COUSCOUS-TOMATO RISOTTO

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       COUSCOUS -TOMATO RISSOTO

                                     

I have posted a Risotto and a Couscous (maftoul) recipe before in my blog.But this recipe is quite  an interesting one becoz I've combined both and made a different dish for my shhh cooking secretly challenge this time with Nirmala gurunathan from http://nimmuguru.blogspot.in/.

Risotto  is an Italian recipe  and Couscous is the recipe of middleeast.Isn't that interesting to make a dish combined.I also felt excited to make this dish and as I wish the dish came out well and my daughters who loves risotto completed the plate so quickly.......!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do try this interesting recipe friends..............

INGREDIENTS: 

To make Couscous:

Broken wheat-1 cup  

 Wheat flour- 2 tbsp

  Salt to taste  

Water needed   

METHOD:

        In a large plate or bowl add Broken wheat and sprinkle 1/4 cup of water and mix them well.place them for 2 mins and add some wheat flour to it  and some water mix them in circular motion.So the brokenwheat and the flour combines and form like granules.Do the process till it forms tiny granules.(I cant mention the exact measure of the flour and water.If the granules are formed in shape you stop the process.For the guideline see me maftoul recipe.Method is same for both.

http://lakshmi17.blogspot.in/2014/05/palestinian-maftoul-with.html

Heat the steamer or Idly steamer and steam the prepared couscous until it changes its color it'll take 5-7 mins.Cool it and can store in airtight container for 3 days or store in fridge for a month.Use when needed.

Before making a risotto we have to do some preperations.As We have to couscous and vegetable stock.

For vegetable stock:

Mixed vegetables-1 cup   

Bay leaf-1  

Cumin seeds-1 tsp  

Pepper corns-5 nos 

 cinnamon-1 stick    

Water-5 cups

METHOD:

Boil all together for atleast 15-20 mins and strain the stock from vegetables and set aside.This can be used for upto 1 week when we store it in fridge.

COUSCOUS RISOTTO:  

Ingredients:

Couscous-1 cup   

Tomato- 2 nos 

 garlic-1/2 tsp crushed 

Onion-1 big,chopped  

Capsicum-1/2,chopped  

Carrot-2 tbsp chopped or julienes

 vegetable stock-11/2 cups(or needed) 

 Cream-11/2 tbsp 

 Butter-2 tbsp  

Oil-1 tsp  

 Chedder cheese-1/2 cup  

salt to taste 

 lemon juice-1 tsp

METHOD:

In a heavy bottom pan add oil and 1 tbsp butter heat and add garlic saute a while add in chopped onion saute till translucent.

Add the chopped vegetables saute till it cooks add tomato saute well then add in couscous,salt mix well then add stock start from 1 scoop boil for a while as the water absorbs add another scoop of water and cook for a while repeat the process until the couscous becomes soft,cooks and combines well with the vegetables.Meanwhile add lemon juice to the risotto.When the risotto cooks well add cream and remaining butter mix well.

Now add cheese mix the risotto and serve hot.....!!!!!!!

                                         
                                     

ARABIC DATES AND HONEY CAKE

                             

       Arabic dates and honey cake

Countries have their own gourmet special recipes with what they can produce in their country.But if you noticed the recipe it will be related to any other country  in some other way starting from snacks to desserts and drinks.......

 We are quite familiar with many of the cake recipes from different parts of the world.This Arabic cake is filled with nuts and dates. This is a unique cake with two layers a cake and a caramelized butter and nuts on top......Try this delicious one.....!!!!!

Thanks to Rafeeda.R for this wonderful  cake through HBC.

Author: The Wanderlust Kitchen

Ingredients:

For cake:

Salted Butter-1/3 cup   

Eggs-3   

Brown sugar-1/4 cup  

White sugar-1/4 cup(if you don't get brown sugar use white sugar as whole)  

 Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp  

 Baking powder-1/2 tsp  

 Flour-1/2 cup to 3/4 cup  

For Topping:

Ingredients:

Butter-1/2 cup  

White sugar-1/4 cup 

Brown sugar-1/4 cup  

Honey-1/3 cup 

Sliced almonds-1/2 cup  

Cinnamon powder-1/2 tsp

Pitted dates-8to10

Method

Pre heat oven to 180°c

Beat eggs, powdered sugar and vanilla till it turns white. Drizzle the melted butter and beat continuously till it mixes well. Sift the flour and baking powder and add in slowly to the mixture without any lumps. pour the batter in a greased tray and bake it for 15 - 18 mins.

In a pan melt butter and sugar until it dissolves. Add in honey, almonds, pitted dates and cinnamon powder. Boil well for 5 - 7 mins and pour over the baked cake and place it again in the oven for another 15 mins.

Cool the cake and serve with coffee.....!!!!

NOTE:

• Use spring form tin to bake the cake for not placing the cake upside down.
• After baking the cake remove the butter that floats over the cake, if any.

                                                                               

PETIT PAINS AU LAIT

                                              Petit pains au lait

We make many types of bread recipes.This bread is a kind of  french bread looks like baguette but its a little bit sugary with sugar pearls on it.we enjoyed this bread with coffee and had it with nutella coated on it.I made crostini also with this bread.Its soo soft and yumm.......... do try this friends...................

Ingredients:

warm milk-2/3 cups  

yeast-1 tsp 

 sugar-1/4 cup  

maida flour-12/3 cup+3/4 bread flour or use on the whole maida flour 

butter-60 gms  

salt-1/4 tsp 

 milk for brushing  

 To garnish:  

sugar pearls(i dint get that :P)

Method:

Measure the flour,seive and set aside.

In a bowl add warm milk,sugar and salt mix well then add dried instant yeast and keep aside to prove.In a hand mixer attach hook attachment and add butter beat till soft then add yeast mixture mix well and add in the flour constantly and beat till it rolls and not stick to the hook for about 10 mins.Cover them and set aside in a hot place for 2 hrs till it doubles.

Preheat oven to 180°c

Now flour the surface and knead the dough for about 2 mins and divide into 2 portions.then dust flour and flat the dough for about 2 inch thick then roll the dough like cigar and flat them a bit set aside for 20 more mins.Make some cuts with scissors on the dough.

Garnish them with sugar pearls and bake them for about 20-25 mins and have a wonderful bread..............

  

 

                             

MANGO MINT SLUSH

                                          MANGO MINT SLUSH

Mango is the king of fruits........We can have mangoes in anyform with anything.If the mango season comes we'll have raw mangoes cut and salted  with rice dishes.My dad will eat even ripen mangoes with rice.We make chutneys,halwa,pickles etc....In ripen mangoes we can make smoothie,slush,mousse,icecream anything you want to...............

So I decided to give mango as one of the 5 ingredients for our challenge for the month of may.To make them healthier I added carrots,mint,sugar and milk with ripen mangoes to make a drink.......

In this recipe I have added only one ingredient more to make the drink more yummier............You can drink this slush with straw or have it with spoon that's your choice :P

Ingredients:

Ripen mango-1 cup   

carrots-2,diced  

Mint-3-4 leaves   

sugar-1/2 cup  

milk-1 cup,boiled and cooled   

Orange juice-3/4 cup

Method:

                Combine mangoes,carrots,mint,sugar ,milk and half of the orange juice and blend well.When you blend the carrots may not crush wholely it may leave some tiny bits do not bother becoz it will be tasty and crunchy will you drink the slush.

Pour the drink in a freezer safe bowl or ice cubes tray and freeze them for about 6 hrs.Becoz  of its thickness It'll freeze slowly......Now scrap down the slush with fork and fill three-forth in glass Tumblers ,You can eat the slush with spoon or Pour the remaining orange juice evenly on the slush and enjoy as a drink ............

NOTE:

             Cool the remaining orange juice for second use.

             No need to add sugar in orange juice.

Blend the juice

Scrap the frozen slush

Enjoy them in short glasses

yummy slush topped with mint and uncrushed carrots

Enjoy the drink/slush

Drink them blend with orange juice