Chef Urbano Rego, the legendary chef of the Taj, hailing from Goa is reknowned for his impeccable Goan cusine. (See pages 68 to 77)

ROCK LOBSTER BEACH HOUSE

Ingredients :
Fresh lobster 350 gms.
Finely chopped onion 1 no.
Finely chopped ginger 1 tsp
Finely chopped garlic 1 ½ tsp
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Roasted hot spices powder 1 tsp
Coconut milk 50 ml.
Lemon juice 1 no.
Oil (vegetable) just to sauté onion
Chopped tomatoes 1 no.
Salt to taste
Method:
Cut the lobster, only the body part of it so you can remove the meat out.
Wash the lobster shell in running water and blanch it well to get colour and dry it.
Cut the lobster meat into pieces and marinate with salt lemon juice and keep aside.
Sauté the onion with garlic and ginger till soft.
Add chilli, turmeric powder  and chopped
tomatoes and cook well.
Add coconut milk, dry roasted powder, chopped coriander and salt.
Fill the cooked lobster meat in  the lobster shell in plate and serve with a mould of cabbage foogath.

LULAS PICANTECON CEBOLAS
(spiced squids with onions)

Ingredients:
Fresh squid tubes 250 gms
Onions chopped 1 no
Chilli flakes 1 tbsp
Chopped garlic 1 tbsp
Chopped ginger 1 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the tubes well inside and cut in different shapes.
Marinate the squid tubes with salt, lemon juice, garlic, onion, ginger and chilli flakes.
Keep frying pan on fire with olive oil and fry the cut squids well till they curl.
Add remaining marination to it and do not over cook the squids.
Serve hot.

BEACH HOUSE SALAD

Ingredients:
Poached king prawns 5 to 6 nos.
Spring onions 1 bunch
Pineapple cubes 30 gms.
Cos lettuce 20 gms.
Cherry tomatoes 4 to 5 nos.
Stuffed olives 4 to 5 nos.
Chilli flakes 1 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 5 to 6 nos.
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Roasted garlic whole 7 to 8 flakes
Grated coconut 1 tbsp
Salt & sugar to taste
Method:
Shell out and de-vein the prawns.  Wash well.
Poach the prawns in little water with chopped onion and salt and chill the prawns.
Wash the cut spring onions and cos lettuce in chilled water and keep aside.
Mix the prawns with spring onions, cos lettuce, pineapple, chilli flakes and roasted garlic flakes.
Temper the curry leaves with mustard seeds in olive oil and keep for cooling.
Add this temper to salad and mix it well with lemon juice, salt and sugar and garnish well.  Sprinkle with fresh grated coconut on top.

CARANGUEIJOS PIMENTA FRITTO
(chilli garlic crabs)

Ingredients:
Mud crabs 2 nos. large size
Chopped spring onions 2 bunches (450 gms.)
Chopped garlic 1 tbsp
Roasted chilli flakes 1 tbsp
Crushed pepper corns 1 tsp
Palm feni 20 ml, Olive oil 1 tbsp
Butter 1 tbsp, Shredded kokum 5 nos
Salt to taste
Method:
Take live crabs in a covered container and put the same in deep freezer for 20 minutes.
Take the crabs and remove the shell and cut them into two pieces with claws and clean well.
Take sauce pan and fry the  spring onions and garlic.
Add the cut crabs and stir fry.
Pour the palm feni and flambé it till evaporates.
Add the chilli flakes, crushed pepper corns and salt.
Cover the crabs and cook on slow fire.
Serve in a deep plate and sprinkle finely chopped spring onions.

FILLET OF FISH (RED SNAPPER)

Ingredients:
Fillet fish 350 gms
Prawn mince 100 gms
Onions chopped ½ no
Tomatoes ½ no
Coriander leaves 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste 1 tsp
Vinegar red masala 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to sprinkle on top
Method:
Clean the fish (Red Snapper). Slit it on both sides of the middle bone. Wash well.
Marinate the fillet with salt and toddy vinegar masala and roll it with prawn mince. (Prawn mince mixed with chopped onion, tomatoes, green chilli paste and chopped coriander leaves)
Sprinkle little oil on fish and grill it under the salamander.
Serve on large size platter with mould of spinach and lemon.
(Toddy vinegar red masala)
Ingredients:
Red dry chillies 3 nos
Cloves 3 nos
Cinnamon small piece
Green cardomon 2 nos
Pepper corns 5 nos
Cummin seeds ½ pinch
Ginger ½ pc
Garlic 3 nos
Vinegar 1 tbsp

CAMARAO TIGER CON CILANTRO
(Tiger prawns in coriander )

Ingredients:
Large size tiger prawns 3 nos
Cashewnut paste 1 tbsp
Coconut milk ½ tea cup
Chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp
Chopped onion 1 no (25 gms.)
Chopped ginger 1 tsp
Chopped garlic 1 tsp
Green chilli paste 1 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Method:
Shell out and de-vein the prawns. Wash well.
Marinate with salt, lemon juice.  Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chilli and cashew nut paste. Keep aside.
Keep frying pan on fire with little oil and pan grill the tiger prawns on both sides. Then add coconut milk, fresh coriander leaves and remaining
marination.  Cook for some time.
Serve with mould of spinach foogath and Goan Bread (poies).

CARNE DE VACA TAVERNA

Ingredients:
Thin slices of beef 350 gms
Finely chopped garlic 1 tbsp
Finely chopped ginger 1 tbsp
Chopped onion 1 no
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Crushed pepper corns 1 tsp
Roasted chilli flakes 2 tsp
Toddy vinegar 20 ml
Palm feni 30 ml
Olive oil 25 ml
Finely chopped coriander 1 tsp
Sauted roundels of fried potato and onion
Salt for seasoning
Method:
Clean the beef (tenderloin) and slice it.
Marinate it with salt, vinegar, garlic, ginger, chopped onion and crushed pepper corn, chilli flakes and keep aside.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.  Fry the beef slices on both sides.
Add the marination and drizzle with palm feni till it evaporates. Cover for some time till the beef is cooked well.
Sauté the spiced roundels of potatoes and onion and keep beef slices on top.

Chef Maximiliano Cotilli,  the head chef of Stella at The Leela Kempenski Hotel does not believe that food has to be rich to taste good. He is known as a Gladiator of  Italian cuisine.  

Tortellini con Ricotta e Spugnole, Cappuccino ai Porcini (Home -made tortellini made with ricotta and morels, ceps and scented cappuccino)

Ingredients: 
Pasta dough 300 gms, Milk 500 ml
Dry cepes powder 50 gms
Dry morrel mushrooms 50 gms
Fresh button mushrooms 150 gms
Chopped parsley  10 gms
Ricotta cheese 100 gms
Grated Parmigiano 40 gms
Garlic 1 tsp
Chopped shallot 1 tbsp
Balsamic vinegar a few drops
Extra virgin  olive oil
Method:
Work the dough in the pasta machine to reach 1 mm of thickness. Cut 15 discs from the dough, using a ring of a 15 cm diameter. Let it rest in a cool place covered with a cloth.
For the stuffing, melt some butter and olive oil, sweat the garlic and the shallot, add chopped button mushrooms and cook till liquids are evaporated. Add the pre-soaked chopped morrels. Cook for 2 minutes and leave aside to cool. When cold, add the grated parmigiano and chopped parsley. Adjust with salt and pepper.
On a flat surface, lay the dough discs, brush some egg-yolk along the borders and place one tbsp. of stuffing in the centre. Fold the pasta in the shape of a half moon and finish as tortellini.
Blanch the tortellini in salted boiling water.  Strain and toss in a saucepan with butter and water emulsion, sprinkle with parmigiano. Gratin a couple of minutes under the grill.
Heat the milk with a pinch of salt and dry cepes powder, stir well until 60 degrees celsius. Blend with ‘minipimer’ to make a nice froth like cappuccino.
To assemble the plate put some drops of balsamic vinegar, place three tortellini and a few scoops of cappuccino and serve.

Capelli D' angello
(Angel hair pasta in a light fresh basil, tomatoes and shrimp sauce)

Ingredients:
Capellini De Ceco 70 gms
Tomato sauce 25 gms
Chopped garlic  5 gms
Prawns 6-8 pcs
Rocket salad 30 gms
Chopped onion 20 gms
Extra virgin olive oil 20 ml
Rice 10 gms
Method:
Prepare the rocket pesto;  sweat  the onion  a sauce pan the onion with the extra virgin olive oil, and then add the rice and toast. Bring the water to a boil and cook the rice for about 17 minutes. Once the rice is cooked add the rocket salad leaves, cook for  a few seconds then blend everything and pass through the strainer.
Now in a frying pan start to sweat the garlic, the chilli and prawns (half chopped and half whole).   Add salt, then add the tomato sauce.
In the boiling water cook the capellini for few minutes then strain, and toss them for a few seconds. Finish with olive oil and fresh chopped parsley.
Serve the capellini in a serving plate put the whole prawns on the side and finish with the rocket pesto.

Galleto InDiavolato, Patate alla Paprika e Cipolla Ripiena (Italian spiced Cornish game hen with Paprika potatoes baked with red onions)

Ingredients: 
Cornish Game, Thighs 5 nos
Drumsticks 5 nos, Breasts 5 nos
Red onions 5 nos, Spinach 100 gms
Parmigiano 50 g, Pine nuts 30 gms
Large potatoes 5 nos, Bread Crumbs 100 gms
Sun-dried tomatoes  70 gms
Chilli paste 30 gms, Chicken jus 30 ml
Method:
Wrap the onions in cling film and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for an hour. Remove from the foil and peel off the first skin. Trim off the top and bottom. With a teaspoon remove the heart, chop it and mix with sautéed
spinach, Parmigiano, pine nuts to prepare a stuffing. Fill the onion with the stuffing using a piping bag. Place on a tray with some olive oil and bake again for 5 minutes.
Wash the potatoes and cook in salted boiling water skin-on. Strain and leave on the side to cool down. Cut in wedges and roast with olive oil in a non-stick pan sprinkling over with paprika.
Blend the sun-dried tomatoes with bread crumb and pass through a sieve.
Season the meat and roast in a cast iron pan until the skin is crispy and the meat is cooked. Leave aside to rest and brush with chilli paste, sprinkle with the tomatoes and bread crumbs.
To compose the plate, place the baked onion, the potato wedges and the meats(1 thigh, 1 drumstick, 1 breast). Finish with reduced chicken stock and fresh rosemary.

Minestrone con Capelli D'Angelo (Minestrone means big soup to Italians especially with goodies like pasta, vegetables etc. to go with it)

Ingredients:
For vegetables and pesto: 
Carrot 1 no, Potatoes 1 no,
Courgettes 3 nos, Broccoli spears 100 gms
Green peas 80 gms,  Asparagus 80 gms
Spinach 100 gms, Garlic cloves 2 nos
Shallots 2 nos, Olive oil & seasoning
For pasta: 
Flour 300 gms, Semolina 100 gms
Eggs 4 nos, Olive oil, Seasoning
Method:
For the pesto:
 Dice potatoes, carrots, 1 courgette, 50 gms broccoli and asparagus. Boil them for 2 minutes then add the boiled green peas, dress with olive oil and seasoning.
Roast shallots in a saucepan, add garlic, two skined courgettes, spinach and broccoli then cover with hot vegetable stock letting it simmer until cooked. Blend and pass through a sieve. Add seasoning and olive oil.
Capelli D’angelo: Mix all the pasta dough ingredients till soft. After half an hour roll out a thin pasta sheet and with a knife cut very fine strips like angel hair.
To serve cook pasta in hot salted water. At the same time put the pesto in the plate, place the vegetables around, make a nest with the pasta.  Garnish with a few drops of olive oil and fresh pepper and serve hot vegetable stock on the side.

Asha Khatau, the queen of multi-vegetarian cooking dishes out easy-to-make Spanish recipes. Asha conducts classes under the name Epicure.

Escalibada (Red pepper and Aubergine Salad)

Ingredients:
Medium red peppers 4 nos
Aubergines 3 nos (long)
Chopped garlic,
2 cloves
Olive oil 100 ml or ½ cup
Vinegar 6 tsp
Onion 1 no. large
Potatoes 4 nos. medium
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Wash and dry all the vegetables and place them on the oven tray. Wrap the potatoes in foil and put them in the oven too. Bake for 30 minutes, turning them over once in between.
Remove from oven and peel off the skin of all the vegetables while hot. Remove stem of peppers and aubergines and cut them into long strips.
Slice onions and tomatoes. Cut the potatoes into half and scoop out a little pulp keeping the skin intact. Arrange all the vegetables separately. Sprinkle liberally with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve cold.

Patatas Bravas

Ingredients:
Potatoes 3 nos. medium                       
Oil for fryingTomatoes,
peeled and deseeded 3 medium                        
Vinegar few drops
Spanish paprika & plain flour 1 tsp
Salt to taste
 Method:
Peel the potatoes cut them into small pieces and fry them on a slow flame until golden. Heat 1 tsp oil in a saucepan and add tomatoes.
Crush them while mixing. When cooked, add the vinegar, flour, salt and paprika. Mix well. Place hot potatoes on a serving dish and pour the sauce over and serve warm or cold.

Chick-peas and Spinach Tapas'

Ingredients:
Fresh spinach 2-3 bunches plucked,
washed and cooked
Chickpeas 2 cups soaked overnight and cooked
Red pepper finely chopped 1, medium
Tomatoes 2, medium, blanched and chopped
Garlic 4 cloves crushed
Finely chopped coriander leaves 2 tbsp
Finely chopped chives 1 tbsp
Juice of 2 lemons                      
Salt and pepper to taste
Virgin olive oil ¼ cup                             
Method:
Finely chop the spinach.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and toss together with spinach.
Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Serve cold with toasted bread or as a salad.

Marinated Olives

Ingredients:                  
Olives 1 cup de-seeded or sliced
Dried red chillies, finely chopped 2  OR 
Crushed red chillies 1 tsp                              
Garlic, minced 12 cloves                        
Red vinegar and dash of lemon juice
Chopped basil 1 tsp                              
Olive oil 1 tbsp                            
Dried oregano ½ tsp
Method:
Lightly crush the olives and toss them with remaining ingredients in a bowl.
Set aside for 3-4 hours before using.

Alioli Sauce

Ingredients:
Garlic, 6 large cloves                                     
Mayonnaise ½ cup                                      
Lemon juice 1½ tbsp                                   
Olive oil 1/4 cup 
Salt to taste
Method:
Mix all the ingredients in the blender.
Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight jar.

Chef Hao Quan and Chef Joy Bhattacharya of Hilton Towers,  charm guests with their culinary prowess showcasing Pan Asian recipes from India Jones.

Stir fried pomfret, black  pepper sauce

Ingredients:
Marination:
Pomfret fillet 250 gms
Salt 3 g, Pepper 2 gms
Egg 1 no, Oil 10 ml
Cornflour 10 gms
Sauce:
Butter 30 g,
Cornflour 15 gms
Dark soy sauce 5 ml
Light soy sauce 5 ml
Sugar 5 gms, Salt  to taste.
Crushed black pepper corn 10 - 15 gms
Chopped garlic 10 gms
Oyster sauce 15 gms
Stock  50 ml
Fresh coriander sprigs to garnish
Method:
Cut each pomfret fillet into two & marinate.
Heat oil in a wok & deep fry the fish, drain & keep aside.
For the sauce - heat a wok, add butter, once melted add crushed pepper corn & garlic, sauté.
Add stock & other sauce ingredients except cornflour.
Prepare cornflour slurry by mixing cornflour & water.
Once the sauce starts to boil add fried fish, check for the seasoning & simmer.
Slowly add cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce, taking care not to break the fish.
Once you get the right consistency carefully transfer to a bowl & garnish with fresh coriander sprigs & serve hot with steam rice or fried rice.

Wok tossed vegetables in Black bean sauce

Ingredients:
Broccoli florets 50 gms
Asparagus 50 gms, Baby corn 50 gms
Shitake mushrooms 30 gms
Button mushrooms 30 gms
Pakchoy 50 gms
Diced Chinese cabbage 50 gms
Diced bell peppers 50 gms.
Sauce:
Chopped garlic 10 gms 
Cornflour 15 gms
Dark soy sauce 5ml
Light soy sauce 5 ml
Sugar 5 gms
Vegetable stock  80 - 100 ml
Salt to taste
Red chilli paste 10 gms
Preserved black bean 15 gms
Refined oil 10 ml
Method:
Par boil all the vegetables.
For the sauce - heat oil in wok, to this add garlic, chilli paste & black beans. Saute.
Add vegetable stock & other sauce ingredients except cornflour.
Prepare cornflour slurry by mixing cornflour & water, keep aside.
Add the vegetables & bring to a boil. Check for the seasoning.
Thicken the sauce with the cornflour slurry.
Once thickened transfer to a serving dish.
Serve hot with steam rice or fried rice.

Laab Kai  (Spicy minced chicken salad with roasted ground rice & fresh mint)

Ingredients:
Minced chicken 250 gms, Stock 30 ml.
Chopped spring onion 5 gms
Chopped lemon grass 5 gms
Chopped bird eye chillies 3-4 nos
Sliced shallots 20 - 25 gms
Pounded roasted rice 15 -20 gms
Chilli flakes 5 gms, Lemon juice 1 lime
Chopped saw tooth coriander 15 gms
Mint leaves 20 gms
Fish sauce to taste (Can be substituted with salt.)
Sugar 5 gms, Burnt dried red chilli 1 no
Method:
Heat frying pan, add the stock & minced chicken.
Add little fish sauce to season the meat & keep stirring making sure to break up any lump that forms till the meat is cooked.
Drain the excess liquid and transfer to a salad mixing bowl.
To this add the other ingredients.
Check for seasoning and add chopped mint.
Serve garnished with fresh coriander sprigs.

Chhaya Arya, is an enterprising woman and a good cook. She is the mastermind behind the delicious  home-style Rajasthani food at Chetana her restaurant.

Gatte ka Pulao

Ingredients:
Gatta: 
Besan 100 gms
Curd 25 gms
Water to add
Oil 10 gms
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Jeera powder 1 gms
Whole dhaniya 1 gms
Ajwain 1 gms
Sugar 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Method:
Take all the above  ingredients mix it with  water, make a thick dough, and roll it with the hands.
Keep it aside.
Boil the water then add rolled gatta keeping it on fire for 10 min. Then take it out from the water keep it aside.
Pulao:  Half cooked rice 50 gms
Onion 20 gms
Red chilli powder ½ tsp.
Tejpatta 1 no.
Jeera 1 pinch,   Ghee 10 gms
Boiled potato 1no, medium size
Green peas 25 gms, Garam masala ½ tsp.
Garlic 4 cloves
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Method:
Heat the ghee add jeera, onion, garlic, fry it till onion gets golden brown then add green peas, boiled potato and rolled gatta
Then add all spices and half cooked rice, mix it well then add little water in it, cover it with the lid properly and keep it for 5 min. The gatte ka pulao is ready.

Dal Panchamel

Ingredients:
Chana dal 10 gms
Udad dal 5 gms
Moong dal 5 gms
Tur dal 5 gms
Masoor dal 5 gms
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Coriander powder ½ tsp
Onion sliced 15 gms
Green chilli paste ½ tsp
Jeera ½ tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Curd 1 tsp,   Fat 1 tsp
Green coriander chopped  3 tsp
Method:
Pick, wash and soak dals.
Boil together. Remove the scum.
Slice onions, and finely chop green chilli.
Make a brown onion paste. Add it to the dal along with curd, ginger garlic paste, powder spices, OR fry the sliced onions, add ginger garlic paste and green chillies; then add powder masala  to the dal; then add curd and cook.
Temper with jeera, garnishing with chopped coriander serve hot.

Dal Batti

Ingredients:
Wheat flour 150 gms,
Ghee 100 gms
Ajwain 2 gms, Salt to taste
Water as needed
Method:
Take 50 gms ghee, heat it  and add all the ingredients. Mix well and add water. Take dough and divide it, make small round ball kind of  shapes, then flatten from top & bottom. Bake in the oven, till it turns brown.
At the time of baking, heat the remaining ghee, take out batti from the oven and soak it in the ghee; when serving, remove  from ghee & serve.

Chef Gev Desai   Area Chef of ITC Hotel, The Maratha, Bombay is a genius when it comes to the kitchen. Try out his Continental recipes.

Cajun blackened tenderloin with chilled fresh horseradish cream Cajun spice powder

Ingredients:
Paprika powder 3 parts
Red pepper powder 1 part
Black pepper powder 1 part
Garlic powder 1 part
Dried thyme crushed 1 part
White pepper powder 1 part
Dried oregano crushed ½ part
Salt 1 part
Horseradish cream:
Finely grated horseradish 1 cup
Chopped parsley 1/3 cup
Prepared English mustard 3 tbsp
Dairy cream 3 cups
Salt to season
Tenderloin cleaned 1kg
Method:
Mix all powdered spices for Cajun spice powder.
Cut tenderloin into very thin slices.
Coat the tenderloin with spice powder, patting it to remove excess spice.
Grate the horseradish, remove any excess moisture by gently squeezing.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and leave overnight to cool.
On a high flame, heat a cast iron tawa (chappati tawa ideal) to maximum extent possible.
On the dry tawa, put the spiced beef slices till spice powder gives off its fragrance and
turns brownish. (be careful not to burn or  char black)
To be served and eaten within a minute of removing from tawa.
Dollop of chilled horseradish cream lends great contrast to the searing hot tenderloin.
Portion as desired.

Cajun blackened fish

Ingredients:
Paprika powder 3 parts
White pepper powder 1 part
Red pepper powder 1 part
Black pepper powder 1 part
Garlic powder 1 part
Dried & crushed thyme 1 part
 Dried & Crushed oregano ½ part  
Salt 1 part
Large fish fillet, skinned and cleaned 1kg
Method:
Mix all powdered spices for Cajun spice powder
Cut large fillet into very thin slices.
Coat the fish slices with spice powder, patting it to remove excess spice
On a high flame, heat a cast iron tawa (chappati tawa ideal) to maximum extent possible. On the dry tawa, put the spiced fish slices till spice powder gives off its fragrance and turns brownish. (caution, do not burn to char black)
To be served and eaten within a minute of removing from tawa
Portion as desired.
NOTE: Chicken may be treated in exactly the same way as the fish, after cutting chicken breast into thin slices.

Dill marinated fish with Pernod sauce

Stock:
Prawn heads, cleaned and roughly crushed
with shell 1 kg approx
Fish bone cleaned 200 g
Butter ½ cup,    Garlic   ½ pod crushed
Onion roughly chopped  1 cup
Celery chopped roughly  ½ cup
Fresh tomatoes ripe, large and quartered 3 nos.
Brandy 90 ml,  Salt to season
Water 1 ½  litres
Sauce:
Egg yolk 1 no, Cream 2/3 cup
Strained and reduced stock 3 cups
Pernod 75ml
Fish:
Pomfret or Murrel or Beckti Fillets 10 nos.
(60-75 gms each)
Dill chopped  1/3 cup
Lemon juice  2 lemons
Butter  ½ cup
Salt to taste
Method:
Use fresh prawn heads, do not remove the yellow cullis, wash off the grit and dry. This is an ideal way to use heads.
Clean and wash fish bones of all entrails.
Marinate the fish fillets with lemon juice, salt, dill.
In a large wide pan/pot, on a high flame, heat butter but do not smoke.
Add onion, celery, garlic and sauté for a minute.
Add prawn heads (make sure all water
has been drained off) and sauté on high
fire till heads are seared golden and very slightly charred
Add brandy and flame.
After flames die out, add tomato, water, fish bones and salt.
Simmer 25 minutes and no longer
Strain and crush as far as possible through a soup strainer
Reduce liquid on fire to half its quantity and keep aside
Beat the cream and egg yolk in a bowl to form a
liaison.
Grill marinated fish fillet in butter over a medium fire till almost done, set aside on a platter.
Heat the reduced stock, till it boils.
Remove from fire, slowly whisk in the egg yolk
liaison and the Pernod.  The sauce will thicken.
Spoon  it over the grilled fish.
Best eaten with steamed vegetables and buttered steamed rice, prepared  with half reduced fish stock and half water.

Kainaz Messman, the face behind Theobroma has been christened the brownie queen. She is superb with desserts and confectioneries as is evident with the cafe’s astounding success.

Chocolate Gianduja Tart

Ingredients:
Tart Base:
Butter chilled 100 gms
Sifted Flour 150 gms
Hazelnut powder medium ground 50 gms
Baking powder 5 gms
Orange zest 2 tsp
Icing sugar 45 gms
Egg yolks 2 nos,   Cold milk 3 tbsp
Gianduja (Hazelnut Butter) 
Roasted hazelnuts 150 gms
Melted dark bittersweet baking
chocolate 150 gms
Fresh dairy cream 300 gms
Icing sugar 30 gms
Hazelnut Oil  2 tbsp  Vanilla essence 1 tbsp
To finish: 
Roasted crushed hazelnuts  60 gms   
White chocolate  20 gms
Method:
To make the tart base: mix together the flour, hazelnut powder, baking powder, fresh orange zest and icing sugar. Rub the chilled butter into the flour mixture, till it resembles fine biscuit crumbs. Drop in yolks and the milk and bring the mixture together in a gentle kneading action till the dough is formed. Chill the dough;  roll out or press into the tin if the dough is too delicate to roll. Bake at 170 C  for 15 mins till golden brown, leave to cool.
To make the Gianduja:  put the hazelnuts into a blender and crush till all the oil runs out and the hazelnuts become a paste. Keep on blending  whilst pouring the melted chocolate into the paste, continue blending till its all homogenous. Add the icing sugar and hazelnut oil if using, to the chilled fresh cream, add the cream to the hazelnut butter and pour your gianduja into the ready tart mould. Keep to chill. Crush the roasted hazelnuts coarsely and sprinkle over the tart.
Melt the white chocolate put into a piping bag made of paper and snip the tip of to give you a very fine point and create a white chocolate grid over the roasted hazelnuts. If you don't have the patience to make a bag use a tablespoon and create the grid, it may not be as neat but will suffice as decoration for the tart. Serve chilled
at about 5 centigrade.

Hazelnut chocolate cookies

Ingredients:
Sifted white flour 125 gms
Cocoa  30 gms, Baking soda 5 gms
Toasted hazelnuts 150 gms
Choco-chips / baking chocolates chopped           
into small cubes 200 gms
Butter  125 gms, Brown sugar 75 gms
Egg 1 no., Melted chocolate 100 gms
Vanilla essence 2 tsp
Method:
Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips.
Cream the butter and the sugar together, till white, add the beaten egg and add the melted chocolate.
Add the flour mixture with chocolate chips and the nuts into the mixture, spoon onto a baking tray, lined with oiled baking paper
Bake at 170 centigrade for 12 minutes.

Roasted hazelnut caraque

Ingredients:
Tempered chocolate  500 gms
Roasted hazelnuts  100 gms, Raisins  50 gms
Croquant (optional)  25 gms
Almonds (optional)  100 gms
Method:
Pour the tempered chocolate onto a
transparency sheet roughly about 17” x 13” or two small  sheets, spread it into an even layer ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle the hazelnuts and the other nuts and raisins
Leave to just set;  when still malleable cut into squares or abstract pieces. Leave to completely set in a cold environment.

Chef Avi Bitton who came from Tel Aviv specially for the UpperCrust Show cooked up a riot, assisted by Liora Zonshine, Cultural Attache at the Israel Consulate, Bombay.  

Zattar

Ingredients:
12 Medium sized prawns, shelled and deveined
Zattar marinade (Mediterranean Herbs)
½ cup of olive oil
1 spoon zattar
1 grilled egg plant
2 tomatoes, cubed without seeds
Method:
In a pan, mix the oil, zattar and the prawns and marinate for 1 hour. Grind the eggplant in 4 spoons of olive oil till it is creamy. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Take the prawns, grill it for 1 minute on both sides.
Presentation:
In a big plate, spread the eggplant cream. Top with the prawns. Garnish with the tomato and serve.     

Sviche Ravas with Coriander & Olive Oil

Ingredients:
200 gms ravas fillet, cut into 1 cm cubes
1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped fine
1 cup tomatoes, cubed without seeds
1 small onion, cubed, 4 spoons of olive oil
Salt to taste, Freshly ground pepper
1 small red chilli
Method:
Mix all of the above. Adjust according to taste.