Toasted Shahi Tukde

    Usually a dish that involves deep fried slices of bread drizzled with a thick, creamy milky sauce. This is a lightened version using similar ingredients, a twist to the deep frying with the pan toasting and the sauce a little thinner.

I featured this dessert at the first class of my Young Chefs cooking school this late spring.

6 thick slices of any eggy bread like brioche, challah, shirmal or any home made sweet bread.

4 tbsp butter or ghee

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup packed tight light brown sugar

2 tsp rose water

1/2 tsp cardamom pdr

3 strands saffron

2 tbsp toasted coconut

In a wide skillet, heat 2 tbsp of butter on a medium flame.

Toast 3 slices of bread in this butter on medium-high heat till they are golden brown on each side.

Repeat the process with the other 2 tbsp butter and 3 slices of bread.

Set the bread aside and prepare the sauce.

In a glass mixing bowl whisk together the cream and sugar till the sugar crystals dissolve.

Heat this mixture in the microwave till it's slightly hot but not boiled.

Infuse this cream with the flavours of the rose water, saffron and cardamom for 6 minutes.

To assemble the Tukde..

Cut each of the toasted bread slices into four pieces, either squares or triangles.

Arrange them on a shallow bowl anyway you want it.

Drizzle the cream&sugar sauce over the top of the bread enough to soak the pieces.

Then top with the coconut.

Serve this cold or at room temperature.

Variation..

For a chocolatey twist you can add 3 tbsp of Nutella into the cream sauce after u heat the cream and infuse it with the aromatics. And you have a Nutella Shahi Tukda.

Another variation....

Just fry the bread in butter till both sides are golden and crispy...serve with a sweet sauce made from 1 can condensed milk mixed with 1/3 cup full cream. Warm the milk and steep 5 saffron strands in it along with 1 tsp rose water. If you don't have saffron just used 1/2 tsp cardamom powder.

Potato Curry with Peas/ Corn

A North Indian flavoured dish that pleases the palate and is really easy to make. By mimicking techniques found in many Indian kitchens, using simple ingredients and familiar flavours I came up with this recipe for a version of a typical 'Aloo ki sabzi'. It was part if a compilation of home cooked recipes for my older sons's preschool family cookbook 4 yrs ago.

15 fingerling potatoes, peeled,diced into thick 1-inch pieces kept in water to keep from oxidizing.

1 cup frozen peas/ frozen yellow corn

1 big size onion, sliced

1/2 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt for the onions.

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 1/4 cup tomato purée made by blanching two large tomatoes.

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste or 1 tsp chopped ginger, 1 tsp chopped garlic

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 tsp Garam Masala 

1 tsp paprika 

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup macadamia nuts

water for cooking

oil for cooking

1 tbsp cilantro chopped for garnish.

Prepare the Nut Paste. Soak Macadamia Nuts in 1/4 cup warm milk for 25 minutes.

Now Blend them with the soaking water into a fine paste. 

Add more water if necessary to make the paste fine.

Keep aside to be used in the final stage of the curry.

To blanch tomatoes, cut them in quarters, put in glass bowl, fill with 1/2 cup water and heat in a microwave for 6 minutes on high.

Once they cook with a spoon add each tomato quarter one by one into another bowl filled with 2 cups of ice cubes and 1 cup water. Remove the skins of the tomatoes. Strain the water out and purée the tomatoes in a blender.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan.

Saute the potatoes till all the sides turn slightly brown. Don't cook them through. keep aside.

In a skillet heat 1 tbsp oil, add the sliced onions. 

Add the sugar and the salt.

Cover and cook for 8 minutes.

Caramelize them till golden on a medium heat if needed for a further 8 mins.

Cool, Blend with 1/4 cup water. 

Add more water if needed to make a smooth purée.

In the same skillet add another tbsp of oil, heat on medium then add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.

Now Add the Onion puree, cook for 5 minutes.

To this the Ginger-Garlic to this and cook further for 3 min.

Now add the garam masala and sauté further for 5 minutes.

Now add the Tomato Puree along with 1 cup of water.

Then season with salt and the paprika.

Stir and cook this on medium high heat for 5 mins.

Now reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 min.

Stir a few times during this process to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom. Add the potatoes and the peas/ corn.

Cook this with 3/4 cup water on low heat or until the potatoes are cooked fork tender approx 20 min.

Now combine the macadamia nut paste with the curry. Stir well. Bring this to heat on medium flame for 5 min.

Once hot take it off the flame.

Transfer to a serving bowl. 

Garnish with cilantro and serve with Naan bread or Flavoured rice.

Green Kadhi

A lightly spiced, aromatic yogurt curry. Bursting with the green goodness of zucchini strands and the subtle aromas if the spices in the sauté and tempering this is best served with a steaming bowl of cumin scented rice.

2 cups plain lowfat yogurt

2 cups water

2 1/2 tbsp garbanzo bean flour / Besan

3 green chilies slivered

2 pods garlic smushed

1 inch piece ginger smushed

5 curry leaves

3 tsp oil for initial sauté

1 tsp oil for final tempering

2 whole red chilies

2 pinches asafetida 

1/4 tsp turmeric pdr

3 pods green cardamom

1 stick cinnamon

4 cloves

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar.

1 zucchini grated finely, squeezed, drained of it's juices.

In a bowl whisk together really well the yogurt, water and the bean flour.

Make it into a smooth texture dissolving the bean flour completely.

Set aside.

In a saucepan heat the 3 tsp oil on medium high flame.

Add the mustard seeds, let them splutter.

Now add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon.

Follow with the ginger, garlic and chilies.

Reduce heat to low.

Add the asafetida and turmeric.

Combine with the aromatics.

Now slowly add the yogurt mixture and using a wooden spoon stir the sauce to pick up all the drippings from the bottom.

Season with the sugar and the salt.

Increase your heat slightly to stay between the low and medium.

Add the grated zucchini to this.

Stir to combine.

And cook this sauce for around 14 minutes.

Keep stirring it every two minutes of the cooking time.

The kadhi will begin to bubble and froth.

But continue the stirring to avoid spillover and the yogurt from curdling.

The end sauce will be a little thin with the zucchini threads settling now and then to the bottom.

A stir with a ladle will fix that.

( to make a thicker kadhi just add one extra 1/2 cup of yogurt and subtract a 1/2 cup of the 2 cup water quantity for the every first whisking step)

Once done take off the heat.

In a tiny tempering spoon or 'kadhai' heat the 1 tsp oil on medium high heat.

Add the cumin seeds, red chilies and curry leaves.

Temper for 1 min and add directly into the kadhi.

Garnish with cilantro.

Serve warm over cumin scented basmati rice and with a side of fried pappadums.

Kheema (ground meat) Biryani ( layered rice)

For the Biryani mix

7 oz ground beef room temperature

7 oz ground lamb room temperature

1 medium red onion sliced

1 inch ginger grated

1 tsp garlic chopped

1 tbsp Garam Masala

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tsp American Saffron pdr

Optional for heat 1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp Tomato paste from tube or can 

Salt to taste

1/2 cup oil 

To assemble the dish

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

5 strands of Spanish saffron

2 tsp rose water

2 tbsp warm milk

2 pinches cardamom pdr

Cooking spray

Plastic wrap

2 tbsp chopped mint

1 tsp lime juice

1) In a wide skillet heat 1 tbsp oil on medium heat.

2) Once hot add the sliced onions, give them a stir and cook on the same heat for about 8 mins or until caramelized.

3) Next step transfer the onions into a bowl and keep aside.

4) In the same skillet add one more tbsp oil, heat on medium and add the basmati rice.

5) Coat in oil, let it toast for 2 mins.

6) cook the rice in an electric cooker with 3 cups of water to which 1/2 tsp salt has been added. Once done fluff with a fork and cover.

7) In the skillet heat one more tbsp oil, medium heat till hot, add like 1 heaped tbsp of the caramelized onions.

8) to this add the ground meats, break them apart with a wooden spoon.

9) now add the ginger, garlic and stir well

10) when flavours exude add the garam masala and about 1 tsp salt.

11) keep breaking the meat and stirring, then add the yogurt and saffron pdr.

12) once stirred add the tomato paste and optional cayenne.

13) you can use a potato masher to mash the meat to ensure easier flavor distribution.

14) Reduce the flame to medium low and cook for 6 mins or until the liquid dries up and the meat resembles a dry sloppy joe mix.

15) Divide this into two portions of equal amount.

16) in a deep ceramic or glass bowl spray some cooking spray. Then soak the saffron strands in the warm milk.

17) layer the bottom with one portion of the meat. Then follow with one half of rice and repeat this with the second two portions of meat, then rice.

18) pour the saffron infused milk over the rice.

19) Sprinkle the cardamom pdr on it followed by a generous topping of the left over onions.

20) Cover with plastic wrap and cook in a microwave on high for 6-8 mins.

21) Once done let it rest 3 mins before uncovering. When you do uncover serve garnished with the mint and flavored with the lime juice.

22) To serve scoop the biryani from the bottom such that you get a mix of meat n rice in each serving.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

* 4 ounces dried rice vermicelli/Bean thread noodles

* 12 sheets banh trang rice papers or spring roll wrap 8- inches round 

* 3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

* 8 ounces Strips of cooked Tofu or cooked shrimp diced.

* 3 scallions chopped

* 24 large mint leaves

* 1 handful cilantro leaves chopped

* 1 handful bunch baby spinach leaves

Directions

Cook vermicelli/noodles according to instructions in the box.

Drain,cool and divide into 12 portions.

Saute the shredded carrots with a pinch of salt for 3 mins. 

Before sauteeing make sure to squeeze out the excess of water from the carrots.

Let this cool before dividing it into 12 portions.

Chop scallions and mix them with the cilantro leaves.

Soak one rice paper in lukewarm water until pliable, about a few seconds. 

Move it around a bit. 

Work with only 1 paper or two at a time.

To assemble: 

Place 1or 2 papers on a clean kitchen towel, leaving 1-inch of the rice paper uncovered on the edge closest to you. 

Place 1 green leaf on the sheet. 

Cover with 1 portion of vermicelli, and top with a portion of the carrots, tofu/ shrimp, scallions, and mint leaves. 

Fold the paper once over the filling, starting from the bottom, then fold in the sides and continue rolling tightly to the end. 

Keep rolls covered with a damp towel.

When ready to serve, cut in the middle and serve with Asian dipping sauces.

Indian style flavoured ice cream called Malai Kulfi

Whipping cream divided into one 1/2 cup and then 2 cups measures

Strands of saffron

2 tsp rose water

2 cans condensed milk

1/2 cup milk powder

Crushed pistachios for sprinkling on top

Take the 1/2 cup cream, heat for 1 min in the microwave.

Put around 6 strands of saffron in it and let them steep for around 6 mins.

In a bowl add the condensed milks, milk powder, combine and then add the warm cream to it.

Using a whisk blend all these together till u achieve a smooth mixture.

Flavour with rose water and mix again.

In a stand mixer, or in a mixing bowl using a hand blender ( whisk attachment) whip up the whipping cream on high speed.

Stop when the cream is nice and stiff.

Take the bowl out.

Gradually pour the condensed milk and cream mixture to the whipped cream.

And gently with a spatula fold this all together.

It's quite the effort and make sure there are no cream lumps in the end.

Pour this equally into 4 small, shallow, rectangular or square dishes of around 1.5 cup capacity.

Set in the freezer for at least 15 hrs...and when ready to serve, scoop like ice cream and serve topped with sprinkles of crushed pistachios.

Yummy Southwestern Corn salad

2 cups red kidney beans, cooked and drained of all liquid ( you can sub with two cans, but make sure u rinse and drain the beans)

2 cups corn kernels ( defrosted from a bag or drained from a can)

If u do get fresh corn, cook the cob in its husk in the microwave for 4 minutes, cool, de-husk and using a knife slice off the kernels.

1 green bell pepper , cored, deseeded and chopped fine ( u can use any colour pepper)

1 medium red onion chopped

2 baby cucumbers chopped

1 plum tomato chopped

1 tsp cumin pdr

1/2 tsp dried oregano

5 sprigs cilantro chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Optional if you like heat- Chop one Serrano pepper and add to the salad

Salt to taste

Combine all the above ingredients for a lovely, fresh tasting salad.