Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Chili Maple Croutons

Now don’t be babies and skip this post because it’s got ‘kaddu/ kumbalkayi’ as the star ingredient. I know I ran a mile when my mom made pumpkin playa when I was a kid. There was so much drama about not eating it, that my mom finally relented and stopped making it for many years. But I guess I was always a hypocrite when it came to pumpkins. There’s a special halwa (sweet) called ‘Kashi Halwa’, that’s made out of pumpkins for our wedding ceremonies. I used to wait patiently furiously tapping my banana leaf for the waiter to serve us the halwa. I would quickly devour it before he finished serving the rest of the table and act like he missed serving me. The look on the waiter’s face was priceless!  But topping that look was mine, when my mom finally told me that the halwa was made out of pumpkin! Evil evil woman! After that I had to make my peace with the pumpkin. (If only to avoid the dichotomy while eating the halwa!)

Circa 2012, over a dinner in Graze at the Taj Vivaanta – I order Pumpkin Soup. The co-resident looks like he’s going to gag on his breadstick. I look at him smugly with a wait and watch approach. The soup is divine! Maybe because of the generous amount of truffle oil, but divine nonetheless. It also costs an arm and a leg. So I come back home and attempt to replicate it over the weekend. And the result is this gorgeous concoction. Yum yum yum… I kicked the recipe up a notch and served it with some Maple-paprika croutons. I now crown myself Queen of the Pumpkin Patch! :P

Chili Chicken - Indian Chinese Style

This recipe might not be understood by everyone. I say that with confidence, because to understand this recipe, you needed to have eaten Indian-Chinese Cuisine. You probably won’t find it listed even if you look hard in the dictionary. Fact is, its not got much of Chinese in it other than the soy sauce and stir fry technique. But as a nation we love this so much, that we’ve given it a top three slot in our hearts. 80% of our everyday restaurants will list themselves as, ”Serving Indian, Mughlai and Chinese”! And that my friends, is the ONLY way to stay in business! The most popular dish of this marvelous collaboration is of course the ubiquitous Chicken Manchurian. (And its vegetarian cousins - Gobi Manchurian and Paneer Manchurian). However another post shall sing its glory, but for today it’s the Chilli Chicken’s place in the sun!

Chilli Chicken – Indian Chinese Style

Cooking time: 25 mins

Marination time: 2 hrs

Serves: 4

What you need:

500 gms of Boneless Chicken cubes

For the marinade:

1 Egg

2 tsp Yoghurt

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1 tsp Kabab Masala powder (available in stores)

Paste of 3 pods Garlic and 3 Green Chillies

2 Tbsp Cornflour

Orange-Red Coloring (optional- available in stores)

Salt to taste

For the Stir Fry:

1 Onion sliced

4-6 Green Chillies, split lengthwise

¼ tsp Ginger paste

½ Capsicum, cut lengthwise

1 Tbsp Soya Sauce

2 Tbsp Oil (Refined Oil/ Peanut Oil) for stir fry

Oil to deep Fry

What to do:

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and coat the chicken with it. Refrigerate for 2 hrs to tenderize it. Heat the oil and deep fry the marinated chicken pieces for 10-12 mins till tender and crispy. Set aside to drain on a paper towel.

Heat 2 Tbsp Oil, toss in the Onion and ginger paste. Saute. Toss in the chillies. After 3 mins toss in the capsicum and sauté till the onions just start to turn brown. Add the soya sauce and mix well. Check seasoning. Add salt if required. Now toss in the fried chicken pieces and sauté till the sauce coats every piece. Serve hot!!

Kumbh Badami Mirch/ Mushrooms in a Chilli Cashew Gravy

Featured in GoodFood India Magazine - April 2012. (Top 3 recipe, selected under the Himalya Mushroom recipe contest for April)

Mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses and a great source of antioxidants. For vegetarians, mushrooms are a wonderful alternative to meat. They are extremely versatile and I love the earthy flavor they so liberally exude. Healthy and tasty…now how many veggies can lay claim to that title? It’s no surprise that mushrooms rank among my top veggies. I mostly toss them into omelets or into a bowl of pasta, but the Indian mushroom gravies are another thing altogether! This one uses green chillies and cashews and is a rich accompaniment to Naan or rotis. Try this out if you can stomach the heat and I promise you won’t regret it!

Kumbh Badami Mirch

Prep and Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

200 gms Button Mushrooms (quartered)

15 Cashew nuts

4 Green Chilies

1 Onion (finely chopped)

¾ tsp Garlic paste

¼ tsp Turmeric

A pinch of Garam Masala

A handful of Cilantro/ Coriander leaves

5 tsp Refined Oil (Sunflower/ Peanut)

Salt to taste

Garnish:

Juice of half a Lemon

Lemon Wedges

Coriander leaves

What to do:

Grind – Chillies, Coriander leaves and Cashew nuts with ¼ glass water to get a thick paste. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tsps of Oil for 3 mins. Don’t let them lose all their water and shrivel up. Aim for plump but soft mushrooms. Keep aside. Add the remaining oil, sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent.  Add the garlic paste and sauté for another minute. Now add the turmeric and garam masala and sauté for another 2 mins. Add in the chili-coriander paste and sauté till incorporated. Toss in the mushrooms, season with salt and mix well. Lower the flame. Add water as required, to make the gravy. Let the gravy come to boil. Turn off the heat. Garnish with the juice of ½ lemon and coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis and a cool cucumber raita. I also like to top crusty bread with some of this for a chic appetizer!

P.S. The cashew nuts are what gives the gravy it’s rich creamy texture, so feel free to use more in this recipe, but keep in mind that they are not low in calories. (But mushrooms are, so let’s pray they cancel each other out!)