( Heat butter in a pan add the red chilly flakes and red chilly powder cook for a minute till well combined and switch off the stove, do not over cook and burn them.)
Ingredients for the green base
Olive oil - 2 tsp
Parsley - 1 tsp
( crush parsley with olive oil to a coarse paste )
Ingredients for the poached eggs
Water as needed
Vinegar or Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Eggs - 2
( Break an egg into a bowl , heat water in a pan add vinegar and give a boil reduce the heat and gently drop the eggs from the bowl into the water. simmer till the egg yolk are runny and white are set . Repeat with the second egg too. Using a slotted spoon gently remove the eggs from the water.
Garnish
Chopped Dill or Parsley leaves
Cilbir
Assembling
Take a plate spread the yogurt mixture place the poached eggs on top. Drizzle the butter sauce and the parsley olive oil paste generously on top. Garnish with Dill or Parsley leaves and enjoy immediately with toasted bread !
Asparagus - 1 bunch
( trim the edges and cut into '' long)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Stir fry sauce - 3 tsp
Toasted sesame oil - 2 tsp
Chopped garlic - 6
Sliced onion - a handful
Sesame oil - 3 tsp
Method
Heat oil in a pan at medium high flame sauté onion, garlic and asparagus till they a crisp and cooked.
Add salt, pepper powder, stir fry sauce and toss well.
Switch off the stove add toasted sesame seeds mix and serve with fried rice.
( you can replace with fresh cherry tomatoes cut into halves)
Tuscan Seafood
Ingredients for garnish
Chopped basil - 8 to 10 leaves
Parmesan cheese - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Chilly flakes - 1 tsp
Tuscan Fish
Method
Apply salt and pepper to both sides of the fish fillets and rest for 5 minutes, heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the fish till both sides are slightly brown. keep it aside.
Heat some butter in the same pan fry onion and garlic till colour changes. Add the sun dried tomatoes, spinach, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté till the spinach shrinks.
Add the flour and mix till raw smell has disappeared, lower the flame and add the milk and the broth cook till the sauce becomes thick.
Arrange all the fried fish and gently mix till combined, switch off the stove.
Sprinkle the cheese, red chilly flakes, chopped basil leaves and the lemon juice on top.
Add milk chocolate chips into a bowl and melt them in microwave for a minute and extra 15 seconds if needed or melt using a double boiler.
Once melted pour it into the lined tray and spread evenly using a rubber spatula. Each microwave is different so melting time may vary.
Same way melt the white chocolate and pour it on top of the melted milk chocolate , spread evenly.
While still warm sprinkle all the nuts , dry fruits and cake sprinkles, arrange the cherry on top and gently press so they stick well with the chocolate.
Keep it in fridge for 30 minutes or till hard , remove from the fridge and break into pieces and enjoy!
Note:
a) Use any nut or fruit of your choice.
b) If you don't have chocolate chips use cooking chocolate bars.
( add 1 or 2 tbsp of flour if your dough is sticky)
Milk powder - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Dry Yeast - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Luke warm water - 1 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Method
Take warm water in a bowl add the yeast ,sugar and salt mix to dissolve, cover and wait for the yeast to activate may be 5 to 10 minutes.
Once its foamy add the flour and milk powder gently mix to form a soft dough. If dough is sticky add more flour to get the right consistency.
Dough should not be very stiff like we knead for roti. Grease a bowl and place the dough , cover with a tight lid and wait for 1 to 2 hours for the dough to double in size.
Punch the dough slightly to knock out the air and knead once , divide the dough into small equal size balls. Roll the balls into thick poori or roll out the whole dough like a thick sheet and cut into circles using a cookie cutter.
Apply oil on both sides of the bun and fold it into half, place these on a parchment paper or banana leaf. Applying oil prevents the fold of the to bun to stick together.
Cover and rest for another 30 minutes to rise. Steam these buns till they puff up. Once cooked they look glossy and dry on top.
I covered the steamer lid while steaming with a cloth so the water does not drip down on the buns and the towel will absorb the water (this step is optional).
Filling ingredients
Paneer cut into small cubes - 2 cups
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Jeera powder - 3/4 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup
Ginger and garlic paste - 1/2 tsp)
( Take a bowl add all the above mentioned ingredients except onion and oil, mix well and marinate for 10 minutes) .
Chopped onions - 1/4 cup
Oil - 3 tsp
Paneer Bao
Garnish
Carrots, Cucumber - cut into thin strips
Chopped coriander leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pan fry the onions till colour changes but still has the crunch , add the marinated paneer along with the curd mixture. In high flame mix well till raw smell has disappeared and paneer is dry.
Switch off the stove garnish with coriander leaves.
Assembling
Take a bao bun fill it up with some panner mixture, garnish with cucumber. carrots and coriander leaves. These as served as an appetizer in Taiwan.
Note:
Be creative in making your own filling. Today i have shown a basic paneer filling.
Take a baking dish pour olive oil and all the ingredients except the fish and feta cheese, toss well till combined.
Broil them in LOW till the vegetables are roasted and light brown.
Remove from the oven and place the fish on top of the roasted vegetables , sprinkle some salt and pepper and evenly add the crumbled feta cheese on top and drizzle olive oil.
Again BROIL in LOW till the fish is cooked and feta cheese is in light brown on top.
Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves and squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve hot.
Pat the fish with a kitchen tissue to remove extra moisture.
Sprinkle salt, pepper powder, olive oil rub both sides of the fish, sprinkle maida on both sides till well dusted. Place the fish inside the air fryer basket. You can even fry with some oil in a pan on stove.
Heat Gourmia air fryer press seafood mode and fry for 10 minutes turning the fish after 5 minutes. To get a crust i broiled the fish for 10 minutes. Each air fryer is different so temperature and frying time may vary.Keep the fish aside.
Heat butter in a pan when melted add the garlic and cook till butter changes to light golden brown colour and garlic has been roasted.
Switch off the stove and add the salt , pepper powder, few drops of lemon juice and basil mix well.Your brown butter sauce is ready
Assembling
Take a plate pour some brown sauce at the base place the fried fish on top and pour the remaining sauce on top.
Sprinkle the red chilly flakes, pepper powder, drizzle some lemon juice and serve.
( Place a heavy weight on top of the firm tofu slab for 20 minutes for extra water to drain out.Pat dry using a kitchen tissue and then cut into cubes)
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
All purpose flour / Maida - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Salt & Pepper powder to taste
Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1tsp
( Take a zip lock and add all the ingredients, put the tofu too and shake the bag till all the tofu pieces are well coated with the flour mixture.Deep fry or shallow fry in batches till golden brown on all sides and keep it aside, Save some fried oil to sauté the vegetables.)
Other ingredients
Sliced onion - 1/2 cup
Sliced Red bell pepper - 1/2 cup
Chopped ginger and garlic - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 6
Cashew nuts - 15
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Spring onions - a handful
Oil - 2 tbsp
( use the tofu fried oil)
Stock /Broth - as needed
( add only if you don't want a dry dragon tofu)
Indo Chinese Dragon Tofu
Method
Heat oil in a pan add cashew nuts,red chilles,ginger and garlic,saute till color changes.
Add the onions and capsicum sauté in high flame for a minute. Reduce flame add the sauces,salt,sugar,red chilly powder and toss well.
Lastly add the fried tofu pieces quickly give a mix and switch off the stove.
Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with Fried rice.
Note
a) Use dark soy sauce for this dish
b) Adjust the sauces and spices according to your taste.
c) If you don't want a dry mixture then add some stock/broth after adding the sauces.
( Mix all above ingredients together and rest for 20 minutes.Deep fry in batches till golden brown on all sides and keep it aside,Save some fried oil to sauté the vegetables.)
Other ingredients
Sliced onion - 1/2 cup
Sliced Red bell pepper - 1/2 cup
Chopped ginger and garlic - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 5
Cashew nuts - 10
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Spring onions - a handful
Oil - 2 tbsp
( use the chicken fried oil)
Stock /Broth - as needed
( add only if you don't want a dry dragon tofu)
Method
Heat oil in a pan add cashew nuts,red chilles,ginger and garlic,saute till color changes.
Add the onions and capsicum sauté in high flame for a minute. Reduce flame add the sauces,salt,sugar,red chilly powder and toss well.
Lastly add the fried chicken quickly give a mix and switch off the stove.
Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with Fried rice.
Note
a) Use dark soy sauce for this dish
b) Adjust the sauces and spices according to your taste.
c) If you don't want a dry mixture then add some stock/broth after adding the sauces.
( trim the edges and cut into half and scoop out the flesh,use the flesh for filling)
Mozzarella cheese - as needed
Baby potatoes - 4 and garlic -2
( I cut them and roasted along with zucchini boats) - Optional
Baked Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Method
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, parsley and zucchini flesh till color changes. Add the ground chicken, seasoning and fry in high flame for couple minutes.
Lower the flame and add the marinara sauce, cook till the mixture thickens.switch off the stove and mix in the parsley leaves,
Grease a baking dish and arrange the zucchini boats and potatoes and garlic on the sides
Take the cooked chicken mixture and fill it inside the zucchini boats.
Sprinkle cheese and parsley on top and bake at 400 deg.F for 25 minutes or till cooked.
Serve hot!
Note:
Use your imagination to create interesting fillings
( all ways use good quality yeast to get the best result)
Method
Add yeast and sugar to 1 cup of warm water mix cover and rest to activate in a warm place ( till foamy).
Take a wide bowl add both the flours,oil,salt and the activated yeast mixture,gently mix with a wooden spoon.Add 1 tbsp of water if needed and using your hand knead the dough for 5 minutes till soft.
Grease a bowl with oil and place the dough,cover the dough and rest to rise for 3 hours at a warm place.
Divide the dough into equal size balls.Roll out each ball into a semi thick disc.
Cover with a wet cloth and rest for another 30 minute.
Heat a tawa when hot place the roll disc and cook on both sides till light brown and puffs up.While cooking gently press with a cloth for the pita bread to puff.
Remove from tawa and serve warm with any dip you like.
Heat butter,oil,garlic and rosemary in a pan and in low heat cook till garlic changes colour.
Switch off the stove cool and filter the oil.
Keep 2 chopsticks or wooden spoon handles either side of the potato and cut into thin slices,The wooden sticks stops us from cutting the potatoes till the end.( see picture)
Place the potato on a baking tray and brush the garlic oil all over and between each slices and sprinkle salt & pepper powder.
Bake these at 390 deg F. for total 30 minutes. After 10 minutes take the potatoes out from the oven and brush it up with remaining oil and bake till light brown and crisp.
Each oven is different so keep an eye on the baking time and temperature.
Lastly garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy hot!
