Raksha Bandhan: Special recipes siblings can cook and enjoy together

When it comes to cooking for special occasions, it’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time. Here are some recipes you can enjoy with your family on Raksha Bandhan

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The festive month is here! From Raksha Bandhan to Ganesh Chaturthi, festivals call for a family gathering and lots of food. When it comes to cooking for special occasions, it’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time, giving you more time to spend with your family rather than dealing with the details of meal preparation. The most valuable gift you can give yourself when cooking for special occasions is the time required to enjoy the special occasion.

Chef Manish Mehrotra curates special recipes:

Almond Cinnamon Tart

Ingredients:

. Almond flake (1 cup)

. Monaco biscuit (150 gm)

. Cinnamon powder (2 gm)

. Fine sugar (200 gm)

. Fresh cream (200 ml)

. Unsalted butter (60 gm)

Method:

. Roast the almond flake in preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 4 minutes or till golden in colour.

. For toffee sauce, caramelise sugar, add 40 gms of butter followed by cream and thoroughly mix it.

. For monaco crumble, crush biscuits and mix 20 gm of butter with it. spread this mixture in a 6inch mould and bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 10 min.

. In a bowl mix, roasted almond slivers and toffee sauce and pour this mix over biscuit crumble in the mould.

. Bake the mix set in mould in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 min.

. Serve once done and demould the tart. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

Masala Almond Tabbouleh

Ingredients:

Couscous (1/2 cup)

. Boiling water (1 cup)

. Finely chopped, onion (1/2 cup)

. Finely chopped, tomato (1/2 cup)

. Finely chopped, parsley (1 cup)

. Finely chopped, mint (1/4 cup)

. Fresh pomegranate seeds (4 tbsp)

..Lemon Juice (2tbsp)

. Finely chopped, green chillies (1 tsp)

. Olive oil (2 tbsp)

. Toasted almond flakes (1/3 cup)

. Chaat masala (1 tsp)

. Salt (to taste)

Method:

. Bring water to a boil. Add salt to taste and couscous. Remove from heat and place lid. Keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove lid and use a fork to loosen the fluffy bulgur/couscous. Keep aside.

. In a bowl, add chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped parsley, chopped mint, olive oil, lemon juice, green chillies, almonds, pomegranate seeds and chaat masala. Mix well.

. Add the couscous and mix. Serve immediately.

Also read: Kala Khatta Beer? Mumbai mixologists share easy cocktail recipes to enjoy this season

Pea Pancake

Remember how mom would add peas to pancakes to help some veggies go down our systems? If yes, then this is the best recipe that you and your sibling can bond over while recollecting those good old days.

. Serves: 2-4 I Duration: 30 mins

Ingredients:

. 500 g peas and baby spinach

. 1/4 avocado

. 140 g corn flour

. 2 eggs

. Olive oil

. Tablespoons of water if needed

Steps:

. In a cooking pot with boiling water, cook the peas and spinach for 1 minute

Pour avocado, flour, eggs, olive oil and peas into a food processor. Mash and add water if needed to make a creamy batter.

. Add olive oil to a frying pan. Add a tablespoon of the batter. Fry over low heat until the batter browns, then flip it over to the other side.

. To make even healthier pancakes, you can take a large tray and spray some oil to the surface and place your pancakes on them.

. Microwave the chillas on high for 2 minutes. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 9 more chillas in 3 more batches.

Banana Coconut Milkshake

This milkshake was not only the best part of summer vacations spent together, but also how the siblings competed against each other to see who finished their milk first!

. Duration: 10 mins I Serves: Per person

Ingredients:

. 1 large banana

. 1 spoonful pure cocoa

.1 spoonful maple syrup

. 1 50 ml coconut milk

Steps:

. Place all the ingredients in a mixer

. Mix until the liquid is uniform

.Vary thickness by adding more or less coconut milk

. Once ready, store it in the refrigerator

Fruit Ice Cream

One of the best memories with our siblings was doing things together- both productive and unproductive. This recipe will definitely remind you of the holidays when you both wanted to scream for Ice Cream.

Ingredients:

. Frozen banana

. Other fleshy fruit: Mango, strawberry, peach, blueberry

. Optional: yogurt, soy yogurt, whipped yogurt

. Toppings: shaved dark chocolate, dried fruits, grated coconut, sunflower seeds, fruit cubes

Steps:

. Cut fruit into cubes or slices, remove peel, stones, and seeds, and freeze them.

When ready to eat, pour banana slices into the food processor and whip until it has the consistency of ice cream.

. Add the rest of the fruit and whip again. Cream should be at least 50 percent banana for good texture. And what is even more important in this recipe is to use freshest of fruits! 

. Top with desired toppings.

. Prepare it when ready to eat it or 15 minutes before, at most, and keep in the freezer; otherwise, instead of a creamy texture it will be hard ice.

Also read: Looking inwards: A glimpse at popularity of Indian regional cuisines in the 75th year of Independence

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