Kheema Crêpe Parcels

 

This is the first time I ever tried making French crêpes and this fail proof recipe from Smitten Kitchen is guaranteed to turn out perfect every time. Indeed the recipe was super easy to whip up and each crêpe took just a minute on the stove. 15 minutes later I had beautiful crêpes ready for some tasty fillings. One helpful tip I got from one of the commentators was to use two non stick pans at the same time. When one side of the crêpe is done you flip it onto the second pan. This way you can cook them faster. Stack them up on a foil and when ready to eat just reheat in the oven.

 

I was inspired to make these parcels from a similar recipe made by my friend who had filled them with a chicken filling. I decided to go with kheema (spiced minced meat) and some mayonnaise.

 

I would love to try doing a sweet variation next time with nutella and strawberries or coconut and sugar. Crêpe party, here I come!

Recipe - Crêpes from Smitten Kitchen

For The Crêpes
45 Grams Unsalted Butter
1 1/4 Cup (295 ml) Milk (Room Temperature)
4 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
1 Cup (125 Grams) All Purpose Flour
Two pinches of salt

For The Filling
750 Grams Minced Meat (Beef/Mutton)
To Marinate
2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
2 Tbsp Yogurt
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
2 Tsp Cumin Powder (Zeera)
2 Tsp Red Chili Powder
2 Tsp Coriander Seeds Powder (Dhanya)
Salt To Taste
To Cook
3 Tbsp Oil
1 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
4 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
1.4 Cup Finely Chopped Mint Leaves

For Assembly
Mayonnaise as needed
Paste made with water and flour for sticking

 

Make The Crêpe Batter

1. Melt the butter in a medium bowl. Do not let it get too hot or it will scramble the eggs.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. There will be a lot of lumps and that is ok.

3. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or upto 4 Days.

 

Make The Filling

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Add the meat and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

2. When meat is marinated, heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion and chillies. Sauté till the onion is translucent. Add the marinated meat and stir well to break down the clumps of meat.

3. Cook the meat on high till done and adjust spices according to taste. If any water is left in the pot keep cooking till it evaporates.

4. Turn off the flame and add the coriander and mint leaves. Cool Completely before using as filling.

 

Make The Crêpes

1. Remove the batter from the fridge and give it a quick stir. If you think it is a bit thick add a splash of milk.

2. Place a 8-9 inch non stick pan/skillet on medium flame. I like to use two pans on two burners to speed the process.

3. Lightly butter pan with a tissue and pour in 1/4 cup batter. Quickly rotate the pan to spread the batter evenly all around.

4. Once the edges have set, using a non stick turner or your fingers gently flip the crêpe. I flip mine onto to the second pan and continue to pour more batter on the first pan. Repeat to make more.

5. When the bottom is slightly golden remove crêpe onto a foil or wax paper. Cool Completely.

 

Assemble The Parcels

1. Place one crêpe on a plate and add 1/4 Cup of kheema in the center with 1 Tsp Mayonnaise.

2. Fold the two sides on the filling and then fold the bottom side upwards Apply the paste of flour and water to the top side and gently fold it downwards to make a square parcel.

3. Heat a skillet and place the prepared parcels on it. Cook till light golden on both sides.

3. Serve hot with Ketchup.

 

Happy Eating!!

Spinach, Ricotta and Chicken Lasagna

It's once again time for Taste and Create and this month my partner is Dragon Musings. She has a lot of lovely recipes for cupcakes and desserts which would have been great to make but I am on a sugar overload (is that even possible?) this month and decided to go the savory route this time. First I thought of making a pizza as she has some fantastic recipes but then I saw this lasagna recipe and got a sudden craving for it. I had not made lasagna in a long time and the last time I made it, it was a bit of a flop. So, armed with this recipe I assembled all my ingredients and got ready to make it. It was very easy and straightforward and the only change I made was to add cooked minced chicken (Latif will never touch anything vegetarian!) with some spices to the pasta sauce (home made)and simmer it for some time. This was the first time that I ever cooked with Ricotta cheese and the spinach - cheese mixture was lovely and creamy.  Overall it was very delicious and I will surely use this recipe again.

Click here for the recipe.

Happy Eating!!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Before making this recipe, I had only ever eaten frozen meatballs (eeks) and always wanted to try making them at home but shied away thinking that it was a difficult process. Well how wrong was I!! I saw this recipe  on The Pioneer Woman and decided to use it only adding a few more spices and changing the sauce a little bit. The meatballs on their own are so good I couldn’t resist eating one fresh out of the pot (yum!). I loved this dinner so much I have already made it twice and this is surely going on my regular menu.

Recipe Source - Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients - Makes Sauce for approx. 200 Gms Dry Uncooked Spaghetti - Serves 2 - 3

For The Meatballs
500 Gms Ground Beef
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Fine Bread Crumbs
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
1/8 Cup Flat-leaf Parsley (Finely Chopped)
Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Tsp Ground Cumin (Zeera Powder)
1/2 Tsp Red Chili Powder
Splash Of Milk
1/4 Cup Olive Oil

For The Sauce
2 Cups (Finely Chopped) Onion
3 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
1 (200 Gms) Can of Tomato Sauce
Salt To Taste
1 Tsp Sugar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/8 Cup Flat-leaf Parsley (Finely Chopped)
Sprinkling Of Dried Basil (Optional)

Make The Meatballs

Combine all the ingredients in a big bowl. Mix well with hands and roll into 24 balls (the size of a small lemon) and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs (8 at a time), turning to brown (no need to cook completely as it will cook in the sauce). Remove and drain on a paper towel and repeat. Keep aside.

Make The Sauce

In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for 10 - 15 minutes on low heat until the onions are slightly golden brown in colour. This is to bring out the sweetness in them. Pour in the tomato sauce. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and parsley. Stir to combine, cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add meatballs to pot and stir gently. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer. Serve over spaghetti sprinkled with additional parmesan and dried Basil.

Happy Eating!!

30 Minute Shepherd's Pie

I love trying out new recipes and sometimes try to make things that I have never eaten before! While browsing the net, I came across this recipe for a Shepherds pie and thought that it sounded great. I mean mashed potatoes and minced meat? What’s not to like here! After making this easy recipe I must say that it is fabulous. All it requires is a big green salad to go with it and you have a complete meal. I halved the recipe as it was only for the two of us and used minced chicken as I only had that on hand. Also, I added a few more spices like garam masala, coriander seeds powder etc (as usual to indianize it, hehehe ) as I found the meat a bit bland for my palette.

And guess what I did with the leftovers? Meat cutlets of course! Just mash up everything in a big bowl and make small round patties. Dip in a whipped egg and roll in bread crumbs. Shallow fry in a little oil and you have amazing cutlets!

Recipe Source – Rachel Ray from the Food Network

Ingredients (My changes in red)

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese (used cream cheese)
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb (used ground chicken)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth (used chicken stock)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (omitted)
1 Tbsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tsp Coriander Seeds Powder
1 Tsp Garam Masala

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Add the spices. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Happy Eating!!