Abu Dhabi: How about adding a creative as well as healthy twist to your iftar meal? Award-winning UAE-based chef Vandana Jain is here to show us just that.
Her cookbook, Vandana Vegie Creations, was awarded ‘Winner of the Best Indian Cuisine Cook Book of the World’ by Gourmand World Cook Book Awards 2013. And this Ramadan she shares her special iftar creations which come with refreshing flavours while offering a simple approach to healthy yet palatable meal. Read on…
Sprouted Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
10 cherry tomatoes; ½ cup moong sprouts; 2 tbsp chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp chopped cucumber; 2 tbsp chopped spring onions; ½ cup green peas, boiled; 1 tsp ginger, grated; 1 tbsp lemon juice; ½ tsp chaat (Indian snack) masala; 1 tbsp olive oil; salt to taste
For the garnish: Coriander leaves; paneer (cottage cheese), grated
Method
Slice the top of the tomatoes and scoop out the pulp to form a cup. Heat the oil in a pan; add ginger and sauté for 30 seconds, add moong sprouts and green peas and sauté again for a minute. Remove from fire. Add cucumber, tomatoes and spring onions. Add lemon juice, chaat masala and salt. Mix well.
Fill the scooped cherry tomatoes with the sprout mixture and garnish with paneer and coriander leaves.
Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
1 cup penne pasta, boiled; ½ cup cottage cheese cut into cubes; 1 capsicum, cut into cubes; 1 cucumber, cut into cubes; ½ cup bean sprouts; 7 to 8 pitted black olives; ¼ cup spring onions, chopped; 1 tomato, chopped.
For the dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice; ½ tsp oregano; 1 tsp crushed garlic; ½ tsp dry red chilli flakes; salt and pepper to taste
Method
Mix all the salad ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate to chill. Just before serving, add the dressing and toss well. Serve chilled.
Sesame Pinwheels
Ingredients
For the dough: 2 cups plain flour; 3 tbsp oil; ½ tsp ajwain; ½ tsp salt
For the stuffing: 4 potatoes, boiled and mashed; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 1 inch ginger, grated; 4 green chillies, finely chopped; 10-12 curry leaves, chopped 1 tsp red chilli powder; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; ¼ tsp amchur (mango-based spice) powder; ¼ tsp garam masala powder (hot spices); 3 tbsp oil; salt to taste
Method
For the dough: Mix all the ingredients and knead into a stiff dough with enough water. Keep aside for half an hour.
For the stuffing: Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add sesame seeds, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves and saute for a minute on low heat. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and potatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add amchur powder, garam masala powder and salt and saute again for a minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
How to proceed: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll out each portion into a large thin rectangle sheet. Spread the stuffing evenly on the sheet and roll it up tightly.
Cut into round slices with sharp knife and sprinkle some more sesame seeds on each slice. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 25 minutes till golden in colour. Serve hot with green chutney.
