A MIDDLE EASTERN TWIST TO DESI STAPLES
INGREDIENTS
PULAO: Bulgur, Purple Quinoa, Frozen black-eyed peas (thawed and rinsed), Clove, Cinnamon.
ARUGULA KADHI (A TANGY YOGURT CURRY): Baby Arugula, Chickpea flour, Kefir, Dry red chilies, Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds.
RECIPE
PULAO:
1. In a saucepan, boil 1.5 cups of water. Add a bit of salt and a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil. Add ¾ cup of bulgur. Allow it to cook for about 10-12 minutes, then cover and leave it aside. After 10 minutes, fluff it up with a fork.
2. Add 1 cup of water to ½ cup of purple quinoa and cook in the microwave for 15 minutes. When it is done, fluff it with a fork.
3. Thaw ½ cup of black-eyed peas and rinse thoroughly to get all the grit out.
4. In a pan, toast 1 teaspoon of clove and 2 cinnamon sticks and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
5. In a flat pan, heat a spoon of extra-virgin olive oil, add cumin seeds and when the start to splutter, add the ground spice powder. Saute for just half a minute and turn off the heat.
6. Add the bulgur, quinoa and the peas and mix gently with a wooden spoon taking care to not break the peas.
7. In a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper and whisk.
8. Pour this on the pulao just before serving.
9. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve warm.
KADHI:
1. Leave the kefir out for about 3 hours so help it to turn a little tangy.
2. In a big bowl, add 1 cup of kefir, ½ cup of regular yogurt and ½ cup of water. To this, add 3 heaped tablespoons of chickpea flour and whisk well to eliminate any lumps.
3. Add a pinch of turmeric powder to it and salt to taste. Keep aside.
4. In a pan, heat some oil, add mustard seeds and some fenugreek seeds. Also break a couple of dry red chilies into the hot oil. Saute swiftly and add a bag of baby arugula. Saute these till they wilt and get soft but not brown.
5. Add the kefir mixture to the arugula and allow it to cook till the raw smell of the chick pea flour vanishes and the curry starts to thicken.
6. Turn off the heat and serve hot with the warm pulao.
