Mumbai: If you are craving for something light, try these yummy Mediterranean delicacies
Hummus
Ingredients
150 gm chickpeas (kabuli chana)
2 garlic cloves Salt to taste
3 tbsp tahina
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp red chilli powder
Method
Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain and boil in fresh water till soft. Cool and remove the skin and put them in a food processor container.
Add garlic, salt and tahina and blend. Add two tbsp olive oil and blend. Add lemon juice and continue to blend till absolutely smooth.
Transfer into a serving bowl and chill in the refrigerator.
Just before serving drizzle the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle red chilli powder. Place two to three whole chickpeas on top and serve with pita bread.
Ratatouille
Ingredients
3 medium eggplants (long variety)
2 medium zucchini
1 medium green capsicum, 1 inch pieces
1 medium red capsicum, 1 inch pieces
1 medium yellow capsicum, 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into rings Salt to taste
1½ cups tomato concasse
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
5-6 green basil leaves
5-6 purple basil leaves
White pepper powder to taste 4 garlic cloves, chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 160 °C.
Heat one and a half tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté.
Slice one eggplant into thin vertical slices. Quarter the other two eggplants and further cut into half-inch thick slices horizontally.
Add the smaller slices to the onions and toss. Add salt and cook.
Sprinkle a little salt on the vertical slices of eggplant and brush a little olive oil on them. Roast these slices on both sides over a grill till lightly browned.
Halve the zucchini and further slice into half inch thick slices horizontally. Add it to the eggplants and toss. Add tomato concasse and one cup of water, fresh thyme, hand torn green and purple basil leaves and cook. Adjust salt, add white pepper powder and mix.
Heat the remaining olive oil in another pan. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the three coloured capsicums, salt and toss. Sauté for two minutes.
Transfer the eggplant mixture into a baking dish. Put the coloured capsicums over it. Place the grilled eggplant slices on top. Place the dish in the preheated oven and cook for 20-30 minutes.
Serve hot.
Moroccan Chicken
Ingredients
600 gm chicken, 8 pieces on the bone
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 medium onions, roughly chopped 1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
6-8 garlic cloves, crushed
3 medium carrots, ½ inch cubes
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste 2 tsp lemon rind, grated
75 gm dried apricots, chopped
1 zucchini, ½ inch pieces
1 large red capsicum, seeded and sliced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped A few strands saffron
½ cup chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked, boiled
Method
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add a little butter. Add onions, ginger and garlic and sauté for two minutes. Add chicken and sauté on high heat for two to three minutes.
Add carrots and mix. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt and grated lemon rind and mix. Add one cup of water, cover and cook for three to four minutes.
Add apricots and mix. Cover and continue to cook for a minute.
Add zucchini, red capsicum and mix. Cover and cook. When the chicken is almost done add tomatoes, saffron and mix. Cover and cook till done.
Add boiled chickpeas and mix. Cover and cook for two to three minutes. Adjust salt and stir.
Serve hot with couscous or with rice.
Fresh Mini Pita
Ingredients
1 cup refined flour (maida)
1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tsp salt
Method
Sift refined flour, whole wheat flour and salt into a bowl. Mix sugar and yeast in a small bowl, add warm water and mix.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour the yeast mixture into it. Cover with the flour and mix slowly. Add sufficient water and knead into a soft dough. Wrap in damp cloth and set aside to rise.
When the dough doubles in volume punch it well and again wrap in the damp cloth and rest for some more time.
Preheat oven to 230°C. Grease a tray.
Divide dough into lemon sized portions and roll into balls. Dust with flour and roll into oblong discs.
Dust the greased tray with some flour and place these discs over it. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for three to four minutes. Serve hot with hummus.
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