BENGALURU : Romance with smoothie
Ingredients
Frozen strawberries - 2 cups
Frozen bananas - 2-3
Almond milk - 12 ounces
Non-dairy chocolate chips - 1/2 cup
Chocolate sauce, coconut or soy whipped cream - as per taste Sprinkles (optional)
Method
1. Add the strawberries, banana, and almond milk in a blender and run until smooth and creamy. You can add crushed ice for a thicker consistency.
2. Melt down dairy free chocolate chips in a wide bowl. Once melted, dip glasses in melted chocolate and coat with sprinkles if using.
3. Drizzle chocolate sauce inside each glass. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it will be your design.
4. Pour strawberry smoothie inside of cups and top with coconut or soy whipped cream, more sprinkles and chocolate sauce. Enjoy!
- Nidhi Nahata, founder, Justbe Resto Cafe
Valentine’s pizza
Ingredients
Ready pizza base - 2
Pizza sauce - 1/2 cup
Shredded mozzarella - 1/2 cup
Cherry tomatoes - 2
Italian herbs and chilli flakes - as per taste
Heart shaped cookie cutter
Mini skewers - 2
Method
Cut two heart-shaped pizza bases using your cookie cutter.
Spread a bit of pizza sauce on both your ‘hearts’. Season with herbs and chilli flakes.
Sprinkle cheese (preferably in the shape of a heart) on top of it.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 7-8 minutes.
Once baked, pierce a cherry tomato onto a skewer and
then onto the middle of your pizza heart.
Enjoy with your special someone!
- Anushree Kanoria and Archana Kanoria, chefs and co-founders, Dough Re Mi
Grilled Sea Bass
Fish marination
Sea bass - 140gm
Lemon juice - 1/2 slice
Garlic chop - 1 clove
Dill leaves - 1/2 teaspoon
Olive oil - 5gm
White wine - 2ml
Salt and pepper - to taste
Dill cream sauce
Dill leaves - 20gm
Garlic chop - 4 clouse
Fresh cream - 70 gm
Lemon juice - 2 slice
Salt - 1gm
Pepper - 1 pinch
Boiled quinoa
Quinoa - 50gm
Water - 100gm
Salt and pepper - to taste
Method
1. For the fish, add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, lemon pepper, and sea salt and stir well
2. For the dill cream sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the garlic, dill leaves, add fresh cream and lemon juice
3. For the quinoa, add the quinoa in boiling water with salt and slow cook for 20 minutes
4. For buttered vegetables, add fresh vegetables in a pan. Saute with butter, garlic and seasonings on medium heat
5. Assemble the quinoa on the plate, place the vegetables on the side and the fish over it, garnish with dill leaves and tuile. - Vijay, executive chef, Cafe Noir
Valentine dimsum
Ingredients
Chicken mince - 120gm
Chopped onion - 30gm
Chopped garlic - 5gm
Chopped spring onion - 10gm
Chopped coriander - 10gm
Salt - 5gm
White pepper - 1gm
Maggi seasoning - 20ml
Oyster sauce (optional) - 10gm
Chopped red chilli - 5gm
Roasted bread crumbs - 5gm
Red wonton sheet - 8 pcs
Water - 10ml
Method
1. Mix the chicken mince with all the chopped herbs and seasoning and keep in refrigerator to rest.
2. Bring in the wonton sheets to room temperature and put on a dry surface, dust some refined flour before putting them on the table or kitchen slab.
3. In the centre, put the chicken mixture and cover it with the other wonton sheet and press the sides properly.
4. Apply water on the sides before overlapping the wonton sheet.
5. Cut it with the heart-shaped ring/cutter. Steam it to perfection, put them in a bowl, pour the soya sauce and water mix and top it with the bread crumbs.
- Sahil Ratta, deputy corporate chef, Lucky Chan
Strawberry and balsamic soaked prunes salad with feta
Ingredients
Prunes - 3 pcs
Fresh strawberries - 4 cut into quarters
Curly kale leaves -6 to 7
Lolorosso lettuce - 5-6 leaves
Red radish - 1 thinly sliced
Toasted sunflower seeds - 1 tsp
Toasted pumpkin seeds -1 tsp
Feta cheese - 2 tbsp
Arugula leaves - 5-6
Mustard micro greens - to garnish
Passion fruit dressing
Balsamic vinegar - 2 tbsp
For passion fruit vinaigrette
Honey - 1 tbsp
Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
Passion fruit puree - 2 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
Sea salt - 1 tsp
Cracked pepper - 1 tsp
Method
1. Wash all green lettuce in ice chilled water, drain water and keep aside.
2. Make thin slices of cherry mozzarella
3. Cut fresh strawberries into wedges and soak prunes in balsamic vinegar
4. Take a mixing bowl, pour passion fruit puree, Dijon mustard, honey and mix it with the help of whisk and add extra virgin olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper gradually. Finish the dressing with chopped hazelnuts.
5. In another bowl, add mixed crunchy lettuce, fresh strawberries, prunes, and whipped feta cheese. Drizzle the dressing and toss them. Serve chilled on a platter
6. Finish the salad by adding sliced red radish, toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and mustard micro greens to garnish. Lastly, drizzle with balsamic reduction
- Utkarsh Bhalla, chef, Sly Granny