Chocolates & Dreams

This year has begun on an amazing note. With all the different things that I have been doing in the last two months I knew that this year would be different. What I did not anticipate was that it would begin with attending amazing food events and meeting a few of my favourite bloggers. The invitation to attend The Singapore Takeout, Delhi at the ITC Maurya was a pleasant surprise and the event was everything I had expected and even more. An amazing interactive session with Chef Benjamin Seck from TrueBlue Cuisine, Singapore, Chef Rajkamal Chopra from Welcomhotel Sheraton and Chef Manisha Bhasin from ITC Maurya and a special luncheon made by them inside a travelling pop-up kitchen was completely spell binding and delicious.
The Singapore Takeout & Chef Exchange Program is an initiative by SPICE, Singapore International Culinary Exchange, in collaboration with International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and SPRING Singapore. Its mission is to establish Singapore as a global innovative culinary capital and a must-visit food destination. This event will reach nine strategic markets through it journey, namely London, Paris, Moscow, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Delhi, Dubai and Sydney.
 

The Kitchen Slowly opened to reveal all the Chefs & A photograph from the Better Photography Contest

The event began with a video of the journey of the Singapore Takeout this far and the kitchen was declared open by Mr. Randall TAN Chin Boon, Regional Director, South Asia Middle East & Africa of Singapore Tourism Board. Then the kitchen slow started unwinding and out came the three chefs and there assistants.

Chef Benjamin Beck taught us how to make Roti Jalal

Chef Rajkamal Chopra discussed his inspiration and use of the Laksa Leaf in his Pulao.

The first recipe on the Menu was Nyonya Prawn Curry with Roti Jalal (Lacy Pancakes) and Chef Benjamin Seck taught us how to make the Roti Jalal to perfection. Once we had drooled enough on the heady aroma of the prawn curry and the soft and delicious roti jalal, Chef Rajkamal Chopra took over the kitchen to teach us his take on the Singapore Laksa, Laksa Pulao.

While this session was underway the Popiah Goreng (Fried Spring Rolls) with a filling of cabbage and carrots was served as the first course. The accompanying sauce with the spring roll was delicious and tangy being the perfect combination of vinegar, red chillies and just the right amount of sugar.

The second course was the Laksa Pulao that had just been demonstrated by Chef Rajkamal Chopra. The Laksha Pulao is the chef’s take of Laksa, a popular Singapore street food which is a combination of rice noodles in a spicy, coconut soup. The Pulao was served with raita to add the final Indian touch to the Singapore dish and the marriage of flavours was complete.
The third course was the Nyonya Prawn Curry with Roti Jalal (Lacy Pancakes) by Chef Benjamin Seck. The coconut milk and the added spices in the prawn curry were mouth watering delicious and the lacy pancake took our breaths away.
The fourth course was Chef Manisha Bhasin’s take of Singapore cuisine, a Duet of Asian Inspired Antipasti, a dish featuring Scampi and Lemongrass Ceviche presented in a traditional methi dhania papdi shell drizzled with galangal(blue ginger) and tamarind sauce. This was accompanied by ITC Maurya’s famous Chicken Tikka marinated in Laksa paste and finished with a side of sweet basil naan.
The sweet ending to this delicious meal was a dessert made by Chef Benjamin Seck. Hun Kwee Jagong (Coconut Corn Jelly) is a chilled coconut, corn jelly dessert made from green bean flour wrapped in banana leaf and a favourite of the chef’s as it reminds him of his grandmother making them for afternoon tea.

The gang of bloggers at the event.

This event was made even better by the great company of other bloggers and members of the organising committee and especially Mr. Randall with who we had a long conversation on food Indian & Singaporean. Delicious food, interesting conversations, interactions with the Chefs made the afternoon a complete success. To know more or the journey of Singapore Takeout join them on Facebook or visit www.yoursingapore.com/spice.   

Coconuts are a staple ingredient in every Bengali household. West Bengal is a coastal region that has an abundance of coconut trees. Almost every house has its own trees or at least one tree that is a constant source of coconut supplies.  As children, when we went to spend our summer vacations with my maternal grandparents one of the most exciting event was when a man was hired to climb the three coconut trees to pluck coconuts. A wiry, dark man with just a loin cloth around his waist would first bargain the rate for climbing, once that was finalized he would inspect the trees and another conversation would start about the number of ripe coconuts that can be plucked. Finally the grand show, when he would climb up the tree like a spider and pluck those coconuts.
While coconut were never abundantly used in our household, they were used to make sweets and certain fish delicacies. Coconut milk was never used. Then coconut milk packets suddenly started appearing on grocery shop counters and I started wondering where it came from. In my initial derivations I miss took it for coconut water. Then a little research and colleagues from Kerala revealed its secret to me. I slowly started incorporating it into different dishes I made and then I decided to make it at home. A little asking and a few internet searches had me wondering if it was as simple as it seemed. Now having made it once, I wonder what took me so long. It takes 5 minutes, costs 4 times lesser than what canned coconut milk costs and is fresh and free from preservatives.
So here is my proposition, give it a try, I promise you will never touch store bought coconut milk ever again. If you let it pass, you will at sometime wonder what took you so long, but then, better late than never.
Homemade Coconut Milk :-
Notes:-
•Make sure that the water is hot and not boiling. When pressing the coconut with your hand, first test how hot the coconut is to ensure that you don’t burn yourself.
•You can take out more extract from the coconut. But usually 3 extracts have the maximum flavour.
Fresh grated coconut 1 cup
Hot water 3 cups
•Heat 1 cup water and add to the grated coconut. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
•Pour the coconut and water mix through a thin sieve into another vessel. Press out the remaining water from the coconut with your hands.
•This is the first extract and is also called coconut cream. The liquid is dense and forms a foamy layer on top.
•Now heat the second cup of water and pour into the coconut. Repeat the procedure as above.  This will yield the second extract.
•Repeat the same procedure with the third cup of water. It will give the third extract.
Yields : 1 cup – Coconut Cream(first extract)
        1 cup – Coconut Milk (second extract)
        1 cup – Coconut Milk (third extract)

Enjoy ! ! !

 BBC GoodFood is coming to India. To be launched on the 21nd October 2011, this is a magazine that is every foodie’s dreams come true. Full of simple easy to do recipes, local and international restaurant reviews, Master Class that will reveal the culinary secrets of internationally renowned chefs and all that accompanied by gorgeous food photographs that are triple tested and handpicked.
Divided into five simple sections : First Bite – It’s all about the food buzz in town, from big events to best bargains. Eat In – Simple triple tested recipes ranging from easy to cook after office dinners to weekend “show off”. Eat Out – A complete guide from a small café to fancy dinners. Eat Away – A complete journal of what to eat and where to eat it with some exciting recipes for company. The Master Class – A cooking lesson from internationally renowned chefs. Culinary secrets and cooking tips, all revealed. This is a magazine that will give you food dreams all day and a food paradise at night.  
With the launch of the BBC GoodFood India comes the GoodFood Survey. As India’s first international food magazine, GoodFood Survey tries to understand the dining habits of food-lovers around the world, and now seeks to understand the Indian palate.
The survey comes with the promise of great rewards – 1 lucky participant stands to win a culinary holiday to the Fontanafredda vineyards in Italy. Other prizes include a gift pack containing a voucher for two for a great dining experience at any of three fabulous restaurants in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore -
Olive Bar & Kitchen, Manchester United Café and Aromas of China.
Here is the cherry on the cake. BBC GoodFood India is further giving away 5 free copies to lucky readers to start them off on this amazing journey of food. All you have to do is leave a comment after this post and you could be among the lucky 5.
So what are you waiting for -
1.Take the GoodFood Survey for the opportunity to win great prizes.
2.Leave me a comment and win the first copy of the magazine absolutely free. This contest is open only to Indian residents.
Now here is something to cool you off after all the heady excitement and to bring so relief from the scorching heat. Beautiful ruby pearls, peeking out of a sea of serene white curd. The very thought gives me a calm feeling and a spoonful of this yummy goodness will transfer you to a world of peace. Made with a very few ingredients, this is a recipe that can be made within minutes and is a complete charmer.
Pomegranate Raita :-
Notes :-
•I like my raita sweet so I have left the sugar content wide open. The taste is your choice.
•The quantity of the pomegranate is also very flexible. Add or reduce to your liking.
Thick curd 200 grams
Water ½ cup
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 2 – 4 tbsp
Pomegranate pearls ½ - ¾ cup
•Mix the curd, water, salt and sugar to a nice smooth mix.
•Add in the pomegranates.
•Serve chilled.
 Serves : 4 - 5.

Enjoy ! ! !

Disclamer : All pictures other than those of the Pomegranate Raita are taken form the BBC GoodFood website with prior approval.

I want to take a moment to remember all those people who have lost their lives and all those who have been affected by the tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March 2011. It has been an excruciating experience not only to watch the devastation that has happened but also to realize that it could be a reality for us as well. All that is being said and discussed points to one very serious issue, we need to “Be Very Scared” as Samar Halarnkar says. Japan is one country which has been aware and prepared for earthquakes and natural calamities. It is a country that has an odd 2000 earthquakes every year some of which are not even felt. Now the threat of a nuclear meltdown and food chain contamination looms heavy. Japan is a nation that can really handle a crisis and has a complete mechanism set and operational to handle such problems, but it is still trying to cope. India on the other hand is still a developing country; even the thought of a plan to manage a natural calamity, is not a point of discussion.

That being said, we have faced natural disasters in our country. The tsunami that hit the country on 26th December 2004 had affected 3,41,5000 people. India had been the third most affect country. But are we prepared to face such a natural disaster again? Have we as a country prepared ourselves and our citizens to deal or cope with such situations? I think not. That is one question that has been looming heave on my heart and mind the past few days.

As the heat sets in it is time to look towards food that will cool the body and soul. One of the popular foods of choice during all summer in my kitchen is curd. The appeal begins with the colour. White reminds me of everything pure, calm, composed, cool and serene. It is the colour I would love to wear all summer and drape my windows and envelop my home in.

When I moved to Mumbai from Delhi almost 9 months back I was happy about one thing; that I would not have to tolerate the gruesome Delhi heat. Mumbai summers as I remembered them were more humid than hot and there were always those pleasant evenings to look forward to. But with all the global warming now Mumbai has touched a 41.6 degree C in the month of March.

Well here is an easy to do solution to beat the heat.

Boondi Raita :-

Notes :

• To make bhuna jeera (cumin) powder heat a thick bottomed vessel and add in cumin seeds. Reduce the gas to low and stir the seeds occasionally till they don’t become a deep brown and start emitting a nice aroma. Be very careful at this point because it is rather easy to burn the seeds at this point. Remove from the vessel and grind to powder.

Curd 400 grams
Boondi 100 grams
Salt ½ tsp
Sugar 1-2 tsp
Bhuna jeera(cumin) powder 2 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Water ½ cup

• Mix the curd and water and stir to make a smooth mix.

• Add in the salt, sugar, red chili powder and cumin powder and mix well. The taste of the curd is very individual choices so do change the proportion of the spices accordingly. But I would recommend that you add in the sugar, it gives a different flavour to the raita.

• In a saucepan heat about 3 cups of water. Switch off the gas when bubbles appear and add in the boondi. Let soak for a minute.

• Now drain the boondi on a mesh and let sit for 5 minutes. The dipping make the boondi soft and it soaks in the curd faster. If you like the raita crunchy add in the boondi just before serving and don’t soak it in water. The only important thing to remember here is that the boondi should be absolutely fresh. Soaking the boondi in water removes the traces of oil it has been fried in. if you use stale boondi in a crunchy raita you will end up with a stale tasting raita.

• Sprinkle with some more bhuna jeera powder to decorate. Serve with lunch or dinner and let the curd cool your body and soul.

Serves : 4

Enjoy ! ! !

It wasn’t very long ago that I could never make sense of anyone liking broccoli. I found it tasteless, a little bitter a bit like bitter gourd and well bland was my biggest problem. Broccoli is still little known and even less used in an Indian kitchen. It was even more surprising as India is listed as the second largest producer of cabbage and broccoli in the world.

An Indian meal, simplest or fanciest will consist of a salad if you please with the cucumber, tomato and onions being the most common to a few fancy one’s and then right to the chapatis, rice, lentils and vegetables or chicken, mutton or fish. So there is no real place for an entrée or a side dish. With a multi-cultural country that has different languages, regions, religions, climates and availability of food stuff I cannot even dare to begin to define food patterns here. What I am saying is from experience in the many different households or even the finest of restaurants that I have eaten in. So broccoli isn’t even on the list of vegetables to be considered for cooking.

It is only now that it is readily available in the metro where eating patterns are emerging and changing with all the different cuisines at offer. Further broccoli is also considered a huge source of Vitamin C, folic acid, potassium; it is a rich source of many anti-cancer components and a rich source of dietary fibers. It is considered one of the most important vegetables and it is recommended to be added to the meal as a routine.

With all this information flooding in I decided to give it a try, again. I started with incorporating it into salads after steaming in the microwave. That seems to take care of the bitterness. Then I saw these amazing and fresh cherry tomatoes and remembered that a broccoli had been sitting in the refrigerator neglected. The combination sparked an idea. Don’t you have moments when you’re presented with an array of fresh vegetables and there is just this one that you can’t wait to get started with? So was the case with me. With an idea fresh in my head I rushed back home and started on the experiment.

It was a good combination and can become a regular as a side dish to spice up a dinner with colour and the goodness of broccoli and tomatoes.

Broccoli & Cherry Tomato Stir Fry :-

Broccoli 1
Cherry tomatoes about 12
Garlic sliced 3-4 pieces
Black peppercorns 12-20
Salt to taste
Olive oil 1-2 tbsp

• Wash the broccoli well and cut into small florets. Wash the cherry tomatoes and slit halfway so that the flavour release once stir fried.
• Mix the sliced garlic and black peppercorns in your hand grinder and grind well. This is done to release the garlic and pepper flavour.
• Heat a deep bottomed pan and add in the olive oil. It will start to steam almost immediately.
• Quickly add in the broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, garlic-peppercorn mix and salt.
• Stir fry on high for 2-3 minutes and then reduce the heat and let cook for another 5-8 minutes.
• In this time the broccoli will become tender and the flavour will incorporate well.
• Serve hot and immediately for the flavours to come out well. I have observed that broccoli is best served immediately. It doesn’t retain the crunch or taste if cooked beforehand and reheated.

Serves : 2-3.

Enjoy ! ! !

The year 2010 has been an eventful year. There have been changes, both good and bad but it has still been an exciting year. I always prefer to remember all that was good and think of bad things as those nightmares you wake up from to find that all is well. Life is really too short to let it wane away in sadness. So here I am compiling a list of all the great and happy moments of the year that is soon to end.

All the excitement started around mid-year when we welcome into the world my little niece Koel on the 15th of June.

Then we celebrated my parent’s 40th marriage anniversary in July. It was an amazing trip back home and all the time spent with family and friends is never enough. Love you Mom N Dad.

My visit back home got me reconnected to two school friends one of whom I meet after almost 10 years. We built new bridges and this one will stay for life. One of them will soon be tying the knot and moving away but that friendship is for life.

And while all this was happening we were also in the process of shifting homes. We were moving form Delhi to Mumbai. The shifting was a tedious and difficult process. In the years I had been living in Delhi the city had kind of crept under my skin and it was difficult for me to let go.

Coming to Mumbai after 2005 was a great change. The best part about being here is that now I get to meet my sister often. Not every day even thought we live within the same compound but every week.

This Diwali we spent in Goa & well need I say more. There fun, relaxation and lots of quality time spent together.

Then as we were still settling into our new home the new of my cousins’ marriage came. He is just 2 years younger and we have had some really good time together. So I was all geared up for a wedding in November. And what added to all the fun and excitement was that I would be meeting my Mashi’s(aunts)after 4 years. Going back to my maternal grandparent’s house always reminds me of those carefree childhood summers we spent there. I spent an amazing 10 days enjoying myself and eating all the goodies that Kolkata has to offer from the delicious snacks to the amazing range of sweets. But the sad part is that I was so busy eating them I took no pictures. But I will next time, that’s a promise. We had a good wedding and welcome into our family a sweet & beautiful doll, Gargi.

I also celebrated my 4th marriage anniversary with family and a lot of fun. But those pictures I really can’t put up. :-)

The month of November also brought news of another birth. That, of a dear friend’s son. May God bless him with health and happiness.

Then we had a good yearend trip to Coorg, Yercaud & Ooty. Beautiful places to visit. I will put up a good detail in my travelogue but as for now here are a few amazing pictures.
    

Then, arrived our much awaited and anticipated Sony Alpha 33. I am still getting used to it but it does give a whole new perspective to photography.

The cheery on the pie was getting selected a one of “The 30 Best Recipes of 2010” on Chacko’s Kitchen. I really can’t thank Abraham & Susan from chackoskitchen.com, Thasneen from Thasneen.com; Alka from SindhiRasoi.com and Smitha from LittleFoodJunction.blogspot.com enough for having created, hosted and compiling a great list of recipes staring from starters, main course, snacks and desserts. This could be used as a ready guide to some very delicious dishes. This was a great event to participate in and it does make you want to do better and achieve more. Go check out the post http://chackoskitchen.com/2010/12/the-30-best-recipes-from-2010/

On this happy note wishing you all a Very Happy New Year, filled with lots of love, hope & prosperity.


P.S : I can already see a January filled with activity with a 2 wedding, one of a dear friend and the other of a sweet sister. And we are all eagerly awaiting two new additions to the family. So what about you? How was your year? Tell me and also what all are you looking forward too?

There comes a recipe in all our lives which make us walk right to the kitchen, sometime in total trance and start working. Then the lack of an ingredient or an instrument is never a hindrance.
Coffee Toffee was such a recipe. The very combination and the simplicity of the method just made me go straight to the kitchen. The combination of a toffee base with a chocolate coating was as amazing an idea as it was simple. I have been toying with the idea of making chocolate bark but have somehow not gotten around to that. I was probably the summer heat clubbed with a lot of traveling and work that has kept me away. But coffee toffee was the end of that. I saw the recipe and walked straight to the kitchen. It is a perfect recipe and gets done in no time. I would avoid adding the salt the next time as almost all the butter that we get in India does contain some quantity of salt. Further I would also reduce the sugar a little as I don’t have a very sweet tooth even though hubby or mom will find it to be perfect. But that is a personal preference. Further I would really recommend using the thermometer. I do not own a candy thermometer at this time but it is on the top of my list. But using a normal thermometer should also do in the case you are in the same situation as mine.

With no further ado here is the recipe.

Coffee Toffee :
Adapted from : Smitten Kitchen 

Butter 1 cup
Brown sugar ½ cup
White sugar ½ cup
Honey/Maple syrup 1 ½ tsp
Salt ¼ tsp (omit if using salted butter)
Coffee powder/espresso powder 1 ½ tsp
Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate cut to thin pieces 1 cup
Chopped walnuts, pecans or any other dry fruits of your choice ½ cup

• Toast the nuts in the oven on a baking sheet for about 7-8 minutes or till the time they start to release a fragrance. Spread them out evenly on the baking sheet to avoid any burning. Further also be careful as the time between the pleasant fragrance and burnt smell is very little.


• In a medium heavy saucepan melt the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, honey, salt and coffee. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a whisk till it is bubbling. Now at this point if you are using a thermometer go to the original recipe for details. And if you are working blind like I did let it boil for five minutes till it starts getting a jelly like consistency. Now I stopped at this stage but was left with a candy that was too soft. So the next time I will keep going another 5 minutes till it is thicker. Or you could just save yourself the trouble and go buy a candy thermometer. This recipe has made me desperate enough to buy one.

• Pour the candy mix immediately into the prepared baking sheet. You can spread it more evenly by twirling the mix around a bit. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee and let them sit for a minute until soft, then spread the chocolate evenly over the candy base.

• Sprinkle the chocolate with chopped nuts and then let it set at room temperature and if you can’t wait to break a piece and taste it put it into the freezer for about half an hour. That should be sufficient time for it to set.
• Now break it into pieces and store in an airtight container. If your kitchen is warm store it in the refrigerator and try not to eat it all by yourself. Sharing is a virtue we are taught as children. What would mom say now ….

Enjoy ! ! !