The Never-Fail Blender Mayonnaise

The Never-Fail Blender Mayonnaise

When I started out as a newbie in the kitchen, this blender recipe was my sure-shot way to making superb mayonnaise. Not all visitors to food blogs and recipe forums are experts in the kitchen. Quite a lot of people are hesitant to enter the kitchen arena even in regard to simple recipes such as this one. Mayonnaise is a base for many dips and sauces, but a few careless mistakes while making it could have you holding a bowl of split/curdled mayo. I am specially posting this recipe to give newbies the confidence to attempt something as delicate as mayonnaise. This is your way of ensuring that mayo gets to be a definite ‘can do’ item in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper powder

½ teaspoon mustard powder

2-6 teaspoons powdered sugar, depending on your preference of sweetness

1½ teaspoons white vinegar or lime juice, or to taste (I used lime juice)

290 ml oil (I used Sundrop Superlite Advanced)

Method:

1. Place the egg, sugar, seasonings and vinegar/lime juice in a blender/liquidizer and blend on the first (slowest) setting for a few seconds.
   
   
   
   
2. I used the beater-bowl but most of you will be using the blender/liquidizer jar of your mixer-grinder. There is a small detachable vent/lid at the top of the main blender/liquidizer lid. Carefully open that small vent and still blending at the same setting (slowest speed), add oil little by little (about a tablespoon at a time). As soon as you see the oil getting absorbed into the mayo, immediately pour in another tablespoon and continue doing so till all the oil is used up. The mixture will thicken when you gradually pour the oil.
   
   
3. Check mayo for seasoning. (For sugar, salt and pepper - adjust as desired)
4. Store in a clean, sterilized bottle. It stays in the fridge for up to 10 days. This quantity makes about a cup and a quarter. (You see quite a lot of mayo in the jar because i tripled the quantity for daily use.)
   
   

Chef Notes: 

1. I have been making this mayonnaise since the late 80’s. I have never known it to curdle/split. This recipe, when followed to the T, just doesn't go wrong.
   
   
   
   
2. IMPORTANT: If you add the oil gradually, a little at a time, there is no way the mayo will curdle/split. 
3. IMPORTANT: Always blend the mayonnaise on speed 1 (lowest speed). If you blend at medium or high speed I guarantee you will be seeing curdled/split mayo in the blender jar. This is one time when haste will definitely make waste.
4. My Grumpy Tomcat (read: husband) prefers the mayo very sweet (God knows why! *rolling eyes*) hence I take the sugar right up to 6 teaspoons when I make it for him.
5. This is the base recipe for mayonnaise. Feel free to add flavors to it, as per your choice. Eg. Add extra garlic for garlic mayo. Add chili sauce for a spicy mayo. Add cream when you need a creamy mayo but ensure you blend it gently. Use your imagination and notch up the mayo flavor/s as you please.
   
6. Please use powdered sugar as sometimes regular sugar doesn't blend too fine. I used my Phillips beater to make this hence powdered sugar was a necessity.  
7. I am also posting an image of the blender jar to show you the small vent opening I mentioned in the recipe. I hope that helps you understand where you have to pour the oil from when the blender is on ‘in use’ mode.
   
   
   
   
8. As in regard to the mustard, pepper and salt proportions, I have mentioned the exact proportions as used by me. Please use those as a base-line and feel free to adjust the seasonings to suits your taste buds.
9. Do not add anything acidic to the mayo once you begin adding the oil as that could well result in curdled/split mayo. Once you have mastered the art of making mayo the next time you throw a party make some mayo-based dips and impress your guests ;-) 
10. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
    
    

Chicken Chaamp (Served with Herbed Paprika Mushrooms, Oven Roasted Bell Peppers and Deviled Eggs)

Chicken Chaamp (Served with Herbed Paprika Mushrooms, Oven Roasted Bell Peppers and Deviled Eggs)

The chaamp has Indian flavors and spices but because I wanted to fuse Indian flavors with some Western ones, I chose to make three sides using Western flavors. One of the fussiest eaters is my Grumpy Tomcat (read hubby) but it was one of those rare occasions where he happily polished off the mushrooms and the bell peppers both of which he usually does not like and before you think it was because he was scared I would sulk and throw a major tantrum, let me assure you that wasn't the case. :P :D

Ingredients:

3 chicken chops, (breast or whole leg), approx. 200 grams each

300 mils hot water

1½ tablespoon tomato ketchup

3 tablespoons ghee

Marinade:

3 green chilies
2 dried red Kashmiri chilies

1 red dry Gavran chili
1½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
1½ teaspoon black peppercorns
10 cloves garlic
6 cloves / laung

1½ tablespoon oil
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. In a sil butta/mortar pestle, coarsely grind the marinade ingredients without adding any water.
2. Generously apply the ground masala all over the chops. Cover with cling film and let the chicken chops marinate for a couple of hours. (I marinated them overnight.)
3. Take chops out of the fridge; bring them back to room temperature.
4. Add ghee to a heavy bottom pan (1 tablespoon ghee per chop of this size) and seal the chops, three minutes on each side.
5. Tightly cover the vessel and allow them to cook over minimum heat for 40 minutes, turning them once, or twice. Add no water.
6. When chops are cooked and tender, remove them to a plate. Remove only the chicken. Do not remove the gravy and the masala that is stuck to the vessel. Do NOT wash the vessel!
7. Allow the chicken chops to rest while you make the gravy/sauce.
8. Take 300 mils hot water; add it to the pan in which the chicken chops were cooked. There will be some masala stuck at the bottom, gently scrape all the masala and allow the water to simmer in the residue.
9. Add tomato ketchup and cook for 2 minutes covered over low heat.
10. Adjust flavors, check seasoning and spoon the gravy over the chops. Approx. 1 tablespoon gravy per chop. Enjoy!
    
    

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

3 hard boiled eggs, shelled and halved

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

½ teaspoon freshly and coarsely ground black pepper

½ -1 tablespoon cream, smoothened with the back of a spoon

½ teaspoon parsley leaves, chopped

 Method:

1. Carefully with a small teaspoon scoop the yolks from the halved eggs into a bowl. Mash them thoroughly.
2. Add freshly ground pepper powder, mayonnaise, cream and mix well.
3. Add the parsley leaves and give it one more stir.
4. Carefully spoon the mixture, evenly, into the egg whites.
5. Keep the deviled eggs in the fridge until serving time.
   
   

Oven Roasted Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1-2 teaspoons olive oil

 Method:

1. Line a baking tray/sheet with two sheets of aluminum foil.
2. Cut the bell peppers into ½ inch strips.
3. Add the freshly ground pepper to the olive oil.
4. Add the peppers to the oil and mix well ensuring that the oil is evenly distributed over the peppers.
5. Preheat an oven to 200 deg C.
6. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake them for about 20 minutes. Turn the slices with the help of tongs after 8-10 minutes and allow them to bake till done. Roasted bell peppers should be tender and brown or charred in spots when they're done.
7. Turn off the oven and keep the bell peppers in the oven till serving time to ensure they stay nice and warm/hot.
   
   

Herbed Paprika Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 packet (200 grams) mushrooms, quartered

½ teaspoon butter

½ teaspoon olive oil

¼ -½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning

½ teaspoon red paprika powder

½ teaspoon Mrs Dash Seasoning

Salt, to taste

 Method:

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté till about 50% cooked.
2. Add the Italian seasoning, Mrs Dash seasoning, paprika powder, salt and sauté for a couple of minutes till the mushroom are about 75%-80% cooked.
3. Remove to a plate and keep ready until serving time.
   
   

Chef Notes:

1. Recipe courtesy: Atul Sikand.
2. For better flavour i advise you to marinate the chicken overnight.
3. While the chicken is cooking, prepare all the sides so as to save up on time.
4. An honest confession, I didn't use the sil batta. I’m too darn lazy. I used the grinder.
5. Atul’s recipe was for two chicken champs but as we're a family of three, I made three champs. I adjusted the recipe proportion accordingly and have posted the proportions as used by me.
6. I didn't want to serve the chicken by itself hence made three sides (Herbed Paprika Mushrooms, Oven Roasted Bell Peppers and Deviled Eggs) to go with the main.
7. Feel free to adjust the chilies to suit your taste. If you want it spicier go with the Gavran chilies, if not stick with the Kashmiri chilies.
8. If you do not have the herbs mentioned for the mushrooms go with whatever you have in your pantry. There is no hard and fast rule in regard to what you use to flavor the mushrooms. Eg: Feel free to use chili powder if u don’t have paprika. For the herbs, if you don't have ready dry herbs, use fresh herbs like very finely chopped mint and coriander or parsley.
9. Please do not overcook the mushrooms. Cook them only to about 80% so that they retain a wee bit of firmness and bite.
10. Feel free to use your imagination in regard to the deviled egg filling. Go with your instinct and play around with the ingredients that you want to add to the mashed yolks. Eg: You can use chopped green chilies, or chili sauce, or Tabasco sauce. Feel free to opt for coriander leaves instead of parsley. If you don't have mayonnaise at home, skim some cream off the milk and use that. 
11. Keep your ‘Mise en place’ ready (in this case the three sides) so that when it’s time to plate up, you have everything ready at your fingertips.
12. Finally, go with whatever floats your boat my dear friends. All you need to do is cook with love and passion and rest assured the dish you bring to the table will be a sure-shot winner. 
13. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.
    
    
    
    

Kesari Aam Ras with Puri (Saffron-flavored Mango Pulp with Fried Puri)

Kesari Aam Ras with Puri (Saffron-flavored Mango Pulp with Fried Puri)

The first dish that comes to mind when the mango season begins is aam-ras-puri. Aam-ras: rich, smooth with the faint whiff of saffron goes marvelously with piping hot puris. Food in the summer season doesn't get any better than this. Then of course, I'm the devil who eats lesser puris just so that I have space in my tummy for additional aam-ras. ;-)

Ingredients:

2 kilos Alphonso or Payeri mangoes

Powdered sugar, to taste depending on the sweetness of the mangoes

1 - 2 cups milk, depending on the consistency preferred

1 large pinch saffron/kesar

Method:

1. Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh into cubes.
   
   
   
   
2. Put the mango cubes in a mixer and blend till smooth.
3. Add milk and blend to desired consistency.
4. Check the sweetness of the mango-milk mixture and add sugar as needed.
5. Blend to ensure the sugar is dissolved.
6. Add the saffron threads and blend once more.
7. Remove in a large bowl or in small individual bowls. Keep in the fridge to chill. Serve with puris.
   
   

Get the Puri recipe ~here~



Chef Notes:

1. This is not a milk-shake hence do not add too much milk. A little milk is added as plain mango pulp is extremely thick.
2. Feel to serve this plain, without puri, as a dessert if you so prefer. 
3. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.