Mediterranean rice with Mediterranean Roasted Potatoes

Yesterday we went to a Mediterranean Restaurant called "Green Olive". The food was ddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious. My husband and his colleagues go there quite often but this was the first time I went there. It was great. So my daughter says "can you make this and pack it as a lunch for school, one time? " And that inspires today's lunch. Mediterranean rice and Mediterranean roasted potatoes. The roasted potatoes were on par with the restaurant ones. I am happy :)

Mediterranean Roasted Potatoes

Mediterranean Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 big potatoes, peeled and cut into  1/2-inch half circles
• Olive oil spray
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1  teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup  chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place the potatoes in a single layer in a 13-x-9-inch baking dish spray the olive oil. Add the garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste and toss well to coat with the oil.

Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Add the stock, stirred with lemon juice and  toss and bake for 10 minutes more.stir and bake 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. If you like, preheat the broiler and broil the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve hot as a side dish

Mediterranean Rice Pilaf

Mediterranean Rice

Ingredients:

1. 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2. 1/2 cup chopped onions
3. 2 big or 3 small garlic minced
4. 1 cup rice
5. 1 low sodium chicken bullion
6. 1 teaspoon lemon rind
7. 1/4 cup chopped parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
8. salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil & saute onion & garlic until tender, stir in rice. Add boiling water until pan is 3/4 full. Bring to boil, stirring.
Stir in stock & rapid boil for 10-12 mins or until tender, drain well.Return to pan adding lemon rind, parsley & pepper, toss well to combine. Serve hot

CornMeal idli

I have been really busy lately and haven' been blogging here. But today I made a point that I will make a dish and blog it.

I was searching for Indian breakfast recipes and I found this recipe for cornmeal idli and since I had soon meal I made it. And I loved them and my little one also liked it. I only difference I did was I had blue cornmeal on hand and not the regular yellow corn meal. This blue corn meal is from a trip to Albuquerque

Corn Meal Idli

Ingredients
Cornmeal - 2 cups
Sour Yogurt - 2 cups
Carrot - 1 (grated)
Cilantro - handful (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - 1 strand (finely chopped)
Water - as needed for batter
Oil- 2 tblsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Channa dal- 1 tsp

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and channa dal.
2. Add the corn meal to this and roast it for few minutes. This step is optional but gives a nice nutty flavour. If you are in a hurry, skip this step.
3. Swith off and add grated carrot, chopped curry leaves, cilantro, yogurt and required salt.
4. Mix well and let this rest for 10-15 minutes.
5. Add water to bring it to the right consistency for making idlis or dosas.
6. Add a pinch of baking soda to the above batter and mix nicely. Steam them in idli plates for 15 minutes.