10th Feb '08 written update (India)

GRILLED GARLIC PEPPER PRAWNS

Ingredients

Prawns 8 large

Garlic, chopped 10-15 clovesBlack peppercorns, crushed

7-8Olive oil 2 teaspoons

Butter 3 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Lemon juice 1 teaspoon

Rum 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add butter and garlic and half the crushed black peppercorns and saut for one to two minutes.

2. Add prawns, salt, remaining crushed black peppercorns and lemon juice and saut. Take care that the prawns do not get overcooked.

3. Transfer into a serving dish.

4. Heat a deep spoon, put a little rum in it and hold over the flame till it catches the flame. Pour over the prawns immediately to flamb.

5. Serve hot.

CHOCO ALMOND MUFFIN

Ingredients

Cocoa powder 4 tablespoons

Almonds, coarsely ground 2 tablespoons

Almonds, chopped 10-12

Eggs 4

Sugar 1 cup

Refined flour (maida) 3 tablespoons

Butter, melted 4 tablespoons

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Break eggs into a bowl. Add sugar and blend with a hand blender till frothy.

3. Sieve refined flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add coarsely ground almonds and mix. Add this flour mixture gradually to the eggs, mixing with the blender continuously.

4. Add melted butter and mix.

5. Pour the batter into muffin moulds till half full.

6. Sprinkle chopped almonds on top and bake in the preheated oven for twenty to twenty five minutes.

7. Serve hot.

TOMATO AND CARROT SOUP WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

Ingredients

Tomatoes, roughly chopped 6 medium

Carrots, roughly chopped 2 medium

Mascarpone cheese 4 tablespoons

Onion, roughly sliced 1 medium

Oil 1 tablespoon

Garlic, roughly sliced 4 cloves

Salt to taste

Black peppercorns 4-6

Vegetable stock 2 cups

Rice flour 1 tablespoon

Basil leaves 5-6

Extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Roast the onion slices on a grill over open flame. Cut two tomatoes into large chunks and remove the pulp and seeds. Roast the tomato chunks on the grill over open flame.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and saut. Chop the remaining tomatoes along with the pulp roughly.

3. When the garlic turns golden, add chopped tomatoes and cook on high heat. Add salt, black peppercorns and mix.

4. Turn the onion and tomato pieces on the grill so that they get roasted on the other side too.

5. Add vegetable stock to the pan along with the roasted onion and tomato pieces.

6. Mix rice flour with a little water so that there are no lumps and add to the pan. Cover and cook till the tomatoes are completely done. Strain. Cool slightly and pour into a mixer. Add half the basil leaves and blend into a puree. Add the strained liquid and mix.

7. Bring to a boil again. Pour into a soup bowl.

8. Shape the mascarpone cheese between two tablespoons. Pour extra virgin olive oil over the soup. Place the mascarpone cheese, garnish with remaining basil leaves and serve piping hot.