Musings of an Epicurean
Create. Collate. Relish.
Naankhatai- a purely Indian invention, said to have originated in the city of Surat in Gujarat. This light, melt-in-the-mouth delicacy came into being because of the dislike of the local bakery fare by the Dutch residents during those times. The owner of the bakery was also Dutch, who dried his bread and sold it cheap, since his stuff wasn’t selling.
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Appams are unpretentious and simple looking, but are an indispensable part of any Malyali meal. A staple in most of Kerela’s households, this is an easy to master dish and makes for an excellent pairing with most of the curried dishes of the South-Indian cuisine.
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In one of my previous posts, I had described a recipe for Whole Wheat Bread. This one is another version, that elevates a humble loaf of bread to a whole new level. The texture of the bread so achieved in this is the same as the Whole Wheat, albeit easier to make.
Pizza- a word that evokes a host of emotions in anyone who love his food. Hardly any country, community or person is untouched by the magic it brings to the table. This is one of the most multi-faceted & versatile dishes that has been adapted & modified, depending where one where is eating it.
The origins of pizza are not clearly known, but it is said to have evolved from similar flatbreads in Persia and Italy. Hundreds of years ago, it was eaten as a flatbread with toppings by soldiers in a war and civilians in their daily lives. The recipe kept on transforming with age and traditions, to what we see as a drool-inducing, most loved dish.
Read MoreAll of us have eaten Pesto Sauce, and various things made with it at a lot of places. A smorgasbord of flavors, this can be a topping, a dip, a base- making it a versatile ingredient for a snack or main course.
One of the quickest recipes, this is a breeze to make at home.
Read MoreBaking bread at home is therapeutic. No other activity releases stress from the mind than this, and the result is a happiness -inducing, amazing loaf of bread. And one might think it’s complicated- it’s not. Follow the steps precisely, and one cannot go wrong.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Marination time: 4 hours
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total: 4 hours 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- Boneless Chicken 500 gms
- Thick Curd 1/2 cup
- Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tbsp
- Tandoori Masala 1 tbsp
- Kashmiri Chili Powder 1 tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Coriander Powder 1 tbsp
- Lemon Juice 1 tbsp
- Olive Oil 1 tbsp
- Butter 1 tsp
- Thin Wooden Skewers 4-5
METHOD
1) In a large mixing bowl-add Chicken, Ginger Garlic Paste, Tandoori Masala, Kashmiri Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Lemon Juice and Olive Oil. Mix everything well, preferably with hands, to ensure chicken is evenly coated with all the ingredients. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
2) After the first marination, add the curd and mix thoroughly with the marinade. Again refrigerate for at least two hours.
3) Take out, add salt and mix.
4) Skewer the chicken pieces, 4-5 on each, depending on the size of the skewer.
5) Heat a cast iron pan or grill pan. It should be extremely hot.
6) Place chicken skewers on the grill pan and cook on all the slides, turning the skewers intermittently to ensure slight charring from all sides.
7) Keep checking the chicken. Once it is 90% cooked, add butter. Butter will caramelize the chicken and lend a smoky texture.
8) Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with lime juice and chat masala.
TIPS & TRICKS
# For a smoky flavour- Burn a charcoal until red hot. Transfer the hot charcoal in a small bowl. Place the bowl in the marinated chicken. Drizzle with half a tsp of ghee and cover immediately. Let this smoke for 5 mins and cook immediately.
# Use very thick or hung curd to ensure an even coating.
# Marination time is very important. I have marinated the chicken for 4 hours.
# No oil is required when grilling the meat, since the marinade already has olive oil. But endue that the pan is extremely hot, otherwise the meat might stick to the pan.
# The Tandoori Masala used in this recipe is of “Shaan” brand. Any other brand of tandoori or fry masala can be used.
INGREDIENTS
120 grams Butter
150 grams All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp Vanilla Custard Powder
1/3 cup Chopped Almonds
1/3 cup Chopped Pistachios
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
METHOD
1) Mix butter and sugar together untill a creamy texture is achieved and color becomes pale white.
2) Add Chopped Almonds and Pistachios and mix gently.
3) Mix Custard Powder and all purpose flour. Add slowly to the mixture while continuosly stirring it.
4) Once all the ingredients are mixed properly. Transfer the contents to a flat surface (chopping board or large tray or clean kitchen platform).
5) Using your hands, form a cylindrical log of the mixture.
6) Wrap tightly with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
7) Take out, remove the film, cut into equal sized squares.
8) Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 180 degree celcius.
8) Grease a baking tray, line it with parchment paper. Place the cut square at 2cm distance from each other on the tray.
8) Place in the oven and bake at 180 degree celcius for 15 mins.
9) After 15 mins, take out of the oven, place the tray on wire rack for the cookies to cool down.
10) The cookies will become crispy on cooling down
