Given the legacy of every culture that found its home in India, the cuisine of our land had to be diverse. Apart from the various cultural influences on Indian cuisine, it has also seen inspirations from neighbouring countries, with appropriate twists to suit Indian taste buds.
Today, Gautam Mehrishi, Executive Chef, Renaissance Convention Centre Hotel, Mumbai, suggests a few dishes that are directly inspired from China albeit with a perfect blend of Indian spices.
Ko Chi Kum
Ingredients:
Diced Boneless Chicken 200 gms
Egg 1
Besan 20 gms
Pink Salt (to taste)
Make a batter of besan, egg and water with salt and dip the chicken dices for 10 minutes and deep fry till crispy and golden.
For Dip:
Chopped Ginger 1 tspn
Chopped Garlic 1 tspn
Spring Onion Bulb 1 medium size cut in Dices
Spring Onion Greens from 1 onion chopped
Green Capsicum 1 diced
Onion Medium Size 1 diced
Ko-Kum concoction:
Kokum Berry juice 20 pieces
Palm Jaggery 100 gms
Sweet Potato Pulp
Pink Salt
Honey 30 gms
Mix the Berry juice with melted Jaggery and sweet potato pulp, with salt.
Ferment it for 2 days strain and add honey.
Pendur chilli powder 20 gms organic
Coriander Powder 5 gms organic
Black pepper powder 6 gms
Mix all the above with the Kokum Extract when ready to use.
Fresh Coriander Leaves 20 gms
Sliced Almonds 10 no's
Sliced square Ginger 5 gms
Groundnut Oil Cold Pressed
Corn flour 5 gms
Method:
Heat a wok with groundnut oil, add ginger, garlic and sauté. Then add diced onions, peppers and spring onions and cook. Add some stock or water till boil. Now add the kokum and spice mix the liquid and cook for some time. Add the fried chicken and finish it with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves. Check seasoning and adjust thickness of sauce with corn flour and water mixture. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.
Rum Soufflé with Mascarpone Crème
Ingredients:
For the Soufflé:
100g unsalted butter (for greasing)
25g all purpose flour
120g demerara sugar
200ml milk
3 eggs white & yolk separated
1 egg white
50ml dark rum
For the Creme:
300g mascarpone cheese
3 eggs white & yolk separated
3tbsp caster sugar
45ml white rum
1pinch cinnamon powder
To Serve:
5nos oats & raisin cookies crumbled
1 bunch of micro green
1 cup assorted dry fruit
150ml dark rum
1no stick cinnamon
1no star anise
Instructions:
For the Soufflé:
Preheat oven to 180 OC or 350 OF. Grease the ramekin mould with softened butter and line with the flour dredging out the excess flour. In case a ramekin is not available use heat resistant tea/coffee cups. Put the moulds in chiller for the butter to set
Mix together the flour, sugar, and milk and bring to a boil stirring continuously and reduce to a simmer. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken remove from heat, stir in the egg yolk one at a time and the rum and leave the mixture to cool
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. And fold with the rest of the mixture. Divide the mixture into the moulds filled till 3/4th and bake on a water bath for 30 min
Carefully take out of the oven and let it stand for a few minutes before demoulding on the plate
For the Creme:
Beat the egg yolk with the sugar and cinnamon until pale and fluffy. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peak in a bowl and add with the egg yolk.
Gently incorporate the mascarpone and rum to the mixture and allow it to set in the chiller
To Serve:
Soak all the dry fruits with the rum and spices at room temperature overnight to infuse all the flavours
Once the soufflé is demoulded, sprinkle the cookie crumble around, add in some of the soaked dry fruits and serve with a qu enelle of the mascarpone creme
Garnish with micro greens and serve
Ganne Ka Pulao
Ingredients:
2 cups rice
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup boiled green peas
1 cup boiled red kidney beans
7 to 8 cherry tomatoes
1 piece ginger
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
Salt to taste
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp all spice powder
Oil for drizzling
5 to 6 sugarcane sticks
2 tbsp. jaggery
Micro greens.
Method:
Cook short grain rice. In a bowl, add cauliflower florets, boiled green peas, boiled red kidney beans, cherry tomatoes, pieces of ginger, carrots, stalks celery, salt, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, oil and mix well, beat the sugarcane sticks.
In another bowl take cooked rice and vegetable mixture and mix well.
Prepare a silver foil base, arrange sugarcane sticks on it, place banana leave on it, apply oil on banana leave.
Put the rice mixture on it, wrap sugarcane and banana leaves, and then fold silver foil over.
Keep the parcel on coal for 15 minutes.
In a bowl, add jaggery and coriander powder.
Serve with jaggery mixture, sugarcane and micro greens.
