Dubai: Tomorrow, we enter the New Year. And for many, this calls for a celebration with friends, family and good food. But, with so much to prepare in such a short time, cooking can seem like a task. If you are looking for some last minute recipes, the Food by Gulf News team has you covered, like we always do. So, as you bid adieu to 2021, here are two quick recipes you can make at home on New Year’s Eve.
Watch as Chef Jitendra Negi, Executive chef at Dhaba Lane, shows you how to make Keema (spiced minced meat) puff pastry and paneer taka tak or flavoured cottage cheese. If you are short on time, just buy the savoury pastry or Vol-au-vent at a patisserie or supermarket near you and make these fillings in less than 15 minutes.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Keema (spiced minced meat) puff pastry or Keema filled khaari
Ingredients:
40 gms minced meat
1 tsp butter
2 gms red chilli powder
2 gms cumin powder
2 gms garam masala powder (link to recipe)
2 gms coriander powder
2 gms turmeric powder
25 gms onions, chopped
20 gms tomatoes, chopped
10 gms green chilli, chopped
15 gms garlic, chopped
10 gms ginger, chopped
5 gms coriander, chopped
1/3 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
1. Heat a pan, add butter and allow it to melt. Do not overheat or else the butter will burn.
2. Next, quickly add the chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 to 40 seconds or until they turn golden in colour.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté until the raw smell is released.
4. Next, add tomatoes, green chilli and all the ground spices and cook for 1 minute on medium-high heat.
5. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the minced meat, lemon juice and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander and fill it in the pastry and serve warm!
Paneer taka-tak or spiced cottage cheese filling
Ingredients:
50 gms paneer or cottage cheese (link to recipe)
1 tsp butter
2 gms red chilli powder
2 gms cumin powder
2 gms garam masala powder (link to recipe)
2 gms coriander powder
2 gms turmeric powder
25 gms onions, chopped
20 gms tomatoes, chopped
10 gms green chilli, chopped
15 gms garlic, chopped
10 gms ginger, chopped
5 gms coriander, chopped
1/3 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
1. Heat a pan, add butter and allow it to melt. Do not overheat or else the butter will burn.
2. Next, quickly add the chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 to 40 seconds or until they turn golden in colour.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté until the raw smell is released.
4. Next, add tomatoes, green chilli and all the ground spices and cook for 1 minute on medium-high heat.
5. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the paneer cubes. You can also break and scramble the cubes if you wish too. Next add lemon juice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Note: You can substitute paneer with boiled sweetcorn for this vegetarian recipe.
Garnish with coriander and fill it in the pastry.
To make puff pastry or khaari
Preparation time: 12 hours
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes 2
Ingredients:
5 tbsp white flour
5 tsp salted butter
½ tsp yeast
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ajwain or carom seeds
5 gms salt or as per taste
50 ml water
Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients together and combine.
2. Next, begin kneading. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add a little butter to knead it into a smooth dough.
4. Once the dough is ready, cover it and refrigerate for 12 to 14 hours. Setting it aside will help the yeast ferment with the dough.
5. After 12 hours, remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring it down to room temperature.
6. Pull out small balls from the dough and flatten it with a roller pin. Fold it several times and flatten it.
Chef Negi said:
“For a single khaari or puff, we typically make 40 to 50 layers and keep flattening it with a rolling pin. This helps the puff or khaari rise well and build many layers that turn out to be crispy upon baking. Khaari is usually served as a tea time snack in India and has become a popular baked item with different types of filling.”
7. Add the filling and place the khaari in the oven. To bake - pre-heat oven for 10 minutes and bake at 180 Celsius for 15 minutes.
Once baked, remove from the oven and serve warm.
Note: The filling would be hot if served immediately, so be careful.
Recipe Courtesy: Dhaba Lane, Al Karama, Dubai
Do you have an interesting recipe to share? Write to us at food@gulfnews.com
