Chef Hari Nayak

Indian Flavors on Italian Favorite

Posted on 12. Dec, 2009 by Chef Hari.

For all those who love a good slice of pizza, and for those who can’t get enough of flavors from the Indian subcontinent! Tiffin etc is here to the rescue. Here is perfect example in what i believe that Indian food can be fun, chic, light and refreshing.

A trip to the city of Philadelphia and you can taste something that is unique. Traditional pizzas with Indian flavors and Indian street style drinks.

It took me a few months of testing (and tasting) and re-testing the flavor combination of bold Indian flavors with thin crust homemade dough and fresh mozzarella. What we came up with is 6 different pizzas each with has its own homemade sauce and toppings.

Murg Makhani & Lal Mirch
tandoori grilled chicken, “makhani” – home made tomato sauce, red chili flakes and fresh mozzarella

Boti Kebab
slivers of bbq tandoori grilled lamb, homemade onion sauce, roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella

Tandoori Subzi
seasonal tandoori grilled vegetables, roasted garlic, cilantro mint pesto and fresh mozzarella

Saag Paneer
creamed spinach, ricotta cheese and crumbled homemade cottage cheese

Paneer Tikka And Hari Mirch
tandoori grilled cottage cheese, “makhani sauce”, green chillies and mint

Keema Mattar
minced tender lamb, english peas, cilantro mint pesto and ricotta cheese

TIFFIN ETC
712 W Girard Ave
Philadelphia 19123
Phone: (215) 922-1297

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Flavor Packed Kebab Burgers

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Administrator.

These mini lamb burgers are a great way to break free of your burger routine. They are a twist on the traditional Indian Shami kebabs which i simply cannot get enough of.  There are different ways to serve these meaty bites. Serve them on a flat bread with tooth pick as appetizers. My favorite is pita pockets , they are the perfect way to serve them—tuck in a few of these patties and then add the desired toppings.Add flavor-packed, garden-fresh tomatoes, crisp onions , or fresh made salsa. If you can’t find lamb, ground beef or Turkey will work too. They’re great on the grill and taste just as good inside cooked on a pan.

Serve these mini burger treats with mint chutney or tomato mustard chutney. It can be served as slider style burgers, my favorite is with store bought naan bread, you can also use pocket pita bread. If you want to make this into a large meal, simply use this recipe to make a 4 or 5 large patties and serve it on a larger burger bun. Works equally well. Enjoy this along side a chilled glass of your favorite beer.

1 lb (500g) ground lamb

3 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and pounded

3 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and pounded

1 teaspoon garam masala

4 tablespoons minced fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

2 fresh green chilies, minced

2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Oil, for brushing

4 small naan or pita breads or 12 small burger buns

In a large mixing bowl put all the ingredients except the oil and the bread. Mix well and with wet hands mold the mixture into 12 equal patties. Refrigerate the patties at least for an hour. Pre heat a grill pan, cook the lamb patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until cooked, and Keep brushing with oil to prevent sticking. Meanwhile, cut each of the naan bread into 3 wedges. Toast the bread on the grill to warm up. Serve the burgers on top of the naan, stuffed into the pita pocket or sandwiched in a bun.

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"Celebrating World Flavors " – a global chef series

Posted on 15. Nov, 2008 by Administrator.

” Celebrating world flavors” event showcases food service corporation “Sodexo” partnerships with culinary organizations and renowned chefs from around the world. To kick of this series chef Hari Nayak was invited as the first international chef to educate the students in various diverse/ ethnic cuisines and engage them in culinary demos/ lectures on food. The 2 week event was held during Nov 10th – Nov 21st to celebrate and educate the flavors and the diverse cuisine of India. The series will continue in the future with renowned celebrity chefs like Micheal Smith, Ming Tsai and Rick Bayless.

Click on below links

SODEXO

University of Toronto

Brock Press write up

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"Summer Dessert"- Grilled Pineapple with Praline Ice cream

Posted on 24. Jun, 2008 by Administrator.

Grilled dessert!! Not too many people would think of summer grilling & dessert together. Grilling summer fruits is one of my favorite things to do. i was inspired after i saw my friend chef Vikas Khanna grilled peaches in a Tandoor clay oven at his restaurant in New York City. The flavors were outstanding!

There’s no recipe for grilled pineapple; I take a whole pineapple, cut off the top and bottom, remove the outside bark, then slice it. I cut it in half, but I don’t worry about the core, as that gives you a spot to hold the slice. Even thou as you can see i have taken the core off! I like the slices to be maybe half an inch thick. Then put the slices over a medium-hot fire and cook until they’re nicely caramelized, then turn them over and do the same. It is that simple. Serve it warm with your choice of Ice cream!

You cannot go wrong with this easy to prepare summer dessert.

Enjoy!

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"SPICE" Flavors and recipes from around the world

Posted on 24. Jun, 2008 by Administrator.

June 2008 marked the release of my new book “SPICE” .

ISBN13: 978-1-4363-2075-7 (Hardback)
ISBN: 1-4363-2075-5 (Hardback)
Pages: 185

This book is a collection of easy to prepare contemporary recipes created for the modern living and entertaining. The recipes are simple, global very approachable to impress your guests. It has recipes for more than one hundred elegant, savory and sweet dishes such as Moroccan Lamb, Sole tamarind curry and squid with fragrant chili dressing.

These creations reflect my Indian heritage, with plenty influences from my travels to Far East Asia, Middle East and south America. It is filled with fresh flavors, and practical advice, and this book is an illuminating guide to real entertaining for a modern cook.

Click here to read an excerpt from the book

Buy Now at

Amazon

Barnes & Nobles

Here is a one of my favorite recipes from the book SPICE

Crispy Sardines

SERVES 4

1 pound sardines, cleaned
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the paste:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves peeled and crush
1 teaspoon hot chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Sea salt
For serving:
Lime wedges

To make the spice paste, grind the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric, and a little salt together to a fine paste, using a pestle and mortar or a small blender.

Using a sharp knife, slash the sardines diagonally on both sides to allow the flavorings to permeate the flesh. Rub the spice paste all over, and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the sardines in batches if necessary: Place in a single layer in the pan and fry over a low heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side until brown crisp. Serve hot with lime wedges.

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