Thai Sticky Rice Cake (A Thai dessert with the unique Pandan flavour)

This sticky rice dessert is easy to make and is a healthy low-fat treat (both gluten and lactose free!). The coconut milk contains good fats that actually lower cholesterol. I found this recipe at https://www.thespruceeats.com/sticky-rice-cake-with-coconut-3217367

Serves about 8

Calories: about 90 per serving

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sticky rice (புட்டரிசி in Tamil)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup coconut milk, plus 1 cup or more for sauce (I actually used 1 cup for the rice)
• ½ cup or more sugar, plus some for sauce
• Pandan essence as required. See note below.
• Little oil for greasing pan
• 2 tsp cornstarch (corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water (2 tsp for every 1 cup cocnut milk)

Preparation

• Soak sticky rice for about an hour or more or overnight. (The longer it soaks the better)
• Drain and steam it for 30 minutes or until cooked. (It took about 50 minutes for me)
• While rice is steaming, keep a pan aside greased with a little cooking oil.
• After rice is done, remove the lid and add ½ cup sugar, ¾ cup coconut milk stirring them well into the hot rice. Taste test rice for sweetness and add more sugar if required.
• Now scoop 1/3 of the rice and press it into the bottom of the greased pan with a greased spoon. Spread it as smoothened and even as possible. (Keep the lid of the rice pot on through the next two steps so as to keep the rice hot.)
• Next take another 1/3 of the rice into a mixing bowl, add about 3 to 5 drops of Pandan essence  and stir it to blend into the hot rice to make it light green. Gently spread this above first layer.
• Now take the last 1/3 rice into the mixing bowl and add about 8 to 10 drops of Pandan essence as required to get a distinct dark green shade. Then spread this as the final layer over the second layer.
• Cover the pan with aluminium foil and refrigerate it overnight.
• To make the coconut sauce, place 1 cup coconut milk as required to serve in a sauce pan and warm it up. (Do not boil). Add sugar to taste and stir to dissolve. Add cornstarch dissolved in cold water and stir over medium heat till sauce thickens. Then remove from heat.
• To serve, cut into squares with a greased serrated knife and place on serving plates. Then pour coconut sauce over and garnish with any fruit of choice.

1st Note

1. Pandan essence is a very important Thai ingredient. It is the greenish essence of the Pandan tree. It has a very unique nutty flavour.
2. As an alternative, green food colouring can be used to get the green colour but the flavour will be missing, though!

2nd Note

I tweaked the recipe a little to make it in the Indian Tricolour for a cooking competition for teachers on our Independence Day years ago. Turned out to be pretty colourful! Just follow the steps given below instead of steps 5 to 7 in the given Preparation above: 

• Now scoop 1/3 of the rice into a mixing bowl and add green colouring as required. Then press it into the bottom of the greased pan with the greased underside of a flat spoon. Smoothen it as evenly as possible. (Keep the lid of the rice pot on through the next two steps so as to keep the rice hot.)
• Next take another 1/3 of the rice and spread it above the green layer.
• Now take the last 1/3 rice into another mixing bowl and add orange colouring to it as required. Then add this as the final layer. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and refrigerate it overnight. 

This is Thai Sticky Rice Cake in Indian Tricolour!

Brazilian Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe was part of my Brazilian Food Week in November 2016. Turned out to be very yummy after all the elaborate process involved! Found this at Olivia's Cuisine. 

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

For the tortillas:

• 1 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cups flour
• 1/2 cube beef bouillon

For the filling:

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small tomato, cubed
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup sliced green olives, chopped
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cube beef bouillon
• Pinch of sugar if needed (I did not use it)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the assembling:

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese to taste
• Chopped parsley to decorate

Preparation

To make the filling:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onion until translucent.
• Add the ground beef and cook until the meat has browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomato, the olives and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
• In a cup, mix the flour and the milk and add it to the skillet along with the chopped parsley.
• Let this mixture cook for 5 more minutes. Reserve.

To make the sauce:

• In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and the beef bouillon and cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reserve. (Use sugar here if needed)

To make the tortillas:

• Put the milk, flour, beef bouillon and eggs in the blender and blend everything together until you have a very smooth batter, similar to pancake batter.
• In a medium skillet (sprayed with non stick spray), preheated over medium high heat, add a ladle of the batter and tilt the skillet so the batter coats the whole surface. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes and turn to cook the other side. Reserve the cooked tortillas. The batter makes 3 or 4 tortillas.

To assemble the enchiladas:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cover each tortilla with cheese and then add the filling to 1/4 of the disc. Roll the tortilla, forming an enchilada, and place it, seam side down, in a baking dish. Continue until you've used all the tortillas or filling.
• Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and grate the desired amount of Parmesan on top.
• Bring it to the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Garlic and Cilantro Soup with Poached Egg and Croutons

This Garlic and Cilantro Soup with Poached Eggs and Croutons is a diabetes-friendly version of a classic Portuguese-influenced Brazilian soup created by Brazilian chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz as part of the American Diabetes Challenge. I found this at The Latin Kitchen, which had recreated this diabetes friendly version. Makes an excellent and filling dinner or even lunch! Recipe taken from My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 4 eggs
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 to 3 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves (can be substituted with Parsley)

 

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top. Season with pepper and toss. Toast in the oven until it just begins to get crunchy, about 15 minutes, mixing once during baking time. Remove from oven and reserve.
• Prepare a bowl of iced water. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add the vinegar and mix well. Break each egg into a cup, and gently pour the egg from the bowl into the simmering water, coming as close as you can to the water. Poach the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove each egg from the simmering water and transfer to the iced water bath for just a few minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Cover loosely with foil.
• In a pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the garlic; cook over low heat until it just starts to get golden and develops a fragrance, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir slowly with a wooden spoon. Season with pepper. Add the cilantro leaves just when ready to serve.
• Distribute the cubed bread and egg among each soup bowl, ladle the soup on top and serve.

Canja (Brazilian Chicken and Rice Soup)

Found these authentic Brazilian recipes by Cynthia Presser by luck! This soup was the main course for my lunch during my Brazilian Food Week in November 2016! Pretty filling and very yummy! As suggested this could literally lift you up while you are sick or down with a bad cold, etc.! Recipe here: http://www.cynthiapresser.com/brazilian-recipes-south-american-cuisine/brazilian-main-courses/379-canja-brazilian-chicken-and-rice-soup

Serves 4 to 5

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and finely shredded 
• Salt and pepper
• 6 cups water (I used the stock from cooking chicken)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice 
• 1/2 cup frozen or freshly cooked corn
• 2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped

Preparation

• Set a pan or pressure pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and allow to heat up. Add onions and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
• Add shredded chicken and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add water or chicken stock and allow it to come to a light boil. Stir in rice. 
• If using pressure pan or cooker, you could pressure cook rice and continue to cook on low heat after releasing the pressure until the soup has thickened. 
• If not using pressure pan or cooker, reduce heat to low and partially cover pot once the water returns to a light boil. Simmer over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until soup has thicken and the rice has nearly incorporated into broth.
• Remove from heat. Fold in corn and scallions, add more salt if needed. Cover with lid and let it seat 30 minutes off the heat.
• Serve warm, topped with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional).

Chicken Parmigiana (Frango à Parmegiana)

One of the dishes I tried for my Brazilian Food Week in November 2017 and served over linguini as suggested in the recipe. Had to make only one substitution for Panko breadcrumbs as it is not available in our Indian markets. Did turn out very good - my nieces can vouch for that! Recipe here: http://www.cynthiapresser.com/recipe-blog/main-dishes/chicken/313-chicken-parmigiana-frango-a-parmegiana

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 4 fillets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs (I used 1/2 cup extra bread crumbs)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used fresh) 
• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
• 4 slices ham
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella - a combination of cheeses can be used)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded

Chicken Parmigiana

Served over a bed of linguini

Preparation

• Season chicken fillets with salt and pepper. Keep bread crumbs in a bowl. 
• Dip fillets into egg, and then dredge in the bread crumbs mixture, letting excess drip off.
• Place 2 tablespoons olive oil on a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, fry chicken fillets 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer fillets to a baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Add remaining olive oil to the same pan. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until soft, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Reduce heat to medium and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Fold in basil.
• Top chicken breasts with tomato sauce, ham, shredded cheese, and parmesan. Bake until chicken is cooked through and cheeses have melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve over a bed of linguini. 

Coxinhas (Brazilian Chicken croquettes)

I came upon this recipe in Olivia's Cuisine for my Brazilian Food week in November 2017. It is a wonderfully delicious snack which can be used as main dish for dinner too and which it was for me! Recipe here: http://www.oliviascuisine.com/the-world-cup-gourmet-series-brazil-coxinhas-chicken-croquettes/

Makes: 30 

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 1.5 lbs chicken
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp poultry seasoning (Recipe below)
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 package of cream cheese (I used substitute - given below)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dough

• 1 large potato
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cube of chicken bouillon
• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• Breadcrumbs
• Bowl of almost freezing water
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

• Pressure cook the chicken and potato with 1 chicken cube. After pressure is released, drain and reserve 2 1/2 cups broth for the dough.
• Mash the potato and reserve.
• Shred the chicken in a food processor or blender and reserve.
• Add the broth to a pan with the mashed potato and butter. Bring to a boil and add the flour, little at a time, stirring constantly till it forms a dough. Turn off heat.
• Knead the dough while it is still warm until smooth.
• To make the filling, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent and the add the chicken, poultry seasoning and the parsley. Mix everything together and season with salt and pepper. Add the cream cheese and cook until the cream cheese is melted and everything is incorporated.
• To make the coxinhas, take a little piece of the dough and form a ping pong sized ball. Flatten it into a disc, hollowing up the middle for the filling. 
• Spoon a tablespoon of the filling into the middle of dough.
• Press the dough closed around the filling, shaping it like a teardrop.
• To coat the coxinhas with breadcrumbs, first wet one of your hands with cold water and pass it on the coxinha. Then, coat the coxinha with breadcrumbs. Set it aside in a baking sheet and continue to coat all the coxinhas.
• Heat oil in a saucepan and fry them in batches till they are golden brown.
• Place them on kitchen tissues and serve with hot sauce.

Note:

Recipe for Poultry Seasoning:

• 2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp ground marjoram
• 3/4 tsp ground rosemary
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
• Mix thoroughly and store in airtight container

Substitute for cream cheese:

Strain yoghurt overnight in cheesecloth and use as substitute for cream cheese.

Vatapa (Brazilian Fish and Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk)

I was looking for authentic Brazilian recipes for my Brazilian Food Week in November 2016 and came upon this very easy and yummy recipe in The Latin Kitchen by Aaron Sanchez. This seems to be a popular street food in Brazil made with fish fillets, shrimp and coconut milk. Recipe here: http://thelatinkitchen.com/r/recipe/vatapa-brazilian-shrimp-and-fish-coconut-stew

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried shrimp
• 1/2 lb shrimp, (medium or large), shelled and deveined
• 1/4 lb sea bass fillet, cut into cubes
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, blanched and finely chopped
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 cup fish stock
• 1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/8 cup olive oil, plus 1 tbsp 

Vatapa - Brazilian Fish and Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk

Served with Brown Rice

Preparation

• Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and puree in blender to a fine paste. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions, garlic, green chilli, cashews, almonds and dried shrimp paste for 10 minutes. Add the fish stock and coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the sea bass cubes and poach it in the sauce for about 12 minutes or until the fish becomes flaky.
• Add the shrimp and cilantro and cook for another 4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked.
• Drizzle with one tbsp olive oil and switch off. Serve hot with white or brown rice.