Cauliflower and green onion moilee with koki bread

Serves: 2

• Vegetable oil 1tbsp
• Chopped green onion roots 2tbsp
• Grated ginger ½tbsp
• Curry leaves 1 sprig
• Green chillies slit 2pcs
• Turmeric 1/2tsp
• Coconut milk canned or fresh 1 cup
• Cauliflower florets 1.5 cup (medium size)
• Medium sized tomatoes, diced 1 cup
• Chopped spring onion leaves ½ cup
• Garlic sliced ½tbsp
• Lemon juice 1tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a sauce pan. Add the onions, curry leaves, chillies, ginger, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook on medium-low heat until the onions turn translucent. Add the turmeric and cauliflower and fry lightly. Add about 2 tbsp of the coconut milk with 1 cup of water. Cover and cook about 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Add half of the remaining coconut milk, the lemon juice and tomatoes. Let the moilee come to a slow boil. Add the remaining coconut milk and the spring onion leaves and turn off the heat.

Koki Bread

Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour 2 cups
• Gram flour 2tbsp
• Onion finely chopped 1/2 cup
• Salt 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
• Fresh coriander finely chopped 2tbsp
• Oil for frying 3tbsp
• Chilli powder 1tsp
• Cumin seeds 1tsp
• Carom seeds 1/2tsp
• Dry pomegranate seed powder 1tsp
• Kasuri methi 1tbsp
• Green chillies finely chopped 1tsp

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and make a crumbly mixture. Add little water and make a tight dough. Do not over knead this dough. Apply little oil in your palms and smear it over the dough. Divide the dough into six equal parts. Hand press them into small discs and lightly roll them flat. Apply oil to a medium heated griddle and slow cook them evenly on both sides.

Note: The light and sweet moilee curry, a coastal speciality served with spiced crispy Koki bread from Sindh makes a unique combination of tastes and flavours.

Winter radish and corn bruschetta with Ukranian sour cream Source: The Telegraph

Winter radish and corn bruschetta with Ukranian sour cream

Ingredients

• Corn meal (makai atta) 1½ cup
• Grated winter raddish ½ cup
• Caraway seeds (ajwain) ½tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves 2tbsp
• Chopped ginger ½tbsp
• Ghee 5tbsp
• Water 5tbsp
• For sour cream
• Double cream 1 cup
• Lemon juice 1tbsp
• Parsley ½tbsp

Method

Mix all the ingredients together except the ghee to a crumbly dough. Apply ghee on your palm and slowly shape the dough into 40g flat round patties. Keep a griddle on medium heat and dry bake the patties on them till cooked golden on both sides. On a base of ice take the full fat double cream and lemon juice in a bowl and whip it in medium speed. Slowly the sour cream will form a thick creamy froth. Fold in the chopped parsley. Serve the warm radish corn bruschetta topped with light foamy sour cream.

Chettinad meen biriyani with curry rassa Source: The Telegraph

Chettinad meen biriyani with curry rassa

Ingredients

• Basmati rice 21/2 cups
• Boneless basa fish or bhekti fish cubes 200g
• Lemon juice 2tbsp
• Chilli powder 1tsp
• Garam masala powder 1tsp
• Turmeric powder 1tsp
• Oil ½ cup
• Mint leaves 3tbsp
• Coriander leaves 5tbsp
• Onion 1cup
• Tomato ½ cup
• Fennel powder ½tsp
• Cumin powder ½tsp
• Coriander powder ½tsp
• Star anise powder a pinch
• Ginger garlic paste 3tbsp
• Ghee 4tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Yoghurt 3tbsp

Method

Rinse and soak the 2 cups of rice for 20 minutes. Marinate fish with lemon juice, chilli powder, little garam masala and turmeric powder.

Take pressure cooker, add 5 tbsp oil and heat. Shallow fry the fish and add in the same oil chopped mint and coriander leaves (rinsed) and onions. Add diced tomatoes and a teaspoon of chilli powder. Add half teaspoon coriander powder, half teaspoon fennel seeds powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder and star anise powder. Saute well.

Add ½ teaspoon garam masala and a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste. Cook well till the raw flavours are gone.

In the same pressure cooker add rinsed rice with some ghee and mix well with the fish masala. Add water in 1:1 ratio with a teaspoon of curd and salt for taste. Now close the lid and cook.

After the first whistle, pressure cook for five minutes and turn down the gas. Wait till the pressure releases on its own. Add fresh coriander before serving.

For curry rassa

Ingredients

• Roasted coconut dry/fresh ½ cup
• Green chillies 2 pcs
• Onion ½ cup
• Tomato ¼ cup
• Jeera 1tsp
• Coriander 1tsp
• Garlic 1tsp
• Ginger 2tsp
• Curry leaves 1tsp
• Chilli powder 1tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil 2tbsp
• Coriander for garnish as needed
• Water 2 cup

Method

First make fine paste of ingredients mentioned with 2 tablespoon water. Now heat oil and fry paste and stir continuously till it shows little foam on top. Now add water and salt and bring to boil. Serve in a bowl and garnish with coriander along with the biriyani.

Imli mirchi jhinga bhajji with aam adrak chutni Source: The Telegraph

Imli mirchi jhinga bhajji with aam adrak chutni

Ingredients

• Tiger prawns 6 pcs
• Tamarind ½tpsp
• Green chilli pickle 1tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste 1tbsp
• Fresh coriander leaves 1 cup
• Salt 1tbsp
• White pepper powder 1tbsp
• Refined flour 3/4th cup
• Rice flour 1/4th cup
• Baking powder 1tsp
• Egg 1
• Oil 6 cups ( to deep fry)
• Aam adrak ½ cup
• Red chilli whole 2 pcs
• Lemon juice 2 tbsp
• Garlic 2 cloves

Method

Clean and devein the prawns, except the tail. Marinate the prawn with tamarind pulp, green chilli pickle, ginger garlic paste, chopped coriander leaves, salt, pepper and a spoon of oil. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Make a batter with refined flour, rice flour, baking powder, egg and salt. Ready oil for deep frying on a edium heat. Once the oil starts smoking dip the marinated prawns in the batter, keeping the tail out and fry them crisp till golden in colour.

For the chutney

In a mixer take the peeled and chopped aam adrak, red chilli whole, coriander leaves, 2 cloves of garlic, and make a coarse paste. Add lemon juice and salt to adjust seasoning.

Serve with hot prawn Jhinga Bhajji.

Malibu sling chicken wings with cucumber chilli mint leaves Source: The Telegraph

Malibu sling chicken wings with cucumber chilli mint leaves

Ingredients

• Fresh cherry ½ cup
• Gin 30 ml
• Chicken wings 8 pcs
• Pineapple juice 30ml
• Fresh orange juice 30ml
• Fresh thyme ½ tbsp
• Olive oil 2tbsp
• A pinch of mustard powder or paste
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Vegetable mayonnaise ½ cup
• Mint leaves 1tbsp
• Cucumber ¼ cup
• Roasted red chilli 1 pc

Method

Clean the chicken wings and keep aside. In a bowl take deseeded and chopped fresh cherries, gin, pineapple juice, orange juice, thyme, olive oil, mustard powder and seasoning. Marinate the chicken wings in this mix and refrigerate for about three hours. Take a griddle and heat it to medium temperature, slow cook the chicken wings till the skin is crisp and golden on both sides.

For Cucumber Chilli Dip

In a blender, fine blend mayonnaise, deseeded with skin cucumber, chopped mint leaves and roasted red dry chilli.

Adjust seasoning and serve with hot Malibu Sling Chicken Wings.

Moumita Bhaumik is chef of NIPS Hospitality Group