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What's On Your Plate: Chef Anushka Rawat Shares The Perfect Three-Course Meal To Prep For You

The chef and content creator shares the recipe of Cassava Tikki Chaat, Lemon Pepper Chicken & Turmeric Rice, and Chai Tiramisu – a three-course menu whose servings you'd gladly lose count of!

| Sakshi Haria
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Meet the person who wears her heart and love for pahadi food on her sleeve, Chef and Digital Content Creator Anushka Rawat. An impromptu decision to cook Tomato Dosa with her mom gave birth to what we follow today, lovingly, on Instagram: @the.food.cravers. Deeply rooted in her pahadi heritage, it’s all about ingredients for her. It won’t be a surprise if we find Rawat's pantry filled with condiments like perilla seeds, faran, and wild mustard seeds, and dishes that are so soul-filled. She describes her cooking style best as easy, delicious, and healthy. Pairings like watermelon and feta, pizza topped with honey, mango with red chilli and a pinch of salt are where Rawat finds her inner child. Married to a fellow foodie, Anushka calls their partnership “a match made in heaven, but in the kitchen,” where her love for experimenting meets his joy for tasting. With garlic, pasta, and butter as her ultimate comfort trio, this content creator has got us her very own special three-course tasting menu with recipes you’ll hold closer to your heart! 

Appetiser: Cassava Tikki Chaat

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Ingredients

  • Potatoes
  • Cassava
  • Paneer
  • Coriander
  • Green chillies
  • Cumin powder
  • Salt
  • Ginger
  • Black pepper
  • Sweet tamarind chutney
  • Green Chutney/ Mint sauce
  • Sweetened yogurt
  • Pomegranate seeds

Preparation

Step 1

Mash and mix 1 boiled potato, 4-5 boiled arbi/cassava, 50 gms grated paneer, fresh
coriander, chopped green chillies, roasted cumin powder, salt, grated ginger, and black pepper.

Step 2

Make tikkis from this mixture and then shallow-fry or deep-fry until golden brown.

Step 3

Spread the tikkis in a serving platter & top them off with sweetened yogurt, green chutney/mint sauce, fresh coriander, green chillies for garnishing, and a drizzle of sweet tamarind chutney and pomegranate seeds.

Step 4

Serve right away!

 

 

ELLE Gourmet India: Why this dish?
Anushka Rawat: People always think that ‘chaat’ is unhealthy and deep-fried, so this is my take on making a healthier version of the same, without compromising on taste.

 

ELLE Gourmet India: Any memories attached to it?
Anushka Rawat: I made this during Navratri for my mom, but we all devoured it, so it became a go-to snack.

Main Course: Lemon Pepper Chicken & Turmeric Rice

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Ingredients

  • Chicken Thighs
  • Salt
  • Red chili powder
  • Fresh coriander
  • Freshly pounded Black pepper
  • Minced garlic
  • Lemon juice
  • Olive oil
  • Curd
  • Green chillies
  • Basmati rice
  • Cinnamon stick
  • Turmeric
  • Butter (optional)
Preparation

For Chicken Marinade: 

Step 1

Pat 3–4 thighs dry with a paper towel

Step 2

Mix salt, red chili powder, minced garlic, chopped fresh coriander, pounded black pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl.

Step 3

Rub the mix all over the chicken and let it rest 30 minutes (room temp) or longer in the fridge.

Step 4

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan. Place chicken (skin-side down if skin-on) and cook till golden, about 6–9 mins, then flip and cook another 6–10 mins until it is nice golden brown.

Step 5

Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

Step 6

Garnish with fresh coriander + a squeeze of lemon.

 

For Garlic Yogurt Dressing:

Step 1

Whisk 1/2 cup curd with 1/4th cup water until smooth.

Step 2

Then add minced garlic, chopped green chillies, chilli powder, salt, black pepper, lemon juice and fresh coriander.

Step 3

Mix it and it's ready!

 

For Turmeric Rice:

 

Step 1

In the same pan wherein we prepared the chicken, add a cinnamon stick, 1/4th tsp Haldi and salt.

 

Step 2

Let it sizzle with the fats from the chicken. You can add a bit of butter as well.

 

Step 3

Add 1 cup of soaked rice and roast it for 2-3 minutes.

 

Step 4

Then add 2 cups of water, mix and cook the rice for 10-12 minutes.

 

Step 5

Assemble the rice bowl and it's ready!

 

ELLE Gourmet India: Why this dish?
Anushka Rawat: This is a balanced meal in itself, and the flavours are top-notch notch and I always love a good chicken rice bowl.

 

ELLE Gourmet India: Any memories attached to it
Anushka Rawat: This meal is inspired by a food TV show I saw on Fox Traveller, wherein a street vendor was selling this meal, and people were loving it.

Dessert: Chai Tiramisu

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Ingredients

  • Tea leaves
  • Milk
  • Ginger
  • Elaichi
  • Chai masala
  • Sugar
  • Whipping cream
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla essence
  • Sweetener 
  • Dunk Parle G biscuits/ladyfinger
  • Cocoa powder

Preparation

Step 1

Brew a strong cup of milk tea with 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, tea leaves, ginger, elaichi, some chai masala and sugar as per taste.

Step 2

Take 250 ml whipping cream in a bowl. Add 1/4th cup of tea to it along with a pinch of cinnamon, sweetener of your choice & vanilla essence.

Step 3

Mix everything and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes

Step 4

To assemble the tiramisu, Dunk Parle G biscuits/ladyfinger into the tea and layer them up, followed by the tea-infused whipped cream. Then repeat the process and garnish with cocoa powder.

Step 5

Refrigerate for an hour, and it's ready!

ELLE Gourmet India: Why this dish?
Anushka Rawat: It was a family hit when I made it for the first time, and it’s an easier version of Tiramisu.


ELLE Gourmet India: Any memories attached to it
Anushka Rawat: My mom loves chai, and I made this for her because she wanted to have something sweet.

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