Prateek Dhar Wali

Homemade Tiramisu Cake

November 15, 2020Leave a comment

A couple of months ago, Mikki and I were watching the Great British Bake Off Masterclass on Netflix and they were making this fun Mary Berry’s Tiramisu Cake. So I thought this would be perfect for Mikki’s birthday. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Sponge:

4 large eggs
100g extra-fine sugar
100g King Arthur self-rising flour, sifted

Filling:

1 tbsp instant coffee granules
150ml boiling water
100ml brandy
3 x 250g tubs full-fat mascarpone cheese
300ml heavy cream
3 tbsp confectionary sugar, sifted
65g dark chocolate grated

Top decoration:

100g dark chocolate, melted in double boiler
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a baking cookie sheet with soft butter and line with parchment paper.
To make the sponge, whisk eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl slow at first then at higher speed for five minutes so that the mixture is pale and thick.
Sift the flour and then fold it gently using a rubber spatula, try to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
Pour the mixture slowly onto the baking sheet and tilt to cover the surface.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden-brown and springs to touch. Cool for five minutes in the sheet and then transfer to wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Start the filling, dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water and add the brandy. Leave to cool.
When the sponge has cooled, peel the parchment paper and cut in half. Then use the square baking pan as a guide to cut the sponge. For each square piece of sponge cut horizontally using a serrated knife, start at each corner towards the middle. This should give you four equally thick sponge pieces. Keep the leftover pieces in case you need to fill in gaps.
Line the square pan with long pieces of parchment paper in both directions so that it’s easy to take out at the end.
Meanwhile mix the mascarpone cheese in a mixing bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Slowly add the cream and icing sugar to make a creamy, spreadable frosting. Use as much or little cream as you would like.
Start layering with the first square piece of sponge at the bottom of the square pan. Brush on some of the coffee brandy mixture. Then spread some of the mascarpone frosting over the soaked sponge. Then add some of the grated chocolate.
Then add the second square sponge on top, and repeat the process, then third square and repeat the process.
Place the fourth square sponge on top and spoon over the remaining coffee mixture. Using a palette or butter knife to spread a thin layer of the frosting over the top of the cake.
Wipe the knife and spread the rest of the frosting in a thicker layer over the cake. Chill for an hour in the fridge, cover with plastic wrap.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler on the stove.
Remove the cake from the fridge and lift the cake from the pan using the parchment paper, place on a large cake plate.
Dust with cocoa powder, then decorate with steaks of melted chocolate.

Ottolenghi’s Harissa Roasted Carrots

October 25, 2020Leave a comment

This recipe is perfect for a vegetarian night, with the heat and flavor of harrissa with seasonal carrots. Harrisa is basically a chili paste which varies by region in North Africa and the Middle East. It is a blend of hot chili peppers, garlic, olive oil tomatoes and spices such as cumin, coriander, caraway.

Ingredients

2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp harissa ( I bought mine at Wegmans)
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 bunches of carrots, cut in half longitudinally.
2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 450F.
In a large bowl, mix together the cumin, honey, harissa, butter, oil and 1 tsp of salt. Add the carrots, mix well, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Make sure to avoid overcrowding.
Roast for 15 minutes, until the carrots are beginning to brown but still retain a bite, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Add the lemon juice, cilantro and/or pomegranate seeds if desired.

Ottolenghi Hummus

October 25, 20201 Comment

Homemade hummus is fresh, light and delicious. I used canned chickpeas for this recipe, which originally has dried chickpeas. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 can organic chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup of organic tahini
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6 tablespoons ice cold water (more depending on the thickness of your tahini)
1-2 pinch salt, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

Drain the chickpeas. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and process until you get a stiff paste. Add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time to get proper consistency. Allow it to mix for about five minutes, until it is smooth and creamy. Place in a bowl with plastic wrap touching the hummus, rest for about 30 min. Use the end of a spoon to make lines in the hummus and then pour extra virgin olive oil. Serve with yogurt infused flatbread.

Black Pepper Tofu

October 24, 2020October 24, 2020Leave a comment

Our family is eating meat-free this week for a Hindu religious festival called Navratri. So I’m using Yotam Ottolenghi’s wonderful vegetarian cookbook, Plenty, to make some creative recipes. I decided to get some extra firm tofu and try this simple blackened tofu dish (healthier version). It was spicy and flavorful. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 packet of extra firm tofu- cut into inch cubes

Vegetable oil for frying tofu

Cornstarch to dust the tofu

2 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon of ginger paste

2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 tablespoon of black pepper, freshly ground

2 tablespoons of green onion, diced small

Directions:

Heat oil in non-stick pan, add tofu cubes and fry gently until all sides are golden brown, then place on paper towels.
Clean pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil with 2 tablespoons of butter, add shallots, chili flakes, garlic and ginger. Saute on low to medium heat for 5 min, then add soy sauces and sugar. Stir and add the black pepper.
Add the tofu to the sauce, and stir gently, add green onions on top. Serve with basmati rice.

Kashmiri Televor (Sesame Bagel)

April 3, 2020Leave a comment

Obviously we are all practicing social distancing, so I’ve decided to make use of my time at home in between telemedicine appointments. Today’s project was to make a classic Kashmiri bread, televor, enjoyed with pink salt tea (sheer chai). It’s similar to a sesame bagel. I used a french flour used for baguettes but you can using any all purpose flour, so your dough might need more or less water. Enjoy and stay safe.

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon of quick rise dry yeast

1/2 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 tablespoon of salt

2 cups of water (80F) important to get the yeast to grow

Sesame seeds

Butter

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt, yeast.
Add the warm water slowly while mixing. ( I used the dough hook on my Kitchen aid). Continue to mix the dough for 7-8 minutes using the mixer to get a soft dough.
Place dough in a bowl, cover with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and let it rest for an hour in a warm place with a kitchen towel over the bowl.
The dough should rise nicely after an hour.
Shape the dough into a log, and cut into 6-8 pieces (depending on how big you want them, they will get bigger)
Take each round piece and create a hole in the middle.
Place on a floured counter and cover with a towel for 30 minutes so they rise again.
Preheat your oven to 430 degrees F.
Meanwhile take each piece and add to boiling water in a large pan on the stove, 1 minute on each side. (I did 2-3 at a time in a wok).
Once finished place on paper towel for 5 minutes.
Either butter the sheet pan or use parchment paper to line it.
Brush each piece with melted butter and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place all the pieces on the sheet pan and bake at 430F for 35-40 minutes.
Make sure they are nice and crispy, golden brown on top.
Let them cool and enjoy with a warm beverage. Kashmiris usually have televor with a pink salt tea (sheer chai).

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Ina Garten’s Double Layer Chocolate Cake

February 5, 2020February 5, 20201 Comment

Perfect moist chocolate cake for a birthday or dinner party!

Ina Garten’s double chocolate layer cake

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/double-chocolate-layer-cake

Ingredients

CAKE

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (I used a Nespresso lungo with hot water)

FROSTING

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (1 used a large tsp instead)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.

In a Kitchen Aid with a paddle or bowel with mixer mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a different bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool. Peel off the parchment.

In a double boiler on the stove melt the chocolate. Stir until completely melted, then set aside to cool.

In a Kitchen Aid with a paddle or bowel with mixer beat the butter at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, scraping down the side of the bowl. At low speed, slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar, about 1 minute. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in 2 teaspoons of hot water. Slowly beat the coffee and the cooled chocolate into the butter mixture until just combined.

Set a cake layer on a plate with the flat side facing up (make sure the cake is cooled down). Evenly spread one-third of the frosting over the cake to the edge. Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Linguine Vongole e Prosecco

February 2, 2020October 25, 2020Leave a comment

Great ingredients can make a simple recipe delicious. The fresh clams with cherry tomatoes and parsley add so much flavor to the olive oil and Prosecco. Such a elegant and satisfying dish.

Ingredients:

15-20 Little neck clams in their shells

75-100 ml of Prosecco

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped

1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

4-5 tablespoons of freshly chopped flatleaf parsley

1 package of fresh linguine or dry linguine

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil with a tablespoon of salt for the pasta.

Wash the clams under cold water, discard any that are broken.

Place a stainless steel or ceramic sauce pain on high heat, add the clams and pour the prosecco over them. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3-5 minutes until the clams have opened. Discard any clams that remain closed. Pour the clams and prosecco though a colander with a pyrex bowl underneath to catch the liquid, set aside.

Use the same saucepan and heat the oil on medium heat, add the garlic until sizzling, add the red pepper flakes, tomatoes and parsley. Then add the liquid from the clams. Cook for 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile cook the linguine until al dente. Drain the linguine and add it to the saucepan. Add the clams and cook over low heat for 30 seconds allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the linguine. Add some parsley for plating and enjoy.

Homemade Thai Green Curry

October 15, 2019October 15, 20191 Comment

One of our favorite cuisines is Thai food and in particular coconut milk based green and red curry. I’ve made this dish in the past with store bought Thai green curry paste but it seemed to lack freshness. So I decided to try making homemade Thai green curry paste, using ingredients from multiple recipes. I can definitely say that we will never go back to store bought paste. Enjoy! Thanks to Andi Myers for the featured pic.

Green Curry Paste

Ingredients

3-4 jalapeños, chopped

2-3 small green chili, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper

Pinch of salt

2 tsp black pepper

1-inch long piece galangal, thinly sliced

1-inch piece of ginger

1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised and thinly sliced

5 kaffir lime leaves

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 cup of cilantro

1 cup of thai basil

8 medium cloves garlic, peeled

1 red onion, quartered

1 tablespoon of thai shrimp paste

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

1 tablespoon of water

Directions

Add the ingredients to a small food processor and pulse and mix until smooth paste.

Thai Green Curry

Ingredients

1/2 can coconut cream

2 1/2 cups of freshly made green curry paste

2 pounds thinly sliced boneless chicken breast, sliced into 1-inch pieces, longitudinal

1 can coconut milk

2 cups baby eggplant or thai eggplant, cut in half

1 cup Thai basil leaves, whole

1 cup fresh cilantro

2 long Thai chili, sliced thinly crosswise, 1 red, 1 green.

4 kaffir lime leaves, or regular lime leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 red green pepper, julienned

1 can bamboo shoots, sliced strips

Directions

In a medium-size wok on medium-high heat, heat the coconut cream. Add the green curry paste and cook carefully just until fragrant and thickens, usually 2-3 minutes.

Blanch chicken pieces using a colander into boiling water and then transfer it to the green curry. Stir the chicken into the thickened curry for 2-3 minutes then pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium and add the eggplant, bell peppers, bamboo shoots. Simmer until the chicken and eggplant are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add brown sugar, lime leaves, thai chili, fish sauce

Remove from heat and add the Thai basil and cilantro.

Serve hot over basmati rice.

Sunday’s Bolognese

August 19, 2019February 28, 2021Leave a comment

Sundays are great for slow cooking recipes. This ground pork bolognese is perfect for low simmer cooking while enjoying the lazy summer day. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely sliced

2 celery sticks, finely sliced

2 carrots, finely diced

1 lb organic ground pork

1 lb Italian mild sausage

2 oz red wine

2 oz milk

4 tablespoons tomato paste

200ml of tomato passata or San Marzano tomatoes (puree in a food processor)

300 ml of chicken stock

Handful of fresh basil

Pasta can be tagliatelle, orecchiette, pappardelle

Parmigiano-Reggiano- grated to desire

Method:

Mix the ground pork and sausage with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the meat, crumbling it as you add it to the pan. Break up the meat with a wooden spatula and stir minimally for 5 minutes until it is almost browned. Remove from the heat and place the meat in a separate bowl.

Using the same Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add onion, celery and carrot for 5 minutes until soft and starting to become translucent. Once the vegetables are translucent, add the browned ground meat, stir for 3 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and keep it on medium heat for a couple of minutes to burn off the alcohol, and then add the milk to soften the meat. After 2 minutes stir in the tomato paste. Once incorporated then add the tomato passata and chicken stock. Add basil leaves and simmer gently for 1-2 hours until reduced and thickened.

Add salt and pepper to taste and cover with a lid and leave for 20 minutes off the heat.

Meanwhile make your pasta al dente, then after straining the water, add the pasta to the sauce, mix well and plate. Add Parmigiano grated over the top as desired. Add some fresh basil for presentation.

Apfelstrudel with Raspberry Coulis

January 20, 2019January 18, 2021Leave a comment

It is difficulty to find anyone who doesn’t appreciate a baked apple dessert. This is an Austrian apfelstrudel with a raspberry coulis for a twist. Strudel can be traced back to the 17th century, gaining popularity during the Habsburg Empire. Even though an apple strudel (apfelstrudel) is most widely known, there are various types including sour cherry, apricot, plum and raisin. Enjoy!

Dough

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced into small pea size pieces

1/4 cup ice water

Filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (40 g)

2/3 cups fine bread crumbs

½ cup of brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2-3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces

2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the dough

Powdered sugar for dusting

Raspberry Coulis

3 tablespoons of sugar

3 tablespoons water

1/3 cup of fresh raspberries

To make the dough place the flour, salt, and sugar in a small food processor. Pulse a few times, then add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Knead into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

For the filling, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a non-stick sauce pan over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs. Toast them until they are golden. Remove and let them cool.

Peel the apples, core them and dice into small pieces. Now add 2 tablespoons of butter to the same sauce pan and add the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cool the apples till they caramelize, about 5 minutes, keep them on the firmer side (not too soft). Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a clean and lightly floured surface into a rectangular shape. Brush half the dough some melted butter. Spread the breadcrumbs over one side and then add the apple mixture. Fold in the long sides of the rectangle and then start to roll the dough. Place the strudel onto a sheet of parchment paper with the seam-side down.

Put the dough onto a baking sheet and brush it with the remaining melted butter.

Baking the strudel for 35-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

To make the raspberry coulis, add the raspberries, sugar and water to the small food processor and puree till smooth, may need more or less water. Then using a fine mesh strainer pour and press the mixture through to remove the seeds. Place the coulis at the base of the bowl with the apfelstrudel on top and cover with powdered sugar.