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.”  

5^th 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