Ingredient Ideology | The Celery Connect By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

The Celery Connect

Celery is a low-calorie vegetable with a high water content that contains a sizable dose of fiber, along with some vitamins and minerals. It's a convenient on-the-go snack as well as a vegetable that can be incorporated into cooked dishes, stir-fries, and salads.it has a long fibrous stalk tapering into leaves. Depending on location and cultivar, either its stalks, leaves, or hypocotyl are eaten and used in cooking. Celery seed is also used as a spice and its extracts have been used in herbal medicine. 

The first cultivation is thought to have happened in the Mediterranean region, where the natural habitats were salty and wet, or marshy soils near the coast where celery grew in plant communities. North of the Alps, wild celery is found only in the foothill zone on soils with some salt content. It prefers moist or wet, nutrient rich, muddy soils. It is a marshland plant that comes from the same family as carrots and parsley. It has long, firm, pale green fibrous stalks and grows in bunches of approximately eight to 10. The stalks taper into leaves at the top. Although most people discard the leaves, they are also edible. Celery has a mild, earthy, slightly peppery taste.

 The plants are raised from seed, sown either in a hot bed or in the open garden according to the season of the year, and, after one or two thinning’s and transplanting’s, they are, on attaining a height of 15–20 cm (6–8 in), planted out in deep trenches for convenience of blanching, which is effected by earthing up to exclude light from the stems Unlike some vegetables, celery retains most of its nutrients even if it is steamed.

 A study published in 2011 in the journal LWT – Food and Science Technology compared celery that had been steamed, boiled and blanched and found that, after 10 minutes of steaming, the vegetable still maintained 83% to 99% of its antioxidants, compared with uncooked celery. On the other hand, boiling and blanching led to a 38% to 41% loss in antioxidants. Celery is rich in compounds called phytonutrients, which are produced by plants and may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. (Antioxidants are substances that help prevent cell damage, according to the National Institutes of Health; and ant-inflammatory compounds are those that fight inflammation in the body.)  

Celery was first grown as a winter and early spring vegetable. It was considered a cleansing tonic to counter the deficiencies of a winter diet based on salted meats without fresh vegetables. By the 19th century, the season for celery in England had been extended, to last from the beginning of September to late in April. 

Celery is eaten around the world as a vegetable. In North America the crisp petiole (leaf stalk) is used. In Europe the hypocotyl is used as a root vegetable. The leaves are strongly flavoured and are used less often, either as flavorings in soups and stews or as a dried herb. Celery, onions, and carrots make up the French Mirepoix, often used as a base for sauces and soups. Celery is a staple in many soups, such as chicken noodle soup. 

Celery leaves are frequently used in cooking to add a mild spicy flavor to foods, similar to, but milder than black pepper. Celery leaves are suitable dried as a sprinkled on seasoning for use with baked, fried or roasted fish, meats and as part of a blend of fresh seasonings suitable for use in soups and stews. They may also be eaten raw, mixed into a salad or as a garnish.

The seeds can be ground and mixed with salt, to produce celery salt. Celery salt can be made from an extract of the roots or using dried leaves. Celery salt is used as a seasoning, in cocktails (notably to enhance the flavor of Bloody Mary cocktails), on the Chicago-style hot dog, and in Old Bay Seasoning. Similarly, combinations of celery powder and salt are used to flavor & preserve cured pork and other processed meats as alternative to industrial curing salt. The naturally occurring nitrites in celery work synergistically with the added salt to cure food. 

Here are a few health benefits of Celery:

Celery is a low-calorie vegetable that may have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used to lower cholesterol levels and arthritis pain, quicken weight loss, protect against oxidative damage, and reduce high blood pressure. Including celery stalks in your diet might promote your overall health as it is rich in vitamin C.

Good for immunity system: Rich in vitamin A and C as well as antioxidants, celery may greatly boost the immune system and make it more active and efficient. Eating this vitamin C rich vegetable regularly can help reduce your risk of catching a common cold, as well as protect you against a variety of other diseases.

Helps reduce blood pressure: Celery contains organic chemical compounds called phthalides. These compounds may help lower the level of stress hormones in your blood. It also contains potassium, which is a vasodilator and can be helpful in reducing blood pressure. When blood pressure is reduced, it puts less stress on the entire cardiovascular system and reduces the chances of developing complications or suffering from a heart attack or stroke.

Has anti-inflammatory properties: Experimental studies show that celery can potentially help reduce inflammation in the body. A 2019 study suggested that celery leaves may affect cytokines, which are immune system messenger molecules responsible for anti-inflammatory effects in the body. This is because the leaves may have high levels of bioactive compounds. Researchers concluded that it can be a potential ingredient for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory diseases. 

Helpful in reducing cholesterol levels: A research study published also suggests that the levers of fiber found in celery may help reduce artery-clogging cholesterol (called LDL or bad cholesterol) The phthalides in these vegetables also may help stimulate the secretion of bile juices, which work to reduce cholesterol levels. Less cholesterol means less plaque on the artery walls and a general improvement in heart health. The fiber that is found in it also can work to scrape the cholesterol out of the bloodstream and eliminate it from the body with regular bowel movements, further boosting cardiovascular health.

Here are a few Culinary Uses of Celery:

• Though we haven’t seen celery being used much in the indian cuisine and recipes yet, there is a scope and possibility of including it in a varied way and adding a touch of spice to it which can benefit us and also give us variety in our daily foods.

• Celery added to the kachumber concept with cucumber, onion, tomato, chilies, coriander, lime, roasted crushed peanuts would be one of the good ways to start adding it in.

• A tempered celery and sesame seed raita, spiced up with a little roasted crushed cumin and a dash of mint and chaat masala is also one of the ways to add it on the side with a meal.

• Celery in the form of a subzi with cabbage/ carrots/ white radish and a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies did like a foogath or a poriyal concept with a little fresh coconut and coriander can be one of the tasty ways too.

• Blending it into juice, soups, adding it to baked dishes, stir-fried concepts, adding it into Chinese soups, gravies, fried rice, noodles, pot rice, futchi rice concepts, spring rolls, wontons are quite popular.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes with celery:

Recipe-1] CELERY ALMOND SOUP

Ingredients

Celery- 4-5 stalks, washed, cleaned and roughly cut.

Potatoes- 2 med sized, peeled and cubed

Oil-1 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Garlic- 2-3 cloves, chopped

Onion-1 small chopped

Bay leaf-1 no

Peppercorns- 3-4 no

Salt and pepper to taste

Water/ veg stock- 2-3 cups

Almond paste-2 tsp

Sliced almonds-2 tsp

Parsley-2 tsp chopped

Fresh cream-2-3 tsp

Flax seeds/ pumpkin seeds- 2 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the celery and almond soup.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add in the bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, onions and saute for 1 min.

3. Add in the celery, potato cubes, salt and pepper to taste, add in the water/stock and bring to a boil, simmer for 20-25 mins.

4. Cool the soup, remove the bay leaf, and churn the soup to a well-blended puree and bring it back to a boil. Adjust the texture by adding a little stock.

5. Now add in the almond paste, fresh cream and mix well and check for seasonings.

6. Serve the soup hot garnished with some more almonds, toasted nuts, parsley/cream.

Recipe-2] CELERY PEPPER FRIED RICE

Ingredients

Boiled rice- 2 cups- white/brown

Oil-2 tsp

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

Ginger-1 tsp chopped

Onion-1 small chopped

Celery-1/2 cup stalks- cut into small pieces.

Salt and pepper to taste

Red chili sauce-1 tsp

Schezuan sauce/chutney- 2-3 tsp

Soy sauce-1 tsp

Red Capsicum-1/2 cut into small cubes

Yellow capsicum-1/2 cut into small cubes

Green capsicum-1/2 cut into small cubes

Chicken- boiled/cubed/shredded-1 cup or assorted veggies.

Spring onion greens-1/2 cup chopped

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the fried rice recipe.

2. Heat oil in a pan add in the ginger, garlic, onions, celery and saute for 2 mins.

3. Add in the capsicums/ assorted veggies/ chicken/ scrambled eggs etc and saute for 1 minute, add in the rice, all seasonings, sauces as per taste and mix well.

4. Cover and cook for 3-4 mins on a medium flame, toss well and mix up all ingredients in the pan.

5. Serve hot garnished with spring onion greens.

Recipe-3] STIR FRIED CELERY WITH CHICKEN

Ingredients:

Oil-2 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Ginger-1 tsp chopped

Onion-1 small chopped

Celery- 3-4 stalks- cut into strips

Star anise -2 no

Peppercorns-2-3 no

Red chilies-1-2 slit

Green chiles-1-2 slit

Red/ green/yellow capsicums-1/2 cup shreds

Boneless chicken- 1 cup cut into strips

Salt and pepper to taste

Soya sauce-2 tsp

Red chili sauce-1 tsp

Green chili sauce-1 tsp

Honey-1 tsp

Water chestnuts-3-4 no sliced

Water/veg stock -1/2 cup

Corn starch solution-2-3 tsp to thicken

Roasted crushed peanuts-2-3 tbsp.

Spring onion greens- 2-3 tbsp.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the stir fry recipe.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the star anise, pepper, ginger, garlic, onions, chilies and saute them all for couple of minutes.

3. Add in the chicken pieces and saute them, add in seasonings to taste, little stock/water and allow the chicken to cook for 6-8 mins.

4. Now add in the assorted capsicums, water chestnuts, celery and other veggies if any and cook for 2-3 mins.

5. Add in the corn starch solution and thicken a little to get it all together, adjust seasonings/sauces as per taste, mix well and serve hot garnished with greens.

Recipe-4] CELERY & BEAN FRIED RICE

Ingredients:

Boiled rice-2 cups, white or brown

Oil-2 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Celery-2-3 stalks, cut into small pieces

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Ginger-1 tsp chopped

Green chilies-1 tsp chopped

Onion-1 small sliced

Bay leaf-1-2 no

Cinnamon stick-1-inch piece

Salt and pepper to taste

Boiled beans- 1 cup- kidney beans/ black beans/ baked beans etc can also be used in this recipe.

Water-1/2 cup

Parsley-2 tsp chopped

Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

For the base of the rice:

Oil-2 tsp 

Ginger-garlic-1 tsp chopped

Spring onion-2 sliced

Green chilies-2 slit

Salt and pepper to taste

Boneless chicken shredded-1 cup

Soya sauce-2 tsp

Red chili sauce-2 tsp

Mushrooms-1/2 cup sliced

Boiled sweet corn-1/2 cup

Corn starch -2-3 tsp to thicken 

Cheese- 2-3 tsp grated

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the base of the recipe and the fried rice

2. Heat oil and saute the ginger, garlic, chilies, onions and saute for 1 minute, add in the chicken shreds and saute for 1-2 mins, add in the seasonings, mushrooms, corn water/stock and sauces and mix well.

3. Reduce flame and cook for 6-8 mins and then add corn starch solution to thicken it all up.

4. Place this mixture at the base of your serving dish or bowls. Now toss the rice and add it over this and serve.

5. To prepare the fried rice, heat oil and butter in a pan add in the spices, ginger, garlic, chilies, onions and saute for 2 mins.

6. Add in the beans and celery and saute, add seasonings, herbs, chili flakes, sauces to taste and add in the cooked rice and saute it all well for 3-4 mins, cook for 4-5 mins and then place this over the chicken and mushroom mixture and top it up. Garnish with greens and serve hot.

Recipe- 5] ASIAN CELERY STIR FRY

Ingredients:

Oil-2 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Red chilies-1-2 slit

Green chilies-1-2 slit

Spring onions- 4-5 no sliced

Celery- 3-4 stalks cut into small pieces

Chicken sausages- 2-3 no sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Carrot-1 cup strips

French beans- 4-5 sliced

Red capsicum-1/2 no strips

Soy sauce- 2 tsp

Red chili sauce-2 tsp

Peanut butter-2 tsp

Water/stock-1 cup

Mixed herbs-1/4 tsp

Chili flakes-1/4 tsp

Honey-1 tsp

Corn starch solution- 2-3 tsp to thicken

Parsley-2 tsp chopped

Assorted nuts-2-3 tsp sliced

Assorted seeds-2 tsp toasted and added

Spring onion greens- 2-3 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the celery stir fry dish.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan, saute the chilies, onions, and garlic for a couple of minutes.

3. Add in the chicken sausage pieces and saute for 2-3 mins. Add in seasonings, herbs, chili flakes, honey, sauces, little water and allow the chicken to cook for 6- 8 mins.

4. Add in the carrot and capsicums, peanut butter and adjust it with a little water, cook for 3-4 mins.

5. Now add in a little corn starch solution and thicken up the mixture to a semi-dry/ medium gravy texture, add in nuts and seeds, mix well and garnish with parsley/ spring onions and mix. Serve hot. 

Recipe- 6] CELERY AVOCADO TUNA SALAD

Ingredients:

For the base of the salad:

Assorted lettuce leaves-1 cup

For the body of the salad:

Celery-2-3 stalks cut into slices

Avocado-1 ripe, peeled, stoned, cut into cubes

Tuna fish-1 cup, drained from the tin.

For the dressing of the salad:

Mayonnaise sauce-1/2 cup

Salt and pepper to taste

Lime juice-2 tsp

Assorted herbs-2-3 tsp fresh

Mustard paste-1/2 tsp

For the garnish of the salad:

Assorted nuts/seeds-2-3 tsp

Micro-greens-2-3 tsp

Fresh herbs-2 tsp

Cherry tomatoes-3-4 cut

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the salad as listed. We can also use tofu, grilled paneer or grilled veggies, boiled/roast chicken, etc in this salad.

3. In a salad plate, arrange the assorted cleaned, washed, chilled, and crispy lettuce leaves as the base.

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

5. Now add the body of the salad into the dressing and toss it well, check for taste and adjust it accordingly.

6. Dish out the chilled salad onto the serving salad plate and garnish it, serve cold.

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 Sensational Sausage By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

The Sensational Sausage

The concept of sausage is quite an old one and goes back to historic times in our culinary heritage where this term Sausage can refer to the loose sausage meat, which can be formed into patties or stuffed into a skin. When referred to as a product it is usually cylindrical and encased in a skin or a casing. Sausages have also been said to have probably been first been invented as a means of preserving blood, offal, and small scraps of meat in convenient edible containers, the stomachs, and intestines of the slaughtered animals.

While it is also said that the word “Sausage” was first used in English in the mid-15th century, spelled “sawsyge”. This word came from Old North French saussiche (Modern French saucisse)”. The French word came from Latin salsica (sausage), from salsicus (seasoned with salt). The earliest known reference to sausage dates to Greece in the eighth or ninth century BC. Evidence suggests that sausages were already popular both among the ancient Greeks and Romans and most likely with the various tribes occupying the larger part of Europe.

While sausages may have begun in frugality, they had already evolved into delicacies worthy of a gourmet’s attentions. Pork is the meat most commonly used to produce sausages. Hot dog or frankfurter, frank, or wien is a cooked sausage, traditionally grilled or steamed and served in a partially sliced bun. Pork and beef are the traditional meats used in hot dogs. 

Less expensive hot dogs are often made from chicken or turkey, using low-cost mechanically separated poultry, and while the sausage is also defined as a type of meat product usually made from ground meat, often pork, beef, or poultry, along with salt, spices, and other flavorings. Other ingredients such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders.

Though we also relate to forcemeats in association with sausage making with a variety of components and formulae which form a part of their composition have been helping create and prepare varied types of sausages around the world over the years which have been used in a number of ways in our culinary repertoire.

A Few Culinary Uses of Sausages:

While there are loads of sausages around the world for us to enjoy and relish in various recipes/ cooking styles and combinations, some of the most commonly used options with sausages are as below:

1. Sausages have been popular on a Breakfast table: A variety of sausages are used for breakfast be it English breakfast, American or the contemporary to the new world cuisine varieties, sausages are able to find their right place in grilled forms, saute, and cooked up on a hot griddle and dished out with eggs, baked beans etc. from hot dogs to frankfurters and the long list of international sausage varietals there have been a number of them being used. Some of the famous ones have included black pudding sausage and Scottish varieties being served for morning munchies.

2. Sausages are good to go in Soups, Salads, Stir-fries: Sausages are ideal to be used in a number of gourmet delicacies add them to your favorite choice of soup with veggies ideally with potatoes and some herbs, have them in the form of a broth with veggies in a well-flavored stock. Add sausages to your salad bowls, grill them, pan fry them, use the smoked varieties as well to add that special punch into a salad with a nice tart dressing to compliment it. Sausage stir-fries in combination with veggies, pulses, legume options, greens, beans, root veggies, etc also turn out to be good for brunch options.

3. Sausages in Baked & Roast dishes: Lace them in combination with choicest veggies and complimenting options in a creamy white sauce with cheese and set it into a baking dish, layer it with a twist of taste flavors, with pasta, noodles, rice, bread, and potatoes, etc. it turns out to be a yummy delight the moment it is browned at the top and has a nice crusty cheesy look. It has also been observed that sausages have also been a part of roast preparations be it a poultry roast like stuffed roast chicken with a stuffing of bread, herbs and sausages, or be it a roast turkey as well. A variety of sausages have been adding their delectable and robust flavor into roast preparations as well.

4. Sausages in bakery products: Baking variety of goodies with sausages is a great thing to do, talking of the varieties of pastry options, puff pastry, flaky pastry, shortcrust pastry, filo pastry, etc somehow they are all able to adapt themselves well with sausages in the form of fillings and stuffing since a long time now. Some of the all-time favorites include quiche, tarts, tartlets, filo-wrapped sausages, bread dough wrapped sausage delights, stuffing for a croissant, sausage and cheese puffs etc.

5. Sausages in Fusion recipes: one of the recent trends we have witnessed includes mix-n-match combination recipes with a little of this and a little of that dishing out a delicacy to excite the senses and treat the palate. Indian twist to sausages by tempering them, adding them to a curry, cooking them in a saute or stir fry format, simmering them into a desi coconut stew, adding them to a pulao, stuffing it into a samosa, wrapping it into a Kathi roll and more! besides when we talk of fusion we can also mix two of more cuisines as well for instance an Indo-Chinese sausage Tava pulao, an Indo- Mexican sausage peri-peri tortilla wrap, an Indo –Spanish sausage tapas platter with varied flavors. Today we also have a choice of vegan sausages as well to work with and they are simply awesome to try and include in our diets, recipes, and menus.

6. Sausages in Sandwiches, Pancakes Rolls and Wraps: while we relate crepes to be the original french variety of pancakes, they are thin and delicate which can be wrapped up with a variety of fillings using eggs and sausages, Akoori and the scrambled versions have also found their way all the way with sausages in pan rolls for brunches, savory sausage pancakes topped with an array of delectable toppings/sauces to go along from a live counter during festive occasions/ Sunday brunches etc. rolls, wraps and hot dog bread, subs have also been one of those options where sausages have been found popularly across the western part of the world. While in India we talk about our famous kathi rolls, Frankie’s etc having a sausage incorporated in them too would be a nice way to enjoy them for a change with a touch of spice and dash of robust flavors.

Here are a few of my favorite easy to dish out Recipes with Chicken Sausages:

Recipe-1] COCONUT CURRIED SAUSAGES

Ingredients:

Sausages- 250 gms, cut 1 x 3

Carrot-1 small cubed/sliced- blanched

Potato cubes-1 cup fried.

Oil- 2 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Bay leaf- 1-2 no

Peppercorns- 3-4 no

Curry leaves- 4-5 no

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

Ginger-1 tsp chopped

Green chilies-1 tsp chopped

Onions-1 cup chopped

Tomatoes-2-3 small puree

Salt to taste

Red chili paste-2 tsp

Coriander powder-1 tsp

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp

Coconut milk- 2 cups thick

Water-1/2 cup

Cashew paste-1 tsp

Coriander leaves-2 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the coconut curried sausages.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the curry leaves, ginger, garlic, onions, green chilies, and saute for 2-3 mins.

3. Add in the tomato puree, red chili paste, salt, and all powdered spices and saute for 2-3 mins.

4. Add in little water and let the gravy cook for 5- 7 mins, add in the coconut milk and cashew paste, and simmer for 3-4 mins.

5. Finally add in the sausages and fried potatoes and allow them to simmer in the gravy for 5-7 mins, add coriander and serve hot.

Recipe-2] SAUSAGE AND SPINACH DUET

Ingredients:

Sausages- 250 gms, cut 1 x 3

Spinach leaves- 1 bunch, cleaned and blanched

Sweet potato- 1 cup, cubed and boiled.

Oil-2 tsp

Butter- 1 tsp

Cinnamon stick- 1-inch piece

Cloves- 3-4 no

Dry red chilies-1-2 no slit

Green chilies-1-2 slit

Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp

Onion-1 small chopped

Tomato- 1 small chopped

Salt to taste

Black pepper powder to taste

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp

Water-1/4 cup

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the sausage and spinach duet.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the cinnamon stick and cloves.

3. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, red chilies, green chilies, onion and cumin seeds, saute for 1-2 mins.

4. Now add in the tomato, salt, and all powdered spices, herbs, chili flakes and little water and cook for 2-3 mins.

5. Add in the sausages, spinach and potatoes and cover, simmer for 3-5 mins and serve hot.

Recipe-3] SAUSAGE SANDWICH FIESTA

Ingredients:

Sausages- 4-6 no, cut 1 x 2 lengthwise

Hot dog rolls/ bread- 3- 4 no

Butter-2 tsp to spread on the bread

Oil- 2 tsp

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

Onion-1 small chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Mustard paste-1 tsp

Red chili sauce-1 tsp

Tomato ketchup-2-3 tsp

Chopped parsley-2 tsp

To add on into the sandwich roll:

Mustard mayonnaise-2-3 tsp

Cheese slices-2-3 no

Sliced onions- 2-4 slices

Coleslaw- ¼ cup

Tomato-1 sliced

Cucumber-1/2 sliced

Gherkins- 2-3 slices

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the sausage sandwich recipe.

2. Slit open the hot dog rolls and warm them on a non-stick pan/ griddle apply little butter and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan add in the garlic, onions and saute it for 2 mins, add in the sausages and stir fry them on a high flame for 1 min.

4. Add in the mustard paste and all other sauces and coat them well on the sausages, cook for a minute and turn off the flame, add chopped parsley.

5. Place the saucy coated sausages in between the slit rolls and add more spreads/ sauces etc as needed and also place slices of assorted veggies, gherkins etc as listed to add more color, texture, crunch and freshness to the sandwich. Serve hot.

Recipe- 4] SAUSAGE MEXICANA 

Ingredients:

Sausages- 250 gms, cut 1 x 3

Oil-1 tsp

Butter- 1 tsp

Star anise- 1-2 no

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped 

Onion-1 small chopped

Refried beans/ kidney beans- 1 cup boiled

Green capsicum- ½ no chopped

Jalapeno peppers- 2-3 tsp sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Coriander powder-1 tsp

Red/ yellow capsicums-1/2 cup shredded

Water/stock-1/2 cup

Tomato puree- ½ cup

Tomato ketchup-2 tsp

Red chili sauce-2 tsp

Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

Boneless chicken cubes- 1 cup or paneer cubes/tofu- 1 cup

Parsley/coriander/ basil leaves- 2 -3 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the sausage Mexicana recipe.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the star anise, garlic, onion and saute for 1-2 mins, add in the tomato puree, salt, pepper, herbs, spices or use Mexican peri-peri spice powder to taste and saute for 1-2 mins, add little water and simmer for 2-3 mins.

3. Add in the chicken cubes, allow to cook for 5-7 mins, add in the kidney beans, tofu or paneer at this stage if being used in case of veg- do not mix with non-veg in the same recipe.

4. Add in the sausages and all the other sauces, seasonings and mix well, simmer for 3-6 mins, add in the colorful capsicums and mix well. Also add in the jalapenos, fresh herbs/ grated cheese/ sour cream on top as desired before serving.

5. Serve this recipe along with Mexican fried rice/ french bread / herbed garlic rolls etc.

Recipe- 5] STIR-FRIED SAUSAGES

Ingredients:

Sausages- 250 gms, cut 1 x 3

Oil-2 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Peppercorns- 3-4 no

Slit green chilies-2-3 no

Spring onions- 1 cup sliced

Red capsicum-1/2 no shredded

Green capsicum-1/2 no shredded

Yellow capsicum-1/2 no shredded

Celery-1 stalk cut

Salt and pepper to taste

Soy sauce- 2-3 tsp

Red chili sauce- 2 tsp

Green chili sauce-2 tsp

Honey-2 tsp

White vinegar-2 tsp

Sugar-1 pinch

Schezuan sauce/hot garlic sauce-2 tsp

Water-1/2 cup

Corn starch solution-2-3 tsp

Assorted greens for garnish-1/4 cup or spring onions- chopped.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the stir fried sausages.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan add in the peppercorns, slit green chilies, sliced spring onions and saute for 2 mins.

3. Add in the sausages and capsicums, salt, pinch of sugar and pepper to taste, stir fry them on a high flame for 1-2 min.

4. Add in the sauces to taste as listed/ as per choice and mix, add little water and allow to cook for 3-4 mins.

5. Finally add in some corn starch solution and thicken it up a little to coat the sausages in the pan.

6. Serve hot garnished with assorted greens/ spring onion greens.

Recipe- 6] SAUSAGE PEPPER TARTS

Ingredients

Sausages- 250 gms, cut into small pieces

Oil-1 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Shallots- 3-4 chopped

Celery-1 stalk chopped

Assorted capsicums-1/2 cup fine chopped

White sauce-1/2 cup

Cheese-2-3 tbsp. grated

Ready to use Tart shells- 10-15 no

Peanut butter-2 tsp

Water-2-3 tbsp.

Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

Capsico sauce- 1 tsp

Parsley-1 tbsp. chopped

Olives- 3-4 sliced

Method:

1. Assemble all the ingredients for the sausage tarts.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan and saute the garlic, shallots, celery for a minute, add in the capsicums and sausages, and stir for 1 min.

3. Add in the salt, pepper, herbs, peanut butter, and little water and mix it all up, cook for 2-3 mins.

4. Once the sausages are nicely coated with the mixture lastly add in the Capsico sauce, a little white sauce for a creamy texture.

5. Fill the tart shells with this sausage mixture and top with olives, grated cheese and bake in the oven for 2-3 mins and serve hot as a snack.

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 | AS SOBER AS SEMOLINA By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

Semolina also called Rava or Sooji in local terms is a coarse flour made from Durum wheat, a hard variety of wheat when ground into a flour it is called as semolina & it has been used across the world in bread, pasta, porridge, cutlets and more.

To me it is always helpful in my kitchen since it makes life easy in many ways due to its easy to find place into various recipes and different forms and somehow it just blends in so well that many of my guests didn’t even realise that it was a part of some recipes. Some of my all-time favorites have been sooji ladoo, sooji ka cheela, rava paniyarams & baked semolina and coconut pudding.

It is usually yellow in color when made from the durum variety and when made from softer wheat types the color is a little whitish. Its shade is darker and more golden in color than all purpose flour with a mild earthy aroma and it available all through the year.

Semolina has found its way in a number of ways, forms and delicacies in global cuisines and is also easy to work with when it comes to mix-n-match fundamentals and fusion cooking as well. 

Health Benefits of Semolina:

• Semolina is a good source power pack vitamin.

• Helps support our metabolism

• Assists in building the immune system of our body.

• It is rich in minerals which help in bone maintenance.

• Semolina flour helps maintain nervous system.

• Due to its potassium content it helps kidney functioning.

• Semolina has been known to digest slowly in our system thus it makes us feel full for a longer duration of time.

• It is a quick and nourishing source of energy in our foods, prevents overeating.

• Semolina is an iron rich ingredient and should be consumed, it is also an immunity boosting ingredient.

• Semolina used wisely also assists in weight management.

• It has also been found supporting heart health and controls blood sugar levels in our body.

Usage of Semolina in Kitchen and Bakery:

• Semolina has played a multi-faceted role in our kitchen and bakery in many ways over the years and can be well adapted into savoury and sweets as well.

• One of the most common preparation we know is upma a popular breakfast dish we make with semolina in India. It is simple and easy, ready in minutes and can be variated with a lot of ingredients like adding veggies and nuts/seeds of your choice to make it more interesting.

• Semolina has been used in covering most of our Indian recipes to form a preventive coating and also a crust forming agent in dishes like tikkis and cutlets, fish fry etc.

• Commonly also found used in sooji ki kheer/ sooji phirni by cooking it in milk with a few sweetening agents, nuts etc served as a dessert. 

• While Italians have been found making gnocchi a homemade fresh pasta using semolina serving it with a nice sauce like pesto, marinara or the famous Arabiata.

• I tried making gnocchi with our upma concept and served it with a nice cheesy pesto chutney with a tempering of curry leaves and bohri red chilies!

• The south indian kitchens all-time favourite is the rava idli, rava dosa, rava uttappams, appams and many more to add to, not to forget the sooji ka sheera famous all over.

• For some of my continental dishes specially baked varieties I often use corn, spinach, mushrooms as the body of the dish plus semolina in place of refined flour and I prefer using olive oil as compared to butter hence reducing a considerable amount of calories and yet coming out tasty with a dash of irrestible cheese!

• Semolina cooked with soy keema in a mildly spiced indian masala turned out yum when I stuffed it into a multi-grain dough and made a paratha from it and served it with a tempered yoghurt-mayo schezuan raita- fusion it is!

• A semolina pudding with chocolate and nuts can also be served with a topping of assorted fresh fruits and cream.

• I also tried a sooji ka sheera with coconut and chocolate and set it in small moulds, upturned them and served them with a topping of flamed brandy with raisins and brown sugar along with a dash of praline for the crunch.

Here are a couple of recipes with the Sober Semolina for all to try!

Recipe-1] SNACK TIME SEMOLINA BITES

Ingredients

Semolina- 1/2 cup. lightly dry roasted.

Warm/hot water-1 cup

Oil- 1 tbsp. for cooking & little for shallow frying.

Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Ginger-garlic-green chili paste- 1 tsp mix.

Boiled mashed corn- ½ cup

Boiled mashed potato-1/2 cup

Salt and pepper- to taste

Mixed herbs- ½ tsp

Chili flakes- 1 tsp

Grated cheese-2 tbsp.

To coat with semolina/breadcrumbs/oat meal flour etc.

To serve with – green coriander chutney/ ketchup/ pesto-mayo sauce, dips of your choice.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.

2. In a pan, heat some oil add in the cumin and ginger, garlic, chili paste- if you wish you can use freshly chopped as well.

3. Saute for a few seconds, add in the corn, seasonings and herbs, chili flakes.

4. Mix well on a low flame, add in the roasted semolina and mix well, add in 1 cup hot water and continue mixing it, simmer and cook for 4 to 5 mins.

5. Turn off the flame, add in the mashed potatoes, add fresh coriander, mint if desired.

6. Cool the mixture, apply oil on the fingers, divide the mixture into equal portions, shape each of them into round tikkis, stuff with little cheese and seal well.

7. Coat and shallow/deep fry as desired to a golden shade, serve hot as a snack/ also try using it as koftas, burger patties etc.

Recipe-2] CHICKEN SEMOLINA SHORBA

Ingredients

Semolina- ½ cup

Oil- 1 tbsp.

Garlic- 1 tsp chopped

Onion- ½ chopped

Tomato puree- 1 cup, fresh

Veg stock/water – 2 to 3 cups

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh basil leaves- 4 to 5 nos.

Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

Mix veggies- carrots/beans/peas/capsicum/sweet corn- ½ cup mix- cut into small pieces and blanched.

Boneless chicken boiled-1/2 cup shredded

Grated cheese- 1 tbsp. optional

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the soup.

2. Heat oil in a saucepan, add in the garlic, onions and saute for 10 seconds, add in the semolina and roast it for a few seconds until the color gets a little dense then tomato puree, salt, pepper, herbs and chili flakes.

3. Add in the veggies of your choice, add stock or water.

4. Bring to a boil, simmer the soup for 10 -15 mins.

5. Serve hot garnished with fresh basil/ grated cheese. Serve with bread/ garlic bread etc.

Recipe-3] SIMPLE SEMOLINA SWEET

Ingredients

Semolina -1 cup, lightly roasted

Oil-1 tsp

Ghee/butter-2 tsp

Green cardamom seeds- ¼ tsp

Brown sugar-2 tsp

White grain sugar-1/2 cup

Almonds-2 tsp, sliced

Raisins-2 tsp chopped

Cashews-2 tsp sliced

Saffron milk solution- 2-3 tsp

Milk- 750 ml

Orange segments- ½ cup

Chickoo-1/2 cup peeled & cubed

Banana-1 ripe, sliced

Honey-2-3 tbsp.

Choco-chips-2-3 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the sweet semolina recipe.

2. Using a thick bottomed pan, saute the fine semolina with green cardamom seeds in a little oil, butter/ghee for a few minutes, add in the brown and white grain sugar as per taste, add in boiled milk and give it a nice mix.

3. Reduce the flame and cover and simmer, allow to cook on a low flame for 8-10 mins, adjust the texture adding more milk if needed, add in the nuts and mix well.

4. In a separate pan, stew the fruits of your choice, add in honey and fruits, a stick of cinnamon if desired for taste, also choose between using rum or brandy to flavor the fruits, apples, pears, berries etc can also be used.

5. To assemble the sweet, grease small individual moulds/ baba moulds with a little butter, spoon in a little of the warm semolina mixture half way up and continue with a few stewed fruits in the center along with few chocolate chip and again top it up with the semolina mixture all the way up.

6. Refrigerate the sweet for couple of hours and de-mould it and serve with a topping sauce of your choice like a kiwi crush, or a berry compote etc.

Recipe-4] DATE AND NUT SEMOLINA & WHEAT SWEET

Ingredients

Semolina-1/2 cup

Whole-wheat flour-1/2 cup

Ghee-3 tsp

Oil-1 tsp

White grain sugar-3/4 cup

Brown sugar-2 tsp

Milk- 400 ml

Hot water-250 ml

Green cardamom powder-1/2 tsp

Almonds-1 tbsp. chopped

Raisins-2 tsp chopped

Cashews-2 tbsp. chopped

Banana-1 ripe, mashed

Dates- 4-6 no chopped/ puree

Choco chips-2-3 tsp/chocolate sauce-2 -3 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil along with ghee/butter in a pan add in the semolina and whole wheat flour and green cardamom powder and saute on a low flame for 4-5 mins.

2. Add in the sugar both white and brown and mix, add in hot water first followed by warm milk a little at a time, also add in the mashed banana and dates.

3. Cook the mixture on a low flame for 3-5 mins, mix well, add more milk if needed, check for sweetness add in the assorted nuts and mix well.

4. Cover and simmer for another 3-4 mins and then dish out and serve this dessert warm. We can also add more flavor into this recipe by adding fresh fruits into it by layering it in dessert cups.

Recipe-5] SAVOURY SEMOLINA VEGGIE DELIGHT

Ingredients

Semolina- 1 cup, fine and lightly roasted.

Oil-1 tsp

Ghee/butter-2 tsp

Curry leaves- 6-8 no

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Green chilies-1 tsp chopped

Red chilies-1 slit

Ginger-1 tsp chopped

Onion-1 small chopped

Tomato-1 small chopped

Salt to taste

Red chili powder-1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Assorted veggies- carrots/ beans/ peas and cauliflower slightly blanched/boiled- ½ cup

Lime juice-2 tsp

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Flax seeds/ melon seeds/ chia seeds-2 tsp

Roasted crushed peanuts- 2-3 tsp

Method:

1. Pre-prep all the ingredients for the savory semolina recipe.

2. Heat oil, butter/ghee in a pan add in the ingredients for the tempering starting from curry leaves, to mustard, cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger, onions and saute them for 1-2 mins.

3. Add in the tomatoes, salt, all powdered spices to taste and mix well, add in the roasted semolina and bhunao/saute for a couple of minutes.

4. Add a double quantity of warm water into the mixture and cover, simmer and cook for 6-8 mins. Add in the nuts, seeds of your choice, cook for 2-3 mins.

5. Finally add in the lime juice, peanuts, coriander leaves and serve hot.

Recipe-6] FRUITY SEMOLINA PUDDING

Ingredients:

Semolina- 1 cup, fine- lightly roasted

Oil-1 tsp

Ghee/butter-2 tsp

Cinnamon stick -1-inch piece

Soy milk- 250 ml

Warm water-150 ml

Almond paste-2 tsp

Raisins-2 tsp chopped

Sweet yogurt-1 cup

Lychee pulp/ custard apple pulp-1/2 cup

Pistachios-2-3 tsp chopped

Rose water-2-3 tsp

Condensed milk-2-3 tbsp.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the pudding.

2. Heat up the oil, ghee/butter in a thick bottomed pan and lightly roast the semolina in it for a couple of minutes with a piece of cinnamon.

3. Reduce the flame further and add in sugar to taste and little condensed milk, mix and add warm water first and then little soy milk and mix, cover and simmer for 10-12 mins.

4. Add in the nuts and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 mins and turn off the flame, cool slightly.

5. Mix in the sweetened yogurt with a little lychee pulp or custard apple pulp and chill.

6. To assemble the dessert, use tall dessert cups or glasses and place a little of the prepared semolina pudding at the base, top with the fruity yogurt and garnish with pistachios and other nuts, chill the dessert for 1-2 hours and serve.

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 EXCITING EDAMAME By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

THE EXCITING EDAMAME

Edamame is a soybean that is young and green when picked. Because of this, edamame is soft and edible, not hard and dry like the mature soybeans used to make soy milk and tofu. The word edamame is Japanese for "Beans on a Branch." It is most often found in East Asian cuisine and sold both in the pod and hulled. Although the pod itself is not edible, it adds flavor, making edamame in the pod an ideal snack. The hulled version is great for adding to rice dishes and salads. Edamame is inexpensive, with the cost of hulled being slightly higher.

Edamame served in the pod is a popular appetizer at most Japanese food restaurants. It is a good choice for vegetarians, vegans, or anyone wanting to eat healthy, particularly since it is packed with low-fat soy protein. Edamame is sold both fresh and frozen, it can be served as an appetizer or snack and eaten straight from the pod, or the shelled soybeans can be incorporated into a recipe. When eating edamame still in the pod, the beans can be squeezed out of the pod directly into your mouth. The pods are usually salted, which adds to the flavor and experience of eating edamame. Edamame can be eaten hot or cold.

Edamame can be cooked in several ways, including boiling, steaming, microwaving, and pan-frying. To boil, add fresh, in-shell edamame to a pot of boiling, salted water and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the beans are tender. Boil frozen edamame for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse the pods with cold water, if desire, to steam edamame, place an inch of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Place the edamame in a steaming basket, steam tray, or colander above the boiling water. Cover the pot and steam for 5 to 10 minutes for fresh edamame and 3 to 8 minutes for frozen edamame, until tender. Rinse to cool down, if desired.

My exposure to edamame beans has been a pleasant one and I have tried using it in Indian recipes as well with a touch of spice and dash of herbs as well when it comes to continental fusion as well and my experiments turned out to be positive in various ways from including edamame in Chaats, desi salad forms, in a shorba, desi mix of paprika and rustic roasted peanut flavored edamame mashed potatoes, fusion baked dishes with Indo-Chinese style eggplant and edamame bake with achari tofu and cheese sauce, edamame birishta pulao served with Tadkewala anari raita with curry leaf dust was yum too!

Although edamame is the same soybean that makes tofu, it has more taste than the bland bean curd. It is faintly reminiscent of peas and is buttery with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness. The texture is firmer than a pea, however soft, but with a bite. Frozen edamame is more readily available than fresh. Although most often sold in the pod, frozen edamame is also offered hulled. Bags of frozen shelled and unshelled edamame can be found in grocery stores in the freezer section. Though edamame is yet to get popular with us in our daily recipes and menus to a great extent, we need to create awareness and share ideas on how to use these beneficial & nutri-rich ingredients to avail maximum benefits from its qualities.

Here are a few Health Benefits of Edamame:

1. Edamame helps lower cholesterol levels, and assists in maintaining bone density.

2. Edamame is heart healthy food and also aids in weight loss.

3. Edamame aids in improving the digestive system and also reduces risk of cardio vascular diseases.

4. Edamame is a great immunity boosting ingredient and assists in healthy liver functioning.

5. Edamame is a great source of folate, it also helps in production of red blood cells in our body and allows us to access energy in foods.

6. Edamame is not only a good source of plant-based protein but also has a good content of manganese as well which helps the brain and nerve functioning well and also plays a role in the metabolism in our body.

Here are a few easy to adapt to recipes using Edamame Beans:

Recipe-1] CHICKEN EDAMAME COMBO

Ingredients:

Edamame beans-1 cup boiled

Chicken legs- 2 no

For the marination of the chicken legs:

Oil-2 tsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Red chili sauce- 1 tsp

Soya sauce- 2 tsp

Tomato ketchup-2 tsp

Honey-1 tsp

Apply on the chicken legs and keep aside for 30 mins.

Additional ingredients:

Oil-2 tsp

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Ginger-1 tsp cut into strips

Spring onions-3-4 sliced

Carrots- ½ cup cubes

White cabbage/purple cabbage- ¼ cup cut

Broccoli /cauliflower-1/2 cup florets blanched

French beans-1/2 cup blanched

Fresh basil leaves- 8-10 no

Soya sauce-2 tsp

Red chili -2 tsp

Water/stock-1/2 cup

Corn starch solution-2-3 tsp

Roasted crushed peanuts-2-3 tsp

Peanut butter-1-2 tsp

Lime juice-2 tsp add and serve.

Method:

1. Prepare the edamame beans and keep aside. Marinate the chicken legs and cook them in a pan or roast in the oven until well cooked. Pull out the cooked chicken flesh and keep aside for the recipe.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan/wok and saute the ginger, garlic, spring onions for a few seconds, add in the assorted veggies of your choice into the pan and add all seasonings, herbs, sauces, peanut butter etc and mix well.

3. Add in little water/stock as desired just to cover the mix in the pan and allow to cook on a low to medium flame for 6-8 mins, add in the pulled cooked chicken pieces, edamame beans, mix and add in the corn starch solution to thicken up the mixture.

4. Check for seasonings and texture of the dish and adjust accordingly, serve hot garnished with peanuts, fresh basil leaves and greens and add a splash of lime juice and serve.

Recipe-2] EASY EDAMAME TOSSED SALAD

Ingredients

Edamame beans-1 cup boiled/blanched to the bite

Olive oil-2 tsp

Garlic-1 tsp

Shallots/ madras onions- 10-12 peeled, cut 1x2

Green cucumber-1 no cut into small cubes

Red capsicum-1 no, cut into small cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh herbs-2-3 tsp parsley, basil, etc

For non-veg variations:

Boiled cubes of eggs- 1-2 eggs

Boiled cubes of boneless chicken

Sliced chicken sausages

Tuna fish- tinned/canned-2 3 tbsp.

For more veggies:

Use sliced blanched Babycorn

Saute assorted mushrooms

Zucchini green/yellow- ½ no cut into cubes

Water chestnuts-1/2 cup sliced

For the dressing:

Olive oil-2 -3 tsp

Honey-2-3 tsp

Lime juice-2-3 tsp

Pink salt/ rock salt/ sea salt to taste

Crushed black pepper to taste

Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

Chaat masala-1/2 tsp

Roasted cumin powder-1/4 tsp

White sesame seeds-2 tsp toasted

Mustard paste-1 tsp

Assorted lettuce leaves-1 cup for the base of the salad.

Method:

1. prepare all the ingredients for the edamame easy-to-toss salad.

2. arrange the crispy assorted lettuce leaves in a salad bowl/plate.

3. in a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the dressing and give it all a nice mix.

4. add assorted nuts like sliced almonds/walnuts/ pinenuts as well if desired and a few chopped dates too would do well.

5. Just before serving add the ingredients into the dressing including the veg/non-veg as per the list along with the cooked edamame beans and give the salad a nice toss.

6. Arrange the salad on a bed of lettuce and garnish with fresh herbs, sesame seeds, micro-greens, etc and serve immediately.

Recipe-3] EDAMAME CASHEW FRIED RICE

Ingredients:

Edamame beans-1 cup boiled/blanched to the bite

Boiled white/brown rice- 2 cups

Oil- 2 tsp

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Ginger- 1 tsp shredded

Green chilies-2-3 slit

Red chilies-1-2 slit/shredded

Spring onions-2-3 sliced

Cashews-1/2 cup fried

Carrots-1/2 shredded

French beans-1/4 cup cut thinly

Red/green capsicum-1/4 cup shreds

Water chestnuts-2-3 sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Soya sauce-2 tsp

Red chili sauce-1-2 tsp

Green chili sauce-1-2 tsp

Honey-1 tsp/ pinch of sugar

White vinegar-1 tsp

Spring onion greens-2-3 tbsp. chopped

For more variations: non-veg

Use boiled shredded chicken, roast sliced meat, medium sized prawns, poached or grilled fish could be served along as well.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the fried rice recipe and keep ready.

2. Heat oil in a wok/ pan saute the ginger, garlic, onions, chilies for a few seconds, add in the assorted veggies, edamame beans and saute for a couple of minutes.

3.Add in the sauces and seasonings, vinegar, a pinch of sugar to taste and add your choice of non-veg ingredients as well as desired and mix well.

4. If using eggs, we can double fry and shred them/ or use scrambled eggs as well for more taste, color, flavour.

5. Now add in the cooked rice and fried cashews and stir it well with the other ingredients and cook for 2-3 mins.

6. Check for seasonings adjust as per taste and serve hot garnished with spring onion greens etc and serve hot with gravy or main course of your choice.

Recipe-4] EDAMAME TOFU MUSHROOM TRIO

Ingredients:

Edamame beans-1 cup boiled/blanched to the bite

Tofu-1 cup cut into large cubes, use firm or extra firm variety

Fresh button mushrooms-1 cup, sliced

Olive oil-2 tsp

Butter-1/2 tsp

Garlic cloves- 3-4 no sliced

Ginger-1 tsp shredded

Onion-1 small, chopped

Red/ yellow/green capsicum-1/2 cup shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Mixed herbs and chili flakes to taste

Water/stock-1/2 cup

Corn starch-2-3 tsp to thicken

Soya sauce-2 tsp

Peanut butter-1-2 tsp

Schezuan sauce-1-2 tsp

Honey-1 tsp

Assorted herbs/greens to garnish.

For non-veg variations: use chicken liver marinate and cook it first, also we can use luncheon meat, sausages, salami etc in the similar recipe. We can also use lobster, prawns and shrimps too in a similar recipe with a twist to the usual.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the trio combination recipe.

2. Marinate the tofu cubes with a little oil, salt, pepper, mixed herbs, garam masala power or a little all spice powder, lime juice, honey and keep aside for 10 mins, grill it and keep aside.

3. To prepare the recipe further, heat oil and butter, saute the garlic, onions for a few seconds, add in the assorted veggies and give them a nice saute over a high flame for a couple of minutes.

4.Add in little water/stock, sauces, peanut butter seasonings to taste and add in cooked edamame beans as well, mix and simmer for 3-5 mins.

5. Add in the corn starch solution and slightly thicken it all up and check for taste, add the tofu towards the end and mix lightly and serve it hot garnished with assorted seeds/ nuts and garnish it.

Recipe-5] EDAMAME ALMOND CREAM SOUP

Ingredients

Oil-1 tsp

Butter-1 tsp

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Bay leaf-1 no

Peppercorns-2-3 no

Onion-1/2 chopped

Celery-1 stalk chopped

Edamame beans-1 cup

Almonds-1/4 cup soaked and peeled, paste.

Fresh cream-1 tbsp.

Water/veg stock- 2-3 cups

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh herbs- to taste like basil, parsley, mint

Chili flakes-1/2 tsp

Sweet potato-1 med sized, peeled and cubed

To serve with: toasted/fried garlic herbed croutons

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the edamame almond cream soup.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pan saute the bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, onions for a minute, add in the sweet potato, edamame beans, seasonings, herbs, chili flakes and saute for 2 mins.

3. Add in the stock/ water and bring to a boil, simmer for 12-15 mins until well cooked, cool, puree and strain the mixture.

4. Bring it back to a boil, adjust texture of the soup with little stock/water and check for seasonings, add in the almond paste and cream and blend it well, simmer for 3-5 mins.

5. Serve hot garnished with slivered almonds, dash of fresh cream, fresh herbs/ micro-greens etc and serve along with bread croutons.

Recipe-6] HERBED EDAMAME PEA DIP

Ingredients:

Edamame beans-1 cup boiled

Chickpeas-1/4 cup boiled

Garlic-1 tsp chopped

Olive oil-2 tbsp.

Lime juice-1-2 tbsp.

Salt and pepper to taste

Mint leaves- 8-10

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Roasted crushed cumin- ¼ tsp

Dates-2-3 chopped

Chilled water-2 -3 tbsp.

Tahini paste/ white sesame seed paste-2-3 tsp

Peanuts-2-3 tbsp. roasted

Mayonnaise-2-3 tsp

To serve with: assorted toasted or crusty breads/ crackers/ vegetable sticks/ fried snacks/ french fries etc.

Method:

1. Assemble all the ingredients for the dip, pre-prep as needed.

2. Using a jar of a mixer grinder or food processor, combine together the edamame and the chickpeas together with all other ingredients and churn the mixture to a nice coarsely smooth textured dip.

3. Use chilled water/ olive oil to adjust the texture as needed. Taste the flavor for herbs use basil/ thyme as well as an option.

4. Use toasted pine nuts or walnuts for a better nutty flavor. The dates used in the recipe add a nice bite and also nutritive value.

5. Remove the prepared dip and add a little mayonnaise or whipped hung curd into the mixture for more taste and texture, place it in the fridge until being used. Before serving the dip, garnish it with some toasted sliced nuts, seeds like flax seeds, melon seeds etc for a crunch, serve chilled.

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 Prawns on a Platter By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

PRAWNS ON A PLATTER

Prawns are a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs. The term "Prawn” is used particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth nations, for large swimming crustaceans or shrimp, especially those with commercial significance in the fishing industry.

One of my favorite ingredients to work within my kitchen with a melange of tastes and flavors attached and adapted with this incredible ingredient which is not only easy to use and cook but also can be helpful in creating wonders on the plates for our food connoisseurs and seafood lovers.

 Shrimp that are present in this category often belong to the suborder Dendrobranchiata. In North America, the term is used less frequently, typically for freshwater shrimp. The terms shrimp and prawn themselves lack scientific standing. Over the years, the way they are used has changed, and these days the terms are almost interchangeable.

 Prawns are found in calmer waters where the prawns can nest in the water plants to lay their eggs. Like the shrimp, the prawn does tend to prefer the warmer waters in the tropics. The prawn feeds by filtering nutritious particles out of the water flowing around the prawn, and the prawn is therefore often found on rocks or close to the sea floor. Prawns can live for two to three years.

 They mature at about six to eight months of age, and spawning occurs in offshore waters. King prawns tend to spawn throughout the year while tiger prawns mainly spawn during spring and summer. A single prawn can spawn more than once in any one year. The female releases hundreds of thousands of eggs.

Prawns are omnivores and essentially scavengers. Some are planktivory’s and vegetarians. Prawns eat plant material, decaying organic matter, micro-organisms, small shellfish and worms. King prawns are sensitive to light so they bury themselves during the day and feed actively at night. Tiger prawns tend to be active day and night. The type of food varies according to the developmental stage and species of the prawn.

Prawn-based dishes are very common in Indian cuisine particularly since most people in India prefer to eat seafood and vegetables instead of meat. Now, it would be interesting to know what health benefits one can get from eating prawns. I like to combine prawns with a number of cuisines and methods of cooking since they turn out equally good in varied ways from Indian to Indonesian & from Spanish to Singaporean flavors!

HERE ARE SOME HEALTH BENEFITS OF PRAWNS:

• Prawns are a rich source of selenium which prevents growth of cancer cells.

• Prawns are rich in Vitamin-E and hence assist in maintaining health of skin, bones and teeth.

• Prawns are rich in Zinc levels which help us boost our immunity levels and they also include all the nine amino acids as well.

• Prawns are rich in Vitamin-B-12 therefore help in maintaining good cardiovascular health as well.

• Prawns are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, and also aids in the manufacture of red blood cells in our body.

• Prawns are helpful in maintaining normal nerve functions, and they are also rich in high-quality protein.

• Prawns have anti-inflammatory properties and also assist in maintaining normal blood pressure.

• Prawns are also comparatively low in calories as compared to most meats hence also help us maintain our body weight and keeping calories in control.

Here are a few of my all-time favorite recipes with Prawns:

Recipe-1] CHEESY PRAWN LUMPIA ROLLS

Ingredients:

• For the covering:

• Lumpia/ thin spring roll wrappers- 10-12 pieces

• For the filling:

• Prawns- 6-8 no, coarsely minced.

• Eggs-1-2 no

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Lime juice-2 tsp

• Garlic-1 tsp chopped

• Soy sauce- 2 tsp

• White vinegar-1 tsp

• Sugar-1/4 tsp

• Grated cheese-2 tbsp.

• Spring onions- 2-3 chopped

• Assorted veggies for color: shredded carrots/capsicums/cabbage

• Spring onion greens-2 tbsp. chopped

• Oil- 2 tsp + as needed to fry

• Dips/ sauces/ tabasco/ chili vinegar/ ketchup- to serve alongside.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the Prawn lumpia as referred to in Filipino cuisine- simply termed as spring rolls.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add in the garlic, spring onions, and saute for a couple of minutes, add in the prawns, and saute for 2-3 mins.

3. Add in salt and pepper to taste, also add in the veggies of your choice as desired for contrast in color, and cook for 2 mins.

4. Now break in 2 eggs and scramble them and cook for 2-3 mins, add spring onion greens finally and mix, add chili vinegar, lime juice, and sugar and stir well. Cool and add some grated cheese into it for a varied taste.

5. Arrange the readymade lumpia wrappers and place a little of the prawn mixture in the center towards one side and apply little corn starch or flour and water mixture to help seal the rolls, turn in the sides and roll over, coat with a little dry flour and keep chilled, deep fry in medium hot oil until nicely golden browned and crisp, remove and serve hot with an assortment of dips and sauces of your choice.

Recipe-2] ASIAN STYLE SPICY PRAWN FRY

Ingredients:

Prawns- medium sized- 15-18 pieces, cleaned, washed.

For the marination:

Oil-2 tsp

Lime juice-2 tsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Red chili powder-1/2 tsp

Mix well and keep aside for 20 mins.

For the masala paste and cooking:

Oil-3-4 tbsp.

Onions-2 medium sized, sliced

Shallots- 4-5 sliced

Garlic-1 tsp

Ginger-1 tsp

Red chilies-3-4 no soaked in warm water.

Curry leaves-10-12

Salt to taste

Cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns- 2 tsp mix.

Water-1/2 cup

Jaggery-1-2 tsp

Tamarind pulp-2-3 tsp

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. Marinate the prawns and keep in the refrigerator covered for 15-20 mins.

2. Meanwhile prepare the paste combine together the onions, ginger, garlic, red chilies, all whole spices, little salt, 2 tsp oil, ¼ cup water and grind to a coarsely smooth paste.

3. Heat 2-3 tbsp. oil or ghee in a pan add in a few sliced shallots/ madras onions and curry leaves and saute for 2-3 mins. Add in the prepared paste and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

4. Add in the marinated prawns and saute well, add ¼ cup water and allow to cook for 4-5 mins, add in little grated jaggery and tamarind pulp as well, adjust salt to taste and add fresh coriander leaves and continue cooking for 3-4 mins more and serve hot as a snack / side dish.

Recipe-3] SPICED PRAWN SESAME TOASTS

Ingredients:

White/brown bread slices- 4-6 no, crusts removed and cut 1 x 4 

For the prawn mixture:

Prawns- 8-10 no cleaned, washed and roughly cut

Salt and pepper to taste

Green chilies- 1 tsp chopped 

Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

Chili flakes-1/4 tsp

Lime juice-2 tsp

Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp

Egg-1/2 no yolk

Maida- 1 tsp

White and black sesame seeds- 2-3 tsp mix

Oil to fry

To serve with: peanut butter-mayo, schezuan chutney, tomato chili dip.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for this yummy snack, trim the sides of the bread slices and cut them into triangles/ squares as desired.

2. Using a food processor, combine together the prawns along with the other ingredients and make a nice coarsely smooth paste.

3. Remove the prawn mixture and keep covered in the refrigerator for 20 mins.

4. Wet fingers and hands a little and pick a little portion of the chilled prawn mixture and place and press lightly on the pieces of bread,use little water/ wet hand pressure to let it sit well.

5. Sprinkle a mix of the black and white sesame seeds on the prawn toasts and using wet fingers stick them all over.

6. Deep fry the prawn toasts in medium hot oil until nice and golden in color for around 4-6 mins, and remove on a kitchen paper, drain excess oil and serve hot with assorted dips/ sauces.

Recipe-4] THAI STYLE COCONUT PRAWN CURRY

Ingredients:

Prawns- 10-12 medium sized, cleaned, washed.

For the curry:

Oil-2 tsp

Lemon grass- 3-4 pieces

Galangal/ thai ginger- 1 tsp sliced

Thai chilies- 3-4 no

Kafir lime leaves- 3-4 no

Fresh basil leaves- 4-6 no

Red/yellow/green capsicums- ½ cup strips

Prawn stock/ veg stock- 2 cups

Coconut milk- 1 cup thick

Thai green/ red/ yellow curry paste- 2 -3 tsp

Salt to taste 

Sugar-1/4 tsp

Corn starch-2 tsp solution just in case to thicken

Garnish- fresh basil leaves, coconut cream.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the thai style coconut prawn curry.

2. Heat oil in a pan add in all the thai flavouring ingredients and saute for 20 seconds, add in the curry paste and saute, add little stock to prevent burning.

3. Add in the prawns and saute them for a couple of minutes, add in little stock just to cover the prawns and a little salt to taste and simmer for 6-8 mins.

4. Now add in the thick coconut milk, pinch of sugar and mix well, simmer for another 4-5 mins, add in the assorted colorful capsicums and adjust texture with corn starch if needed or else serve hot garnished with fresh basil, coconut cream and serve it with steamed jasmine rice.

Recipe- 5] STIR FRIED PRAWNS WITH TOSSED RICE

Ingredients:

Prawns- 12-15 medium sized, cleaned, washed.

For the marination:

Oil- 2 tsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Lime juice- 2 tsp

White wine- 2 tbsp. Optional

Mustard paste-1/2 tsp

Honey-2 tsp

Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp

For the stir fry:

Oil-1 tsp

Shredded ginger-1 tsp

Sliced garlic-1 tsp

Green chilies-2 tsp sliced

Onions/ shallots- 2- 3 tbsp. sliced

Assorted capsicums-1/2 cup cubed, optional.

Salt and black pepper to taste

Soy sauce- 2 tsp

Red chili sauce- 2 tsp

Stock/ water- ½ cup

Tomato ketchup- 2 tsp

White vinegar-1 tsp

Corn starch solution-2-3 tsp to thicken.

Spring onion greens-2 tbsp. chopped for garnish.

For the tossed rice:

Cooked white/brown rice- 2 cups

Butter-2 tsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped spring onions/ shallots-2 tbsp.

Greens to garnish.

Method:

1.Marinate the prawns and keep covered and refrigerated for 20 mins.

2. To stir fry, heat oil in a wok / pan and saute the onions, ginger, garlic, chilies for 30 seconds, add in the prawns and saute on a high flame for 1 minute, reduce the flame add in the seasonings, sauces to taste and little stock and cook for 6-8 mins.

3. Add a little corn starch solution to thicken up a little and cook for another minute or two, add in the greens to garnish and turn off the flame.

4. Toss the cooked rice in butter and onions add seasonings to taste and mix well, cook for 2 mins and serve hot with the prawns.

Recipe- 6] DUMDAAR PRAWN MASALA PULAO

Ingredients:

Prawns- 10-12 no, medium sized, cleaned and washed.

Basmati rice- 2 cups cooked.

Oil-2 tsp

Ghee-2 tsp

Jeera-1/2 tsp

Onions-2-3 medium sized, sliced

Tomatoes-2 small chopped/puree

Salt to taste

Coriander powder-1 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Red chili powder-1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp

Water-1/2 cup

Fried potato cubes-1/2 cup

Kasuri methi-1 tsp

Coriander and mint leaves- 2tbsp. chopped

Lime juice-2 tsp add and serve hot.

For the masala paste:

Shallots or madras onions- 6-8 or sliced onion- 1 med sized

Ginger-2 tsp 

Garlic-2 tsp

Green chilies-2 tsp

Red chilies-2-3 no

Cloves- 4-5 no

Cinnamon stick- 2-inch piece

Green cardamom-3-4 no

Desiccated coconut- ¼ cup

Water-1/4 cup

 Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the masala prawns pulao.

2. Wash the cleaned prawns, apply little salt, oil, turmeric and red chili powder and keep covered in the fridge for 20 mins.

3. Prepare the masala paste in a mixer-grinder to a nice coarsely smooth texture and heat oil and ghee, add jeera, sliced onions saute until pink and add in the masala paste and tomatoes and cook for 8-10 mins.

4. Add salt, kasuri methi and prawns and saute well for 2-3 minutes add in the cooked rice, fried potato cubes, coriander and mint leaves and toss it well, cover and give dum for 10-15 mins and then serve hot with a splash of lime juice and kachumber on the side with some fried papad and pickle.

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 CURD CULTURE By: Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

THE CURD CULTURE



While the story of curd being known to us goes back in history, according to a popular legend, while traveling across a desert, some Turks kept milk in a goatskin bag and slung it across the back of a camel. The desert sun and the bacteria in the bag had enabled the preparation of curd, also known as yogurt. Curd and yogurt: the two terms have often been considered to be synonymous. Curd or dahi is a dairy product that is made by curdling milk with edible acidic substances like lemon juice, vinegar, and even curd itself. Curd is a great probiotic that contains good beneficial bacteria known to promote gut activity, soothe the inflamed digestive system, and heals an upset stomach.

Curd has somehow been a chosen ingredient by a number of international cuisines and its adaptability and versatile nature have helped it gain a lot of popularity when it comes to Indian marination, gravies, lassi or chaas, shrikhand, or even layered desserts where can use hung curd as well.

Milk is converted into curd or yogurt by the process of fermentation. Milk consists of globular proteins called casein. Here curd forms because of the chemical reaction between the lactic acid bacteria and casein. During fermentation, the bacteria use enzymes to produce energy (ATP) from lactose. Curd is made by bacterial fermentation of milk. In this process lactose in milk is converted into lactic acid by several probiotic microorganisms. The species involved in the fermentation depends on the temperature and humidity of the environment and may include Lactococcus lactis and a few more.

A favorite of many of us in a number of ways from having a bowl full of it or into a raita form, cooking it up in a kadhi concept preparing sweet dishes, etc.

Here are a few popular Health Benefits of Curd:

• Curd is rich in proteins and also essential minerals like calcium that help keep our bones strong.

• Curd possesses good bacteria called pro-biotics which are great to consume since it helps indigestion.

• Curd is a great immunity booster and also good to consume on a weight loss program.

• Curd is heart-healthy, good for our hair and skin too.

• Curd also helps in preventing allergies and infections.

• Curd is beneficial in lowering levels of plaque

• Curd helps to lower hypertension and also prevents cardiovascular diseases.

Do try out these simple and tasty recipes using CURD:

Recipe-1] RAINBOW SALAD WITH INDIANA DRESSING:

Ingredients:

• The base of the salad:

• Iceberg/ assorted lettuce leaves- 1 cup

• For the body of the salad:

• White cabbage-1/4 cup shredded

• Purple cabbage-1/4 cup shredded

• Tomatoes-1 no cut into cubes

• Onion 1 small sliced

• Broccoli- 1 cup florets, blanched

• Carrots-1 small cut into cubes and boil.

• Sprouts- ½ cup

• For the dressing:

• Curd- 1 cup beaten

• Crushed cumin power

• Lime juice-2 tsp

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Honey-1 tsp

• Flax seeds- 2 tsp

• Dates-2-3 chopped

• Almonds/cashews-2 tsp sliced

• Chaat masala-1/4 tsp

• Mint leaves- 8-10

• For the garnish of the salad:

• Paprika powder/ chaat masala/ mint/ parsley/ micro-greens, olives.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the salad recipe.

2. On a serving plate arrange the cleaned lettuce leaves as a base.

3. As a part of dressing combine all ingredients with the beaten curd and keep it ready.

4. Arrange all the ingredients of the body of the salad ready to use.

5.Just before serving combine the body and dressing together and give them a nice toss, adjust as needed, drizzle a little dressing on it for proper mixing.

6. Portion out the salad onto the bowl of lettuce leaves, garnish and serve immediately.

Chefs variation: in the case of non-veg we can use boiled chicken cubes, sliced chicken sausages, or even grilled chicken/ lamb/ mutton pieces can be used. Seafood like prawns can also be added. Also for veg, we can try adding fruits like plums, peaches as well to this salad.

Recipe-2] CHICKPEA- CUCUMBER & CURD DELIGHT

Ingredients

For the curd mixture:

• Curd-1 and a half cup beaten

• Roasted crushed cumin- ½ tsp

• Rock salt/ sea salt- ¼ tsp

• Fresh basil leaves- 4-5 no

For the relish mix:

• Cucumber-1 no cut into small cubes

• Chickpeas- boiled chana-1/2 cup

• Amla/ indian gooseberry- 2 no, boiled and cut into cubes

• Dates-2-3 chopped

• Mint leaves- 4-5 no

• Crushed black pepper-1/2 tsp

• Melon seeds/ chia seeds- 1 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the relish mixture.

2. In a mixing bowl combine together the relish mix ingredients and keep aside for 10-12 mins.

3. Separately combine together beaten curd and all the other mix-in ingredients and stir well.

4. Combine the relish and curd mixture and check for taste and adjust, allow to chill for 20 mins and then serve alongside a main course/ meal with parathas, etc or can be served with nachos or crackers as well as a dip.

Recipe-3] ADRAKI DAHI WALA MURGH 

[CHICKEN IN GINGER – CURD BASED GRAVY]

Ingredients:

• Chicken- 750 gms curry cuts with bones.

• For veg- use paneer/ extra firm tofu.

• For the marination:

• Oil-2 tsp

• Ginger paste-1 tsp

• Green chilies-1 tsp chopped

• Salt to taste

• Crushed black pepper-1/2 tsp

• Lime juice- 2 tsp

• Curd- 1 cup beaten thick.

For the gravy:

• Oil-1 tsp

• Ghee-2 tsp

• Boiled onion paste- 1 cup

• Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp mix

• Black cardamom- 2 no

• Bay leaf- 2 no

• Water/ chicken stock-1 cup

• Salt to taste

• Kasuri methi-1 tsp

• Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp

• Cashew/ almond paste-2 tsp

• Fresh cream-2 tbsp.

• Rose water-2 tsp

• Ginger juliennes and blanched almonds for garnish.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the adraki dahi wala murgh.

2. Marinate the chicken pieces and keep aside for 30-45 mins in the fridge.

3. Prepare the gravy heat oil and ghee in a pan add in the whole spices and onion paste and cook until light brown, add little water as needed, add in the chilies and ginger-garlic paste and saute well.

4. Add in the salt, Kasuri methi, garam masala powder and add in the chicken pieces and bhunao for 2-3 mins on a medium flame, add in the cashew and curd mixture and little water, simmer, cover, and cook in dum for 20-25 mins.

5. Finally check for texture and taste, adjust accordingly as desired, add in the rose water and mix, serve hot garnished with ginger juliennes and blanched almonds.

Recipe-4] TEMPERED TRIVIA CURD RICE

Ingredients:

• Basmati/kolam white rice/brown rice - 1 cup boiled, cooled.

• Curd- 2 cups beaten thick

• Salt to taste

• Oil-1 tsp

• Ghee-1 tsp

• Hing-1 pinch

• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

• Dried red chilies-1 no slit

• Green chili-1 no slit

• Chana dal-1 tsp

• Milk-1/4 cup

• Roasted crushed peanuts- 2 tbsp.

• Assorted seeds-2 tsp- flax, sunflower, pumpkin, melon seeds.

• Mint and coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. mix

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the tempered curd rice recipe.

2. In a mixing bowl combine together the cooked white/brown rice and add the beaten curd and milk and mix it all well and keep refrigerated for 20 mins.

3. To prepare the tempering heat oil and ghee in a tadka pan and add in the ingredients one by one and allow them to splutter and crackle and after about 15 seconds add this tempering to the bowl of curd and rice mixture and give it a nice mix. I prefer to add a few nuts and seeds as well to the curd rice to add more value to it from roasted crushed peanuts to toasted nuts and seeds like flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.

Recipe- 5] DAHI PAKODE WALI KADHI

[FRITTERS STEEPED IN TEMPERED CURD BASED CURRY]

Ingredients:

For the pakode/ fritter mix:

• Besan-1 cup

• Salt to taste and soda bi carb one pinch

• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp

• Jeera powder-1/4 tsp

• Ajwain-1/2 tsp

• Sliced onions-1 med sized

• Coriander-1 tbsp. chopped

• Green chilies-1 tsp chopped

• Little water to make the mixture

• Oil-1 tsp

• Oil to deep fry the fritters

• For the kadhi mix/ curry:

• Curd- 1 and a half cup beaten.

• Besan-1 and a half tbsp.

• Salt to taste

• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

• Red chili powder-1/4 tsp

• Water as required

• Kasuri methi-1 tsp

• Ginger- 1 tsp chopped

• Oil/ ghee- 2 tsp for the tempering

• Hing-1 pinch

• Curry leaves- 8-10 no

• Slit red and green chilies-1-2 

• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves to garnish- 2 tbsp. chopped

Method:

1. Prepare the ingredients for both the segments of the kadhi pakoda recipe.

2. In a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the pakoda and mix well to a dropping texture and drop small portions into medium hot oil in a kadai and deep fry them to a nice golden color and keep aside.

3. In a bowl combine together the curd, besan, two cups of water, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and beat it all together, rest for 20 mins.

4. Heat oil/ghee and give the tempering with the ingredients and allow to splutter and crackle for a few seconds, add in the curd and besan mixture, kasuri methi and stir it well, simmer and cook for 12-15 mins.

5. Check for taste and adjust salt and texture as desired, add the fried pakode just before serving and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or jeera rice.

Recipe-6] BOWL OF ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS 

Ingredients

• Sweet corn-1/2 cup boiled

• Green peas-1/2 cup boiled

• Tomato- 1 cut into wedges

• Apple-1 no cut into cubes, sprinkle 2 tsp lime juice.

• Onion-1 no sliced

• Cucumber-1 no cubed

• Potato -1 boiled cubed

• Red/green/yellow capsicum-1/2 no cubed

For the dressing mix:

• Curd-1 cup beaten

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Cooked Amla pulp-2 tsp

• Crushed jeera-1/2 tsp

• Mint leaves- 4-5 no

• Cream cheese- 1 tsp

• Cashew powder-2 tsp

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the healthy bowl of goodness.

2. In a mixing bowl combine all the colorful ingredients and arrange them for the salad, chill for 20 mins.

3. In another bowl combine together the mixture for the curd-based dressing and chill for 15 mins.

4. Just before serving drizzle the dressing over the serving salad bowls and garnish with nuts, seeds, micro-greens, and fresh herbs, etc as desired.

For non-veg options: use boiled cubed eggs, boiled or grilled chicken cubes, chicken sausages, ham, salami etc can also be used as an option.

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 F

Lost Recipes | Nagori Maas – A tradition in the Nagori winters By Executive Sous Chef – Sahil Sharma Fairmont Jaipur

As we move further with time, cuisine changes with every decade, where some recipes are modified, and some get lost with time. Also, recipes that actually are an amalgamation of various cuisines are attracting foodies. There are lots of mouth-watering local dishes that haven’t been a part of our diet for a long time. 

There are several recipes that have slipped from our kitchen. With time, we are drawn more towards calorie-based diets and ready-to-eat meals. 

The Chefs in Fairmont Jaipur have an emotional attachment with their kitchen, and owing to which we embark on our food journeys to local restaurants to small shop vendors, family houses in interior parts of the state to find such jewels and recreate them with modern twists.  

Below are such few recipes from the states of Punjab and Rajasthan which are not commonly found in a regular restaurant set up, also not very popular among common households also. 

Nagori Maas – A tradition in the Nagori winters

• lamb Shank 1 Kg

• Mustard oil 100 ml

• refined oil 100 ml

• onion sliced 500 gms

• Ginger garlic paste 50 gms

• Kasoori Methi 50 gms

• Turmeric 10 gms

• Red Chili powder 25 gms

• Mathania Red chili whole 8 no

• salt 50 gms

• Garam Masala whole 10 gms

• Ghee 50 ml

• lamb Shank 1 Kg

• Mustard oil 100 ml

• refined oil 100 ml

• onion sliced 500 gms

• Ginger garlic paste 50 gms

• Kasoori Methi 50 gms

• Turmeric 10 gms

• Red Chili powder 25 gms

• Mathania Red chili whole 8 no

• salt 50 gms

• Garam Masala whole 10 gms

• Ghee 50 ml

NOTE- Nagour district in Rajasthan is known for its Methi (Fresh Fenugreek) production. Methi leaves grown in this region has a very distinctive flavor and leaves are also quite bigger than usual Methi leaves grown across India. 

1. In a heavy-bottomed handi heat mustard oil till it starts smoking and then remove the handi from heat and keep it by side, till the oil cools down(this process will remove the bitterness of mustard oil).

2. Now put the handi back on the stove and add refined oil, to this add whole garam masala, sliced onion, and fry till light golden brown.

3. now add ginger and garlic paste and cook for 2-4min.

4. now add lamb shank pieces cut in to 30-40gms each and add salt as per taste and keep stirring for  15-20min.

5. To this add 1lte of water (the water should cover the lamb pieces.)

6. cover the handi with the lid and let it simmer on slow flame for about 45min-1hr (the lamb should be  80%cooked)

7. Now add Red Chilli powder and turmeric powder.

8. Cook till the meat is tender.

9. In a separate pan, heat ghee adds Soaked methi and whole red chilies, and cook till the bitterness of methi is gone.

10. Add this methi and chili chilies to the cooked lamb.

11. Just before serving take burning charcoal in a bowl adds a spoonful of cloves powder and a  spoon of ghee. Put the bowl inside the handi and cover for 1 min.

12. This process is called dhungar or smoking, remove the Katori and discard the coal. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Sahil Sharma

He is an Executive Sous Chef at Fairmont Jaipur

RECIPE | Finger Millet Chicken Tikka Roll – Jet Lag Recipe By Sahil Sharma, Executive Sous Chef, Fairmont Jaipur

Traveling to a new time zone is rough, and there's nothing worse than being wide  awake in the middle of the night, or forcing your eyelids to stay open when you've  got a whole day ahead of you.  

The cause of jet lag is the inability of the body of a traveller to immediately adjust to  the time in a different zone. Recovering from jet lag depends on the number of time  zones crossed while traveling.  

In general, the body will adjust to the new time zone at the rate of one or two time  zones per day. For example, if you crossed six time zones, the body will typically  adjust to this time change in three to five days. 

Jet lag is temporary, so the prognosis is excellent and most people will recover  within a few days. 

If you want to maximize your vacation time, you need to beat your jet-lag ASAP - these foods will help get you on track. 

FINGER MILLET CHICKEN TIKKA ROLL – Jet Lag Recipe 

No. of pax recipe serves: 6 

Preparation time in (hours and) minutes: 25 min 

Cook time in (hours and) minutes: 45 min 

Total time in (hours and) minutes: 1 hr 10 min 

Dish description in 20–30 words 

Kathi rolls have fast become the regular food around the globe; this is an easy and  quick recipe that you can try at home for brunch or a heavy evening meal. Chicken kathi roll has a delicious melange of chicken tikka and spices rolled together and served with a chutney. 

List of ingredients in order of use, 

Ingredients 

• 6 millet chapattis/bread 

• 6 Egg Whites 

• 100 gm Coriander, chopped 

• 100 ml mustard Oil

For the Filling: 

• 100 gms Onions, sliced 

•  100 gms Coriander Leaves, chopped 

•   20 gms Ginger-Garlic Paste 

•  50 gms Tomatoes, chopped 

•  20 gms Turmeric Powder 

•  to taste Salt and Chilli Powder 

•  1 tsp Green Chillies, chopped 

Ingredients – Chicken Tikka  

• 500 gms chicken breasts - cut into bite-sized pieces (tikka) 

• Juice of two lemons 

•  1 tablespoon salt 

•  250ml (1 cup) plain yogurt 

•  2 tablespoons garlic puree 

•  1 tablespoon ginger puree 

•  1 tablespoon ground cumin 

•  1 tablespoon ground coriander 

•  1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 

•  1 teaspoon citric acid powder 

•  1 teaspoon turmeric powder 

•  1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste) 

•        2 green chillies finely chopped 

• 1 bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

Directions 

• Place the chicken tikka in a large bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over them and sprinkle with a little salt. 

•  Now, whisk the second marinade ingredients together and pour it over the chicken. 

•  Allow to marinate for six hours or up to 48 hours - the longer the better. If you don't have time to marinate the chicken, 30 minutes or so will still be good. ∙ When ready to cook, light a barbecue. Gas barbecues will work but I prefer the flavor of charcoal barbecues. 

•  Cook the chicken tikka on skewers turning occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and the edges are blackened. 

•  Meanwhile, Mix the egg whites with the coriander. 

• Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Dip each millet bread into the egg white mix and place on the pan one at a time till it turns color. Keep aside. 

• Cut the prepared chicken tikka into strips. 

• In a pan heat the oil and add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, and green chilies. 

• Now, add the chicken tikka strips, sliced onions, and pepper juliennes. ∙ Cook a little and add chopped coriander. 

• Divide the tikka mixture and roll up in cooked millet pieces of bread. ∙ Serve with mint chutney and salad. 

Sahil Sharma

He is an Executive sous chef at Fairmont Jaipur