.
  4. Heat the skillet (medium high) and drizzle some butter. Coat the skillet with the butter and let it sizzle.
  5. Pour the mixture into the skillet and let it be for approximately 45 seconds. It should not set and start turning into and omelette.
  6. Now start agitating the eggs, with the wooden spatula. Keep moving in small but consistent circles all over the skillet.
  7. After about 45 seconds, the eggs will clump but still be runny and soft. At this point if you like your eggs a bit runny, take it off on a plate.
  8. If you like it a little more well done, continue cooking, moving the eggs in the same round pattern. Do not stop agitating the eggs.
  9. Take it off on a plate and immediately drizzle the truffle oil. Enjoy hot off the skillet!!
  10. Umm! Goes really well with Champagne or white wine 😛
Recipe Notes

Here is the link to more happy education on truffles.

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Mango Salsa

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mango salsa

mango salsa

Mom’s house has this huge mango tree. It’s not ours. It belongs to the next compound, but every single leaf and mango grow into our side. Those poor dudes watered the tree and looked after it, but we reap all the benefits.

As kids, we would make this huge stick, one tied to the other to make it as long as possible. On the edge, a blade was jammed in and using a sawing motion many a raw mangoes have been cut and taken down. Of course, we had to do it as unobtrusively and slyly as possible. But even then the gardener would hear his beloved tree rustle and run after us with a stick. He was not allowed to cross over to our side, so obviously we dangled our stolen goods under his nose and felt thoroughly pleased with ourselves. This was summer holiday time and a very seriously planned agenda in our schedules.

We would then proceed to cut open the raw mango (we never washed it!) and spread salt and chilly and lick it for hours. Then spread some more salt and chilly and bite into the tart fruit. Our palate would go pop, and eyes would tingle, but the taste is embedded somewhere deep in my soul. Now when I eat a raw mango, I am transported back to that spot under the tree, where I either helped to hold that huge stick and saw off the mango bunches, or I stood under the falling mango, to try and grab it so that it did fall and get damaged.

As I grew up, the love for raw mango became a love for mangoes. I still love raw mangoes, but I cannot go at it with wild abandon like I used to.

 

mango salsa

mango salsa

mango salsa with nachos

mango salsa with nachos

I saw my friend Rekha, (the one who has to lead me to this wonderful thing called food!) make a mango salsa. She whips up the most delicious of dishes, with the most absurd of combinations. When I first saw her make the mango salsa, I was stunned. I mean, she was adding olive oil and herbs and spices to a fruit. A fruit which is so revered in India, for its taste and limited availability? Weren’t fruits supposed to be eaten as is???

mango salsa

mango salsa

Very reluctantly I tasted the mango salsa and immediately landed myself under the tree, where we caught falling mangoes. I tweaked the recipe, but I cannot call it mine. It still belongs to Rekha – my mentor.

The sweet and mildly sour, and extremely wholesome flavour of the fruit will pop open your eyes. You might then pick up the spoon and wolf it down! That’s what my friend does, whenever I make it.

mango salsa

Serve it with nachos, or chips.

Its not an Indian recipe.The closest is Mexican Fusion.

I love it with my all time favourite – Whisky.

mango salsa nachos

 

Mango Salsa
Print Recipe
Quick and easy to make. A sure fire hit in a party.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Mango Salsa
Print Recipe
Quick and easy to make. A sure fire hit in a party.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 15 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Peel and chop the mango. Cut the fruit into small squares. Don't cut so small that the fruit gets mashed up while mixing.
  2. Chop the onions into thin rounds. Chop some of the green as well. So basically it should be more that 3/4th whites and rest the greens, finely chopped.
  3. Add the onions to the mango.
  4. To the olive oil, mix all the other ingredients,( except the spring onions) and mix.
  5. Add the olive oil mixture to the mango and onions, and very gently toss it all together.
  6. Voila - its ready! Simple?? Serve Chilled!
Recipe Notes

Serve with nachos, chips, on a salted biscuit, with toast, toss it with croutons and serve as a salad!

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Hasselback Potatoes.

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June 2015, my entire family went for a holiday to Grindelwald – Switzerland. Age group – 3 years to 65 years. You can well imagine the pandemonium!!

Luckily the apartment we had hired had huge cooking utensils, a kick-ass oven and some other fantastic gadgets.My sister woke up early, every morning, to cook breakfast for all of us. We would all get out of bed, and sleepy-eyed make our way to the kitchen, heap our plates with whatever dish she had prepared, fill up our tea mugs, and sit outside eating our breakfast and inhale the scenic beauty of sublime Switzerland.

One day the elder of the kids decided to cook us parents and their grandparents a luncheon. They had new potatoes in their repertoire of ingredients, and though we were told to stay out of it, I mildly suggested that they make Hasselback Potatoes.

Soon pots and pans were banging in the kitchen amongst loud voices, instructions and trembling music.

I need to go off track here. (The history behind my fascination for Hasselback Potatoes!)

We had been kindly invited to a party by a friend, who has a lethal ethnic background, and leanings from Germany in his extremely artful cooking skills. He had made these potatoes. Even the worst carnivore in our group, attacked these Hasselback Potatoes, as they came out, hot and crisp from the oven, the aroma of rosemary and cooking potatoes with garlic, filling the room.

Hasselback Potatoes

They were tender in the centre, crisp and mildly charred on the first bite. The flavour of rosemary just tickled the senses, instead of overpowering the entire dish. Every piece that touched our tongue, evoked some sort of long forgotten memory. Later, when all of us spoke about the potatoes, we all realised we had some sort of childhood memory revived, yet none of us had ever tasted it before. To date, we still talk about his potatoes, when we meet up.

_MG_8867

Hasselback Potatoes

Going back to the elder babies – they made a mean dish. The melee of dishes also had a kick ass pasta, fresh salad with honey vinaigrette dressing and salsa with garlic bread.

kids who coked for us. Tanay, Kanupriya, Namrata, Kanak.

salad by kids

pasta

hasselback potatoe in bowl

Hasselback Potatoes
Print Recipe
Soft and tender on the inside, charred and crisp on the outside. Tiring and messy, but Oh! so worth it.
Servings Prep Time
6 people 45 min
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 45 min
Servings Prep Time
6 people 45 min
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 45 min
Hasselback Potatoes
Print Recipe
Soft and tender on the inside, charred and crisp on the outside. Tiring and messy, but Oh! so worth it.
Servings Prep Time
6 people 45 min
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 45 min
Servings Prep Time
6 people 45 min
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour 45 min
Ingredients
Equipment and other requirements
  • oven preheated at 175 Deg C
  • bake dish Large enough to accommodate the potatoes side by side.
  • aluminium foil sized to cover the bake dish completely.
Servings: people
Instructions
Prepping the potatoes.
  1. If the potatoes are medium sized, slice them into half horizontally. If they are small start the prepping right away.
  2. Wash potatoes in running water. Start slicing from one end. Slice all the way in, but not enough to slice so deep that it separates from the potatoe.
    Wash potatoes in running water. Start slicing from one end. Slice all the way in, but not enough to slice so deep that it separates from the potatoe.
  3. Take each potato in the hand and fan out the slices a bit. Be careful to not break them. Having said that, if a few pieces do come out of the potato they can be also added to the main dish.
Olive Oil Mix
  1. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic, chilli flakes, and parsley into the olive oil. Taste for salt. Optionally you can also add 1/3 rd of the parmesan into this mixture. I do it sometimes. Other times I add it directly in the later step.
Final Dish
  1. Now take each potato and scoop them into the dish with the oil. Try and scoop up as much of the garlic and parsley as you can. Manually fan the slices and fill them with a some of the olive oil mixture. Push in a few pieces of garlic here and there into some slices.
  2. When all the potatoes are scooped and filled with the olive oil mixture, set them side by side on the baked dish. Pour all the left over oil on the potatoes in the dish. Pick up the rosemary sprigs and place them on the potatoes. More than one potato can share a sprig of rosemary. If need be cut the sprigs into half or three pieces, but do not chop fine.
    When all the potatoes are scooped and filled with the olive oil mixture, set them side by side on the baked dish. Pour all the left over oil on the potatoes in the dish. Pick up the rosemary sprigs and place them on the potatoes. More than one potato can share a sprig of rosemary. If need be cut the sprigs into half or three pieces, but do not chop fine.
  3. This step should take approximately 1 hour. Each oven has its own tantrums. Please keep a watch on the potatoes. After approximately 45 min to an hour, lift the foil and check the potatoes with a fork. The prongs should sink in easily.
  4. Lift the foil. Crank up the oven to 250Deg C.
  5. Take the dish out and sprinkle all (or the left over) parmesan cheese over the potatoes. Set it back in the oven.
  6. When the potatoes start curling and wrinkling, and look a bit charred at the edges, you can take them out of the oven. At this point if you desire crisper potatoes, bake them for a little longer, but do keep an eye on them. They can go from mildly charred to burnt in a matter of minutes.
  7. Scoop out all the potatoes in a serving dish. Drip all the oil from the bake dish over the potatoes. Replace the fallen (and now toasted) rosemary leaves on the potato.
  8. Serve hot.
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On behalf of the group that went to Switzerland, we hope you enjoy these Hasselback Potatoes.

Here is the link to the travel blog I have written for Switzerland.