Day: December 1, 2017

Getting Through Your First Gig: The Do’s And Don’ts

So, you’ve been rehearsing with your band mates for several weeks now, you have a set together and are finally feeling ready to start gigging. But what can you do to make sure everything runs smoothly?

As someone with 10 years of gigging experience, I would like to share some first gig: dos and don’ts with you, to ensure that your first gig is memorable for the right reasons!

Read it here

Winter Recipes by Chef Anil Dahiya, Bristol Gurgaon

Healthy Easy to Make Winter Recipes

 

Pineapple Coconut Cashew Rice

Ingredients                                                    Quantity

Long grained rice                                      1 1/2 cups

Crushed pineapple chunks                      1 (20 oz. Can)

(In the form of pineapple juice)

Unsweetened coconut milk                     1 (13.5 oz. Can)

Sweetened coconut flakes                      3tsp.

Thai red curry paste                                1 tsp.

Garlic powder                                         1 tsp.

Onion powder                                           1/2 tsp.

Ground ginger                                         1/2 tsp.

Salt                                                           1/2 tsp.

Pepper                                                       1/8 tsp.

For Garnish

 

Ingredients                                                    Quantity

Lime juice                                                  3tsp.

(According to taste)

Salted roasted cashews                           1/2 cup

Chopped cilantro                                     1/2 cup

Freshly cracked salt and pepper

Method

  • Pour pineapple juice (collected from crushed pineapple) in a measuring cup. Add coconut milk in 3 equal cups – add water if necessary.
  • Transfer the liquid into a large pan and bring to a gentle simmer
  • Stir rice, coconut milk, sweetened coconut flakes, thai red curry paste and onion powder.
  • Bring it to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low (dial should be a little above lowest setting).
  • Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stir for 15 minutes and add water if necessary.
  • When rice is tender, remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  • When ready to serve (not before), stir in lime juice, cilantro and cashews.
  • Taste and season with freshly cracked salt and pepper and additional lime juice to taste if desired.

Tomato Halwa

Ingredients                                                    Quantity

Tomatoes                                                              10-12

Sugar                                                                      2 cups

Ghee                                                                      1/2 cup

Cashewnuts                                                          20

Raisins                                                                    2 tablespoons

Green cardamoms                                               6

Cloves                                                                     4

Tulsi leaves                                                            1/4 cup

Rose petals                                                          1/4 cup

Edible camphor (optional)                                1 a pinch

 

Method

·       Wash the tomatoes, remove the eye and make an incision on the lower side.

·       Boil water and blanch the tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Drain, peel, deseed and chop.

·       Reserve the pulp with the juices. Grind the cardamom with 1 tablespoon sugar to a fine powder, sieve and keep aside.

·       Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and fry the Cashewnuts and Raisins to golden brown.

·       Wash and shred the Rose petals and Tulsi leaves and reserve.

·       Boil the sugar with ½-cup water and make a single-thread syrup and keep aside.

·       Heat the ghee in a wide kadai (utensil), roast the cloves in it, till they start to crackle.

·       Add the tomato pulp and cook till the liquid dries up. Cook on low heat.

·       Increase heat and add the hot syrup slowly.

·       Reduce to low heat, keep stirring to avoid burning and cook till it starts to leave the sides.

·       Sprinkle the Cardamom powder, Rose petals, Tulsi leaves and the Camphor.

·       Mix well

·       Garnish the halwa with fried Cashewnuts and Raisins and serve warm.

Bhutte ka Kees

Ingredients                                                    Quantity

 

Medium sized corns                                          4

Ginger                                                                 2-3 (1/2 inch)

Turmeric                                                             1 tsp.

Chilli powder                                                      1-2 tsp.

Mustard seeds                                                  1 tsp.

Oil                                                                       2 tsp.

Milk                                                                     1/2 cup

Water                                                                 1/2 cup

Lemon juice                                                       2 tsp.

Sugar                                                                 1/2 tsp.

Salt to taste

A pinch of Asafoetida (Heeng)

Chopped coriander and grated coconut for garnishing

Method

  • Grate the corn with a hand grater to make a coarse paste. (You can also use a food processor or mixer grinder but it will affect the taste. It tastes better if you use the hand grater)
  • Chop the ginger and green chilli finely.
  • Add oil in a pan. Add asafetida (heeng) and mustard seeds till it splutter.
  • Add green chillies and chopped ginger.
  • Add corn paste, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Stir it occasionally to make sure that no lumps are formed.
  • Cook it for approx.10-15 mins until the liquid in the corn paste gets dried off and the colour of the mixture changes to golden yellow.
  • Add milk and water. Continue stirring till its consistency becomes like halwa or upma.
  • Add sugar and lemon juice.
  • Garnish it with chopped coriander, grated coconut and serve hot.

Step into the world of Nouvelle Indian Cuisine and cook in style with the help of Asha Khatau!

From Asha Khatau’s kitchen to yours! With the thought of “expressing herself” in mind, the gourmet queen Asha penned her book, Nouvelle Indian Cuisine, which officially released on 30th November 2017.

“The book was a great way to express, what I believe is my unique style of cooking. I was not worried about what people would think. I played around with flavors, had fun, experimented, and at the end of it, tried to bring the world together on a plate” said Asha Khatau

Ms. Anuradha Paudwal said “Asha ji is family, she is like a little sister to me. She has done a great job in this book. I would also like to thank Amruta ji for removing some time from her hectic schedule & marking her gracious presence on our request. I wanted the best lady for the launch of this book. This book is not special just for its content but also the fact that she has entered her 60th year makes it even more special. As far as Amruta ji is concerned, all I can I say is that we have the very best lady as or the first lady, we are proud of you” 

Chef Vicky Ratnani said Definitely this book must go international because there are many people around the world who aspire to cook Indian food. I think the kind of dishes this book has are very trendy easy to make at home. This book is fabulous and one day I will surely cook these recipes”

Nouvelle Indian Cuisine by Asha Khatau, the latest book in The Best of Epicure series, Nouvelle Indian Cuisine by Asha Khatau, is a modern and experimental approach to traditional Indian cuisine.

Nouvelle Indian cuisine, which was inspired by French nouvelle cuisine, began over a decade ago and is now on its way to becoming mainstream. The hallmarks of this cuisine are dishes plated aesthetically in a modern style that are also lighter on the palate.

The recipes featured in this book use the best of traditional Indian flavours while combining them with modern culinary trends. In other words, Indian food prepared with western sensibilities and a modern style of plating and serving making it distinctively unique.

With over hundred delicious recipes to choose from, this book is sure to please the gourmets, foodies, and the young generation. These recipes are easy to master and equally impressive.

About Asha Khatau- Asha Khatau is a well-known figure in the field of gourmet vegetarian cooking. After twenty years of experience in providing memorable meals for her family and friends, Asha was persuaded to start her own cooking classes about eighteen years ago, which run under the name of ‘Epicure’. The classes feature regional cuisines from all over the world. She has also conducted cooking demonstration all over India as well as different parts of the world. During her extensive travels in India and abroad, she makes it a point to visit local bazaars and restaurants to taste authentic flavours and ingredients.

The success of her cooking classes inspired her to write her first book The Best of Epicure’s Vegetarian Cuisines of the World, which was awarded the ‘Best Vegetarian Book in the World’, at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2002, considered to be the Oscars of the cookery world, in the cookbook category.

She has delivered ten more books so far and each one of them is super-successes. Her book, Delectable Desserts of the World, has received an honorable mention at the World Media Awards 2006 in the Best Foreign Cookbook in the World category. Exciting Vegetarian Cuisines of the World placed her among the ‘Top Ten Chefs in the World’ for her research on vegetarian cuisines, at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards at Paris Book Fair 2011.

At a show celebrating 20 years of Gourmand World Cookbook Awards it was announced that Asha’s first book Vegetarian Cuisines of the World was chosen as one of the ‘Top 20 Books in the World’ and is amongst the ‘Best of the Best in the World’.

Her latest activity includes consulting to eminent caterers and restaurants in Mumbai, for menu planning as well as training people in international cuisines, designed to client needs. Her cookery videos are now available on YouTube. She also volunteers at SPJ Sadhana School and Om Creations.

 

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