Tri-coloured treats

CHENNAI: The celebration of India’s 75th year of independence is incomplete without food. Bringing the patriotic fervour to the table in the form of aromatic biryani, luscious paneer gravy and a delectable dessert are chefs from Junior Kuppanna, Raintree, St Mary’s Road and Novotel Chamiers Road.

Paneer Tiranga

Ingredients

•  Paneer: 180 g, divided in 3 portions

For Makhani gravy

• Onion: 1, sliced 
• Tomato: 4, sliced 
• Cashew: 2 tbsp
• Bay leaf: 1 
• Cardamom: 3 pods  
• Cloves: 3  
• Dry red chillies: 1  
• Cinnamon: 1 inch
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Butter: 2 tbsp
• Cream: 2 tbsp  
• Kasuri methi (crushed): 1 tsp  
• Salt to taste
• Water: 3 cup 
• Turmeric: 1/4 tsp 
• Chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp  
• Garam masala: 1/4 tsp  
• Cardamom powder: 1 pinch 

For Spinach gravy

• Spinach puree: 1 cup  
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp 
• Bay leaf: 2, small 
• Chopped onions: 1/3 cup, tightly packed
• Garlic paste: 1 tsp 
• Onion: 1, small, chopped  
• Tomato: 1, small, chopped  
• Green chillies: 1 to 1.5 tsp, finely chopped  
• Turmeric powder: 1 pinch
• Kasuri methi: 1 tsp  
• Garam masala: ½ teaspoon 
• Cream: 1/4 cup  Sugar: 1 pinch
• Salt as required

For Shahi Gravy 

• Chopped onions: ½ cup
• Chopped cashews: 2 tbsp
• Melon seeds: 1 tbsp, without the skin  
• Chopped garlic: ½ tsp or 3 to 4 small to medium-sized garlic
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
• Water: 2 cups  
• Cream: 2 tbsp
• Butter: 1 tbsp
• Ghee: 1 tbsp
• Khoya: 1 tbsp  
• Homemade garam masala: 1/2 tsp
• Cardamom powder: 1 pinch  
• Yoghurt: 2 tbsp  
• Whole spice: 2 pieces bay leaf, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 2 cardemom, 2-3 clove, ½ inch mace 
• Rose water: 1/2 tsp 

METHOD

• For Paneer Makhani
•  In a pan, take onion, tomatoes and cashew. 
•  Add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and  ginger-garlic paste. Add butter and water. Boil for 20 minutes or until everything is cooked well.  Remove the bay leaf and cool completely before grinding to smooth paste. Keep aside. 
•   Heat 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp oil add 1 tsp cumin, and 1 chilli, keeping the flame on low. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala.  Sauté on low flame until the spices turn aromatic.  Pour in the prepared onion tomato base and mix well. Keep mixing until the oil separates.  Add cream and 3/4 tsp salt. Mix well.  Cover and boil for 15 minutes or until the base is cooked.  Add 1/3 rd of cubed paneer, kasuri methi. Mix well.

For Shahi Paneer

• Take the nuts and seeds in a bowl and rinse them a couple of times with water. Drain all the water and set aside.  Cook onions, cashews, melon seeds, ginger-garlic paste in 2 cups water for 20 minutes minutes until the onions soften. Make a fine paste 
• Whisk fresh yogurt till smooth and set aside. Heat ghee in a pan on medium-low to medium heat. Add whole spices.  Sauté onion paste. Make sure colour doesn’t change.  Fry all the whole spices until they release their aroma in the ghee.  Add the onion paste and cook for a while. Add the whisked yogurt, stir continuously.  Add grated khoya, garam masala and cardamom powder. 
• Stir and add 1/3 rd of the cubed paneer and cream and cook for 2-3 more minutes.  Finally, add the rose water and stir. Mix gently and switch off heat.

For Palak Paneer

• Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then, add the bay leaf.  Add the finely chopped onions. Sauté till they become golden.  Add the finely chopped garlic. Sauté till the raw aroma of garlic goes away.  Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and sauté the tomatoes till they soften.  Once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture.
• Then, add the turmeric powder and garam masala. 
• Then, add the palak puree and mix well. 
• Add about 1/2 cup water or as required. Mix again.  Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or more till the spinach is cooked. Season with salt. The gravy or sauce will also thicken by now.  Add the last part of paneer cubes, stir it and add the cream  Be quick as we don’t want heat the paneer for more 2-3 minutes. Overcooking paneer will make them chewy and dense. 
• Check the seasoning.

Presentation
Take a round dip dish. Pour all three paneer gravies one after one to create the beautiful tri colour and distinct flavour as well.

By Raintree, St Mary’s Road

Tri Colour Biryani

•  Groundnut oil: 300 g  Star anise: 10 g 
•  Bay leaf: 10 g 
•  Kapok buds (maratti moggu): 10 g 
•  Cinnamon: 16 g 
•  Cardamom: 20 pcs  Cloves: 6 g 
•  Chopped garlic: 300 g  Chilli: 120 g 
•  Onion: 400 g 
•  Tomato: 400 g 
•  Pudina: 15 g
•  Salt: 100 g 
•  Boneless chicken/ vegetables: 2 kg 
•  Water: 4 kg
•  Lemon: 1 
•  Colour:  2 g
•  Rice: 2 kg 
•  Ghee: 200 g

METHOD

• Keep all the ingredients ready in a bowl. Wash the rice and soak for 20 minutes.
• Heat a cooker, add oil. Once heated up, add whole spices and fry. 
• Add chopped garlic and fry till it is golden brown. Add whole green chillies and fry. 
• Add onion and fry till it turns golden brown. Then add tomatoes, pudina, salt and mix well.
• Add chicken pieces or vegetables and mix well for a while till the raw flavour comes off.
• Add water and bring it to boil for 10 minutes. Add lemon and food graded colour. 
• Add soaked rice once it starts boiling. Add ghee, mix well, close cooker with lid. Let it cook for two whistles on low flame.
• After it is cooked, layer it in different colours — saffron, white and green.

By Junior Kuppanna

Tri Colour Macrons

FOR MACARONS

• Almond flour: 250 g  
• Castor sugar: 200 g
• Egg: 3, large
• Cream: 55 g 
• Green food colour  Orange food colour 
• Cream cheese filling 
• Unsalted butter (at room temperature): 28 g
• Cream cheese (at room temperature): 120 g  
• Powdered sugar: 200 g 
• Vanilla extract: 5 ml  
• Heavy cream or milk: 20 g

For shells

• Sift together powdered sugar and almond flour three times.
• Whisk egg whites and 3 tbsp granulated sugar until sugar melts and egg whites become frothy.
• Transfer the mix to a mixer and slowly add the remaining sugar, beating on high speed. Add food colouring here. Scrape down the bowl and gently fold the batter in a circle-like manner.
• Transfer three coloured batters to different piping bags with 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe onto the cookie sheets. Bake the macarons at 300°F for 13 to 15 minutes.
• Allow them to cool completely before transferring to a cooling rack. While the macarons cool, make the filling. 

For filling

• Beat butter and cream cheese till smooth using a hand mixer.
• Add powdered sugar, half at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix till combined.
• Add heavy cream little at a time till you get the desired consistency. 
• Fill the macarons
• Remove the macaron shells from the parchment paper once they have cooled. Fill them with cream cheese filling.

By Novotel Chamiers Road

CHENNAI: The celebration of India’s 75th year of independence is incomplete without food. Bringing the patriotic fervour to the table in the form of aromatic biryani, luscious paneer gravy and a delectable dessert are chefs from Junior Kuppanna, Raintree, St Mary’s Road and Novotel Chamiers Road. Paneer Tiranga Ingredients  Paneer: 180 g, divided in 3 portions For Makhani gravy Onion: 1, sliced  Tomato: 4, sliced  Cashew: 2 tbsp Bay leaf: 1  Cardamom: 3 pods   Cloves: 3   Dry red chillies: 1   Cinnamon: 1 inch Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp Butter: 2 tbsp Cream: 2 tbsp   Kasuri methi (crushed): 1 tsp   Salt to taste Water: 3 cup  Turmeric: 1/4 tsp  Chilli powder: 1 tsp Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp   Garam masala: 1/4 tsp   Cardamom powder: 1 pinch  For Spinach gravy Spinach puree: 1 cup   Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp  Bay leaf: 2, small  Chopped onions: 1/3 cup, tightly packed Garlic paste: 1 tsp  Onion: 1, small, chopped   Tomato: 1, small, chopped   Green chillies: 1 to 1.5 tsp, finely chopped   Turmeric powder: 1 pinch Kasuri methi: 1 tsp   Garam masala: ½ teaspoon  Cream: 1/4 cup  Sugar: 1 pinch Salt as required For Shahi Gravy  Chopped onions: ½ cup Chopped cashews: 2 tbsp Melon seeds: 1 tbsp, without the skin   Chopped garlic: ½ tsp or 3 to 4 small to medium-sized garlic Ginger-garlic paste: 1/2 tsp Water: 2 cups   Cream: 2 tbsp Butter: 1 tbsp Ghee: 1 tbsp Khoya: 1 tbsp   Homemade garam masala: 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder: 1 pinch   Yoghurt: 2 tbsp   Whole spice: 2 pieces bay leaf, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 2 cardemom, 2-3 clove, ½ inch mace  Rose water: 1/2 tsp  METHOD For Paneer Makhani  In a pan, take onion, tomatoes and cashew.   Add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and  ginger-garlic paste. Add butter and water. Boil for 20 minutes or until everything is cooked well.  Remove the bay leaf and cool completely before grinding to smooth paste. Keep aside.    Heat 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp oil add 1 tsp cumin, and 1 chilli, keeping the flame on low. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala.  Sauté on low flame until the spices turn aromatic.  Pour in the prepared onion tomato base and mix well. Keep mixing until the oil separates.  Add cream and 3/4 tsp salt. Mix well.  Cover and boil for 15 minutes or until the base is cooked.  Add 1/3 rd of cubed paneer, kasuri methi. Mix well. For Shahi Paneer Take the nuts and seeds in a bowl and rinse them a couple of times with water. Drain all the water and set aside.  Cook onions, cashews, melon seeds, ginger-garlic paste in 2 cups water for 20 minutes minutes until the onions soften. Make a fine paste  Whisk fresh yogurt till smooth and set aside. Heat ghee in a pan on medium-low to medium heat. Add whole spices.  Sauté onion paste. Make sure colour doesn’t change.  Fry all the whole spices until they release their aroma in the ghee.  Add the onion paste and cook for a while. Add the whisked yogurt, stir continuously.  Add grated khoya, garam masala and cardamom powder.  Stir and add 1/3 rd of the cubed paneer and cream and cook for 2-3 more minutes.  Finally, add the rose water and stir. Mix gently and switch off heat. For Palak Paneer Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then, add the bay leaf.  Add the finely chopped onions. Sauté till they become golden.  Add the finely chopped garlic. Sauté till the raw aroma of garlic goes away.  Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and sauté the tomatoes till they soften.  Once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture. Then, add the turmeric powder and garam masala.  Then, add the palak puree and mix well.  Add about 1/2 cup water or as required. Mix again.  Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or more till the spinach is cooked. Season with salt. The gravy or sauce will also thicken by now.  Add the last part of paneer cubes, stir it and add the cream  Be quick as we don’t want heat the paneer for more 2-3 minutes. Overcooking paneer will make them chewy and dense.  Check the seasoning. Presentation Take a round dip dish. Pour all three paneer gravies one after one to create the beautiful tri colour and distinct flavour as well. By Raintree, St Mary’s Road Tri Colour Biryani  Groundnut oil: 300 g  Star anise: 10 g   Bay leaf: 10 g   Kapok buds (maratti moggu): 10 g   Cinnamon: 16 g   Cardamom: 20 pcs  Cloves: 6 g   Chopped garlic: 300 g  Chilli: 120 g   Onion: 400 g   Tomato: 400 g   Pudina: 15 g  Salt: 100 g   Boneless chicken/ vegetables: 2 kg   Water: 4 kg  Lemon: 1   Colour:  2 g  Rice: 2 kg   Ghee: 200 g METHOD Keep all the ingredients ready in a bowl. Wash the rice and soak for 20 minutes. Heat a cooker, add oil. Once heated up, add whole spices and fry.  Add chopped garlic and fry till it is golden brown. Add whole green chillies and fry.  Add onion and fry till it turns golden brown. Then add tomatoes, pudina, salt and mix well. Add chicken pieces or vegetables and mix well for a while till the raw flavour comes off. Add water and bring it to boil for 10 minutes. Add lemon and food graded colour.  Add soaked rice once it starts boiling. Add ghee, mix well, close cooker with lid. Let it cook for two whistles on low flame. After it is cooked, layer it in different colours — saffron, white and green. By Junior Kuppanna Tri Colour Macrons FOR MACARONS Almond flour: 250 g   Castor sugar: 200 g Egg: 3, large Cream: 55 g  Green food colour  Orange food colour  Cream cheese filling  Unsalted butter (at room temperature): 28 g Cream cheese (at room temperature): 120 g   Powdered sugar: 200 g  Vanilla extract: 5 ml   Heavy cream or milk: 20 g For shells Sift together powdered sugar and almond flour three times. Whisk egg whites and 3 tbsp granulated sugar until sugar melts and egg whites become frothy. Transfer the mix to a mixer and slowly add the remaining sugar, beating on high speed. Add food colouring here. Scrape down the bowl and gently fold the batter in a circle-like manner. Transfer three coloured batters to different piping bags with 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe onto the cookie sheets. Bake the macarons at 300°F for 13 to 15 minutes. Allow them to cool completely before transferring to a cooling rack. While the macarons cool, make the filling.  For filling Beat butter and cream cheese till smooth using a hand mixer. Add powdered sugar, half at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix till combined. Add heavy cream little at a time till you get the desired consistency.  Fill the macarons Remove the macaron shells from the parchment paper once they have cooled. Fill them with cream cheese filling. By Novotel Chamiers Road