Picnic Recipes | BBQ Recipes — KarthisKitchenStudio

Picnic Recipes:

Spring is here and it’s time for the picnic. My memory of picnic trace back to my childhood. We, as a family, often go for a religious trip. My aunts and mom decide and split their work of cooking. They make sure that variety of food is available in surplus amount for everyone and also homemade snacks. We hire a van and visit as an entire family for a dharsan in the nearby temple. The food will be packed in individual parcels with banana leaf and then wrapped using newspaper which will have everyone’s name written on top of it. We start early in the morning around 5 am and stop by around 7 am for breakfast. We will spread the blanket in a shade of a tree in the roadside farms. We sit together in a circle and enjoy delicious puffy idli with chutney for breakfast.

After dharsan in the temple, we will have lunch in the van itself. Usually, the lunch consists of a variety of rice – lemon rice, curd rice, coconut rice and tamarind rice with fryums and pickles. Having lunch with the entire family is the happiest moment of the trip. We usually had eating competition and consume two parcels for a person than the usual limit. Good old days.

Since then I moved here, I made sure to arrange for a picnic every summer without fail and treat friends & family with simple BBQ recipes. Last year, When Amma was here, we went for a picnic to Racoon Creek State Park and created wonderful memories. Glad she loved it and enjoyed it thoroughly. Every year, I have been experimenting various recipes and this time, I decided to prepare two paneer starters – Tandoori Paneer and Haryali Paneer, Roasted Mushrooms with Kimchuri, Roasted cauliflower, roasted corn in two different styles, rosemary lemonade and Grilled apricots with Maple syrup. I marinate the paneer or other vegetables with the spices in the morning itself. By the time, we roast them in the grill, it will be perfectly tossed with spices. I usually, prepare a bottle of fresh lemonade to quench the thirst and this time I blended rosemary into it.

And it was a big hit, Wish I could have prepared them in larger amounts as everyone wiped their plate clean.

Did I say we had so much fun in starting a fire for barbeque? I wish to write a separate post about the picnic and how to plan for the same.

Now, Pack your picnic basket and visit a park nearby.

Here you go.

Tandoori Paneer Tikka:

Ingredients:

Tikka:

1 pack Paneer, Cut into cubes (I use Nanak Paneer)
1 cup Chopped Capsicum, mixed colors, cut into cubes
1 cup Onion, cut into cubes
Lemon juice, optional for garnishing
Oil for cooking

Marinade:

3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 ½ tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
½ cup Thick Curd, full fat
2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder, adjust according to spice preferences
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
¼ teaspoon Dry Mango Powder
Salt, as required
A handful of Methi, crushed

Method:

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients under marinade and mix paneer cubes. Toss it well to coat the paneer with the spices evenly.
Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for up to an hour.
Soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes. Pack them in a Ziploc bag
At the time of barbeque, chop onions and capsicums
Arrange Paneer cubes, chopped onions and capsicums alternatively on the skewers
Place the skewer on the cooling rack and roast until the paneer is completely cooked and turns a little brown
Turn the skewer occasionally so that the Paneer will be roasted evenly. Drizzle oil for charred effect
Serve Paneer Skewers with lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves

Hariyali Paneer Tikka:

Ingredients:

Tikka:

1 pack Paneer, cut into Cubes
1 cup Capsicum of mixed colors, cut into cubes
1 cup Onion, cut into cubes
Lemon juice and coriander leaves for garnish
Oil for cooking

Marinade

1 cup Chopped Mint leaves
1 cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 cloves Garlic
½ teaspoon Grated Ginger
5 Green Chillies
½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
A pinch of sugar
Salt required
Water, as required for grinding

Method:

Grind all the ingredients mentioned under marinade into a fine paste. Use a little amount of water for fine grinding
In a bowl, add paneer cubes and the marinade. Toss it so that the Paneer cubes are marinated in the spice paste evenly and completely.
Store in the refrigerator until it’s time for barbeque
Soak skewers in water for about 30 minutes and place them in Ziploc
Chop onions and capsicums and store them in a container
At the venue, arrange the paneer cubes, onions and capsicums on the skewer alternatively
Place the skewer on the rack and place the rack on the barbeque grill
Roast paneer until it is evenly cooked. Ensure to turn the skewers occasionally
Add oil for the charred effect
Serve Hariyali Paneer Tikka with lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves

Portobello with Chimichurri

Ingredients:

1 pack Portobello Mushrooms, Halved
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt, as required
1 teaspoon Pepper Powder

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

1 bunch Cilantro, stems included
1 bunch Basil, stems included
4 scallions, roughly chopped
3 Garlic Cloves
¾ cup Olive Oil
¼ cup Rice Vinegar
Salt, as required

Method:

Blend all the ingredients mentioned for the sauce into a fine paste.
Combine oil, salt, and pepper with the halved mushrooms
Grill the mushrooms on a hot BBQ for about 10 minutes
Serve Mushrooms warm topped with chimichurri sauce

Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 cup Chopped Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
½ teaspoon Salt

Method:

Soak cauliflower in boiling water for about 10 minutes
Drain the water from the florets and allow them to drain completely
In a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and combine them well
Add the florets and toss them well
Grill them for about 10 -12 minutes on a hot BBQ until the florets turn crisp
Serve Cauliflower bites with creamy yogurt dip

Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

½ cup Thick Yogurt
½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
Salt, as required
Finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

Combine all the ingredients together and serve as a dip for any spicy starters.

Roasted Corn

Ingredients:

Fresh Corn
Juice of Lemon
1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
Salt, as required
1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper

Method:

Rub lemon juice on the corn.
Combine red chili powder and salt together
Combine lemon pepper and salt together
Apply the red chili mix evenly on the corn
Apply the lemon pepper evenly on the corn
Roast the corn on hot BBQ for about 10 minutes. Ensure to turn them occasionally.
Roast until corn becomes brownish

Grilled Apricots with Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

10 Apricots halved and deseeded
Maple syrup, according to your sweet tooth

Method

Serve grilled apricots warmly with ice cream.
Ensure to turn the fruit on the midway
Grill the apricots on the hot BBQ for about 10 minutes, until the fruit becomes soft.
Toss apricot halves with maple syrup

If you try the recipe (which I highly recommend personally), do let me know how they tasted in comments. If you like space, do like and follow my profile at here – Facebook, Google, Instagram