I love the rice we get when we go out for Indian so I have tried to make my own version at home.
Lightly Spiced Indian Rice
2 cups Basmati Rice
3 1/2 – 4 cups Water
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon Cumin, ground
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
1 cup Frozen Peas
In medium size saucepan with tight fitting lid combine rice, water, turmeric, cumin, butter, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, place lid on saucepan and cook for 15 minutes.
Briefly remove lid, add frozen peas, replace lid and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, fluff rice with fork.
My husband was recently required to bring a Pot Luck dish to a belated Christmas work gathering. Initially I was thinking I would send along a Vegetarian Lasagne but then I saw the sign up sheet… Seems Luke’s workmates like Indian! The Sign Up sheet looked a bit Meat Heavy so I volunteered Lightly Spiced Indian Rice with Peas, Quick Curried Vegetables and Naan.
Quick Curried Vegetables
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
1 (398ml) can Coconut Milk
1 cup Water
1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock Cube
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
3 Tablespoons Curry Powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed
2 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup Green Beans, fresh or frozen, cut into 1″ pieces
1 small Cauliflower, cut into small florets
Substitute in Broccoli, if you wish
1/2 cup Green Peas, frozen
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
1 – 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
Heat oli in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned; stir frequently.
Add coconut milk,water and vegetable stock cube.
Whisk in tomato paste, curry powder, cumin, turmeric and chili flakes.
Bring to a boil.
Add sweet potato, potato; reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are still firm but almost done.
Stir in green beans, cauliflower (broccoli, if using); cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender)
Remove from heat and stir in frozen green peas, cilantro and lime juice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with steamed Basmati Rice or Naan.
I attended an Epicure presentation in the Summer of 2013; I bought a Starter set which included Poco Picante Salsa Mix and I have got to say, I use this stuff in a lot of things! First and foremost though, a sprinkle of this stuff in a bit of Plain Greek Yogurt is a great dip! But I digress.
I “Liked” Epicure Selections on Facebook and regularly get recipe ideas in my daily feed. The other day this Mini Meatless Mediterranean Meatloaf recipe came through my feed and since it was Meatless Monday, I thought I would give it a read. Of course I didn’t have Tzaziki Dip Mix in my pantry but it occurred to me that I had made a Mexican inspired Meatloaf in the past…
The long and short of it is that I used my Salsa mix in the recipe and was very pleased with the results. Oh, also, I didn’t have a can of lentils in the pantry…who buys lentils in a can? So I cooked up a cup of red lentils with half a chopped onion, a couple of cloves of minced garlic and a McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube…all worked out in the end. To complete the Mexican Flare, I topped it with the above mentioned plain yogurt/Poco Picante Salsa Mix, a bit of chopped green pepper, tomato and red onion.
Now I have to admit, this would be pretty challenging to accomplish without a Food Processor; challenging, but not impossible. You would be required to mash the beans and lentils the old fashioned way- with a potato masher; the almonds would have to be ground by hand using a chef’s knife and cutting board but hey! You would have had a great arm workout at the end of it all!
Pretty delish if I do say so myself!
Lightly Spiced Salsa Meatless Meatloaf with Picante Topping
1 can (540 ml) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
*1 can (540ml) Lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked White or Brown Rice
1/2 cup Ground Almonds
1 Tablespoon Poco Picante Salsa Mix <- when I run out, I will use Adobo Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Picante Salsa Mix
2 strips of Green Pepper, diced
2 slices of Tomato, chopped
1/16 of a Red Onion, chopped
*if using dry lentils: 1 cup Lentils, rinsed and drained 2 cups water 1/2 Onion, chopped 2 cloves Garlic, minced 1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube
Bring lentils, water, chopped onion, minced garlic and vegetable stock cube to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl combine plain greek yogurt, salsa mix.
Place in fridge and allow flavours to meld while preparing the meatless meatloaf.
Chop/dice green pepper, tomato and red onion; set aside.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Lightly spray an 8″x4″ Loaf Pan; set aside.
Or lightly spray 6 4″ Ramekins; set aside.
In a food processor, pulse lentils and beans until coarsely chopped.
Turn into a medium mixing bowl and stir together with rice, ground almonds, Salsa Mix (or Adobo Seasoning), olive oil and lime juice.
Turn into prepared loaf pan.
Bake until browned and crisp on top, about 30 minutes.
Top a slice of Salsa Meatloaf with a dollop of the yogurt mixture and sprinkle with chopped veggies.
Serve with a Green Salad.
Salsa Meatless Meatloaf topped with Picante Topping
These are relatively easy to make. A special treat for Sunday morn, with leftovers to see you through the week…but wait, if word gets out you are making these, you just might have a few visitors drop by for coffee!
Cinnamon Rolls
Sweet Roll Dough:
2 cups Flour 1/2 cup Sugar 2 Tablespoons Rapid Rise Yeast 1 cup Milk, scalded and cooled 1 1/2 cups warm Water 1/3 cup Butter 2 Eggs, lightly beaten 4 cups Flour (+/-) 1 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Filling: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting: 4 oz Philly Cream Cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Milk, to right consistency
In large mixing bowl, combine first amount of flour, sugar and rapid rise yeast; set aside.
Scald milk in small saucepan; remove from heat and add butter, stirring until the butter is melted.
Stir in warm water.
In small bowl beat eggs; *temper with slightly cooled, scalded milk mixture.
Gradually add tempered eggs to the remaining scalded milk mixture.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour, yeast and sugar.
Stir vigorously for 2 minutes.
Add a cup of flour and the salt; stir.
Add flour, a cup at a time until a soft dough is formed; you may have to “stir” last stages of flour in with your hands.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Spray two 9×13 pans with Vegetable Oil spray; set aside.
While dough is resting, prepare the
Filling: In small mixing bowl rub together butter, cinnamon and brown sugar; set aside.
Prepare the Rolls:
On lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times then divide into two equal portions.
Cover portion you are not working with.
With other portion, roll out into a 15″x8″ rectangle.
Sprinkle half of the filling mixture to within 1/4″ of the edges of the rectangle.
Roll up tightly, beginning at 15″ side.
Pinch to seal edge.
Getting set to cut the roll into individual rolls
Cut into 12 slices with a sharp knife.
Place cut side down in prepared pan.
Repeat with second portion of dough.
Cover and let rise for at least an hour and a half.
Set to rise!
Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden.
Remove from oven and cool, in pan, on wire racks.
Baked to perfection!
While still warm, but not hot, cover with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting: In medium mixing bowl cream together the softened cream cheese and butter.
Stir in a cup of icing sugar and vanilla until well incorporated.
Add remaining icing sugar a little at a time and stirring well after each addition.
If the icing is too thick, thin with a little milk.
Let’s dress these babies up…or not; your call.
*Add about a tablespoon of hot mixture to eggs and stir vigorously; add another tablespoon of scaled milk mixture to eggs, stir vigorously… what you are doing is bringing the eggs up to the temperature of the liquid in the pot. Once egg mixture is warmed you can slowly stir it into the remaining scalded milk mixture in the pot. If you were to just chuck the eggs into the scalded milk mixture you could very possibly end up with something resembling gross scrambled eggs O.o
** The Cream Cheese Frosting recipe I have posted is one I have used for yonks! I don’t know where it came from and I don’t actually measure the ingredients. I think the measures I have listed are pretty accurate for a lovely, creamy, delectable cream cheese frosting.
Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.
