A perfect Ramadan treat, this Middle Eastern Pudding is very easy and simple to prepare. It is a milk based light dessert, thickened with corn flour slurry and flavored with rose water. Serve chilled, garnished with chopped dry fruits. This recipe is a quick fix dessert when you run out of time or when you have unexpected guests. So treat your family / friends to something new this Ramadan.
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup corn flour
- 4 tbsp. sugar or to taste
- 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder (opt)
- 1 tbsp. rose water
- 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
- 1 tsp. dry rose petals
- 1 tbsp. chopped dates
In a small bowl, mix together corn flour and 1/4 cup milk. Keep aside. Bring the milk to a boil. Add sugar and continue to simmer on a low flame till it is dissolved.
Now pour over the corn flour slurry and continue to keep stirring till it turns thick. Spoon it in individual bowls and allow it to come to room temperature.
Refrigerate for an hour. Garnish with the chopped pistachios, dates and rose petals. Serve chilled as an after-meal dessert or as and when desired.
Hummus is a traditional Mediterranean dip which is served with Arabic bread and / or grilled meat. It is prepared with boiled white chickpea and can also be relished as a spread on bread toast and parathas. Healthy and nutritious, they can be had with veggie crudités for a light meal any time of the day.
Today I bring to you my version of a Mediterranean Hummus that is both spicy, tangy and a wee bit different from the original recipe. It is prepared with boiled mixed beans and roasted peanuts along with other ingredients. A tadka (tempering) is then poured over the end product to give it an Indian flavour.
- 1 cup mixed beans (lima beans, broad beans, kidney beans & white chickpeas), soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 2 green chilies
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
- 1 tsp. pepper powder
- juice of half lime
- handful of coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp. yoghurt
- salt to taste
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
- pinch of asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
- few roasted peanuts & pinch of red chili powder to garnish
Pressure cook the mixed beans for 10 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Drain and keep aside to cool.
Blend along with peanuts, garlic, green chilies, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, pepper powder, lime juice and yogurt into a smooth paste. Add coriander leaves and mix well.
Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida, curry leaves and urad dal.
Sauté for a few seconds and pour this tempering over the hummus. Garnish with roasted peanuts and a pinch of red chili powder.
Serve as a dip with veggie crudités or chips. They can also be relished as a spread on bread toast and parathas.
Hummus is a traditional Mediterranean dip which is served with Arabic bread and / or grilled meat. It is traditionally prepared with boiled white chickpea and can also be relished as a spread on bread toast and parathas. Healthy and nutritious, they can be had with veggie crudites for a light meal any time of the day.
So here is a hummus made of mixed beans that is spicy, tangy and a wee bit different from the original recipe. Beans in general, are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fibre. So they need to be incorporated in our daily diet as far as possible. So go ahead and give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing delicacy.
- 1 cup mixed beans (lima beans, broad beans, kidney beans & white chickpeas), soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds
- 2 green chilies
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
- 1 tsp. pepper powder
- juice of half lime
- handful of coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp. yoghurt
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- salt to taste
- few boiled beans, extra olive oil, pinch of red chili powder & coriander leaves to garnish
Pressure cook the mixed beans for 10 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Drain and keep aside to cool.
Blend along with sesame seeds, garlic, green chilies, cumin powder and coriander powder into a smooth paste with required quantity of water.
To it add the salt, pepper powder, lime juice, coriander leaves, olive oil and yoghurt. Mix everything well.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, olive oil, boiled beans and a pinch of red chili powder.
Serve as a dip along with some cucumber sticks, carrot sticks, bell pepper sticks or croutons. They can also be relished as a spread on bread toast and parathas.
Soak beans overnight & then pressure cook for 10 minutes on a low flame.
The boiled beans.
Blend boiled beans, roasted sesame seeds, green chilies, cumin powder,
coriander powder & garlic to a smooth paste.
The ground paste.
To the ground paste - add coriander leaves, salt, pepper powder, lime juice,
yoghurt & olive oil. Mix well.
Serve as a dip, garnished with boiled beans, coriander leaves, olive oil & a
pinch of red chili powder.
Hummus is a very popular dip in the Middle Eastern regions. It is prepared out of boiled kabuli chana (white chickpeas) and blended with sesame seeds, garlic and other seasonings. It is served along with pita bread, Arabic bread or with any grilled stuff.
I gave a slight twist to this amazing and delicious dip by adding a handful of coriander leaves. This gives a nice aroma to the dish. You can also relish this simple and nutritious homemade wonder as a spread on toasted bread, parathas or as a dip with veggie crudités and chips.
- 1 cup kabuli chana (white chickpeas), boiled
- handful of coriander leaves
- 1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt to taste
- 2-3 green chilies
- 3 tbsp. lime juice
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- red chili flakes to garnish
- few boiled kabuli chana to garnish
Blend together chickpeas, coriander, salt, garlic, lime juice, sesame seeds and green chilies with required quantity of water to form a smooth paste.
Add 2 tbsp. olive oil and give it a mix. Serve, garnished with remaining olive oil, red chili flakes and boiled chana.
Hummus are traditional dip from the Middle Eastern regions, where it is served along with Arabic breads and / or grilled meat. It can also be relished as a spread on toasted bread and parathas. Healthy and nutritious, they can be had with veggie crudites or chips for a light snack.
I try out Hummus with variety of Ingredients. In my website, you will find, Coriander Hummus, Mint Hummus, Rajma Hummus and the Original Chickpea Hummus. Today I bring to you yet another type of Hummus prepared with Dry fruits like almonds, cashew nuts and peanuts for a different nutty flavour. Trying it out for the first time and it turned out super delicious which I had along with some cucumber strips.
The presence of the dry fruits, garlic and sesame seeds enhances the flavour and taste and gives a creamy texture to the end product. So this simple and easy homemade Hummus are a quick fix when you have hunger pangs and time is a constraint.
- 1 & 1/2 cups kabuli Chana (white chickpeas), boiled
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 10-12 roasted almonds & cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
- salt to taste
- 1-2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds / tahini paste
- 2-3 green chilies
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes to garnish
- 8-10 boiled kabuli chana to garnish
- coriander leaves to garnish
Blend together kabuli chana, almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts, garlic, salt, lime juice, sesame seeds and green chilies with required quantity of water into a smooth paste.
Add olive oil and mix well. Serve as a dip, garnished with red chili flakes, boiled chana and coriander leaves. They can also be had as a spread on toasted bread and parathas.
Couscous which is a very common dish in the Mediterranean region is often served with vegetable or meat gravy. It is also served as a salad along with veggies or any lean meat. Here in this recipe, I combined couscous with eggplant stir fry to make this delicious salad. The beauty lies in presenting your creation. So I layered the eggplant and couscous and then topped it up with some feta cheese.
Alternatively, it can be baked till the cheese melts. So try this Eggplant Couscous Delight and surprise your family and friends. Light on the stomach, healthy and nutritious too, this exotic preparation can be enjoyed any time of the day as it is or along with some soup.
- 4-5 long eggplants, cubed
- 1/2 cup couscous
- 2-3 tbsp. oil
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1" ginger, chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. red chili powder
- 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
- 1 tsp. sambar powder (opt)
- 1 tbsp. coriander leaves
- 2-3 tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled
Add 3/4 cup water and a pinch of salt to the couscous. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with the mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, followed by the eggplants, onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and all the dry spices.
Sauté on a low flame till they turn soft. Sprinkle water at intervals. When done, add the coriander leaves and keep aside.
To assemble - layer the serving dish with half of the cooked eggplants, then add half of the couscous, followed again by the remaining eggplant. The last layer should be that of the remaining couscous.
Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese. Heat through in the microwave and serve as a salad. Alternatively, it can be baked till the cheese melts.
These grilled delicacies has a Middle Eastern flavor as they are marinated with za'atar and sumac powder besides other basic ingredients. They are usually served with salad or on a bed of flavored rice. Something different in taste and flavor from the usual fare, they are perfect as appetizers.
- 4 pieces of chicken
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp/ pepper powder
- 1 tbsp. zaatar powder
- 1 tsp. sumac powder
- juice of 1/2 lime
- oil for basting
- lettuce leaves, chopped fresh chilies and coriander leaves to garnish
In a bowl, mix together the ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, pepper powder, zaatar, sumac, olive oil, lime juice and required quantity of water to make a paste.
Smear this paste all over the chicken and marinate for 6-7 hours, preferably overnight in the fridge.
Grease a microwave upper rack and place the marinated chicken on it. Place it inside the microwave and grill for 30 minutes, basting with oil at intervals. Serve hot garnished with lettuce, coriander leaves and fresh chilies.
