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PHOTOS: 15 Amazing Manish Mehrotra Recipes As Indian Accent Opens In New York

PHOTOS: 15 Amazing Manish Mehrotra Recipes As Indian Accent Opens In New York
Courtesy Indian Accent Rohit Chawla

Restauranteur Rohit Khattar’s Indian Accent has been winning accolades since its launch at The Manor in New Delhi for its sophisticated and delectable fusion of classic Indian flavours with global ingredients and techniques. It was recently named India's best restaurant in a list of Asia's best restaurants.

The maestro behind Indian Accent's contemporary menu, chef Manish Mehrotra, has published the Indian Accent Restaurant CookBook ahead of the restaurant's launch in New York and it features some classics that home cooks can try out as well. The book features some terrific pictures by photographer Rohit Chawla.

Here are 15 popular recipes from the book-–a rich mix of appetisers, desserts and main course. Aside from some eye-catching mentions such as the blue cheese naan and mishti doi cannoli, he has included the meetha aachar spare ribs, which will also be featured on the menu in the New York flagship that launched just two days ago.

These recipes from the book are reproduced here with Chef Mehrotra's permission.

Arbi Bitterballen, Shallot Kasundi Chutney
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
Arbi, or colacassia, is a very meaty root vegetable. As a child I was never fond of arbi, because if not cooked well, it can result in a very slimy dish. Now I eat it quite frequently and in my house arbi is used to prepare a variety of dishes – arbi cootu, arbi kadhi, arbi vade, or simple grilled arbi with ajwain and other spices. My first encounter with a Belgian bitterballen was in a pub in London. It was love at first bite, and I soon became a frequent customer at the pub, more to eat the bitterballen than to taste the variety of Belgian beers available there. On one such visit, inspiration struck, and I decided to use boiled, mashed arbi to create this dish, particularly for vegetarians who will never be able to taste a real bitterballen. This Indian Accent version tastes quite similar to the non-vegetarian version. Ingredients For bitterballen Arbi 100 gmsGhee 1½ tbspGinger-garlic paste ½ tbspBrown onion paste ½tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder ½ tspGaram masala powder ½ tspGreen cardamom powder ¼ tspMace powder ¼ tspCashew nut paste ½ tbspDouble cream 1 tbspTempura batter 2 tbspPanko breadcrumbs 100 gmsSalt to taste Oil for fryingFor shallot kasundi chutney Mayonnaise 2 tbspKasundi (Bengali mustard) 1 tbspShallot, chopped 2 tspLime juice ½ tsp Salt to taste MethodPrepare the bitterballen:Wash arbi carefully, removing all the mud. Boil in hot water with salt. Ensure it is cooked through, though not mushy. Cool, peel and finely grate.Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Sauté ginger-garlic paste till golden. Add brown onion paste. Sauté. Add red chilli powder and grated arbi. Sauté on a low flame till arbi is completely mashed and begins to leave the sides of the pan. Add garam masala powder, green cardamom powder, mace powder, cashew nut paste and cream. Adjust seasoning. Remove from heat. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.When chilled, remove from refrigerator and divide the mixture into eight equal portions. Shape into round dumplings. Dip in tempura batter. Roll in panko breadcrumbs and keep ready. Prepare the chutney:Roughly chop shallots. Mix with kasundi (Bengali mustard), mayonnaise and lime juice. Add salt, if required, as per your taste. Serve: Fry the arbi bitterballen in hot oil till golden brown. Serve hot with shallot kasundi chutney.
Baby Idlis, Cashew Coconut Chutney, Madras Gunpowder
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
Idli and chutney is a very traditional South Indian dish. At Indian Accent, the presentation and accompaniments are different from the way the dish is traditionally served. I share my mother-in-law’s recipe for Madras gunpowder.IngredientsFor rava idli batter (to make 20 idlis)Semolina 100 gmsYoghurt 5 tbspBaking powder ½ tspSalt to tasteWater 30 mlRoasted cashew nuts, broken 1 tbspButter 1 tspFor tempering idli batterOil 1 tspSplit urad dal 1 tspChana dal 1 tspMustard seeds ½ tspCurry leaves 3-4 nos.For gunpowderOil 1 tspMustard seeds ½ tspChana dal ½ tbspSplit urad dal, washed 1 tbspRice ½ tspDry whole red chilli 1 no.Curry leaves 3-4 nos.Garlic pod, peeled 1 no.Sesame seeds 1 tbspFine sugar a pinchVegetable broth powder 1 tspSalt to taste For cashew coconut chutneyOil 1 tspMustard seeds ¼ tspSplit urad dal ½ tspCurry leaves 2-3 nos.Coconut milk 50 mlRoasted cashew nuts 1 tspTo serveSalted butter 1 tspGinger, chopped ½ tspGarlic, chopped ½ tspGreen chillies, chopped 1 tspRoasted cashew nuts 1 tspRoasted coconut flakes 1 tbspCoriander, chopped ½ tspSpring onions, chopped 1 tspMethodPrepare tempering:Heat oil in pan. Add mustard seeds. Allow to crackle. Add chana dal, split urad dal and curry leaves. Sauté briefly. Prepare idli batter:Mix semolina, yoghurt, baking powder, salt and cashew nuts with water in a mixing bowl. Add tempering to the prepared idli batter. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.Prepare idlis:Coat the idli moulds with the butter. Pour the mixture into the idli moulds and steam for 3-4 minutes till the idlis are cooked through. Keep warm.Prepare gunpowder:Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, chana dal, rice, urad dal, garlic pod, whole red chilli and curry leaves. Sauté for a while. Add sesame seeds, and continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes, or till lentils are browned. Allow to cool and grind to a coarse powder in a blender/mixie. Add a pinch of fine sugar, vegetable broth powder and salt. Mix well. Do be aware though that vegetable broth powder contains ajino moto.Prepare cashew coconut chutney:Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, split urad dal and curry leaves. Allow to crackle. Add coconut milk and roasted cashew nuts. Simmer for a minute. Switch off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Blend into a tahini consistency chutney.Serve:Heat butter in a pan. Sauté chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Add the prepared idlis. Sprinkle the gunpowder. Toss well till all the gunpowder coats the idlis. Add roasted cashew nuts, coconut flakes, chopped coriander and spring onions. Arrange the coated idlis on a plate. Serve hot with cashew coconut chutney on the side.
Bharwan Mirch, Chilli Aam Papad Chutney
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
This dish is a take on all the different kinds of mirchi ka pakoras (chilli fritters) made in various parts of India – the Jodhpuri mirchi vada, green chilli bhajiya in Mumbai, or mirapakaya bajji in Hyderabad, to name just a few. Mirch, or chillies, are not native to India. The mirch was brought to India in 1498 by the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, and barely 30 years later it had permeated our cooking. Today, the world identifies Indian cuisine as “chilli hot”. Indian food though is not about chillies, but spices, used in an unending variety of ways. IngredientsFor chutneyBlack aam papad, finely chopped 1 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce 2 tbspFor filling Goat cheese 4 tbspRed capsicum, finely diced 1 tspYellow capsicum, finely diced 1 tsp Mint leaves, chopped ½ tspRoasted cumin powder ½ tspWhite pepper powder to taste For bharwan mirchGreen chillies 2 nos.Besan 3 tbspAjwain ⅓ tspRed chilli powder ½ tspTurmeric powder ⅓ tspSalt to tastePanko breadcrumbs 250 gmsOil for fryingTo serveCucumber, seedless 1 no.MethodPrepare chutney:Mix the finely chopped sour, black aam papad with Thai sweet chilli sauce. Prepare filling:Mash goat cheese with finely diced red and yellow capsicum, roasted cumin powder and white pepper powder to prepare the filling. Prepare bharwan mirch:To make this dish, use the larger green chillies. Cut the chillies, along with the stem, length wise, into two pieces. Remove seeds. Blanch the cut chillies in water to remove pungency. Pat dry and keep aside. Stuff the green chillies with the goat cheese filling. Refrigerate so that the mixture hardens a little (but do not refrigerate for more than 30 minutes). In a bowl, add besan, ajwain, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix with water to make a smooth batter. Take the stuffed green chillies out from the refrigerator. Dip them in the prepared batter. Roll in panko breadcrumbs. Dust off excess breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.Serve:Slice the seedless cucumber. Arrange on a plate. Serve hot, crisp panko crusted bharwan mirch with aam papad chutney on the side.
Blue Cheese Naan
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
This recipe defines the concept of Indian Accent. It is one of the first recipes we created for the menu, and has become the restaurant’s signature dish. We serve it as soon as diners are seated, and many regular patrons impatiently wait for it to be served. IngredientsBlue cheese 3 tbsp Mozzarella cheese, grated 1 tbspOil 1 tsp Onion seeds ½ tspCoriander leaves, chopped 1 tspSalted butter 2 tspKulcha dough 100 gmsMethodPrepare stuffing:Crumble blue cheese with hand. Add grated mozzarella cheese. Mix well and keep aside.Prepare naans:Divide dough into 25-30 gm dough balls. Equally divide stuffing into the same number as the number of dough balls. Make a hole in the centre of each ball. Fill with stuffing and reshape into a ball. Apply a little oil over the dough balls to prevent them from drying out. Flatten each dough ball with your hands into a 3-4 cm long irregular shape. Sprinkle onion seeds and chopped coriander on top. Place the naans in a hot tandoor and cook till golden brown. Remove carefully, taking care not to break the naans. Drizzle with butter and serve with cashew coconut chutney.
Chutney Lotus Root, Sesame Salt
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
India has created its own school of Chinese cuisine, called “Indian Chinese”; not quite Sichuan or Hunan, but a unique spicy Indian taste to noodles and rice. This is an Indian-Chinese dish served at Indian Accent – lotus root coated in a chutney of tamarind, sweet chilli sauce and spices. IngredientsLotus root, uncut 150 gmsCornflour 6 tbsp Oil for frying For sauceThai sweet chili sauce 2 tbspTamarind chutney 1 tbspGaram masala powder ½ tspGarlic, chopped ½ tspGinger, chopped ½ tspOil 1 tspFor sesame saltWhite sesame seeds ½ tspBlack sesame seeds ½ tspSea salt ½ tspTo serveCoriander, chopped 1 tspChives, chopped 1 tspMethodFry lotus root:Clean and peel lotus root. Make sure all the holes are free of mud. Slice into 3 mm thin slices using a mandoline slicer. Pat dry. Dust with cornflour. Shake the pieces to dust off excess cornflour. Deep fry in hot oil till golden and crisp. Keep aside.Prepare chutney:Strain the sweet chilli sauce. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté chopped garlic and chopped ginger. Add sweet chilli sauce, tamarind chutney and garam masala powder. Simmer for a minute, or till the mixture becomes a sticky consistency. Keep aside.Prepare sesame salt:Dry roast black and white sesame seeds in a pan along with some sea salt. Crush coarsely in a mortar and pestle.Serve:Take the chutney back to the pan. Allow it to simmer. Add the fried lotus root. Toss well. Add chopped coriander and chives. Place on a platter, and garnish with sesame salt.
Dal Moradabadi
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
Lentils are a staple of Indian cuisine, and in no other country are they used in so many ways to make such a variety of dishes – stews, fritters, salads, snacks and this chaat. Made with the humble split moong dal, often derided as the diet for the sick, or elderly, this famous chaat from Moradabad (a small town in northern India) is a favourite of mine. My mother hails from Moradabad, and when we visited my maternal grandparents during vacations, we looked forward to eating Dal Moradabadi, rushing out to buy it from the chaat-wala, ringing his cycle-bell to announce his arrival on our street. At Indian Accent, I temper the boiled dal with a variety of ingredients. As the dish is thick and pasty, it is accompanied with a chur-chur paratha.IngredientsSplit moong dal 3 tbspTurmeric powder ½ tsp Ghee 1 tbspCumin seeds ½ tbspAsafoetida ½ tspGinger, chopped 1 tsp Green chillies, chopped ½ tspSalted butter 1 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped 1 tspCloves 2-3 nos.Black salt ½ tspWater 300 ml Salt to tasteTo serveTamarind chutney 2 tspGreen chutney 1 tsp Onions, chopped 2 tsp Tomatoes, chopped 2 tspLime juice ½ tsp Fried moong dal (as garnish) 1 tbspBhuknu masala ½ tspMethodClean and thoroughly wash the dal. Soak for at least 1 hour. Boil the soaked dal with turmeric powder in a heavy bottom pan till it is pasty. Stir continuously as the dal is boiling to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan. Heat desi ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Crackle some cumin seeds. Add asafoetida. (Asafoetida, or heeng, is a uniquely Indian spice.) Add chopped ginger and green chillies. Sauté briefly, and add the tempering to the dal. Cover the pan immediately so that the tempering infuses the dal. Add butter and chopped coriander.Pour the hot dal into a serving bowl. Drizzle some tamarind and green chutneys over it. Sprinkle chopped onions and tomatoes. Add a dash of lime juice. Garnish with fried moong dal, chanachur, dal moth, or Bombay mix. Finish with bhuknu masala. A specialty from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, this is a type of chaat masala with a strong flavour of hing. Bhuknu masala can be substituted with regular chaat masala.
Indian Accent Kulfis
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
A variety of sorbets to cool off on a hot summer’s day. Each recipe makes at least four kulfis.Pomegranate Kulfi Ingredients Fresh pomegranate juice 100 ml Anardana churan ½ tspCastor sugar 10 gms Method In a mixing bowl, add anardana churan, castor sugar and pomegranate juice. Mix well till all the ingredients are well blended in the juice. Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight. Peach Kulfi Ingredients Fresh peaches 100 gmsApricot marmalade ½ tspCastor sugar 10 gmsMethodPeel and chop peaches. Cook chopped peaches, marmalade and sugar in a saucepan on low flame till the sugar melts and the mixture becomes thick. Remove the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool. When cooled, pour into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight.Strawberry Kulfi IngredientsFresh strawberries 100 gms Castor sugar 20 gms Chaat masala ½ tspAnardana churan ¼ tspMethod Wash and chop strawberries. Place chopped strawberries and sugar in a saucepan and cook on a low flame till the sugar melts and the strawberries are cooked. Remove the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool. When cool, add chaat masala and anardana churan into the strawberry mixture. Mix well. Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight.Mango Cranberry Kulfi Ingredients Sliced alphonso mango 150 gms Mango puree 50 gms Dried cranberries 15 gmsLime juice 3 ml Method Finely chop alphonso mango and cranberries. In a mixing bowl, add chopped mango, cranberries, mango puree and lime juice. Blend well. Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight.Lassi Kulfi Ingredients Hung curd 100 gms Chopped pistachios 15 gmsCastor sugar 20 gmsRose water 2-3 drops Cardamom powder a pinch Method Take all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend well. Pour the mixture into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight.
Meetha Aachar Spare Ribs, Sun Dried Mango, Toasted Onion Seeds
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
I’ve always pictured pork spare ribs as a sticky, sweet and juicy dish. This dish raises a toast to my first job as a chef in a South-east Asian restaurant. I have added an Indian twist with a sweet mango pickle sauce, and this dish has become a best-seller at Indian Accent since we started the restaurant. I chose the sweet mango pickle as it is available in almost every Indian housewife’s kitchen all through the year. For this dish, use meaty pork ribs without too much fat. IngredientsFor spare ribsPork spare ribs 200 gmsCornflour 3 tbspCoconut milk 500 mlFor mango pickle sauceGinger, chopped 2 tspGarlic, chopped 2 tspToasted Onion seeds 1 tspFennel seeds ½ tspCrushed black pepper ½ tspSweet mango pickle, chopped 1½ tbspRed chilli flakes ½ tspSalt to tasteOil 1 tbspTo serveLime juice 1 tspCoriander, chopped 1 tbspAam papad, chopped (as garnish) 1 tbsp MethodPrepare spare ribs:Boil the whole rack of ribs in very thin coconut milk. This not only adds a rich, sweet taste to the meat, it also helps reduce the fatty smell, which the Indian palette is not very comfortable with. If you prefer, you can boil the rack in water. I prefer not to cut the rack into individual ribs before boiling, as then the meat has a tendency to disintegrate off the bone. When boiled, remove and place the rack in a refrigerator to chill. This will make it easier to cut the ribs, which otherwise may have a tendency to break if cut when hot. When cooled, carve out individual rib pieces. Dust with cornflour and fry till golden brown.Prepare mango pickle sauce:Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Sauté chopped ginger and garlic, onion seeds, fennel seeds, crushed black pepper and the mango pickle. Add a spoon of water to make it a syrupy, textured thick sauce. Add red chilli flakes and adjust seasoning.Serve:Toss the fried ribs in the sauce till all the pieces are well coated. Take off the flame. Add chopped coriander leaves, and a dash of lime juice. Arrange on a platter. Serve garnished with chopped sweet or sour aam papad.
Mishti Doi Cannoli, Amaranth Laddoos
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
This recipe is one of my personal favourites. Both mishti doi and amaranth laddoos were a large part of my childhood in Bihar. I loved it when my mother served amaranth laddoos for breakfast. Eating mishit doi till the last spoonful from an earthen pot is a sinful pleasure. This dish can also be made with shrikhand, as both mishti doi and shrikhand are thick, flavoured yoghurt desserts, one from the eastern part and the other from the western part of India, reflecting the wonderful regional variations in Indian cuisine.IngredientsFor mishti doi Full cream milk 1 litreSugar 6 tbspJaggery 2 tbspYoghurt 2 tbsp For cannoli shellsRefined flour 150 gmsJaggery, chopped 1½ tbsp Ghee 2½ tbspWater 1 tbspFor amaranth laddoosToffee sauce 2 tspPopped amaranth seeds 2 tbspMethodPrepare mishti doi:The given ingredients will prepare approximately 500 gms of mishti doi. Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan. When it starts to boil, add half the sugar and all of the jaggery. Allow it to simmer, stirring constantly to avoid the milk sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove when reduced to half. Take the remaining quantity of sugar in a saucepan. Add 1 tbsp water. Mix well and cook till golden. Remove from heat and add this caramel sugar slowly to the milk. Bring the mixture back on the flame, and simmer for 5 minutes ensuring the caramel is well blended with the milk. Remove and allow to cool till lukewarm.Mix yogurt into the lukewarm caramel milk mixture to set the mishti doi. Transfer to an earthen pot and allow to set. This will take at least 5-6 hours in warm weather. Place 100 gms of the prepared mishti doi in a cloth sieve and hang for 15 minutes to remove excess water. Refrigerate the hung mishti doi to keep chilled. If using shrikhand, you will not need to remove excess water as it is already prepared from hung yoghurt. Prepare cannoli shells:Make a smooth, soft dough using refined flour, chopped jaggery, ghee and water. Rest the dough for 15-20 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 2 mm thick sheet. Cut discs of 4 cm diameter using a round cutter. Roll each disc around a stainless steel pipe (of ¾ inch diameter). Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180oC, for 8-10 minutes (or until golden brown). Allow to cool on a wire rack.Prepare amaranth laddoos:Mix the popped amaranth seeds and toffee sauce. Prepare a small, round ball (laddoo) with the mixture and keep aside.Serve:Spoon the chilled mishti doi into a piping bag. Pipe the doi into the baked cannoli shells. Arrange on a plate and serve with amaranth laddoos.
Pani Puri, Masala Cous-Cous, Five Waters
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
Pani puri, puchka, golgappa, pani ka batasha, gupchup – all names for a very popular street food in India, each with a different name but with one heart. I think the world got the idea of a sphere filled with a liquid centre for molecular gastronomy from this street food of India! As a child, I used to compete with my friends to see who could eat the most puchkas, insisting the puchka-wala make it as chilli hot as possible until our eyes watered. In this variation of the popular street food at Indian Accent, we serve both flour and semolina puchkas with a variety of waters – sour, minty fruity, and yogurt-based – so that diners can make their own combinations. In place of the traditional potato filling, I have experimented with a masala cous-cous filling to add texture to the dish.IngredientsPani puri (from an Indian grocery store) 10 nos.For mint water Coriander leaves 90 gmsFresh mint leaves 2 tbspGreen chillies 2 nos.Lime juice 1 tbspJal jeera powder 2 tspGinger, chopped ½ tspWater 100 mlFor tamarind waterCumin seeds ½ tspBlack cardamom 1 Star anise 1 Cloves 1 Tamarind 50 gmsWater 150 mlCinnamon powder a pinch Black salt a pinchJaggery, chopped 1 tspFor pineapple waterPineapple 100 gmsRoasted cumin powder a pinchGinger, chopped ½ tspMint, chopped ½ tspGreen chillies, chopped ½ tspPineapple juice 2 tbspBlack salt a pinchFor pomegranate waterFresh pomegranate juice 6 tbspCinnamon powder a pinchBlack salt a pinchRed chilli powder a pinchFor yogurt-based waterYogurt 3 tbspSalt to tasteGreen chilies, chopped ½ tspCurry leaves 2 nos. Garlic, chopped ¼ tspGinger, chopped ¼ tspRoasted cumin, powder a pinchFor cous-cous fillingCous cous 2 tbspWater 5 tbspChick peas, boiled 1 tbspCoriander, chopped ½ tspChaat masala a pinchRoasted crushed cumin seeds ½ tspMethodPrepare the five waters:Mint water: Wash and clean the mint, coriander and green chillies. Chop finely. Blend with lime juice, jal jeera powder, chopped ginger and water in a blender. Strain prepared water through a muslin cloth. Keep chilled till ready to serve.Tamarind water: Pan roast cumin seeds, black cardamom, star anise and cloves. Soak 50 gms of tamarind in 150 ml of warm water for about 30 minutes. Squeeze out the tamarind pulp. Throw away the seeds, skin and pith. Simmer the tamarind juice with the roasted spices. It the juice begins to thicken, add some water. The tamarind extract should neither be too thin, nor too thick. Add black salt, cinnamon powder and jaggery. Mix well. Strain prepared water through a muslin cloth. Keep chilled till ready to serve.Pineapple water:Clean and peel pineapple. Cut into large chunks. Roast in a hot oven 200oC for 15-20 minutes, till the edges are charred. Muddle with roasted cumin powder, chopped ginger, mint and chopped green chillies. Add pineapple juice and black salt. Strain prepared water through a muslin cloth. Keep chilled till ready to serve.Pomegranate water: Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Strain prepared water through a muslin cloth. Keep chilled till ready to serve. Yogurt based water: Blend all ingredients together. Strain prepared water through a muslin cloth. Keep chilled till ready to serve.Prepare masala cous-cous filling:Take cous cous in a bowl. Add boiling hot water. Cover it and leave aside. Cous cous will be done in about 30 mins. Mix cooked cous cous, chick peas, chopped coriander, chaat masala and crushed cumin seeds to prepare the filling.Serve:Arrange the pani puris on a plate. Make a hole on the top of each puffed pani puri, and fill with a little masala cous-cous. Pour the chilled waters into 5 separate shot glasses. Serve the filled pani puris with the five waters, allowing the guests to combine the waters, pour it into each pani puri and eat whole.
Potato Sphere Chaat, White Peas Mash
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
Chaat is one of the most loved street foods of India. Every Indian has a favourite and feels the best chaat is available in their city. To me, chaat is a perfect dish, combining different ingredients and tastes – salty, sour, sweet, spicy, crunchy – in one mouth-watering delight which satisfies all our senses. Listening to the myriad requests made by customers to a chaat-wala, which are all miraculously (or so it seems) satisfied by him without a mistake, I have realised that the one common request is for the potato patty to be crisp. At Indian Accent, we have replaced the potato patty with a crisp potato sphere,topped with yoghurt and spicy chutneys, to make a delectable starter.IngredientsFor potato spheres (4 spheres)Potato (Russet potatoes, or White potatoes) 200 gmsOil For fryingFor white peas ragda Dry white peas 50 gmsOnions, chopped 1 tbspTomatoes, chopped 1 tbspGreen chillies, chopped ½ tspFresh coriander leaves 1 tsp Lime juice 1 tspChaat masala ½ tspTo serveSweet yoghurt 2 tbspGreen chutney 2 tspTamarind chutney 1½ tbspChaat masala a pinchSliced watermelon as garnishCress, or pea shoots (optional) as garnishMethodSoak the white peas for at least 2-3 hours in water. Make white peas ragda:Take the soaked peas in a saucepan. Add water. Boil for 20-30 minutes, or till the peas turn almost completely mushy. Drain excess water, if any. Add onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, lime juice and chaat masala to the boiled peas. Mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.Make potato spheres:We use potatoes that are have less sugar content so that the potato spheres do not darken when fried. In India, though, it is difficult to find potatoes with low sugar content. Grate the potatoes, not too fine or too thick. Remove excess water by pressing between paper towels. Fill individual, round, fine mesh moulds with the grated potatoes. Heat oil, place the moulds in the oil and deep fry till the sphere is golden brown and turns crisp. You can fry the potato spheres in a deep fat fryer too.Serve:Place the mashed, spiced peas in a single line on a long platter. Place the crisp potato spheres on top. Press the spheres lightly into the mushy peas so that they hold when the platter is carried. Pour yoghurt, green chutney and tamarind chutney on top. Sprinkle chaat masala. Garnish with cress, or pea shoots and a small slice of watermelon. The watermelon helps wash down the palette.
Tadka Vegetables, Roasted Sesame Salan
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
The inspiration for this dish again comes from my background in pan Asian cooking. Stir fry vegetables, a common preparation across East Asian cuisine, are a tasty, health way of eating vegetables. In India, vegetables are usually over-cooked, which destroys the natural texture of the vegetable. I must admit that I created this dish for my health-conscious customers, who would invariably request a lighter, non-spicy dish, particularly if they were on a diet!Ingredients For salanSesame seeds 1 tspRoasted peanuts 1½ tbspCoconut, freshly grated 1 tbspWhole red chillies 1 no.Coriander seeds ½ tspCumin seeds ½ tspYoghurt 2 tbspMustard seeds ½ tspCurry leaves 5 nosGinger-garlic paste 1 tspBaby spinach leaves 100 gmsJaggery 2 tspTamarind pulp 2 tspSalt to tasteFor tadka vegetablesBaby carrots 20 gmsFresh green zucchini batons 20 gms Red bell peppers, diced 20 gmsBroccoli florets 20 gmsAsparagus tips 20 gmsOlive oil 1 tbsp Cumin seeds ½ tspGinger-garlic paste 1 tsp Masala gravy 1 tbspRoasted sesame seeds ½ tspChopped coriander 1 tspSalt to tasteTo serveRoasted sesame seeds as garnish Greens (fresh cress, pea shoots, lettuce) of your choice as garnish MethodPrepare salan:Dry roast sesame seeds, peanuts, coconut, whole red chillies, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Allow to cool. Add fresh yogurt and blend to a smooth paste. Pass the blended mixture through a sieve. Keep aside.Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow to crackle. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté. Add the blended yogurt mixture. Simmer for 4 minutes. Add water if you feel the salan is too thick, or is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add baby spinach leaves. Finish with salt, jaggery and tamarind pulp.Prepare vegetables:While I have listed a number of vegetables, you can prepare this dish with any assortment of vegetables; seasonal vegetables are always the best. It is also a good way of using up small quantities of vegetables left in the crisper, which are not sufficient in quantity to make an individual dish. Clean, cut (in equal/similar size) and blanch all vegetables. Heat oil in a pan. Crackle cumin seeds. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté. Add masala gravy. Add cut vegetables and stir fry till done. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add roasted sesame seeds. Finish with chopped coriander.Serve:Mould the stir fry vegetables in a bowl or shallow platter. Pour the prepared salan on the side. Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and greens of your choice.
Tamarind Glazed Pork Ribs, Steamed Potato Chilli Salad
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
The meetha achaar spare ribs were inspired from South East Asian cuisine and the flavours were sweet, not smoky. This dish is inspired from western, smoky BBQ ribs with a sticky glaze. What better than a whole rack of ribs with a hint of tamarind accompanied with spicy potatoes? This is a soul-satisfying dish.IngredientsPork spare ribs A rack of 5-6 ribsFor marinadeGinger-garlic paste 2 tspGaram masala powder ½ tspOyster sauce 1 tspCoconut milk 200 mlWater 500 mlFor tamarind sauce glazeOil 1 tspOnions, chopped 2 tspGarlic, chopped ½ tspGinger, chopped 1 tspTamarind chutney 5 tbspTamarind paste 2 tspGreen chilies, chopped ½ tspGaram masala powder ½ tspOyster sauce 1 tspCrushed black pepper ¼ tspFor chilli potato saladSalted butter 1 tsp Cumin seeds ½ tspGarlic, chopped ½ tspBoiled potatoes, diced 3 tbspKashmiri red chili powder ½ tspSalt to tasteChaat masala ½ tspLime juice ½ tspCoriander, chopped ½ tspMethodCook ribs:Mix ginger-garlic paste, garam masala powder and oyster sauce. Apply the mixture on the whole rack of ribs. Place in a heavy bottom pot. Add coconut milk and water. Boil the full rack. Remove when cooked.Prepare tamarind sauce and glaze ribs:Heat oil in a pan. Sauté chopped onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Add tamarind chutney and tamarind paste. Add water, if required. Add garam masala powder, oyster sauce and crushed black pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Place the rack of ribs in the sauce, while the pan is still on the flame. Ensure the sauce coats the ribs well. There is no need to add salt, as the oyster sauce has sufficient salt. Remove the coated ribs and keep aside to allow the glaze to soak in.Prepare chilli potato salad:Heat butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds and allow to crackle. Sauté chopped garlic till golden. Add boiled, diced potatoes along with red chilli powder, salt and chaat masala. Mix well. Finish with lime juice and coriander. Keep warm.Grill ribs:Remove the ribs from the sauce and place on a hot BBQ grill. When the sauce falls on the hot grill, it will give the ribs a smoky flavour. When you remove the rack, it should have some nice grill marks.Serve:Place the grilled rack of ribs on a plate. Spoon any remaining sauce on the ribs. Serve with potato salad on the side.
Warm Doda Barfi Treacle Tart
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
Doda barfi, a sweet with a grainy, fudge-like texture, is not very popular, except during Diwali when it is included in the boxes of sweets that are distributed among friends, colleagues and family. A piece of doda barfi warmed in the microwave with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is usually how I eat it.Creating a dessert using doda barfi which would be liked by all was the challenge. Living in London in 2007-08, I was reminded of doda barfi when I ate a Sainsbury’s treacle tart for the first time, and inspiration struck. When customers ask the staff to recommend a dessert, and we offer doda barfi treacle tart, most of them tend to be wary. However, once they taste it, they become converts, making doda barfi treacle tart the highest selling dessert at Indian Accent.IngredientsFor tart shellWhite Butter 5 tbspCastor Sugar 3½ tbspEggs 1 no. Refined flour 150 gmsFor fillingWhite butter 5 tbspGolden syrup 280 gmsSingle cream 2 tbspEggs 1 no.Chocolate sponge cake, crumbled 4 tbspDoda barfi, crumbled 5 tbspTo serveVanilla ice cream 1 scoop per slicePrepare the tart shells:Cream butter and sugar till soft and smooth. Add the egg. Mix till fluffy. Fold in the flour. Avoid over-mixing. Knead into a soft dough. Chill the dough overnight in the fridge, not freezer. Next morning, the dough should have hardened.Prepare a 9 inch flan/tart mould and line it with the chilled, hardened dough. Blind bake (filling the shells with beans or metal coins to retain the hollow tart shape) in a pre-heated oven at 180oC for 15 minutes until the dough is half baked. Remove the baking weights. Bake for a further 8 minutes until the pastry is light golden brown in colour. Retain the tart shell in the mould.Prepare the filling:Reduce white butter in a saucepan on a low flame till the butter melts and turns light brown in colour. Add golden syrup. Mix well and remove. Stir in cream and eggs. Add crumbled chocolate sponge cake and crumbled doda barfi. Mix well.Bake the tart:Fill the prepared tart shell with the filling and bake the tart in a pre-heated oven at 170oC for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.Serve:Cut the tart into equal slices when cooled to room temperature. Place a slice on a plate and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Wasabi and Cucumber Raita , Pomegranate and Avocado Raita , Pink Peppercorn Raita
Indian Accent/ Rohit Chawla
These raitas have been playing musical chairs, on the Indian Accent menu since the restaurant opened, they offer a variety of tastes to the palette. Make the raitas fresh and serve immediately. Use Greek yoghurt preferably. Otherwise, use full fat cream yoghurt.Wasabi and Cucumber Raita: Cucumber and yoghurt are cool and summery tastes. Wasabi adds a pungency different from the pungency of chillies.Cucumber, chopped 50 gmsYoghurt 150 gmsSugar to tasteRoasted cumin seeds, pounded ½ tspSalt to taste Wasabi paste 2 tspMint, chopped ½ tspClean and de-seed cucumber. Chop into small pieces. Mix yoghurt with sugar, salt and roasted cumin seeds. Adjust seasoning. Add wasabi paste according to taste. The wasabi flavour should not be too strong. Mix in chopped cucumber. Garnish with crushed wasabi peas and chopped mint and serve.Pomegranate and Avocado Raita:Pomegranate gives a crunchy taste in total contrast to the rich, smooth taste of avocado.Yoghurt 150 gmsSugar 4 tspRoasted cumin seeds, pounded ½ tspPomegranate pearls 2 tbspAvocado, chopped 3 tbsp Salt to tasteMint, chopped ½ tspIn a mixing bowl, mix yoghurt, sugar, pounded cumin seeds and salt. Add chopped avocado and fresh pomegranate pearls. Garnish with chopped mint leaves and serve.Pink Peppercorn Raita:Pink peppercorn, commonly known as Peruvian peppertree, is a berry. It gives a mild sweet flavour to the smooth yoghurt.Yoghurt 150 gmsSugar to tasteRoasted cumin seeds, pounded ½ tsp Salt to taste Pink peppercorns 1 tbspMint, chopped ½ tspIn a mixing bowl, mix yoghurt, sugar, pounded cumin seeds and salt. Adjust seasoning. Mix in pink peppercorns. Garnish with chopped mint leaves and serve.

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