Looking East, for a change!

It seems as though I have become completely Oriental all of a sudden. Gone are the days of French language classes and Italian cooking, Spanish vacations and Swiss sojourns, for here are the days that Anka enjoys a ton of sushi anywhere and everywhere, elegantly picks up chopsticks AND uses them, enrolls herself for Kickboxing *feels uber cool B-)* and even attends Thai cooking classes! Oh, and the brother gets packed off to Singapore, so that adds to some more Oriental effect on the family...

Image Courtesy: www.jupiterimages.com

Oriental but M.I.A, I have been kept on my toes thanks to work, for obvious, delightful reasons (yes people, the Roberto Cavalli store at Emporio is finally open, so DO VISIT if you haven't already!!!), which is why aeons have elapsed since my last post. But I'm back on the planet, and this post has come together, to FINALLY celebrate, belatedly, the one year birth anniversary of my loooove - Orange Zest :D

And what better way to celebrate than of course to cook for the beloved -- Mommy and Daddy!?! A three course East Asian meal at that...

But before I hop on to the recipes, I must thank my sous-chef, the Mother, who supervised as well as ensured all the fresh ingredients were prepped as per my instructions, in time for the meal that was to be...Oh! And also a special mention to -- no, no not Star Bazaar, although it still remains my favorite, but to INA Market, where I spent hours as a glassy eyed child looking at and purchasing all my fancy ingredients!!! WHAT A MARKET! And a final acknowledgement to the nu.Delhi Q'ba at Chanakyapuri, where I not just attended the Thai cooking class but pigged out on all of that delish food too... *love struck smiley*

Watching. Learning.

Recipes below:

#1 Som Tam Salad

Ingredients:

Raw/ Green Papaya - about half, julienned
Carrots - 2 to 3 medium ones, julienned
Tomato - 1 to 2 finely cubed
Peanuts - a fistful, roasted

For the Dressing:

Sugar Syrup - 4 tbsp
Palm sugar - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Thai Soy Sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients for the dressing
• Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing in a bowl
• Garnish with peanuts
• DIG INNNN!!!

How simple is that! And imagine, a papaya hater such as I, fell in LOVE! Quick, easy to make and healthy -- this salad is the perfect mid-week evening snack!


#2 Corn Cakes

Ingredients:

Tempura Flour - 1/2 cup
Corn Flour - 1/4 cup or about 2 heaped tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt & Pepper - To taste
Water - To mix
Sweet Corn - 1/2 a can
Oil - To deep fry
Sweet Chilli Sauce - To serve

Method:

• Mix the tempura flour (preferably Gogi Brand) and Corn Flour in the ratio of 2:1 with water and make a batter that has lotion-like consistency
• Add sugar, salt and pepper to this batter
• Now add the sweet corn kernels to this
• Heat oil in a wok and use a spoon to scoop the sweet corn batter
• Fry until golden brown and then drain on paper towel
• Serve the crisps piping hot with the Sweet Chilli Sauce... :D

Well, it really cannot get any simpler or quicker than this!? Or wait, can it?

Read on, to find out:

#3 Khao Suey/ Khao Soi

I have loved the Khao Suey ever since I first had it at The Kitchen in Khan Market 6 years ago. It was love at first taste and I took it as my personal mission to make anyone I knew who had never had the dish to get to try it. Although considered a traditional Burmese dish, this fantastic meal in a bowl/ soup is consumed in various parts of South-East Asia, including Thailand, with its various permutations and combinations. Below is my attempt to get as close to "The Kitchen" khao suey as I possibly can...

Ingredients:

Noodles - Half a packet of the regular kind, boiled
Crispy noodles - A handful, uncooked and deep fried

Sauce:

Red Curry Paste - 2 tsp
Yellow Curry Paste - 1 tsp
Coconut Cream - 100 mls
Coconut Milk - 100 mls
Fish Sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Chicken Broth Powder (optional for vegetarians) - 1 tsp
Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp

Toppings:

Spring Onion - 1, finely sliced
Onions - About half, caramelised
Garlic - Few flakes, roasted
Coriander
Peanuts - roasted
Bean Sprouts
Mushrooms - Lightly cooked
Chicken - Boiled and shredded
Lemon Slices

Method:

• Prepare the sauce by combining the red and yellow curry paste (Note: purchase Namjai brand, available at most supermarkets as well as at INA, of course!) with the vegetable oil
• Cook for about 2 minutes, and add the coconut milk and cream. If you do not find coconut milk tins, which are quite easily available actually, you can purchase the Maggi Coconut Powder and follow instructions to make a perfectly natural portion of Coconut Milk :)
• Now add the salt, sugar, chicken broth powder and fish sauce, or if you are vegetarian, substitute the fish sauce with Thai Soy Sauce.
• Voila! The Sauce is ready!!!

To serve the khao suey, combine the boiled and crispy noodles in a bowl and top it up with the sauce and other toppings according to your taste and preferences.

I suggest add a little bit of everything and generously squeeze some lime juice, as well as add the roasted peanuts -- the zing and the crunch make the dish literally next level gourmet!

So come on peeps, time to become a little Thai-fi :p and give these fancy sounding, delicious yet simple dishes a try!

While I? I shall sit and bask in the glory of how wonderfully well these turned out to be --- ah, with all my oriental-ness complete with a sudden, coco"nutty" change and how!

Go Dig INNNNNN!!!!

PLOOF!

Ah! Of course, in this scorching, almost infernal heat a title such as this makes one dream of an infinity pool or the heavenly Mediterranean stretching on till eternity... A cliff jump into the holy Ganges or a still, backwater lake on a beach in Goa...

But Ploof! And there I was in Lodhi Colony, basking in the heady aromas of freshly baked breads that blended with the zesty lemon juice being squeezed onto the basa I ordered while enjoying the crunchy asparagus that every American kid would happily eat in this form...

Oh, wait! Let's start from the start!

And let's rewind to last Friday night...

When Delhi was being a dream thanks to Mr. Weather's graciousness -- and given that it was the end of May, I HAD TO COMPULSORILY hit the outdoors, for it is a sin to waste good weather days/ nights in this city, where they are anyway so few and far in between. Now when I get to do the picking, what better selection can I make than my favorite Central Delhi, at the quiet, green Lodhi, that boasts of the best sea-food restaurant in the city.

From the moment I entered, I think I was in love. Although finding the place was a task, given my brilliant sense of direction, it was TOTALLY worth the effort! An almost blink-and-you-miss presence in the Lodhi market, Ploof is a pretty, European style bistro/ restaurant that transports you to the continent in a jiffy. One enters and is ensconced in the delicious aromas of Foccacia and the Ciabatta and the Baguettes! *love struck smiley* and as if this weren't enough, what hits you is the pretty display showcasing an array of delicatessen items - mustards, and pestos, and cold cuts, and preserves and dips, and cheeses and even marinated meats --- SIIIIIIGH! (And yes, I know, that a deli in the city is no more a nouveau concept, but one in such a setting is still worth a million bucks, especially because they home deliver to mine!)

Cut to the terrace, that was nicely covered and air conditioned -- a clever move, for it felt like the outdoors but was a comfortable 20 degrees, and despite the good weather, the ACs were a blessing nonetheless.

So we sat in candlelight, drinking cold, mint flavored water, poring over the menu with such seriousness it almost felt like exam time. And while we sat and carefully examined the delightful selection, a basket full of freshly baked Foccacia, along with some fantastic, lip smacking tomato pesto was quietly placed on our table! Oh Goodness, Oh Gracious! How could anything so simple taste so darn gooooood beats me, and I know I use this phrase a bit too often, but really if ever there was a Heaven on Earth, that night it was right there in that pesto!

When we finally placed the order for our starters and then our main course, what impressed us was the speed of service. We called for a portion of Asparagus and Smoked Cheese Rolls served with a Pineapple Salsa (a Ploof specialty) and home made French Fries (no order of mine is ever complete without a portion of one. I judge a restaurant by its fries.), and for main course we had the Char Grilled Peppered Basa and a Duo of Pan Seared and Oven Grilled Chicken.

My Verdict: The fries were hot, not at all oily, well seasoned and CRISP how they should be, and the portion was perfect. Great fries = Happy Anka! :D

The Asparagus starter was unique, with half the stems encased in the most gorgeous medley of Gouda and Cheddar (60:40) cheese rolls, while the other half was a light, crunchy crunch that went perfectly well with the sweet pineapple salsa and the piquant mustard -- one bite into that cheesy portion and it made me reminisce the Alpine weather from my Swiss sojourn... Ah, life! *gets nostalgic*

By the time the main course arrived, I was so involved with my meal, I couldn't care two hoots about taking pictures. All I did was dig in with all my mighty greed and avarice! A Hedonist and I? Hell yeah!

The Basa was delicate and subtly flavored, just how I like most of my food, especially my fish. A distinct flavor of lemon and fresh pepper transported me to a world where dream food becomes reality, and the side of the lyonnaise potatoes -- oh man, I need to stop! I am gushing a bit too much!

And then that Duo of Chicken -- Basil Pesto vs Sundried Tomatoes, packed with flavor, and also quite healthy, like almost all our food that night. The only drawback in this dish was that one of the two breasts was slightly undercooked, but overall, a mighty dish!

Ploof! You were a pleasure! Your ambience, with the soft banter of the other guests that gently mélange-d into the restaurant music --  thumbs up! Your food -- more than thumbs up! And the pricing -- so well maintained in the days of Inflation and Economic crises! But what about dessert? Oh, I really couldn't get myself to indulge beyond what I already had, and so for the FIRST time I skipped!

So in all, the evening was my start of another love affair with the city I was beginning to dislike again. Delhi, you always do this to me, don't you? Weave that magic, just when you sense the previous dose is wearing off! No wonder I continue to stick on, and let your magic do its magic on me! :*