Coffeelicious savoury recipes

Coffee is not just a drink. It is a feeling of warmth, of fun times with family or friends and of indulgence. Coffee is generally associated with decadence and desserts. Coffee and cookie or coffee and cake are classic pairs that cannot be missed. But this aromatic bean can be used in savoury food too. Coffee can be used in the form of marination. Ingredients can be cooked with coffee beans and coffee powder can be used as a rub, something similar to a spice rub on meats. They taste as delicious as a coffee recipes. The dark bean adds a new level of nuttiness to the dish.

Coffee, Ham, and Egg Stir Fry

Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4
Type: Starter

Ingredients:

• Potato: 2 large
• Chicken Ham: 200 grams
• Onion: 1
• Spring onion: 2
• Parsley: a bunch
• Garlic: 2 cloves
• Butter: 1 tbsps.
• Instant coffee powder: 2 tbsps.
• Sugar: 1 tbsp.
• Eggs: 2
• Salt and black pepper powder to taste
• Garlic bread: a loaf

Method:

1. Wash, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. Chop ham into medium-sized pieces. Chop the onion, spring onions and parsley finely. Crush garlic.
2. In a fry pan heat butter and add onion and fry till golden brown. Add in the potatoes, ham and crushed garlic. Stir well and cover and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Mix coffee powder and sugar with ¼ cup of hot water. Pour this onto the potatoes in the frying pan. Cover and cook till the potatoes have absorbed all the coffee mix and are cooked well.
4. Add in finely chopped spring onion and parsley and stir well.
5. Now break in the eggs over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook till the eggs are cooked as per your preference.
6. Serve hot with warm garlic bread.

Coffee Chicken Curry

Cook time: 30 minutes + 10 minutes of marination
Makes: 4
Type: Main course

Ingredients:

• Chicken: 1 kg (curry cut without skin)
• Coffee powder: 2 tbsps.
• Barbeque sauce: 2-3 tbsps.
• Onion: 2
• Ginger: ½ inch
• Garlic: 2 cloves
• Sunflower oil: 3-4 tbsps.
• Paprika powder: 1 tbsp.
• Thyme: 1 sprig
• Salt and black pepper powder to taste
• Chicken stock: 2 tablets

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken by rubbing coffee powder and barbeque sauce on it. Leave it for 10 minutes.
2. Finely chop onions, ginger and garlic.
3. Take a heavy bottom pan and heat oil. Add the chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Stir fry them till they are golden brown. Add in the marinated chicken along with the juices. Stir well till it changes colour.
4. Season with paprika, thyme, salt and black pepper powder.
5. Add the stock tablets to the chicken and add enough water to cover the chicken. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. This takes about 20-25 minutes.
6. Serve hot with butter naan.

Tip: One can follow the grandma’s recipe of chicken tikka masala recipe while using a good rub of coffee on the chicken for marination.

Quick Hearty Coffee Soup

Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4
Type: Starter

Ingredients:

• Potato: 2
• Carrot: 1
• Onion: 1
• Corn kernels: ½ cup
• Green capsicum: 1
• Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp.
• Olive oil: 2 tbsps.
• Bay leaf: 1
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
• Cumin powder: 1 tsp.
• Coffee powder: 1 tbsp.
• Sugar: 1 tbsp.
• Salt to taste
• Baked beans in tomato sauce: ½ cup
• Chunky tomato sauce: ¾ cup
• Coriander leaves: 1 sprig

Method:

1. Wash, peel and chop potatoes and carrots into big chunks.
2. Chop the onion and capsicum finely.
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add bay leaf.
4. Sauté onion and ginger garlic paste till golden brown.
5. Add in potatoes, carrot, corn and capsicum and stir well.
6. Season with spices i.e. red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and sugar. Also, add the coffee powder and mix well. Keep the flame low to prevent the spices from burning.
7. Add the baked beans with the tomato sauce. Add 1 ½ – 2 cups of water and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Coffee and friends make memories. And memories can be sweet and savoury. Coffee energises and arouses all the senses. Adding coffee to a savoury dish puts in a delectable twist on the recipe. So adorn the chef’s hat to cook up something that is unique and a crowd pleaser.