It’s all in the booze

Come 06 August, people from around the world will raise their glasses to cheers to International Beer Day. The day has been celebrated every year since 2007, on the first Friday of every August. Besides other things, the day is an opportunity to unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day not only in a mug but through different cuisines and dishes.

We got you Executive Chef Varun MB of Novotel Hyderabad Airport, to share some easy, boozy dishes using beers.

BEER BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

Ingredients

* Beer (any brand): 100 ml

* Broccoli florets: 100 gm

* Celery dice: 25 gm

* Carrots dice: 25 gm

* Onion dice: 15 gm

* Garlic: 05 gm

* Butter: 25 gm

* Flour: 15 gm

* Cheddar cheese: 50 gm

* Salt to taste

* Pepper powder: 05 gm

* Sweet red pepper: 25 gm

* Vegetable stock: 500 ml

Method of preparation:

1. Make the roux in a pan by adding butter and flour, and cooking until the rawness leaves the flour. Cool the roux down.

2. In another medium pot, add butter on a slow flame. To it, add celery, carrot, onion sauté until the raw flavour leaves. Add broccoli and red pepper and stir in the pepper.

3. Add stock water to the above and cook it on medium flame until it comes to boiling point.

4. Now, add the roux to the pot, and whisk well until it mixes very well. Cook until it forms a smooth soup consistency. Make sure the vegetables are tender.

5. Add the cheese to the soup and then the beer. Stir to mix it all well until the cheese melts.

6. Serve hot with garlic and herb croutons

CRISPY BEER BATTER FRIED FISH WITH BASIL PESTO SAUCE

Ingredients

* Fillet of fish: 4 nos. of 80 gm each, cut into diamond shape

Ingredients for the batter

* Beer: 300 ml

* Flour: 400 gm

* Corn: 100 gm

* Salt to taste

* Pepper: 10 gm

* Mustard: 15 gm

* Parsley chopped: 15 gm

* Baking powder: 05 gm

Ingredients for basil pesto

* Basil leaves fresh: 50 gm

* Garlic: 15 gm

* Black pepper: 05 gm

* Salt to taste

* Olive oil: 30 ml

* Parmesan cheese: 15 gm

Ingredients for the marinade

* Salt to taste

* Pepper: 10 gm

* Mustard: 01 tbsp

* Oregano dry: 05 gm

* Chilli flakes: 05 gm

* Parsley: 10 gm

* Lime juice: 15 ml

Method of preparation

1. In a bowl add all the batter ingredients.

2. Mix well until it forms a batter. Keep aside.

3. In a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients to. Marinate the fish well and keep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the fish is infused with the spices.

4. To make the basil pesto, put all the ingredients for the pesto in a mixer jar and make a coarse paste. Now, transfer it into a serving bowl.

5. In a stock pot, add oil and heat it on a slow flame. Now, dip the fish in the batter until the batter coats it well. Deep fry the batter-coated fish until it turns golden brown in colour.

6. Serve hot with fresh salad and pesto sauce

CHICKEN CURRY WITH BEER

Ingredients

* Chicken curry cut: 500 gm

* Onion dice: 50 gm

* Chili, slit into two: 5 nos.

* Ginger garlic paste: 50 gm

* Chili powder: 50 gm

* Turmeric powder: 1 tsp

* Coriander powder: 25 gm

* Jeera powder: 25 gm

* Garam masala powder: 10 gm

* Oil: 50 ml

* Beer any brand available: 250 ml

* Chicken stock: 200 ml

* Coriander leaves chopped: 15 gm

* Coriander sprigs for garnish

* Ginger julienne for garnish

* Cinnamon stick: small piece: 01 no.

* Cloves: 05 nos.

* Cardamom green whole: 4 nos.

* Shahi jeera: 2 gm

* Bay leaves: 2 nos.

Method of preparation

1. Clean the chicken with water; drain off the excess water in a colander.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the marinade for the chicken. In a bowl, use the oil, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and jeera powder.

3. Mix the above with the cleaned and drained chicken. Keep it aside for a while to let the spices infuse into the chicken.

4. Heat a stock pot on a slow flame. To it, add oil. Now, add whole garam masala spices, the chopped onion and sauté all of it until the onion turns brown.

5. Now, add the slit green chili and sauté for some more time. Now, add the marinated chicken to the pot and cook for a while until the chicken is seared.

6. Now add the stock water to the chicken and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is soft.

7. To the above, stir in the beer. Mix it all well with the chicken, and cook for another 10 minutes. Check and adjust for seasoning, if required.

8. Garnish with coriander, julienned ginger, and serve hot with rice or Indian breads.

BEER CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Ingredients

* All-purpose flour: 115 gm

* Unsweetened cocoa powder: 90 gm

* Espresso powder: 15 gm

* Kosher salt: 5 gm

* Large eggs: 04 nos.

* Sugar: 465 gm

* Vanilla extract: 05 ml

* Canola oil: 15 ml

* Unsalted butter: 125 gm

* Beer: 125 ml

* Chocolate chips: 75 gm

* Pistachio: 75 gm

Method of preparation

1. In a bowl mix well the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt.

2. In another bowl, add eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla essence whisk well. To this, add all the other dry ingredients.

3. To this, add the melted butter and beer, stirring until it mixes properly.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Pour the batter in a grease tray.

6. Bake 175 degrees centigrade for 25 minutes

7. Cool it down; then cut in desired shapes.

8. Garnish with chocolate sauce and chips on top