Give this recipe a go for an interesting use for Basmati rice, adapted from a recipe by Shilpi Gupta found in the cookbook Basmati, Fragrance, Flavour & Finery, edited by Shilpi Gupta. Grinding the uncooked grains of Basmati rice into a powder is one use for this versatile ingredient.
Chawal-E-Zohara
Preparation – 15 minutes
Cooking – 5 minutes
Serves 1 (5 pieces)
Ingredients
100g Basmati Rice
200g Mashed Potato
5g Fresh Green Chilli
10g Chopped Ginger
2g Turmeric Powder
2g Chilli Powder
5g Caraway Seeds
15g Cream Cheese and 10g Sour Cream mixed together
2 tbs Butter
Oil for shallow frying
Method
1. Powder Basmati rice using a mortar and pestle
2. Heat butter in pan and add caraway seeds and allow them to crackle
3. Add chopped green chilli and ginger and sauté
4. Add mashed potato, turmeric and chilli powder and mix well for 5 minutes
5. Remove pan and let mixture cool to room temperature
6. Add Basmati rice powder and mix well
7. Divide mixture into equal portions.
8. Take each portion, make a whole in the center to stuff with the sour cream and cream cheese mix and seal together
9. Reshape into circular ‘tikki’ and shallow fry until crisp
10. Serve with mint chutney and Lacha onion salad
Shilpi Gupta is the Executive Chef at The Grand, New Delhi
