Thank you Chef Ashay Dhopatkar to guest post the recipes with Foodeez Junction on the occasion of Karwa Chauth.
The saying, ‘a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, is not true only for men! Women have discerning palates too. Karwa Chauth, a day when wives fast to pray for their husbands’ health and longevity, is the perfect time to pamper your wife’s taste buds. What’s more, if you don the chef’s apron in the kitchen it will give her a much-needed respite from toiling in the kitchen. As if that’s not all, it could be a romantic evening for the two of you when you feed her with the labours of your love.
While Karwa Chauth is a perfect day for a man to take charge of the kitchen and let the wife chill, don’t restrict exhibiting your culinary skills for special days only. Set aside at least two meals in a week when you surprise your wife and become a chef par excellence! Cooking at home should be a shared responsibility – not to just ease work or life-related pressures but also give an opportunity for couples to bond.
In fact, as I look at it, it is not even a responsibility! It is a lot of fun. There’s nothing like making a surprise dinner for your partner every once in a while to take your romance several notches higher.
I would like to share some really easy recipes that you can replicate at home to rustle up a fine-dining experience within the confines of your home.
So we begin with a Soup, go on to an Entree and round off with a delightful dessert…
Bon Appétit!
- Soup
CARROT AND ORANGE SOUP RECIPE
(Serves 4 to 5)
Ingredients
- 300 gm Carrot
- 100 gm Butter
- 150 ml Fresh Orange Juice
- 10 gm Candied ginger
- 50 gm White Onions
- 3 gm Thyme
- 1 clove Garlic
- 200 ml Veg Stock
Method
- Wash the carrot under running water. Peel the carrot and slice it nicely.
- Peel the white onion and slice it.
- Take a pan, add butter melt it and add sliced white onion & sweat – This basically means the moisture comes out from the onions to make it look cooked.
- Then add garlic, thyme, candied ginger & sliced carrot sweat it.
- Add orange juice & vegetable stock & allow it to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Adjust consistency with stock if needed. Adjust seasoning.
- Blend and strain through a fine strainer.
- Serve hot with a garnish of reduced cream and finely chopped candied ginger or just Parsley Oil.
- Pearl Barley & Wild Mushroom Bouillie with Parsley Jus
Pearl Barley & Wild Mushroom Bouillie with Parsley Jus
Ingredients
- Pearl barley- 200 gm
- Diced White onion- 50 gm
- Thyme – 4 gm
- Diced Celery 5gms
- Diced English carrots 5gms
- Garlic- 3gm
- Mushroom stock- 300 ml.
- Parmesan – 20gms
- Unsalted Butter 80gms
- Olive oil. 20 ml.
- White wine-15 ml.
- Button Mushrooms – 50gms
- Cooking Cream – 100ml
- Wild Mushrooms – to garnish
- Parsley – 100gms
- Pine Nuts – 3 gms
Method
- Soak the pearl barley overnight in water.
- Blanch the Parsley in boiling water. Refresh in Ice water, squeeze all the liquid out. Blitz in a blender with olive oil, pine nuts and a hint of garlic puree. Adjust the consistency and seasoning.
- Sweat the carrots, celery, onions in a separate pan and set aside.
- Sauté the button mushrooms and blitz with cream to form a puree. Set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms in a hot pan with butter, drain and keep warm.
- Sweat chopped onions in olive oil. Add the pearl Barley and white wine. Keep adding the mushroom stock till the barley is cooked.
- Add the diced vegetables, garlic puree and mushroom puree. Fold. Add Parmesan and then butter. Fold gently till you have a velvety consistency. Check Seasoning.
- Serve hot in a deep plate. Put the parsley jus around the edges of the plate. Garnish with sautéed mushrooms and cress.
- Chocolate Rocher Recipe
CHOCOLATE ROCHER RECIPE
(5 portions)
Ingredients
- Velrona chocolate – 150 gm
- Cocoa powder – 25 gm
- Unsalted butter – 25 gm
- Egg- 1.5
- Egg yolk- 1.5
- Caster sugar – 75 gm
- Cream – 175gm
- Water – 20 ml.
Method
- Take a bowl, add chocolate, cocoa powder and butter, and put the bowl on simmering water. Allow it to melt; then mix together.
- In a pan add sugar and water and simmer to make thick syrup.
- Meanwhile, whip the cream till it forms hard peaks. Keep it in the fridge.
- Then whisk the egg till fluffy and start adding the sugar syrup slowly.
- Ones it’s done add chocolate mixture into the egg & fold nicely make sure there are no lumps. Fold in the whipped cream.
- Freeze for 3 to 4 hour make sure it sets.
- Serve chilled with salted caramel and hazelnut.
— Recipe and Images Shared by Chef Ashay Dhopatkar
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