Seafood Soup(Chinese Continental Fusion)

Seafood Soup was not my favourite anytime, for I had tried tasting Crab Sweetcorn soup at Hao Hao Chinese restaurant long ago and didn't like it much then. However, one try with Seafood Soup at Sanjay P Mallya's Coastal Mama Restaurant in Bengaluru on January 17 this year made me a fan of seafood soup instantly. Both the Mallya brothers, Sanjay and Sunil recommended me Seafood Soup and they were not wrong. Chef Madhav's cookery skills amazed me, when I tasted the soup made by him, which was sweet, tangy and hot, with a peppery tinge. Occasional appearance of seafood tit bits made it a wonderful starter!

What made me fall for seafood soup in spite of being a non liker of Chinese Seafood Soup? Well, there was some whiteness and smoothness within the seafood soup which Chef Madhav made that day at Coastal Mama, which added to taste and flavour, camouflaging the strong scent of seafood, making it more delectable. That white stuff is nothing but whole cream!

So without asking the chef or discussing anything about the ingredients that go into the seafood soup, I decided to try my luck with my own formula. Like I mentioned in earlier articles, once we get a hang of cooking, we can formulate our own dishes sensing the taste and flavour and by experience. I was lucky enough to achieve success at my very first attempt, and the soup turned out just fantastic! Our friend Uma Shenoi and my wife Meena gave a high five for the wonderful taste that lingered on, after they tasted the soup last evening.

Try and make this on a cold or warm day. It is equally refreshing round the year, but make sure that you get fresh prawns and squid before trying to make this. You can also add crab meat, but the total quantity of seafood should be well within 20% of the stock that you add, that is 200 Gms of cleaned seafood for 1 liter stock. You can also make chicken stock by boiling bony chicken pieces in water with pepper and ginger, and vegetable stock by boiling marrow vegetable peel and cabbage/cauliflower stalk. Also make it a point to buy tender squid, and shrimp instead of prawn. Tender seafood cooks faster and easy to bite on, while relishing the soup. That makes all the difference in consistency, taste and flavour.

Ingredients:
Prawns - 125 Gms shelled and deveined
Squid - 125 Gms cleaned
White Pepper Powder - 2 Tsp
Diluted White Vinegar - 2 Tsp
Soy Sauce - 1 Tsp
Butter - 2 Tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Salt - 1/2 Tsp(or to taste)
Sugar - 2 Tsp
vegetable or chicken stock - Approx 1 Liter(2 Maggi soup cubes boiled in 1 liter water)
Corn Flour - 1 Tbsp mixed in 1/4 cup water to make a paste
Cream - 100 Ml
Spring Onion Shoot - 4 stalks finely chopped

Method:
Wash prawns and squid, pat dry and chop into tiny bits.
Marinate the chopped seafood with 1 Tsp vinegar, little salt and 1 tsp white pepper powder for 30 mins.
Melt butter in a saucepan and fry ginger garlic paste for 1 min.
Add marinated seafood, sugar and stir fry for 2-3 mins.
Now add the stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5-7 mins or until the seafood has cooked.
Add corn starch paste, stir well, add remaining white pepper powder, vinegar, adjust salt and simmer for 1 min.
Now beat the cream and pour it into the soup in a thin stream as you keep stirring the soup vigorously.
Don't boil the soup, but simmer for another 2-3 mins.
Switch off the flame, sprinkle spring onion shoot and serve hot.

Christmas Fruit Cake(Rich Plum Cake)

"Wish You All Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"

In the Sixties, I grew up in the cosmopolitan surrounding of Ballal Bagh Mangaluru, where we had friends from all communities meeting and playing together. However, at home, we had restrictions, were discouraged by our parents about walking into any Christian friend's home during Christmas, giving reasons that it is not good manners to attend Christmas parties uninvited. Yes. We never used to be invited by our Christian friends for Christmas because we were vegetarians and were living in a house owned by the Dharmasthala Heggades!

However I used to buy basic sponge cup cakes at a Christian's shop near our home whenever I felt like eating cake. That was made by Vas Bakery and was ultimate according to my experience. Later on, we moved to our own house and then slowly some Christian friends started to invite me for Christmas and offer cake, kuswar and juice. I used to wonder what that brown slice of cake was made of. It had French Polish like aroma and bits of dry fruits and nuts within. I was very fond of Christmas Fruit Cake, which they simply called as 'Christmas Cake'. That was light brown in colour and not very rich. Some of the best cakes were made by M D'Souza And Sons, Vas Bakery, City Bakery, Famous Bakery, Ganesh Bakery and Pinto Bakery.

In the Eighties, I moved to Bengaluru when I was working for a Bank. Then my brother Kamalakanth used to get Rich Plum Cake from Nilgiri's on Brigade Road. I too was regularly buying that whenever I went that side on weekends. Rich Plum Cake at Nilgiri's has loads of prunes, dry fruits and nuts within and is very moist and heavy. The name Rich Plum Cake suits Nilgiri's cake well. They still make awesome cakes, and Nilgiri's is undoubtedly my most favourite hangout for cakes and bakes. VB Bakery in South Bengaluru also has very good cakes and pastries.

Meanwhile in Mangaluru, as the city expanded geographically and people from all parts of India settled down for education and job, bakers came of age and started making exotic cakes. Moti Mahal and Manjarun started making birthday cakes and a variety of other cakes to order and also opened sales counters. We have seen many small and big bakers invading Mangaluru with exotic cakes. Hassan Iyengar Bakery opened on KS Rao Road sometime in the late Eighties and they had very good cakes. Focam Bakery and Bon Bon started supplying cakes to local Bakery outlets and their products are also good. Then we had Nilgiri's in Balmatta which closed down few years ago and now there is a big departmental store with bakery run by Mohtisham Group in Empire Mall under franchise from Nilgiri's. Crumbz by Food Pearls and Bon Bon's own outlet sell very good cakes. Every shopping mall has good bakeries within. Just Bake has outlets in prime locations and Cochin Bakery has many branches too. Monginis' Smokie and many more in the list. Dinoo's is one of the best bakers in Mangaluru making perfect cakes. Getting good cakes today in Mangaluru is not at all a problem when every major street has more than one good bakery!

Yet, making cakes at home has its own beauty. Taste of home made cake is anytime better because we add pure ingredients and avoid adding margarine. Margarine is bad for health, as it is made from refined vegetable oils with hydrogenation process. Using pure butter or ghee, we can make healthier and more aromatic cakes at home. Besides, when we share the cake with nears and dears, their happy faces and gratification speak volumes! Cake classes are run by youngsters and the middle aged, Shashi Shetty a veteran culinary expert used to run such classes in the Eighties in Kantharaj Shetty Lane Mannagudda, as far as I remember. Meena has attended baking classes by Mariam Mohiudeen and Meena bakes many cakes as a pastime. However, she hadn't ventured into making Christmas Fruit Cake or Rich Plum Cake any time. I decided to make it this time, as my zeal for baking is increasing day by day!

I must confess that am just a toddler in baking cakes, having baked very few cakes over the last month or two. I have an idea about rich plum cake, the ingredients and the method by reading recipes on books and magazines, but I wanted a demo of how to make it perfectly. So I browsed through online recipes, and found Joy Of Baking the best website with perfect recipes. Meena also follows Joy of Baking mostly and her cakes have been quite outstanding. The recipe I followed is this, but I made few changes here and there. Soaking dry fruits in alcohol for at least 2 days gives the cake a better taste and flavour than just pouring it into the cake batter. Adding spice powders like cinnamon, dry ginger and nutmeg enhance the flavour and give the cake a spicy touch. Adding fruit crush like the one I have added, enhances the taste and adds a fruity flavour. I avoided adding lemon zest and orange zest, but I added caramel, which is readily available. I also added dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. Thus the colour of the cake became as dark as the Rich Plum Cake made by Nilgiri's. Dry fruits used are mostly sourced from local stores like Nilgiri's and Phalguni's, but we procured almonds and walnuts freshly from Kashmir, through Kashmir Box. They have very good Kashmiri dry fruits and nuts at reasonable prices. I baked these cakes with double the quantity of ingredients mentioned and the total weight was over 4 Kilos.

Whenever he visits home from Barbados, my brother Radhakanth brings me 'Barbados Great Cake by A Mill Yard', one of the best in the world. It is made from finest Mount Gay Rum. To make cake as fine as that one, we need to spend a fortune over finest rum and soak raisins for at least one year in rum! I have never fancied spending huge money on alcohol for making cakes! I deem our local brand Khodays good enough for making rum based cakes. You can also use any other alcohol like brandy or sherry, but Khodays rum is inexpensive and has its own unique aroma good enough for making this awesome soft, moist, rich Christmas Fruit Cake.

Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter - 200 Gm
Dark brown sugar - 200 Gm
Eggs - 3
Alcohol (Grand Marnier, brandy, sherry, rum, etc.) - 90 Ml
Caramel(Or caramalise 2 Tbsp sugar with little water) - 1/4 Cup
Orange Juice - 1/2 Cup
Almonds, Walnuts, Cashew Nuts, Pecans, or Hazelnuts - 100 Gm coarsely chopped
Assortment of dried and candied fruit (Apricots, Figs, Prunes, Raisins, Sultanas, Dates, Black Currants, dried Cranberries, dried Cherries, mixed Candied peel and/or cherries) - 1 Kg deseeded and chopped into bite sized pieces
Mixed Berries Crush(Strawberries, Blue Berries, Black Berries) - 1/4 Cup
Refined Flour(Maida) - 2 Cups
Finely Ground Almonds(optional) - 3/4 Cup
Baking Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - 1/2 Tsp
Grated Nutmeg - 1/4 Tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Dry Ginger Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Method: 
Be sure that you use all the ingredients at room temperature.
Mix in 45 Ml alcohol(I used rum) with the chopped dry fruits and candied peel in an air tight jar and allow to soak for at least 2 days at room temperature.
You may soak the fruits in alcohol for upto one year, but keep adding alcohol once in two weeks.
Preheat oven to 160° C.
Grease an 8" nonstick square or round baking pan. 
Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. 
Also preferably line the sides of the pan with a strip of parchment paper that extends about 2 inches (5 cm) above the rim of the pan.
Add 1/2 cup of the flour mixture and mix into the alcohol soaked dry fruits.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, grated nutmeg, cinnamon powder, dry ginger powder, salt, and baking powder.
Beat the butter until creamy with a hand mixer in a wide bowl. 
Add the brown sugar, caramel and beat until light and fluffy. 
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl as needed. 
Add another 30 Ml alcohol(I used rum), orange juice and blend well. 
Fold in the chopped nuts and berries crush.
Next fold in all the dried and candied fruits. 
Then fold in the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and, if desired, decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds. 
Cover the pan with aluminum foil if you want the cake not to get too browned on top.
Place the pan inside the preheated oven and bake for 30 mins.
Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 mins.
Insert a bamboo skewer into the center of the cake.
If it comes out clean with few moist crumbs sticking to it, your cake is ready.
If the cake is still wet, reduce the oven temperature to 150° C and continue to bake for further 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. 
Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. 
Then, with a skewer, poke holes in the top surface of the cake and brush with remaining alcohol (brandy, Grand Marnier, sherry, rum or whiskey).
Slice and serve with choice of juice or hot beverage.
Serves about 16 people.

Preserving the Cake: 
Wrap the cake thoroughly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and place in a cake tin or plastic bag. 
Store in a cool dry place or store the cake in the refrigerator.
Brush the cake periodically (once or twice a week for about two to three weeks) with alcohol. 
This cake will keep several weeks or it can be frozen.

Tender Coconut Pudding

Custard pudding is a yummy dessert liked by almost all. We get various flavours of instant pudding mixes in the market including caramel custard. I personally like caramel custard but had never ventured into making it form scratch. We usually buy a packet or two of the instant mix and make it when we have a party. However, eating Tender coconut Pudding at the Prestige Hotel recently made me think about making it at home. 

Meena said, she has a recipe that she had noted down from some cookery show. I also found a similar recipe online which looked convincing. I blended the two recipes and came out with my own, end result of which looks almost like caramel custard but with the taste and flavour of tender coconut.

I topped the custard with caramelised nuts, which add to taste. I didn't caramalise the nuts dark brown, as I wanted the tender coconut flavour to be predominant. Besides, I have also added vanilla flavour to this. Now that the monsoons have weakened and the weather is becoming warmer, any cold dessert is tempting, especially with tender coconut flesh(Malai).

Ingredients:
Tender Coconut Malai(Ganji/Kernel)  - From one tender coconut(About 1-2mm thick)
Milk - 500ml
Condensed Milk - 1/2 can
Sugar - 3-4 Tbsp
Gelatin Powder - 2 Tbsp(or China Grass 4 Tbsp)
Vanilla Flavour - 1 tsp

Method:
Scoop out malai from tender coconut and mince it lightly by running in the mixer for one second on pulse mode.
Keep aside.
Whisk milk and condensed milk in a pan manually.
Keep on medium flame and allow to boil.
Stir in sugar.
Soak gelatin in 1/2 cup warm water for about 20 mins.
Add to the hot milk, stir well and switch off the flame.
Allow to cool down to room temperature.
Add vanilla flavour and tender coconut malai.
Beat well and then pour into moulds(Small bowls, ramekins, idli cups or cup cake moulds).
Refrigetrate for 3-4 hours.
Scoop out the moulded custard with a butter knife, and place it upside down on a dessert plate.
Before serving, sprinkle a teaspoon of crushed caramalised nuts on top. 

Note:
1. If you want the custard to look white and taste more like tender coconut, don't boil the milk. Just heat milk, add soaked gelatin and sugar and allow them to dissolve, then mix in condensed milk and allow to cool down. Don't add vanilla flavour.
2. if you want the custard to be very smooth and soft, chill it for just 2 hours in the fridge, or take out the solid custard and allow it to cool down for 10-15 minutes before serving.
3. To make caramalised nuts, heat and caramalise 2 Tsp sugar in a frying pan on medium heat until it melts and starts to turn golden, add 2 Tbsp cashewnut bits, almonds or pistachios, mix well until the mass gets sticky. Allow to cool and then crush lightly with a pestle or rolling pin.

Chicken Bond(Chicken English Fry)

 The name is Bond. Chicken Bond!

This name may ring a bell about the 'Spy Who's Loved by Many' for English action movie buffs, but it is actually not a dish loved by Mr Bond! Rather, the appearance of the dish has indirect suggestion to a weapon used by Mr Bond in the stories, his pistol or gun!

Yes. We used to call this Pistol as the shape of the chicken joint looks like one! I relished this starter dish at Anupama Restaurant in Hotel Usha Mangalore in the early Eighties. My friend Kulyadi Divakar Pai first introduced me to this dish like he did in the case of many other exotic dishes including Ceylon Parathas and Chicken White Korma. We few friends used to hang out regularly on weekends at Anupama, now renamed as Anupama's Shetty Lunch Home. They made this perfectly with a blend of Indian spices with English sauces to deliver a spicy succulent deep fried chicken joint rolled in a sweet and tangy sauce. The aroma of the sizzling English Chicken used to emanate all over the place, making many a customer ogle the dish and go for the same, as their waiter took order for food!

Years have gone by, and Anupama was closed in Hotel Usha way back in the late Nineties, moving to Abhiman Residency. I was not so regular there, as we started cooking most of the delicacies at home. However, I always had the urge to make this dish at home for which, I could not get recipe anywhere. Back in Hotel Usha, the partner Ravindra Shetty(Kaane Ravi, we call him fondly) was a close friend but he was always tight lipped about their recipes. His elder brother Mohandas also was secretive. I am not the type who would pester restaurateurs to part with their trade secrets. Now that Anupama has started Shetty Lunch Home in the same premises again, one can try this dish there. Highly recommended to those who like sweetish starters.

I could assume the formula of the dish in course of time. One advantage for me is, I not only remember the taste of various dishes I have tasted over the years in different places, I also can guess the major ingredients that go into a particular dish. All that remains to be formulated, is the quantity of spices and the process of cooking. That too is not so difficult when I can see that North Indian, Chinese and Continental special starters are mostly marinated with salt pepper and select spices, deep fried and then cooked with a sauce or gravy. Likewise, I formulated this dish as well, not quite like Anupama makes it, but close to that. Adding Worcestershire sauce is left to your choice, but I found it essential, as I named the dish 'Chicken Bond'. Chicken English Fry wouldn't be complete without authentic English ingredient in it. Right folks?

Ingredients:
Chicken joints(Tangdi) without skin - 2
Salt and Pepper
Red Chilli Paste - 1 Tsp
Minced Garlic - 1/2 Tsp
Minced Ginger - 1 Tsp
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Corn Flour - 2 Tsp
Refined Flour(Maida) - 2 Tsp
Refined Vegetable Oil - At least 250 ml, For deep frying
Butter - 30 Gms
Brown Onion Paste - 1 Tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 Tsp
Sugar - 1 Tsp
Worcestershire Sauce - 2 Tsp(Optional)
Dark Soy Sauce - 1 Tsp
Tomato sauce/Ketchup - 2 Tsp
Chopped Parsley or Cilantro - A handful for garnishing

Method:
Wash, pat dry and put gashes on the chicken joints.
Rub salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp each of minced ginger and garlic, 1 Tsp red chilli paste on the chicken joints and marinate them for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
Mix in the flours, heat oil in a deep frying pan and fry the marinated pieces of chicken on medium heat till crisp and done.
Drain on kitchen paper lined in a colander.
Heat a nonstick shallow pan and melt butter.
Ad brown onion paste along with ginger paste and fry for 1 min.
Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, sugar, the three sauces, and saute till the mass is well blended.
No need to add salt, as the sauces already contain salt.
You may add 10 ml diluted vinegar, if you are not adding Worcestershire sauce.
As the sauce sizzles, sprinkle little water if the sauce is too thick.
Drop the deep fried chicken pieces one by one carefully and roll them over to coat them fully with the sauce.
Let it cook for 1-2 minutes and get slightly dry.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with freshly chopped Parsley or cilantro.
Serve with French fries or salad of your choice as a starter.
This also goes well as a side dish with noodles, fried rice, ghee rice or pulao.

 

Frying Tips:
1. Oil should be fuming hot and then maintained at medium heat while frying from first joint till the last. As soon as one joint is fried and removed, allow the oil to heat up for 2-3 minutes before dropping in the next one.
2. Use tongs to pick the chicken joints and turn them over.