Handy recipes from Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal's No Reservations class

When I walk into APB Cook Studio in Andheri East on Gandhi Jayanti I am convinced that by the end of the No Reservations cooking class that I am previewing skipping breakfast will be worth it Started by foodie Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal over a year ago the studio will conduct a short course on useful tricks and tips to whipping up global menus The recipe sheets include Quinua Salad Soy Satay Pad Thai and Spanish Empanadas ldquoYoursquore going to get your hands dirtyrdquo Ghildiyal tells me with a warm smile as her assistant Minal passes me a blackand greenapron Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal guides the writer to saute the onion garlic paste for the soya satay sauce PicsSameer Markandeu00a0 ldquoThis concept class germinated from the idea of armchair cooking which basically means dishing out food from all over the world in your kitchen Earlier we never got fresh mushrooms kaffir lime or many of the veggies needed to make a Thai dish But today with all ingredients available locally it makes sense to make your own curry pastes and batter at homerdquo explains Ghildiyal For the preview many of the ingredients have been kept prepared so that the focus is more on picking up the technique and hopefully replicating it back home We begin with Soya Satay see recipes Guided by Ghildiyal I pour some oil on to the frying pan and add the onions and garlic The sizzle is music to the ears ldquoThe point is to have fun Some people despise chopping vegetables so when they come to learn a dish here we keep most of the ingredients chopped and ready in exact proportions so they can concentrate on the cookingrdquo she says sharing a tip to soak the satay sticks in water before putting them on the frying pan to prevent them from catching fire ldquoAlso one should soak the soya in stock instead of water as it makes it more flavourful When we dip something in water it dilutes the flavourrdquo she says As I add the rest of the ingredients and pour some coconut milk into the mixture to thicken it All the time Ghildiyal is giving me tips that seem handy in the kitchen When we make the Pad Thai Ghildiyal insists that one should make only two servings at a time ldquoThe wok is all about quick cooking so it should be served fresh It cannot be reheated Keep all the ingredients and sauce ready when you are tossingrdquo The last dish the quinua salad I make looks simple but is bursting with flavours when I try it at the end Here come another tip look out for the white rings on the quinua grains when you cook it Itrsquos a sign to take it off the heat ldquoFood is all about making what you like Irsquoll give you my kitchen secret I can never follow a recipe Thatrsquos what makes cooking so much funrdquo Ghildiyal signs off As for my cooking feat goes we licked the bowls clean Howzzat Today the studio is conducting an open house session For information on the World Cuisine Festival and of APB Cook Studio mail infoapbcookstudiocom or call 42152799 Quinoa salad Ingredients gtgt 80 g quinoa gtgt Juice of two lemons gtgt 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil gtgt 4 tbsp chopped corriander gtgt 4 tbsp chopped parsley gtgt 4 tbsp chopped mint gtgt frac12 cup pomegranate arils gtgt frac12 cup mixed peppers chopped Method gtgt Cook quinoa by boiling it to double the quantity of salted water or stock for about 10 minutes until it appears to have sprouted gtgt Drain well and tip into a large mixing bowl Stir in the lemon juice a splash of the extra virgin olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper gtgt Once cool add the herbs peppers and pomegranate to the quinoa and chill Pad Thai noodles Ingredientsu00a0for the Sauce gtgt 1 frac12 cup tamarind pulp gtgt frac14 cup palm sugar gtgt 1 tsp veg oyster sauce gtgt 1 tsp chilli flakes gtgt 1 tbsp oil gtgt 1 tbsp garlic gtgt 1 tbsp fish sauce optional For the Noodles gtgt 1 cup dried rice stick noodles gtgt 1 tbsp vegetable oil divided gtgt 1 tbsp garlic minced gtgt frac12 cup red onion thinly sliced gtgt frac12 cups tofu gtgt 1 egg gtgt frac14 cup carrots match sticks gtgt A small handful of green onion chopped diagonal in half inch segments gtgt frac14 cup moong bean sprouts gtgt frac14 cup cilantro gtgt frac14 cup toasted peanuts chopped gtgt 1 lime wedge Method gtgt For the sauce heat oil and fry garlic till golden gtgt Add chilli flakes tamarind pulp and palm sugar and cook till it turns thick Add fish sauce optional gtgt Boil the noodles for four to five minutes and drain immediately rinsing with cold water for a few seconds Noodles should be firmer than Al dente gtgt Heat oil in a wok on high cook tofu and keep aside gtgt Add garlic and red onions to the hot pan and stir fry for one minute stirring the mixture gtgt Add noodles and stir for one minute and add three to four tablespoons Pad Thai sauce continually stirring noodle mixture until well coated with sauce gtgt Add cooked tofu back and fry for two to three minutes gtgt Move the noodle mixture to one side of the pan and crack an egg on the other side Scramble the egg and cook for 30 seconds gtgt Add carrots green onions and sprouts and cook for one more minute gtgt Remove from heat and garnish with remaining raw carrot match sticks spouts cilantro toasted peanuts and a wedge of lime Soya Satay Ingredientsu00a0for satay gtgt 1 tsp brown sugar gtgt 1 tsp soya sauce gtgt Salt to taste gtgt 1 tsp chilli flakes gtgt 1 frac12 tsp Madras curry powder gtgt 1 tsp cumin gtgt 12 tsp black pepper gtgt 1 tsp coriander powder gtgt 2 tbsp oil gtgt 2 tbsp coconut milk gtgt 50 gm soya chunks gtgt Satay sticks For sauce gtgt frac12 cup onion finely chopped gtgt frac12 cup garlic finely chopped gtgt 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped gtgt 1 tbsp lemongrass finely chopped gtgt 1 tbsp red thai curry paste or red chilli paste gtgt 1 tbsp peanut butter gtgt frac14 cup peanut crushed gtgt 12 tbsp tamarind pulp gtgt 2 tbsp jaggery gtgt frac12 cup coconut milk gtgt 1 leaf kaffir lime chopped For cucumber relish gtgt frac12 no Cucumber gtgt 20g vinegar gtgt 30g sugar gtgt 5 g salt gtgt 5 gm coriander leaves chopped gtgt A pinch Thai chilli chopped Method gtgt For the Satay mix all ingredients together to make a marinade gtgt Soak the soya for five minutes in warm water squeeze out the water and marinate it gtgt Arrange on skewer sticks and panfry till evenly golden in colour gtgt For the sauce heat oil in a nonstick pan and stir fry the onions and garlic paste till golden brown gtgt Add ginger and lemongrass gtgt Add red thai curry paste and peanut butter and mix well until combined gtgt Add the jaggery and coconut milk and stir it well to dissolve Add a little water to pan if required Cook sauce till it thickens gtgt Add peanuts tamarind pulp and kaffir lime gtgt For the Cucumber Relish peel and slice the cucumber in very thin half moon shape gtgt Except for chilli and coriander leaves bring the rest to a boil till sugar dissolves and cool down gtgt Add chilli coriander and cucumberu00a0