Mango & Rocket Salad

" This salad always surprises, people due to amazing flavour combination of a sweet & tangy mango with peppery rocket.From hesitatingly trying it, to devouring every bit is the normal reaction. I also, tend to mix this one up and sometimes add pomegranate seeds for added colour and crunch. Use whatever nuts, you favour, I love the umami flavour of pine nuts. Do give this one a try, its really summery, fresh and fabulous  ..."

Ingredients :

• 1 bunch of mixed greens( rocket, lettuce etc.)
• 1 ripe mango cubed
• 3 tbsp of roasted pine nuts

Dressing :

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt & pepeper to taste

Method :

1. Tear the leaves and layer the bowl
2. Top with mango and cover with cling film and chill till ready to eat 
3. Make dressing by putting all ingredients in an empty bottle and shaking it well
4. Just before eating, dress the salad, mix well, top with pine nuts and devour 

Notes:

• I normally take 1/4th rocket + 3/4th  red leaf lettuce, but you can choose the greens dearest to you, do take some amount of rocket, else you loose the peppery/ sweet/ tangy combination
• Add a handful of pomegranate seeds, for extra pizaaz 

Kaffir lime pannacotta

 "  A very popular dessert, gets rave reviews whenever made. I love its  freshness, and the kaffir lime leaf flavour is subtle, irresistible and yummy. De-moulding it can be a challenge, so suggest setting it in pretty little dessert glasses or bowls, to be eaten directly. Do make a few extra as they are never enough ..."

 Servings - 6

Ingredients:

• 200 ml full fat milk
• 200 ml cream
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 100 grams caster sugar
• 2 tsp gelatin powder
• 10 kaffir lime leaves (shredded by hand)
• 1/2 lime juice ( juice  of 1/2 a lime or lemon)
• 1 lime zest

Method: 

1. Keep ready, 6 dessert glasses or bowls (for individual serving), or 1 big bowl 
2. Combine the milk, cream and the coconut milk.Add the lemon zest, sugar and leaves and bring the mixture to a boil on a low flame
3. Remove it from heat, cover and let it seep for 1 hour
4.  Sieve mixture, removing the leaves
5. Prepare gelatin as per instructions ( see note for how to prepare powdered gelatin)
6.  Mix the gelatin in the milk mixture well (If you are using powdered gelatin, make sure the mixture is at the same temperature as the gelatin and mix a little at a time)
7. Cool the pannacotta mixture to room temperature
8. Add the lime juice, mix and pour it in the dessert glasses/bowls. Cover, with cling film and refrigerate them over night
9. At serving time, decorate the pannacotta with a few fresh orange segments and enjoy

Notes: 

• This recipe, can also be made without coconut milk. Just increase the quantity of milk and cream by 100 ml each
• Make sure that you seep for 1 hour for maximum flavour  
•  If you are using gelatin powder,the safest way to ensure the gelatin powder sets well, is to first soak the gelatin in 4 tbsp of cold water for 5 minutes.Then over a double boiler melt the gelatin till it is translucent and then use once its at the same temperature as the mixture
• You could also set the pannacotta in moulds, and de-mould on a serving plate.
•  To de-mould the pannacotta's, dip the molds in hot water for 2 seconds. Loosen edges with knife and turn over on the serving plate

Chicken cacciatore

"Chicken cacciatore, pronounced as 'kah-chuh-tawr-ee'  is an Italian hunter dish, with as many recipes as versions. Mine is a rustic version, cooked by two Italian ladies in the countryside, made on TV. Hit and trial, has led to my preferred quantities and resulted in the most flavourful chicken dish, I have ever made and eaten. Redolent with fresh rosemary, the trick is in the slow cooking. This results in light clean fresh flavours and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do ..."

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (skinned and cut into 8 or more pieces)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 2 onions
• 2 dried red chillies (Broken into half)
• 1 bunch of rosemary
• 3 bay-leaves
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 3 tomatoes
• 8 olives
• 1/2 red pepper sliced
• 1/2 yellow pepper sliced

Method:

1. To peel tomatoes, use a knife for making a cross at one end.Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for a  minute, take out, cool, peel and chop the tomatoes.
2. Slice the onions in 1/2 rounds
3. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil,lower the flame, add the garlic, onions, red chilly, bay-leaves and stir them all for 2 minutes till the onions are translucent
4. Add the chicken pieces in one layer, and add the rosemary,salt, pepper to the mixture and brown till it is golden.(All on low flame)
5. Add the white wine, tomatoes, olives and cook them together till the chicken is done.If it is needed you can add a bit of water but the final dish should not be too watery
6. At the last minute add the red and yellow peppers and serve with crusty white bread

Notes:

• The entire cooking process should be done on low flame only
• Make sure the chicken is completely dry when you add it to cooking utensil
• Ideally, use a large base frying pan or a flat wok, such that the chicken can be browned in one layer
• If you like, you could mix the rosemary with sage, this dish works amazingly with fresh herbs. So make only when you have some in the house

Fresh fruit cheese cake - With yogurt

" Here's a perfect recipe for all cheesecake lovers.It's healthy, with easily available ingredients and no raw egg's. Have been making this one for over 20 years, made almost 6 of them for a special family occasion.They are light, flavorful and as guilt free as cheese cakes can be..."

Servings - 8- 10

Ingredients:

 Base

• 200 gms digestive biscuit
• 50 gms melted butter
• 1 tsp rind of lemon/lime

 Filling

• 400 gms yogurt regular ( or 1 cup thick yogurt)
• 200 gms low fat or single cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 200 gms strawberries(mangoes or any other fresh fruit you may want to use)
• 1 tsp vanilla (pod/paste/essence)
• 1 tbsp gelatin
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp lime /lemon juice

Method:

Base

1. Butter a spring-foam pan or a pie dish which has a diameter of 10 inches
2. Crush biscuits coarsely
3. Mix with melted butter and rind
4. Layer the dish with biscuits at the bottom and the sides, pressing firmly (use a flat bottom glass or bowl to help press down as firmly as possible)
5. Refrigerate biscuit base for 1/2 hour

  Filling

1.  Hang regular yogurt in a muslin cloth for 2 hours to remove excess water, balance thick yogurt should amount to 1 cup OR use 1 cup of thick yogurt
2. Soak the gelatin in warm water for 15 minutes, and warm over simmering water till translucent (gelatin bowl should not be touching the water. OR prepare the gelatin as per box instructions
3. Puree the strawberries, leaving 3 whole for decorating purposes
4. In a bowl mix all the filling ingredients - yogurt, cream,strawberry puree, sugar, vanilla, lime,gelatin and beat till smooth
5. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base, wrap with clingfilm and chill overnight
6. Decorate with sliced strawberries and ENJOY

Note:

• Any fresh fruit can be used instead of the strawberries, mangoes work just great
• For a plain lemon cheesecake, remove the fruit adding the juice of one full lime
• Each serving has only 1 tsp butter + 1 tbsp cream as the guilty ingredients 

Fresh orange cake

"This is the best orange cake recipe, i have found to date, tried lots with orange juice, with zest etc.  but none of them were orangy enough for me, this one where we chop a whole orange with peel and all is fabulous, do give it one try and you will be converted ..."

Servings - 10 large pieces 

Ingredients:

• 1 unwaxed orange,washed
• 150 gms Butter 
• 1 1/4 cups castor sugar 
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tbsp plain yogurt 
• 2 tbsp superfine or granulated sugar for topping Or to taste 

Method:

All ingredients should be at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 170 degrees Celsius  
2. Butter a cake tin- loaf and put in fridge
3. cut the orange in half, save the other half for the topping
4. Cut the half in 8 pieces removing pips , process the orange into very small pieces 
5. Beat butter, sugar and chopped orange for 2 minutes till fluffy, with an electric beater, do not overbeat
6. Sieve flour,baking powder,soda and salt
7. Break the eggs into the bowl  add the flour mixture , add the milk and the yogurt and beat on low speed for 1 minute till  well mixed
8. Put the mixture in the buttered baking pan
9. Bake for 50 minutes till done ,test skewer is clean when inserted in the middle of cake
10. make topping - squeeze out the juice from the other half of the orange, add sugar (to taste) and stir to make a thick glaze
11. While the cake is still hot prick the entire loaf with a toothpick,spoon the orange syrup over the whole cake
12. Cool completely and take out of tin

Variations:

For a chocolaty twist , fold into cake batter chocolate bits (100 grams)before putting the mixture in the oven. i.e. after step seven.