Brinjal/Aubergine is a very versatile vegetable..well I could be biased when I say that because I simply love it. Begun Bhaja and Baingan Bharta are my absolute favourite.But sadly the boys in my house are not fond of the vegetable at all.I am however always on the lookout for new and innovative way to try out the brinjal.On my last trip to Delhi , one of my fave aunts took me to a quaint little cafe somewhere in GK( sorry I don't remember the name ) for some coffee but the hungry (or greedy maybe) wanted to eat something. A dish on the menu appealed to me instantly - an open sub sandwich with grilled aubergines.The dish was innovative but it lacked flavour and was not seasoned right. I had thought of recreating the dish but forgot about it for a long time and remembered it again now.So today I made it at home my way - Grilled Aubergine on Garlic Toast with a Tomato Salsa. If brinjal appeals to you , you are surely gonna love this dish.
Ingredients:
Brinjal/ Aubergine - 1 medium round - cut into thin round slices
Tomato - 1 large - finely chopped
Yellow/red bell pepper - 1 small - finely chopped
Garlic - 3-4 pods- crushed
Onion - 1 medium - finely chopped
Tomato puree - 2 tbsp - I used Dabur Homemade
Basil leaves - 4-5 - finely chopped + few for garnish
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Feta cheese - 2 tbsp - crumbled
Oregano - 1 tsp
Chilli flakes - 1 tsp or more if you like it that way
Black pepper - 1 tsp - crushed
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 pinch
Garlic bread - few slices
Method:
For the salsa:
In a pan heat the olive oil , add the crushed garlic and the chopped onions. Saute till translucent.Tip in the chopped tomatoes and the bell pepper. Add the tomato puree , oregano and the red chilli flakes. Cook till the mix gets mushy , remove from heat and keep aside. Let there be a crunch in the salsa.
Now getting on with grilling the aubergines and the toast. Just season the sliced aubergines with salt and pepper and grill them on a very hot pan. Also slightly toast the garlic bread slices along with it. This takes about 2 mins on each side.
Take the grilled aubergines off the pan and assemble on top of the garlic toast. Put a spoonful of salsa on the top and garnish with a generous crumble of the feta cheese.
Serve hot with a side of some extra salsa.
It was my day out with a dear friend today and we did what girls love doing the most - we went shopping (what did u think..wink)!! We hit one of our favourite malls..infact the only mall in Kolkata that houses most of my favourite brands and stores. We simply shopped our hearts out and beautifully complemented each others shopping by encouraging to pick up whatever we felt like. However we also decided that its best that such sprees are restricted to once in 3 months or else our bank accounts would have to take a massive hit. We did not have much time at hand as she is leaving town tomorrow for a holiday and had to rush for some appointment. At this stage I was joined by the husband and the kiddo and I was famished for some food by now. So we headed to one of our favourite joints in the mall that serves some great Italian fare. Spaghetti Kitchen is one of those few places that has never disappointed us. Everytime we went there we have ordered a mix of tried and tested dishes and some new ones and always enjoyed the meal. Today also it was no different.
When eating out with the kiddo we always have to stick by with some dishes that he likes to eat and then order a mix and match of dishes that hubby and me enjoy. As soon as we entered we were ushered in by the maitre d ... and taken to our table. Almost immediately we were served water and a basket of assorted fresh bread with some butter.
The basket had an assortment of some pesto pinwheels ,multi grain buns and some crispies. Both me and the 5 year old attacked and devoured the different breads with vengeance. They were extremely soft and fresh. There were a whole lot of condiments already at the table - sea salt and pepper - two kinds of tabasco and the usual suspects oregano, chilli flakes and Evoo.
The kiddo wanted to have a pizza so we stuck by with the original Margherita - thin crust.
It is originally served with some cherry tomatoes ,fresh basil leaves on a bed of a tangy tomato sauce topped with a lot of yummy mozzarella. However we requested to avoid the tomatoes to which they happily customised it. If you like thin crust pizza..this is the place to go to.On other occasions we have tried out other variants and those were very good too.This was served first keeping a hungry kid in mind. Very thoughtful I say.
Since we had to help finish that pizza, the husband and I decided to keep it light and order a salad and one main course.On being asked the Captain suggested that we opt for the Caprese Salad as it was one of the best. For the main course we decided to share a portion of Chicken Lasagne.
The Caprese, I must admit is one of the best I have eaten in a long time. Fresh tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella served with a drizzle of good quality Olive oil seasoned with some salt and pepper with a side of crunchy salad leaves - mainly rocket and some lettuce. The husband said it was very nice ...considering he is a hard core meat person, it felt good !
Next came the Chicken Lasagne which we decided to share. To be honest I really liked the taste of the sauce - a bit spicy and tangy but the lasagne was not really upto the mark. It was a bit dry and would have tasted better with a little more sauce. Minced chicken as it is tends to get a bit dry when assembled with the lasagne sheets so some extra sauce would have helped that.
We were totally full by now so skipped dessert though I know that they make some great desserts as well like the tiramisu and the creme brulee !
I am not mentioning individual prices of the dishes, however a meal like this for two adults would cost approx Rs. 2000 without alchohol.
Over all a great Saturday lunch and we came back happy souls. If you are at Forum anytime soon and get hungry after your shopping sprees - do try out this place.
Spaghetti Kitchen
4th Floor , Forum Mall
Elgin Road
Kolkata
Disclaimer - I have reviwed this place absolutely independently and was not compensated for the review monetarily or otherwise.
For a long long time Italian for me meant just Pizza and Pasta. Now when I think about it I feel such a fool that I have been. Risotto is something that I ate by chance and fell in love with. We would frequent the Sunday brunch in one of our favourite restaurants in Kolkata and just gorge on the thin crust pizzas.The steward there was the one who insisted that I try the risotto and it was then I realised that I had been missing out on a gem of a dish of Italian cuisine.I have been meaning to cook this dish for sometime now. However it kind of never worked out.The other day I made a conscious effort to put all the ingredients together and make it.There are many many variations of the risotto and just about anything can be added to it...seafood,veggies etc. I made it with chicken and mushroom as it brings out the flavours beautifully. The most essential ingredient here being the quality of the Arborio rice. The good news is it is easily available in the supermarkets. Rest of the stuffs are easily available at home...what is however crucial is patience! You need loads to it to be able to make the most delicious creamy risotto. I gave it a shot and it turned out great. Here's my recipe of Mushroom and Chicken Risotto
Ingredients:
Arborio Rice - 1 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Red onion - 1 medium (very finely chopped)
Mushrooms - 1 cup ( sliced)
Boneless chicken - 1/2 cup ( chopped into tiny bits)
White wine - 1/4 th cup
Chicken/Veg stock - 2 cups
Cream - 2 tbsp ( I used Amul )
Parmesan cheese - for garnish
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Basil leaves - for garnish
and loads of patience!
Method:
In a non stick pan add the butter and olive oil. Tip in the chopped chicken bits and saute till it changes its colour. Remove from heat and keep aside.
In the same pan saute the sliced mushrooms and keep aside.
Next tip in the finely chopped onions and saute till they turn pink. Now add the arborio rice.
Saute the rice for 2 mins and add the white wine. Once the wine cooks out add a ladle of the stock. The real process of cooking a good risotto starts now. We need to keep a constant eye on it. Adding a little of the stock every time the rice dries out. Gradually the creaminess of the rice will come by.
By the time we finish adding 2 cups of the stock the rice will get cooked. It should not become mushy and must have a bite to it. Now add the sauteed chicken and the mushrooms. Also add the cream and give it a gentle mix.
At this stage check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as per your taste.
Serve immediately and enjoy and think of me!
PS : A few things to remember while making a risotto.
#Cook on low heat and stir constantly so that the starch released from the rice mixes well with all the ingredients to lend the required creaminess.
#Most of the risotto recipes use celery.I didn't get it here and used red onions and it worked beautifully.The flavours were just awesome.
#Keep a constant eye and every time the water evaporates add a little more stock till the rice is al-dente so as to prevent sticking.
Now getting on with grilling the aubergines and the toast. Just season the sliced aubergines with salt and pepper and grill them on a very hot pan. Also slightly toast the garlic bread slices along with it. This takes about 2 mins on each side.
Take the grilled aubergines off the pan and assemble on top of the garlic toast. Put a spoonful of salsa on the top and garnish with a generous crumble of the feta cheese.
