Guilt Free Basil Vanilla Silk

My sister Anu has been cooking up a storm this week and made a delectable Qatari Hissu Drink which she shared on her Facebook Page called "FoodPrints."  We all loved it and this is my version of the ever popular sweet basil drink which is good for the respiratory and digestive system.

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Moulded Tomato Salad

This is practically a weekly ritual in our house.  We all love salads and this is an easy way to use up the odds and ends in the fridge, which more often than not is tomatoes.   Put it in a mould and gently lift up the mould and you have a dish worthy of any great chef.

The Recipe:

3 medium sized tomatoes, washed and cubed and strained to remove all the juice; 4 tbsp thick curds; a few coriander leaves; salt to taste; 1 green chilli, minced. Mix all ingredients together.  Place the mould on serving plate.  Put the salad in making sure to pack it firmly.  Gently lift up the mould.  Add required garnish and serve with your meal.

NB:  I used a square mould.

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Jeera Rice

Jeera Pulao

Jeera Rice is an Indian dish consisting of rice and cumin seeds.  This rice dish is known as Zeera Rice in Pakistan.  It is a popular dish in Northern India, an everyday rice dish. It is easy to prepare unlike a biriyani.  Jeera is the Hindi word for cumin seeds. 

 Jeera Pulao or Jeera Rice happens to be a favourite dish of mine.  Not only because it is so quick to make and easy on the stomach but because it can be paired with any kind oof cuisine.  You can eat it with Roast Chicken and Gravy or Chicken Curry or even with Egg Stew.  And that's why I make it so often.  I got the recipe from my Mum and although it is a North Indian dish, it is firmly established in our very Mangalorean household.

The Recipe:

250 gms Low G. I Basmathi Rice;  1 large onion, sliced fine; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 inch piece ginger, minced; 1 tsp jeera seeds; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ghee; 1 small stick of cinnamon and 3 cloves; 500ml hot water; 1 tsp salt to taste.

Wash the rice three to four times until the water runs clear.  Soak it for 45 minutes in enough water to cover it.  Drain completely and keep at hand.  Heat a non stick pan and add the olive oil and ghee to it.  Saute the spices till fragrant.  Add onions, ginger and garlic and stir fry till golden brown.  Next add the rice and gently fry till the grains are coated with the oil and transparent to look at.  Transfer to rice cooker.  Add hot water and salt and cook till done.  Fluff the rice with the rice cooker spoon and keep open for about 10 minutes for the steam to escape.  Serve hot.

For those using a pressure cooker - pressure cook for 5 minutes.   Keep in the cooker for another 5 minutes without opening.  Open, fluff grains with a fork, spread out on a tray to cool for 10 minutes and serve with an accompanying curry.

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Kadle

Years ago, as children living in Bangalore, we had a neighbour who made delicious snacks for all festivals.  As soon as we finished our tea at home, we would rush to her house where her Mum would give us all kinds of tasty protein snacks in cups made from dried leaves.  Decades later, I think of her whenever I make this and remember the good times that we had.

The Recipe:

250 gms kadle (chick peas) white or black variety; 1/2 tsp mustard; a sprig of curry leaves; 1 tbsp grated coconut; 1 tbsp olive oil; salt to taste.

Wash and soak the dried chick peas in water overnight.  Next day rinse and pressure cook in 500 ml water for 45 minutes.  If you do not have a cooker, boil in one litre water until soft and water is dried up.  Keep adding water until the chick peas are soft.  Rinse and drain.  Heat oil in a large non stick pan.  Add the mustard seeds.  When they crackle, throw in the curry leaves, lower flame and stir fry till crisp.  Add the chick peas and salt to taste.  Garnish with grated coconut and serve hot or cold as a snack or a side dish with your meal.

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Sunflower Seed Garlic Bread

For those who do not have a bread machine:

Place the flour in a deep mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together.  Knead for 20 minutes until smooth and elastic.  If you happen to own a cake mixer use the dough hooks to knead the mixture for 10 minutes.   Cover with cling film and keep in warm place to rise until double in size.  This takes about 1 hour or so.  Punch it down and knead again for 5 minutes.  Shape into a round loaf and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. 
Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top and parsley if desired.  Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.  Slice and serve with garlic butter, mixed vegetables and any main dish.

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Double Skewered Grilled Prawns

Cleaning prawns are messy and unless I buy jumbo prawns, I usually avoid this fast food in the market.  Every once in a while I do buy some and make the quickest, simplest recipe to compensate for the time I spend cleaning them.  This is the time I take out my sauces and powders and mix and stir and grill them to luscious perfection.

The Recipe:

50 large prawns, shelled,washed and deveined; 1/2 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp light soya sauce; 1/4 tsp jeera powder; 1 tsp tomato sauce; 1 tbsp olive oil;salt and pepper to taste.

20 wooden skewers

Drain the prawns thoroughly.   Mix the oil, powders, sauces and salt together.  Marinade the prawns overnight in this mixture.  Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour.  This is to prevent them from burning on the grill.  Next day, take on of the skewers,and poke it through the side of the prawn.  Take another skewer and poke it through the opposite side of the prawn as in the photograph.  Similarly skewer 5 prawns per set of skewers.  Repeat with rest of the prawns and skewers.  Grill on an open grill on high heat for 5 minutes on each side or in a preheated  oven at highest setting for 5 minutes on each side.  Serve hot as an appetiser.

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Three Ingredient Cheesecake

                                                         Dark Chocolate Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake

Who doesn't love Cheese Cake?  Last week I saw a recipe for a Three Ingredient Japanese Cheese Cake on Facebook and shared it on my page.  My friend, Rose tried it out and posted the photograph to me.  I decided to make it with dark chocolate instead of white.  The result was a melting, moist chocolatey Cheese Cake.  Perfect for that special occasion.

The Recipe:

250 gms dark chocolate or white chocolate); 250 gms cream cheese; 5 large eggs, seperated; icing sugar to sprinkle on top.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler stirring all the while.  Add the cream cheese and keep stirring till thoroughly mixed.  Remove the bowl from the double boiler, add the 5 yolks and mix well.  Beat the whites to a stiff consistency and add to the mixture little by little.  Pour into a greased and lined 9 inch round cake pan.  Pour some hot water into the tray on which you place the pan in the oven.  I poured 1 cup.  Bake in a preheated oven at 170 Celcius for 15 minutes, 160 Celcius for 15 minutes , then switch off the oven and let the cake cook in the remaining heat for 15 minutes.  Cool, unmould, sprinkle with sugar and serve at room temperature or cold.  In my opinion it tastes better cold.

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