MasterChef India judge Kunal's recipes: Grilled fish, Ravioli, more

Food critic Vir Sanghvi describes him as 'The real star of MasterChef India'. A name to reckon with, celebrity chef and judge of MasterChef India Season 1, 2 and 3, Kunal Kapur went on to write a book A Chef in every Home.

Here are nine mouth-watering recipes excerpted from Kunal Kapur's A Chef in every Home.

Tzatziki

Makes 1 cup

Tzatziki originated in Greece and Turkey and is usually made with goat or sheep milk. But cow or buffalo milk is also a great substitute.

• 2 cups yoghurt
• 1 cucumber (medium)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp dill leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves
• Salt to taste
• Pepper powder to taste

Hang yoghurt in a muslin cloth for 2 hours. Separately peel and grate the cucumber. Smash the garlic cloves and finely chop them.

Add garlic, grated cucumber, olive oil, chopped dill leaves, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the yoghurt and whisk it well. Allow it to sit in the fridge for an hour and whisk again before serving as a dip.

Excerpted from A Chef in every Home with kind permission of the publisher Random House India

You can buy Kunal Kapur's A Chef in every Home here! 

Aubergine and Peanut Chutney

Makes 1 small jar

This unique recipe is somewhat similar to the Hyderabadi dish of sweet and sour eggplants. Together the sourness of the tamarind and the sweetness of jaggery combine to make a great flavour.

• 6 cups aubergine, diced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp kalonji
• 1 tbsp jeera
• 1/4 cup curry leaves
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 cups jiggery, grated
• 1 cup tamarind pulp
• 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted
• Salt to taste

Heat olive oil and add kalonji and jeera. When it crackles, add curry leaves and immediately add the tomatoes. Saute for a minute. Add red chilli powder, turmeric, and slat. Stir for a minute.

Now add the aubergines and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add tamarind, cover and let it simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the grated jaggery and roasted peanuts. Check for seasoning.

Remove and allow it to cool. Store in a right fitting jar.

Apple Walnut and Greens

Serves 2

Preparation time 20 mins

Apples and walnuts are a delightful gift from heaven if they are combined together. This is a simple salad to make and is packed with nutrients. The curry powder complements the taste of the apples beautifully.

• 3 cups apples, diced
• 8 cups baby lettuce (assorted)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp mustard paste
• Salt to taste

In a bowl, place the apples, walnuts, and assorted lettuce.

Separately mix mustard paste, lemon juice, curry powder, honey, and olive oil to make the dressing. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the leaves and apples and serve chilled.

Bhuttae ka Shorba with Chilli Butter Popcorns

(Indian corn Soup)

Serves 4

India is famous for serving spicy roasted corn on the cob. This version is a take on the corn on the cob but the spices evoke the similar taste of street side masala corn.

• 3 cups sweet corn kernels
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp jeera
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger, chopped
• 2 tbsp, garlic, chopped
• 1 green chilli, slit
• 2 tbsp refined flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 cup green coriander
• For Chilli Butter Popcorns
• 1 cup popcorn
• 1 tbsp butter
• A pinch of chilli powder

Make a puree of sweet corn and keep aside. In a pan, heat oil, add bay leaf, and jeera. Now add the finely chopped onions, green chilli, ginger, and garlic.

Lower the heat and cook till the onions are transparent. Add the refined flour and suite till blonde in colour. Now add the sweet corn mash and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Add sufficient water and give it a quick boil and then simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Adjust seasoning and finally mix in the chopped coriander and sprinkle chaat masala over it.

Melt butter and pour over the popcorn, sprinkle red chilli powder, and serve along with the soup.

Khoba Roti

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 mins

Cooking time 10 mins

Khoba, which means incisions on bread, makes this Rajasthani bread a delightful sight. It is so pretty that it is the single most reason to go ahead and try it. These incisions help to capture the extra ghee or butter in which it is cooked. I have added a few of my own flavours to enhance the taste.

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp ajwain
• 1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
• 1/2 cup ghee, clarified butter

Mix together flour, salt, 1 tbsp ghee, ajwain, fenugreek leaves, and water to make a stiff dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Now divide the dough into balls. Roll out round and thick discs about 8” diameter. Using your fingers, push, pinch and lift the dough at various places to make indents and pinches on the surface. Do the same on the sides as well.

Heat a griddle and cook with the pinched side up first, then turn. Apply ghee on both sides and cook on medium heat for a nicely done crisp bread. Serve hot.

Charmoula Rubbed Grilled Fish

Serves 2

Preparation time 10 mins

Cooking time 15 mins

Charmoula is a rub or marinade that goes very well with seafood. It is commonly found in the cuisines of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. A brilliant combination of coriander, spices and olive oil, which has a very subtle yet expressive flavour.

• 600 gm whole fish (cleaned and gutted)
• 5 tbsp charmoula
• Salt to taste
• Pepper powder to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Lemon wedges for garnishing

Pat dry the cleaned and gutted fish. Using a sharp knife, make small slits on the flesh of the fish on both sides, from top to bottom. Apply lemon juice and sprinkle salt and pepper. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Rub the charmoula on the fish and leave aside for 10 minutes. Preheat an oven to 170 degree c, and bake the fish for approximately 25 minutes.

Ravioli

Serves 2

Preparation time 20 minutes

Ravioli is pasta that is stuffed. You can stuff it with vegetables, meats, cheeses, and even eggs. You can prepare them and freeze for a few weeks.

• 280 gm pasta dough
• 3/4 cup hard cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin, diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp onions, chopped
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• A pinch of pepper powder
• A pinch of nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• For the Sauce
• 3 tbsp butter
• A sprig of sage
• 1/4 cup walnuts

Heat oil in a pan and add onions and fennel. Saute for 2 minutes and add the pumpkin. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook till pumpkin is tender and remove. Using the back of a spoon, mash up the pumpkin. Cool and mix in grated cheese.

Roll out the fresh pasta dough using a rolling pin. Flatten to about 1 mm thick. Using a round cutter, cut out round discs of about 2 1/2 ‘ diameter.

Place a spoonful of mashed pumpkin in the centre of a disc. Using your fingertips apply water on the edges of disc. Now carefully place another disc on top of the pasta and press gently. Press around the stuffing, lightly lifting it to give the shape of a head, working your way out towards the edges. Use a fork to press and seal the edges.

This will let out any air bubbles. Repeat for the rest of the dough. Boil water and add some oil to it. Drop the ravioli in boiling water and cook till it floats to the surface. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on a greased plate.

Heat pan and add butter. Add walnuts and sage and allow the butter to froth. Once it starts to turn brown, remove from heat and drizzle on top of the ravioli.

Bedtime Chocolate Shots

Serves 2

Preparation time 15 mins

Cooking time 15 mins

Chocolates always help in lifting up your spirits. Here are three different flavours of chocolate shots – dark chocolate with chilli, fennel with white chocolate, and citrus with milk chocolate. This recipe is a great start to a romantic conversation and s a perfect end after a good meal.

• For Chilli Dark Shot
• 100 gm dark chocolate
• 10 gm cocoa powder
• 100 ml cream
• 100 ml milk
• 1 fresh red chilli
• For Fennel Cardamom White Shot
• 120 gm white chocolate
• 100 ml cream
• 100 ml milk
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• For Orange Cinnamon Milk Shot
• 110 gm milk chocolate
• 100 ml cream
• 100 ml milk
• 1 tbsp orange rind, grated
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

For chilli dark shot, mix cream, milk cocoa powder, slit chilli, and dark chocolate in a pan and put on a low heat. Once the chocolate melts, strain the chocolate and pour in shot glasses. Serve while it is still warm.

For fennel cardamom white shot, mix cream, milk, white chocolate, fennel seeds, and cardamom powder in a pan and put on a low heat. Once the chocolate melts, turn off the heat and keep aside to allow the flavours to infuse for 2 minutes. Strain and pour in shot glasses and serve while it is still warm.

For orange cinnamon milk shit, mix cream, milk, milk chocolate, orange rind, and cinnamon powder in a pan and put on low heat. Once the chocolate melts, turn off the heat and keep aside to allow the flavours to infuse. Strain and pour in shot glasses and serve while it is still warm.

Paan Supari Pannacotta

Serves 10

preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 10 mins

Betel leaf and the Indian betel nut is a mouth freshner with a unique zing. In India, it is customary for the hosts to offer their guests this after dinners. This desert takes on the Italian pannacotta and gives it a fresh avatar.

• 500 ml fresh cream
• 75 ml sugar (fine grain)
• 15 gm gelatin
• 10 betel leaf
• 1 tbsp betel nut mixture, supari mixture
• 2 tbsp kewra water
• 25 gm gulkand

Soak gelatin with equal amount of cold water in a bowl and keep aside.

Pour the cream in a pan and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and add sugar and kewra water. Let it rest till it is turns warm.

In the meantime, put the betel leaf in a blender and add 2 ice cubes. Make a puree but make sure it does not turn brown.

Heat the gelatin a pan over a fire or in a microwave till it turns liquid. Add it to the warm cream. Add the betel leaf puree and supari.

Pour the mixture in a mould of your choice and refrigerate for 2 hours. Then, demould and serve topped with some gulkand.