Category: Continental

Baked eggs in Avocado

On October 8, 2015

Since we are on avocado , here is my next love – Eggs! I have never figured out how folks survive without eggs – there are so many ways to make them and have them. So one of my colleagues mentioned to me that she had scrambled eggs and avocado one day for breakfast; and could not stop thinking about me given my love for both these food items. This was stuck in my head and I kept wondering how could I combine the two instead of making separate items. So I thought what if I bake the egg in avocado, and then all I did was checked online if avocados could be baked directly in the oven and viola!

I took 2 avocados (ripe) and cut them in half. Removed the seed and scooped the flesh out leaving a thin layer on the skin. I sliced out a small portion from the oval skin portion from behind so there was a flat base for the halves to stay steady on the tray without the egg mix spilling out. In another bowl, I took 2 eggs, added milk, italian herbs, chilli flakes, coarse black pepper and salt to taste. Mixed well and poured it steadily with a spoon in the split avocado halves.

I had pre-heated the oven at 180 degrees and then put the tray with the avocados inside. I kept them in till the egg mix was well cooked. Once the layer was formed and solid I removed the tray from the oven. Of the scooped out avocado made quick guacamole to serve on the side. The result in 20 minutes preparation time below – another quick fix delicious appetiser for any avocado-egg lovers you know and a good item to convert new folks to avocado-egg lovers !

P.s: You can also add mozzarella cheese as a topping when the egg is about to be cooked. Melted cheese just adds more yumminess to the already tasty dish!

Roasted Potatoes with Guacamole & Hummus

By Minal

On October 8, 2015

In Continental, Sango's Kitchen, Snacks

My latest addiction (ever since I got to London) is Avocado. I love all things avocado and guacamole. In fact, my sister is jokes that I will stuff it into any food item just so that I can make an excuse for a new dish attempted! I also love potatoes – I mean who does not? Roasted, mash, boiled, fried, as a veggie , in biryaani, in prawns or chicken/mutton/kheema curry – I love potatoes in all forms. So I was thinking how can I combine these two items and hunted for some recipes online to chance upon the one below with the added delicacy of hummus!

I took 4 medium sized potatoes and semi-boiled them, soft enough to scoop out the insides to form 2 equal hollow portions from each potato. Then rubbed some olive oil, rock salt, coarse pepper and italian herbs (dry mix of basil, oregano and parsley) to them. Then I put them on a baking tray and placed them in a pre-heated oven (180 degree celcius) and kept them in for 20-25 mins till they turned light brown.

Then I mixed guacamole and hummus (bought the ready mixes available in Marks&Spencer Food). You can even make them at home – recipes easily available online.

Then I stuffed the hollow potatoes with the above mix, topped the stuffing with half sliced cherry tomatoes and some cheese to serve it as a perfect appetizer.

Try it out – the hot potato + cold guacamole/hummus combination is absolutely delicious and one of the easiest starters to make when hosting a party!

Garides Saganaki

By Minal

On April 28, 2015

In Continental, Sango's Kitchen

We have a delicious family-run Greek food restaurant Mosfilo near our place. I tried the Garides Saganaki (shrimp saganaki) and fell in love with it. I have been wanting to try this dish at home for ages since I first tasted it. I hunted for the recipe online and found many variations and finally attempted it at home. It is an extremely easy recipe. This is the recipe on YouTube I followed and here is the final result:

Garides Saganaki

Hasselback Potatoes

By Minal

On August 10, 2013

In Continental, Sango's Kitchen

There are days at work when I’m completely drained out (and of late there have been too many much to my chagrin). The only thing that can get me refreshed is to cook up a good dish; and to my luck I chance upon recipes like this one shared on LifeHacker.

I did a bit of my own modification – I backed it for 30 minutes instead of 50 as mentioned in the link and at a temperature of 350 degree Celsius after having pre-heated the oven at 425 degree Celsius.

This one is very easy to make. Slice the potato as shown – try to make as thin slices as you can. The thinner the slices, the crispier they get at the ends. Grease the potato with olive oil (bare minimum), pepper and salt.

After 20 minutes of baking the potatoes – I add some herbs such as parsley, rosemary and thyme. Not the fresh ones but the dried ones and sprinkled some parmesan cheese. Then baked the potatoes for another 10 minutes and the result was a scrumptious dinner for both of us given that these days I’m back to my light dinner diet.

When I read up further on this recipe I found suggestions to add cheese slices, bacon etc to the potatoes and bake them. That is to be tried next time – I don’t eat bacon but am sure MDH would love to try it out.

Dory Fish Fillet

By Minal

On April 23, 2011

In Continental, Sango's Kitchen, Snacks

It’s been a long time since I blogged about food. So here goes a quick fix delicious snack for all you sea-food lovers. I learnt this dish from a family friend who had moved to Dubai for a couple of years. The Dory fish does not stink and the fillets are easily available in the supermarkets. When guests come over expecting the typical “fried fish” from a Goan-Maharashtrian household, this dish serves as a pleasant surprise for many.

So here goes.

Ingredients:

Dori Fish Fillet (2), Bread Crumbs, Eggs (2)

Filling: Ricotta Cheese or Cottage Cheese(100 gms), Fresh Parsley Leaves(15-20 sticks), Green Chilly(4-5), Salt ( To Taste)

Method:

Grind coarse the ingredients of the filling to get the paste

Cut the fillet into medium rectangular pieces and put the filling in between the 2 pieces like a sandwich

Take table spoon of milk, beat the eggs in the milk and add salt as per taste

Dip the fillet sandwich pieces in the egg mixture and then apply bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry in minimal oil on medium flame for 2-3 minutes and then let the pieces cook well on low flame.

Serve with ketchup or chilly sauce and enjoy some scrumptious starters

Chicken Lasagna

By Minal

On October 31, 2010

In Continental, Sango's Kitchen

Chicken Lasagna

I’ve never gone for cooking classes, my cooking is all what I learnt at home seeing my mom, MIL, and friends cook. I know my limitations and hence never come out of a restaurant thinking how I can make this dish at home! I cannot follow cookbook recipes – the dishes are a disaster; so I avoid them and prefer if someone can show/narrate it to me.

For a few months we were lucky to have a cook who knew a bit of continental cooking. I wrote down a couple of pasta and lasagna recipes from her. Yesterday, I decided to attempt the lasagna. It was my first attempt at non-Indian & non-Chinese cooking and I think it turned out fine:-)

So here it goes:

Lasagna Strips:

Get the readymade lasagna strips from any supermarket in town and boil 6 of them in water for 7-8 minutes. Lay them separately in a plate so that they do not stick to each other.

Chicken Mince Stuffing:

Heat olive oil in a pan, add 3 finely chopped onions and sauté till onions are pink. Then add 5-6 piece of garlic cloves and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add ½ kg of chicken mince and mix well. Let the mince cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add chili flakes, oregano and dry parsley leaves. Mix well, add salt to taste and let the mince cook on medium flame (approx15-20mins). Once it is done, add 1-2 table spoons of tomato paste or tomato puree and mix well. Let it cook for another 10 minutes on slow flame.

White Sauce

Heat 1 ½ tablespoon of butter in a small vessel, add 1 ½ table spoon of maida (Wheat Flour) and stir well. The mixture should stay in liquid state. Then close the stove, let it cool down a bit and then add cold milk, shredded mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well to form thick white sauce

Lasagna Layering

Take a flat casserole, apply olive oil. Place 2 strip of lasagna, add mince stuffing, add white sauce. Then again repeat this layering. Lay the final 2 strips on the top, add lots of mozerella cheese on the final lasagna strips and then bake the casserole in the oven for 10-12 minutes at high temperature.

Your hot steaming lasagna is ready in less than an hour!