Barley Risotto

Oh what thunderous response this one got me, day before. 🙂 Thank you for the love, people. Barley is great substitute for rice in your life. It is a little tricky looking seed but it does wonders. I adapted this recipe.

You shall need: [Serves 2]

1/2 cup.. Pearl Barley- soaked for 20 min in warm water- discard the water and place it on a tea towel to remove the moisture

1.. small onion chipped fine

3 cloves of garlic – minced

2 tsp… olive oil

1.4 cup white wine- optional*

1.. medium carrot diced small

1… tomato- de-seeded and chopped small

1/4 cup… blanched peas

1/3 cup… paneer [soft] or ricotta- make a paste with the cheese spread [Homemade ricotta cheese recipe coming soon]

1 tbsp… cheese spread

salt and pepper

3 cups… stock [I used the home made beets stock]

cheese [Optional]

1/2 cup… milk

Method:

• In a pan, add the oil. Once it is heated, add the onions.
• Once they are nice and translucent. Add the garlic and let them get the oil and onion flavour on them.
• Add a little salt at the point.
• Add the barley and let it toast for a few minutes.
• Add salt and pepper.
• Add the carrot, wine and one cup of stock.
• Reduce the flame to medium and let it absorb the stock.
• Add another cup of stock when you see the grains are dry-ish.
• Repeat the process until all the stock is over.
• Add half of the paneer-cheese mix and the milk.
• Check the grain, it should not be mushy but should be fully cooked.
• Add the peas and tomatoes and cover with a lid.
• Cook like this for 5 min.
• Mix some cheese through, right before serving.
• Serve hot topped with cheese and paneer.

Cheers,

Vegetable Stock with Beetroot

Vegetable stocks are super easy to put together. All you need is a little patience, veggies and flavor choice. I always make fresh stocks and not use the shop bought ones or cubes.

The quickest way is to use a pressure cooker and a more elaborate way shall be to make it in an open pot. Whichever way you choose, the most crucial element is to caramelize the vegetables in oil and spice profile of your choice.

Since I was using beets, I used some thyme, garlic,fennel seeds and bay leaf.

Here is all that you will need:

1 tbsp… flavour-less oil

2… small onions – Quartered

250 gms… bottle gourd – chopped

2… Medium size carrots

2… medium size beets- peeled and quartered

100 gms… snake gourd

5-6.. florets of cauliflower

5-6… florets of broccoli

1/2 … green apple

Salt

1 tsp… fennel seeds

1 tsp.. thyme

3 … cloves of garlic or 1 tsp roasted garlic

4.5 cups of water or enough to cover the vegetables and going an inch above them

Equipment:

A heavy base pan

Big Spoon

Muslin cloth and colander

Method:

• Heat oil in the pan. Add thyme, fennel, bay leaf, onion and garlic.
• Once they change colour, add carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, gourds, apple and beets.
• They will try to stick to the pan once they being caramelizing.
• using the spoon move them often.
• Add some salt to ensure the moisture escapes.
• Once you see a nice char add water.
• Bring it to the boil and reduce the heat to medium low.
• Let it bubble for 1.5 hours.
• Strain the stock using the colander and cloth.

The stock can stay up to 10 days in a refrigerator. Fill it in a clean dry jar and use later.

Cheers,

Weekly Menu Plan 27 July, 2015

I am back on the blog with an aim to cook better, learn and change our lifestyle. The husband battled kidney stone and is braving the diabetes as well. We didn’t know about that earlier.  Anyway all that calls for a lifestly change and we have to give it all we got. 🙂

The first start is to work on a food menu that will make sure we eat right.

Inspiration from this comes from Monika and Nandita. Both of them have been pretty cautious about what to eat and when.

Shall post recipes within the same week itself.

Cheers,