Rupen Rao - Chef Profile and Recipes

Butternut Squash Soup with Star Anise

Rupen Rao — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 07:05:31 +0000

Butternut Squash is best in fall, just underneath its tough exterior, this squash is sweet and creamy, and pairs well with warm spices such as cinnamon, cumin, and star anise. Star Anise belongs to the licorice family, and its pretty star shape adds to its taste.

Recipe by the super-talented Rupen Rao. Make sure to check out his website where you can shop for delicious Indian chutneys, curry sauces and chai teas.

Butternut Squash Soup with Star Anise

Course Soup

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Author Rupen Rao

Ingredients

1 butternut squash peeled, seeds removed and diced
1 white onion peeled and diced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons sea salt or as required
3 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon ground star anise

Garnish:

1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Instructions

In a 3 qt saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add onions and saute for 5 minutes, or until onions have turned translucent.
Add butternut squash and vegetable stock. Mix. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle star anise and mix. Remove from heat.
Careful spoon into a blender and blend on low speed.
Pour the mixture back into the soup pot, and re-heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Pour into soup cups, garnish with sunflower seeds, some crushed black pepper, and a drizzle of cream.
Serve with toasted sourdough slices.

Notes

The post Butternut Squash Soup with Star Anise appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Rupen Rao — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:12:03 +0000

Surprisingly, this Indian-inspired chicken recipe has been voted the UK’s national dish, beating more traditional contenders such as fish and chips and roast beef.

There are two parts to this recipe. The first is to grill the chicken, and the next is to prepare the sauce and add the grilled chicken to the sauce.

This recipe was provided by Rupen Rao, an Indian food entrepreneur and cookbook author. Rupen has launched his line of delicious Indian simmer sauces, which can be purchased online on his website.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Author Rupen Rao

Ingredients

Grilled chicken:

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in 2 inch (5 cm) cubes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala ground
½ cup milk yogurt plain, whole
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Tikka masala sauce:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup red onion roughly chopped
1 inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger
3 garlic cloves peeled
1 tablespoons dry fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 cups canned tomatoes chopped
1- cup water
½ cup heavy cream

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Mix ‘Grilled Chicken’ ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread on a cookie sheet and set aside.
Pre-heat oven at 425 °F/ 218 ℃.
Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces after 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a 3-qt Dutch oven over medium heat, add all the ‘Tikka Masala Sauce’ ingredients.
Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Puree the sauce in a blender and bring it back to the Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add chicken pieces to the sauce and stir. Cook COVERED on low heat for 20 minutes. Adjust salt, if required.
Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the curry is too thick.
Serve with good quality garlic naan.

Notes

The post Chicken Tikka Masala appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

Lamb Rogan Josh Recipe

Rupen Rao — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 00:28:50 +0000

Lamb rogan josh is an aromatic lamb dish from the Indian Kashmir region. This delicious lamb rogan josh recipe is brought to you by chef Rupen Rao.

Rupen in a DC-based chef who has been teaching Indian food classes for over 13 years at some of the most renowned culinary schools in America.

This fiery red curry dish from the Indian state of Kashmir is usually made during the cold winters of the beautiful Indian state which is nestled in the Himalayan Mountains.

Rogan stands for ghee (or any fat), and Josh stands for fiery. Extract from cockscomb flower is usually used to color this dish, but I use sweet paprika, as it is readily available.

Lamb Rogan Josh

Lamb rogan josh is an aromatic lamb dish from the Indian Kasmir region.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 2 30

Total Time 2 30

Servings servings

Author Rupen Rao

Ingredients

4 tbsp sunflower oil or any other vegetable oil
2 cups red onions thinly sliced
2 pounds lamb shoulder meat cut in 2 inch chunks

SPICE PASTE

1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp saffron strands
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground sweet paprika
1 tsp ground fennel
1 ½ tsp sea salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven at 350 F/ 176°C .
Heat a 3 qt Dutch oven sauce pan over medium heat.
When the sauce pan is hot, add oil, onions and lamb. Mix well and sauté for 15-20 minutes or until the lamb has seared on all sides.
Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl, add and mix all the spice ingredients and make a paste. Add 2 cups water to this spice paste and mix well; make sure there are no lumps.
When the lamb has seared, add this mixture to the lamb, mix and cover the sauce pan with a lid. Carefully place the sauce pan in the oven and cook for 1 ½ hours.
Remove from oven, mix and adjust salt. If the curry is too thick, then feel free to add ¼ cup water, and if the curry is runny then cook it for additional 30 minutes in the oven.
Additionally, you can add 4-5 fingerling potatoes to the lamb after 45 minutes in the oven. The potatoes will cook along with the lamb and make for an amazing side-dish.
Serve this rich dish with a fine Pinot Noir wine.

Notes

The post Lamb Rogan Josh Recipe appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

Famous Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

Rupen Rao — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 09:44:32 +0000

Murg (Chicken) Makhani (Buttery Sauce) is the most popular Indian curry dish in and out of India. This creamy tomato and less spicy curry is a great introduction to Indian food.

This famous recipe was developed by Moti Mahal restaurant in New Delhi, in the early 1960s.

I use canned crushed tomatoes for this recipe. However you can always use an equal amount of fresh tomatoes, when in season. Dry fenugreek leaves can be difficult to find, but they are a must for this recipe.

Butter Chicken

Murg (Chicken) Makhani (Buttery Sauce) is the most popular Indian curry dish in and out of India. This creamy tomato and less spicy curry is a great introduction to Indian cuisine.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Author Rupen Rao

Ingredients

PASTE

1 piece cinnamon stick 1 inch piece
2 whole green cardamom pods
2 cloves
piece fresh ginger 2 inch peeled
4 garlic cloves peeled
1 jalapeno seeds removed, roughly chopped

MARINADE

1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cubed
½ cup whole milk yogurt plain

PUREE

1 ½ cup tomatoes canned, crushed
¼ cup cashews unsalted, roasted
1 tbsp sunflower oil or any vegetable oil
4 tbsp butter unsalted
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves crushed
1 tsp salt or as desired
1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Blend the ‘Paste’ ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder. Set aside.
In medium size mixing bowl, add the ‘Marinade’ ingredients.
Add the ‘Paste’ ingredients to the ‘Marinade’ ingredients and mix. Set aside.
Puree the ‘Puree’ ingredients in a blender. Set aside.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add oil and butter.
Once the butter has melted, add the ‘Marinade’ ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Stir once every other minute.
Add the ‘Puree’ ingredients and mix. Lower heat and cook covered for 10 minutes.
Add cream, fenugreek leaves, salt and sugar. Stir to combine.
Cook covered for 5 minutes or until butter starts floating on top of the sauce.
Serve.

Notes

The post Famous Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani) appeared first on Chef's Pencil.