Hasselback Potatoes (Indian style)

Hasselback potatoes are Swedish version of baked potatoes. The restaurant named "Hasselbacken" , in Stockholm, Sweden is famous for this dish and hence it is named "Hasselback" potatoes.

This, a very fancy looking dish is delicious which is crispy outside and soft inside. As we bake, the slices fan out slightly and can be presented in a beautiful way. This is an unique way to serve the potatoes and tastes very good. 

It can be served in  any breakfast or dinner party. You can make yogurt or sour cream herbed dip which will go very well with these baked potatoes. The way I served was very different. I Indianised it a little bit. Myself and my hubby like this way. Adding Indian spices to this gives a very good taste along with the garlic flavor.

When I saw the recipe in the internet, I thought it is difficult to make. But after I made, I realized it was much simple..

Here's the recipe

Ingredients

• Potatoes - 4 nos
• Olive oil - 4 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Freshly crushed pepper - a few

For spiced butter

• Butter - 2 tblspn
• Garlic - 6 or 7, finely chopped
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
• Crushed pepper powder - 1 tsp

For herbed yoghurt dip

• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Mixed Italian herbs - few
• Salt - a pinch
• Pepper - 1 tsp
• Spiced Butter - 1 tsp (Along with some garlic)

 

Method

For spiced butter

• Melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Turn off the heat. The butter would have got the aroma of garlic.
• Now add salt and all the spice powders; Cumin powder, Chilly powder, Fennel Powder and Crushed pepper powder.
• Keep this aside. Allow it to cool

For herbed yogurt dip

• Mix all the ingredients under "For herbed yogurt dip" in the ingredients list, in a bowl. Mix everything well. Your herbed yoghurt dip is now ready

How to Proceed?

• Using a knife, slice each potato very thinly, from one end to other, making sure you don't cut it all the way through. The pieces of potatoes are still joint at the base.
• Brush some olive oil on the potatoes. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. 
• Bake in the preheated oven @200 deg C for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, take them out of the oven. Brush some spiced butter all over each potato and between each slice. Put back in to the oven and bake for 15 minutes @ 200 deg C
• After 15 minutes, again take out from the oven and brush some spiced butter again all over each potatoes and between each slice. Put back in to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes @200 deg C
• Take out from the oven and again the same process continues. You have to repeat this 3 times in total. Brush the spiced butter over the potatoes. Put back in to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Make sure you use a sharp knife to separate each slices, each time you take out from the oven.
• Now the baking part is done. Bush some more spiced butter and by now the potatoes would have become really crispy from outside and soft from inside.
• Your heavenly delicious hasselback potatoes are now ready.

• Transfer it to a plat and pour a tblspn of herbed yogurt dip on top of the potatoes. I had some garlic pieces from the spiced butter. So, I topped it with that too.
• Enjoy!!

 

Cream of Asparagus soup

Hellllooooooooo,

I am here with a quick, healthy and delicious recipe today. Cream of Aspragus soup, as the name implies, not too much of cream is used in this recipe. I just replaced the cream with low fat milk, which tastes equally good and used the cream just for garnishing . Here I used white asparagus. You can use green or white, according to your wish. Recipe is same for both.
This is a very easy, healthy and a very tasty recipe with no vegetable broth, butter or oil. I just used few simple ingredients, yet it tasted great.. Moreover, asparagus itself has got a lot of health advantages and is extremely low in calories. It is loaded with Vitamin A, C, E and K.

Ingredients

• Asparagus - 10 nos + 1 to garnish
• Onion - 1 big, cut in to cubes
• Garlic - 6 pods
• Pepper powder - 2 tsp
• Mixed Italian herbs - 1 tsp (optional)
• Salt - to taste
• Low fat milk - 1/2 cup
• Fresh lemon zest- 1 tsp - to garnish
• Paprika powder- 1 tsp - to garnish
• Cream - 1 tsp - to garnish

Method

• Peel the outer skin of the asparagus, cut the woody ends and cut each of them in to 1/2 inch pieces. If you are using the green asparagus, you don't have to peel off the outer skin.
• In a pressure cooker, combine asparagus, onion and garlic. Add enough water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
• Once the pressure comes down, allow it to cool and make it to a smooth puree using your mixer.
• Transfer this to a heavy bottomed vessel and bring this to boil. Pour the milk, add salt, Italian herbs and pepper powder. 
• Bring this to boil again and turn off the heat.
• Take 1 asparagus, remove the outer skin and cut the woody ends and cut them to 1/2 inch pieces. Boil them in water for 5 minutes or until soft, still not mushy. Keep it aside
• Transfer the soup to the serving bowl. Add the boiled asparagus pieces. Pour some cream over the top. Sprinkle pepper powder, paprika powder and lemon zest.
• Serve hot.

 

Fusion Dish!!! Gnocchi with white sauce

Hiii all,

Yes!! Today I am here with a fusion dish. Italian Gnocchi with Indian spices. I had some gnocchi and wanted to try something very different. I have previously prepared pasta with white sauce. So, thought of following the same procedure for gnocchi as well. But still made some alterations by slightly Indianising it!! Instead of just adding the the boiled gnocchi in to the dish, I toasted them in the pan with some idian spices such as coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala powder. This of course gave an additional flavor to this dish. We were quite happy with the results.

This involves 4 step process.
1. Cooking the gnocchi
2. Toasting the gnocchi
3. Making white sauce
4. Cooking the veggies

1. For cooking the gnocchi

• Gnocchi - 200 gms
• Water - 4 cups

Method

• Bring water to boil
• When it comes to boil, add the gnocchi and cook it it is soft. It will not take much time to cook. Hardly 6 to 10 minutes.
• Drain the water and keep them ready

2. Toasting the Gnocchi

• Cooked gnocchi
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Butter / oil - 2 tsp

Method

• Heat butter / oil in a pan (preferably non stick)  and add gnocchi. Always keep the heat in medium. Toast them until  its slightly brown on all the sides. Keep mixing in order to avoid burning.
• Add salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and garm masala and give it a good toss. Cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat and keep it aside.

3. For the white sauce

• Butter - 1 tblspn
• All purpose flour - 1 tblspn
• Milk - 1.5 cups
• Salt - 1.5 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Any processed cheese - 1 tblspn, grated
• Mixed Italian herbs - 1 tsp (Optional - I did not add it. But it will enhance the taste if u add)

Method

• In a saucepan, heat butter and add the all purpose flour. Keep the heat in low. Mix it and add 1/2 cup milk. Mix it well until you see it becomes little thick. 
• Add the remaining milk and increase the heat to medium. Keep mixing vigorously to avoid any lumps. Add salt, pepper and Italian herbs. Add the processed cheese.
• When it starts to thicken, remove from heat and keep aside. 
• Your white sauce is now ready.

4. Cooking the veggies

• Butter / oil - 1 tblspn
• Garlic - 5 - 6 pods, minced
• Green chillies - 3 nos, finely chopped
• Onion - 1 big 
• Veggies of your choice (I added carrot, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers and mushrooms)
• Pepper powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - few, finely chopped
• Salt - according to taste

Method

•  Heat butter / oil in a pan. Add garlic and green chillies and fry for few seconds. Add onions and saute them for a minute.
• Now add all the vegetables and cook them until they are half done. It will take 5 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring continuously. Do not add water for cooking the veggies.
• Add salt and pepper powder.
• Cook it for another 4 minutes and remove them from heat. Sprinkle some coriander leaves and mix them.

How to proceed

You will need

• grated processed cheese,
•  pan seared cherry tomatoes (Optional) ,

•  finely chopped coriander and spring onions to garnish.

Method

• In a big pan, first add veggies, then white sauce and gnocchi. Add 1/2 cup of water and turn on the heat. Keep the heat low.
• Sprinkle some grated cheese. 
• Cover the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. 
• The mixture might have thickened by this time. 

• Switch off the heat. Transfer them to serving dish. Garnish with spring onion greens, coriander leaves, pan seared cherry tomatoes and grated cheese.

• Dig in right away!!