Cheese is probably what food heaven is made of. And clearly, we can’t have enough of it. So here are a few recipes to celebrate it.
Cheesy stuffed mushrooms:
Ingredients:
1 cup mushroom
Oil l ½ tbsp sweetcorn
1 tsp soya sauce l Salt
½ pepper powder
Mozzarella cheese (according to your choice)
A bunch of spring onions
Method:
Clean the mushrooms thoroughly, then remove the stalks, set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and add chopped (white portions of) spring onions, sweetcorn, finely chopped mushroom stalks and saute it. To that add soya sauce, salt, pepper powder and saute. Transfer the mixture to another bowl. In the same pan add the mushroom heads, salt and cook for two minutes with the lid on. Transfer onto a plate and separate the mushroom heads into two sets. In one set, stuff the sweet corn mixture and top it with mozzarella cheese, then place the other set of mushrooms over these, use a toothpick to hold them together. Place them in a pan, cover with a lid and cook for two minutes.
— Recipe courtesy: Chef Sanjay Thumma, vahrevah.com
French onion grilled cheese sandwiches:
Ingredients:
Thin slices of shredded cheese (preferably Swiss cheese)
3 cups of sliced white onions
1 tsp sugar
Salt to season
1 tbsp oil
Butter to toast bread
Sliced French bread
Method:
In a large, heavy bottom skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Add onions and sauté for three minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low. Stir occasionally and continue sautéing for about 15 minutes or until the onions caramelise into a golden brown colour. Halfway through the process, add salt, sugar and mix well. If the onions are sticking to the pan too much, use a tablespoon of vegetable stock or water to loosen them out. Once the onions are caramelised, set them aside. Spread softened butter on the outer surface of the sliced bread. On the inner side of one slice spread a generous amount of caramelised onions and cheese. Close the sandwiches with the other slice of bread, and gently press together. Heat some butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in the pan and toast, carefully flipping when golden brown and cheese begins to melt.
Cheese jalebi:
Ingredients:
200 gm cheese cream
200 ml condensed milk
200 ml yoghurt
5 ml vanilla essence
Jalebi batter
500 gm flour
300 ml water
2 gm saffron strands
Sugar syrup
1000 gm sugar
300 ml water
Method:
In a mixing bowl add cream cheese, condensed milk, yoghurt, vanilla essence and mix well. Pipe the mixture into small silicon bar moulds. Bake at 1600C for 15 minutes in a water bath, after it cools down, set it aside in the freezer. For the jalebi batter: Mix the flour and water into a watery consistency and set aside for 24 hours to ferment.
For the sugar syrup: Melt the sugar with water and boil it to get a single-thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, bring your finger and thumb together and gently tease apart. If a thread is formed the syrup is done. Turn off the heat, add the saffron strands and stir well.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. Stick the frozen cream cheese-mixture into a bamboo stick, just like a lollipop. Dip it in the jalebi batter and deep fry until golden brown in colour. Then, remove it and put it directly into the sugar syrup. Allow it to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove. Serve warm.
