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Maryland - Vaishali Chitnis
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Chef Chitnis is a senior chef instructor in the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program at Stratford University in Falls Church, VA. She is originally from Mumbai, India. Chef Chitnis arrived in culinary arts via an alternative route, having first earned a degree in accounting and then attending culinary school in New York. She then went on to earn a degree in Hotel Restaurant and Institution Management from Iowa State University. Prior to teaching at Stratford University she has worked on both coasts; Chutneys in LA, California, Pierce and Dunhill in New York and Trumpets in New Jersey. She has also worked at Iowa State Memorial Union as a catering manager and at Compass group in Virginia. Chef Chitnis was selected by the Maryland Department of Agriculture to represent the state at the Cook-Off. |
Competition Recipe
Maryland Masala
Spiced rubbed Maryland Striped Bass accompanied by Saffron scented Modak stuffed with Cilantro and Citrus flavored Maryland Blue Crab meat served over Kokam Coconut broth and Patty-pan Squash
Spiced Maryland Striped Bass
8 Each 4 to 5 oz Maryland Striped Bass Fillets
Rub
1 ½ Tbsp Garlic powder
½ Tbsp Ginger powder
1 ½ Tbsp Fennel seed powder
1 Tbsp Chili powder
½ Tsp Turmeric powder
½ Tbsp Garam masala
4 Tbsp Lime juice
TT Salt
1/4 Cup Ghee (clarified butter)
2 oz. Microgreen cilantro or Mache greens
½ Cup Rice noodles, fried
TT Salt and Lime juice (for microgreens and noodles)
Mix the ingredients of the rub into a smooth paste.
Coat each piece of fish with the rub. Marinate the fish in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 min.
In a sauté pan heat 1 Tbsp of ghee, place 4 pieces of marinated fish and cook for 1 min. on each side. Repeat with remaining fish.
Remove the cooked fish on to a trivet over a sheet pan to drain excess fat.
Serve with seasoned microgreen cilantro or Mache greens and fried rice noodles on top.
Saffron Modak stuffed with Maryland Blue Crabmeat filling
Modak is a steamed rice flour dumpling shaped like a dome
Maryland Blue Crabmeat Filling
1 Cup Blue Lump Crabmeat (lightly packed)
½ Cup Cilantro, chopped
3 Each Mint leaves, chiffonade
½ Each Serrano chili, minced
½ Cup Shallots, chopped
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
2 Tbsp Currants
½ Cup Cashew nuts, chopped
¼ Cup Lime juice
TT Salt
Mix all ingredients of the blue crabmeat filling in a bowl. Set aside till ready to use for stuffing the modak.
Saffron Modak Dough
1 ¼ Cup Water
¼ Tsp Saffron threads
1Tbsp Ghee
TT Salt
1 ¼ Cup Rice flour
For assembling Modak
¼ Cup Water for shaping modak
2 Tbsp Ghee for shaping modak
2 Cups Water for steaming
In a sauce pot boil water with saffron, ghee and salt.
Stir rice flour, reduce the heat to low, cover the sauce pot and steam dough for 5 min.
In a mixer, knead this rice dough to a smooth ball.
Divide the dough into 8 balls. Shape each dough ball into a cylindrical shape using fingers.
Moisten your fingers with water. Make a hole with the moistened finger from the top of a cylinder to ¾ of the way towards the bottom. DO NOT GO THROUGH THE BOTTOM. Shape the dough like a cup.
Rub the index finger and thumb with ghee. Pinch the side of a dough cup to give it edges around the cup. About 5 to 7 edges.
Fill the pinched cup with blue crabmeat filling.
Close the cup from the top to form like a pointed tip. They should look like a dome with point (Capitol dome). Repeat the procedure with remaining rice dough balls.
In a stainless steel steamer, add 2 cups water. Arrange modaks in the steamer stand and steam for 25 min.
Serve them hot.
Kokam Coconut Broth
Kokam is dark purple color tropical fruit of an evergreen tree. It is commonly found in the western coastal region of India. Kokam has a sour fruity taste.
1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
10 Each Whole Cloves
1 Each Cinnamon stick
1 Each Star Anise
½ Each Serrano Chili
¼ Cup Kokam pulp
12 oz. Coconut milk
1 ½ Tbsp Ginger, grated
½ Tsp Fenugreek powder
4 Cups Water
1/3 Cup Sugar
TT Salt
Slurry
4 Tbsp Corn starch
4 Tbsp Cold water
As needed Water, to adjust consistency
Heat the stock pot. Dry roast cumin seeds, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise and serrano chili till light brown.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 min. on low heat
Make slurry with corn starch and water. Add to the broth. Simmer for another 5 min.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and sugar. If needed adjust the consistency with water.
Strain the broth through cheesecloth.
Serve hot.
Pattypan Squash
24 Each Pattypan Squash
½ Gal. Water
2 Tbsp Salt
½ Gal Ice water
1 Tsp Ghee
TT Salt
TT Pepper
Trim the Pattypan Squash.
Boil ½ gal water with 2 tbsp salt.
Blanch the pattypans for 2 min.
Shock them in 1 gal ice water.
Heat sauté pan. Add ghee and sauté blanched pattypan.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Assemble the menu on a shallow dinner bowl as follows
Place one modak on the plate at an off-center position
Place three pattypans near the modak.
Place fish on top of the pattypans
Place microgreen cilantro with fried noodles on top of the fish.
Pour 4-5 oz of kokam coconut broth in the dinner bowl and serve. Alternatively, pour the broth in a tureen or a goose neck to serve.
Chefs Favorite Easy to Prepare Seafood Recipe
Tamarind Flavored Soft Shell Crab
Tamarind Flavored Soft Shell Crab Served with Fresh Corn, Onion Hash and Grilled Asparagus.
Tamarind Soft Shell Crab
4 Each Soft Shell Crab
Rub
3 Tbsp. Tamarind paste
2 Tbsp. Garlic paste
1 Tbsp. Ginger paste
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
2 Tbsp. Water
TT Salt
Coating
½ Cup Corn meal
½ Cup Rice flour
TT Salt
Frying
Oil for deep fat frying
Mix the rub ingredients and marinate the soft shell for 1 hour.
Mix the coating ingredients.
Heat oil.
Coat the marinated soft shell crabs well with corn and rice coating.
Fry the soft shell crab until golden brown.
Serve hot.
Corn and Onion Hash
2 Tbsp. Salad oil
1 Cup Red Onion, small diced
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
½ Tbsp. Ginger, minced
1 tsp. Chili flakes
4 Each Fresh corn ears, shucked
1 Cup Water
TT Salt
¼ Cup Parsley, chopped
In a sauté pan heat oil.
Add onion, garlic, ginger and chili flakes. Sauté for 5 min.
Add corn and sauté for another 2 min.
Add water cover and cook until the corn is tender.
5 Season with salt.
6 Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Grilled Asparagus
20 Each Asparagus, trimmed and peeled
½ Gal. Water
2 Tbsp. Salt
½ Gal. Ice water
2 Tbsp. Salad oil
TT Salt and Pepper
Boil water and 2 Tbsp. salt.
Add asparagus and blanch for 3 min.
Cool asparagus in ice water. Dry them thoroughly.
Heat grill.
5 Rub oil on asparagus and grill for nice grill marks.
6 Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
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