Off to Denmark and US

The early part of November will go in Copenhagen and US. Reaching Copenhagen by Nov 2 to shoot for the second part of the series with CNN. I finished the first part on Saturday. And the third part is expected to be shot in Delhi later in the month.

Will be cooking and shooting with Chef Rene Redzepi of Noma restaurant in central Copenhagen. Noma is a two Michelin star restaurant known for its reinvention and interpretation of Nordic cuisine. Looking forward to this little adventure immensely as I will be learning a whole lot of new things! Chef Rene has earlier worked with The French Laundry and El Bulli. He is known to serve soul food cooked with local fresh produce. After this, I am off to Houston and San Francisco for live shows on Nov 5 and 6 to promote my food business. Spending a day post this in New York and then flying back home.

Many of you have enquired about what to cook for Christmas and New Year! Yes, your search for new recipes should begin now as any festival is the perfect occasion to serve novel foods. I have been writing about Christmas treats last month and now it is down to the brass tacks, as they say! Yes, the fruits should be soaked in rum now for the cakes and puddings. I will get to see the festive preparations for Christmas when I travel to Denmark and US and will definitely get back for you the newest fare.

I will soon have for you all the recipes that were contributed to the Innovation Station Competition. Maybe they could give you some ideas for the coming season. Right now, let us focus on some recipes that can balance out the meals at home after all the festive Diwali treats. So how about going light and low cal?

Chilli Lemon Stewed Vegetables with Noodles

Brown Rice Vegetable Pilaf

Salad Wrap

Till I write again.

Sanjeev Kapoor.

Our innovative Diwali treats!

Well, yet another Diwali has come and gone, but the taste of our innovative Diwali treats lingers on! The festivities had begun with full gusto and they ended with a keen competition amongst four teams that cooked to their hearts’ content for the Innovation Station. Began the week with a havan, and it was really peaceful and tranquil after the chants and prayers got over.

Then, there was this super duper excitement for all Khazanaites regarding the Innovation Station Competition on Tuesday. So it was 4 teams, 2 hours each and 3 dishes each…quite challenging, I must say it was more exciting to select the winner among

st all the creativity dished out before me! All the teams were in full form to make their dishes and it was quite difficult to decide the winners. But the team that was a stand-out performer of course won! They made a starter called Soya and Suran ka Jhatka. The main course was Jugalbandhi Tokri with Kedegree and the dessert was Pachim Falooda Mousse. Team members – Satyaki Mukherjee, Dilpreet Kohli, Nisha Dingra, Sheetal Kadam and Rohit Mangela – well done all, and congratulations!

You can see the creations in the pictures and in the same space I will be sharing their recipes soon. Diwali was different this year around and I hope my team keeps honing their skills all through the coming year.

So with all this fun and amazing food set before us, how about using these traditional recipes for the weekend guests?

Kachori Chaat

Pineapple Burfi

Badam Halwa

Till I write again.

Sanjeev Kapoor

Christmas eats – have a plan

Christmas dessert recipes are high in demand! Well, there is no dearth of them! With Diwali too around the corner, it is truly a time for creating sweets, mithais and desserts, isn’t it! Following these paras you will find some baked Christmas Dessert Recipes that you should be able to get right even on the first attempt.

Baba au Rum: Sieve 2 cups refined flour with 10 grams salt and put it in a big mixing bowl. Mix 10 grams fresh yeast with 1 tablespoon sugar in one-third cup of lukewarm water. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the dissolved yeast, stir a little, cover and let stand five or six minutes. Beat 4 eggs and add them to the flour and yeast mixture. If necessary add a very little warm milk. Mix well and keep aside to rise for about thirty to forty five minutes in a warm place.Then add 10 tablespoons melted butter and beat again for five minutes. The batter should not be thin. Put the batter into moulds or individual cups, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size which may take about one hour. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Bake for about twenty to twenty-five minutes or until light brown in colour. Empty onto a rack to cool. Make a sauce by boiling half cup of water and ½ cup of sugar until quite thick. When cool thin it down ½ cup strong black rum, pour this sauce on the cakes and let them soak for fifteen minutes. Garnish with rum soaked cherries, serve cold or flambéed.

Baked Carrot and Brandy Pudding: Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Butter and flour a 20-cm round glass cake pan. Peel, wash and grate 3 large carrots. Cream ¾ cup butter until fluffy. Beat in 400 ml condensed milk. Beat in 4 eggs one at a time. Stir in carrots, 1 cup dry breadcrumbs and ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence. Mix well. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake at 175 degrees C for thirty to thirty five minutes or until a knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool completely in pan or on a rack. Bring 2/3 cup sugar and quarter cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat, stir in ¼ cup brandy. Cool slightly. Spoon evenly over cooled carrot pudding. Refrigerate for one hour. Cut into wedges and serve.

Christmas Desserts are something that can use some rum or brandy. So when it comes to these ingredients, hope you liked the two yummy choices given for you. In case you would like something without spirit, try these for sure Walnut Chocolate Fudge, Vanilla Sponge with Fruit Cream, Boondi and Rabdi Stuffed Pancakes.