“If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.”
Dale Carnegie
I got a mail from a lovely lady, Raima, the other day asking if I would be interested in reviewing an Indian cookbook by Delhi based celebrity chef Komal Taneja. Raima is with the PR agency for the publisher Undercover Utopia. Undercover Utopia is a Mumbai based publishing house which was founded in 2007. With a mission to usher in the new age of imagination, by encouraging younger writers, Undercover Utopia has always managed to create exciting and original content.
Sure I would! This would be my first instance of reviewing an Indian Cookbook. I have reviewed Modern Spice, ‘INDULGE – 100 Perfect Desserts’,Foods and Flavors of San Antonio, Park Avenue Potluck CELEBRATIONS earlier, but none of these are from an Indian publisher. Komal Taneja’s new book Big Bee’s Secret Honey Recipespublished by Undercover Utopia, showcases various recipes which help us to incorporate honey in life without cutting out on the taste. The book is full of sumptuous recipes by using honey as a healthy alternative to sugar and comes endorsed by a fit at sixty plus Amitabh Bachchan, an iconic Indain Bollywood actor,who has already switched to honey and loves as well as recommends all the recipes in this book.
The author is a Delhi based registered pharmacist and culinary expert. She has written 31 hand cook books and 2 coffee table books till date. “Honey contains fewer calories as compared to sugar and, thus, can be incorporated in your daily diet without any guilt. I feel there is no better way to celebrate honey’s astounding versatility than by exploring different cuisines around the world that showcase its delectable taste. I am sure this book would convince people to include some amount of honey in their daily food intake,” said the book’s author and acclaimed chef Komal Taneja. The book is loaded with information to sweeten your life automatically.
Amitabh Bachchan launched the book on October 1, 2009 in Mumbai. as part of Dabur’s ongoing initiative to substitute sugar with Dabur Honey. “This book encapsulates an exhaustive compilation of honey-based recipes that are simple to cook and are tasty and healthy. It, in fact, takes you on a lipsmacking journey from the plains of Europe to the heartland of Asia, exploring cuisines to suit everyone’s palate.”
The book contains multi-cuisine vegetarian and non vegetarian honey-based recipes for a host of occasions, and is divided into Indian and international recipes. The first part covers cuisine from different regions of India, and the international section touches on Chinese, Thai, Italian, Mexican and Fusion cuisine. An interesting lay out with vibrant, catchy pictures that are visible throughout the book. I have my eye on the Honey Chicken Satay, and the Honey Apple Crumble that I intend to make next. YUM!!
I tried the Honey Chicken Kathi Kebabs from the book for lunch a few days ago. This recipe features in the Fusion Cuisine section, and is basically chicken wraps with honey in the seasoning. It’s just a hint of honey, but adds a unique, subtle and delightful flavour to the wraps. The flat bread/tortilla/rotiis different too… a dough made out of maize flour and plain four. The author suggests adding crushed nachos in the roll to make it more crispier, and suggested filing alternatives include minced lamb, fish or prawns!
Honey Chicken Kathi Kebabs from Big Bee’s Secret Honey Recipes by Komal Taneja Ingredients: Dough: 1 cup maize flour 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp oil 1/2 tsp onion seeds (kalonji) 1/2 tsp salt Water to knead, as required For filling: 1 1/2 tbsp oil 1 green chilly, chopped 1/2 cup spring onions, chopped 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup capsicum, chopped 1 cup boneless chicken, boiled and shredded 2 eggs, beaten & seasoned (I didn’t use eggs. Used grated cheddar instead) For seasoning: Salt and pepper to taste 1/2tsp red chili flakes 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp dried basil herbs 1 tbsp honey 1/4 tsp chaat masala Garnish: Onion rings and lemon wedges (or salad ) To serve: Kebab dip or salsa
Method:
Mix all the ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl, add enough water and knead into a smooth & pliable dough and keep aside.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl, season with salt, black pepper, green chilly and red chilly powder. Keep aside.(I used grated cheese instead of eggs)
Heat oil in wok; stir fry the onions, capsicum & tomatoes for 2 minutes till cooked. Add the chicken and saute well. Add the seasoning and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
Take a nonstick griddle/tawa, make small balls from the dough, and roll into thin tortillas/rotis. Cook on the griddle/tawaon both sides.
Then on one side add 1 tbsp of beaten egg mixture, spread it and flip the sides to let it cook well, adding a little oil to cook both sides till light brown.
Spread 2 tbsp of honey chicken mixture on it and roll it like a wrap/kathi roll and serve hot with kebab dip or salsa, garnished with onion rings (or salad)
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