Russian Salad : New Year Special

The original “Russian salad” was supposedly invented by a French chef named Lucien Olivier at the Hermitage Restaurant in Moscow, Russia around the 1860′s.
It is a tasty traditional dish of the russian cuisine, which was also known as the "Salad Genoa Style" , served as one of the main courses at the gala lunches of the Ligurian aristrocracy.
With all its different versions, the Russian salad is basically made of
vegetables and mayonnaise, it is consumed in many countries,
and it can be served as an appetizer, even if it is usually prepared for festive season, such as Christmas and new year.
 Here in India in the Army mess, I have always seen the russian salad find it's place in the English menu which goes superbly well with cutlets, baked beans, chicken fried, veg pie and of course dinner rolls.

Ingredients -

Carrot -1/2 cup
Beans -1/2 cup
Green Peas -1/2 cup
Cauliflower -1/2 cup
Apple - 1
Banana - 2
Grapes - 1/2 cup
Mango - 1/2 cup
Papaya - 1/2 cup
Pomegranate - 3 tbsp
Mayonnaise - 4 tbsp (recipe given)
White sauce  - 1/2 cup (recipe given )
Cream   - 1/2 cup

For mayonnaise -

Egg yolk - 2
Salad oil or olive oil - 300 ml
Lemon  - 1/2
Sugar - 1 1/2 tbs
Mustard powder - 1 tsp
White pepper - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Cream - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
 
For the white sauce -
Heat 25 g butter then mix 25 g flour and saute it until it is light golden. Pour 1/2 cup of milk stirring it continuously. Spread some white pepper in it and take it off the heat when all are mixed well and it is thick enough for a pouring sauce. Keep it aside.

For the mayonnaise -    
Take the egg yolks and whip it in a blender until its firm and glossy.
Put salt , sugar, mustard powder, white pepper, vinegar, lemon juice and keep mixing it until all are blended well. 
While stil running the blender add the salad oil. Slowly begin to drizzle in the oil, little by little, whilst constantly whisking, making sure that it's fully incorporated before adding more oil.
Adding in the oil too quickly, will stop the ingredients from
emulsifying and will break, or separate.
Blend till thick then stop the blender. Add the fresh cream in it and run the blender again for few seconds or till done.

Method -

1. Cut all the vegies in cubes, boil it and drain it in a strainer. Saute it in butter. Take care not to overcook it. It should be crunchy.
2. Cut the fruits also in cube size.
3. Take a big bowl and mix all the fruits (saving some for garnishing) , veggies, mayonnaise, white sauce and the cream
throughly. You can also garnish it with shredded carrot and cabbage if you like and refrigerate it for half an hour before serving.

Note - This Russian salad is a recipe which I came across few years back, at a place where mayonnaise was not readily available . So you can very well use a ready made mayo if you like but this one  certainly is healthy and good from the ubiquitous exposure to the  bottled stuff available in the market.
                                                     
                           

Vegetable Pie : New Year Special

 Ingredients  -

Carrots  - 1 cup
French beans - 1 cup
Cauliflower - 1 cup
Peas    - 1/2 cup
Brocoli   - 1/2 cup (optional)
Capscicum -1/2 cup
Cabbage shredded- 1/2 cup
(all the vegetables should be cut in 1 inch lengthwise and then measured by the cup.)
Cheese shredded  - 1 cup
Cream  -3 tbs
White sauce  - 4 tbsp ( 2 tbsp butter +2 tbsp flour + 1 cup milk)
White pepper -1 tsp + for white sauce
Salad oil - 1 tbs
Bread crumbs - 3 tbs

For the white Sauce  -  Heat butter then mix the flour and saute it until it is light golden. Pour a cup of milk stirring it continuously. Spread some white pepper in it and take it off the heat when all are mixed well and it is thick enough for a coating sauce. Keep it aside.
 

Method  -

1. Boil the vegetables, saute it in butter and let it cool.

2. Take a bowl and put half of the white sause, cream, white pepper, salad oil, 1/2 cup of cheese in it and mix it .

3. put all the vegetables in it and mix so the vegetables are coated in the sauce nicely.
4. Take a oven  proof dish in which you have to serve it.
5. Place the veg mixture in it .
6. Spread the remaining white sauce and sprinkle the cheese and the  bread crumbs over it.
7. Bake it in an oven until the upper layer turns golden brown.
8. Serve it hot With bread or dinner rolls, russian salad, fried chicken in English menu. 

                  

Christmas Cake with Royal Icing : Celebrating Christmas

 

  
Ingredients -
All purpose flour - 225 g
Brown Sugar - 200 g
Butter - 175 g
Eggs - 5
Currants - 100 g
Sultanas - 100 g
Raisins - 50 g
Glase cherries - 50 g
Mixed dried fruit chopped ( cashews, almonds, walnuts) - 1/2 cup
Candied peel mixed - 1/2 cup
Mixed spices - 1 tsp
( take 1 tsp each of nutmeg,allspice,cinnamon,cloves,dried ginger and dry grind it.)
Ground nutmeg - 1/2 tsp
Ground cloves - 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Soda bicarb - 1/2 tsp
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Lemon zest - 1/2 lemon
Brandy - 3-4 tbsp

Royal icing - 
Icing sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Egg white - 2
Lemon juice - few drops

                               
Method -

1. Soak the raisin, currants and sultanas in the brandy and keep it overnight.
2. Take butter in a big mixing bowl and beat it with an electric mixture on a high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add sugar gradually, whisking it all the time. By now it should be double in volume.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition.
5. Sift the flour with baking powder and soda and add it to the batter gradually on a very low speed or with a wooden spatula.
6. Add all the spices, mixed dried fruits, soaked currants, raisins,
sultanas and the cherries, candied peel, cocoa and the zest of the lemon.
7. Grease and line a round or square baking dish of your choise and pour the batter evenly into it.
8. Bake it in a moderate oven for about an hour and half or until done and when inserted with a skewer it should come out clean. Take it out and let it cool completely before putting royal icing over it.
9. Make the cake weeks before christmas if you want it moist and want to feed the cake with brandy. Just make a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour over 3-4 tbsp of brandy. Let the brandy soak into the cake. Then decorate your cake with royal icing.

Royal icing -
 
1. sift the icing sugar through a fine sieve to avoid any trace of lump.
2.  Beat egg white with a wodden spatula or electric mixture until soft peak forms, gradually add icing sugar, beating well all the time.
3. Add lemon juice and keep beating it until the peak holds its shape.
When the icing is glossy and stiff it's ready to use.
4. A little food colouring can be added if necessary.
5. Leave around 4-5 tbsp of icing for the snowman and mistletoe and cover the cake completely with the remaining icing and keep it refriged for some time before decorating it with the snowman and mistletoe.

For the Snowman and Mistletoe - 

 
1. Mix about 5-6 tbsp of icing sugar in the royal icing and knead it like a dough. If it is still moist  you can add more sugar until it resembles a pliable dough.
2. Divide the dough in two part. Shape the first part like a snow man. You can use food colour for the eyes, nose, cap, buttons and the muffler of snowman. Let it dry for an hour before placing it on the cake.
3. Add green food colour to the remaining dough and give it a shape of three leaves and draw with brush to resemble more like a leaf.
4. Let it dry for an hour and then adjust it in one corner of the cake and cut three cherries and assemble it all .
5.  Enjoy christmas with this lovely cake.... A merry christmas to you all.

Mashed Potato and Cheese Pie : Celebrating Christmas

Ingredients -

Boiled and mashed potatoes - 4 large
Cheddar cheese  grated - 1 cup + for garnish
Freshly ground pepper powder - 1 tsp
Milk warm - 1/2 cup
Butter melted - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

For white sauce -
Butter - 2 tsp
All purpose flour - 2 tsp
Cheese grated - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
pepper powder - a pinch
Milk - 1/2 cup

Method -
 
1. Make white sauce in a frying pan by melting the butter and frying all purpose flour in it until it slightly changes colour. Add the milk, cheese, salt and pepper and stir it on a low heat until it is thick enough for a pouring sauce.
2. Take the mashed potatoes in a big bowl.
3. Mix milk, butter, pepper powder, salt and cheese in the potato nicely until it's smooth and light.
4. Line a pie dish with butter. Spread potato mix in the dish evenly.
Now spread the white sauce over it and garnish it with cheese.
5. Bake it in a pre heated oven till the upper layer of the pie turns to a golden colour.
6. Enjoy this splendid dish with your family members and guests on the beautiful occasion of christmas.

Deep fried Chicken : Celebrating Christmas

 
Ingredients -

Chicken boneless - 250 g
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Egg beaten - 1
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - a pinch
Soya sauce - 1/2 tsp
Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
Vinegar - few drops
Cornflour - 1 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Bread crumbs - 1 cup
Oil - for frying

For Marination -
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Chilli paste - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Mix the masala and rub it on the chicken. Marinate the chicken and keep it overnight in a fridge.

Method -

1. Take a big bowl and put all the masala except chicken and bread crumbs into it.
2. Take the chicken out from fridge and coat it nicely with all the masala.
3. Keep the chicken again refrigerated for an hour.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. 
5. Take the chicken out and roll it in the bread crumbs nicely and deep fry it in a medium heat until it is cooked and turned nice golden brown colour.
6. Serve it hot as a snack or as a side dish with bread or dinner rolls.

Veg Cutlet : Celebrating Christmas

   

Ingredients -

Cauliflower florets  -1/2 cup
Carrots grated -  1/2 cup
Beans chopped -1/2 cup
Peas boiled  - 1/2 cup
Potatoes boiled  - 3 Large
Onion or spring onion chopped - 1 small
Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbs
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder -1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ginger-garlic-chilli paste- 1/2 tbsp each
Bread crumbs - 1 cup
Cornflour - 2 tbsp dissolve in 1/2 cup of water
Oil - 2 tbsp +  for frying

 Method -

Finely chop the cauliflower florets , beans, onion and mash the potatoes.
Heat 2 tbs of oil and fry the onion till soft, add the coriander, cumin and chilli powder, ginger-garlic-chilli paste and salt. Stir fry for 2 minutes , add the chopped cauliflower, beans, peas and carrot and  stir fry it until it is dry and soft. 
Add the potatoes, mix it well with the masala.
Take it off the gas and add 1/2 cup of crumbs and coriander leaves to it.  let it cool.
Divide it into medium sized balls, flatten it  into cutlets, prepare all in the same manner.
Dip it in the cornflour batter, roll them into remaining crumbs and deep fry till brown.
Serve it  hot with sauce.

                                                   

Candied Peel : Celebrating Christmas

         
Ingredients -
Oranges - 3
Lemon - 2
Sugar - 1  cup
Water - 1 cup + for boiling
Cloves - 3
Granulated sugar - 1 cup

Method 
1.  Cut the upper and lower part of orange and lemon after washing and drying it.
2. Make four lengthwise cut in it and peel it.
3. Remove the white pith from the peel cleanly, if some white pith clings to it do not worry, you can take it out after boiling the peel.
4. Take a pan and fill it with water, put the peel in and boil it until tender. Remove and drain it.
5. Take another pan and put 1 cup water, sugar and cloves in it and boil it until it is reduced and has become a thin syrup.
6. put the peel in the syrup and let it simmer until the syrup has thickened and the peel has become translucent.
7. Take it off the heat and let it cool down.
8. Place it in a wire rack to drip off the extra syrup.
9. Take a small bowl with granulated sugar in it, coat the peel
with sugar and place it in a baking tray lined with parchment paper in a pre heated oven to dry it completly for 15-20 minutes.
Take special care and check it to prevent it from burning. Put the heat off and Leave it there overnight.
10. It's ready to be used in christmas cakes, puddings or dipped in hot chocolate and be eaten like that as a zesty snack.
11. To give it a different flavour you can use cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg or cardamom in the syrup while boiling it.
12. Variety of fruits like orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit can be used in making candied peel.

                                       Boiling in water

                                                  Simmering in sugar syrup

                                       Coat in sugar
                                                 +
                                         Dry in Oven
                          

Eggless Dates Cake

Ingredients -

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar (granulated) - 1 cup
Butter - 75 g
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Fresh curd - 1/2 cup
Milk full cream - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Dates chopped - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Soda bicarb - 1/2 tsp

Method -

1. Take the butter in a big bowl and run the electric mixer in a high speed until the butter is light and fluffy. Take care that butter, curd and milk should be on room temperature.
2. Mix sugar all at once and keep beating it until it is mixed well and doubles in volume.
3. Add the curd and beat it on a medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Sift the flour with baking powder and soda.
5. Add the sifted flour alternately with milk to the batter and mix it until all are incorporated well.
6. Mix in the vanilla essence, cocoa and chopped dates gently.
7. Grease a baking dish and pour the batter into it evenly and bake in a moderate oven until cooked. Take it out of oven after few minutes.
 Enjoy this tasty eggless cake in a winter afternoon with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Paneer and Mushroom in White Gravy

Ingredients -

Paneer cubed - 200 g
Mushrooms - 100 g
Cornflour - 1 tsp
Onions - 2 medium
Fresh curd - 1/2 cup
Cashews - 5-6
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green + red chillies chopped - 2 each
Milk - 1/2 cup
Cream - 2 tbsp
Cloves - 4-5
Green cardamom crushed - 3
black cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Bay leaf - 2
Oil - 3 tbsp + for frying
Clarified butter ( ghee pure) - 2 tsp + 1 tsp

Method -
1. Cut the onions and boil it in 1 cup of water. Let it cool down and grind it with the cashews.
2. Clean and cut the mushrooms in 4-6 pieces. Heat a shallow frying pan and put 1 tsp ghee in it and saute the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
3. Cut paneer in cubes and sprinkle cornflour over it and shallow fry it on a non stick tawa till it turns light golden.
4. Heat 2 tsp ghee and oil in a deep frying pan and put the bay leaf, green and black cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and saute it a bit.
5. Add onion and cashews paste and fry for 1 minute.
6. Put ginger- garlic paste and fry all together until light brown. Add chopped chillies, coriander, cumin and pepper powder and fry it for 5 minutes on a medium heat, stirring it all the time.
6. Churn the curd and mix it in the masala stirring it continuously, add the mushrooms and fry for a while, add the milk and mix it well. Add cubed paneer, salt and cover the lid and let it simmer until paneer is soft and incorporated in the masala.
If you need more gravy add warm water to the gravy. Put cream in the gravy before taking off  the heat. Put it in a serving bowl and garnish it with cream and coriander leaves. 
It goes superbly well with any type of paratha or roti.

Lauki Kofta In Spicy Gravy

Ingredients -
Lauki (bottle gourd) - 1/2 kg
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2 ( blanched and pureed)
Gram flour - 4 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies minced - 3
Salt -  1/2 tsp + for gravy
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds (carom seed) - a pinch
Oil - 4 tbsp + for frying
Bay leaf - 2
Warm water - for gravy
Cream - 2 tbsp
 
For dry grinding -
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
black pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4
Red chillies whole - 2

Lightly roast and dry grind it and keep it aside.

Method -

1. Grate the gourd and squeeze all the water out of it.
2. Take the grated gourd in a bowl and mix gram flour, red chilli powder, ajwain and salt in it. Mix it nicely.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Make sylindricle shape balls using little water in your palms and fry the balls simaltaneously. Fry all the balls to use it later.
4. Grind the onions. Take out the excess oil from the pan letting 4 tbsp remain there. Put bay leaf and ground onions in the pan and fry it for a while .
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute it for 2 minutes. Put the minced chillies, all the dry ground masala with  turmeric powder and tomato puree and fry untill it has taken a brown colour.
6. Add warm water to make a smooth and thick gravy, let it come to a boil. Add the fried balls into the gravy just before serving and let it simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes or untill it is soft. Take special care not to overcook it.
7. Pour some of the cream in the gravy.
Take it out in a serving bowl and garnish it with coriander and cream and serve it with paratha, roti or rice.