Dum Aloo

Small unpeeled potatoes the size of a lemon are used in making DumAloo.A great number of Indian restaurants serve this dish as a speciality. Made with baby potatoes, Dum Aloo is cooked with the use of spicy gravy. It is ordinarily served hot not only with roti but may also be served with parathas, chapathi or naan. Also known as Dam Aloo or Alu Dum, Dum Aloo is traditionally cooked in such a way that the potatoes are first fried till they are golden brown and then cooked using a pressure cooker to be able to soak the potatoes in the gravy and for the spicy flavors to be absorbed by them. In this flavorful recipe, unpeeled baby potatoes are cooked in gravy that is made with garlic, salt, turmeric powder, red chili peper, garam masala, jeera powder, green chilies, onions, and grated tomatoes with a garnishing of fresh coriander leaves. 

To make this recipe, the potatoes should be cooked slowly resembling a stew, so the use of a thick or heavy bottomed pot is recommended in order for the heat to be distributed evenly. Thus, potatoes become tender and can easily soak up the gravy flavor. Dum Aloo actually is cooked in different versions depending on the preference of each region and each household. Some are drier while other versions contain more sauce. This spicy and rich dish is also served as a side dish especially to fish and meats, an entrée or appetizer as well.

Ingredients:

250gms very small size potatoes with skin

2 tablespoon oil

3 medium sized tomatoes chopped, grated

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 medium onion finely chopped, grated

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 teaspoon jeera powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Preparation:

1.       Using a deep pan, heat oil before throwing in jeera.

2.       When the jeera is already brown, add the grated onions and the green chilies.

3.       As soon as the onions are golden brown, the remaining spices and the grated tomatoes must then be added.

4.       Stir continuously until everything is blended well. At this time add the potatoes.

5.       It must then be stirred well and covered.

6.       While cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, stir continuously in between.Water may also be added if necessary.

7.       Use the fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish it.

8.       It is then ready to be served hot alongside rotis.

Make Healthy Food Choices On The Go

It is very important to eat healthy to stay fit. You should incorporate fresh fruits, cereals and vegetables in your daily diet and this would help you boost your metabolism as well as your overall health.

Ingredients:

1 cup cereals

1 glass mil

1 cup fresh cut fruits

 1 cup fresh chopped vegetables

Preparation:

You can prepare healthy food in no time and this would be good step towards great health. 

Also this video talks about how to make healthy food choices in a fast food restaurant.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

The history of Mexican hot chocolate can be traced back to the time of the Mayans and the Aztec Indians who roasted cocoa beans and mixed it with water, wine, and chili peppers, and considered it to be a sacred drink worthy of the gods. By 1400 AD, the cocoa beverage was an essential part of the Aztec culture. It is believed that the Mayas created the first chocolate beverage around 2,000 years ago. In this recipe for Mexican hot chocolate, adapted from The Prudence Penny Regional Cookbook by Prudence Penny, sweet chocolate is melted in boiling water and combined with coffee, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to create a rich, strong, spicy, and stimulating drink that makes a luscious early morning breakfast or the perfect drink for wintertime.

 

Ingredients:

1 quart milk

1 inch cinnamon stick

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons ground coffee

2 oz. sweet chocolate

½ cup boiling water

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:

1.       In a saucepan, pour the milk, cinnamon, salt, and coffee; bring to a boil. Strain.

2.       Dissolve the chocolate in the boiling water. Add to the milk mixture.

3.       Reheat the whole, bringing to a boil. Remove from the stove and add the vanilla.

Cheese Snacks - Sail Boat

Sail away and make fun with this cheese sailboat snack! Click  (recipe videos online) to view full version.

Ingredients

Red bell pepper

Kraft singles

Pretzel sticks

Dried apple chips

Fish crackers

Preparation Instructions

Cut cheese slice diagonally.

Arrange on plate as sails.

Cut slice of red pepper for boat and place on plate.

Use pretzel stick between cheese slices as mast.

Place apple chips around boat for waves.

Cut small wedge of pepper to use as flag on top of mast.

Using cookie cutter, cut cheese slice and make crescent for moon.

Add fish crackers. 

Orient Express Chocolate Torte

This chocolate torte recipe is adapted from Maida Heatter’s Book of Chocolate Desserts, which is the same chocolate torte served in the famous luxury train Orient Express, back when it was known worldwide for gourmet food. Pronounced as TOR-tuh, torte is a very rich and decadent cake multilayered with all kinds of indulgences such as whipped cream, mousses, jam, fruits, and buttercream. In this simple recipe, chocolate cake is layered with an opulent buttercream.

This dessert does not contain any flour, making it the ideal gluten-free chocolate cake. It is rich and dense and absolutely luxurious enough for birthday occasions. The cake is made with unsweetened chocolate, unblanched almonds, eggs, sugar, and salt while the buttercream frosting is made with sweet butter, pure vanilla extract, granulated sugar, eggs, and unsweetened chocolate. You need a spring form pan to bake the cake in and a bain-marie for melting the chocolate. A spring form pan consists of a round base and a band with a latch on the sides. It is meant for use in cheesecakes, flourless cakes, and other dense cakes.

Ingredients:

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

7 ½ oz. (1 ½ cups) unblanched almonds

5 eggs, separated

2 egg yolks

¾ cup granulated sugar

Salt

For the Buttercream Frosting:

3 oz. sweet butter

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

Preparation:

1.       Place the oven rack 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 3 in. springform pan. Coarsely chop the chocolate. Place it, along with the almonds, in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.

2.       In the small bowl of an electric mixer, pour the 7 egg yolks. Add the sugar and beat until yolks are lemon-colored but not thick. Add the ground chocolate mixture and mix. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. In a clean and dry mixer bowl, pour the 5 egg whites and the salt. Beat until they hold shape, but not until they are stiff. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

3.       Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 65 minutes, or until the top just springs back when pressed with the fingers. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the outer edge of the cake. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Place a wire cooling rack over the cake pan and invert. Place the cooling rack on the counter and remove the cake pan. Allow the cake to cool completely on the rack. Freeze the cake for about 1 hour.

4.       In the meantime make the buttercream. In the small bowl of an electric mixer, mix the butter and vanilla. Add the sugar and cream for about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on high for 2 minutes after each one is added.

5.       Place the chocolate on the top of a double broiler placed over medium heat. Cover. When partially melted, uncover and stir constantly until the chocolate is entirely melted. Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Place the bowl of buttercream, along with the mixer’s beaters, in the freezer or refrigerator until firm.

6.       Remove the cake from the freezer and use a serrated bread knife to cut it in half horizontally, making two layers. Place one layer of the cake, cut side up, on a cake platter. Remove the buttercream from the freezer or refrigerator and beat until it is soft, smooth, and spreadable. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream on top of the bottom layer of cake. Place the second layer of cake on top of this, cut side down. Spread the remaining buttercream over the cake top and sides.

Butter Poached Lobster Shooters

LOBSTER SHOOTERS

Ingredients

Lobster
Butter
Bowl of Cold Water
Pot
Tong
Ladle
Large Chef Knife
Side Towels
Large Pot
Glass
Tomato
Parsly
1 Lemon

Preparation Instructions

Step 1
Put water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Step 3
Dip head of live lobster to shock it. Then let it slide into the water.
Step 4
Once the tail curls take it out of the water as it is cooked. After about 5 minutes it should look
Step 5
Drop them into the cold water to cool them off.
Step 6
Twist the claws and tail off over a bowl.
Step 7
Remove the meat from the claws with the chef knife.
Step 8
Place the heel of the knife just below the claw tip to twist the shell. Carefully remove the meat.
Step 9
Straighten the tail out and put the knife right in the middle and push down to break the shell. Carefully pull the meat out.
Step 10
Drop the meat into the clarified butter until it's firm.
Step 11
Take the meat out and put it in a small glass. This is called a shooter.
Step 12
Take the lemon and cut it in half and squeeze into the bottom of the glass
Step 13
Sprinkle kosher salt in.
Step 14
Take bite size piece of the lobster and put it in the glass.
Step 15
Take some of the lobster flavored butter and pour on the butter
Step 16
Take a little bit of chopped parsley and put it on top
Step 17
Finely slice the tomato and put a little bit on top.

Almond Galette With Red Fruits

An extraordinarily simple recipe by highly esteemed chef Gerard Vie, known for his artistic creations and down-to-earth yet aesthetic dishes, AlmondGalette with Red Fruits takes only twenty minutes to do so you can make this on the fly when friends unexpectedly come over and fresh raspberries are in season. Serve this with a good bottle of Loupiac for a complete celebration. Otherwise, you can serve this with tea or coffee for savoring a lovely afternoon.

Ingredients

almonds

4.48 oz. (about ½ cup) sugar

7 tablespoons flour

5 eggs

1 lb. raspberries or seasonal red fruits

3.5 oz. (7 tablespoons) thick cream (creme fraiche)

3.5 oz. (7 tablespoons) creme patissiere (vanilla flavored custard filling for pastries and cakes)

raspberry sauce

Preparation Instructions

1.       Mix the almonds, sugar, eggs, and flour to create a dough that is a bit greasy but easy to work with. Using both thumbs spread and flatten the dough on a shallow round mold, covering the bottom to make a thin crust. Cook in a very hot oven for about five minutes.

2.       To make a light cream mix equal parts crème patisserie and fresh whipped cream, blend until you get a smooth and even consistency.

3.       Take the now crispy almond galette and place it on the bottom of the plate. Put generous scoops of cream on top. Arrange fresh raspberries around the pancake, lightly covering the mound of cream. Place a sprig of mint on top to decorate.

4.       Spread a bit of cream on another galette and place on the side of the dessert so that it is leaning on the raspberries, with the cream acting as support.

5.       Make abstract patterns with raspberry sauce drippings around the plate. To finish, arrange more fresh raspberries and red currants around the plate for a vibrant color.