Category: FOOD

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URAD DHAL WITH SILVERBEET

Urad Dhal with silverbeet

Dhal or dal traditionally is made with toor dhal. Sometimes it is roasted and then cooked in the pressure cooker. This particular recipe is unusual in the sense that the dhal is made with urad dhal and most of the cooking is done while roasting with ghee. There is very little water used, most of the liquid needed is from tomatoes and onions. It is thick and delicious and is a satisfying plant based meal when served with brown rice.

INGREDIENTS

140 grams urad dhal, rinsed

100 grams moong dhal, rinsed

600 grams onions thinly sliced

80 grams ghee or clarified butter

2 tablespoons tomato paste

80 grams ginger, peeled and finely chopped

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SEAFOOD PAELLA

Seafood Paella

Most non Spaniards consider paella as a national dish but Spaniards attribute this to Valencia. Moors in Muslim Spain started rice cultivation since 10th century. Rice has been made into casseroles using fish and spices since then and it really symbolizes the union of two cultures – Roman and Arabic.

To make a good paella, you need to use Bomba rice, saffron and really good full bodied stock. I feel your paella is only as good as your stock. If you don’t have a paella pan, use a stainless steel pan but do not use cast iron or non-stick pans. If you use a heavy bottomed pan, you will not get the very desirable soccarat. Soccarat is the rice that gets crunchy and forms a crust at the bottom of the pan.

INGREDIENTS

200 grams monk fish fillets, cut into 5cm pieces

200 grams mussels, remove beards and scrub the shells

300 grams large prawns with their tails intact

250 grams bomba or calasparra rice

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KUNG PAO CHICKEN

Sometimes spelt Gong Bao, this is a spicy stir fried chicken dish with its origins in Sichuan province of south west China. The Sichuan peppercorns are a bit numbing but the combination of crunchy peanuts and juicy spring onions, complement the juicy chicken. I have adapted this recipe from Fuchsia Dunlop’s version in Every Grain of Rice.

INGREDIENTS

400 grams chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1 cm cubes

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 thumb ginger, finely sliced

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WHITE BEANS WITH FENNEL & SILVERBEET

Moki on White Beans with Fennel & Silverbeet

Beans are used in a number of ways in Italy and I have taken inspiration from the flavours of Mediterranean when creating this recipe. It is hearty enough to serve on its own with crusty bread but it is also an excellent accompaniment to fish.

INGREDIENTS

250 grams dried small lima beans or 2 x 450 grams tin of any white beans, drained (save the liquid) and rinsed

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and finely chopped

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GNOCHETTE WITH BROCCOLI & PUFFED CHICKPEAS

Gnochette with Broccoli & Puffed Chickpeas

This pasta is great for lunch. You can even make it a weekday office lunch too but be sure to pack the chick peas separately and sprinkle them on top.

INGREDIENTS

1 broccoli, cut into medium sized florets

250 grams gnocchette

25 grams butter

3 shallots, sliced thinly

2 large garlic cloves, sliced

1 teaspoon chilli flakes

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INDIANISH ENCHILADAS

Indianish Enchiladas

There are a lot of flavours in common when it comes to Mexican and Indian cuisine. Yes the extensive use of cumin, coriander, chilli and tomato come to mind but there are some lesser known ones like tamarind that feature regularly in both the cuisines. I was fascinated and looked into this and learnt that when the Spanish colonized Mexico, they introduced flavours like tamarind, sesame through the Moorish / African influence.

INGREDIENTS

For the filling

400 grams paneer, grated

1 x 400 grams tin of black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed lightly

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ADAI DOSA

Adai Dosa

In South India, several variations of dosas (savoury pancakes) are served anytime in the day. They really are a complete meal and are low GI (glycaemic index) making it perfect for a light dinner. Bonus they are vegan and gluten free as well.

INGREDIENTS

Mung Dhal (yellow) – 250 grams

Split chick peas (channa dhal) – 125 grams

2 tablespoons rice

2 dried red chillies, deseeded, cut and soaked in warm water for half an hour

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