Star chefs have a way of turning the cooking experience into a fashion statement. On screen, they show you dishes created from scratch and how to simply avoid popping a plastic box into the microwave. For all that jazz, what do these chefs indulge in when home alone? Read on for recipes from the masters themselves.
By Keshia D’Souza Images: Nisha Drego
SANJEEV KAPOOR
Founder Director FOODFOOD, celebrity chef and entrepreneur)
Sanjeev Kapoor can take a cooking experience into a fashion statement, as he has been ruling the food network around the globe for more than two decades. And he is known to give even traditional dishes a modern twist to make the food more appealing. His comfort food: Kadhi pakoda.
KADHI PAKODA
You Need: • For pakoras • ¾ cup gram flour (besan) • 1 medium onion, chopped • ½ small bunch fresh fenugreek leaves (methi), chopped • 1 inch piece ginger, grated • 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder • ¼ teaspoon baking powder • 2 tablespoons oil + for deep-frying • Salt to taste
For kadhi: • 1 cup yoghurt • ¼ cup gram flour (besan) • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana) • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds • 6 black peppercorns • 2 whole dry red chillies, broken into two • 1 medium onion, sliced (optional) • ½ inch piece ginger, chopped • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder • Salt to taste
Method: Mix pakora ingredients, except oil, adding about half a cup of water. Heat some oil in a kadai, drop small portions of the pakora mixture and deep-fry till golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper. For kadhi, whisk yoghurt well and mix gram flour. Add turmeric powder, salt and three cups of water. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick kadai. Add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and broken red chillies. Stir-fry for half a minute. Add onion (if using) and ginger; stir-fry for a minute. Add yoghurt mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. Add red chilli powder and fried pakoras and simmer for four to five minutes.
VIKAS KHANNA
Celebrity chef and Master Chef India host
Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna spends a number of hours in the kitchen blending spices together to give the dish an innovative and amazing taste all together. His favourite go-to appliance: Usha’s infinity Cook Halogen Oven.
CHICKEN ROULADE
You Need:
• 2 tsp olive oil • 1 garlic clove (chopped finely) • 2 Tbsp dry roasted walnuts (chopped coarsely) • 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped finely) • Sriracha/ chilli sauce to serve • coriander leaves (to garnish) • 1 lemon juice • salt and black pepper (freshly grounded) to taste
Method: • Slice the chicken breasts along its length, but not all the way through, and open out to form a butterfly. Flatten the breasts with a hammer or rolling pin. • For marinade, mix olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and coat the breast evenly on both sides. • For the filling, add walnuts, coriander leaves and sun-dried tomatoes to a bowl and gently mix. • Spread the walnut mixture over the chicken breast on one side and roll the chicken into a tight roll to enclose in the filling using an aluminum foil into a toffee shape. • Cook the chicken roulade, seam side down on the baking tray for 20 minutes at 180° till golden brown and cooked through. • Remove and let it cool. Remove the foil. Slice roulade and drizzle Sriracha sauce. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot
VICKY RATNANI
Director,culinary strategy and development F&B Asia Ventures Pvt. Ltd
A chef is a manager, a businessman and a cook, all together. Vicky Ratnani lives up to his showbiz persona of a super mart chef with a fine food philosophy which can leave you pondering upon for long. Ratnani’s go-to dish on the go-date and orange salad/smoothie.
VEGAN SMOOTHIE
You need:• 1 medium sized orange, peeled and segmented • 1 medium sized pear, cored and roughly chopped • 1⁄2 cup chopped pitted dates • 1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped microgreens • ¼ cup sabja seeds (basil seeds)
Method: Soak coarsely chopped microgreens and sabja seeds in separate small bowls before assembly. Combine chopped pears, oranges and pitted dates in a bowl. Add sabja seeds. Sprinkle with microgreens for garnish. Can be served as a smoothie by blending in a mixer.
Master Chef India Judge and Celebrity Chef
Chefs rule the roost at work. And when it comes to rolling sleeves and working in the kitchen, Ranveer is no different than others. He believes in cooking at home with modern appliances and giving the food a homely touch.
RANVEER BRAR HOUSE SALAD
You need:
• Mesclun greens, 2 cups • Blue cheese (gorgonzola if available), crumbled ½ cup • Truffle oil, 1 tbsp • Walnuts, lightly toasted ¼ cup • 4 medium size beetroots, peeled and fork pierced • Honey ½ cup ( for beetroot) • Rice wine vinegar (unseasoned) 2 cups • Sea salt as taste For dressing • ½ Tbsp Honey (for dressing) • 3 Tbsp Smooth Dijon mustard • 2 Tbsp Rice wine vinegar (for dressing)
Method: • Marinate beetroot in honey, rice wine vinegar and salt for 3-4 hrs in the refrigerator. • Preheat oven at 150° C. Wrap beetroots in foil and drizzle little marinade over it. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool for 15 minutes. For the dressing, put all ingredients in mixing bowl. Whisk to smooth consistency. • Add mesclun green, blue cheese, honey mustard dressing and walnuts in a bowl. Toss to combine. • Using a mandolin, cut roasted beets in very thin slices. Arrange beetroots in round shape on a serving plate. • Place handful greens in the centre. Drizzle truffle oil on top and serve immediately
SARANSH GOILA
(Celebrity Chef, TV show host,Author,Food consultant and columnist0
At 28, Chef Saransh Goila is one of India’s youngest chefs. He entered the Limca Book of records 2014 for the ‘ longest road journey by a chef’. He wishes to promote Indian food and taste around the world.
EGG KEJRIWAL
You need:
4 Eggs 4 Cheese Slice 2 Buns 1 Tbsp Butter 1 no. Onions 1 no. Tomatoe Coriander leaves 20 gms chopped green chillies 2 nos chopped Oregano 2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
Method: Slice the buns into halves and apply butter. Toast with the butter side on the tawa. Remove and keep aside. Finely chop the tomatoes, onions, chillies and coriander. Make single fried eggs. While the eggs are getting cooked, top with the chopped ingredients. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Place a slice of cheese on each bun. Top this with a single fried egg. Now place this assembled dish in the pan (egg side on the top). You can place 4 slices in one go. And cover the pan with the lid for steaming. The bottom side of the bun will cook and the cheese will melt with the heat. Serve these Kejriwals hot.
RUSHINA MUNSHAWGHILDIYAL
(Food Consultant and CoFounder, APB Cook Studio)
When Rushina built up her first kitchen studio,she had no blue prints or examples to workwith. However, with her passion for food, it was not long before she found her foot in the culinary industry.
CAJUN SPICED CHICKEN AND DIRTY RICE
For the Cajun Chicken
You Need:
• 2 tsp Garlic powder • 2.5 tsp paprika • 1 tsp black pepper powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp cayenne pepper • 2.5 tsp mixed herbs • ½ tsp chili flakes • 2 chicken breasts, boneless, cubed • Salt to taste
Method: Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Mix ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Add 2 Tbsp Cajun spice powder and salt to the chicken. Mix well and marinate for an hour. Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto skewers and grill in the oven for 8-10 minutes. For Dirty Rice You need: • ½ cup mixed peppers finely chopped • ½ cup onions finely chopped • 3 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped • 1 tsp mixed herbs • 3 Tbsp cajun spice • 1 cup brown rice 2 Tbsp oil • Salt to taste Method: In the mean time, cook the rice and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan; add onions and garlic, sauté until caramelised. Add the peppers and keep stirring for a while. Then add mixed herbs and 2 tsp cajun spice powder, keeping stirring. Lastly, add the rice, salt to taste and toss well, cover for 5 minutes. Then put off the flame. Serve hot with the chicken
RAKHEE VASHWANI
(Owner,Palate Culinary Studio)
Chef Rakhe has a bright and colourful studio where she takes her viewers to the adventurous side of cooking and adding different ingredients to make food nutritious.
SALMONINLEMON CAPERSAUCE
You Need :
1tsp Garlic 1tsp Capers 2-3 Tbsp butter chilled 1 tsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp white wine Parsley fresh to garnish 1 tsp olive oil ½ tsp chilli flakes 1 Tbsp cream 2 Tbsp stock Salt and pepper to taste.
Method Heat oil in a gridded pan and fry the salmon with salt, pepper. Keep aside. In the same pan, add white wine, stock, capers, chilli flakes, lemon juice. Stir well. Once reduced, add chilled butter for the sauce to be well coated. Add cream, bring the salmon back to the pan. Garnish with parsley. Can be served with baby vegetables
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