Hortobagy Pancakes

Soft crepes stuffed with either chicken or a vegetarian protein (like paneer) and served with a creamy sauce. These 'pancakes' are very vocally claimed to be a Hungarian creation from the 1950s and can be served at breakfast with a hot cup of strong coffee or at lunch. Its really easy and uses a handful of ingredients. Its also a very creamy and rich dish. I had these at the winter wonderland christmas market at Hyde Park, and spent many hours of the next week googling away to figure out its name.

The total preparation time is around 30 minutes and the cooking time is around 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Crepe

• 1 1/2 cups plain white flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup carbonated water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp sugar

Filling

• 300g boneless chicken filets, sliced (I used thigh, but you can use any cut)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1tbsp plain white flour
• 3 tbsp fresh cream
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 3 tsp sweet paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

Crepe

1. Mix all of the ingredients together to create a smooth batter. In case you dont have carbonated water, just add 1/2 tsp baking powder to the mix. Set it aside for a hour.
2. Heat a flat pan on medium high heat, and oil its surface lightly.
3. Add a ladleful of the batter to the hot pan and turn the pan to spread the batter out.
4. Let is cook for a few minutes, until lightly brown.
5. Turn over and let it cook for a minute.
6. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Filling

1. Heat the oil and fry the onions until translucent. 
2. Add the tomatoes and let it cook down on high heat till it softens.
3. Add the chicken slices, paprika and pepper and let it cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add some water and salt to taste and cook covered till the chicken slices are completely cooked through.
5. Beat the cream lightly with the flour to create a smooth mixture. Add a little milk if the mixture is too thick.
6. Reduce the heat and add the cream mixture and let it infuse on low heat for 3 minutes.

Pancakes

1. Grease an oven proof tray and pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees centigrade.
2. Take a crepe, add some of the chicken slices in the centre and bring the sides in to create a thick roll. Tuck the sides in and place fold side down in the oven proof tray.
3. Keep the stuffed pancakes close in together to prevent them from unravelling.
4. Take the leftover cream sauce from the filling and spread it over the pancakes.
5. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, and serve up right after.
6. These pancakes can be served either as it is, or with a cream sauce, made by heating, on a low heat, 2 tbsp cream with paprika and salt, poured over.

Chicken Baozi

Little steamed parcels filled with minced chicken. I used to love having these off street vendors in Chinatown, and wanted to make it in Pork, but finding pork mince in Bangalore is far to painful. So, used chicken mince instead to make it much lighter and easier to digest. The quantity of this recipe is enough for 8 baozi, and the same dough can be used to make Liuxiabao, with the substitution of the minced chicken filling with custard. I've served these dumplings with an light soy dressing.
Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups plain white flour
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste

Filling

• 100 grammes minced chicken
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 inch minced ginger
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Activate the yeast by dissolving it in the lukewarm water and setting aside for a few minutes.
2. Once the yeast is frothy, add it to the dough ingredients and knead into an elastic dough.
3. Set aside in a warm place for 2 hours to rise and double in size.
4. Heat some oil in a pan, and fry the ginger and garlic.
5. Once the ginger and garlic start to turn brown, add the white part of the onion.
6. Fry for a minute and add the minced chicken.
7. Turn the chicken around to cook it evenly and add the chili powder, soy sauce and fish sauce.
8. Reduce the heat and let it simmer gently to get the chicken to absorb the sauce.
9. Once the filling mixture becomes a little dry, take it off the gas and let it cool.
10. Once the dough has risen and doubled, punch in down and divide into 8 parts.
11. Roll out the dough, add a bit of the filling and close out the dumpling. I like to make my dumplings using this method: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3FYCE5DHH4&feature=related and leaving a little hole at the top to let the steam escape.
12. Place the dumplings on a piece of parchment and steam for 15-20 minutes. Leave some room for each dumpling to expand, as they will double in size as they steam.
13. Take them out, pour some of the dressing on it and serve up.

Soy Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light soy
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 spring onion chopped
• 2 chopped red chilies (reconstituted in water if dry)

Method

1. Mix the ingredients together to make the dressing.

Malai Tikka Thin Crust Pizza

I missed baking while away; as I couldn't be bothered to maintain anything that resembled a pantry in the student halls. So, with my mum's entire pantry at my disposal, I decided to make pizzas for the entire family. Four pizzas in all, with two topped with chicken, jalapenos and pineapple, and two others with paneer, jalapenos and pineapple. The picture by the side is of the chicken one, which I was able to steal away and capture with the camera before it was cut up and munched down. 

Ingredients

Base

• 5 cups plain flour (I used a mix of 2 cups wholewheat flour and 3 cups plain)
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt

Sauce

• 7 peeled fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp shredded basil
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 basil leaves

Toppings

• 200 g pineapple, cut into thick cubes
• 300 g chicken malai tikka (or leftover roast chicken) 
• 200 g jalapeños
• 400 g grated mozzarella cheese

Method

Base

1. Mix the flour, oil and salt.
2. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in lukewarm water. Let it froth and add it to the flour mix.
3. Add enough water to make a soft dough
4. Then knead for another 10 minutes with your palms to get the gluten out.
5. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 4 hours (or overnight) for it to rise

Sauce

1. Pulverise the tomatoes and basil in a food processor.
2. Heat the oil in a flat bottomed pan, and fry the garlic till it starts to turn brown.
3. Add the tomato paste, water and basil leaves. Add salt and pepper and reduce the heat.
4. Let is simmer away uncovered till it thickens. If its too thick to spread, add some warm water.

Pizza

1. Set the oven to gas mark 8.5 (around 250C)
2. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide into 4 portions.
3. Take one potion on a lightly floured board, press down with your palm and keep turning it to flatten it out.
4. Add some more flour to the board and use your fingers to spread it around.
5. Oil a perforated baking tray and add the dough to it. Lightly spread it around the tray.
6. Spread some of the sauce on the base and evenly spread the toppings (1/4 of each).
7. Baste the sides of the pizza with oil and place in the oven.
8. Let it cook for around 15-20 minutes, till the crust crispens and turns a light brown
9. Take it out and let it rest before cutting it into slices and chomping away.
10. Repeat the same process with the remaining three potions of dough.