Mango cakes with cranberry-OJ sauce

There is nothing more festive than eating a cake Flambéed right at the table - creating a drama and sensation that everyone loves during Christmas!
Here is my version of a little healthier version of a mango cake that is delicious, satisfies the appetite for a bit of theatrics and is great for entertaining any time of the year!

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 egg
50gm All purpose flour
50gm regular cane sugar
4 tbsp butter
5-6 tbsp pure mango pulp(recommendation is canned Alphonso pulp)
2tsp Baking powder
Pre-heated oven to 325F

Sauce:
1/2 cup cranberries(fresh or frozen)
1 orange zest
1 orange juice
1/4cup sugar
1 star anise

Flambé:
1 cup Bourbon or liquor of your choice
Lighter

Method:
Cake:
1. Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl until sugar is well incorporated.
Note: If your butter is right of fridge or freezer, then melt it for a few seconds in microwave. The consistency should be runny and white, it shouldn't be too warm. Then you can proceed with mixing sugar to it.
2. Now add mango pulp and mix well until incorporated in the batter.
3. Now add 1 egg and mix well until incorporated in the batter.
4. Add flour and baking powder and then mix well until incorporated in the batter.
5. Final step - pour the batter in two 4" by 1.75" pans for two small cakes OR one  4" by 1.75" for one thicker cake.
6. Bake at 325F for ~20-30 minutes. Insert a toothpick and check if it comes out clear. At that point your cake is done.

Sauce:
1. Bring all the ingredients to boil and reduce in a sauce pan on low heat. It should take about 5-7 minutes once it comes to a boil.

Flambé:
1. Warm 1 cup of Bourbon or Cointreau. Transfer the liquor in a bowl.
2. Bring the bowl to the table and ignite the liquor surface with a lighter.
3. Pour half of the liquid flame on the cakes.

Enjoy the show and savor the cakes!

Linguine in wild mushroom sauce

Dried wild mushrooms have become a staple in my pantry these days. With a hectic schedule and a desire to eat as many home cooked meals as possible, there is a need to revise the grocery list every now and then to come up with innovative ideas that are in stock and save time while entertaining! Dried food happens to be one of such items.

Ingredients:
1 cup of dried while mushroom
2 1/2 cups of hot water

1/2 packet of Linguine pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tbsp flour
2 cloves of garlic
Crushed red pepper to taste
Black Pepper powder to taste
Dried oregano to taste
3 tsp cream(optional)
Salt to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pre-prepration:
Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 30 minutes before making the pasta.

Method:
1. Start cooking the pasta based on the instructions on the packet.
2. Drain the soaking mushrooms and reserve the liquid for later use.
3. In a skillet start heating olive oil, red pepper, black pepper, garlic, oregano and salt on a medium-low flame.
4. Once the oil is heated(not to the smoking point) put the flour and cook it for 1-2 minutes into a smooth paste.
5. Add mushroom stock to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
6. Add cream and drained mushrooms to the sauce and simmer for another minute or two on low flame.
7. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and mix.
8. Mix half of the Parmesan in the pasta.

Garnish with remaining Parmesan and serve hot!

Rice with Shrimps and Arugula sauce

I know this sounds like a crazy combination but trust me - it works.
Rice, shrimps and arugula - a combination that is surprisingly delicious and very easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 cup cooked rice
10-15 shrimps
Chopped parsley to garnish


Arugula sauce:
3 cup arugula
1/4 cup roasted nut mixture(walnuts, almonds and cashews)
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium size lemon juice
1 medium size lemon zest
1/4 cup olive oil
1 avocado
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. To make the sauce add all the sauce ingredients to the food processor and grind to a coarse paste.
2. In a pan cook the shrimps in olive oil.
3. In a serving platter add shrimps to the rice. Add a couple of table spoons of the sauce and reserve the remaining sauce in the fridge in an airtight container.
4. Mix and garnish with some parsley and grated cheese.

The reserved sauce can be used to dress pasta, cooked meat and veggies and also as a spread on toast for breakfast. It is a multipurpose sauce after all!! :)

Chick pea chat salad

This is one of my to-go salad when it comes to entertaining with Indian food.
This is a great way to incorporate classic Indian flavors and make it look pretty.

Ingredients:
1 medium size red onion
2 tomatoes
1 can of chick peas/garbanzo beans
1 tsbp of mint
2 thai chillies
1 tbsp of fresh coriander/cilantro
1 lime
2 tsp chat masala
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp sugar
1 head of Belgian Endive
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Finely chop tomatoes, onions, chillies, coriander and mint and mix that with garbanzo beans(drained and washed).
2. Add 1 lime juice, sugar, cumin powder, chat masala, salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes so that the beans soften and soak up all the flavors.
4. Serve on individual endive leaves as shown above for personal salad bites.

Sunshine Salad

This is one of my favorite summer salads.
Mango is a seasonal fruit that is at it's best during summer and this salad highlights the same.

Ingredients:
3 leaves of Romain washed - cut in bite size pieces
4 medium size radishes - cut in quarters
2 medium size ripe mangoes - cut in 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup parsley leaves - roughly chop so that the leaves still retain their shape
1 medium size cucumber - cut in 1 inch cubes
Grated Pecorino-romano for garnish

Dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a bowl layer romain, parsley, cucumber, mango and radish in that order.
2. Lightly mix the dressing, don't over mix that will take away the lightness of salad, and pour over the salad.
3. Garnish with some grated cheese(the salty bite from Pecorino adds to the flavor and is my choice of cheese).

Grilled veggie salad

This salad can be made with any vegetables of your choice.
I just used two of them that I think paired very well together.

Ingredients:
2 ripe tomatoes on vine
1 medium size zucchini 
1 small lemon
Grated Pecorino-romano for garnish
Chopped parsley for garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cut tomatoes and zucchini in 1/2 inch circles. 
2. Put some non-stick spray on a grill pan.
3. Grill the veggies on both side for 4 minutes(until you see the grill marks on them).
4. Season the veggies in pan with some salt and pepper.
5. Arrange the tomatoes at the bottom of the plate and then zucchini on the top.
6. Squeeze some lemon juice over the veggies.
7. Garnish with grated Pecorino-romano and chopped parsley.