Chocolate Designs

Here as you see is just a very simple method of decorating your beautiful vanilla tire cake with leaves made from dark chocolate. This is a very easy method which is used by chefs to make a great impression in the way they present their cakes.
The method is by taking any broad leaf from your garden which has varied texture and apply the melted dark chocolate on the surface and arrange it in trays lined with grease paper to let it dry. Once it's dried up you can peel off the leaves and you get a beautiful leafy texture.

Creme brulle

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• powdered sugar for the crusts
• Groceries
• Baking Pans
• Cooking Pan
• Mixing Bowls
• Ramekins
• Wire Whisks
• Propane Torches
• Mixing bowls

1. Step 1

   To make creme brulee, heat the oven to 135 degrees C.

2. Step 2

   Mix the cream and vanilla extract in a nonreactive pan over low heat until steaming.

3. Step 3

   When the cream is hot, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well blended.

4. Step 4

   When cream starts to steam, shut off the heat.

5. Step 5

   Pour some cream (maybe 1/2 cup) into the egg yolks while whisking quickly. This will slowly heat the yolks, reducing the chance of curdling them.

6. Step 6

   Remove the whisk from the eggs, start whisking the cream, and steadily pour the yolks into the cream while whisking quickly.

7. Step 7

   When thoroughly mixed, divide mixture into oven-safe individual ramekins.

8. Step 8

   For best results, an optional step is to chill the filled ramekins overnight before cooking.

9. Step 9

   Place ramekins in a tall-sided baking pan. Pour hot water into the pan about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

10. Step 10

    Bake for about 35-45 minutes.
    

11. Step 11

    Cover and chill at least two hours.

12. Step 12

    When ready to serve, sprinkle the top of each serving with a thin, even layer of sugar.

13. Step 13

    If you have a propane kitchen torch, heat the sugar with the flame until it begins to brown. Stop when it reaches a golden color. It should not get too dark.

14. Step 14

    Without a torch, use the oven's broiler setting to caramelize the sugar. Broil for 20 to 30 seconds within at least an inch of the flame or heating element.

Saffron Kheer

I know looking at this photo must make your mouth water. I am sure you are going to try this out at home and have your friends and relatives enjoy this Indian dessert.

Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 cups milk
1/2 cup rice flour
10gms of raisins

Strands of saffron (be liberal) just joking

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 cups cooked rice
pista for garnish
pomegranate seeds for garnish

Heat milk, & rice powder in a heavy pan over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. As it starts to thicken, add raisins, cardamom, saffron and rice. Stir rapidly until thick. Eat warm or also chilled as dessert. Can garnish with pista and pomegranate seeds fresh.

Kimchi salad

When you have to whip up a salad which does not need much of stress and which would satisfy any taste buds. I am sure if served to a European he/she would find it palatable. I designed this simple recipe so that you could work on it and innovate on it.


INGREDIENTS

1 kg cabbage
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp spring onions-chopped
1 tbsp garlic-chopped
1 tbsp ginger-chopped
1 cup soya sauce
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp chilli flakes
Sesame (til) oil


METHOD

1. Chop cabbage, place in a bowl and sprinkle salt over it, mix well. Leave for 2-3 hours, till the cabbage is wilted. Squeeze it till cabbage has softened.

2. Mix in the rest of the ingredients mix well and transfer into jar/plastic container for storage. Seal and leave for minimum an hour, before using.

Garnish with some sesame oil.

My profession

It's been a long while since i updated the blog, but today i made sure i spend some time to post this short note for my followers. The hospitality industry is truly a great profession, as we get to meet some great personalities and this profession has bought me great contacts that help in the future to come. Culinary field has many openings and this is not just limited to hotels or restaurants. It is one profession that takes you all over the world and to be specific, being a chef myself has taken me places and got to meet professional chefs. Follow me and my friends at Linkedin were i have got to meet a lot of my peers.

Paremasan Custard display

My Lunch

A hard day of work, calls for some great food. I did have some of that this afternoon. I shared it with my friend and mentor Chef Raghunathan. It was a delicious treat of Sechswan chicken fried rice and Chicken lolipop (will be posting the menu's soon), prepared by our chinese chef Nima Lama. Chef Ragu, has trained various chefs under his belt and chef Lama is one among them. This alone shows how an individual with the right training and dedication can bring out great flavors to the table.

Beef Carpaccio

Beef is considered to be holy in parts of India, being a globalised country there are vast changes that are keeping us in tune with the rest of the world. Here is one of a kind appetizer that is well known in the western countries but has found it's way to our beautiful India. Being a huge fan of beef myself, I would say this is a wonderful treat.


Ingredients:

453 gms Beef, tenderloin or flank steak
250 gms Baby Arugula, large stems removed
120 gms Parmesan Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar, aged

Preparation:

Heat up a small skillet with a tablespoon of oil. Briefly sear the beef on all sides. You want the outside of the beef to brown, but the inside should remain very rare.
Place the beef on a plate and put in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will make it easier to slice. Slice the chilled beef as thin as possible against the grain.
On chilled plates, place the sliced beef, arrange in a round fashion and place a small handful of arugula in the center. Shave some Parmesan over the beef. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of balsamic vinegar over the whole thing and serve.

ENJOY!

Chicken salad

Having a chicken salad just for dinner or having this great chicken salad stuffed into a sandwich just makes a wonderful treat for the taste buds and it is also filling. I tried it out with some chilly flakes (I am into some spicy food these days) made me want for some more, but i have become more diet conscious.

Ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup salad dressing
½ cup yogurt
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh chives
1 cup cook cubed chicken
1 cup cooks Cubed turkey
1 cup celery1 cup carat
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup raisins
cup dried cranberries
cup dried cherries
cup apple cubed
½ cup grapes

1. In a lage bowl mix together everything
2. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.

Potato salad with chilli dressing

2 lbs. Boiling potatoes

1 Fresh jalapeno pepper chopped

2 small Garlic cloves chopped

1 Tbs Sugar

1 Tbs White-wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs Fresh lime juice

1 Tbs Anchovy paste

1 1/2 tsp oliveoil

1/4 cup packed fresh coriander chopped

1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves chopped

2 ribs celery; sliced thin
Cut the potatoes lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. In a steamer set over boiling water steam the potatoes, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are just tender, transfer them to a bowl, and let them cool to room temperature. In a small bowl whisk together the jalapeno, the garlic, the sugar, the vinegar, the lime juice and the anchovy paste add the oil, and salt to taste and let the dressing stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add the dressing to the potatoes with the coriander, the mint, and the celery and combine the salad well.