Explore the Chef within you this Lockdown

This Lockdown has given us a little or a lot more time on our hands, a luxury most of us don’t have in our daily routines and work life. Though this isolation has come with its own challenges, it has also given us the opportunity to experiment and indulge in long lost hobbies or develop new ones.

We bring some amazing recipes for you courtesy some of the leading chefs in Delhi-NCR. Wear your Chef’s hat and indulge your family with some delicious food during lockdown.

Sookhe Aloo Bukhare Ka Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

• Paneer – 250 gms
• Curd – 50 gms
• White Pepper – 3 gms
• Amul Cheese – 50 gms
• Cardamom Powder – 4 gms
• Cooking Cream – 20 ml
• Refined Oil – 10 ml
• Prunes – 50 gms
• Butter – 20 gms
• Cashew Nuts – 30 gms
• Beetroot – 20 gms
• Deggi Mirch – 10 gms
• Jerra Powder – 5 gms
• Chaat Masala – 5 gms

Preparation

1. Cut paneer in 2 inches thick slices. Marinate it with salt, deggi mirch and jeera powder in first marination.
2. Make a marination with hung curd, kaju paste, beetroot paste, amul cheese, cream, salt, cardamom powder & refined oil.
3. Stuff paneer with prune and the second marination mix well.
4. Skewer it and cook it in the tandoor or oven till cooked through.
5. Sprinkle some chat masala & serve hot.

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Chef Gourav Malhotra
Executive Chef – IBIS Gurgaon

Phulka Taco – Couple Special

Ingredients

• Mutton Boneless – boiled & pulled – 120 gms
• Vindaloo Sauce (readymade) – 20 gms
• Onion – 20 gms
• Tomato Chopped – 20 gms
• Cumin Whole – 5 gms
• Salt – 2 gms
• Phulka – 2
• Cheese Cream Sauce – 30 gms
• Cucumber Diced – 30 gms
• Cheddar Cheese – 15 gms
• Oil – 5 ml
• Chips – 30 gms
• Sour Cream – 10 ml
• Lemon – 1 wedge
• Desi Ghee – 2 gms
• Green Leafy lettuce – 2

Masala Onion

• Onion – 20 gms
• Sal – 1 gm
• Vinegar – 2 ml
• Red Chilli powder – 2 gms
• Coriander green – 2 gms
• Green Chilli – 2 gms

Method

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin and let it crackle.
2. Add vindaloo sauce, salt and sauté it for 1-2 minutes
3. Add pulled mutton and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, remove from fire and keep aside
4. Place both the phukla and spread cheese cream sauce on it and grated cheddar cheese
5. Place lettuce on phulka and divide the mixture on top of it equally
6. Mix chopped onion, tomato and cucumber and sprinkle on top.
7. Squeeze some more cheese cream sauce on top.
8. Mix all ingredients for masala onion & toss well.
9. Fold the phulka and serve with chips, sour cream and masala onion on side.

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Dark Chocolate Macaroons

Material Required: Baking tray, Silicon mat, Small round nozzle, Piping bags, Edible gel colors of choice.

Ingredients

Macaroon

• Castor sugar – 25 gms
• Egg whites – 100 gms
• Almond powder – 125 gms
• Icing sugar – 200 gms

Rich Chocolate Genache Filling

• Dark chocolate – 150 gms
• Fresh cream – 100 gms

Preparation

1. Whisk egg whites and sugar by adding sugar gradually in batches until soft peaks form.
2. Sift almond powder and icing sugar together. Add this to egg white mixture in 3 batches by cut and fold method.
3. Add color at this stage.
4. Line a baking tray with silicon mat.
5. Using a round nozzle, pipe about 1 inch (diameter) of macaroons on silicon mat.
6. Rest the macaroons for 30 mins. Preheat oven at 160°c meanwhile.
7. Bake at 160°c for 18-20 mins.
8. Let the macaroons cool completely before removing from tray.

Filling

1. Melt chocolate and fresh cream together on a double boiler until smooth and glossy.
2. Cool down for at least 2 hours or until piping consistency.

To assemble the macaroons, pipe ganache in small circle on one macaroon. Cover with another one and slightly press. The delicious dark chocolate macaroons are ready.

Bete Noir

Ingredients

Cake

• Water – 1 cup
• Sugar – 3/4 cup
• Unsalted butter, diced – 9 tbsp
• Bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped – 510 gm
• Large eggs – 6

Ganache

• Heavy whipping cream – 1 cup
• Dark semisweet chocolate, chopped – 226 gms
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preparation

For Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°f. Butter 10-inch-diameter spring form pan and line bottom of pan with butter paper. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim.
2. Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.
4. Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

For Ganache

1. Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth.
2. Pour ganache on top of the cake while still in pan. Distribute ganache evenly over cake. Cover & refrigerate for 2 hours until the ganache is set.
3. Run knife around pan sides to loosen the cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Slip into your Chef’s apron and cook away these delightful recipes for you and your loved ones. Bon Appetit!