With the magic wand called creativity, dishes belonging to one part of the world can be transformed into something else all together. This technique of experimenting with food and cooking techniques, applies well to dishes that are traditionally served in a stuffed form. For preparations such as crepes, ravioli, sambousek and quesadilla are easy to manipulate. According to food blogger Shivani Tolia from The Yellow Butterfly, "A good way to bring some change to the food on the dining table, is to create new flavours every now and then. I love changing the stuffing of classic dishes and turning them into contemporary master dishes."
Italian Ravioli turns into Kheema mutter ravioliChef Rakesh Talwar
F LoungeIngredients:
150g refined flour
1 egg
20 g olive oil
10 g onions, finely chopped
10 g tomatoes, finely chopped
10 g ginger, grated
10 g garlic, grated
10 g red chilli paste
90 g mutton
1 tsp turmeric powder
10 g green peas, boiled
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper powder
2 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cream
10 g blue cheese
10 g walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Knead the flour, egg and oil to form a soft dough. Cover it in a muslin cloth and leave aside for a few minutes.
In a pan, heat oil and saute ginger, garlic, red chillies and cook it for three to
four minutes.
Add mutton, tomatoes and green peas and mix well. Tip all the spices into this and add salt.
Cook the mixture until the vegetable and meat are tender and pasty. Allow it to cool
Roll the dough into two thin sheets.
Place a spoonful of stuffing in a line, leaving one-finger space in the middle.
Cover this sheet with another thin sheet of dough on top and press it gently around the filling.
With the help of a pizza slicer, cut the large sheet into several small squares and plunge each into boiling water.
Cook the pasta until the ravioli pieces begin floating on top and drain well.
Prepare the ravioli sauce by heating cream in a thick-bottomed pan.
Add chopped walnuts and blue cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with cooked ravioli pieces.
French Crepes turn intom Chettinad Crepe with Curried Veggies
Co-owner of Choco Kisses bakeryIngredients For crepe batter:
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup melted butter,
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 pinch baking sodaIngredients for filling:
2 tbsp poppy seeds
6-8 garlic cloves, grated
1 Tbsp cashew nuts
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 dry red chillies
3 cloves
2 cups mixed vegetables, boiled
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated coconut
Chopped green chillies and grated coconut for garnish
Method:
In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients mentioned under crepe batter and whisk well.
Cover the batter and refrigerate for two hours before use.
To make crepes, heat a non-stick griddle -- a flat cooking surface -- and pour the batter with the help of a ladle.
Swirl the back of the ladle in circular motion to make thin dosas. Cook the crepe on both sides until golden and crispy.
To make the filling, mix poppy seeds with cashewnut and soak it in warm water for 10 minutes.
Drain and grind it into a smooth paste.
In a pan, heat oil and add cumin and fennel seeds, add coriander seeds, red chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and coconut once they begin to crackle.
Mix and sauté the mixture on medium flame for 3-4 minutes.
To this, add onions and cook until they appear translucent.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, cashew paste and boiled vegetables to the filling and mix well.
Season the dish with salt.
Once cool, place it at the centre of the crepe and sprinkle green chillies and grated coconut.
Serve hot with tamarind chutney.
Mexican Quesadillas turn into Murg Makhni with Chevre Quesadillas
Chef Rajesh Ratna
Escobar
Pic/Sunil TiwariIngredients For murg:
1 chicken breast
50 g hung curd
1/2 tsp kasuri methi
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic pasteIngredients for makhani sauce:
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp melted butter
1 green cardamom
1 small stick of cinnamon
2 cloves
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 Tbsp tomato puree
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
5 almonds, peeled and pureed
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp heavy creamIngredients for quesadillas:
2 tortillas
75 g chevre cheese
1 Tbsp butterMethod:
In a bowl, marinate chicken in hung curd, red chilli powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, garam masala powder and mustard oil.
Let it rest for three to four hours.
Thread the chicken on a skewer and grill in an oven or directly on the stove for 15-20 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Baste the cooked piece with butter and shred it into tiny pieces.
In a thick-bottomed pan, heat butter and sauté green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon in it.
Add fenugreek seeds, ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies to this and cook for five to eight minutes.
Add tomato puree, red chilli powder and salt and cook on a medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the butter begins to separate from the pan, add ½ cup of hot water and almond paste to it.
Simmer the makhani gravy for 15 minutes and add sugar and kasuri methi to it.
Add the shredded chicken pieces to this and stir well.
Let the gravy simmer for eight to 10 minutes.
Finish the dish by adding heavy cream and garam masala.
Place one sheet of tortilla on a kitchen surface and top it with a couple of spoons of murg makhani.
Sprinkle some chevre cheese on top and cover it with another tortilla.
Baste the sheets with butter and grill on both the sides on a hot griddle until brown.
Cut the quesadillas with a pizza slicer and serve hot.
Lebanese Sambousek turns into Spicy aloo-stuffed sambousek with Harrisa sauce
Shivani Tolia
Food blogger Ingredients For the Harissa sauce:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
100 g red bell peppers, roasted
3 red chillies, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
Handful of parsley leaves, finely choppedIngredients for Sambousek wrapper:
225 g flour
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp kalonji and ajwain seeds, pounded
110 ml warm water
Ingredients for the filling:
5 potatoes, boiled and cubed
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp pomegranate seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dry mango powder
2-3 dry red chillies
Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp ginger and chilli paste
1/2 tsp asafetida
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup frozen peas, boiled Lemon juice as per taste Salt to tasteMethod:
For the harissa sauce, roast cumin, coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet over medium heat until they generate an aroma.
Transfer it in a grinder and blitz into a fine powder.
Throw roasted red peppers, chillies, garlic and olive oil in this blender and blitz it once again to form a smooth paste
Season and serve cold after garnishing with parsley leaves.
For the sambousek wrapper, sieve flour and salt together and transfer them into a large bowl.
Add the seeds and olive oil and mix well to form a crumbly mixture.
Add water and knead it into soft dough.
Wrap the dough in a plastic cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour.
Remove from the fridge and roll it into a thin sheet.
Cut 3-inch circles from this sheet with the help of a cookie cutter. The dough will yield about 16 circles.
For the filling, blitz dry roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and pomegranate seeds in a food processor to make a roasted spice mix and leave aside.
In a large bowl, marinate the potatoes in the roasted spice mix along with salt, garam masala, dry mango powder, mint leaves, ginger-chilli paste, lemon juice and mix well.
In a pan, heat oil and add a pinch of cumin seeds, asafoetida and green peas and cook for two minutes.
Add spiced potatoes to this and mix well. Remove the mixture from fire and cool to room temperature.
To assemble the dish, fill the circular sambousek wrapper with a spoonful of the potato mixture and pinch-seal with a wet finger to form a semi-circle.
In a pre-heated oven bake the parcels for 20-25 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.
Serve hot with Harrisa sauce.
Italian Ravioli turns into Kheema mutter ravioliChef Rakesh Talwar
F LoungeIngredients:
150g refined flour
1 egg
20 g olive oil
10 g onions, finely chopped
10 g tomatoes, finely chopped
10 g ginger, grated
10 g garlic, grated
10 g red chilli paste
90 g mutton
1 tsp turmeric powder
10 g green peas, boiled
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper powder
2 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cream
10 g blue cheese
10 g walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Knead the flour, egg and oil to form a soft dough. Cover it in a muslin cloth and leave aside for a few minutes.
In a pan, heat oil and saute ginger, garlic, red chillies and cook it for three to
four minutes.
Add mutton, tomatoes and green peas and mix well. Tip all the spices into this and add salt.
Cook the mixture until the vegetable and meat are tender and pasty. Allow it to cool
Roll the dough into two thin sheets.
Place a spoonful of stuffing in a line, leaving one-finger space in the middle.
Cover this sheet with another thin sheet of dough on top and press it gently around the filling.
With the help of a pizza slicer, cut the large sheet into several small squares and plunge each into boiling water.
Cook the pasta until the ravioli pieces begin floating on top and drain well.
Prepare the ravioli sauce by heating cream in a thick-bottomed pan.
Add chopped walnuts and blue cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with cooked ravioli pieces.
French Crepes turn intom Chettinad Crepe with Curried Veggies
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Co-owner of Choco Kisses bakeryIngredients For crepe batter:
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup melted butter,
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 pinch baking sodaIngredients for filling:
2 tbsp poppy seeds
6-8 garlic cloves, grated
1 Tbsp cashew nuts
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 dry red chillies
3 cloves
2 cups mixed vegetables, boiled
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated coconut
Chopped green chillies and grated coconut for garnish
Method:
In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients mentioned under crepe batter and whisk well.
Cover the batter and refrigerate for two hours before use.
To make crepes, heat a non-stick griddle -- a flat cooking surface -- and pour the batter with the help of a ladle.
Swirl the back of the ladle in circular motion to make thin dosas. Cook the crepe on both sides until golden and crispy.
To make the filling, mix poppy seeds with cashewnut and soak it in warm water for 10 minutes.
Drain and grind it into a smooth paste.
In a pan, heat oil and add cumin and fennel seeds, add coriander seeds, red chillies, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and coconut once they begin to crackle.
Mix and sauté the mixture on medium flame for 3-4 minutes.
To this, add onions and cook until they appear translucent.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, cashew paste and boiled vegetables to the filling and mix well.
Season the dish with salt.
Once cool, place it at the centre of the crepe and sprinkle green chillies and grated coconut.
Serve hot with tamarind chutney.
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Mexican Quesadillas turn into Murg Makhni with Chevre Quesadillas
Chef Rajesh Ratna
Escobar
Pic/Sunil TiwariIngredients For murg:
1 chicken breast
50 g hung curd
1/2 tsp kasuri methi
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic pasteIngredients for makhani sauce:
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp melted butter
1 green cardamom
1 small stick of cinnamon
2 cloves
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 Tbsp tomato puree
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
5 almonds, peeled and pureed
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp heavy creamIngredients for quesadillas:
2 tortillas
75 g chevre cheese
1 Tbsp butter
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In a bowl, marinate chicken in hung curd, red chilli powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, garam masala powder and mustard oil.
Let it rest for three to four hours.
Thread the chicken on a skewer and grill in an oven or directly on the stove for 15-20 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Baste the cooked piece with butter and shred it into tiny pieces.
In a thick-bottomed pan, heat butter and sauté green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon in it.
Add fenugreek seeds, ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies to this and cook for five to eight minutes.
Add tomato puree, red chilli powder and salt and cook on a medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once the butter begins to separate from the pan, add ½ cup of hot water and almond paste to it.
Simmer the makhani gravy for 15 minutes and add sugar and kasuri methi to it.
Add the shredded chicken pieces to this and stir well.
Let the gravy simmer for eight to 10 minutes.
Finish the dish by adding heavy cream and garam masala.
Place one sheet of tortilla on a kitchen surface and top it with a couple of spoons of murg makhani.
Sprinkle some chevre cheese on top and cover it with another tortilla.
Baste the sheets with butter and grill on both the sides on a hot griddle until brown.
Cut the quesadillas with a pizza slicer and serve hot.
Lebanese Sambousek turns into Spicy aloo-stuffed sambousek with Harrisa sauce
Shivani Tolia
Food blogger Ingredients For the Harissa sauce:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
100 g red bell peppers, roasted
3 red chillies, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
Handful of parsley leaves, finely choppedIngredients for Sambousek wrapper:
225 g flour
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp kalonji and ajwain seeds, pounded
110 ml warm water
Ingredients for the filling:
5 potatoes, boiled and cubed
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp pomegranate seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dry mango powder
2-3 dry red chillies
Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp ginger and chilli paste
1/2 tsp asafetida
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup frozen peas, boiled Lemon juice as per taste Salt to taste
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For the harissa sauce, roast cumin, coriander and caraway seeds in a skillet over medium heat until they generate an aroma.
Transfer it in a grinder and blitz into a fine powder.
Throw roasted red peppers, chillies, garlic and olive oil in this blender and blitz it once again to form a smooth paste
Season and serve cold after garnishing with parsley leaves.
For the sambousek wrapper, sieve flour and salt together and transfer them into a large bowl.
Add the seeds and olive oil and mix well to form a crumbly mixture.
Add water and knead it into soft dough.
Wrap the dough in a plastic cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour.
Remove from the fridge and roll it into a thin sheet.
Cut 3-inch circles from this sheet with the help of a cookie cutter. The dough will yield about 16 circles.
For the filling, blitz dry roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and pomegranate seeds in a food processor to make a roasted spice mix and leave aside.
In a large bowl, marinate the potatoes in the roasted spice mix along with salt, garam masala, dry mango powder, mint leaves, ginger-chilli paste, lemon juice and mix well.
In a pan, heat oil and add a pinch of cumin seeds, asafoetida and green peas and cook for two minutes.
Add spiced potatoes to this and mix well. Remove the mixture from fire and cool to room temperature.
To assemble the dish, fill the circular sambousek wrapper with a spoonful of the potato mixture and pinch-seal with a wet finger to form a semi-circle.
In a pre-heated oven bake the parcels for 20-25 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.
Serve hot with Harrisa sauce.
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