Chef special: Interesting hotdogs you must try

Hotdogs are always loved by everyone… but you can go beyond the basic ones. Sapna Sarfare suggests more on interesting hotdogs.

Fast food always tempts us with its lip-smacking taste and hotdogs are quite the popular treat all the way from the United States of America. Hotdogs are always a perennial favourite but not many go beyond the basic ones. But why should you get stuck on basic stuff? We can have chefs give us details of making hotdogs and also some interesting hotdog recipes.

Get the favourite
As mentioned earlier, hotdogs are a great favourite amongst people. Chef Johnson D’souza, Chef- de- Parte, Rodeo Drive, divulges, “Different areas of the world have local variations on the type of meat used, condiments, and means of preparation; a hot dog is just a hot dog no matter where you eat it. Cities across the world claim ownership over special type of hot dog, toppings or special cooking methods which makes them favourite amongst the people.”

Chef Gulshan Kumar, executive chef at The Orchid Hotel, Pune, states, “It is a quick eat and has a right balance of the sweet and sour mix which gives enthusiasts the much-needed punch. These are the ‘magical elements’ that make hotdogs an all-time favourite.”

The popular ones
The popular hotdogs always top the charts wherever you go. America – the birthplace of hotdogs has hotdog varieties that will make you go crazy with hunger. In New York, you will find the simple hotdog topped with mustard or onions and tomato paste. In Atlanta, you have hotdogs paired with coleslaw. Of course, spicy chili or mustard on top is fabulous. Hotdogs in Chicago compete with NY for popularity. The toppings here like fresh tomato, pickles, peppers or even the green relish makes it tempting.

The Coney Dog from Detroit comes with beef chili, shredded cheddar cheese and onions. The popular San Francisco ones come topped with bacon or with Mayo or other cooling toppings. Their gourmet BLT dogs are quite the thing. The chili dog is a general one topped with some meat sauce. The Italian hotdog from Newark is a popular fried hotdog with toppings of potato, peppers and onions and is served in pizza bread.

The one from Michigan is served in a steamed bun with a meaty sauce topping called Michigan sauce. You have the Ripper for the brave ones in which the sausage or hotdog is deep fried till it rips.

D’souza reveals, “There are about 40 varieties of hot dogs. The intrinsic qualities of the hot dog are seasoning, beefiness, snap and texture. Once you know how to play with the same, you will come out with the best of hot dogs. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the bun should hug the hot dog closely; there should be enough juice in the hot dog to keep the whole package together; condiments should complement the hot dog, not overwhelm it.

Make it different
Now you want to know how to create a different and interesting hotdog. D’souza adds, “A few add on such as Korean Kimchi salad, pulled pork and shredded beer bath chicken will help in making the hot dog interesting. A couple of other ways are as adding chili con-carne pork, Croatian coleslaw, pico-di-gallio and various types of cheese to the hotdog dough itself.”

On the other hand, Kumar states a vital aspect. “Hotdogs are all about how does the meat blend with different varieties of sauces, spice and vegetables. As a curator, playing with the fillings as in the type of meat (grilled, fried or roasted), the vegetables that go into them and most crucial of all the sauce used. The right blend of these mixtures is what makes a hotdog interesting.”

Take care
Do you want to know how to make sure the interesting hotdogs do go out of one’s hand? Listen carefully. Apart from the pointers stated above, Kumar further adds, “Adding to the above, an innovative method for plating is placing in a lettuce leaf, which would not only prove fancy and healthy but also eco-friendly, a notion at The Orchid Hotel stands firm on.”

D’souza says, “Start with the meat. Whatever you select will ultimately determine the success of the dog, so choose wisely. Following the standard recipe and experimenting a little with fresh ingredients is one of the ways. In case of vegetarian hotdogs, they are a little more finicky as they tend to fall apart on a grill. If sauerkraut is available, add that too, since it will sop up the mustard nicely and give your meal a briny and savory kick.”

Your casual cool parties are now equipped to be hit by some fantastically different hotdogs. — Recipes by Chef Gulshan Kumar, Executive Chef, The Orchid Hotel, Pune

Chicken Barbeque Hot Dog

Ingredients       
l Hot Dog Bun – 1
l Chicken, minced – 150 gms
l Tomato – 1
l Pickle Onion – 10 gms
l Lettuce – 10 gms
l Mustard Mayo – 5 gms

Method – First prepare BBQ chicken. Cut bun into half. Apply mustard mayo. Put chicken and sliced gherkin. Slice
tomato pickle onion and lettuce. Serve with French fries.

Chicken Sausages Hot Dog

Ingredients
l Hot Dog Bun – 1
l Chicken Sausages – 1
l Caramelised Onion – 10 gms
l Jalapeño – 1
l Bell Pepper – 10 gms
l Mayo Mustard – 5 gms

Method– Grill chicken. Cut hotdog bun in to half. Apply mustard mayo. Put chicken sausage and caramelise onion, jalapeño and bell pepper. Serve with fries.