Dry fruits Pilaf

This dish was pending in my list and one fine day i tried this and came out very nice!!
This pilaf i followed the Arabian style of cooking rice. In middle east i know people prefer rich food even for everyday menu. The blend of spices and ingrdients is very different from Indian cuisine. I tried this rice recipe and sharing this with you all.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice- 1cup
Dry fruits- 1 cup (mixture of Almonds, Raisins, Cashews, Pistachios)
Potatoes- 2 Sliced round
Saffron- 1 pinch
Ghee- 2tbspn
Salt

How to make:
1) Wash and cook basmati rice outside, in a pan.
2) Remove it once its half done, (Do not cook fully). Drain water and wash in cold running water.
3) Soak the saffron in water, or if u prefer can be soaked in rose water. (Not the coloured rose water)
4) In a pan, heat ghee and sautee the dry fruit till golden brown.
5) Peel a raw potato and cut it into round pieces.
6) In the same pan heat ghee and spread the potatoes as a bottom layer and sprinkle some salt.
7) Then put one layer of the rice covering well the potatoes, add salt to taste.
8) Then spread the nuts. Likewise, do layers of all these alternatively and pour a the saffron soaked water.
9) Cover and Dum these for 5mins. Check for rice if its done.
10) Take the rice portion seperately and mix well.
11) Serve the potatoes seperately.
12) A colourful, rich, tasty Pilaf is ready for serving !!

Tangy Tom' Pasta

Ingredients:

Tomato puree-1 cup
Butter -1tbspn
Extra virgin olive oil - 1tbspn
Parmesan Cheese - 1tspn
Garlic- 5pods
Onion- 1 medium size, diced
Chilli flakes
Dried Oregano and Herbs
Salt

To make tomato puree:

1) Blanch (immerse the tomatoes in boiling water until it becomes soft) 2 tomatoes and peel of the skin. scoop of the seeds inside and cut the flesh into small bits. 

2) Grind the tomatoes, Dried Oregano and herbs (readily available in supermarkets) garlic and olive oil into a smoot paste.

3) This Paste can be store for a week under refrigeration and can be used in making pasta, noodle or even as bread spread.

How to make Pasta:

1) You may buy the different shapes of pastas available in the market. Each one is known by a different name by its shaps, For eg, Sphagetti ( flat noodle shape), Fusilli ( Spiral or twisted shape) Penne (Tubes with ridges) Shells and Pipes etc.,
      I have made this dish with Fusili.

2) Boil water and add little salt and oil.Then add this fusili and allow it to cook till it becomes soft.
3) Strain the water and immediately wash with cold water. This will avoid the fusilis without breaking.
4) In a wok, add butter and saute the onions and some garlic.
5) Add fusilis and toss it well, then to it add the tomato puree, salt and chilli flakes.
6) Toss it well and slow cook for 5mins and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Capsicum Soy Toss

This i learnt from a chinese friend which is highly fresh and serves a side dish with rice.

Ingredients:
Capsicum- 3(1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow)
Cabbage- cut into big pieces
Chinese green chillies- 2
Spring onions- cut into pieces
Light soy sauce- 1tbspn
Salt and sugar(a pinch) to taste
Oil ( preferrably olive oil)
Black pepper powder- a pinch

How to make:
1) Wash and cut the vegetables, big pieces.
2) Chopp green chillies, spring onions.
3) Heat oil in a pan and saute green chillies.
4) To that, add the vegetables and add sugar, a pinch.
5) Add soy sauce and then toss the vegetables (or) gently stir them.
6) Do not over cook, retain the cruncher taste of the vegetables.
7) When serving garnish with spring onions and pepper powder.

Pad Thai

We had been invited for dinner by my husband's friend when we went to Bangkok for vacation. It was a nice place to tour out, however, very difficult for vege's. I happened to taste this (Pad Thai) with little twist to suit vegetarians. Here goes,

Ingredients:

12 oz dried flat rice noodles
5-6 squares deep-fried tofu,cut into small piece
1-2 fresh green chillies
1 cup bean sprouts
¼ cup ground peanuts (unsalted)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp oil

SAUCE:
4 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice1 Tbsp.
sugar ½ Tbsp.
tamarind paste mixed with ½ cup water
3 Tbsp tomato ketchup


How to make:


Soak the noodles in hot water (but not boiling) for 10-15 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold waterDrain and toss with 1 Tbsp. oil to keep from sticking Mix all sauce ingredients together in a cup. Set aside. Place remaining oil in pan. Over medium-high heat chilliesAdd tofu and stir fry (1 minute). Add noodles and sauce, then stir-fry, lifting and turning the noodles to combine all ingredients (1-2 minutes). Taste for saltiness. If not salty enough, add up to 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Take off the heat and add bean sprouts, mixing well to combine (note that bean sprouts should retain some of their crunchiness). To serve, place noodles on a platter. Sprinkle with spring onions, ground nuts, and coriander.