Dr. Chef Kaviraj Khialani awarded with India News Index- city excellence awards 2023.

Chef Kaviraj khialani has been recently awarded with the city excellence awards for 2023 for his untiring efforts and dedication towards the food and Hospitality industry and Education sector.

Besides being actively associated with the hotel and Hospitality industry and sector involving various verticals and branches associated with Hospitality he has been assisting and helping thousands of skilled and professional entities from the industry at various levels and has also been an active mentor and coach - an iconic name in the field of Hospitality Education as well.

We congratulate chef kaviraj on this very much well deserved award and recognition at the start of 2023.

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani Celebrity Master Chef - Author & Academician has been recently honoured with the build India achievement award 2023.

This recognition is for all the efforts put in to revive and extend support to all those who wished to continue their education since the Covid Times.

The fact that thousands of skilled professionals lost their jobs and had tough times to face it is here when support and compassion came into the picture. Chef Kaviraj not only extended his very best towards hundreds of students who wanted to study and work on their careers but he also sought potential jobs for those in need at that hour and got them some stability and life-saving mechanics.

Chef Kaviraj has been known for his knowledge and his passion towards the Hospitality fraternity and his continued dedicated approach towards offering nothing but the best to all truly makes him an iconic name with a class apart.

Culinary arts and skills is a very different kind of sector where not everyone can succeed or make a career at all times. It is important to be persistent and work hard every single day and make it different and worthwhile.

It is rightly said do good and nothing but good comes back ! The Jury at Build India achievement awards were highly impressed with Chef Kaviraj's journey of around 25 years now which has been a one with outstanding performances, distinctive outcomes and a zeal to do something new all the time made them decide him as the awardee of this prestigious honor.

We congratulate Dr. Kaviraj Khialani for for this well deserved acclaim and recognition and wish him more success and awards coming his way in 2023 and beyond.

REVIVAL ERA OF OFFLINE EXAMS IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT A SHIFT IN COMFORT ZONE TO UNMATCHED EXPECTATIONS! BY: DR. KAVIRAJ KHIALANI- CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF

It was great news for all in the academic world in regard to hotel management courses and its affiliates to see offline mode coming back to life after a long break. Students, parents & teachers all had a welcoming back reaction and expressions which could say a lot beyond words. Sitting in front of a laptop and delivering subjects from our field was a big challenge especially when it comes to food production, international cuisines, bakery and patisserie etc. it has been a mixed bag of reactions when we saw students getting back to classrooms and practical labs in various subjects and that’s where the big factor of the effectiveness of online teaching got to know its pros and cons. This article takes me back to the post-lockdown phase during the first quarter of 2022 until now when we finally reach the end of 2022 with phase one of the exam season just getting over with the batches who spent the majority of their time in the online mode of education in hospitality management courses.

Everyone whom we spoke with and discussed this topic had the same response and reaction, how did we teach culinary as one of the core subjects via online modes? Though each one had its one justifiable reply too since it was a global situation and challenge, what we kept looking for was the level of understanding and how effective would it be just looking at an online demo of sauce or cut of fish or meat. true, the answer remains obvious we need to do certain things with our own hands to be able to look at its plus a minus, the level of performance cannot be just judged by watching the demo, we need to perform!

• Comforting yet challenging: when speaking to the students in real-time classroom mode on the same topic on the change in coming to class on time versus turning on a laptop sitting in the comfort zone at home, most said it is anytime better to get out of home and come to college, be with friends, attend lectures and most importantly practical sessions which they missed the most. Of course post lockdown they had to meet deadlines, grooming standards, reporting on time, carry all requirements for said practicals, submission and presentation of assignments, project work and more which was a little cumbersome initially for a few as well.

• The learning curve effect: to learn is not just to sit back and watch, one needs to be there face to face for maximum understanding, clearing doubts and queries, etc which can be done pretty easily in offline mode. Learning was fun for some who were able to manage their concentration levels from home but many agreed there were network issues and a lot more which was a hindrance to learning.

• Understanding Fundamentals & beyond: the subjects in hotel management academics range from the front office – housekeeping- food and beverage service & food production & patisserie as core subjects besides there is accounts, management subjects, communication and french, and we they proceed there comes human resources, strategic management and more as well. coping with new concepts, new timetables, new levels of expectations becomes a little worrisome for a few.

•  T R Sustenance- T for Technical to R for remembering: the fact that a lot of subjects were introduced for many students via online mode and immediately carried forward to level next in offline mode, the connectivity and sustenance factors came into the limelight as well. a lot of teachers and trainers took up review sessions, back to basic sessions in the initial stages but then realized that we cannot keep talking of that all the time since the current schedule of portion also needs to be completed in all respects. On the other hand, students faced a lot of challenges remembering so many new concepts at one time and to be able to give it back in review classes and viva became a cause of concern too.

• Effective Training on the cards: academic guidelines, syllabus completion on time, loads of submissions, class tests, events and activities and more made it a little tight on schedule as well for some. The fact of the matter that life got back to normal and all of it just kick-started with full speed, students back in classes, schedules of co-curricular and extra-curricular too listing up on college calendars, pending back log clearance etc all at once. The word balance kind of took a back seat and let’s do it came forefront! On one side teaching concepts in detail, carrying out practicals, looking at events to side by side has been challenging yet fun too for most of us.

• Goal-oriented performance: parameters to grade and checking on performance levels of students to has seen a slight change and somewhere we have observed that though some students are good in their studies they are not able to deliver 100 percent in their overall conduct during on campus life. Most students we came across also needed loads of counseling, mentorship, and guidance in terms of how to decide on their two subjects for final year semester pattern choice. Most had a dilemma on not being able to pick the right choice and needed advice on how to go about taking the right decision. 

• From offline mode to examination mode: Post teaching and delivery of classes comes the phase of appearing for exams in theory and practical. Performance became a new expectation by examiners who spent their days teaching and delivering at their very best from showing powerpoint presentations to arranging guest lectures, live demos, field trips and visits etc to make learning more fun and effective. We saw some students struggling hard to absorb so much at a time and then prepare for subject-wise written papers being the biggest challenge of all since they had not written much in online mode. Time-bound written exams were a little challenging for a few who wanted to write more but could not since a couple of subject papers were a little too elaborate.

• Evaluating and experiencing a change of thoughts: for every teacher the moment when his/her student performs well and up to the mark is worthwhile all the efforts put in. During some of the evaluations, we observed that some could have done much better and some average ones did fairly well too. The curve and graph of performance have been a little uncertain though we are all looking forward to better days and even better results for our students. An evaluator’s mind and judgment at times juggle between figures and overall semester performance, attendance, and conduct of a student as well, which is no doubt tough at times but is fun too!

• Unveiling the phase in 2023- new year with new hope & new aspirations!

It is finally that part of the year when the calendar is about to change and the figure moves up one ahead from the last one. As we move further with time it becomes even more imperative that we strengthen the bond between students and studies. Hotel management course has always been a highly practical-oriented one ever since and we must continue to keep that alive and enrich our curriculums by adding more practicality aspects and touch points in every subject which can make the students think a little out of the box. 2023 has a lot more to offer to all of us and as we see the industry opening up its doors welcoming more and more budding professionals in various departments of hotel operations and hospitality too on the whole has created more avenues for aspirants to apply and secure a suitable and sustainable career path. With all best wishes for all our valued members of our fraternity, student community, trainers, mentors, facilitators and every single person who is a part and parcel of our hospitality industry.

Happy New Year 2023!

Ingredient Ideology | The Tempeh Treat By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

The Tempeh Treat

The word Tempeh comes from Indonesia and has been known for quite some time, however, most of us have not yet tried and incorporated it into our favorite recipes in our kitchens, it is very obvious to have a doubtful thought process on the how’s? what’s? and what if not? when it comes to trying something new. The same thing happened with me as well when I found myself acquainted with tempeh but once it turned out to be a delight and burst of flavors in the form of a recipe it has now become an anytime welcome with a number of ways doing it and that is how this feature of sharing more about tempeh started.

Tempeh is actually a meatless source of rich protein, vegan in nature, healthy and nutritious for those who love plant-based foods and enjoy experimenting with recipes that are not only colorful to the eyes but also tempting to the palate. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans which are broken down by micro-organisms and are further compacted and pressed into cakes that have a nice texture, appealing color, and a little chewy in texture with a little nutty in its taste.

Most tempeh in Indonesia is sold wrapped in banana leaves and is available in local markets, though in the united states and other places we have seen it is available in vacuum-packed formats. Besides being packed and being a powerhouse of proteins and nutrients tempeh is also a good source of essential vitamins and minerals but is a bit low in sodium and carbohydrate content.

Health Benefits of Tempeh:

1. Tempeh is good to include in our diet since it is good for weight management and is an interesting option to add.

2. Tempeh also is known to aid in digestion in our body therefore it somehow plays an important role.

3. Tempeh is said to reduce inflammation in the body.

4. Tempeh is loaded with probiotics which are also good.

5. Tempeh is also a good source of fiber besides proteins.

6. Tempeh is also regarded as a heart-healthy & brain-healthy food.

7. Tempeh is said to reduce cholesterol levels in our bodies.

Culinary Uses of Tempeh in our Kitchens:

1. Tempeh being a soy-based product is very much easy to adapt to into our very own Indian cuisine. It can formulate itself into gravies, curries, crumbled up and stuffed into tikkis, and more.

2. Tempeh is a good option to use in salads as it is also regarded as good for weight loss it gives us a variety to make our salads more interesting and colorful as well. Combine it with various greens and crunchy ingredients and a choice of flavorful dressings.

3. Tempeh is a great filler for a sandwich, wraps, and roll concepts as well and can create a great mouthfeel in between those two slices of assorted bread from vegan bread, almond meal bread, multi-grain bread, rye bread, herbed rolls, etc with a variety of lettuce leaves and superfoods like avocados, tomatoes and a dash of herbs and seasonings.

4. Tempeh is also found in the popular Buddha bowl concept which is now featuring itself in many menu cards in Asian cuisine restaurants it is not only filling but has a number of elements to enjoy all in one bowl with a little bit of everything which makes it a complete one-pot meal in itself.

5. Tempeh in soups and broths is also one of the better ways to incorporate it into suppers and light meals once in a while. Have a nice flavorful stock and a few veggies of your choice in it and with tempeh and a little seasoning and sauces it is ideal to enjoy a good bowl of nutrient balance.

6. Tempeh is also great to add to stir fry concepts and recipes.it is a good match to a number of exotic veggies like mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus, etc and with a little bit of celery, garlic, spring onions and stir fry sauce, and a dash of chili and pepper it is good to go with.

7. Tempeh in baked dishes creates variety in our meals as well. Steam the cut tempeh pieces for around 10 mins and then marinate it with a choice of ingredients and sauces and place it into a baking dish with add ons and alternates to enhance the dish. Create layers in the baking dish with a choice of plant-based options and with some vegan cheese etc.

Here are a few Simple- Easy & Healthy Recipes with Tempeh

Recipe-1] TEMPEH BROTH OF GOODNESS

Ingredients:

• Tempeh- 150 gms cut into cubes.

• Veg stock- 500- 750 ml

• Oil- 2 tbsp.

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Chili flakes- ½ tsp

• Soy sauce- 1 tsp

• Red chili sauce- 1 tsp

• Garlic- 2-3 cloves, chopped

• Onion-1 small, chopped.

• Carrots- ¼ cup cut into cubes.

• Celery- 2 tbsp. chopped

• Mixed herbs/ fresh basil leaves- 2 tbsp.

• Bayleaf-1 no

• Green/yellow zucchini-1/2 cup cut into cubes.

• Fresh parsley/micro-greens to garnish the soup- 2 tsp.

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a saucepan and add in the pieces of tempeh and saute it for a couple of minutes until golden browned, remove and keep aside.

2. In the same saucepan add in a little more oil and add in the Bayleaf, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and cook for 1-2 mins, add in the seasonings, herbs, and chili flakes, sauces to taste.

3. Bring to a boil and add in the zucchini cut into med cubes and also add in the tempeh pieces, simmer for 10-12 mins until all veggies are just done right in texture.

4. Serve hot garnished with fresh herbs, micro-greens, and a dash of crushed black pepper.

Recipe-2] TEMPEH KA DESI TADKA

Ingredients:

• Tempeh- 150 gms cut into cubes.

• For the marination:

• Curd -1 cup

• Lime juice-2 tsp

• Cumin Powder-1/2 tsp

• Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp

• Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp

• Salt to taste

• Kasuri methi-1 tsp

• Oil-1 tbsp.

• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp.

• For the sauce/gravy:

• Oil-2 tbsp.

• Onion- 2 medium chopped

• Ginger-garlic-green chili paste-1 tsp

• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp

• Salt to taste

• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

• Tomato puree-1/4 cup

• Coconut milk-1 cup

• Green peas- ½ cup boiled

• Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the marination, add in the cut cubes of tempeh into the same and mix well, keep in the fridge for 45 mins.

2. Heat oil in a pan add in the onions, ginger-garlic-chili paste, and saute them all well around 3-4 mins, add a little water if needed. Add in the powdered spices and salt and mix them all well.

3. Add in tomato puree, the marinated tempeh, and stir well. Now also add in the coconut milk and green peas and mix well. Simmer and allow to cook for 20 mins.

4. Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

Recipe-3] ASIAN STIRY FRIED TEMPEH

Ingredients

• Tempeh- 150 gms cut into cubes/fingers

• Oil- 2 tbsp.

• Ginger- 1 tsp chopped

• Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

• Green chili & red chilies- 2-3 each slit

• Spring onions- 3-4 sliced

• Red/green/yellow capsicums-1/2 cup cubes

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Red chili sauce-2 tsp

• Soy sauce- 2 tsp

• Sugar-1/2 tsp

• Tomato ketchup-1 tbsp.

• White sesame seeds- 1 tsp

• White vinegar-1 tsp

• Veg stock/water-1 cup

• Corn flour and water solution-2 tbsp. to thicken up.

• Spring onion greens-2 tbsp. chopped.

Method:

1. Cut the tempeh into cubes/fingers as desired and heat oil in a pan and slightly saute the tempeh for a couple of minutes, once slightly browned remove and keep aside.

2. In the same pan and a little more oil saute the ginger, garlic, chilies, onions and add in a little stock or water to prevent burning and to have a little sauce being formed.

3. Add in the salt, pepper, sauces to taste and bring it all to a boil, add in the peppers and the saute tempeh and allow to simmer for 2 mins.

4. Now add in the cornflour water solution and thicken the gravy and get it to a nice coating texture on the tempeh, check for seasonings, add in the vinegar and finally garnish with toasted white sesame seeds, the spring onion greens and serve hot as a snack/starter.

Recipe-4] TEMPEH BETWEEN THE SHEETS.

Ingredients

Tempeh-150 gms cut into slices

For the marination of tempeh:

• Mustard paste-1 tsp

• Olive oil-2-3 tbsp.

• White vinegar/ balsamic vinegar- 2 tsp

• Honey- 1 tbsp.

• Peanut butter-2 tsp

• Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

• Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

• Soy sauce- 2 tsp

• Red chili sauce- 2 tsp

•  Sliced bread of your choice- 4-6 no.

• Spread of your choice on the bread- mayo-mustard, cream cheese- herb spread, almond and mint butter, peanut butter, and honey spread, etc.

For the additions in the sandwich:

• Assorted lettuce leaves- ½ cup fresh and crispy

• Sliced tomatoes- 3-4 slices

• Sliced cucumber- 4-5 sliced

• Avocado slices- 4-5 no

• Salt and crushed black pepper to taste

• Vegan cheese/ cheese- as desired.

• Accompany the sandwich with olives, pickled vegetables/chips etc.

Method:

1. Assemble all the ingredients for the sandwich with tempeh.

2. Steam the tempeh slices for 10 mins and remove, apply the marination and keep aside for 30 mins.

3. Heat 1 tbsp. oil on a grill pan/ non-stick pan and saute/grill the marinated tempeh for 2 mins on each side, remove and keep aside.

4. Arrange the slightly toasted slices of bread, apply the spread of your choice from simple butter to the varieties and place the lettuce leaves, tomato slices, cucumber slices, avocado, etc add a little seasoning as needed.

5. Finally place the tempeh and close the sandwich and grill/ toast the sandwich as desired and serve hot with assorted dips and chips etc.

Brief About The Writer:

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef, is a Mumbai based Author, Writer, Healthy Eating - Lifestyle Specialist, Food Designer, Academician & having mastered over 33 International Cuisines, is also a Food & Beverage Consultant. He has worked with esteemed properties like the Taj Group of Hotels, Kuwait Airways to name a few, he has been awarded several Global and National Awards for his outstanding performance in his chosen field he loves to share his knowledge and experience of over 2 decades with the Food & Hospitality Industry.

Ingredient Ideology | THE DILL DEAL By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

Dill leaves a popular sharp and pungent green from the herb family is well known to us. It is one of those interesting ingredients available all year round and can be easily incorporated into our meal plans and variety of dishes though we are a little picky and choosy about using it very often.

It is one of that fresh herb which has well placed itself in a variety of courses and categories of dishes in various international cuisines. My experience with dill has been wonderful and it’s great to add it into lentils, dough for paratha or even pasta for that matter, I also tried gnocchi with potato and semolina once with a touch of dill in it and it was just wonderful to go along a nice saffron cream sauce and wild mushrooms!

Dill leaves also called as sua bhaji or shepu in our local markets are best to use fresh, some of us also dry and store it for later use depending on recipes. It’s always good to refresh it under running water and place it in chilled water for a few mins and then use it. This multi-tasking flavor bunch as I usually address it as has a lot to offer us nutritionally as well.

Health Benefits of Dill Leaves:

• Dill leaves are a good source of manganese, iron and magnesium.

• They are also regarded good source of calcium & are good for bone health.

• It is good for the kidneys and spleen, prevents infectious diarrhea.

• Dill is known to be helping activate bile and digestive secretions.

• It is also considered to be a good immunity-boosting ingredient.

• It has calming properties and also helps with insomnia.

• Dill leaves help manage diabetes and also prevent excessive gas.

• It is helpful in free radical protection, to stop hiccups, 

And is also an anti-bacterial-rich ingredient.

Here are a Few Culinary Uses of Dill Leaves:

• Dill has been in our Indian kitchens in numerous ways and in all seasons, I remember mix dal vadas with dill during monsoon with a curry leaf chutney and a piping hot cuppa filter coffee.

• Dill goes well with dals and lentils in daily cooking as well, yellow moong dal tadka with a handful of dill is just too good.

• I also enjoy dill with cucumber, mint, garlic, and greek yogurt in the form of a summer salad, a chilled dip format to go with crackers works well too!

• Dill in parathas either in the dough or in the stuffing with boiled mashed sweet potatoes, green chili, and a dash of roasted crushed jeera is great with a bowl of curd.

• Seafood has been well associated with dill leaves and a lot of continental, far-east, and even American and English recipes use dill with Salmon, Bassa and other varieties including butter garlic prawns with dill is yum!

• Dill aur soy ka dum pulao, try this one with brown rice with a tempering of Bayleaf, peppercorns and green chilies this pulao is a sure hit with boondi ka raita!

• Salad dressings with mayonnaise also prefer dill with seafood elements attached for instance the tuna dill potato salad is very popular with mayo and splash of lime into it.

• Getting dill into baking some of my all-time favorites remain the roasted garlic and dill bread rolls, sun-dried tomato and dill baguettes, dill and olive croissants with cream cheese, dill and peri - peri spice tomato bread.

 Here are some easy to make and tasty recipes with Dill:

1] DILL WALE AATISHI ALOO 

[Dill and spiced potatoes]

Ingredients:

• Sweet potatoes- 400 gms. Peeled and cubed

• Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.

• Hing- ¼ tsp

• Slit green chilies- 2-3 no.

• Ginger- 1 tsp chop

• Curry leaves-8-10 no

• Salt to taste

• Red chili powder- ½ tsp

• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

• Dhaniya powder- 1 tsp

• Water-2-3 tbsp.

• Fresh dill leaves- 2 tbsp. chop

• Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp

• Lime juice-1 tsp.

Method:

1. Prepare the sweet potatoes and all other ingredients.

2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add the ingredients to temper one by one and then add in the sweet potatoes and mix well.

3. Add little water and salt and cover, cook them in steam for 12-15 mins.

4. Now add in the powdered spices, mix well and add dill leaves- roughly cut and saute for 1-2 mins.

5. Finally add aamchur, lime and toss – serve hot.

2] DILL AUR SOY WADI KI SUBZI

[dill with soy chunks in a mild spice mix]

Ingredients

• Dill leaves- ½ cup roughly cut

• Soy chunks -1 cup soaked in warm water -10 mins.

• Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.

• Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

• Chop green chilies- 1 tsp

• Dry red chili-1 -2 no

• Onions-1/2 cup chop

• Tomato- 1 small chop

• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

• Dhaniya jeera powder- 1 tsp

• Red chili powder-1/4 tsp

• Salt to taste

• Curd- 2 tbsp.

• Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp

• Water-1/4 cup as needed.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the subzi.

2. Heat oil/ghee in a pan add in onions and saute till pink, add in the ginger-garlic chilies and saute.

3. Add in tomatoes and all powdered spices little water and soy chunks and bhunao.

4. Cover and simmer for 8-10 mins then add in thick beaten curd and mix well, simmer add dill leaves and cook for another-4-5 mins. Serve hot with phulkas, chapati.

3] DILL & PRAWN PASSION SUMMER SALAD

Ingredients

For the body of the salad:

• Boiled eggs-1 no cubed.

• Prawns- 500 gms, shelled, deveined, poached/boiled/grilled.

• Cucumber-1/2 cup cubed.

• Shallots-3-4 no sliced.

For the base of the salad: 

• iceberg or assorted lettuce-1 cup.

for the dressing of the salad:

• dill leaves- 2 tbsp. chop

• mayonnaise – 1 cup

• mustard paste-1/2 tsp

• lime juice- 1 tsp

• salt and pepper to taste

• white wine-2 tsp.

for the garnish of the salad:

• micro-greens/cherry tomatoes/bell peppers/ seeds/nuts.

method:

1. Assemble all the parts of the salad as per the above list.

2. In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.

3. Add in the body of the salad to the dressing and toss well.

4. Arrange the base on a salad plate and top with the body and dressing, garnish appropriately and serve chilled.

Recipe-4] SPICED DILL PILAF RICE

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice- 1 and half cup

• Oil/butter-2 tbsp.

• Garlic- 1 tsp sliced

• Onions- ½ cup chopped.

• Bayleaf-2 no

• Peppercorns- 4-5 no

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Veg stock/ water- 3 cups approx.

Assorted roasted nuts/seeds- for garnish.

Method:

1. Pick, wash and soak the rice for 12-15 mins.

2. Heat oil/butter in a pan add in the whole spices followed by onion and garlic and saute well.

3. Add in the drained rice, salt and pepper mix well and add double the amount of water or stock and bring to a boil, simmer cover and cook the rice, once water is absorbed add in the dill leaves and cook another 2 mins.

4. Once done serve hot garnished with nuts/seeds and serve with dals, kormas, curries, non-veg gravies etc.

Brief About The Writer:

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef, is a Mumbai based Author, Writer, Healthy Eating - Lifestyle Specialist, Food Designer, Academician & having mastered over 33 International Cuisines, is also a Food & Beverage Consultant. He has worked with esteemed properties like the Taj Group of Hotels, Kuwait Airways to name a few, he has been awarded several Global and National Awards for his outstanding performance in his chosen field he loves to share his knowledge and experience of over 2 decades with the Food & Hospitality Industry.

Ingredient Ideology | Kidney Beans: King of Beans in Nutritions By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

Kidney beans are also known as rajma is a very popular legume and don’t really need a formal introduction, just as the name suggests the shape represents kidneys with a reddish-brown color and thick skin. It has a strong and dense flavor and a slightly mild after taste pleasing to our palates in various forms of its preparations.

Brazil has been known to be the top producer of kidney beans out of the others, it is popular with India and Nepal as well in most curried forms. There are many varieties of these beans available in the market lighter ones in color and also a bit small to big in size.

They are also called king beans of nutrition since they are packed with elements of proteins thus making them a great replacement for red meat in many ways too. The overall composition of its balanced approach in our diet has been strongly recommended and we must include them in various ways in our day-to-day meal plans.

Health Benefits of Kidney Beans:

• Rich in fiber, magnesium & iron content.

• They are considered good for the human brain and its functioning.

• Kidney beans help in maintaining healthy skin.

• They are a good source which helps us reduce weight.

• Kidney beans are regarded as heart-healthy foods since they lower cholesterol levels.

• Kidney beans are powerful immunity boosters.

• They have a good amount of protein which is beneficial for our meals.

• Kidney beans help lower blood pressure and improve blood sugar control.

CULINARY USES OF KIDNEY BEANS OR RAJMA:

• One of the most popular ingredients especially in north Indian homes where rajma Chawal refers to one of the best comforting food in day-to-day cooking made with love and affection by the women of the house.

• Besides being curried or in gravy form served with rice or parathas, rajma also features well in salads, soups, subzi concepts too.

• Kidney beans are also very popular with Mexican cooking as well, they use it in a number of ways by adding it to the tortilla wraps, the burritos, the enchiladas and more.

• Boiled and mashed laced with flavors and spices we can also have rajma tikkis, cutlets, burgers, and sliders, having them mashed incorporating them into a paratha stuffing works well too, how about trying rajma and paneer kofta in a palak gravy.

• Rajma is also well known to have just boiled with a touch of salt, pepper, lime juice, mint /coriander leaves. They add a feeling of fullness to the meals and also help curtail overeating.

Here are a couple of recipes using Kidney Beans:

Recipe-

1] KIDNEY BEAN PATTIES

Ingredients

• Boiled kidney beans- 2 cups

• For cooking the mixture:

• Oil-2 tbsp.

• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp

• Chopped green chilies- 1 tsp

• Chopped coriander- 1 tbsp.

• Chopped mint leaves-2 tbsp.

• Salt to taste

• Garam masala powder- 1 tsp

• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp

• Dried anardana- 1 tsp

• Grated paneer- 50 gms

• Chat masala- 1/2tsp

For the binding:

• Breadcrumbs-1/2 cup

• Maida/corn flour- ¼ cup as needed for coating.

• Oil to shallow fry

To serve with:

Green chutney/ tomato ketchup/dips and salsa.

Sliced onions/slice of lime.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the patties.

2. Heat oil and saute the ingredients one by one and add in the boiled beans, seasonings, spices and cook for 3-4 mins.

3. Remove onto a plate, add in the binding agents mix well and shape into a dough like texture.

4. Apply little oil on the fingers and divide into equal portions, slightly flatten them and coat with options as available and shallow fry them until nice crisp on the outside.

5. Serve hot. 

Chefs Variations:

Try the same cutlets with stuffing of cheese and nuts in the center, can also make them nonveg by using mince, boiled chopped eggs etc.

Recipe- 2] KIDNEY BEAN BROTH

Ingredients

• Oil/olive oil- 1 tbsp.

• Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

• Onion- ½ chopped

• Carrots- ½ cup sliced

• Boiled sweet corn-1/2 cup

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Mixed herbs- ½ tsp

• Chili flakes- ½ tsp

• Tomato puree- ½ cup

• Green capsicums-1/2 no cubed.

• Water/veg stock- 3-4 cups

• Boiled rajma- ½ cup

• Chopped parsley/coriander- 2 tsp.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the soup.

2. Heat oil add in the garlic, onions and saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add in the tomato puree, salt and seasonings/herbs/spices to taste.

4. Add in the vegetables and mix well, add in the beans and water/stock, allow to simmer for 20 mins.

5. Now shall add in the capsicum last and bring to a boil, adjust the texture of the soup.

6. Serve hot garnished with herbs/grated cheese/ dash of sour cream.

Chefs Variations: Try the same recipe with boiled chicken cubes, use chicken stock for the soup, also can use veggies like broccoli, zucchini cubes, tofu as well in the soup with rajma.

3] KIDNEY BEAN PILAF 

Ingredients:

• Boiled rajma- 1 and half cup

• Basmati rice- 1 and half cup

• Water/stock as needed.

• Oil/butter/ghee- 1 tbsp.

• Bayleaf- 2 no

• Peppercorns- 8-10 nos.

• Sliced onions- 1 cup

• Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp mix

• Tomatoes chopped- ½ cup

• Salt to taste

• Red chili powder- ½ tsp

• Dhaniya-jeera powder- 1 tbsp. mix

• Garam masala powder- ½ tsp

• Kasoori methi- 1 tsp

• Cubes of potatoes-1/2 cup fried

• Assorted veggies- carrots/beans etc can be added.

• Green peas- ½ cup boiled

• Assorted non-veg/veggies if any of your choice can be added.

• Fresh coriander- 2 tbsp. for garnish.

• Fried onions- ½ cup for garnish.

  To serve with:

• Choice of raita/ papad/pickle.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan add in the whole spices add in the sliced onions and start cooking, add water little by little as they get brown, add ginger garlic paste.

2. Add in the tomatoes, salt and spices, little water, cook well, add in the kasuri methi, rajma, rice and mix all well.

3.Add double the amount of water/stock to make the pulao and allow to simmer, cover and cook in steam.

4. Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

Chefs Variations:

Try the same recipe with soy keema and rajma along with additions as desired. We can also make kofta with rajma and paneer and layer the kofta gravy into a biryani concept, grated cheese, fried onions, rose water, and serve hot. Rajma pulao with chicken curry cuts also tastes good in a methi garlic masala.

Brief About Writer:

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef, is a Mumbai-based Author, Writer, Healthy Eating - Lifestyle Specialist, Food Designer, Academician & having mastered over 33 International Cuisines, is also a Food & Beverage Consultant. He has worked with esteemed properties like the Taj Group of Hotels, Kuwait Airways to name a few, he has been awarded several Global and National Awards for his outstanding performance in his chosen field he loves to share his knowledge and experience of over 2 decades with the Food & Hospitality Industry.