Friday 19 / April / 2024
LIME AND CORIANDER SOUP
A healthy and clear soup with a refreshing splash of lime and fragrant coriander that is easy to make.
Ingredients
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 inch ginger, grated
• 1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon corn flour( combined in 1/4 cup of water)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preparation
• In a saucepan, heat oil and saute ginger and garlic for a few minutes.
• Add spring onion (white) to this and saute till it sweats.
• Next add coriander leaves and give it a gentle stir.
• Add water, cornflour mixture to the saucepan and bring the soup to a roaring boil. Stir well to make sure no lumps are formed and season with salt and pepper.
• Turn off the flame and stir in the
lemon juice.
• Mix well and serve the lemon coriander soup hot, garnished with spring onion greens.
MINTY PANEER TIKKA (mint in grilled cottage cheese)
This is a barbeque speciality from India with a delectable combination of soft cottage cheese and aromatic mint that is grilled to perfection.
Ingredients
• 350g cottage cheese /paneer cut in one inch square with 5-6 mm thickness
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 cup yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• Salt to taste
To grind-
• 3 tablespoon grated coconut
• 1 cup mint leaves (Pudina)
• 1 green chilli
Preparation
• In a blender combine coconut, mint leaves, green chilli and grind to a smooth paste, adding very little water.
• Transfer this masala into a mixing bowl and add yoghurt and red chilli powder, garam masala powder, black salt, cumin powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt. Mix well and add paneer pieces to this.
• Keep it aside for about 1/2 hour.
• Heat a grill pan, drizzle some oil, place the marinated paneer pieces and grill evenly on either side till cooked and charred on both sides for about 5 minutes.
• Serve with lemon wedges and onion rings.
THAI BASIL CHICKEN
This flavourful and spicy Thai stir-fry featuring basil has moist chicken coupled with crunchy bell pepper.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts, cut in bit size pieces
• 4 sliced shallots
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 birds eye chilli-finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, finely chopped
Preparation
• Whisk together oyster sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar until well-combined. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok over high heat.
• Add bell pepper to the wok. Stir-fry for one minute.
• Add in chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
• Stir in shallots, garlic, and birds eye chillies. Cook until fragrant for about a minute.
• Pour in the sauces kept aside and cook till it coats the chicken and the bell pepper well.
• Stir in Thai basil leaves and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, the basil is wilted, and the preparation is completely dry.
• Serve warm with jasmine rice topped with fried egg.
APPLE ROSEMARY CRUMBLE
Apple rosemary crumble is the perfect way to savour the toasty aroma and rich flavours of pies and tarts. The rosemary adds the wow factor.
Ingredients
• 8 medium red apple
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon all-purposeflour
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped finely
• 125g cold butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• Thick cream or ice-cream, to serve
Preparation
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Peel, core and cut apples into 2cm pieces. Place apple, caster sugar
and the water in a large saucepan;
bring to the boil.
• Stir continously to dissolve the sugar.
• Cover and cook over low heat, for 15 minutes until apples are just tender.
• Combine apples and its liquid mix in a large bowl with cinnamon, plain flour and vanilla extract .
• Spoon mixture into a ovenproof dish.
• To make crumble, process self-raising flour and rosemary until well combined in a mixie. Add butter and brown sugar and pulse till the butter is mixed.
• Add this mixture into a large bowl and use hands to give it a crumbly texture by gently rubbing the same.
• Scatter the crumble over the apples.
• Bake crumble for 40 minutes or until topping is golden. Serve crumble topped with thick cream or ice cream.
Oneza Tabish is a food blogger, consultant, and columnist based in Oman. She is also the owner of Oman’s popular Facebook group ‘What’s Cooking Oman.’
