This Mother’s Day isn't the same as every other year owing to the health pandemic and the subsequent restrictions on our movement. So, while you can't take her out or buy her gifts, here's a gesture that is certain to impress her - cook a delicious meal for her. Need some suggestions? We have quite a few along with recipes.
1. Raw Banana Kebab
(Recipe by Abhishek Basu, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu)
Ingredients: 1 raw banana (boiled, peeled & mashed), 1 potato (boiled, peeled & mashed), 1 tsp ginger (grated), 1-2 green chillies (chopped, optional), 1/2 onion (finely chopped), 2 whole red chillies (optional), 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 green cardamoms, 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped), salt to taste, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbs rice flour, 1 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds), oil to deep fry
Method:
1. Dry roast the dry red chillies (opt), cumin seeds and green cardamom for a few seconds. When they cool down, grind and keep aside.
2. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients, including the ground spice powder (except oil). Knead into a dough.
3. Make equal size portions of it and give it a round flat shape.
4. Heat oil in a pan and fry them a few at a time till golden in colour. Drain on a tissue paper
5. Serve them hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup
2. Sindhi Kadhi
(Recipe by Chef Saransh Goila)
Ingredients: 1½ tbsp refined oil, 3 tbsp gram flour (besan), 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds, 1½ tsp turmeric (haldi) powder, 3 lt water, 2 potatoes, 500 gm tomatoes, 1 drumstick (optional), 1 long or 2 small pieces of lotus stem, 1 big or 2 small cauliflower, 200 gm colocasia (arbi), 200 gm okra (bhindi), salt to taste (4 tsp approximately), 3 lemon-sized balls of tamarind (imli - soaked in 1cup warm water for 2 hours), oil for frying, 1½ tsp mustard (sarson) seeds, 20-25 curry leaves (karipatta), 1½ tsp cumin (jeera), 2 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp coriander leaves (dhania patti - chopped)
Method:
1. Put refined oil in a deep vessel. Once hot, shallow fry gram flour until golden brown. Do this on a very low flame for about 15 minutes. Add the fenugreek seeds just as it starts to change colour.
2. Once it is golden brown, add turmeric powder and after a few seconds add all the water to it. With the water add cubed potatoes as they take longest to cook; let it all come to a boil. Then reduce the flame to medium.
3. Purée the tomatoes and add to the vessel. Let the kadhi simmer away on a low flame for an hour.
4. In the meanwhile, heat water in another small pot. Chop drum sticks into three-inch pieces and lotus stem into one-inch pieces. Parboil these and keep them aside. Also, heat the oil for frying after parboiling is done.
5. Deep fry cauliflower florets, colocasia and okra till golden brown. While frying, add some salt to the veggies. After the kadhi has simmered for an hour, add parboiled lotus stem and drum sticks to it. After another 10 minutes add the fried cauliflower, colocasia and okra toMetho.
6. Now strain the thick tamarind water which was soaked two hours back. Add this to thekkady and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. For tempering, heat the oil in a tempering or small frying pan. To the hot oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds and red chilli powder and add this tempering to the kadhi.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot kadhi with peas pulao or steamed rice.
3. Kerala Style Pazham Pori Recipe (Banana Fritters Recipe)
(Recipe by Abhishek Basu, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu)
Ingredients: 2 Nendra Pazham Banana (Ripe)
Ingredients for Batter: 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida), 1/4 cup rice flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi), 2 cardamom powder (elaichi - powdered), 3 tablespoons sugar, sunflower oil for deep frying
Method:
1. We begin making the Kerala Style Pazham Pori Recipe by making the batter first and keeping it ready.
2. Then cut the banana into thin long stripes, heat the oil in a kadai for deep frying and keep it ready.
3. Once the oil is hot, dip the banana stripes in the mixed batter completely and carefully add it into the oil.
4. Fry till it is crisp on either side and take out the fritter and place it on a paper napkin to drain the oil.
5. Serve the Kerala Style Pazham Pori Recipe can be served as a Tea Time Snack.
4. Chocolate Cookie Dough
(Recipe by Karma Tenpa, Head Chef, Yazu: Pan Asian Supper Club)
Ingredients: 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour (spoon and level to avoid packing in too much flour), 1/3 cup salted butter, melted most of the way (if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt to your dough), 1/3 cup dark or light brown sugar, packed (I prefer dark; use whatever you like/have), 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon milk: 1%, 2%, or whole, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spread the flour onto a baking sheet in an even layer.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter 80% of the way and then set aside to cool back to room temperature. (It's fine if the butter does melt all the way, you'll just need to chill the dough for a little to avoid "greasy" cookie dough)
3. Toast the flour in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes (watch carefully to avoid burning flour).
4. In a medium-size bowl, add the melted and cooled to room temperature butter (it will melt the sugars and make for grainy cookie dough, brown sugar, and white sugar. Stir until smooth. Add the vanilla, salt, and milk and stir until combined. Stir in the toasted and cooled flour and chocolate chips. Stir until combined.
5. If the dough needs it, chill in the fridge for 10 minutes before enjoying. I love the texture and flavour the mostly melted butter adds, but sometimes it needs to chill a minute to firm up again! Well worth the short wait
When wrapped and stored well, this cookie dough will stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
5. Grilled fish with creamy mustard sauce
(Recipe by Shubhendu Kadam, Executive Chef of Dharana at Shillim)
Ingredients: 120gm fish steak, 3gm garlic (chopped), 12gm carrot, 8gm mushroom, 10gm french beans, 5gm cherry tomato, 5gm frisée lettuce, 2gm thyme, 20ml cooking cream, 25gm Dijon mustard, 3gm salt, 1gm pepper, 20ml olive oil
Method:
1. Marinate the fish with olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and then pan grill it.
2. Cut the vegetables into fancy shape and grill it. Dress with olive oil, salt and pepper and add lettuce to make a salad.
3. Mix the cooking cream, mustard, salt to make a thick sauce. Serve hot.