On the occasion of World Food Day, let’s embark on a gastronomic adventure that transcends borders and brings us all together through the universal language of flavor. We bring you a selection of recipes from podcasts like Simple Recipes with Sanjeev Kapoor and Desi Delicacies on Audible, for you to indulge in. We’ll explore recipes that are as diverse and colourful as the cultures that grace our planet, that not only tantalize your taste buds but also nourish your soul. From sizzling street food gems to elegant culinary creations, these dishes offer a passport to the heart of global cuisine. So, fasten your apron strings, sharpen your knives, and get ready to savour the world, one delicious bite at a time.
Creamy Pesto Pasta [From Simple Recipes with Sanjeev Kapoor on Audible]
Ingredients:
(Pesto)
Fresh basil leaves 1 cup + 1 to garnish
Pine nuts 1 tbsp
Parmesan cheese grated 1 tbsp
Garlic 5-6 cloves
Olive oil 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Black peppercorns crushed 1 pinch
(Pasta)
Macaroni pasta boiled – 3 cups
Olive oil – 2 tbsps
Butter mushrooms sliced – 10-12
Garlic crushed – 10-12 cloves
Red chilli flakes – 1 teaspoon
Corn kernels boiled – 1/2 cup
Cherry tomatoes halved – 10-12
Salt – 1 pinch
Black peppercorns crushed – 1 pinch
Parmesan cheese grated – 2 tbsps
Method:
To prepare pesto, blend Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, and crushed black peppercorns until finely ground.
Then, add garlic cloves and continue blending. Incorporate basil leaves and olive oil, grinding to create a coarse paste. Transfer this mixture to a bowl.
For the pasta, heat olive oil in a deep non-stick pan. Sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned.
Stir in red chili flakes and the pesto; sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add white sauce and mix thoroughly.
Add corn, cherry tomatoes, boiled macaroni, salt, and crushed black peppercorns. Cook for a minute, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with a sprig of basil, and serve immediately.
Soya Falafel [From Simple Recipes with Sanjeev Kapoor on Audible]
Ingredients:
Soya granules soaked – 1½ cup
Chickpeas soaked, boiled and ground – 1 cup
Oil for deep-frying
Fresh mint sprigs – 4-5
coriander leaves roughly chopped – 1 cup
Green chillies – 2
Garlic crushed – 1 tbsp
Ginger finely chopped – 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Black pepper powder to taste
Chaat masala – 1½ teaspoon
Onions finely chopped – 2 medium
Salt to taste
Chapatis leftover – 4
Green olives sliced for topping
Black olives sliced for topping
Fresh mint sprigs for garnishing
(Salad)
Onion – 1 medium
Green capsicum – ¼ medium
Tomato – 1 medium
Fresh coriander sprigs – 2-3
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt to taste
Green olives – 2-3
Black olives – 2-3
(Dip)
Thick yogurt – ½ cup
Juice of ½ lemon
Garlic paste – ½ teaspoon
Salt to taste
Method:
Heat oil in a kadai.
Blend soya granules, chickpeas, mint, coriander, green chillies, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, pepper powder, and chaat masala to make a coarse paste. Add salt and onion, mix.
For the salad, slice onion, cut capsicum into strips, and tomato into strips. Add coriander, lemon juice, and salt and mix.
For the dip, mix yogurt, lemon juice, garlic paste, and salt.
Shape the soya mixture into 16 balls and deep-fry for 2-3 minutes. Drain.
Transfer the salad to a bowl, add olives. Place on one side of a serving plate.
Put the dip in another bowl and place it on the other side of the plate. Garnish with mint and place falafels in the center. Serve immediately.
Place chapatis on a worktop, spread salad on one side, add a falafel in the center, drizzle with dip, top with olives, roll, and serve hot.
Tehsildari Korma [From Desi Delicacies on Audible]
Ingredients:
Mutton – 500 gm
Onions (fried, then ground to a paste) – 2
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Yogurt – ¼ th cup
Cream – ¼ th cup
Khoya, grated (you may use ricotta if khoya is unavailable) – 2 tbsp
Condensed milk – ¼ th cup
Milk – ½ ltr reduced to ¼th by boiling
Pinch of nutmeg powder
Pinch of maize powder
Red chilli powder or to taste – 2 tbsp
Salt or to taste
Oil – 4 tbsp
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add the onion paste. Fry for 5 to 6 minutes till it turns golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Now add the mutton pieces and saute for 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame.
Beat the yogurt with a spoon and add to the pan. Stir immediately.
Then one by one add the red chilli powder, salt, cream, khoya, and condensed milk. Mix well and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
Add half a cup of water. Cover and cook on a low flame for 20 to 30 minutes till the mutton is completely cooked.
Once the mutton gets cooked, sprinkle the nutmeg powder and maize powder over it.
Switch off the flame and serve.
Vegetarian Bun Kebab [From Desi Delicacies on Audible]
Ingredients:
Potatoes (peeled and boiled) – ½ kg
White onion – 1 medium
Red onion – 1 small
Green chilli, chopped – 1
Salt to taste
Garam masala – 2 tsp
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Ground coriander – ½ tsp
Eggs – 2
Mayonnaise – 3 tbsp
Lettuce leaves and tomatoes, for garnish
Yogurt – 100 gm
Fresh or dried mint leaves – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1/4th tsp
Method:
In a bowl, mash the peeled and boiled potatoes together with the chopped red onions, white onion, green chilli, salt, lemon juice, ground coriander and half the garam masala.
Now make burger patties sized cakes or kebabs out of the mixture.
Beat the eggs and dip these potato cakes in it. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry these cakes. Flip in the middle so you heat on each side until golden brown. Take them out and place them on a plate.
For the yogurt dip, in a bowl, add the yogurt, salt, mint, the other half of the garam masala, and the garlic paste. Mix well.
Spread some mayonnaise on one side of the potato kebab and on top, layer the sliced tomato and sliced lettuce. Cover it with the burger buns, and serve with 1 tbsp of yogurt mixture at the side of the plate for dipping.
Sweet Rice Zarda with Orange Peels [From Desi Delicacies on Audible]
Ingredients:
Uncooked white rice – 2 cups
Orange food coloring – ¼ th tsp
Grated or julienned orange zest – 2 tsp
Whole cardamoms – 4 to 6
Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp
White sugar – 1 ½ cups
Double cream – 1 ½ tbsp
Raisins – 1 tbsp
Chopped walnuts – 1 tbsp
Slivered almonds – 1 tbsp
Method:
Cover the rice with water in a bowl and leave to soak for about an hour before draining off the water.
Bring a large saucepan of five cups of water to boil. Then add the food coloring and half the cardamom pods. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat, and cover and simmer until this is tender (about 20 minutes).
Fry the remaining cardamom pods in oil in another large pan over a low heat for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the cooked and drained rice along with the sugar.
Cover the pan and cook for five minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, raisins, walnuts, almonds, and orange zest. Serve immediately.
