Friday, 22 January 2016

Bar-be-cue Perfect

I'm not a fan of the winters....nope, not at all! All that talk about all Delhites loving winters makes absolutely no sense to me! But then humans are known to be the most adaptive of all species on this planet and playing my part to the core, I discovered that bar-be-cues are one of the best way to feel good on those cold nights. This winter, a simple thought to make the bar-be-cues a little more exciting came to my mind. Small additions and subtractions that can make a big difference. So here goes...

Dips: Paneer Tikka with green chutney. Chicken tikka with green chutney. Mutton kabab with green chutney. Amritsari fish, again with green chutney. Let's give the green thing a little breather. Whisk some curd in a bowl (no need for hung curd). Simply throw in lots of crushed garlic & salt. Let it sit for 10 mins for the flavour to absorb and you have a dip ready that is awesomely easy and unbelievably tasty. Zero fat, so eat it guilt free! And did we mention, it tastes heavenly with bar-be-cued potatoes and corn too
Not in the mood for curd? Whisk up some Hummus; bar-be-cues without hummus is like      politics without opposition...devoid of flavour!


Breads: We seriously need innovation here! Roomali and tandoori rotis has done the rounds. Dole out some super soft and spongy Khoboos with your tikkas and you will change your perception of bar-be-cue breads! Make your khuboos at home. It's super easy, take our word for it. See recipe at www.cooktube.co.in.

Biryanis: We tend to overdo things at our bar-be-cues. After a feisty session of tikkas and sausages and more tikkas and more sausages, we head to a table of full blown main course. Not needed! Keep it simple .A well flavoured, low on spice biryani and broth/gravy affair should see you through. Add in a side dish of corn kernels dipped in rice flour and sautéed with herbs & spices, with a dash of lime thrown in. Keep the main course light and you will go to bed feeling nice and easy.

Drinks: It's chilling outside. While the single malts do keep people warm, for those who find companionship in vodka, there is help at hand. While you stir in your drink with lime cordial or Sprite, throw in finely chopped green chilies in your glass and see the zing it brings to your senses! It's tasty, it's zingy and it's hot. Who says it's cold out there?

Salads: This is a choice made purely on the basis of the taste, with health benefits thrown in as a bonus! Contrary to the set norm that leaves are just “grass”, I've discovered that meats actually taste better when accompanied with salads. Crunchy broccoli breaks the monotony of chewing endlessly on tender meat, while corn and mushrooms actually compliment the smoked flavour. Bell peppers & Iceberg Lettuce are also great options as they lend a certain freshness to the entire palate. Looking to flavour the salad too? Sprinkle some celery leaves...the underlying taste goes very well with bar-be-cued meats.

As I tick off days for the season to get over, it may be a good idea to pull out the skewers, put the coal on fire, marinate the meat...and remember to carry great conversations along!
  Happy Bar-be-Cueing! 


No comments:

Post a Comment