What’s brewing?

Tea time snacks at the flick of a few fingers enjoy them as the sun sets

Tea time snacks at the flick of a few fingers enjoy them as the sun sets

Citrus tea cooler

Ingredients
>>3 tea bagsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 cup fresh orange juiceu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 cup sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>6 fresh mint leavesu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 tbsp fresh lemon juiceu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 1/4u00a0 cups lemonade, chilledu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 lemon, slicedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Method
Heat two cups of water in a saucepan. When it boils, place tea bags in it. Allow to stand for five minutes and then removing tea bags.
Take orange juice, sugar (or honey), two mint leaves, lemon juice and blend in mixer till sugar dissolves.
Add ice cubes to the tea decoction to cool it.u00a0 When it cools completely add it to the orange juice mixture.u00a0 Blend for a minute.u00a0 Add lemonade and blend again.
Pour into the serving glass.u00a0 Decorate with a lemon slice and mint leaves and serve chilled.

Chai masala

Ingredients

For the masala
>>16 black peppercornsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 inch cinnamonu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 clovesu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 green cardamomsu00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 tsp dry ginger powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

To make the tea
>>2 cups milku00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 tsp chai masalau00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 tsp sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 tsp tea leavesu00a0u00a0
u00a0
Method
Dry grind all the masala ingredients to a fine powder. Let it cool completely then sieve. Store in an airtight container. Use the masala as and when required to make tea.
To make tea, mix two cups of milk and two cups of water and bring to a boil. Add tea leaves and chai masala. Let it boil for a minute, add sugar. When it comes to a boil, lower heat and let it simmer for two minutes.
Strain and serve piping hot.

Grilled prawns with rice

>>10 jumbo prawns, halved lengthwiseu00a0u00a0
>>4 tbsp olive oilu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 inch leek, diagonally slicedu00a0u00a0
>>1/2 tsp red wine vinegaru00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Salt to tasteu00a0
>>1 tsp tea powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1 cup cooked riceu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Leeks, cut into strips to garnishu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>Preheat oven to 200u00c2u00b0 C.u00a0u00a0

Shell the prawns and retain the heads. Slit the prawns vertically, clean and wash well.u00a0
Clean the prawn heads as well.
Heat one tablespoon oil in a deep pan, add the cleaned prawn heads.
Add sliced leek, red wine vinegar (or malt vinegar), salt and one cup of water and let it cook for ten to fifteen minutes. Strain.
Place the remaining olive oil in a bowl, add salt and mix. Dry the prawns on absorbent paper. Dip them in the olive oil and place them on a baking tray.
Sprinkle tea powder on them evenly. Place the baking tray in the oven and cook for three minutes.
Pack the rice in a cylindrical mould.u00a0 Pour two tablespoons of the prawn liquour over the rice.
Remove the prawns from the oven and transfer them into a serving dish.
Unmould the rice and place along side the prawns.u00a0 Place the leek strips over the rice and serve immediately.

Tasneem W Pothiwala wins an autographed copy of Chaat, Chef Kapoor's book

Cheese stuffed palak tikkis

Ingredients

For outer layer
1 medium bunch spinach leaves (palak), blanched, drained and finely chopped
6 slices of brown bread, sides trimmed
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste

For filling
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 green capsicum, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
A pinch of salt

Method
Soak the bread slices in water for a couple of seconds and squeeze. Mash them and mix with spinach, ginger-green chilli paste, lemon juice, cumin powder and salt.u00a0
Mix all the ingredients for the filling.
Divide both the mixtures into equal portions. Stuff each bread portion with a portion of the filling and shape into flat and round tikkis.
Heat a tawa and place the tikkis on them, a few at a time and shallow fry with little butter till crisp and golden on both the sides.
Serve hot with chutney or tomato ketchup.

Green tea souffleu00a0u00a0

Ingredients
>>3 tsp green teau00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>4 eggsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 cup sugaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>20 gms gelatinu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2 cups milku00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>1/2 cup fresh creamu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
>>2-3 drops natural green colouru00a0u00a0u00a0
>>10-15 pistachios, sliveredu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Method
Break eggs one by one and separate yolks and whites in two bowls. Beat together yolks and half the sugar and transfer into a pan.u00a0 Beat whites and remaining sugar with a wire whisk till stiff. Heat some water in a pan, add green tea leaves and set it aside to brew. Strain. Heat some water in another pan, add gelatin and stir till it dissolves.
Add milk to the yolk and sugar mixture and cook in a double boiler till it thickens to get a custard consistency.u00a0 Take off heat and set it aside to cool to room temperature.
Beat cream till light and fluffy.
Add a few drops of green colour to custard and mix well.u00a0 Add green tea decoction and dissolved gelatin and mix well.
Strain the mixture into a big bowl. Add cream and mix with a wire whisk. Gently fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Pour the souffle into individual bowls or stemmed glasses.u00a0 Garnish with pistachios slivers and keep in the deep freezer of a refrigerator to set for at least one hour.

Shopping list for next week

Karele ka salan
> 350 gms karele
> 1 small packet dried red chillies
> 1 small packet coriander seeds
> 1 small packet sesame seeds
> 1 small packet peanuts
> 1 small packet tamarind
> 1 packet garam masala powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Kaddu ka saag
> 500 gms red pumpkin
> 1 small packet fenugreek seeds
> 1 small packet dry mango powder

Lauki manpasand
> 1 kilogram bottle gourdu00a0
> 1 small packet moong badi
> 1 large green capsicum

Mediterranean pumpkin pudding
> 100 gms hazelnuts
> 50 gms desiccated coconut
> 1 packet cornflour
> 1 packet cinnamon powder
> 1 fresh pomegranate