Mochi with Mung and Black Sesame Fillings

I got introduced to mochi (glutinous rice flour) while I was living in Hong Kong. After that, I have had cravings for it but didn't know where in India I could get some. Recently on my trip to Bangkok, I picked up a packet of mochi flour to satiate my cravings at home! It was surprisingly simple.

Start with getting the filling ready.

Mung Beans Filling:
1/2 cup split mung beans (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar 

Wash and cook the mung bean in the water till it's soft enough to be mashed. In a saucepan, add the sugar (adjust sweetness to taste) and bean paste. Stir and cook till the water is absorbed and let it cool.
Makes enough for about 10-15 mochis.

Black Sesame Seeds Filling:
1 cup black sesame seeds
2-3 tbsps honey 

Roast the sesame seeds on a pan and grind it coarsely. Add the honey till it forms a sticky paste. Makes about 8-10 mochis.

*Keep aside some roasted seeds if you want to use it as sprinkles on top.

After the rice flour is mixed, you will have to work fast so keep everything ready to go.

• Once both the fillings have cooled, roll them into balls, roughly the size of a golf ball. 
• Keep some water in a small bowl to seal the dough.
• Keep a cup of cornflour to dust the surface.
• Use a rolling pin and a chopping board or flat surface to roll out the dough .

Mochi:
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
Food colouring (optional)
1 cup cornflour for dusting

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the the flour, sugar, and water. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying, and cook in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Keep checking in between, it shouldn't become too dry. If it is just add a little hot water, if it is too runny then heat it some more.

Add food colour if using and mix well. Once the dough is cool enough to handle (it should be worked warm as it will harden as it cools - so work fast). Dust your hands and rolling surface with cornflour. Take a small amount of dough and roll it our into a circle large enough to encapsulate the filling. Since the flour is sticky, it can stretch without tearing, but don't roll it too thinly or else it will crack when it dries.

Place the filling int he center of the dough. Seal the edges using some water to make it stick together. Dust off the excess cornflour. Dab some water on the top with your finger and add the sesame seeds.

Makes about 12-15 mochis.

Store them in the fridge in an air-tight container if not having immediately. It will last a few days. It can also be frozen without significantly changing its flavour.

Grilled Buttery Lemon Fish

Fish is the quickest thing to cook. This was a quick meal...with some outside help in the form of packet baked potatoes, but they could have easily been made at home as well. There's a lot of garlicky stuff happening all at once in this dish because we love the flavour, but you could tone it down and remove it from any of the dishes.

For the Grilled Fish:
2 fillets of fish such as salmon or basa
3-4 tbsp butter
1/2 small lemon sliced 
1-2 cloves garlic
Seasoning

Heat butter on medium heat, then add the garlic and lemon slices. Reduce the butter for a minute or two, then put in the fish fillet. Spoon over some of the butter on top of the fish. Season and cook for about a minute and a half on both sides.
*Remember, if you are using salted butter then adjust the salt you add on top.

This could be cooked in an oven. Just wrap the ingredients in some foil and bake at 180 deg C for about 15-20 min.

Spinach Sides:
1 small bunch spinach, cleaned
1 clove of galic
1 tsp olive oil
salt to taste

In a pan, heat the oil and add the garlic. Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes. Then cook on high heat to reduce the water. Season.

Garlic Bread:
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
4-6 Bread slices

Mix the garlic and chilli with the butter (if you are not using salted butter then add a pinch of salt). Spread it on to the bread slices as little or as much as you like, bake for 10 minutes at 180 deg C.

Buttermilk Pancakes

I used to get the packet mix pancake till I realised that homemade ones are easy to make and tastier.
This recipe makes around 4 to 5 medium sized pancakes, enough for 2 people for breakfast.

For the Buttermilk:
1 cup milk at room temperature
Add 1 tsp vinegar or the juice of 1/2 lemon
Let it rest for 5 minutes. It will curdle.

Pancake batter:
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 tbsp butter
1 cup Buttermilk
Additional butter to cook

Optional (any 1):
1 mashed Banana
1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients together, but not too smoothly. The batter should be a bit lumpy. Heat a pan and add some butter to the base. Pour a layer of the batter. Once it starts to set at the bottom, flip it and wait for a minute or so to cook completely. Remove from pan. Repeat for the rest of the batter.

Toppings (single or combine your favourites) :
Maple syrup (avoid the sugar syrup available in most stores)
Honey 

Chocolate syrup
Jam
Butter
Fruits (bananas, berries, apple, poached pears, etc)
Cinnamon

Thai-style Mango with Sweet Sticky Rice

I've always loved this dessert...Mangoes are my absolute favourite and this combination with rice makes it more fulfilling.

1 cup uncooked sticky rice (or sushi rice*)

200gm (or 1 can) coconut milk

1/2 cup brown sugar**

1 mango (a sweet or juicy variety is the best combo)

Toasted sesame seeds

* The pre-cooked sushi rice has added vinegar used only for making sushi. Use plain rice for this recipe.
** (I used jagery, but white sugar can also be used - all these sugars have variations in taste and sweetness so add accordingly)

To cook the rice:

Wash the rice and soak for about 4 hours. Drain the water and steam-cook it. I used a saucepan filled with water, put a splatter screen on it, flipped a bowl of rice on top of the screen and let it steam for about 30 minutes. (Flip it once in between to ensure even cooking.)

For the sauce:

Heat the coconut milk in the microwave. It should be hot enough to dissolve the sugar. Pour this on the cooked rice and mix well. 

Peel and slice the mango and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve the rice warm.

Chewy Oat Cookies with Candied Fruits

I had some candied ginger and cherries from my last holiday that I thought would go well with oat cookies. They made for a nice breakfast.

1 egg (slightly beaten)
1/2 cup of candied cherries and ginger
1/4th cup chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4th cup butter
3/4th cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
2/3rd cup flour
2 cups (250gm) porridge oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp boiling water

Melt the butter in the microwave and the sugar and syrup. Mix well. Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients, and add the egg at the end.

Arrange spoonful of the batter on a baking tray and bake at 180 deg C for about 20 minutes. (For a crispier cookie, bake at 160 deg C for about 25-30 min.)

Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 12
to 15 cookies. Store in an air-tight container once cool.

Baby Potatoes with Mustard Salad

This is a quick and easy recipe for a starter or salad...when you want some variety for your guests but don't to spend the whole day in the kitchen. It can be made in advance and kept in the fridge.

You'll need:
500gms baby potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp mustard (I like the grainy variety)
Salt/pepper to taste
2 tbsp thick yogurt (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
Small bunch of chives or coriander (optional)

Wash the potatoes, cut them in half, and boil them in salted water till they are cooked (but not mushy). Remove from water and let it cool. Pat dry (if required) before adding the mustard and other seasonings.

Oats Dosa with Onion Chutney

I don't like porridge oats at all. Many have tried to coax me to eat it, and I've tried, but it doesn't happen. Not wanting to miss out on the goodness of it all, I keep trying ways to make it edible for me. Cookies are one way. The other is this very simple dosa (crepe).

You'll need:
3/4th cup porridge oats
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup wheat flour
salt to taste
About 2 cups of Water

Oil to cook

This makes the basic batter that should be easy enough to spread on the pan.

For topping, finely chop and mix into a separate bowl the following:
2-3 green chillies
1 onion (or spring onion with leaves)
some corriander
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 inch ginger

Heat a flat pan on medium to high heat. Spread the batter with a ladle, and add some of the topping. With a spoon, pour some oil on the circumference. Keep an eye on the heat - turn it lower if the pan gets too hot. On medium heat, this doesn't need to be flipped over. Each should take about 3 minutes to cook.

Onion Chutney
Grind together:
1 onion
4-5 red chillies
1 tsp tamarind paste
2 inch fresh coconut (optional)
1/2 tsp salt 
Keep aside.

In a small wok, heat
2 tbsp oil

Once hot, add
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Black gram (urad dal)

Once they start to sizzle, add the onion paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve with warm dosas.