Sunday, September 30, 2012

So French! Making Crêpes

So we had a Crêpes party! My French friends taught me how to make these. They're SO good! With Ham & Cheese, or with Nutella, or with Caramel, or with Whipped Cream and Fruit.. YUM! :D

What you need:

Flour
Milk (and a little cream if you want :P)
Eggs
Butter
Salt
Oil

(For measurements, google the recipe to know how much of what you need for how many people)

To serve:
Ham
Cheese
Nutella
Caramel
White Chocolate
Whipped Cream
Fresh Berries
Anything!


Assemble the ingredients for making the crepes.


Measure out the flour into the bowl.


Add the eggs to the flour.


Whisk it all together.


Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously.


If using Creme Fraiche, add that now. Keep whisking.


Melt the butter, add it into the batter.
Let the batter stand for about 1 - 2 hours. Do not disturb.


Heat a large flat pan till HOT. Wipe it with a paper towel dipped in oil so that there is a thin, even film of oil on the pan.


Take one ladle-full of the batter. 


Pour the batter into the pan. Tilt the pan all the way so that the batter makes a thin layer on the pan. Do not disturb.


When the edges of the Crêpe start slightly coming off the pan, slide a flat spatula under it and flip it over. Careful not to break it!



And voila! Its done. :D

To Serve:

My French friend made a sauce with Creme Fraiche to add onto our savoury crepes. So good!


Pour the creme fraiche into a bowl. Lightly beat.


Squeeze half a lemon into the creme fraiche.


Snip some chives into it. Mix together and its done!


Arrange the cheese.


Serve the ham.


Lay everything out. Savoury fillings as well as sweet - everything goes! :)


Here I only have a picture of a Crêpe with ham, cheese and the creme fraiche. Crêpes are amazing with Nutella and sweet fillings as well, but every time I tried to take a picture of a Crêpe with Nutella it got eaten before I could click it! :P

Health Fix: 2 Easy Yogurt Dips

So easy to make, great for having friends over without notice, especially if you don't have time to make Guacamole!

What you need:

Yogurt (Greek/Nonfat/Anything)
Salt
Red Chilli powder
Pepper
Cumin (powder) or grind it like I did
Garlic
Lemon

#1 - Spiced Yogurt Dip


If you don't have cumin powder, or a blender, or a mortar and pestle (come on, you must have one of these, right! Student life, what can I say :P) Grind the cumin seeds like I did - In a big open pan, with any heavy object.


In a bowl, mix together yogurt, salt, ground cumin and red chilli powder. Done! :)

#2 - Lemon Garlic Yogurt Dip


In a bowl, mix yogurt, finely chopped garlic, lemon juice and zest and some black pepper. Done! :)


Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips or even with pita bread and salad.

Cooking in Den Haag: Pork with Apple Mustard Sauce

What I used:

1 Pork steak (I don't know what cut this it - it doesn't have a bone)
1 tbsp mild French Mustard
1 small box Soya Cream (or Creme Fraiche)
1 bottle 5% Apple alcohol (Cider would be better but I didn't find it!)
Oil
Sea Salt
Red Chilli powder
Green, Red and Yellow Peppers to serve


In a bowl, rub oil, salt and red chilli powder into the pork. Keep aside for atleast 15 minutes.


Get everything else ready.


In a pan, heat some oil till hot but not smoking. Carefully place the pork in the oil and let it cook without disturbing. Don't overcook! Just a few minutes on each side.


Remove the pork from the pan and place aside. In the same pan, add the apple alcohol to deglaze.


Watch as it bubbles away in the pork-y oil.


Add the mustard, stir well.


Add the cream, mix it all together.


Let the sauce bubble and come together.


Slice the peppers, serve around the pork and spoon some sauce over it. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

:)

Cooking in Den Haag: Lemon Garlic Chicken

Inspired by:
Quick Lime Cilantro Chicken by Our Life In The Kitchen

What I used:

1 boneless Chicken breast
2 big cloves of Garlic, chopped
Half a Yellow Pepper, chopped
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
1 pinch Cumin (Jeera) whole
1 pinch Red Chilli powder
Oil to cook
Avocado to serve


Cut the chicken into small, manageable pieces. This way, it cooks faster. Try and make the pieces as even as possible.


In a pan, heat some oil. Place the chicken in when the oil is hot but not smoking. Sprinkle the cumin and red chilli powder but do not turn or mix the chicken.


Meanwhile, chop the garlic, yellow pepper and zest and juice the lemon.


Turn the chicken in the pan when the white line is halfway through. Add the garlic, pepper and lemon zest. Careful not to let the garlic burn.


When chicken seems almost cooked through, add the lemon juice to the pan. Let it bubble and sizzle and reduce till chicken is cooked completely.


Serve with sliced avocado, or over brown rice. 

:)

Friday, September 28, 2012

Health Fix: Toast (Rusk)!

Here in the Netherlands, its quite easy and common to find these round toast-thingies (I guess its the same as what is called "rusk" in India, but less sweet).

As a quick snack or whenever I get bored/munchy/greedy, I love eating these with a little bit of cottage cheese and whatever else looks good on top. Funnily enough, I never like Indian rusk!


(above)
Toast with cottage cheese and smoked salmon


(above)
Toast with turkey, cottage cheese and lettuce.

:)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Cooking in Den Haag: Salmon with Caramelized Leeks and Onions

Super easy, super healthy and quick!

What I used:

Salmon fillet
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 small white Onion, sliced
1 Leek, white and light green parts only, cut circle-wise
Brown sugar
Salt
Olive oil


Clean the salmon fillet (just to be sure)


Chop the garlic, onions and leeks.


In a hot pan, with a little bit of olive oil, pan fry the salmon for a few minutes on each side until pinkish-coral.


Set on a plate, sprinkle with salt and set aside.


In the same pan, with the fishy-oil, fry the garlic for a few minutes.


Add the onions, cook until soft and almost starting to caramelize.


Add the leeks, cook until soft, but not too long.


Sprinkle two generous pinches of brown sugar over the onions and leeks. Stir and cook until done to your liking.


Arrange on the plate around the salmon and serve.

:)

Monday, September 17, 2012

Cooking in Den Haag: Fusilli alla Martini


What I used:

250 g Fusilli
2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
1 White Onion, chopped finely
1 can chopped Tomatoes
Creme Fraiche
Martini Bianco mix
Butter
Salt
Olive Oil


In a pan, heat some oil and cook the garlic till slightly browning.


Add the chopped onions, and cook gently till soft or it begins to caramelize.


Add the can-ful of tomatoes. Let it heat through and cook together. Simmer for about 15 minutes.


Turn off the heat, add the creme fraiche and stir it all together.


Meanwhile, cook the fusilli according to packet instructions or till al dente. Drain the pasta water, drop in some salt and butter and toss everything together.


Add about one wine-glass-ful of martini to the drained and buttered fusilli. Toss it together so that the pasta absorbs the flavour of the martini.


Pour the pasta in the sauce, or the other way around, whichever is easier. Garnish with grated mozzarella and chopped coriander.

:)