Kashmiri Nath is an Assamese Food Chronicler and a Guest Chef, who passionately promotes Assamese cuisine through her many pop-ups and food festivals all across the country. She is the founder of the North East Food Forum. She has served dignitaries, celebrities and guests with traditional Assamese cuisine. She is also an avid food blogger and baker, who organises workshops to teach the fine nuances of cooking and eating consciously. Follow her Instagram handle @ Kashmirinath
Stir-fried prawns in Tamarind sauce
(Goong Pad Ma Khaam)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
* Prawns, large (shelled and veined) 16
* Bell pepper (sliced into thin pieces) 1
* Garlic cloves (chopped fine)..... 4
* Ginger, small piece (chopped fine) 1
* Coriander, fresh (chopped) 1 bunch
* Red chilli, fresh (finely chopped) 1
* Cooking oil .................... 2 tbsps
For the stir-fry sauce
* Tamarind paste............ 1½ tbsps
* Water (hot) ...................... ¼ cup
* Brown sugar..................... ¼ cup
* Chilli sauce.................... 2 tbsps
Method: Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and keep aside.
Place the prawns in a bowl and add ¼th cup of the sauce to coat well and set aside.
Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the oil, and the chopped garlic and ginger. Stir for one minute to release the fragrance; do not brown. Add the chopped fresh red chilli and the bell pepper and stir-fry for another one minute. Add the prawns and the remaining sauce, and stir-fry for three to four minutes, until the prawns curl up.
Transfer to a serving bowl and top it with the chopped coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice.
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Strawberry soufflé
Serves 6
Ingredients:
* Strawberries, washed and cleaned 350 gms
* Gelatin powder.................... 2 tbsps
* Powdered sugar................... 4 tbsps
* Lemon juice.......................... 4 tsps
* Egg whites................................... 3
* Amul cream.......................... 200 ml
Method: Reserve a few strawberries for decoration. Blend the rest in a mixer.
Place the gelatin, one tablespoon of sugar and 1/3rd of the strawberry puree in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar and the gelatin has melted. Remove from heat and add the remaining strawberry puree, and give it a good stir to mix well. Leave this mixture in the fridge to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, add the remaining sugar and beat again until the mixture forms stiff peaks and holds shape. It will take about five minutes with an electric beater. Keep aside.
Beat the cream until it is soft and fluffy.
Take the strawberry puree that is cooling in the fridge and add to the beaten cream and fold well to mix.
Finally, add the beaten egg white mixture to the above mixture and lightly fold in to mix well. Pour this mixture into a soufflé bowl and chill in the fridge for at least four hours. Decorate with the remaining fresh strawberries and serve cold.
Tip: To achieve the characteristic height of a soufflé, support the mixture, as it sets, with a foil or a paper collar around the dish. Always use a straight sided dish to give the maximum effect.
