JOIN USFor the taste of love
It’s the season of love & Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. Instead of the usual chocolates and flowers, why don’t you try something different this year by cooking something delicious for the special someone in your life? Chefs Kunal Kapur & Manish Mehrotra offer some easy-peasy recipes that you can whip up in no time.
ALMOND & CHICKEN MOMOS
Ingredients: Chicken mince 250 gm, garlic chopped 1 tbsp, carrots finely chopped 3 tbsp, spring onions finely chopped 3 tbsp, ginger finely chopped 1 tbsp, soya sauce 1 tbsp, oyster sauce 1 tbsp, sesame oil 1 tsp, pepper powder 1 tsp, egg 1 no, blanched & chopped almonds 1/2 cup, oil for greasing.
Method: Place the chicken mince in a bowl. Add all the ingredients except almonds and divide it into equal-sized balls. Roll these balls in the blanched and chopped almonds and place them on a greased plate. Get the steamer ready and steam these on high heat for 15 minutes. Remove and serve the momos hot.
SWEET CHILLI ALMONDS
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Ingredients: Almonds whole 1 cup, egg white from 1/2 egg, curry leaves 2 sprigs, salt ½ tsp, sugar (fine grain) 2 tsp, red chilli powder ½ tsp.
Method: Place the curry leaves in a microwave and dry them completely on low heat. Crush them in a bowl and add salt, sugar, red chilli powder. Mix well. Add the egg white to the almonds, mix well. The egg white should be just enough to coat the almonds lightly. Now sprinkle the masala and mix well. Spread the almonds on a roasting tray. In a pre-heated oven, cook the almonds for 10 minutes at 120°C. Remove & allow to cool. Store in an airtight jar.
ALMOND STRAWBERRY CREAM
Ingredients: Almonds ½ cup, fresh strawberry 12-14 pcs, whipping cream 1 cup, holy basil leaves 1 tsp, sugar (powdered) 3 tbsp.
Method: Toast the almond flakes in the oven at 180°C for 4 minutes. Cut the strawberries into 1-cm dices. Whip the cream along with sugar. Do not over-whip it or the butter will separate. Mix the almond flakes and strawberries into the cream along with hand-torn holy basil. Garnish with almonds and sliced strawberries.
CHOCOLATE & ALMOND RUM BALL
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Ingredients: Eggless chocolate sponge 250 gm, dark chocolate (55%-70%) 100 gm, single cream (20-25%fat) 150 ml, almonds 100 gm, castor sugar 100 gm, instant coffee powder 10 gm, dark rum 15 ml.
Method: Heat cream in a pan till it boils and remove from heat. Add the chocolate and keep aside till slightly cool and then mix well. Toast the almonds in the oven at 180°C for 8-10 mins. Roughly chop the almonds. Heat castor sugar in a pan and caramelise, add the roughly chopped almonds and remove the nougat on to a parchment paper. Crush the nougat with a rolling pin till slightly coarse. In a mixing bowl, crumb the chocolate sponge till breadcrumb consistency, add half the chocolate ganache, instant coffee powder dissolved in a teaspoon of water, rum, and mix with hands till the mixture is even in consistency. Now add two-thirds of the crushed almond nougat into the mix and form into small round balls and refrigerate. Once slightly set, coat the rum balls with the remaining chocolate ganache. Garnish with almond nougat and serve.