Chef Debu Saha's Nouvelle Indian Cuisine

Mango Murraba

Last week I gave you my recipe for Cinnamon and Ginger Flavoured Apple Cutney. This week I want to give you my recipe for Mango Murraba. This preserve is very good served with a semi-hard cheese like a gouda.

For local Ontario-made gouda, look no further than Thunder Oak Cheese Farm in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Thunder Oak is owned by the Schep Family who have been making cheese since 1995 with milk from their own herd of Holstein cows. Their extra old gouda is superb with a unique nutty taste. Highly recommended!

Mango Murraba

Ingredients:
2 cups diced green raw mangoes
4½ cups water
3 cups sugar
1 tbsp salt
4 pieces black cardamom seed
2 x 4 inch pieces cinnamon
4 tbsp golden raisins
3 pieces dried red whole chili
1 tbsp dry ginger powder
½ tsp crush chili
2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation:
Peel and cut the mangoes into small dices. Bring the water to a boil and add the mangoes. Boil for 5 minutes then drain the water completely.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss the dry whole chillies into the pan and wait until they turn red. Add the black cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and ½ cup of water. Cook for 1 minute then add the sugar along with the crushed chillies and ginger powder. Stir the mixture it well over a slow heat until it thickens and reduces to about 1 cup of syrup.

Add the mangoes and raisins to the syrup and stir everything continuously to save it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When the syrup thickens like honey, remove the chutney from the heat and finish it with one tablespoon of lemon juice.

Let the murraba cool. Bottle in an airtight jar and refrigerate.

 

Cinnamon and Ginger Flavoured Apple Chutney

January is the time when things slow down in the restaurant business. This gives me some time to do the thing I like best -- playing in my kitchen and creating new recipes.

This chutney can be served with French or Canadian Brie cheese and makes an excellent substitute for the traditional sweets that many Indian homes serve to guests. It is a good match with a dry white wine.

 

Ingredients:
3 cups diced Macintosh apples
1½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
¼ cup coarsely grated ginger
1 cup vinegar (preferably malt)
1 tsp chili
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:
Wash, peel, core and dice the apples. Soak the apples in the water along with the lemon juice.

In a medium-sized pan, add the grated ginger, sugar, vinegar, chili, turmeric, salt, and cinnamon. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture reduces to about one cup of thick syrup.

Drain the water from the apples. Put them in the syrup and stir until the apples soften and the syrup thickens like honey.

Let the chutney cool. Bottle in an airtight jar and refrigerate.

 

Chef-Inspired Chicken Milijhuli

One of my originals! This dish is nutritionally balanced and can be served as an appetizer or even a light lunch; a winning combination of fresh mixed salad and flavourful chicken cubes marinated to perfection in only 3-5 hours.

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts diced into 1½" cubes

The marinade:
1½ tbsp yogurt
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
½ tbsp white pepper
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp crushed fenugreek leaves
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix all marinade ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and toss in the diced chicken. Set aside for 3-5 hours. Barbecue, grill or roast chicken 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked. Be careful not to overcook.

The Salad:
Mixed greens (approximately 2 cups or enough for 4 people)
1 large tomato or 20 grape tomatoes
1 small English cucumber (julienne)
1 small onion chopped

Ginger/Lemon Dressing:
¼ tsp chopped ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp each salt and sugar
1 pinch of pepper
1 chopped green chili (seeds removed)
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Yogurt/Mint Sauce:
1 tsp lemon juice
1 pinch of salt
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 pinch black pepper
2-3 strings of fresh mint
1 pinch of sugar

Mix all salad ingredients together. Mix the Ginger/Lemon Dressing and pour the mixture over the salad. Toss in cooked chicken cubes and lightly toss. Garnish to taste with Yogurt/Mint Sauce.

Serves four.

Toronto Star: Let There Be Light

Toronto Star Food Editor, Jennifer Bain, Star-tested The Chef's "Garlic Flavoured Five Greens Compote with Chestnuts, Basil Vinaigrette and Crusted Paneer" over the weekend. You can find the results on Page 3 of the Food section in today's print edition or online.

The "Five Greens Compote" is one of the featured dishes on this weekend's special five-course Diwali tasting menu. We've posted the original version of the recipe here.

 

Garlic Flavoured Five Greens Compote

Serves 4

Five Greens Ingredients
150grams or 2 cups chopped kale
150 grams of 2 cups chopped spinach
150 grams or 2 cups chopped rappini
150 grams or 2 cups chopped Swiss chard
150 grams or 2 cups chopped fenugreek
½ cup fresh or canned chopped chestnuts
½ cup peeled and chopped shallots
2 tbsp peeled and fine chopped garlic
1 tbsp peeled and fine chopped ginger
2 cups fresh vine ripe tomato cut into small pieces
1½ tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp whole cumin seed
1 tbsp roasted and cracked cumin seed
1 medium-sized seeded green chilli
¼ cup clarified butter or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Pinch of Sugar

Paneer Crust Ingredients
200 grams fresh paneer (3.25% 1 litre milk) or grated ready-made paneer
4 slices of white or brown breadcrumbs or ½ cup ready-made crumbs
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp peeled and fine chopped shallots
1 tsp peeled and fine chopped ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 seeded and finely chopped green chilli
1 tbsp finely chopped mint
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp clarified butter or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar

Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients
50 grams or ½ cup fresh basil leaves (a bunch)
1 medium sized peeled garlic clove
1/3 cup or 6tbsp vegetable oil
1½ tbsp vinegar
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of sugar

To Prepare the Vinaigrette (10 min)
Wash the fresh basil and pat it dry with a paper towel. Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth .Put it aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To Prepare the Garlic Flavoured Five Greens Compote (30min)
Wash all five greens separately and pat dry them with a paper towel. Cut the greens into fine julienne slices. Put a large frying pan on the stove on medium heat. Add clarified butter or oil. Sauté the cumin seeds until they crackle, and then add the shallots. Sauté until transparent. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for two minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and tomatoes. Cook another two minutes then add the five greens and ginger. Season with salt, cover the pan, and cook everything together on low heat. Add the chestnuts before the greens are almost tender (approximately 20 to 25 minutes). Finish with a pinch of sugar and cracked cumin seeds, and then set aside.

To Prepare the Paneer Crust (20min)
While the compote is cooking, put a small frying pan on medium heat. Sauté the shallots in clarified butter until transparent and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the paneer with the egg yolk, breadcrumbs, chopped ginger, coriander, green chilli, mint, and the sautéed shallots. Season with sugar and salt. Divide the mixture in four portions and shape them flat using your palm. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 to 375 F until they turn golden brown (approximately 12 to 15 min). Set aside on a flat plate.

To Serve
Divide the five greens compote into four portions on a square or round serving plates. Top with the paneer crust, and then pour about two tablespoons of the basil vinaigrette around the compote. Garnish each plate with a spring of a coriander.

Yummy! Enjoy!

-- Debu

 

Roasted Cumin-Scented Five Pulse Salad

Here is my recipe for Roasted Cumin-Scented Five Pulse Salad

Ingredients

1 tbsp Green moong daal
1 tbsp Yellow moong daal
1 tbsp Red lentil
1 tbsp Udad daal
1 tbsp Chana daal
1 tbsp Chopped scallions or finely chopped red onion
1 inch piece of ginger (before peeling) finely chopped
1 medium-sized clove finely chopped
1 medium-sized coriander stem finely chopped
Quarter lemon
8 sweet cherry tomatoes cut into four pieces

Spices

1 tsp cracked roasted cumin seeds
½ tsp cracked black pepper                                                    
1 tsp lemon juice       
1 tbsp extra virgin oil   
Black rock salt or table salt to taste

Preparation

Wash all the five pulses three times in running water and then soak them overnight for at least 14 hours at room temperature. The following day, wash the pulses again three times in running water. Strain the water and pat the pulses dry with a paper towel. Toss all the remaining ingredients with the pulses in a bowl. Add spices to taste. Add additional salt and lemon juice to taste.

Serve individually in a white Chinese soupspoon. Garnish with a lemon zest or a coriander leaf. It's ready. Yummy!

-- Debu