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Closer to Home // Basil Seeds - The Wonder Food.
This week we are going to talk about yet another wonder food - Basil seeds.
Basil seeds, also known as Tukmaria or Sabza, are native to tropical regions, from central Africa to Southeast Asia. These black seeds of the sweet Basil plant are full of immunity boosting properties and are rich in anti-oxidants, calcium, magnesium and iron.
The best way to consume is to soak them in water for about half an hour until they swell up and become gelatinous.
One tablespoon is enough to meet 15% of your daily calcium intake and 10% of your magnesium intake.
Being locally available, these have long been used in Indian cuisine, for making drinks and desserts.
Here are a couple of great ways to use this wonderful ingredient in refreshing drinks that can get you away from the toxic aerated drinks and colas.
Fresh Lemonade with Basil Seeds
Ingredients : Basil Seeds (1tbsp), Lemons to Juice (1), Fresh Basil Leaves (1tbsp), Honey (1tbsp), Cumin Seeds - roasted and coarsely ground (1/4 tbsp)
Soak the Basil seeds in half a cup of water for about 15 minutes.
Muddle the basil leaves or roughly chop them.
In a glass squeeze the juice of one large lemon.
Add muddled Basil, Honey and some salt.
Fill 3/4th of the glass with water mix well.
Add the soaked basil seeds and roasted cumin seeds and mix well.
Garnish with fresh Basil Leaves and serve chilled.
Banana and Basil Seed Smoothie
Ingredients : Banana (1), Almond / Soy Milk (150ml), Fresh Basil Leaves, Rock Salt, Basil Seeds - soaked in water (1tbsp), Honey (1tbsp)
Add Banana, Fresh Basil leaves, sea salt and almond milk into a blender.
Blend on high speed to make a smooth paste.
Add Honey and soaked Basil seeds.
Mix well and serve chilled garnished with fresh Basil leaves.
And finally a dessert, that I really love.
White Chocolate Banana Mousse With Basil Seeds
Ingredients : Sugar (3 tbsp), Butter (1tbsp), Salt, Whipping cream (3tbsp), Banana, White Chocolate (100gms), Basil Seeds (1tbsp)
In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add sugar and 3tbsp of water till sugar is completely melted and then some more till sugar begins to caramelise and turns golden brown.
Once golden brown, remove from the heat immediately and stir in the butter.
Pour in half of the the cream and salt and stir until a rich silky homogenous caramel sauce is formed.
Pour the sauce into a bowl and let it cool off completely.
Whip the remaining half cup of cream till it becomes stiff and fluffy.
Break chocolate into small pieces into a bowl and microwave it for 20 second intervals, stirring in-between, till the chocolate is about 75% melted (about 1minute).
Stir till the chocolate is completely melted and keep mixing till chocolate cools down.
Mix cooled prepared caramel into the melted chocolate.
Stir in the whipped cream and mashed bananas.
Strain the excess water from the Basil Seeds reserve two table spoons for the garnishing)
Add rest of the Basil seeds to the prepared chocolate mousse.
Chill and serve garnished with fresh mint leaves and basil seeds held back for garnishing.
#OnePotRecipes - Tomato Herb Rice
Here is a continuation of the #onepotrecipes theme - helping you to cook great food in no time, so that you can focus on other important things, in these challenging times.
The idea is to get a great meal and not spend more than 30 mins in the kitchen.
This recipe should serve 2 and needs a pressure cooker. If you want to use a microwave oven or make it in a rice cooker - reach out and I will give the instructions.
Ingredients: Rice (1.5 cups), Water (2.5 cups), Tofu or Chicken - Diced (1/2 cup), Vegetables of your choice - carrots, beans, peas (1/4 cups)
Spice Mix : Olive oil (1tbsp), Garlic Paste (2tbsp), Fresh Basil Leaves (1tbsp), Onion chopped or paste (1/2 cup), Sun-dried Tomatoes (1/4 cup), Tomato puree (1/4 cup), Dry Oregano (1/2 tsp), Chilly flakes (1/2 tsp), Salt
Finish: Dry Oregano (1/2 tsp), Olives (1tbsp), Jalapeños (1tbsp), Grated Cheese (2tbsp), Chopped Parsley (2tsp)
Wash and soak the rice in 2.5 cups of water for 15 minutes.
Put the soaked rice with water in the pressure cooker.
Add chicken or tofu and vegetables.
Add the spice mix.
Seal the lid and cook on the medium heat till cooker whistles once.
Turn off the heat to low and cook further for another 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the pressure inside the cooker subside.
To finish -
Open the cooker.
Add oregano, cheese, jalapeños and olives.
Dish out the rice and garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Tip Of The Week
Add just a pinch of salt.
Salt helps you to suppress the bitterness and thereby elevate the taste. Salt extracts the volatile molecules and therefore help in enhancing the flavour and aromas of food.
Just a pinch of salt even in your desserts or bakery products makes it sweeter and brings out the flavour.
My favourite of-course are the salted chocolates.
And that’s all for this week - write back to me on what would you want to see more of in the coming weeks.
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Very nice chef 👍👍👍👍👍
Congratulations 💐