rice with indian spices and sultanas

This rice recipe is very similar to the one I posted recently, called rice with Indian spices. The main difference is that there are no cloves and peppercorns in this side dish. Actually, cloves and peppercorns are parts of the garam masala spice blend but it contains many other ground spices and here we are only using ¼ teaspoon. You can skip the sultanas if you like but I think their natural sweetness and the Indian spices complement each other very well. As I said when I posted the other rice recipe, you can experiment with the spices as you like if your taste buds are calling for something different. If you want the rice saltier then sprinkle some Maldon sea salt on top.

RICE WITH INDIAN SPICES AND SULTANAS

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cup (300 g) basmati rice
• 3 cups (750 ml) boiled water
• 1 organic vegetable stock cube
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or ghee)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• pinch of chilli flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• handful of sultanas/golden raisins

METHOD

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water. Let the rice sit in the sieve until needed
2. Pour the boiled water needed (I boil it in a kettle) into a large glass jug and let the vegetable stock cube dissolve in it while you prepare the spices
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan (make sure the saucepan is big enough for cooking the rice) on medium heat and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and chilli flakes. Gently fry the spices until the seeds start to pop. As you are only using two teaspoons of oil, you don't have to move the spices around in the saucepan. Just make sure all the spices and oil are in one place
4. As soon as the seeds start to pop, add the vegetable stock, rice and the other three spices and stir gently
5. Increase the heat and keep it on the highest setting until the water starts boiling (takes just a moment), then reduce it to the lowest and cook the rice for about 12-15 minutes. Use a lid but let it tilt slightly to allow the steam to escape
6. About three minutes before the rice is ready take a handful of sultanas and spread them over the rice without stirring (just stir them into the rice before serving)

rice with indian spices

The other day we were having a barbecue - grilled chicken - and my husband asked me if I could make one of my rice dishes to go with it. In the past I have been making all kinds of versions of rice with spices and/or herbs, so this time I decided to write down the things I threw in for the blog. When we have a barbecue we tend to keep things rather simple. I'm not really keen on heavy sauces with grilled meat or too many side dishes. I'm fine with a simple salad, a couscous salad or rice. Sometimes I just grab the tamari sauce for the rice, but I like using Indian spices to turn a simple meal into something a bit more special. As with all other recipes on the blog, this one is not holy. You can experiment with the spices you like to find your own version if this one doesn't appeal to your taste buds. If you want the rice saltier then sprinkle some Maldon sea salt on top. I recommend removing the cloves and peppercorns before serving.

RICE WITH INDIAN SPICES

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cup (300 g) basmati rice
• 3 cups (750 ml) boiled water
• 1 organic vegetable stock cube
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or ghee)
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 black peppercorns
• 3 whole cloves
• pinch of chilli flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

METHOD

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water. Let the rice sit in the sieve until needed
2. Pour the boiled water needed (I boil it in a kettle) into a large glass jug and let the vegetable stock cube dissolve in it while you prepare the spices
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan (make sure the saucepan is big enough for cooking the rice) on medium heat and add all the spices, except the turmeric. Gently fry the spices until the seeds start to pop. As you are only using two teaspoons of oil, you don't have to move the spices around in the saucepan. Just make sure all the spices and oil are in one place
4. As soon as the seeds start to pop, add the boiled water with the dissolved vegetable stock cube, the rice and turmeric and stir gently
5. Increase the heat and keep it on the highest setting until the water starts boiling, then reduce it to the lowest and cook the rice for about 12-15 minutes. Use a lid but let it tilt slightly to allow the steam to escape
6. Before serving the rice it is advisable to remove the cloves and maybe also the peppercorns, especially if you have children at the table

pancakes (breakfast)

In my home country Iceland we would not use the word pancakes for this recipe. We call these skonsur, a word that was probably borrowed from the English word scone. Actually, I had been experimenting with Amercian pancakes, as we refer to the thick ones, when this recipe was born. It was on a Sunday morning when I was simply too lazy to whisk egg whites that I looked at the scribble in my notebook and thought to myself that I could probably turn this into skonsur with some minor changes. And I did. We like having these on Sunday mornings. My husband and I eat them with cheese and organic jam but the children tend to grab the pure maple syrup (or agave) for a more sugary taste - and sticky fingers! American readers please note: 1½ cup = 375 ml, so you will need about two tablespoons more if using 400 ml milk.

PANCAKES (BREAKFAST)

INGREDIENTS

• 325 g spelt flour (2½ cups)
• 3 tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• 2½-3 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• ± 400 ml milk/soy milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour, break the eggs into it and whisk them lightly
3. Add the milk slowly and whisk constantly and thoroughly until no lumps remain (I always use 400 ml milk)
4. Add the coconut oil and combine well (if the coconut oil is solid, place the jar in a bowl of hot water before use)
5. Using a kitchen paper, smear the pan with a thin layer of oil and set the heat at medium-high (I use setting 6 of 9 for the first two pancakes and then I lower the heat to 5. When I find the surface of the pancakes becoming too dark, I lower the heat again and use setting 4 for the rest of the batter)
6. Use a ladle to pour the batter into the pan in one go and use the bottom of the ladle to spread the batter evenly. How long it takes to cook depends on the heat and the consistency of the batter. When the surface is completely covered with bubbles it is time to flip the pancake. The other side needs less time to cook and when it is done, transfer it onto a plate. Stack the pancakes to keep them warm (from the batter I get about 12 pancakes)
7. Serve the pancakes for breakfast with cheese and your favourite organic jam, or bring out the pure maple syrup (or agave), or whatever it is you like on your pancakes

tomato soup with garlic and thyme

In our house this soup goes under the name Mooney soup, as I first tasted it at a birthday party in my friend Mooney's house, or The Palace, as she refers to her cosy and small flat in the city centre of Reykjavik. The recipe appeared in the food section of some Icelandic morning paper many years ago and I like the simplicity of it. It doesn't take long to prepare the soup so it's perfect on cold days when you don't have much time to cook. This is basically the original recipe but I have added the red lentils, ground coriander, paprika and creamed coconut. I don't always use the creamed coconut but I like adding red lentils. Not that the two tablespoons red lentils will make much difference, but they are a source of iron.

TOMATO SOUP WITH GARLIC AND THYME

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 vegetable stock cubes, yeast free
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (2 x 400 g)
• 1.2 litres water (about 5 cups)
• optional: 2 tablespoons red lentils
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• ¼-½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• optional: 1-1½ tablespoons organic creamed coconut

METHOD

1. In the original recipe all the ingredients are put into a saucepan at once but I like to fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil for just a few minutes, until they turn soft (use 2 tablespoons olive oil if you skip the creamed coconut)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the creamed coconut, and cook for 30 minutes
3. If using, stir in the creamed coconut right at the end
4. If you prefer, purée the soup with a hand blender before serving (you can also use a food processor but then it is advisable to allow the soup to cool first and warm it up before serving)
5. Serve with home-made bread or garlic bread