Humble Risotto

Risotto is a kind of Italian dish prepared with starchy rice varieties, mostly arborio. It is usually cooked to a creamy texture using vegetable or meat stock and then spiced as per need. You get only imported arborio in India; I used local brown rice which is also short grained and starchy, even the normal idli rice should work. Yeah, it may not taste ditto like arborio risottos because I'm translating it and not transliterating :)

Ingredients:

1.       Brown rice – 1 cup

2.       Butter – 1 blob

3.       Onion – 1 chopped finely

4.       Tomato – 1 chopped finely

5.       Vegetable stock – 3 cups

6.       Pepper powder – 1 tsp

7.       Italian seasoning – 1 tsp

8.       Salt as per taste

9.       Mint to garnish

10.   Fresh cream or grated cheese (optional)

Method:

Step 1: Heat butter in a non-stick pan, sauté onion in that and then roast the brown rice in that. Boil the stock in parallel, we’ll use them periodically.

Step 2: Add stock to the rice to the level the rice just submerges and cover it. Sprinkle required salt. Stir occasionally.

Step 3: Once the water is absorbed, add some more stock to cover the rice and let it cook. Add in chopped tomatoes. Repeat adding stock, until it is fully done. Slow cooking is the essence of risotto, it takes about 45 minutes.

Step 4: Sprinkle seasoning, pepper and add cream/cheese if using and stir well. Adjust salt.

Step 5: Garnish with mint leaves and serve hot.

Beetroot Soup

Beetroot has a lot of health benefits like lowering blood pressure & cholesterol, it is said to produce anti-oxidants and they call it enemy of colon cancer. But for me I simply love the color of beetroot. Soup is one very nice way of relishing beetroot. Here, I share my simple version of beet soup that serves two people.

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot - 1

2. Tomato -1

3. Salt to taste

4. Pepper to taste

Method:

Step 1: Blanch the roughly chopped beetroot and tomato in a cup of water for 3 minutes.

Step 2: Let it cool a bit and then blend together finely in a mixer jar.

Step 3: Add required salt and pepper.

Step 4: Serve warm or heat it to have it hot or refrigerate to have it cool. 

TIPS:
*This is the simplest version. You can try one of the alternate options as mentioned below
*Skip tomato and add juice of lemon
*Saute in some butter or olive oil instead of blanching beetroot
*Add more herbs & seasoning
*Add more vegetables and top it with caramelized onion.

Paneer Bhurji

Paneer Bhurji

I first ate this dish from the Punjabi family I stayed with as paying guest. I fell in love with it the first time I ate it and so did Kundan; so I make this bhurji frequently at home. It is very simple to make and is one of the tastiest combination with phulkas, I swear.

Ingredients:

1.       Paneer –200 gm

2.       Green chilies – 2

3.       Onion – 1 finely chopped

4.       Cumin seeds – ½  tsp

5.       Asafoetida – 1 pinch

6.       Oil 1 tbsp

7.       Salt to taste

8.       Chopped Coriander – 1 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: Grate the paneer either by using whipping option in the mixer or by crumbling by your hands

Step 2: In a non-stick pan, heat oil and crackle cumin seeds in it, sprinkle asafoetida, thrown in chopped chilies, add the chopped onion and sauté till they are soft and translucent.

Step 3: Now, add the grated or crumbled paneer, sprinkle necessary salt over it and mix with a soft hand in simmered stove for 1 minute.

Step 4: Adjust salt, garnish with the fresh coriander and serve warm with rotis/ phulkas.

Tip:

Ø  I make use of homemade paneer to do bhurji as they are crumbly; the store bought paneer are little rubbery is what I feel.

Ø  You can use old paneer (not after expiry) in freezer which are dry in texture, for this dish.