Dine With Gitanjali - Page 22 of 24 - Recipes straight from the heart

Strawberry Arugula Salad

My obsession with strawberries continues. (Honestly speaking I would simply gorge on them dipped in warm Belgian chocolate). But hey healthy eating right!

Healthy eating week two of 2019! Wow! Can’t believe how I’m sticking to my resolution (God knows how long it lasts). Well, until then for those of you like me who like to eat clean here’s a delightful salad recipe which I’m sure all will adore.

A rich source of iron, vitamins A and C, arugula here is balanced perfectly with the acidity of balsamic vinegar, strawberries and orange juice. Pairs beautifully with the creaminess of crumbled feta and toasted pecan nuts. Those of you who wish to substitute arugula with baby spinach and pecans with walnuts may feel free to do so.

A simple visual treat to the eyes as well as the palate! I promise you would be having this all season long and wish the strawberries last forever just as I do.

So, do give this simple salad a try. A sure show stopper at a party too!

January 11, 2019 By Gitanjali

Soups & Salads

The Healthy Winter Pea Soup – Petit Pois Soup

The chill in the air continues and it’s simply the right weather for a warm comforting soup!
Just got my bag of Petit Pois (Green Peas) from the Sabzi Mandi (Vegetable Market) in Indore! Fortunately, these tiny and
tender green delights are all over the marketplace at this time of the year. It is indeed a visual treat for those who get a chance to visit one.

Being rich in antioxidants, fairly low in calorie and categorised as a high fibre food with an abundance of protein! This cup of soup is truly loaded with health and nutrition.
The leeks give it a beautiful twist by infusing a hint of onion.
A super dinner choice for me. It also doubles up as a perfect winter party appetiser. So whilst the season for peas lasts, a cup full of this flavoursome and aromatic Petit Pois soup is my new favourite…. What an awesome start to my new year resolution of eating healthy as well!

January 5, 2019 By Gitanjali

Mains

One Pot Pasta

My One-Pot Pasta… A sure healthy solution to the ubiquitous 2-Minute Maggie Noodles! My children can scare the living daylights out of me when they are hungry and their meal is either gonna take longer or isn’t entirely to their liking…This is when they start negotiating for some form of junk food in the garb of a quick fix.(I am sure Moms with young children are likely to relate to this phenomenon!)… In the past, I would succumb to their innocence with a sense of guilt which of course didn’t last for too long…At such times this one-pot pasta is truly a huge saviour… appealing to both Moms and children alike!

It’s really super easy and more importantly really quick to make… bcoz unlike other methods of cooking this one doesn’t require pre-boiling the pasta. All the yummy and healthy ingredients are simply thrown into a single pot along with the pasta and cooked together.

Idea and recipe credits…. my cousin Vrinda, who taught me this on her annual trip to Indore. She is a complete foodie and we can endlessly discuss our culinary passions, explore and relish new recipes during our stays with each other… This dish is easy to tweak depending on your tastes and available ingredients for e.g., you can substitute the cherry tomatoes with fresh ones…Also feel free to alter the spice level, garlic etc.

An absolute no fuss recipe any novice can also stir up effortlessly. It turns out to be a great option for kids studying away from home, bachelors tired of the usual routine or anyone who doesn’t have the luxury of time and yet wants to eat something tasty and healthy but away from the regular…

You can also serve this with garlic toast and a glass of wine and yet enjoy your meal guilt free!!

Please do share your feedback including your variations!

Getting ready to order out your pasta on Swiggy, Uber Eats, Meals on Wheels etc., do try this recipe before you do so…Next time onwards I am sure you will know which is faster to turn around apart from being tastier and fresher!

Bon Appétit!!!

December 29, 2018 By Gitanjali

Condiments/ Menus, Meals and More

Simple Home Style Chilli garlic paste

This is my go-to, favourite and super easy chilli sauce that I always keep at home. It simply infuses life into any dish no matter how bland tasting it is. Really spikes up the flavour when added to pastas, grilled veggies, pizza sauce, noodles, zoodles and is great marination for paneer also!

As the famous adage goes… “Old Is Gold”….I discovered this treasure when I saw my mother-in-law’s friend stir up a tomato basil pasta…She simply got hold of this fiery looking red sauce from the freezer and poof… before you realised the pasta was deliciously ready to eat !!

In the yesteryears, it was difficult to get fresh red chillies round the year in Indore….So my option was limited to get hold of fresh produce when the season arrived and make enough quantity of this heavenly spicy recipe which can be conveniently stashed away into the freezer for year-round consumption!

Some distinct flavours such as Garlic can be moderated to suit your palate even though I like mine more garlicky! Sauté in hot oil with chopped spring onions and serve with fritters as a sauce too! Those who dare to try this HOT one, please do share your feedback!

December 27, 2018 By Gitanjali

Desserts

Spiced Apple Cinnamon Cake

Winter, and the month of December send a different rush of excitement with everyone eagerly waiting for the arrival of Christmas! Celebrated with equal enthusiasm world over…places come alive with bustling and vivacious energy, young children go looking for their Santa Clause, charities and gifts making their way into all homes, beautifully decorated Christmas trees radiate festivity, love is in the air and everybody is spreading joy!

Even though there are loads of awesome foods, mulled wine, desserts and plenty more…the timeless Christmas cake continues to adorn the crown and remains my Christmas favourite too!

The traditional one which comes with colourful raisins, sultanas, currants etc. soaked in rum or brandy doesn’t work well with many kids and mine for sure! So, this year the mother in me decided to surprise them. While rummaging through my archives I came across a recipe of Spiced Apple Cinnamon Cake by Chef Ottolenghi…. So voila! with a little tweaking it turned out to be an absolute delight, looking great and tasting even better!

A perfect and flavour–some moist sponge cake with the goodness of apples. Kids would only wish and hope that they could have their fruit for the day in such a beautiful disguise!

So here’s the recipe which is easy to make. Wish you all a Merry Christmas!

December 23, 2018 By Gitanjali

Drinks

Warm Apple Toddy

January 2017 remains an epic and memorable winter for me! Temperatures had dropped to almost 10 Degrees and the cold wave was sending shivers in the air. While several suggestions were being floated to spruce up the bar at my annual winter party, I was looking for an alternate warm drink to the usual mulled wine. Guess luck was also in a mood to shine upon my party because just then my friend Harsh Shodhan-(Gourmet Catering Co.) stirred up this wonderful Apple Toddy, and before you know it, I had more friends dance to his awesome concoction than any other spirit or Bollywood Dhamaka, and the encores just didn’t seem to end!!!

Incidentally, this Toddy is just as gorgeous without alcohol and can be served as a warm Apple Tea!

This drink is at its original best when made with Apple Cider…So for the lucky ones who manage to get fresh pressed cider in their cities, please substitute the apple juice with it.

Cheers !!!

December 19, 2018 By Gitanjali

Appetizers

Vegetable Sooji Toast

Mom! What’s new for breakfast? I almost break into a sweat at such times wondering
what to churn out… Something interesting enough for my munchkins and some health
disguised into it to keep me at peace.
While I was mulling over the new task, I thought of this age-old recipe perfected by my
grandmother which used to be a favourite with my younger brother and me. You
guessed right! The Hero who came to save the moment was none other than the

“Vegetable Sooji toast”
Easy and quick to make, it’s an absolutely no fuss snack which packs in enough
veggies for the picky ones… A super breakfast item which also doubles up as a great
accompaniment to our favourite evening Chai !!
So, here’s the recipe of this extremely healthy and filling snack.

December 17, 2018 By Gitanjali

Drinks

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Winters in India are synonomis for a lot of things, but my all-time favourite remains arrival of the luscious, juicy, red strawberries! Well if you are trying to guess the reason for my elation…, its simple. I’ve just received my first box of these awesome mouth-watering berries and can hardly wait to churn out those recipes really close to my heart… so friends in case you find them a little overwhelming please bear with me!

This recipe is a great way to spruce up the regular ‘Nimbu Pani’ or lemonade as we call it. The addition of chopped or muddled strawberries packs this otherwise beaten downNimbu Pani with tons of vitamins, fibre, antioxidants and gives it a beautiful hint of the red colour too!

Strawberries being a low-calorie fruit make this drink a perfect melange of “flavour &health”. Still, want to cut down on your calories intake … Just substitute the sugar mentioned in the recipe with honey or stevia… Even better, just avoid the additional sweating like I do by removing the sugar altogether!

For the extreme healthconscious…, Basil leaves are known to ease inflammation and reduce stress and anxiety, and the lemon juice aids in making your body alkaline. (An acidic body is one of the primary reasons for a lot of ailments).

With all these multiple health benefits I’ve surely found my perfect healthy refreshing cooler!. Those looking for a little Rock & Roll, just add generous amounts of Gin or vodka and add it to your cocktail menu!

Cheers!!!

December 12, 2018 By Gitanjali

Others

Fig and Pistachio Biscotti

My biscotti obsession started several years ago whilst I was on a family holiday visiting the breath-taking Tuscany in Italy.

Also known as “Cantucci di Prato” the biscotti is a crunchy almond cookie, a household favourite in Italy which has rapidly taken the world in its delicious stride.

Perfected over time, it’s relatively simple to create… typically the dough is first formed into logs, baked, cooled slightly, cut into slices and then baked again. Don’t let the sound of it deter you coz it’s literally that easy to make. Besides, once you get the hang of crafting these awesome goodies you are sure to enjoy experimenting with different flavours as well.

Biscottis are truly a provocative mix of textures, flavours and visuals, traditionally enjoyed by dipping in vin santo (sweet dessert wine). It’s also great dunked in coffee or tea. Even though originally made with almonds, I love mine with Pistachio and Figs!

Honestly speaking, for all those who get intimidated by baking or find it tedious, do try this recipe out once. It’s said that cooking is an art, and baking a science. Accurate measurements are just as important when baking, as they were back in our science labs. My advice …. Please try and stick to the measurements given in my recipe, one perfected after several disappointments. I’m sure that your journey won’t be as arduous given the step-by-step photos. Hope this one turns your passion into a baking obsession just as it did for me.

So I’m gonna get going whilst you try this out, grab my caramel Nespresso latte and dunk in these absolute favourite cookies.

Ciao.

December 4, 2018 By Gitanjali

Appetizers

Mushroom Pâté

The term pâté generally refers to a soft mixture of meat, fish or vegetables infused with various flavorings that are eaten cold. It’s usually served as an appetizer or listed as a “first course” in the French & Belgian cuisine.

This mushroom pate presented to you is a beautiful mince of mushrooms, shallots and cream cheese with a whisper of fragrant truffle oil.

It’s indeed awesome, easy to prepare n elegant looking with gorgeous flavors!

I learnt this recipe at a cookery school in the U.K. and each time I make it, rave reviews have been abundant and generous.

This can easily be made a day or two in advance to save time on that party day.

Serve it with crusty baguette slices and assorted crackers on a cheeseboard or set in individual small ramekins.

Do give this simple recipe a try! For all the mushroom lovers this is your next show stopper appetizer.

November 21, 2018 By Gitanjali

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