Recipes by Samar Harlarnkar prepare at Godrej Nature’s Basket

Parent Category: News and Stories

Posted in: Food & Nightlife on Friday, 29 November 2013 07:04

1. Grilled aubergine in Mint-Cinnamon sauce
Ingredients:
1 big eggplant (baingan), about 400 gm, or 3-4 long eggplants
300 gm yogurt
1Ž2 tsp honey
2 tbsp mint leaves (pudina), finely chopped
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
A pinch of salt
1Ž4 tsp cinnamon powder
1Ž4 tsp cumin (jeera) powder (optional, if you desire additional flavour, I don’t
usually add this)
2 tbsp chopped black olives
 
METHOD
Whip the yogurt with a fork until smooth. Add all the ingredients, except the eggplant and parsley, and mix well. Set aside. Slice the eggplants thin, almost to papad thickness, cut in half if too large to handle. Lay on absorbent paper, sprinkle salt. When the water leaches out, pat dry.
Grill in an oven heated to 175° C or on a hot grill pan with a little olive or sesame oil.
When cooked, arrange the slices on a plate. Pour yogurt sauce over them. Dress with parsley and chopped olives
 
2. Fish in a white wine and fennel sauce
Ingredients:
500 gm fish (I use surmai, kingfish, fillets)
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
Salt to taste
1Ž2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1Ž2 tsp butter
7-8 garlic flakes, crushed
2-3 tsp fennel (saunf) seeds, freshly roasted and pounded into powder
1/2 cup white wine
2 large tomatoes, pureed
1Ž2 tsp sugar
2 tsp red chilli flakes (optional! Only if you want a zing)
 
METHOD
Wash the fish and drain all water. Mix lemon or lime juice with fish, sprinkle with salt and
fresh ground pepper and set aside. Fry the fish gently in olive oil in a non-stick pan, do not
brown. Set aside.
In the same pan, lower the heat, melt the butter, add a little olive oil and fry the garlic and fennel powder for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the white wine and reduce slightly. Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt and give it a stir.
Add the chilli flakes (if you must) and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Arrange the fish in a warmed serving platter. Spoon the sauce over.
 
3. Sauteed vegetables with chermoula
For the paste:
2 garlic flakes
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of one lemon (or a lime, if lemon is unavailable)
Salt to taste
Grind all ingredients into a coarse paste.
 
The vegetables:
1 zuchhini, sliced into roundels, then halved (cut into half-moon slices)
1 red pepper, julienned
5-6 small aubergines, sliced into thin roundels
4-5 large garlic flakes, crushed
Fresh pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
 
METHOD
Heat olive oil in a pan. Saute garlic, until it starts becoming golden. Add aubergine slices and fry till soft. While they are frying, add zucchini. When both are nearly ready, add peppers.
Mix in 1/2 cup of chermoula paste (more or less, depending on how strong you want it flavoured) and toss vegetables.
Season with fresh pepper and serve hot.
 
 
4. Chicken in thyme and white wine (also possible with paneer instead of chicken)
2 chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 tbsp sage, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
1 tbsp fresh black pepper
1-2 tbsp olive oil
10-15 black olives
1 sprig of thyme
Salt
 
METHOD
Mix salt and pepper into chicken. Pluck leaves off the thyme and mix into the egg. Dip chicken in egg and coat in parmesan, after laying out cheese on a plate. Heat olive oil on a non-stick pan. Fry the chicken until golden-brown. Reduce heat and add white wine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve in a plate with olives for garnish.