Presenting the taste of yore

Completing my postgraduate diploma from Mumbai, I moved to Bengaluru after marriage. I loved and still love travelling, knowing and learning about different cultures. But I realised my passion for food just two years ago and now, I am a connoisseur and a food photographer, who loves the concept of food and cooking. I love learning regional delicacies and I share a special bond with Kerala cuisine. My relationship with food and cooking is just two years old, which is when I started my blog ‘Cubes N Juliennes’.

 An unexplored talent in me, I realised that I was made for food styling and food photography after starting my blog. The journey started from creating and writing up recipes to clicking the most stylish, captivating and drool-worthy food images.

Now I am a food consultant showcasing my aptitude in food styling, food photography and recipe development. For me, the food has to speak out for itself, which can be done by aesthetic photography. I like to bring out the best of textures, perspectives and lighting to the food to give them a spell binding look.

 With food styling and photography forming my heart and soul, I have been associated with food styling for a couple of food chains in the City.

Before all this, I used to try my hands on a few dishes, not as a passion but as a need. My husband loves non vegetarian dishes and so I have tried cooking a variety of them. 

A few years back, I wanted to make ‘rasmalai’ at home. The preparations started by 10 am. After 13 failed attempts, I finally succeeded in making them and it was 8 pm then. I am sharing the recipe of Mughlai Mushroom Pasanda. It is a delicious, creamy delicacy made using button mushroom, spices, saffron and cream.

In reality, Mughlai cuisine comprises non-vegetarian kebabs, curries, pulaos and biryanis influenced from the central Asian region. Nevertheless, in today’s era, it is not restricted to just meat as the vegetarian preparations are gaining popularity all around the continent. I have given this dish a twist by using butter instead of ghee, which adds extra richness to the dish.   

 Farrukh Aziz, Food blogger 
(Farrukh can be reached at [e-mail])

Mughlai Mushroom Pasanda Ingredients

Mushroom - 500 gms n Onions - 2, choppedn Tomatoes - 300 gms (cut in cubes)n Almonds -20 (blanched, peeled and roughly chopped)

Garlic cloves - 6 (chopped)n Ginger - 1 (chopped)n Green chillies - 2 ( you may adjust according to your taste)n Cumin seeds - 1 tsp n Cinnamon - 1 inch piece n Bay leaf - 1n Black peppercorns - 6 to 8n Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn Coriander powder - 1 tspn Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp n Garam masala powder - 1 tsp n Kasoori methi - 1tsp n Sugar - 1 tspn Cream - 1/4 cupn Saffron - a generous pinch n Milk - 3 tbsp n Butter - 1 tbsp n Oil - 3 tbspn

Salt as required
Water as required


Method
Soak saffron in three tablespoons of warm milk.First, in a pan, add cubed tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chopped almonds, green chilies and 1/2 cup of water.

Bring it to boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes until tomatoes are soft and pulpy. Allow it to cool completely and then blend it in a food processor to a smooth paste.In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil.

Add chopped onions and sauté until soft and brown( do not burn them). Take it off the heat and cool completely. Grind the fried onions to fine paste.Clean and wash mushroom thoroughly but gently.

Cut the bigger mushrooms into halves and keep the smaller ones intact.In a heavy bottom pan, heat butter. Add mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 6-7 minutes or until the water released from mushrooms dries off completely. 

Take it off the heat and keep it aside.In a same pan, heat two tablespoons of oil.

Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, and peppercorns.

Fry for a few seconds.Add ground onions and sauté well for 3-4 minutes.Add ground tomato-almond paste, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder and mix well.

Cook for four to five minutes or until masala is cooked well and starts releasing the oil.

Add fried mushrooms, salt and 3/4 cup of warm water, mix.

Bring it to coil and simmer for five minutes. Lastly add sugar, garam masala powder, kasoori methi, saffron soaked milk and cream and mix well.

Cook for another three to four minutes. Delicious rich creamy mushroom pasanda is ready to be served. Now, serve hot with naan/paratha and pulao of your choice.