Prawn Cocktail

Always easy and makes a very sophisticated starter. Prawn Cocktail was a party's standby in the 60's and 70's and a favourite of my Mum's.

This was before we could source iceberg lettuce in India, hence it was served on a bed of cabbage and carrot coleslaw. So that is how i served it at Pushpa's Birthday Party.

Serves 12

Ingredients :
1/2 cabbage
3 carrots
1kg prawns (shelled and de-veigned)
2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
3-4 drops tabasco
2 teaspoons vinegar
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions :

Add 1 teaspoon vinegar, pinch of salt and grated pepper to the prawns, mix thoroughly and cook for about 2 minutes till the prawns turn pink and curl up. Turn off the heat and let them cool completely for about 1 hr. Squeeze out all the water and chill.

Finely slice cabbage and grate the carrots, discard the center(dry part) of the carrots, mix in 1 teaspoon of vinegar and a little salt and keep aside.(this is to get rid of the cabbagy smell).

Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup and tabasco together to form the dressing.

Squeeze out all the water from the cabbage and carrots mix some of the dressing (about 1/4) into this and place a little in some nice flutey stemmed ice cream cups.

Add the rest of the dressing to the prawns along with the chopped celery.

Place a portion of the prawns, about 5-6 on top of the coleslaw of cabbage and carrots and serve.

Variations :

Finely Slice iceberg lettuce instead of the coleslaw as a bed for the prawns. But please don't season or dress let it be bare and crunchy under the Prawn Cocktail.

Khao Suey (a one dish meal)

This recipe for Khao Suey was taught to me by Safiya, a lovely elegant lady who resides in Karachi but is originally from Burma (thank you Auntie Safiya)

This is a Burmese dish that is found even in North Thailand in Chang Mai province and Laos.

It makes a hearty party dish, it's filling by itself and your friends can make their own variations from the variety of condiments. The more the merrier. Sort of like a Burmese Bhel Puri.

Serves 15

Ingredients :
(for the gravy)
6-8 onions
6-8 tomatoes
10 cloves of garlic
milk of 3 coconuts or 4 cartons of coconut milk
3 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup besan (dry chick pea/ garbonzo beans powder)
4-6 packets of rice noodles

(for the topping)
1 cup roasted and salted peanuts
1 1/2 cup sliced spring onions
*2 cups fried noodles
1/2 cup finely sliced and fried garlic
1/2 cup cracked red pepper (pizza pepper)
1 cup chopped dhaniya (cilantro)
6 eggs boiled and chopped into one inch pieces
1/2kg boiled chicken breast chopped into 1cm pieces
1/2 cup oil

*hint: try and buy pre-cooked noodles from a chinese eatery, i tried using maggie or ramon or any ready to eat noodles with mixed success till I discovered fried noodles at crawford market.

Directions :

Grind onions with garlic, chillie powder, turmeric, salt and sugar into a fine paste.

Heat oil in a big pan. Add this paste and fry till slightly brown.

Meanwhile grind the tomatoes and add to the onion paste, fry all this till the oil rises to the top. Simmer.

Take the Besan and put it in the same grinder with 2 cups of water and whirl for a bit till it mixes nicely. This way you get a smooth soupy paste without lumps. Add to the pan, mix well and simmer for half an hour. Add some more hot water if too thick.

Then comes the tedious part, helps if you have a good chopper (human or electric, i have Ramu),

Fry the Garlic.
Crush the Peanuts
Chop the green onions
Slice 3 onions and fry in a pan with a little oil (or buy ready fried onions called Balista from crawford market)
chop cilantro 
etc etc

Finally , just before serving, boil the rice noodles. Add the coconut milk to the gravy and shut the burner just before it starts boiling.

This is how it goes into the bowl.
Noodles--> Gravy --> All or some of the ingredients --> eggs or chicken if you're carnivorous --> squeeze some lemon juice --> top with the fried noodles and dig in.

Variation:
If you want to make it interesting for vegetarians keep some blanched chopped broccoli, baby corn pieces and sliced and sauted  mushrooms along with the other condiments.

Cocoa Fudge Cake

This foolproof recipe for a dark chocolate cake is a golden oldie from Betty Crocker. The Betty Crocker Cook Book was given to me by Hina Bhatia who was instrumental in inculcating in me a love for baking.
Thank you Hina Kaki.

Ingredients:
Serves: 15
2 cups cake flour 
1 1/2 cups sugar  
2/3 cup cocoa 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup shortening 
2 eggs (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

Note : 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, may be used (optional) 

Directions :
 Heat the oven to 200 degrees c and grease the baking tray.

 For the Butter Milk , take 1 cup curd/yoghurt/dahi add 1/2 cup water to it then add in vanilla essence.

Sift the dry ingredients together and keep away.

Beat the sugar, eggs and butter together till creamy.

Gradually add the dry ingredients and butter milk alternately, while whipping with the electric hand blender for about 3 minutes. Then beat the whole mixture for 2 minutes on high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally to incorporate all the batter stuck to the sides then pour into the greased pan.

decrease the oven heat to 180 degrees before putting inside to bake. Bake for 30 minutes till firm on top and a wooden tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool on a wire rack.

Ganache Icing:

Ingredients :
3-4 pieces of dark cooking chocolate.
150ml (1 1/2 small cartons of fresh cream)
Try and keep the ratio 1:1.

Directions:

Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and heat on high in the microwave for 3 minutes or till it's melted. Gradually add cream and whisk it. Pop back in microwave for 1 minute and whisk till it cools down. (Please exercise control and avoid licking the icing :) )

Here is how you can make the cake rich and sumptuous for a special party.
Invert the cake onto a tray and slice into half horizontally.

Take 1/2 cup espresso coffee with 1 large table spoon of rum added to it.

Drop little by little on to the two parts of the cake for that little extra kick. Yum!!
Then spread the ganache on top of one layer. slide the other half of cake on top and spread the remaining chocolate ganache on top.

Tried to sprinkle powder sugar on top for decoration but couldn't quite pull it off.. sigh!

 

Now you can have your rich Cocoa Fudge Cake and eat it too! haha.

Corn in Green Chutney

I feel terribly nostalgic for our white corn. This Corn Gravy recipe would taste much better with it as it is sweet American Corn will have to do. A zippy quick vegetarian dish which looks as good as it tastes.

Ingredients :
3 corn whole
2 cups Dhania (Kothmir or Cilantro)
4 cloves garlic
1 cup coconut grated.
3 green chillies
2 tsp jeera (or cumin)
juice of half a lemon
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Directions :
Grind the above in a mixer grinder with a little water if needed. Make a thinnish paste.

Boil the corn in water for about 15-20minutes or pressure cook up to 2 whistles. Cool down and cut into 2 inch pieces.

Fry the green chutney paste in ghee in a shallow flat bottomed pan for about a minute. Add the corn and 1 cup of hot water and bring to boil. Then simmer for 5 minutes. Shut, and garnish with a little dhania before serving

Kitkat Milkshake

Deliciously sinful, these milkshakes can be made in a jiffy for those afternoon hunger pans or as a midnight snack. You can use other chocolates like ferro rochers or biscuits like oreo cookies as well.

 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 Kit Kats (consisting of 2 sticks not 4)

4 scoops of vanilla icecream

1 cup of milk

1 tablespoon chocolate sauce.

ice cubes if necessary.

Directions:

Take the Kit Kat and milk out of the fridge till it is at about room temperature. Break the Kit Kat into half and blend with 1/3 cup of milk till smooth.

Add 2 scoops of ice cream, rest of the milk and chocolate sauce ( add ice cubes if you want it more chilled) and blend.

Serve with a scoop of ice cream and a Kit Kat on top.

Sushi Rolls for The Amateur

Easy Sushi, strictly non gourmet!!, here I have to take a minute to thank my good friend Veena Mathrani who showed me how easy sushi making was.

This recipe serves 6.
Ingredients:

1 Cucumber
1 Carrot
1 Can Tuna in Salt Water
5 Sheets Sushi Seaweed Paper
1 Cup Sushi Rice (alternately any short grain sticky rice will do)
1 Tube Wasabi
3 Tablespoons Vinegar
2 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Light Soya Sauce.

Bamboo Sushi Mat also required.

All the above ingredients are available at V.K. Stores Crawford Market, Godrej Natures Basket and Westside Gourmet if you happen to live in my home city Mumbai.

Method:

1. Slice the Cucumber and Carrot into fine long strips add 1 tablespoon of vineger, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and place in a glass bowl and let marinate for upto 1 hr prior.

2. Boil the Sushi Rice with 2 cups of water and allow to cool, to room temperature. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar , 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt to the rice and mix well.

3. Open the Tuna Can and place the sushi sheet on the bamboo mat (shiny side up), rub a 1cm long length of wasabi on the top of the sushi sheet from left to right with your finger. This will help seal the roll in the end.

4.Take some of the rice, a ball of roughly 3 inch in diameter , flatten and elongate it and place it at the bottom of the sheet( on the opposite side of the wasabi previously applied). Place the strips of cucumber and carrot in the center in a line. Place chunks of Tuna on top. Keep these ingredients in place with your finger tips and start rolling the sushi as shown in the picture. This takes a bit of practice but persist and it shall all be worth it!

5. Take a sharp knife and slice one inch rolls , serve with wasabi and light soya sauce.

Spinach Souffle

Spinach Souffle 
The humble spinach lends itself to a lot of creativity in the kitchen, it is a vitamin treasure packed with folate, Vitamin E and Lutein, No wonder it's Popeye's favourite.

 

Serves 6

Ingredients

One bunch spinach leaves ( about 1 lb or 1/4 kg)

4 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs separated

1 onion diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (or any cheese that melts well)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons butter

*2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese.

 Refer to :  Low Cal Healthy White Sauce Recipe

*hint : Those ends of the bread loaf which no one ever wants, save them in the fridge for a couple of days till you get about 6-7, and dry whirl them in the dry grinder and keep in freezer in a zip lock bag.

Directions :

Coat the inside of a large souffle or casserole dish with a little butter and keep aside. Clean the Spinach Leaves and blanch them by immersing in a pot of boiling water for a minute. Take off the flame and keep aside. Meanwhile make the Low Cal Healthy White Sauce.

Saute the garlic, onions and black pepper in the olive oil and butter.

Squeeze all the water out of the spinach and add to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes. Let cool. 

Put the Spinach mixture in a grinder along with two egg yolks and blend and add to The Low Cal White Sauce along with half cup cheese.

 

Whip the egg whites on high speed with an electric hand blender till stiff peaks form.

Stir 1/3 egg whites into the Spinach Mixture then fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon this mixture into the prepared dish.

Spread the grated cheese and bread crums on top. Bake on low (180 degrees c) for 30 minutes until the souffle has puffed up and the top looks slightly cracked. Remove and serve.