Sunday, March 9, 2014

Women's Day Culinary session at The Imperial

We just finished celebrating International Women's Day yesterday. After the Facebook festoons and the Archies emotional overload and television tomes and the NGO nostalgia and maybe a few lucky bouquets here and there, our lives have come back to normal today. We still bother with the same old routines, multi-tasking careers, kids, personal passions, friends, family. Days run past in a hurry. We still wish for eight pairs of hands Indian-goddess style. Woolens have to be packed now, kids aptly tutored and propped for exams, waist lines have to be whittled, weighing scales have to be challenged, nutritional requirements to be met for all at home every day.

We are conquering new horizons day by day but one thing about being women is that moving on to bigger roles does not ever make you retire from your basic roles. We are still held accountable for how our homes look, how the kids fare at school, what turns up on the table. I do not mean this in a regressive way but a matter-of-fact way. One thing that being a woman has taught all of us is to never run away from realities of life unless of course you decide to live in a kibbutz or a commune of some kind, which is fine by me too, for all fairness. But in homes we do not outsource love, we do not outsource caring yet. We do not outsource concern and we do not outsource responsibility, no matter what we become professionally.

So aptly enough The Imperial Culinary Club kept it basic. As a way of showing solidarity to all the myriad roles women play, their Women's Day offering was a session on brilliant and easy to do 'One Pot Dishes' some of which can be used as 'One Dish meals' that can be prepared in a jiffy with a little planning ahead. They can make menu-planning a lot easier for women and bring a lot of happiness and sunshine onto a dining table. Do try, if you please, women and men!

Vijay Wanchoo- Sr. Executive VP and GM, The Imperial New Delhi shared his views on the occasion “We chose to conduct demonstration of these one pot recipes which are not only super delicious and nutritious but are interesting and easy to cook as well. Filled with the goodness of carefully selected ingredients and less on the carb-loaded quotient, the recipes perfectly fit the lifestyle of multi-tasking woman who is hard-pressed on time but is keen on preparing healthy and flavourful meals for her family. The session at The Imperial Culinary Club just suited the occasion while succumbing to the need of the hour.”  

5th March 2014



1.    Burmese laksa soup
2.  Watermelon salad with citrus vinaigrette and mixed green
3.   Ratatouille lasagna
4.  Shepherd’s pie
5.  Mushroom fricassee pie
6.  Vanilla crème caramel 
1) Burmese Laksa Soup



INGREDIENTS
QUANTITY
UNIT
STEPS
METHOD
Grated ginger
Grated garlic
Chopped onion


Egg noodles
Eggs

15
10
25


150
2


   Gms
Gms
Gms


Gms
No.


1.




2.
Place the chopped onions, ginger, garlic and add 4 tablespoons of water into a blender. Puree until it forms a rough paste

Boil the egg/wheat noodles and drain. Soft-boil the eggs and slice into wedges and keep aside





Chicken Breast
Paprika + Chili Flakes
Salt
200
10
To Taste
Gms
Gms
3.
Slice the chicken breast into small strips and marinate with chilli flakes, salt and paprika and let it sit for 5-7 mins
Gram flour
Vegetable oil
Chicken stock








Turmeric
Paprika

60
15
3








10
15
Gms
ml
Cups








Gms
Gms
4.




5.





6.




7.
Place the gram flour in a bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of the chicken broth to mix well. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil

When the oil is hot, toss in the chicken and stir-fry until lightly browned. Some of the fat will get rendered from the chicken skin. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon

Using the same pan, add sliced onions to the pan and cook slowly. When onions start to caramelize, add turmeric and paprika

Add the onion, ginger puree and remaining 2 cups of chicken stock, carefully add the flour and stock
mixture and mix well to avoid any lumps.
Coconut milk
Salt/Pepper

For the garnish:
Lime or lemon wedges
Scallions (cut diagonally)
Hard boiled eggs cut crosswise in to slices              
Corrriander sprig (optional)                               
Fried garlic slivers

200
To taste
 Ml
8.


9.


10.
Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for 6-8 mins.

Add the coconut milk and return to simmer for another 4-5 mins.

Place the egg/wheat noodles in a bowl, then ladle the chicken broth over.
Top with the desired garnish and serve



1.           2) Watermelon salad with  citrus vinaigrette and mixed greens


INGREDIENTS
QUANTITY
UNIT
STEPS
METHOD

Walnuts


25

Gms

1.

Roast the walnut halves in a skillet over medium heat and set aside to cool.






Orange
Lemon
Honey
Red wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

3
1
25
15
75
To taste
To taste

Nos
Nos
Ml
Ml
Ml

2.



3.
Squeeze the orange juice and lemon juice in a bowl and mix with honey and red wine vinegar.

Slowly add olive oil to the bowl and whisk until it starts to emulsify. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Water melon
Red onion slices
Orange segments
Salad greens
Avocado
Feta cheese

Salt/Pepper

300
1
20
200
2
75

To taste
Gms
No
nos
Gms
Nos
gms
4.




5.
In a large bowl toss the watermelon, walnut, salad greens, avocado dices, orange segments and red onion.

To serve sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese and drizzle over the dressing.


3) Ratatouille lasagna




INGREDIENTS
QUANTITY
UNIT
STEPS
METHOD
For pasta dough
Semolina / refined flour
Eggs
Salt    
Olive oil        



1
8
5
10

Kg
Nos
Gms
ml

1.





2.
Make a hard dough with the ingredients.

Roll into thin sheets with a pasta machine cut to an even size, as desired.

Blanch in salted boiling water.
Drain and drizzle some olive oil and keep aside
Onion (chopped)           
Garlic clove            chopped
Zucchini-diced           
Eggplant-diced           
Tomato-chopped           
Red capsicum            -diced
Yellow capsicum-diced
Green capsicum-diced  
Basil  
Tomato purees           
1
10
100
200
150
100
100
100
20
100
Nos
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
ml

3.


4.



5.
Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan and set on medium heat.

Add chopped onions and sauté until it starts to sweat. Add garlic to the pan and cook slowly.

Add rest of the vegetables and cook until these tender. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 mins.

Remove from heat, add basil leaves and allow it to infuse
           








White sauce
Grated parmesan









100
60










Gms
Gms


6.



7.




8.

Lightly grease a baking dish, drop the tomato sauce and spread all over the baking dish.

Place a thinly rolled out lasagna sheet, add half the mixture in the dish and repeat the process 2 to 3 times or as desired.

Cover the top with white sauce and grated parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for 10-15 mins until golden and serve.


 4) Shepherd’s pie




INGREDIENTS
QUANTITY
UNIT
STEPS
METHOD
For mashed potatoes:

Potatoes
Milk
Nutmeg
Salt
butter



200
50
A pinch
To taste
50



Gms
Ml
-
-
Gms

1.



2.



3.


Peel and quarter the potatoes and cook in boiling salted water until tender but little firm. Drain in a colander and pass it through a potato masher.

Bring the milk to luke warm temperature. Add the mashed potatoes to the pan and stir well to avoid any lumps.

Fold the butter cubes into the potatoes.
Season with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, white pepper.
Carrot-chopped
Onion-chopped
Garlic-chopped
Celery-chopped
Ground lamb
Refined Flour
Green peas
Chicken stock
Tomato paste
Salt
Black pepper crushed         
Butter
80
80
30
20
400
2
50
150
50
To taste
To taste
80
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Tbs
Gms
Ml
ms
-
-
gms
4.



5.



6.
Sauté onions, carrots and celery in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat. Add minced lamb and cook further for 5-7 mins or until it starts to brown.

Add the flour to the pan and stir well. Add tomato paste, green peas and chicken stock to the pan and simmer until sauce starts to thicken.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Finishing and baking in the oven, pre heat the oven at 150 and keep ready to use for the dish.









7.



8.

Drop the mixture into the heat- proof dish , cover the mixture with mashed potatoes or pipe and brush with butter.

Bake in a preheated oven until a golden brown crust is achieved and serve immediately.






5) Mushroom fricassee pie


INGREDIENTS
QUANTITY
UNIT
STEPS
METHOD
For pie crust
Refined flour
Unsalted butter
Ice water
Salt


320
150
60
½

Gms
Gms
Ml
tsp


1.




Make dough with the ingredients and roll the pie dough in a circle with the help of a rolling pin. Transfer the dough into a pie mould.


Onion-chopped
Garlic-chopped
Fresh button mushroom
Chanterelle mushroom
Porcini mushroom    
White wine (optional)       
Dijon mustard                       
Butter                                    
Thyme                       
Heavy Cream            
Cheese parmesan


40
20
300
100
75
100
30
40
5
80
60

Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Gms
Ml
Gms
Gms
Gms
Ml
Gms


2.




3.


4.

Heat a wide sized skillet over low heat. Add butter to the pan and sauté onions, cook for few minutes until translucent.
Add garlic and cook further for 1 min.

Carefully add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook till it is nicely browned.

Add chopped thyme, mustard, cream to the pan and simmer for 2-3 mins. Season with salt and black pepper, remove from heat, add cheese and stir to combine.
Allow it to cool.

Finishing and baking in the oven



5.




6.

Drop the mixture in to the bottom of the pie crust. Cover with another sheet of pie dough. Cut some slits in to the dough for vents.

Brush the pie with egg wash and bake at 350 degree F until golden brown and crisp










































6)Vanilla crème caramel


INGREDIENTS
QUANTITY
UNIT
STEPS
METHOD

Sugar



75

Gms

1.

In a saucepan add sugar and cook over low heat until sugar is melted and golden in color.

Milk


Whole Eggs
Vanilla essence

500


5
few drops

ml


no.


2.


3.


4.
Then pour the sugar into 6-8 oz custard mould to coat the bottom and set aside till it crystallizes.
In a large bowl beat egg & sugar.
Add luke warm milk to it and combine well. Ensure it does not get foamy.
Add vanilla essence and strain the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the caramelized sugar mould




5.

6.




7.

Cover with aluminium foil individually.

Put water in  to the 1/3 depth of the baking pan and carefully place custard mould  into  baking pan and bake at 350 F  for 30 to 40 minutes until mixture becomes firm.

Remove from the pan and allow it to cool. To de-mould, run a knife around the rim of the custard mould and invert onto dessert plate. Garnish with desired topping and serve cold






















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