POPEYE THE SALAD MAN
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This was a much loved salad at NDTV Good Times back when I was selling salads in my ex office. I got the inspiration from Instagram of course but modified it a bit with my touch which had sautéed spinach and mushrooms in garlic, fresh cherry tomatoes, roasted sesame seeds, crispy spinach with grilled paneer or chicken. I used to serve it with a hung curd dip, balsamic vinaigrette and focaccia bread and it was a wholesome meal. •
So Olive Delhi (The restaurant I'm currently interning at) started this very interesting project called ‘Sunday Project’ where anyone can come up with a dish and present 3-5 portions where the head chefs of the kitchen critique it and everybody gets to taste it. You definitely learn a lot but it’s scary as hell; 4-6 pm, after the Sunday brunch all the chefs are in a frenzy tying to get their plates ready for the Masterchef moment. So 3 Sunday’s ago I decided to make Popeye The Salad Man (seemed appropriate since I’m doing my apprenticeship at Olive) and whatever could go wrong did go wrong. I wanted to use Buratta to replace the creaminess of the dip but it wasn’t available so instead I filled boconccini with a herb flavoured cream hoping that it was ooze out as I cut it but of course it didn’t. I used concentrated balsamic reduction for the vinaigrette and the consistency was thick and not at all like a dressing. The dish was under seasoned and my chicken was over cooked. All of this after making this very salad like a 100 times for customers and also doing a trial run at home, which I made my mom critique. Woah, I really must have been super stressed. But none the less it was an experience from which I learnt and gathered courage and put up a dish 2 Sunday’s later. 💪🏻 Here's the recipe below: Serves 1 (400 gms)
INGREDIENTS: ~300 gm of spinach nicely washed and stems cut off ~1 cup mushrooms ~5 slices of paneer (cottage cheese) or tofu ~7-8 cherry tomatoes cut in half ~sesame seeds ~1/2 cup of finely chopped garlic ~Olive oil ~Vegetable oil for frying ~Curd ~ Cream and bonconccini or Buratta ~ Salt and pepper to taste ~thyme METHOD: ~ Marinate chicken breast in oilive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper and set aside. Chop the cottage cheese in thin strips and season with salt and pepper ~ In a pan cook the spinach until the leaves shrivel up and season with salt and pepper. Alternately you can blanch them in boiling water and toss them in the pan with some fried garlic and salt. ~ In the same pan add oil and cook 1 tbsp of garlic. Once golden brown, add the mushrooms and cook till they reduce. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Add chili flakes for an extra kick. ~Pat dry a 10-12 whole spinach leaves and fry them in regular oil. Once they turn a dark green take them out with a spider strainer and place on a tissue or kitchen towel to soak up the oil. In a pan saute garlic and add the fried spinach. Season with salt, chili flakes and toasted white sesame seeds. Place aside. ~ Cook the chicken in a pan and if you have access to an oven finish it off in there at 180-200 *C for 3-5 mins. Grill the paneer or tofu on a pan until it has a nice golden brown exterior and soft in the middle. ~ If you're using buratta, season the top with salt and pepper. If you're using bonconccini then scoop out the inside cheese from the bottom. Take unsweetened cooking cream and add herb oil (recipe will come soon) and salt to it. Whisk it over ice so that it thickens and once it has a nice consistency fill it into the bonconccini. ~Place the sauteed spinach, mushrooms, protein of your choice, cherry tomatoes, with the cheese in the centre. Garnish with fried spinach and roasted sesame seeds. LAVAASH ~ 500 gm flour ~ 275 ml milk ~ 2.5 gm onion powder ~ 2.5 gm garlic powder ~ 25 gm herb oil (for a greenish colour) or regular olive oil ~a pinch of sumac powder and salt to taste ~ Roll out the dough well by stretching and kneeding so that it is mixed well and has a good stretchable consistency. Put it in an air tight box and let it set in the fridge over night. ~ Roll it out the next day to the thickness of your choice. Cut it with a pizza cutter into long triangles and bake in a wood fired oven for about 5-7 mins. Once it is out drizzle pesto sauce, red pepper calabrese sauce (recipe coming soon) and grate parmesan cheese on top. It makes a great side dish! ~Alternates for starchy carbs are foccacia bread or Ezekiel bread BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE ~1 tsp honey ~1 tbsp Dijon Mustard ~1/4 cup balsamic dressing ~3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil ~1/2 lemon (optional) ~salt to taste HUNG CURD DRESSING ~1 cup hung yogurt ~2-3 chopped garlic ~chilli flakes and oregano to taste ~salt and pepper to taste |
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Green Bean Galileo
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~Caramelised onions with steamed beans
~Iceberg lettuce ~Pearl barley ~Grilled Chicken ~Sundried tomatoes ~Cherry tomatoes DRESSING: Orange balsamic vinaigrette (Sugar-free) ~1 cup orange juice ~1 tbsp honey ~pinch of salt ~2 tbsp balsamic vinegar ~2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil |
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GRASSLAND GROOVE
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SERVING SIZE: 1 person (400gms)
INGREDIENTS: ~1 cup chopped beans ~1 cup broccoli ~1 cup chopped baby corn ~ 1 cup mushrooms ~ 1 cup chopped zucchini ~ Chicken breast marinated in olive oil, garlic and lemon ~ 5 thinly sliced pieces of cottage cheese (paneer) ~ 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic ~ Olive oil METHOD: ~ Chop the beans, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms and baby corn into bite size pieces. In a shallow pan add the olive oil and brown the garlic until golden brown. Add the broccoli and zucchini first as the take longer to cook. If the pan dries up add some vegetable or chicken stock. ~ Meanwhile, put the beans in a microwave safe bowl and cover with a lid, heat the beans for about a minute and remove the lid so that they are nice and crunchy. ~ Once the broccoli and zucchini are slightly cooked, add the mushroom and sauté the vegetables. Cook on a medium to low heat and once the mushroom shrink, add the beans and season with salt, pepper, oregano and chili flakes. Take out the vegetables and put them on a plate. ~ In the same pan, add some more olive oil and garlic and cook the marinated chicken. In case you're cooking cottage cheese, use a grill to get an added charred flavour. ~ Combine the protein and the vegetables and garnish wish parsley or chives. Add a few peanuts or breadsticks for an extra crunch! DRESSINGS: BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE ~ 100 ml balsamic dressing ~ 300 ml extra virgin olive oil ~ 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic ~ 2 tbsp honey ~ a pinch of salt ~ 1 tbsp dijon mustard HUNG CURD DIP ~ 300 ml curd hung in a muslin cloth over night ~ 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic ~ 1 tsp chilli flakes ~ 1 tsp oregano ~ Salt and pepper to taste |
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THE HAHA
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SERVING SIZE: 1 person (400gms)
INGREDIENTS: 2 cups boiled baby potatoes 8-10 pieces of bacon 1/2 a green zucchini cut in dials 1 cherry tomato cut in half 1/2 cup snow peas (whole, not peeled) METHOD: - Cut the zucchini in dials, on a hot grill sprinkle some salt and sugar and add the zucchini once the sugar starts caramelising. Once the bottom side gets a nice colour and the grill lines, turn the other side. Cook for a total of 2-3 minutes and keep aside. - Peel the boiled baby potatoes and cut each in half. In a shallow fry pan put the butter, salt, oregano and chilli flakes. Let it sizzle in the butter and then add the potatoes. Leave it on sim for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are covered with the seasoning and are nice and crisp. - Steam the snow peas in a glass bowl which is covered with a lid. Zap in the microwave for 1 and a half minutes and keep aside - Fry the bacon without any oil (for 1 minute on each side) and keep aside. Use the same pan and the leftover oil from the bacon to cook it the pepperoni. This will take 2-3 minutes to cook. DRESSING: - 1 cup dahi (hung over night) - 1 tsp crushed garlic - pinch of salt - pinch of pepper - tsp of chilli flakes -2 tsps of oregano - whip together and thin it with 1 tbsp of milk |
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SEA-SAW TUNES
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SERVING SIZE: 1 person (400gms)
INGREDIENTS: ~Mixed lettuce leaves ~Canned Tuna fish ~Diced red onions ~Chopped cucumber ~Diced tomatoes ~White Channa (chickpeas) soaked over night METHOD: ~ Add all the ingredients and toss them together, make sure that they are nicely coated with the dressing. DRESSING: ~Juice of 2 lemons ~1tsp salt ~1 tsp chaat masala ~1/2 tsp ground pepper ~1 tbsp olive oil |
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THAI HIGH
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SERVING SIZE: 1 person (400 gms)
INGREDIENTS: 1.5 big bunch of bok choy 1 cup mushrooms 1 packet baby corns 6 big cloves of garlic 1 spring onion 1 big red chilli Sesame seeds Salted peanuts Boneless chicken breast or paneer 2 tbsp oyster sauce Regular cooking oil METHOD: -Slice the chicken breast in half and marinate in oyster sauce and garlic. Thoroughly wash your vegetables and allow the water to strain. Chop the baby corn in thin diagonal strips, the mushroom in squares and the spring onions in dials. Break of the stem from the bok choy and slice it vertically. Finely chop the garlic and keep aside. Remove the seeds from the chilli and diagonally slice the tip to get 3 neat rings. -In a pan put some oil and 1 tsp of garlic, the white part of the spring onion and fry for a bit. Add the baby corn and toss in the pan then add the mushroom. Cook on high flame to avoid water coming out from the vegetables. Season with salt and set aside. -In the same pan put 1 tbsp of oil and 1tbsp of garlic. Cook the stems of the bok choy until they get some colour and then add the leaves. Add 1 tbsp of salt and toss around, take it off the gas once the leaves shrink. - In oil and garlic cook your marinated chicken or paneer. In case you have not marinated it you can cook the raw protein in oyster sauce directly. In a bowl lay down the stems and leaves of the bok choy, add the cooked mushroom and baby corn, add your cooked protein on top, sprinkle with a few peanuts and sesame seeds. Finish it off by garnishing with the green part of the spring onion and decorate with red chilli :) DRESSING: 2 tbsp sticky chilli sauce Juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp fish sauce |
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FIREFLIES ON YOUR PLATE
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SERVING SIZE: 1 person (400gms)
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup baby potatoes 1/2 cup snow peas (whole, not peeled) 1 bunch of Bok Choy Chicken marinated in oyster sauce and garlic (tofu or paneer) Toasted Sesame seeds METHOD: - Boil the baby potatoes and peel them. In a shallow pan add 2 heap full tbsp of butter, a tsp of salt, lots of oregano and chilli flakes and mix well. Throw in the baby potatoes and fry till they are nicely coated and crispy on the outside. You can leave the skin on if you want them to be extra crisp. - Cook the stem of the bok choy in 1/2 tsp of olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Put in the leaves and cook on low flame till the leaves reduce in size. - Steam the snow peas in a glass bowl which is covered with a lid. Zap in the microwave for 1 and a half minutes and keep aside. - In a shallow pan add a tsp of olive oil and fry 3 cloves of crushed garlic. Put in your marinated protein and cook well. - Put the salad together and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. FOR THE DRESSING -2 tbsp balsamic vinegar -1 tsp brown sugar -1 tbsp soya sauce -1/2 tbsp oyster sauce - 1/2 lemon juice - Toasted sesame seeds |
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THE RI RI
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THE RI RI
SERVING SIZE: 1 person (400gms) INGREDIENTS: 1 cup gluten free pasta 2 cups boiled baby potatoes 1/2 cup pepperoni 1/2 a green zucchini cut in dials 1/2 yellow pepper cut in bite size strips 100 gms salted roasted peanuts 1 cherry tomato cut in half 10-15 black olives; chopped and pitted 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp heaped with butter 2 tbsp oregano 1 tbsp chilli flakes 1 tsp salt METHOD: - Bring 2 cups of water to boil and add 1 tsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Boil the pasta for 4-6 minutes, drain and then run through cold water and keep aside. - Cut the zucchini in dials, on a hot grill sprinkle some salt and sugar and add the zucchini once the sugar starts caramelising. Once the bottom side gets a nice colour and the grill lines, turn the other side. Cook for a total of 2-3 minutes and keep aside. - Peel the boiled baby potatoes and cut each in half. In a shallow fry pan put the butter, salt, oregano and chilli flakes. Let it sizzle in the butter and then add the potatoes. Leave it on sim for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are covered with the seasoning and are nice and crisp. - Fry the bacon without any oil (for 1 minute on each side) and keep aside. Use the same pan and the leftover oil from the bacon to cook it the pepperoni. This will take 2-3 minutes to cook. DRESSING: - 1 cup dahi (hung over night) - 1 tsp crushed garlic - pinch of salt - pinch of pepper - tsp of chilli flakes -2 tsps of oregano - whip together and thin it with 1 tbsp of milk PREPERATION - mix together the pasta, zucchini, potatoes, yellow peppers and pepperoni in a bowl and add a dollop of the dressing which should evenly cover all the ingredients. - Add the crispy bacon (bite size bits for convenience of eating), the chopped olives and peanuts on top. Decorate with cherry tomatoes and serve it with the dressing in case anyone wants it to be more creamy! ENJOY :) 
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