As we celebrate Independence Day on 15 August, let’s appreciate amongst all the things that bind us together as Indians, the most important one is food.
Chefs, inspired by the colours of the Indian tricolour, (saffron colour indicates the country's strength and courage, white represents peace and truth, it is also the colour band that holds the blue dharma chakra. Green indicates fertility, growth and auspiciousness) share easy-to-make recipes that pay homage to each colour in the national flag.
TRIO PANNA COTTA
Ingredients
* Milk: 250 ml
* Fresh cream: 85ml
* Sugar: 150 g
* Vanilla essence: 1 tsp
*Gelatine powder: 7 g
* Green food colour: ¼ tsp
* Sweet orange wedges or orange food colour
* Mint leaves or nuts for garnish
Method of preparation
1. In a saucepan, heat milk and cream on low flame.
2. To the above, add sugar and mix well. Once the sugar dissolves completely, turn off the flame.
3. Now, add vanilla essence to this and whisk well.
4. In a small bowl, add cold water to the gelatine and let it soak until the gelatine blooms and looks grainy. Once gelatine softens, add it into the milk mixture and mix well.
5. Equally distribute this mixture in two separate bowls. If orange wedges are not available, divide the mixture in three equal parts.
6. Add green food colour to one bowl and mix well. Keep the other mixture plain white.
7. Into a glass, pour the green-coloured mixture first. Let it sit in the fridge for 15–20 mins.
8. Then, over that, pour in the white mixture; again, set it for 15–20 mins in the refrigerator.
9. Once the white layer is set, top garnish with orange wedges / orange layer mixture.
10. Refrigerate the glass for an hour or until the mixture sets completely.
11. Ensure that all the three layers are visible.
12. Garnish it with mint leaf or chopped nuts. Serve chilled.
— Recipe by Chef Ganesh Gangoni, Sous Chef, Mercure Hyderabad KCP
TRI COLOUR CHICKEN KEBABS
Ingredients
* Boneless chicken: 1 kg
* Yogurt: 3 tbsp
* Cream: 2 tbsp
* Ginger–garlic paste: 1 tsp
* White pepper powder: 1 tsp
* Kasuri methi: ½ tsp
* Salt: as required
* Green chilli paste: ½ tsp
* Mint puree: as required
* Tikka masala: 1tsp
* Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
* Zeera powder: 1 tsp
* Green food colour
* Oil: as required
Method of preparation
1) Take medium-sized pieces of boneless chicken and divide equally into three separate bowls.
For the Malai Kebab
1) To the chicken, add yogurt, cream, garlic paste, white pepper powder, kasuri methi and salt to marinate. Mix it well and keep aside.
For the Hara Kebab
1) To the chicken, add yogurt, salt, ginger, garlic and green chilli paste, kasuri methi, ½ tsp red chilli powder and mint puree for taste.
2) Add green food colour to the above and mix it well and set aside to marinate.
For the Tikka Kebab
1) To the chicken, add yogurt, ginger–garlic paste, 1 tsp red chilli powder, kasuri methi, tikka masala and salt, as required.
2) Mix it well and set it aside to marinate.
3) Add oil to a non-stick pan on medium flame and grill the kebabs.
Tip: Serve hot with tomato garlic and mint chutneys
TRI COLOUR PANCAKES
Ingredients
* All-purpose flour: 1½ cup
* Milk: 1 cup
* White sugar: 2 tbsp
* Baking powder: 2 tsp
* Baking soda: ½ tsp
* Vanilla essence: ¼ tsp
* Oil: 1 tsp
* Ghee, as required
* Orange and green food colours
Method of preparation
1) In a bowl, add milk and sugar, and whisk well to ensure that the sugar gets dissolved completely. Then, to this add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and mix well.
2) To this fine paste, add oil and vanilla essence and whisk well again.
3) Divide the paste into three equal parts in three separate bowls.
4) Add orange colour in one bowl and green in other and keep the third bowl as it is.
5) Apply ghee to a non-stick pan on medium flame.
6) Scoop about 1½ tbsp of pancake batter into the pan separately for three different colours.
7) Repeat this with as many as you can fit in the pan.
8) Let it cook until the top of the pancakes begins to bubble and the edges turn golden.
9) Flip pancakes over and let it cook for another ½ min.
10) Serve warm pancakes with syrup, butter and any fruit of your choice.
— Recipes by Nishath Fatima, PharmD student and food blogger (@insouciant.nish)
TRICOLOUR HUMMUS PLATTER
The tricolours in the dish come from natural ingredients like pumpkin, white chickpeas, and basil leaves.
Ingredients
* White chickpea hummus: 1 cup
* Roasted pumpkin hummus: 1 cup
* Basil hummus: 1 cup
* Tahini: 1 tbsp
* Aquafaba (the liquid after soaking the chickpea)
* Lemon juice: 1 tsp
* Carrot sticks
* Pepper: 1 tsp
* Olive oil: 1 tbsp
* Parsley leaves to garnish
* Pita bread cut into triangles and toasted in olive oil
Method of preparation
For the White Chickpea Hummus
1) Soak 1 cup chickpeas overnight.
2) Next morning, drain and rinse well before cooking.
3) Cook the chickpea in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and water, for up to 5 whistles.
4) Take the pressure cooker off the flame, and allow the chickpea to cool down.
5) In mixer jar, combine tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, aquafaba, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
6) Blend until smooth and creamy.
For the Basil Hummus:
1) Add a bunch of fresh basil and combine all the ingredients mentioned for white chickpeas hummus.
For the Roasted Pumpkin Hummus
1) Cut pumpkin into small chunks.
2) Roast them in olive oil for 5 minutes till they are cooked.
3) Once the pumpkin chunks cool down, combine all the ingredients mentioned for the white chickpeas hummus.
How to proceed with the recipe
1) Arrange all 3 variants of hummus, carrot sticks, and pita bread on a large platter and serve.
PAAN RABRI WITH SAFFRON CREAM
A delicate and luscious blend of saffron, vanilla, and paan leaves make this perfect Independence Day dessert. Serve it in individual shot glasses or layer it in a dessert glass, and it is sure to win everybody’s heart.
Ingredients
For the Paan Rabri
* Full cream milk: 1 litre
* Sugar: 2 tbsp
* Calcutta meetha paan: 4 leaves
For the Saffron Cream
* Whipping cream: 250 gm
* Powdered sugar: 1 cup
* Saffron strands: 10–15 soaked in milk
* Vanilla ice-cream 1 cup
Method of preparation
For the Paan Rabri
1) Boil milk in a heavy-bottom pan while stirring continuously. Once you see the layer of cream on the top, shift it towards the rim. Continue doing this on a medium flame till milk reduces to 1/3 of its quantity, say, for about 30 minutes.
2) Now chop the Calcutta meetha paan leaves.
3) To the paan leaves, add 1 tbsp milk and blend.
4) Add sugar and paan paste in the rabri and further cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
5) Switch off the flame and let it cool.
6) Transfer the rabri into a bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
For the Saffron Cream
1) Pour the whipping cream into a bowl and whip it with an electric beater till smooth.
2) Add powdered sugar and further whip it till soft peaks are formed.
3) Now, add soaked saffron strands and lightly fold into the cream.
4) Cool in a refrigerator till the saffron cream is firm.
How to proceed with the recipe
Serve the above three in individual shot glasses such that it creates a patriotic look.
TRICOLOUR BRUSCHETTAS
These Tricolour Bruschettas are scrumptious Italian appetisers that incorporate pumpkin, cottage cheese and green bell pepper in the recipe.
Ingredients:
* Baguette or long bread: 1 loaf
* Pumpkin: 200 gm
* Green capsicum (medium-sized): 1 no.
* Crumbled paneer: ¼ cup
* Cheese spread: 2 tbsp
* Butter: 2 tbsp
* Olive oil: 2 tbsp
* Mix herbs: 2 tsp
* Salt: as per taste
* Parsley leaves: to garnish
Method of preparation
For the Orange Layer
1) Peel and cut the pumpkin into medium slices.
2) Heat 1 tsp butter in a pan and add the pumpkin slices to it.
3) Season the above with salt and roast it on high flame till the pumpkins are tender but not mushy.
For the White Layer
1) Crumble the paneer cubes.
2) Season it with salt and set it aside.
For the Green Layer
1) Deseed and cut capsicum into thin strips.
2) Heat a teaspoon of butter in a pan and add capsicum strips to it.
3) Season the above with salt and cook it on high flame till the capsicum pieces are tender.
How to proceed with the recipe
1) Cut the baguette into slices.
2) Apply butter on both sides and toast them on a pan till they are golden brown on both sides.
3) Now place the toast slices on a large platter.
4) Apply cheese spread on all the slices.
5) Start layering with roasted pumpkin slices, crumbled paneer and capsicum strips.
6) Sprinkle dry herbs over the Tricolor Bruschetta, garnish with parsley leaves and drizzle olive oil just before serving.
TIRANGA LADOOS
Tiranga Ladoos made with coconut, carrot, and paan leaves are a perfect sweet treat for Independence Day. Also, they are a great way to celebrate patriotism and create festive vibes.
Ingredients:
* Desiccated coconut: 250 gm
* Carrots grated: ½ cup
* Calcutta meetha paan leaves: 5–6
* Pistachio powder: 2 tsp
* Condensed milk: 300 gm
* Ghee: 2 tbsp
* Cardamom powder: 2 tsp
Method of preparation:
For the Coconut Ladoos
1) Heat ghee in a pan.
2) To the above, add desiccated coconut and roast it for a minute.
3) Add condensed milk, cardamom powder to the above coconut mixture and mix well until all the ingredients combine well.
4) Now, remove it into a plate and divide it into three equal parts and set aside.
5) Now, to make the coconut ladoo take 1 part of the ladoo mixture and shape into small ladoos. Finally, roll them in dry coconut powder and serve.
For the Carrot Ladoos
1) Peel and grate carrots.
2) Roast the above in ghee for a minute.
3) To that, add a tablespoon of condensed milk and mix it well till it forms soft dough.
4) Now, add the coconut mixture that we had prepared earlier and mix in the carrot mixture.
5) Cook for a minute and switch off the flame. Remove it into a plate, and shape them into small Ladoos and serve.
For the Paan Ladoos
1) Cut 5-6 Calcutta meetha paan leaves into thin strips, and make a paste of it.
2) Cook the paan paste in ghee for a minute and add a tablespoon of condensed milk.
3) Now, mix it all well till it forms soft dough. To it, add the coconut mixture that we had prepared earlier and mix it in.
4) Cook the above for a minute and switch off the flame.
5) Remove it onto a plate and shape them into small Ladoos.
6) Roll in the pistachio powder and serve.
— Recipes by Hetal Kamdar, food blogger
