My Childhood Rivalry with Tomatoes and how I overcame them...

Chinese Choupsey - My style...

久しぶり

(Hisashiburi - Its been a while)

Yesterday evening, I was pretty hungry (like always) to prepare something new. My food stocks were refilled. I had gained some inspiration for a kick start and rest is history! (Of past few hours)*

I finally possessed the four 'P's similar to that of Marketing (Coz I am studying commerce, u know?) . 

According to ME, every plate of food goes through four stages viz. Plan, Pockets, Place and Plating.

Plan:- This consists of making a proper recipe with lowest probability of failure. 

Pockets:- Here, "pockets" is referred as Resources or Stocks of proper ingredients. Having quality ingredients results to quality food.

Place:- Eventually, place is nothing but a safe and well-equiped kitchen.

Plating:- Presentation is equally important to taste. The critic should be able to judge our dish without even tasting it.

I have been working on all four prospects since a year.

ENTER THE "UMAMI"!

Since my childhood, I was a picky brat. The vegetable I used to hate the most were the nasty tomatoes. I felt like puking when I smelled them. But it is the need of the century, for me to eat and cook tomatoes. Well, I did overcame my psychological issue.

I have been watching a new Anime namely 'Shokugeki no souma' which is regarding culinary battles. From it I came to know about Umami in japanese and other international cuisines. So I did a little knowledge hunt and learned about Monosodium Glutamate (ajinomoto) which affects the umami receptors and gives a great aftertaste. The unique salt can be separately added in foods but it is naturally found in many fermanted ingredients, parmesan cheese and tomatoes. Yes. I was in a dilemma to see my "enemy" in this category. From yesterday I am respecting tomato as my senpai and am expecting it to cooperate with me in my culinary journey.

What's magic and where can I find some?

Deciphering the Magic in me

"Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

—Roald Dahl

(The narrator guesses that he made his readers familiar with the Novelist el Chef.)

First things first. Let me fulfill my duty as a food blogger.

Presenting 'Townie'. A tart with brownie. The tart base is so buttery that I still can't forget it's flakiness. The brownie is awesome as hell. The accompanied nuts adds the nutty element. Well, this is the only piece that I was able to cut properly. I had messed up almost everything while doing so...

My current situation can be emphasized as...

"a state in which people (temporarily) lose their sense of time (whether the weather be, day or night), can't sleep and their bodies tend to move themselves to fulfill their Dreams."  

...(Is this Junoon-Jasba, as my watch says its 03:06 hrs???)

People who doesn't know the meaning of the above bold words can refers them as Inner Magic.

(Ha haahaa. Abrakadabra)

I do believe Magic. By me, it is something (still) undefined by science. For ex. TRUE origin of life. 

Every human has some kind of magic in them but s/he needs some guidance to explore and polish their witchcraft and wizardry...(Harwy Potah style)

The word believe is itself a be"LIE"ve. A man's faith and belief is something not to be forceful.

As far as the connection between ME and the Qoute-smith, I remember his poem 'Television' which was in my 10th grade syllabus.

For more such one way conversations keep following me on the web. You may encourage me by commenting below, but actually I don't require such encouragement, as I get inspired by the people I see daily.

Lacchha Paratha with cheesy tomato dip | Preview of MY ORIGIN story...

Abhinandan Mukherjee - El Origen

I have always dreamed of writing a book. So if my biography is published someday, this is the preview for the same...

My Parents used to taunt me, since my consciousness developed, that I was a lazy child yet I always denied that fact. 

But when I discovered that I love to cook (actually eat what I crafted with my own hands), my family unexpectedly stopped teasing me as 'the laziest member of the family'. 

This gave me a sense of accomplishment and I continued to follow my culinary passion.

In fact, I (still) never cook for others, I "hold knives" only when I am depressed and dejected or "absolutely hungry". Cooking is my stress-buster. This is the real Abhinandan Mukherjee.

(Are you guys surprised?)

But I also want to confess that when I practice, I am full focused and it is prohibited to enter the kitchen for my family.

This is true as well that since my initial experiments with food, my mom never helped me physically but she always guides me.

Talking about today's post, presenting "SPICED GARLIC LACCHHA PARATHAS WITH CHEESY TOMATO DIP". This recipe really fetched my hunger.

Apple-Lemon Meringue Pie | 'Facing Difficulties' - Explained by the Philosophical Chef.

 Let me have a quick review. Pie with soft meringue on top. There was a smoky flavor of the meringue. The crunchy pie crust and the lemony filling was heavenly.

Before Baking

After Baking

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”

-HENRY FORD

(Narrator: We have another 'case' for the Philosophical Chef)

Difficulties in life are unavoidable. Tough decisions must be made at the right moment to encounter the difficulties.

I follow a simple way that helps me in my Culinary Laboratory. Replacing the word ‘difficult’ with ‘challenging’ changes our perspective towards hardships.

For example-

Rather than saying “This dish is difficult to master”, I say “This dish is quiet challenging to master”. This slight change in our perception has a deep effect in our sub-conscious mind and it will make myself ready to face the situation. 

The 99% of humans have mistaken “Challenges” as “Difficulties”. Assuming our issues as “Challenges” is an effective method to push ourselves and break our limitations. Sometimes ‘Being Optimistic’ makes our life easier.

Banoffee hand pie with caramel sauce | Debut of the 'Entrepreneur' Chef.

True entrepreneurship comes only from risk-taking.

-Dhirubhai Ambani

(Meet the Entrepreneur Chef)

Its been a decade for me to blog. Well, I was quite distracted from my professional gameplay. But now I am focused...(Actually I am still possessed by some mere distractions on Facebook). Today I am inspired by Dhirubhai Ambani. 

Risks are inevitable for a person seeking success. This era is well-known for Start-ups. Start-ups are something regarded as RISKS so only the 1% can take such decisions. Many of the top companies were once RISKS taken by someone with a strong will. 

Anything can happen to us, anytime, anywhere. We must ready ourselves to face the situation. Bad situations are inevitable and unpredictable. Having a risky situation can result into good or bad. Its a 50-50 probability. But, good can only happen if we risk ourselves. Doing a 'Not so risky' job will make us lazy and eventually unhappy.

 A Finger-Food version of a pie. Made from whole wheat flour and margarine. Filled with melted Toffee and Banana mixture.

Super crunchy from outside and sweet from inside, truly magical. Must be dipped in caramel for extra magic. While baking, some of the filling had oozed out and I became a little worried about that. But when came out from the scorching oven, there was caramelized goodness everywhere. 

I cannot resist the gorgeous browning over the skin of the pie. It makes it look rustic.

Stay tuned for more Entrepreneur Chef. 

Baked Veg Cutlets and 'Decoding the CHANGE'

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." 

 -Charles Darwin

(Meet the Philosophical Chef, a side hidden behind the bars of ego and shyness)

There are many reasons why Homo Sapien Sapiens differ from the rest of the creatures on this planet. We, as the dominant species on Earth have evolved a unique ability called ‘Awareness’.

(Leaving without reading makes you unAWARE of the fact that you aren’t a Human)

The inheritance of being aware has been developed due to our survival. This kind of Adaptation or Evolution or Change has been pointed as  ‘Natural Selection’ by Charles Darwin. (Thank God! My 10^th Grade science helped me at least for my Blogging)

(My inner voice says, “Darwin, thank you for providing me with some hints for my 56^th Blog.”)

CHANGE is damn crucial, right from our very existence. It is needed by us still in the 21^st Century.

We all know CHANGE is difficult. It is hard because our minds are wired to follow a routine, regardless it is good or not so good…(Think Positive)

We are trapped in a Comfort zone and outside, our philosophy, opinions and beliefs are challenged. Though it is damn painful, a whole new life is waiting for us at the doorstep. Discovering SELF can only be done by tough decisions which can be regretful if you don’t change now.

Baked Veg Cutlets. Crunchy, smoky, perfectly balanced flavors and the most important - used approximately the half amount of oil which would have been required to deep fry them. Its always better to compromise the oil for 25 minutes of baking. Yes, it was indeed time consuming but less oil with better experience, makes me in the positive side.

Stay tuned for more...

For more such Philosophy by Guru Abhinandan, follow my blogs. Comment down below for Guru-Dakshina.

Baked Spaghetti with Potatoes and Marinara Sauce...

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

-CHINESE PROVERB

(If u just saw this pic then u are included in the 80% people)

‘PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE’ is like a maze in which the minds of countless souls are scattered and lost. Even the most educated and the most intelligent souls wander around in this maze of TIME...(Meet the Spiritual Chef, another side of me)

Right from the day we set our foot at school, we learn about TIME as the most valuable, intangible object.

TIME is a concept which is scientifically unknown to man. We are unable to crack the mysteries of TIME yet we see ourselves doing TIME TRAVEL in a distant FUTURE...(Again we get deeper in the maze I mentioned above)

I really don’t get why people are anxious about their PAST and FUTURE. Yes, it is a vital element but diverging ourselves from our responsibilities and goals is entirely wrong.

‘LEARN from your past, PLAN for the future and EXECUTE it now’ is a guru-mantra which is obediently followed by the wise men...(ACTION is the only word I can think of while in the kitchen, everything else is a deadly oasis, set up by THE LAZY ME.)

(If u read all of this then you are the rest 20%)

This post has nothing unique with respect to the culinary world but is damn unique to me. This was first of its kind. I have nothing more to say about the classic savory baked spaghetti. This was the reason to talk this much about time and wasting our time.

"Uniqueness is nothing what other people think and reward you with, it is you who must decide."

 -Abhinandan Mukherjee

(Can this be a quote. Comment me YOUR views)

Be sure to follow me on the social media, for more such "Unraveling of wise topic like TIME which are lost in time" and frank conversations. If you want to again see the Spiritual Chef, comment down below...(Only the Wise are permitted to interact with me)

Dessert Crepes with sweet Apple Jam...

"The Doctor's Fruity Fairytale"

     -Tasty Crepes with cooked

apple jam which is generally

 the stuffing for an Apple Pie.

"Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly."

-JFK

So where should I plant the seeds of our today’s debate...(Well. The only people participating in this debate are 'Me' and 'My inner voice'). My gut feel says that we can talk about failures and success. 

People who are able to risk their lives can make their lives. Similarly, I have faced many failures till my 54^th Kitchen Chronicle. I have burned multiple utensils, wasted lots of my ingredients and injured myself which resulted into scars and bruises. These failures never dejected my will, they help me everytime during my cooking. Experiences are essential for fulfilling dreams...(Not the dreams we see during sleep. The dreams that don't let us sleep). Experiences are brought by failures and sometimes education...(YES, 'sometimes'). 

....(Blah, blah, blah... Essay writing accomplished) 

Continuing with my current blog on my latest experiment, I have named it “The Doctor's Fruity Fairytale". The concrete reason behind this name is that the flavors reminds me, my childhood tales and Malus domestica has a reputation of keeping the Doctor away. 

I'm a kinda guy who never dishonors his words...(I had experienced an adrenaline rush while typing this statement). Another fusion food from the depths of my Cerebrum. 

MY STATUS (Comment me your reactions)

For more such fusion foods and humorous conversations, be sure to follow me on the web. For more interactions, comment down below.

The Classic Apple Pie...

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."

 -Mark Twain 

Pie isn’t a trendy dessert in India. Yet I got a chance to taste one in a Bakery at Shimla, India. A pie filled with delicious apple custard and lots of caramel and butter. It seemed like I was in heaven with many flavors of apple, caramel and cinnamon. Also I had seen and heard about pies in culinary TV shows and Youtube videos. Since then I was determined to try an apple pie recipe.

Recipes which fascinates me at the first bite, encourages me to invent new varieties of the same. This is the sole-purpose of my life. 

                                                                                    ...(Says my Inner Voice)

“I am resolved to create something new from anything old.”

-Abhinandan Mukherjee

.....(Can it be a quote. Comment me your views)

I had made two new species out of a single concept of brownie ("Where India meets Ghana" and "The Bold Blonde") and my next strategy says me to do the same with Pies. Be ready to encounter a 'Mutated Pie' whose genes are tampered.....(Trying to act COOL and SCI-FI).

For more such weird conversations with my INNER VOICE, stay tuned with me on the web. Comment down to interact with me, "The Chef with weird thoughts".

  

Sweet Raw Mango chutney fresh from my Linguistic Roots...

Trying traditional Indian foods with indigenous spices are a vital part of my culinary dream. Raw Mango Chutney is a unique traditional recipe throughout India. Raw mango is widely used to make chutneys and curries due to it's unique aroma and tanginess.

This recipe is one of my childhood favorites. 'Sweet Raw mango chutney' is a must during the summer at my home. Its basically a Bengali recipe. My grandmother and mother are the ones from whom I have learned this. This is a kind of salsa that compliments best with Rice and Sabji.

Ingredients:-

• Raw mangoes 2 nos.
• Oil 1 tbsp.
• Sugar 3 cups
• Water 4 cups
• Turmeric 1 tbsp.
• Cumin seeds 2 tsp.
• Fennel seeds 1 tsp.
• Cardamom 4-5 pods
• Cloves 1/2 tsp.
• Red chili powder 1 tsp.
• Garam masala 1 tsp.
• Salt 1/2 tsp.
• Chopped coriander for garnish

Procedure:-

1. Take a wok or kadhai and heat oil on medium heat. Add some cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom and cloves. Let them crackle. 
2. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala. Cook for a minute or so.
3. Add the diced raw mango with a pinch of salt. Stir until they are coated with the aromatic spices.
4. Put water in wok to cook the raw mangoes. Stir well. Let the water come to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
5. When the mangoes are soft, add the sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Continously stir the chutney as it will thicken and the sugar will start to caramalize.
6. Once the liquid turns pale brown, garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.
7. Enjoy with rice.

The Chronicles of my Brownie Experiments #2

"The Bold Blonde"

-Where the boldness of 

caramel is determined

My adventures with Brownies unfolds with a close variation of brownie called the 'Blondie or Blonde Brownie'. I am so addicted towards baking and especially towards Brownies that I can't think a moment where I am imagining different variations with Brownies. I am a "Brownidict"....(Bravo! I invented a new word).

Guys who haven't learnt about my Brownie experiment series can click here. This is part 2 of the series. For part 1 click here.

This time, the hero of my film isn't a Brownie or a chocolate cake, its a Blondie. A Blondie is brother from another mother of the Brownie but substitutes the cocoa goodness with vanilla and brown sugar.

I want to call this tiny beast of huge miracles, "Nutty Blonde Brownie with a glaze of sweet-salty caramel sauce and an almond for the garnish".

Simply named by me as "The Bold Blonde".

Its a quite simple dish which comprises of two components. The bar and the caramel. The bar is just made with combining eggs, vanilla, sugar, brown sugar, chopped nuts, salt, flour and butter. The tricky part is the 'salsa de caramelo'. I personally feel that making caramel with sugar on gas needs some experience. As soon as sugar turns pale brown, add the butter. Let the butter dissolve completely and then add the cream. Mix the cream until combined and this makes the 'salsa de caramelo' (caramel sauce).

For more such frank anecdotes, be sure to follow me on the web. Comment down below to interact with me.

The Chronicles of my Brownie Experiments #1

"Where India meets Ghana"

                                 -A plate where Mango marries Cocoa...

As I had spoken before in my previous blog about Brownie (click here to visit the blog), I had promised to present a new range of variations in Brownie...

 

The description for this piece of beauty is

"Ginger flavored Cakey Style Brownies with delicious Turmeric-Mango Sauce and cookie crumbles"

The mildly sweetened sauce complements with the cakey brownies. It also makes the cake moist and juicy. There is a crunch due to the addition of chopped almonds into the cake. Along with delicious textures, comes the fragrance of spices such as Ginger, Cinnamon and Turmeric. They bring a sharp yet soothing aroma. Overall this dish is truly mesmerizing and unique.

"The Mattar Paneer Edition"

Super Crunchy Mattar Paneer Toast in the middle and Mattar Paneer stuffed 'Ninja Stars' around the platter...

The spiced veggie mixture of Indian Cottage Cheese and Green Peas is a classic household diet of the Indians especially the North Indian. The natives of Indian origin may commonly recognize it as "Mattar Paneer ki Sabji". Generally, it is a tomato based gravy with cubed paneer and boiled peas with other robust indigenous spices.

Today I tried something creative rather than the same old fashioned gravy. I made a filling out of grated paneer, blanched peas, onion, green chilies, etc and used some between the bread slices to make Toast and shaped some into stars to resemble Ninja Stars. Then I baked them until golden brown and evenly cooked.

To know more about my experimental foods and the story behind the curtain, be sure to keep following me on the web. Comment down below to interact with me.

Fudgy Almond Brownies with a creamy chocolate sauce to fulfill my hunger...

These Brownies are a wonderful delight. They can be referred to a cross between a cake and a soft cookie in texture. I believe that Brownie is a finger-food as it is popularly eaten by hand. I recommend them with a glass of milk. They can be served with whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or just walnuts and almonds, just like I did...

Ever since I was able to speak and recognize flavors and fragrances, I loved desserts. Being a Bengali, sweet dishes were essential to satisfy our hunger, so cakes and pastries were one of my top choices. I had always wondered how Bakers made these heavenly foods like Brownies and Cream Puffs.

Today was the day I practically understood "How Brownies were made and the secret why do they melt in the mouth".

For this, I won't upload a recipe as 'Brownie recipes on the web are like Bees in a colony'. Rather than that in the near future, I plan to reconstruct brownies into a whole new modified range of desserts and fusion foods.

So be sure to keep following me on the internet for the upcoming fusion foods and unique recipes. Comment down below to interact with me.

Classic Garlic Bread just like the Domino's...

          

Today I tried reconstructing the Domino's Garlic Bread. For this I started with making a sticky dough. This bread was made using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour in order to make it healthier.

     Making the dough right is a crucial step for this bread. Using yeast increases the flavors of the bread. Instead of chopped Garlic, I used instant garlic paste. 

     After the dough rested for around two hours, it had doubled in bulk and possessed a great aroma. For additional flavors, I took some oil, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper and chili flakes and massaged the dough along the spices. 

     I had used corn meal to roll the dough flat as it gives a crunchy texture. Shaped the flat dough and had cut some marks to make breadsticks, I baked the bread at 200°C for 15-20 minutes. 

For more Culinary Short Stories, keep following me on the web. Comment down below for more interactions.

Baked Samosas for evening snacks...

I have always enjoyed eating roadside street food as its a trend in India. Street foods in India are quiet unhygienic and unhealthy due to lack of cleanliness, low use of quality ingredients and pollution. Samosas are one of the most popular street foods and my most favorite ones still I try to avoid them as they are deep fried and very high on calories. Today I tried duplicating the one of the many "Wonders of Indian Cuisine" in my kitchen. To cut down the calories, instead of deep frying them in oil I just brushed them with little oil and baked them until golden brown and super crunchy.

They contain a potato-onion filling. The filling is made by sauteing finely chopped onion with cumin seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida, ground pepper, coriander powder, salt and turmeric in some oil. Then adding the boiled potatoes and sauteing for about 2 minutes results into a simple yet flavorful filling.These samosas are a wonderful delight and can be enjoyed with any kind of green chutney or just tomato ketchup.

For more such kitchen chronicles keep following me on the web. Comment down to interact with me

Toffee and Chocolate Brazilian Truffles...

Toffee and Chocolate Brazilian Truffles a.k.a Brigadeiros made from Condensed Milk, some Butter Toffees and crumbled Chocolate Biscuits.They are quiet chewy yet flavorful.

Savory Crepes with spicy potato filling and tomato ketchup...

A truly spiced up pancake with a delicious potato filling. The pancake batter contains Green Chilies, Ginger and other robust Indian spices, which take the taste buds to the next level. This is a speedy brunch recipe but I can have them anytime if I had them on my table. Inspired by my favorite Chef Gordon Ramsay.

This was my first try to make crepes or I should mention, 'my first successful try to make crepes'. Previously when I tried making them, they would either get stuck to my pan or break into bits. But that time my crepe batter did not contain any eggs and this was the main reason to my countless failures...(here, OVER-EXAGGERATION). This time the secret to my gorgeous crepes was the presence of an egg. I realized because of the egg, the crepe would set perfectly and won't break while flipping. "Kitchen Conundrum Solved"

For more such exciting kitchen chronicles, don't forget to follow me. Be sure to add eggs to your crepe batter for a wonderful crepe and comment below to interact with me.