East Indian Duck Moilee
Ingredients
1.5 kg duck (can use chicken or red meat); 750 gm onions; 500 gm potatoes; 6 long green chillies; 20 flakes of garlic; 2 inch piece of ginger; 3-4 tbsp of East Indian bottle masala; 1 tsp pepper; Salt as per taste; 4-5 tbsp oil; 1 big sour lime; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or any vinegar; Water
Method: Wash duck pieces and marinate with salt, sour lime, and pepper for an hour or overnight (the longer the better). Fry the pieces in oil till they turn golden brown. Cut onions into thin, round slices, and chillies, garlic, and ginger into thin juliennes. Sauté chillies, garlic, and ginger first in oil. Stir for a while and then add onions and sauté till golden brown on low flame. Add salt to taste. Then add East Indian bottle masala and stir on low flame till oil separates from ingredients. Add duck pieces, fry for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add warm water as much as needed for gravy and cover it. Cook on low flame till pieces are tender stirring occasionally. Add, vinegar once cooked, as per taste. Cut the potatoes into half inch thick round slices, and then fry. Once fried, add to the gravy at the end. Serving suggestions: Tastes best with East Indian Handbreads, steamed rice or kadak pav.
(Recipe by Sandra D’mello, former industrial psychologist and homechef)
Devils on Horseback
Ingredients
16 whole and large pitted dates; 16 oven roasted, blanched, peeled and salted almonds; ½ cup tofu, cubed / stilton cheese (crumbled); 8 slices bacon, cut crosswise; 16 wooden tooth picks, soaked in water
Method: Make a small incision in the dates. Stuff the dates with a pieces of cubed tofu or crumbled cheese and blanched almonds. Wrap neatly one of the pieces of the bacon slices around each stuffed date and pierce it with a toothpick to keep it intact. Place them on a lined baking tray, cover and chill. Preheat the oven to 360º F and remove the devils on horseback from the refrigerator. Bake them for 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Do not over bake or it will burn. Serve immediately. You may serve on tiny slices of toasted multigrain bread.
(Recipe by Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, Culinary Expert and Consultant)
Stuffed Roast Chicken
Ingredients
1.25 kg whole chicken with skin
For seasoning
50 gm salt; 30 gm pepper; 100 ml olive oil; 50 gm garlic; 30 gm thyme fresh /dried and rosemary both; 1 tsp Djon mustard
Stuffing
300 gm bread loaf; 1 onion, large; 1 celery stick; 250 gm butter; 20 gm flat parsley; 50 gm rosemary; 100 gm walnut; 100 ml chicken stock (use a Maggie cube and dissolve in hot water); 2 eggs
Side vegetables
200 gm potato; 1 onion; 100 gm celery; 200 gm carrot; 20 gm thyme; 10 gm sage
For brushing
30 ml melted fat
Method: Clean pat the chicken dry and marinate with the ingredients as mentioned. Once marinated, fill the chicken with the stuffing as mentioned. Cover it and let it rest in a refrigerator overnight. Preheat the oven for 250°C. Cook the chicken for 30 mins and cover it with aluminum foil during the process. Cut side vegetables into large chunks and place in an aluminum tray. Place the cooked chicken on top of the vegetables. Remove the silver foil and let the chicken rest for 15 mins. Apply the melted fat over the chicken and cook on high temp in oven till it gives the chicken a nice golden finish and turns crispy above. Once done serve as per cut slice portion along with mashed potato and some sauce if required.
(Chef Larry Paul, Corporate Chef, British Brewing Company)
Christmas Stollen
Ingredients
For dough
250 gm flour; 12 gm dry yeast; 60 ml milk; 25 gm caster sugar; 1 egg; ½ tsp ground spices; ¼ tsp lemon rinds; ¼ tsp salt; 15 gm honey; 100 gm butter
Fruit marinade
80 gm raisins; 50 gm blanched almonds (chopped); 25 gm walnuts; 25 gm candied orange peel (chopped); 50 ml kirschwasser or rum; 15 gm brown sugar
For almond paste
100 gm Almond meal; 200 gm icing sugar; 1 egg white; A few drops of almond essence
Topping
50 gm melted butter; 50 gm icing sugar
Method: Mix the ingredients for the marinade at least two weeks in advance. But soaking them overnight also works if you are running out of time. For almond paste, sieve the almond meal and icing sugar together. Add two-three drops of almond essence and bind with egg white. Do not over mix. Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Mix yeast, little sugar, and half of the milk till it becomes frothy. Add the eggs, remaining sugar, honey, and milk. Knead the dough till it becomes very soft and smooth.
Knead in the butter and the lemon rinds. Cover and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then quickly work this fruit marinade into the dough. Cover and leave to stand in a warm place till it becomes double in size.
Transfer dough onto a clean work surface without the use of extra flour. Shape into rounds first and oval; let rest stollen (the dough mix) onto a floured cutting board or countertop. Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes. Make a log of marzipan. Flatten bread gently onto floured work surface – make a mark with the rolling pin. Place the almond paste log and fold over and seal, leaving a leap. Let proof for about 90 minutes. Bake at 180°C for 25-30 min. While still hot, brush with the melted butter, allow it to cool, and dredge generously with sifted icing sugar.
(Recipe by Chef Savita Patil, Assistant Professor, Bakery, Lexicon Institute of Hotel Management)
Apple Cinnamon Oats Cake
Ingredients
1 cup oats; 1 cup skimmed milk; ½ unsweetened apple sauce; 2 tbsp orange juice; 2 tbsp brown sugar (optional); 1 grated apple; 1 cup buckwheat flour; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp cinnamon; Salt to taste (optional)
Method: Soak one cup of oats in milk for 15 mins. Cook apples in water till they turn soft. Let it cool and grind to a smooth puree with 2 tsp of orange juice. Add brown sugar and buckwheat flour to oats mixture. Add baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda to oats mixture. Add one grated apple after squeezing out its juice. Add half cup unsweetened apple sauce. Mix everything to form a smooth batter. Pour the batter into a greased pan. Decorate with finely sliced apples. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 200°C.
(Recipe from Quaker Oats)
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
(Yield: 40 pieces)
200 gm butter; 200 gm light brown sugar; 60 gm caster sugar; 10 gm gingerbread spice (ginger powder, cinnamon powder, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg); 1 egg; 15 ml milk; 400 gm all-purpose flour; 6 gm baking powder
Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, soften the butter. Add both sugars, gingerbread spice, and cream. Add egg, milk and mix thoroughly. Sift in the flour and baking powder, mix till just combined. Do not over mix. Put the dough onto a lightly floured table top and roll it till it is 3mm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes into the dough. Bake the cookies at 180°C for seven-eight minutes.
(Recipe by Chef Alpa Pereira, Toujours)
Rocky road Brownies
Ingredients
½ cup (113 gm) butter, melted then cooled; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 cup (200 gm); granulated sugar; cup (40 gm) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted; ½ cup (64 gm); all-purpose flour; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp baking powder; 1 cup mini marshmallows; ½ cup chopped walnuts; 1 cup chocolate chips
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, beat two eggs with the vanilla. Add in sugar, cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder and gently stir. Pour the melted butter into brownie mixture and mix until the butter is fully incorporated. Spread batter in a prepared eight-inch square pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven and add chocolate chips, marshmallows, and walnuts. Bake until the chocolate is shiny and marshmallows puffed.
(Recipe from Sassy Spoon by Rachel Goenka, CEO, Chocolate Spoon Company)
Yule Log
Ingredients
3 Eggs; 85 gm golden caster sugar; 10 gm golden syrup ; 5 gm baking powder; 20 gm cocoa powder ; 140 gm dark chocolate; 85 gm plain flour; 284 ml pot double cream; 200 gm icing sugar; 50 gm butter
Method: Beat eggs and golden caster sugar together with an electric whisk for about eight minutes until it turns thick and creamy. Beat together egg yolk and sugar until a thick, creamy foam forms. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, then sift onto the egg mixture. Fold in carefully, then pour into a tin. Lay a sheet of baking parchment on a work surface. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top of the cake is a deep golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan (a toothpick inserted into the cake — not the pineapple — will come out clean. When the cake is ready, tip it onto the parchment, peel off the lining paper, then roll the cake up from its longest edge with the paper inside.
To make the icing, melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Take from the heat and stir in the golden syrup and 5 tbsp double cream. Beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Whisk the remaining double cream until it holds its shape. Cut a thick diagonal slice from one end of the log. Lift the log on to a plate, then arrange the slice on the side with the diagonal cut against the cake to make a branch. Spread the icing over the log and branch (don’t cover the ends), then use a fork to mark the icing to give the effect of tree bark.
(Recipe by Chef Ranjan Panda, The Orchid Hotel, Pune)
Red Velvet Cupcake
Ingredients
150 gm maida; 150 gm castor sugar; 59 ml milk; 108 gm buttermilk; A pinch of salt; 50 gm unsalted butter; 2.5 gm baking soda; Cheese frosting on top
Method: Mix milk and sugar until it dissolves then add buttermilk and mix it. Add all dry ingredients and mix it well. At the last add melted unsalted butter and mix it well. Refrigerate for two to three hours then bake it in a desired mould for 200°c for 20 to 25 minutes.
(Recipe from Love & Cheesecake Christmas Collection)
Pineapple Upside Down cake
Ingredients:
48 gm all purpose flour; 2 gm baking powder; 0.25 gm salt; 50 gm granulated sugar; 3 eggs; 1 gm vanilla extract
Method: In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture (in three additions), alternately with the milk (in two additions), ending with the dry ingredients (the batter will be thick. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar just until the whites hold a firm peak. With a large spatula gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter in two additions Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 45 minutes, or until the top of the cake is a deep golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan (a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the pineapple) will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and then invert the cake onto your serving plate. Serve warm. This cake is best on the day it's baked. But leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
(Recipe by Chef Ranjan Panda, The Orchid Hotel, Pune)
Poached Pear
Ingredients
1 slice of poached pear; 60 ml poached pear wine; 60 ml eggnog; 60 ml red wine
Method: Take one slice of poached pear in a bowl. Add pre-chilled poached pear and eggnog with red wine as a base. Serve with a spoon on the side.
(Recipe by Jishnu A.J, Head Mixologist, KMC*)
Shepard’s Joy
Ingredients
60 ml bourbon whiskey; 60 ml spice infused apple juice; A dash of orange bitter; 10 ml egg white; 5 ml rose syrup
Method: Combine all ingredients except egg in cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Single strain the mixture into another cocktail shaker and add the egg into it. Now shake without the ice vigorously till foamy. Double strain in a margarita glass and serve with garnish with candied star anise.
(Recipe by Uttam Kumar Malik, Senior Bartender, Loci & Toot)
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