Chef Kunal Jariwala, ITC GRAND CHOLA

Sunday 22 January 2012

Pita Bread

Pita Bread
Pita bread is served at just about every meal in the Middle East. It can be used for dipping, or to make delicious sandwiches in the pocket. In the Middle East, pita is made in brick ovens, where very high heat can be achieved. It is very hard to duplicate in a home kitchen, but this recipe, combined with high heat, comes very close.


Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 cups warm water (approximately 105 degrees F)
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • About 4 cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

  • You will need a large bread bowl, a rolling pin, and unglazed quarry tiles or several baking sheets, or alternatively a castiron or other heavy skillet or griddle at least 9 inches in diameter.
  • Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a large bread bowl. Stir to dissolve. Add whole wheat flour, one cup at a time, then 1 cup white flour. Stir 100 times (one minute) in the same direction to activate the gluten in the flour. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes or as long as 2 hours.
  • Sprinkle salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add white flour, one cup at a time. When the dough is too stiff to stir, turn it out onto a lightly floured bread board and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Return the dough to a lightly oiled bread bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least double in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Gently punch down. Dough can be made ahead to this point and then stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 5 days or less.
  • If at this time you want to save the dough in the refrigerator for baking later, simply wrap it in a plastic bag that is at least three times the size of the dough, pull the bag together, and secure it just at the opening of the bag. This will give the dough a chance to expand when it is in the refrigerator (which it will do). From day to day, simply cut off the amount of dough you need and keep the rest in the refrigerator, for up to one week. The dough will smell slightly fermented after a few days, but this simply improves the taste of the bread. Dough should be brought to room temperature before baking.
  • This amount of dough will make approximately 16 pitas if rolled out into circles approximately 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than 1/4-inch thick. You can also of course make smaller breads. Size and shape all depend on you, but for breads of this dimension the following baking tips apply:
  • Place unglazed quarry tiles, or a large baking stone or two baking sheets, on a rack in the bottom third of your oven, leaving a one inch gap all around to allow air to circulate. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide dough in half, then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide dough into eight equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter. You may wish to roll out all eight before starting to bake. Cover rolled out breads, but do not stack.
  • Bake 2 at a time (or more if your oven is larger) directly on quarry tiles or baking sheets. Bake each bread for 3 or 4 minutes, until the bread has gone into a full "balloon" or until it is starting to turn lightly golden, whichever happens first. If there are seams or dry bits of dough - or for a variety of other reasons - your bread may not go into a full "balloon". Don't worry, it will still taste great. The more you bake pitas the more you will become familiar with all the little tricks and pitfalls, and your breads will more consistently "balloon." But even then, if you're like us, it won't always "balloon" fully and you won't mind because the taste will still be wonderful. When baked, remove, place on a rack for about five minutes to let cool slightly, then wrap breads in a large kitchen towel (this will keep the breads soft). When first half of the dough has been rolled out and baked, repeat for rest of dough, or store in refrigerator for later use, as described above. You can also divide the dough into more, smaller pieces if you wish, to give you smaller breads.

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ganoush is a very popular Middle Eastern dish made primarily of eggplant and tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds.
In the Levant, baba ganoush is a sort of salad made of grilled eggplant with finely diced onions, tomatoes and other vegetables blended in. It is normally served with a dressing of oil and pomegranate concentrate.
In Egypt, baba ganoush is a paste made of roast or grilled eggplant and tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. This dish is known as mutabbal in the Levant. Traditionally, the eggplant is first roasted in an oven for approximately 45 minutes. The softened flesh is scooped out, squeezed to remove excess water, and is then pureed with the tahini. There are many variants of the recipe, especially the seasoning. Possible seasonings include garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt, mint, and parsley. When served on a plate or bowl, it is traditional to drizzle the top with olive oil.

This is a healthy snack that can be eaten in a variety of ways, including as a dip with whole wheat bread or crackers, spread on pita, or added to other dishes. It is usually of an earthy light brown color.

In Ethiopia, the dish is more commonly known as Blagadoush.


Ingredients:



Directions:

  • Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.
  • Preheat an oven to 375°F. 
  • Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire.
  • Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin.
  • Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl. 
  • Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste.
  • Add the 1/4 cup tahini, the garlic, the 1/4 cup lemon juice and the cumin and mix well.
  • Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.
  • Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well.
  • Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley.
  • Place the olives around the sides. 
  • Serve at room temperature. 

Friday 20 January 2012

Types of steak


Types of Steak



  • Tenderloin: The tenderloin is a cut of meat that is the most tender (and therefore usually the most expensive). On a cow or pig the tenderloin is found in the middle of the back between the sirloin and the rib. The tenderloin is extremely tender because the muscles that make up the tenderloin are rarely used. The elongated muscle can be separated from the bone and is sold as a tenderloin roast. When the tenderloin is cut into pieces, it is called fillet mignon steaks.
  • T-Bone:The T-bone is a bone-in steak from the short loin. This cut has a T-shaped bone that separates the tenderloin section from the larger portion of the top loin. These steaks are not as tender as the porterhouse steak.
  • Porterhouse: The Porterhouse steak is a large steak from the thick end of the short loin containing a T-shaped bone and large piece of tenderloin. Porterhouse steak is one of the most popular types of steaks.
  • Strip or Top Loin: Porterhouse or T-bone steaks that have been stripped of the choice tenderloin portion.  Top loin steaks are usually expensive.
  • Club: Club steak are triangular. Club steaks are s cut from the short loin, next to the rib end.
  • Rib-Eye: The rib eye or ribeye is a beef steak from the beef rib. When cut into steaks, the ribeye is one of the most popular, juiciest, and expensive steaks on the market. Meat from the rib section is tender and fattier than other cuts of beef. This extra fat makes ribeye steaks and roasts especially tender and flavorful. The rib-eye steak is also called Scotch Fillet
  • Sirloin: The sirloin is near the rump. Sirloin steaks are tougher than cuts from the loin or the rib.  There are several different sirloin steak cuts,
  • Flank:Flank steak is a beef steak cut from the belly muscles of the cow. Long and flat, the flank steak's best known application is London Broil. The flank steak is much tougher than the loin and rib steaks. Many recipes for flank steak use marinades or braising. Flank steak is best when it has a bright, red color. You can tenderize flank steak by marinating it in a tenderizing liquid, including acids like tomato-based products, lemon juice, wine, vinegar,pineapple or ginger.
  • Skirt: The skirt steak is a cut of beef steak from the belly primal cut. The skirt steak is a long, flat cut that is flavorful, but tougher than most other steak cuts. Most people use skirt steak to make fajitas.

Friday 13 January 2012

SUSHI

Sushi is a haiku composed using rice and raw ingredients, and there is as much delight to be had in its consumption as in its preparation. It can take years of practice for a chef to master the techniques of making the many kids of sushi.But while it may appear to be a challenge, I encourage you to try your hand at it. Amateurs are known to turn out sushi jewels that make a great impression. Here we fill you in on a bit of sushi jargon, how to fillet a fish and finally, how to roll together some sushi.

Try your hand at sushi
Nigirizushi & Makizushi

Its been said that it takes close to seventeen years for chefs to truly master the art of making sushi. But that hasn't stopped more than a few of its many fans from giving it a try. Here a recipe for two of the world's most popular types of sushi: nigirizushi and makizushi. As you devote yourself to putting together these historic japanese preparations, don't forget to enjoy!!

Ingredients:
For rice
Japanese sticky rice 3 cups
water 3 cups

For dressing
Rice vinegar 4 tbs
sugar 3 tsp
salt 1/2 tsp
kombu (seaweed leaf) 1" stick

Method
For sushi rice
1. Wash the rice in a bowl and soak it for 10 minutes.
2. Drain the water and let the rice stand for 30 minutes.
3. Cook it in an automatic cooker in three cups of water, then let it stand for ten minutes.

For the dressing
1. Mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil before letting it cool.
2. Sprinkle the dressing over the rice while turning it with a spoon to cool it.
3. Transfer it to a lidded container.
















Nigirizusi
1.Prepare thin slices of tuna, salmon, or snapper using the sushi knife.
2. combine water an vinegar in a bowl, and dip your fingers in it.
3. Pick up the slice of the fish with your right hand and place it in your cupped left palm and smear some
    wasabi on the fish.
4. With your right hand, pick up a small portion of rice and shape it into a pillow.
5. Transfer the rice on tothe fish and press the fish and rice together with your right index and middle fingers;
     turn it over so now the rice is on top and press again. Turn it again so the fish is on top. Press a final time.
6. Serve with pickled ginger (gari), wasabi and soy sauce for dipping.




Makizushi
1. Divide the nori sheet into two equal parts.
2. Place a nori sheet on a bamboo mat with the shiny side facing downwards; moisten your hands.
3. Take 70-75 gm of sushi rice and spread it evenly on the nori sheet, leaving some free space on the top.
    Smear some wasabi paste along the centre and place a salmon strip on it.
4. Lift the edges of the mat and nori sheet nearest to you, and roll so the edge of the nori sheet meets the edge
    of the rice ball at the other end. Push the roll forward so that the uncovered strip of nori seals the roll.
5. Remove the roll from the mat and place it on the chopping board.
6. cut the roll into six equal parts. Moisten the knife with the cloth between each cut.
7. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger (gari) and wasabi.



 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Justin Bieber, Gold Price in India