Three days to Christmas. In the kitchen

Guava cheese AT Noir JuhuThis sweet treat from Brazil made its way to Goan homes during the Portuguese rule Guava cheese or perad as the Goans fondly call the tempting tangyfruity taste dessert is available commercially throughout the year but a fresh version finds a prominent place on the festive table every ChristmasChef Manish Khanna founder and partner Noir and Brownie Point says While the recipe is simple with basic ingredients from the kitchenmdashguava lemon juice ghee and sugarmdashmaking it can be painstakingChef Manish Khanna PicsSayyed Sameer AbediOn the first day the dish is prepared using ripe sweet guava of good quality and left aside in a cool dry place If the place is warm the cheese will turn hard if it is humid a fan must be kept to aid the drying process Over the next two days it acquires a crusty exterior which makes it easy to cut and handle but this is also what gives the dish a different texture and intense taste Patience is of utmost importance Stirring it on a low flame takes a while and effort A high flame could cause scorching and the sugar will caramelise changing the texture of the cheese When stored correctly it stays for long says KhannaGuava cheese is rich in vitamins and can be cut into pieces and had as is or added to savoury sandwiches for a tangy punchCall 8104197715Guava cheeseIngredients5 medium guavas400 gms sugarJuice of 1 lemon15 gms gheeA few drops of pink colour not required if using pink guavasMethodWash and clean the guavas Cut into small pieces and blend in a blender till it turns into a fine pasteSieve through a fine wire strainer to remove seedsTransfer pulp into a wide thick bottomed nonstick pan Mix in the sugar Cook on a low flame stirring continuously As the mix gets thicker stirring may require strength Stir till it starts leaving the sides and the bottom of the panAdd lemon juice and a few drops of colour Mix well Add gheeand continue cooking for afew minutesTransfer the mix into an oiled plate or baking sheet and keep aside for two days Cut the guava cheese into squares ServeUlli theeyal AT Nair on Fire BandraChef Sara Nair cofounder of Bandra kitchen Nair on Fire has vivid memories of Christmas at her grandparents home in Pampakuda Ernakulam Some memories are etched forever and savouring the ulli theeyal with rice is one of them for me says Nair who along with husband Vinod runs the Keralastyle catering service with partner Toral Sanghavi Considered the queen of Kerala curries ulli theeyal is a tangy vegetarian gravy made with shallots roasted coconut tamarind and spices A lone wolf in an array of meat dishes prepared at the Nair household it stands out for more reason than one To begin with it is a labour of love says NairIf youre preparing it for a large family you need to slow roast coconut in the urli a big brass vessel used in South Indian homes Nair cautions that slow roasting takes patience There are no shortcuts Roasting has to be done on a low flame while paying attention to the texture and colour of the ground coconut A high flame will result in uneven roasting and ruin the tasteChef Sara Nair PicAshis RajeAt her ancestral home tasks were divided to reduce preparation time For Nair peeling shallots was most challenging Each lobe has a clingy skin While Nair would prepare the vegetarian version she says tossing in chunks of chicken or prawn is also kosher Back in Kerala her grandmother prepared the dish in bulk and sent a portion of it to the local church Its a versatile dish Although it takes long to prepare you realise its all worth it when you finally dig in at dinner Interestingly the gravy can be kept at room temperature for three days without turning rancid Heat it once a day and youre sortedCall 9324059522Ullui TheeyalIngredients250 gm shallots peeled and sliced15 cup grated coconut1 cup tamarind water15 tbsp coriander seeds10 dried red chillies1 sprig curry leaves1 tsp coconut oil23 green chillis slit lengthwise1 small piece ginger choppedSalt as requiredMethodIn a heated kadhai roast grated coconut on a slow fire till it is dark golden brown stirring almost continuously to roast it evenlyOnce it turns dark golden brown add the coriander seeds and roast for another 34 minutesAdd the red chilli and roast for another 34 minutes Keep this to cool and then grind it without adding water till it is a fine pasteIn another kadai take a spoon of coconut oil and temper it with mustard and curry leaves Add the sliced shallots slit green chilli sliced ginger and sauteacute till the oil coats the onion and becomes transparent Pour tamarind water and salt to the mixture and cook till the onion is softAdd the ground coconut masala to the boiled onion and reduce this gravy on a slow fire Adjust the salt and the consistency to thicker than most curriesConfit Duck AT Out of the Blue BandraImagine a wellcooked duck that melts in your mouth with a rich luscious but mellow flavour This centuriesold and timehonoured French dish is made using the whole bird and is nothing less than a big fat blast of flavours Chef Juliano Rodrigues from Out Of The Blue says The meat is preserved in its own fat to get rid of moisture also no harmful bacteria can thrive in the dense fatJuliano Rodriguez PicNimesh DaveThis procedure is similar to maceration where fruit is usually infused in alcohol However here the meat is infused with fat and flavour The duck is cured with salt and gently cooked in its own fat Confit is a method of cooking the duck meat in fat oil or a water syrup at a low temperature Confit cooking does not involve deep frying since it is prepared at temperatures around 93C and sometimes even lower When cooked traditionally the whole process is tedious but fruitful Christmas is a time of family gatherings and just right for a large decadent dish like duck Duck is served in a lot of restaurants around winter making it a great substitute for turkey or chicken which are available throughout the year says RodriguesRememberMake sure you preserve the meat correctly so that theres no moisture or microorganisms involved Skipping the saltcuring stage reduces the shelf life of the confit so make sure its done properly Duck fat is important It makes the dish deliciousCall 324839393Confit duckFor brining100 gm sugar1 tbsp salt2 litre water50 gm rosemary oregano and thymeBrine the duck in sugar salt water and herbs for 24 hours Drain the water Allow to setConfitPlace the duck in a sixinch deep pan add duck fat and seasonings Set temperature of oven very lowmdashapproximately 80C Slow cook for 12 hoursOnce the duck is cooked allow it to rest in duck fat for three hours Then drain the fat and reserve for future useAllow the duck to rest for 24 hours before serviceIngredients1 duck leg approx 160 gm1 tbsp goat cheese150 gm mash potato100 gm confit carrot50 gm charred broccoli4 crispy onion rings50 ml rosemary jusMethodPlace prepared duck confit on a tray and bake for three minutes on high temperature till the ducks skin is crispOn a plate first place the mash in the centre followed by the confit then some carrots and broccoli next to it in a circular 12 clock and 1 clock dialPlace the duck on the mash followed by the jus and some micro greens and balsamic reduction for garnishingChef Rohan DSouza PicsAnurag AhireRoast chicken AT Silver Beach Cafe JuhuAccording to Rohan DSouza culinary director Silver Beach Hospitality roast chicken is a significant dish at Christmas since it is perfect for a large group of people who plan to celebrate the energy of the season togetherRoast chicken involves a twomethod process He says We do it in a different brine solution Rather than a salt and water brine we also add aromatic vegetables carrot leaves and celeryAfter blending both salt and water with this mix I apply it to the chicken and keep it in the fridge for 24 hours After taking it out the chicken is rested so that the moisture is released This method has proved to be one of our best brine experiments so far Now the chicken is roasted for two hoursAfter taking it out of the oven I let it dry drizzle some paprika and oil on the chicken I roast it again but this time for one hour and 10 minutes The entire process takes over two days as more the brine enters the meat the better it tastesRoast chicken can be paired with a glass of single malt cognac or wine I know of 15 ways to make roast chicken but recipe with the brine experiment is exclusively reserved for Christmas this year he saysCall 26208930Chef Kaustubh Hadkar PicsDatta KumbharCrispy pork AT Sofitel Mumbai BKCChef de partie of Sofitel Mumbai Kaustubh Hadkar and executive chef Neeraj Raut spent almost a year figuring ways to get crispy pork right in time for Christmas 2019 After a lot of RnD we nailed the recipe The result is a crispy skin and juicy pork belly Hadkar tells us Crispy pork takes exactly two days of preparation before it is finally put on a table ready for serving On day one the pork belly is marinated For this you need to use a knife to make several cuts across the skin of the pork belly Ensure that you cut through the skin and not into the meat he addsTo make the marination more effective sprinkle salt pepper fresh rosemary and then drizzle in some olive oil Rub the pork all over this mix and place the pork with skin side up overnight in the refrigerator Also apply vinegar it helps break down particles of the skin One important instruction is to dry the skin a little with a cloth so that it does not get extra salty Next morning apply more vinegar and sea salt to the pork Before stuffing it into the oven ensure that the skin does not touch the corners of the appliance If the skin touches the oven the meat will become too dryCrispy porkRoast it at 185degC for 40 minutes Now use a cloth to remove additional salt and put the pork back into the oven and cook it at 220degC for 25 minutes This helps you get a puffier pork skin If you follow the procedure well and are patient the meat will become juicy and the skin crispy You can pair the dish with mashed sweet potatoes and wine The dish can also be served with vegetables stirfried in sauce of your choice The chef tells us in order to get perfectly cooked meat avoid exposing it directly into the oven or it will shrink and die We are told that this is Kaustubhs favourite dish so go on and make him proudCall 61175000Chef Jasjit Keer PicsSayyed Sameer AbediSlow roast turkey with apple cider jue AT Alfredos MaladWhile curating the new Christmas menu for Alfredos Malad chef Jasjit Keer wanted to ensure the slow roasted turkey with apple cider jue occupied pride of place It was his way of honouring a longheld customTraditionally every household that celebrated Christmas kept the best turkey for the family We wanted to bring alive that experience says Keer As is the case with most festive dishes prepping begins well in advanceDay one involves rubbing a mixture of sage thyme and rosemary brown sugar orange rind apple cider and kosher salt on the bird Once the turkey is covered with the rub its allowed to sit overnight in the fridge to infuse the flavours For a juicy tasty turkey Keer says it should be fresh and well thawed Extreme generosity while salting and seasoning can elevate the taste because turkey on its own does not have much flavourSlow roast turkey with apple cider jueButter helps the turkey meat stay tender and the skin get crispy I usually soak it in brine and toss in some bay leaves cloves crushed garlic and pulpy orange juice to infuse an extra tart flavour It takes up to 35 hours for a large bird to cook A sign of a welldone turkey is when it is moist and fragrant inside and crispy on the outside Another way to tell if the turkey is cooked well is when it starts looking fuller tender and plump Ensure that the meat bounces back when you poke it without leaving a dentCall 8070666030Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and 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