The most memorable tables aren’t crowded with dishes, but they’re curated. A few plates, thoughtfully composed, each bringing its own texture, temperature and tempo. This three-part menu by Sabyasachi
Gorai captures exactly that philosophy: crisp to start, hearty at the centre, and silky-sweet to finish.
Drawing subtle cues from Latin American flavours and modern European plating, the spread moves with intention – flaky pastry, smoky beans brightened with lime, and a layered dessert that feels straight out of a boutique patisserie. It’s less about complexity and more about contrast. Less excess, more elegance.
Perfect for intimate dinners, weekend hosting, or a slow evening with friends, these recipes deliver chef-level polish without overcomplication.
Brazilian Nut & Cheese Empanadas (Mini Baked)
Yield: 12 mini empanadas (20–25 g each)
Serve as: Cocktail appetisers or pre-dinner bites
Ingredients
Filling
- Cheddar cheese, grated – 120 g
- Jalapeño, deseeded & finely chopped – 20 g
- Brazilian nuts, toasted & crushed – 40 g
- Salt – to taste
Shell
- Ready-made puff pastry – 250 g
Method
1. Toast nuts at 160°C for 6–8 minutes. Cool and crush.
2. Mix with cheese, jalapeño and salt.
3. Roll pastry to 2–3 mm thickness and cut 6–7 cm discs.
4. Press into greased mini muffin moulds and fill with 1 tbsp mixture.
5. Bake at 180°C for 15–18 minutes until golden and puffed. Rest before serving.
Feijoada-Style Refried Beans with Tahiti Lime & Avocado (Flatbread Taco)
Yield: 4 portions
Serve as: Hearty vegetarian main or sharing platter
Ingredients
Beans
- Boiled kidney beans – 300 g
- Butter – 40 g
- Thyme – 1 tsp
- Paprika – 1 tsp
- Tomato, chopped – 80 g
- Salt – to taste
Avocado Salsa
- Avocado, diced – 2
- Cilantro – 1 tbsp
- Green chilli – 1 tsp
- Tahiti lime juice – 1–2 tbsp
- Salt – to taste
Assembly
- Soft flatbread – 4
Method
1. Sauté tomatoes in butter until soft. Add paprika and thyme.
2. Stir in beans and cook, mashing lightly to a coarse, refried texture. Season.
3. Toss salsa ingredients gently.
4. Spread beans on warm flatbread, top with avocado and finish with lime. Serve immediately.
Açaí Berry Caramel Trifle
Yield: 4 individual desserts
Serve as: Chilled plated dessert
Ingredients
- Crumble base – 200 g
- Açaí pulp – 150 g
- Custard powder – 25 g
- Milk – 300 ml
- Whipping cream (semi-whipped) – 240 g (split)
- Caramel sauce – 120 g
- Vanilla custard – 300 g
- Açaí dust – garnish
Method
1. Prepare the crumble and divide it into glasses.
2. Cook custard, fold in açaí pulp and half the cream.
3. Fold remaining cream into vanilla custard.
4. Layer crumble → açaí custard → caramel → vanilla cream.
5. Chill 1 hour and garnish before serving.
