Shepherds Pie with Mutton Mince

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

From Firangi Tadka

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 55 minutes

Method: Moderate

Course: Main Course

Key Ingredients:

A comfort food especially on a cold wintry night to enjoyed with family sitting around a wood fire

Ingredients

Mutton mince (keema), cooked in pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles 250 gms
Medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed 3
Oil 2 tsps
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 2
Medium onion, finely chopped 1
Tomato puree ½ cup
Medium tomato, finely chopped 1
Vegetable stock 1 cup
Green peas ½ cup
Salt to taste
Butter 5 to 6 tbsps
Milk ½ cup
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Round slices of tomato 2 to 3

Methods

Preheat the oven to 200º C.
Heat 2 tsps of oil in a non-stick pan, add garlic and onion and saute for 2-3 minutes till they become soft. Add mutton mince and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
Add tomato puree and chopped tomato and mix well. Add vegetable stock, mix and cook for 5 minutes on low heat or till the mixture is slightly dry.
Add peas and salt and mix well and cook till done.
Take mashed potatoes in a bowl, add 2 tbsps butter and milk and mix well to make a creamy smooth paste. Add salt and pepper and mix well.
Brush the remaining butter on the inside of a baking dish, add the mutton mince mixture and spread it evenly.
Put potato mixture on top and spread it evenly with a spatula, so that both layers are visible.
Decorate with tomato slices. Keep the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Take the dish out of the oven, cut into wedges and serve it hot.

American Apple Pie

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 35 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Method: Moderate

Course: Main Course

Key Ingredients:

Apples

An all-time favourite – apple pie gives a lot of comfort

Serving Suggestion : Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Green apples / cooking apples, peeled, sliced and cored 6
Refined flour (maida) 1½ cups + 2-3 tbsps
Frozen butter cubes 1 cup
Sugar 2 tsps
Cinnamon (dalchini) powder 1 tsp
Nutmeg (jaiphal) powder ¼ tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Soft butter ¼ tsp + as required
Salt to taste

Methods

To make pastry dough mix 1½ cups refined flour, salt and 1 tsp sugar in a bowl. Add frozen butter cubes and rub it in with your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 5 tbsps water and knead gently to make smooth dough. Wrap in moist muslin cloth and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Take apples, 2-3 tbsps refined flour, 1 tsp sugar, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder in another bowl and mix gently so that the apple slices do not break. To prevent apple slices from turning black, pour lemon juice over them and mix gently.
Bring out the dough from refrigerator and divide into 2 equal parts. Knead both halves lightly.
Spread a plastic sheet on the worktop and place one portion of dough in the centre. Fold the plastic over and roll out the dough into a disc an inch bigger in diameter than the 9 inch pie mould or pie dish. Similarly roll out the second portion of the dough.
Preheat oven to 200 ºC.
Remove the plastic gently and place 1 disc in the pie dish. Flatten it on the base and along the edges of the mould so that excess dough sticks out. Trim the extra dough and put the pie dish in the refrigerator to set.
Once firm, pierce it all over with a fork. Spread 1 tsp butter and then spread apple mixture evenly on the base. Sprinkle 2 tbsps of the sweet apple mixture water on top and dot with some butter.
Place the second disc over the filling, covering it completely. Trim edges. Make a few slits in top so that the steam can escape. You may use the leftover dough trimmed from the edges to make a design on the top.
Brush the top crust with butter before baking. Place the pie dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

American Corn on the Cob

American Corn on the Cob

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Main Course

Key Ingredients:

Corn on the cob

Any time snack – flavourful and piquant corn on the cob can be enjoyed especially during monsoon

Ingredients

Corn on the cobs, boiled 2
Butter 2 tbsps
Cinnamon (dalchini) powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Orange zest (narangi ka chilka), grated 1 tsp
Lemon zest (nimbu ka chilka), grated ¼ tsp
Lime zest, grated ¼ tsp

Methods

Take butter, cinnamon powder, salt, orange zest, lemon zest and lime zest in a bowl and mix well.
Roast corn directly on flame, rotating it so that they are evenly roasted all around.
Brush the butter mixture evenly all over and serve.

American Mixed Fruit Floats

American Mixed Fruit Floats

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Main Course

Key Ingredients:

Pineapple
Melon
Orange

A delightful dessert, it will be enjoyed by both children and adults

Ingredients

Coconut, grated 3 tbsps
Pineapple (annanas), cut into small cubes 1 cup
Melon (kharbooj), cut into small cubes 1 cup
Orange, peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces 1
Orange juice 1 cup
Vanilla ice cream as required

Methods

Heat a non-stick pan, add coconut and toast on high heat for 5-6 minutes or till well browned.
Set aside a few pieces of pineapple, melon and orange.
Put remaining pineapple, melon, orange and orange juice in a mixer and blend.
Half fill serving glasses with this mixture. Top with scoops of ice-cream, reserved fruit pieces and roasted coconut and serve immediately.

Apple Coleslaw

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 0 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Main Course

Key Ingredients:

Apple

Crunchy and delicious this coleslaw makes a wonderful side dish or even sandwich filling

Health Tips:

Vegetarian mayonnaise

Ingredients

Medium red apples (seb), peeled, cored and cut into thin strips 2
Medium cabbage (pattagobhi), cut into thin strips 1
Carrot (gajar), cut into thin strips ½ cup
Medium onion, thinly sliced 1
Egg 1
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Mustard paste (rai ka paste) 1 tsp
Lemon juice ½ tbsp
Oil 1 cup
Vinegar (sirka) 1 tsp

Methods

To make mayonnaise, put egg, sugar, ½ tsp salt, pepper powder, mustard paste, lemon juice and 2 tbsps of oil in a mixer jar and blend. Pour remaining oil gradually while running the mixer (If you want a thinner consistency of mayonnaise add less oil). Once done, add vinegar and mix. Transfer into a bowl.
Take apple strips, cabbage, carrot and onion in a salad bowl and mix well. Add mayonnaise and salt and mix well. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve.
This can be used as a filling for sandwiches as well.

Apple Yogurt Slush

Apple Yogurt Slush

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 0 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Main Course

Key Ingredients:

Apple
Hung yogurt

Apples and hung yogurt blended together to make a delicious slush

Health Tips:

Low fat yogurt

Ingredients

Apples, peeled, cored and cut into cubes 2 cups
Hung yogurt (chakka) 1 cup
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Nutmeg, grated 1 tsp
Sugar ½ cup
Cinnamon (dalchini) powder ½ tsp
Ice cubes 10

Methods

Pour lemon juice over apples to prevent them from turning black. Put apples, hung yogurt, nutmeg powder, sugar, cinnamon powder and ice cubes in a mixer jar and blend till smooth.
Pour into serving glasses and serve chilled.