Thandai Panna Cotta with Saffron Jelly

                      This is my favorite time of the year. The festivities start with the Indian festival of lights - Diwali. Thanksgiving follows next with festive food and crazy overnight shopping. And finally, the holiday season ends with Christmas and we welcome the new year with a bang. So its 2 months of awesome time with family and friends over food and fun.

                      With so much happening around this time, I am always looking for some quick to make dishes. As a big fan of fusion foods, I decided to marry two of my favorite cuisines to create a fun dessert. So here it is, the classic Italian dessert Panna Cotta with the Indian flavor of Thandai, served with Saffron flavored jelly.

                       Thandai is a classic Indian flavor. The paste is made with almonds, pistachio, fennel seeds, black pepper, saffron, cardamom etc. Being a vegetarian, I have used Agar Agar instead of Gelatin. Agar Agar flakes are widely available in grocery stores as well as online sites like Amazon.

So here is my fusion dessert, Thandai Panna Cotta with Saffron Jelly.

Ingredients:

Panna Cotta:

• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Half and half
• 1 tsp Agar Agar powder
• Sugar - I used about 4 Tbsp. Can adjust as desired
• 2 Tbsp Thandai powder

Saffron Jelly:

• 2 cups Water
• 1 tsp Agar Agar powder
• Sugar - I used about 2 Tbsp. Can adjust as desired
• 3 tsp Rose water or 1 tsp rose essence
• 7-8 Strands of Saffron

Instructions:

For the Panna Cotta:

• Dissolve agar agar in 2 tbsp water and keep it aside

• Mix cream, half & half, Thandai masala and sugar in a non stick pan.
• Heat on medium-high heat and bring it to simmer. After that add the agar agar mixture and bring it to boil. Make sure to stir it continuously. 

• Once it comes to boil, take it off the heat and strain it. 

• Put in the serving glass and let it cool. Once it is room temperature, let it set in refrigerator for 2 hours or until set properly.

For the jelly:

• Dissolve agar agar in 2 tbsp water and keep it aside 
• Mix water, rose water, sugar and saffron in a pan.
• Heat on medium-high heat and bring it to simmer. After that add the agar agar mixture and bring it to boil. Make sure to stir it continuously.

• Once it comes to boil, take it off the heat.
• Take the serving glass from the refrigerator and pour this jelly water carefully over the already-set Panna Cotta.
• Let it cool until it reaches room temperature. Then keep it in the refrigerator to let it set for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Finally, Garnish with Pistachios and serve cold.

Vegan Iron Chef 2015

        

                  Last week, I participated in SF Vegan Iron Chef 2015 held in San Francisco by Karine Brighten events. The experience was amazing, and I learned a lot out of it. The theme this year was handheld foods and the competition was between home chefs and professional chefs. I reached the final round after winning the first round against pro Chef Maria. 

                In the first round, we were suppose to make Tacos. So, I decided to do my favorite, a fusion Taco. Both Indian and Mexican cuisines are so varied and rich in flavors. And the spices used in both cuisines are similar to each other. So I can say fusion of these cuisines is like a heaven for a spice enthusiast like myself. 

                 For the final round, we had 20 minutes to make the fresh raw spring rolls using Jicama, Hodo Soy Yuba noodles and Mango. That was a nerve wracking and stressful round, especially because I had never used many of the ingredients nor made raw spring rolls. Although, I must say it was a great experience and was happy I could come up with fresh and flavorful spring rolls.  The spring rolls made by my competitor, chef Kevin, were stunning. Unfortunately I didn't get to try them, but they looked amazing.

Here are some of the pics from the event. Pictures by Colleen Holland, cofounder of VegNews, who was also one of the judges for the event.

 

I will post the recipes for the tacos as well as the spring rolls soon.

Paneer Hariyali Pizza

                       Every one around me seems to have caught the football fever. Everyone is only talking about the matches, teams and the excitement of the goals. And, so in the spirit of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, let us have a look at a common sport snack, Pizza. But, like the recent matches which have been full of excitement and unexpected twists, this pizza is also with a twist.
                    Instead of the traditional Italian pizza with subtle herb flavors, this one is loaded with Indian flavors and some heat. The pizza is loaded with greens and the sauce has a beautiful green color and hence the name, Hariyali. I hope you all enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cubed Paneer
• 1/2 cup Mint leaves
• 1/2 cup Spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Cilantro leaves
• 1 cup chopped Onions
• 2 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Chili paste
• 1/4 cup Yogurt
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Dry Mango (Amchur) powder
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Oil
• 3 Pizza Base/Crust
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

• Heat some oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
• Once the seeds starts to crackle, add the garlic-ginger-chili paste and saute it for a minute.
• Now add the onions and saute them. Once the onions are translucent, add the yogurt and mix it well.
• Meanwhile, puree the mint and spinach leaves and add to the pan and mix well.
• Then add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, dried mango powder and salt.
• Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the paneer to the gravy.
• Finally add the lemon juice and mix it lightly. 
• Cover and let it cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

• Now take the pizza crust/base. I used a ready base from a local baker.
• Brush the base lightly with Olive Oil.
• Spread the prepared Hariyali Paneer on the base.
• Sprinkle some cilantro and cheese.

• Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes at 425^o F or as per the package instructions
• You should bake till the cheese is melted and turns golden brown

• Serve hot and enjoy the best combination, pizza and football