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Mokha Café
Chef Shafiq Ahmed of the Grand Hyatt Muscat’s Mokha Café has plenty of ideas for you to try at home
THE MENU
Honey dipped chicken
with potato salad
Beef and mozzarella
lasagne
T-bone Steak
Shashlik |
Linger over the menu at the Mokha Café and it quickly becomes apparent that a wonderful talent is at work. Chef Shafiq Ahmed, who joined the hotel as sous chef, is the culinary mastermind behind the superb fare at the hotel.
He has many years of experience in the industry, having
previously worked at the Sheraton hotel, Karachi, and the Royal Abjar Hotel amongst others. Now, he brings this expertise to the Mokha Café where he has developed a new lounge menu, offering food “with a twist.” Some of the dishes available include honey dipped chicken with potato salad, beef and mozzarella lasagne; T-bone steak and shashlik. The biggest emphasis on all these dishes is, as usual, Shafiq’s creative use of seasonal products..
Honey dipped chicken with
potato salad |
Baby chicken1/2
|
Potato salad100g |
Marinade
|
Potato salad |
Ginger, chopped 10g
|
Potatoes, cooked and cut into cubes 2 |
| Lemon juice 1 |
Mayonnaise 1tbsp |
| Garlic, chopped 2 cloves |
Mustard 5g |
| Chicken stock 300ml |
Chive 20g |
| Olive oil 100ml |
Oregano 2g |
| Rosemary 10g |
Salt and pepper |
| Honey 200ml |
|
Method
Season the chicken and grill on both sides, until half cooked. Marinate the hot chicken in the cold marinade for a
maximum of two hours. Cook the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes at 140ºC. Place the potato salad in the centre of the plate and set the chicken on top. Spoon the remaining sauce from the baking tray over the chicken. Garnish with rosemary.
| Beef and mozzarella lasagne |
| Beef tenderloin 3 x 20g |
Pesto 2tsp |
| Tomato, sliced 3 |
Rosemary 1 sprig |
| Buffalo mozzarella, sliced 3 |
Olive oil |
| Fresh basil 2 sprigs |
Balsamic vinegar |
| Rocket leaves 20g |
Salt and pepper |
Method
Seal the beef in a pan till medium done. Remove and leave to rest. Layer beef, tomato, mozzarella and basil leaves. Stick the rosemary in to hold the lasagne. Place the rocket leaves in the
centre of the plate and drizzle with the olive oil. Set the beef lasagne on top of the lettuce and spoon the pesto over. Finish off with the balsamic vinegar.
| T-bone Steak |
T-bone steak 250g
|
Corn oil for frying 1-litre |
| Flour 10g |
Fresh thyme, finely chopped 2g |
| Onion, minced 40g |
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped 2g |
| Leek 25g |
Salt and ground pepper |
| Olive oil 30ml |
|
Method
Marinate steak with olive oil and fine chopped herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steak on both sides and finish it in oven at 180ºC for about ten minutes. Remove and leave to rest. Form the minced onions into a ring, turn it in the flour and freeze it until firm. Deep fry till golden brawn and crispy. Cut the leek into juliennes and deep fry as well. Remove the steak from the oven and keep aside, remove meat from the bone and sliced it in tranche. Place the meat on a hot rock stone platter, garnish with the onion ring and fried leek.
| Shashlik |
Marinade
|
Meat and
vegetables
|
| Fresh lemon juice 100ml |
Zucchini 4 |
| Fresh rosemary,
chopped 3tbsp |
5cm cubes of beef or lamb 1.8kg |
| Chopped garlic 1tbsp |
Onions 4 |
| Dried chilli flakes 1tsp |
Yellow peppers |
| Salt 1.5tsp |
Cherry tomatoes 250g |
| Freshly ground pepper 3/4tsp |
|
| Olive oil 175ml |
|
Method
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a mixing bowl and add the cubes of beef. Leave to marinate for six hours. Cut the vegetables into 4cm pieces and thread with the meat onto the sticks or rosemary. Grill over glowing coals, basting with the marinate. Serve hot.
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