Chocolate & Salted Caramel Tart

After a long break, I am back with something bittersweet!

I had been to a couple of Kala Ghoda food workshops this year as well. One of them was by The Sassy Spoon and they showed some really easy yet new things that one could try.
This recipe is adapted from there.

These tarts make for very convenient and bite sized desserts that can be made in advance for dinners, parties or just like that! Not to forget, it will be a hit with kids too!

By far one of the least fussy recipes I have come across for chocolate tarts. The salted caramel perfectly balances out the bitterness of the dark chocolate. For dark chocolate lovers, this is a must try!
My parents who are milk chocolate eaters, liked this too! So others can give it a chance too!

I made a small batch as I was trying tarts for the first time. So here it is:

Update: I made it again! This time with regular tart base. (Shown in Pics)

Makes: 6. Preparation Time: 30 mins. Cooking Time: 10 mins.

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Tart Dough:

65 gms Flour/Maida
10 gms Cocoa Powder
50 gms Butter (Chilled)
30 gms Icing sugar
15 ml Milk (Chilled)

For the Chocolate Ganache:

80 gms Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped, at room temperature
80 ml Fresh Cream

For the Salted Caramel:

80 gms Castor Sugar (or 40 gms Brown Sugar & 40 gms Castor Sugar)
80 ml Fresh Cream
20 gms Butter
a pinch of Sea Salt

For Garnish:

Silver Balls (Optional)

Method:
For the Chocolate Tart:

1. Sieve the flour, sugar and cocoa so they mix well.(Optional)
2. With your clean fingers, gently rub in the butter with the flour mix till it resembles a crumbly mixture.
3. Now add some chilled milk slowly and make a dough. Take care not to over-knead it.
4. Leave it in the refrigerator to cool for 20 mins.
5. Preheat your oven at 180°C for about 10 mins.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1. Boil the fresh cream
2. Now, pour it over the bowl of roughly chopped chocolate.

3. Stir well till its combined into a smooth and glossy mixture.
4. Set aside.

Chocolate Ganache

For the Salted Caramel:

1. Mix the sugar, butter and cream in a bowl and let it melt on a slow flame, while stirring continuously.
2. Once melted, it will be a light yellowish-brown colour.
3. You may strain it if you see lumps.
4. Once strained, add sea salt and stir it.
5. Making sure this is not too hot, gradually fold it into the chocolate ganache. You may increase or decrease the quantity of the salted caramel as per your taste.
6. Keep aside.

Baking the Tarts:

1. By now the dough would be firm enough to roll out.
2. Roll out the dough as per the size of your tart mould bearing 2mm thickness.
3. Now, without greasing your moulds, gently press the dough onto your moulds, removing the excess.

4. Since these are to be blind baked, you may add rajma or baking beans and bake it at 180°C for 10-15 mins depending on your oven. Alternatively, you can gently prick the tarts taking care not to pierce them with a fork.

5. Once baked, wait till it has completely cooled down.
6. After it has completely cooled, just flip it upside down and it should pop right out! Voilà! your crunchy tart is ready!

Filling the Ganche:

1. In a piping bag, fill in the ganache and fill inside the tarts.
2. Arrange, garnish with some silver balls or however you like.
3. Let it refrigerate for at least 30 - 40 mins before its ready to be eaten!

Notes & Tips:

1. If you do not like caramel, you may completely omit it for a simple chocolate tart.
Alternatively, you can add orange zest or other fruit coulis to it for a different flavour.

2. In case, you wish to have a plain tart, just replace the amount of cocoa by flour while making the dough.

Thai Red Curry

After not so long break, trying to finish my Thai series, this is the recipe for Thai Red Curry.

Red Curry is more popular. A bit more spicy and maybe because red is more appealing to the eyes.. Haha.. 

I am putting up this recipe because, red curry paste by itself can be preserved and used for different courses- soups, starters, curry, and even rice! So this is just another addition and a guideline  to make your favorite Thai Red Curry.

Again, the choice of vegetables is entirely up to your preferences. Ideally, a mix of at least 5 different vegetables should be good. This will give it texture and taste.  

Also, this curry is healthy and nutritious. Its low cal and flavoursome. For health conscious eaters, this can be taken with brown rice as well. 

So here it is then:

Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
1 ½ cup mix vegetables, sliced diagonally, raw (baby corn, carrots, zucchini, brinjal, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms)
3 tbsp tofu or cottage cheese/paneer, sauteed
1 ½ cup coconut milk (200ml appx.)
2 cups water
1 tbsp oil
Salt as per taste

Method:

1.  In a wok, heat the oil. Once hot, add the curry paste and sauté it till the water dries out and it starts oozing out oil. 

2. Now add the vegetables and let it cook for about 2-3 mins on a medium flame. 

3. Add the coconut milk. Mix. Then add water. Add salt and let it all cook until the vegetables are tender but not mashy.  

4. You can now add the tofu or paneer pieces. If you feel the curry is too thin, you may add 2-3 tbsp cornflour slurry to thicken.

5. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and serve hot. It goes well with steamed rice or Thai Fried Rice.

Notes & Tips:

1. To make cornflour slurry, mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water stirring to avoid all lumps. Use the smooth mixture as required.

2. The tofu or paneer/cottage cheese should be sauteed in about 1 tbsp oil to avoid breaking or crumbling later.

3. My Jain friends can make the jain paste and proceed with your choice of vegetables. For Jains, a firm cabbage leaf, broccoli, cauliflower stalks are good options too.

Do try it and let me know how it turned out! Leave your experiences or queries in the comments section!

Pad Thai

Pad Thai.. literally translates to stir fried rice noodles. So the Thai have their own stir-fried noodles too..! The Thai curry is so famous that noodles haven't been given much importance. Its a very popular street food in Thailand, especially, Bangkok. 

Traditionally, Pad Thai mainly consists of peanuts, beansprouts, garlic, tamarind, chicken/shrimp/cooked eggs.  So I did a lot of browsing on this as well. I came up with my own version of these noodles. While doing so, I also came across noodles in peanut sauce. I am going to try that next! Very simple. Folks with peanut butter handy, just spice it with red chilli, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and toss it with the noodles! 

Coming back to Pad Thai, this is fairly simple and stir-fried.

I made this as one of the mains for my Thai evening. You can use rice flat noodles or the rice vermicelli.

Its not gravy laden but not dry either. When I visited Thailand, I saw street vendors selling pad thai in cane baskets and carts. They serve it with optional condiments like chilli flakes, burnt garlic and choice of dried shrimps, prawns and omelette. They customize each, pad thai for you and sell. I noticed the street vendors use the fine rice vermicelli, whereas in restaurants, the flat variety is used. I have used both and I prefer flat. I have made a basic pad thai. You can mix in other vegetables to make it more nutritious. 

Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

200gms raw Rice Noodles, (Flat or Vermicelli or both; 2 cups boiled)
1 cup bean sprouts,
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
½ cup spring onion whites, finely chopped (scallions)
½ cup spring onion greens, chopped
1 cup tri-colored bell peppers, julienned
¼ cup tofu, diced & fried

3 tbsp coriander, washed & chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp garlic, crushed
1 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp sesame oil (if available or use peanut oil)

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chilli flakes, crushed

3 tbsp spinach, ribboned or chopped (optional)

1 tbsp bird's eye chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

1 tsp white pepper powder

salt as per taste

For Garnish:
2 tbsp scallion greens,
2 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed
1 tbsp coriander, washed & chopped

Method:

1. Follow the instructions on the packet and keep the noodles ready. Usually, boil enough water with salt, then put it off heat and add the noodles and let it sit covered for 10 mins. Drain and add a tsp of oil so that they don't stick.

2. Meanwhile, in a wok, heat some sesame oil, add sesame seeds and let it crackle. 

3. Now, saute the scallion whites, bird's eye chilli and crushed garlic. 

4. Mix in the bell peppers and a tsp of salt and cook for about 30 seconds on high flame. 

5. Now add the spinach, scallion greens and bean sprouts and toss it well. Cook for another 20 seconds. 

6. Add in the soya sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar and toss it well and cook for another 20 seconds. 

7. Mix in the noodles, crushed peanuts, coriander and tofu. Toss it gently and get it off heat. 

8. Transfer it to the serving bowl. Garnish by sprinkling coriander, crushed peanuts and scallion greens. 

Its ready to eat! Have it hot or warm! Enjoy this tangy-sweet-spicy noodles!

Notes & Tips:

1. If it feels too dry, you can add more soya sauce. But remember soya sauce is salty and the noodles are cooked in salted water so add salt accordingly.

2. Alternatively, to make it more exotic you can add boiled broccoli, carrot julienne,  bok-choy (chinese cabbage), mushrooms, asparagus etc to it. Whatever you wish to add, do not skip the peanuts, tofu and bean sprouts.

3. For Jains:

Skip the onions and garlic. Saute 2 tbsp of ginger instead and follow the remaining as it is. You may add shredded green cabbage.

Do try this and let me know whether you liked it or not!