Black rice and Seafood salad

Salads are becoming a regular feature during lunch these days. I am absolutely smitten with 'one bowl' meals and what better than a gorgeous salad to fill up one of these. But with my husband and kid preferring some 'real khana' and my schedule more packed than usual, i have to throw together whatever I can lay my hands. As a result, sometimes the salad turns out to be just plain 'meh' and at other times it is just 'wow'.

Black rice is one of my usual suspects as it is packed with nutrients and delicious to boost. However I have to say that it is an acquired taste. While the nuttiness works really well for desserts, one takes a little time to get used to the savory dishes. Another ingredient that works really well with black rice is seafood. Think shrimps, octopus or even squid. However since I only had shrimps in stock, I made the salad using shrimps and a really amazing gourmet sauce. It turned out really well and hence it is eligible to make it to the blog. 

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins ( I had cooked black rice in stock else add another 15 mins of cooking time )

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup cooked black rice ( firm to touch )
• 1/2 cup shrimps
• 1 red onion (finely sliced)
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger juliennes
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• sea salt
• 2 tsp Sprig Mango Jalapeno Gourmet sauce (or as required)

Preparation - Toss shrimp with a bit of olive oil on a hot skillet till it turns pink.

Prepare a dressing with the thinly sliced red onions, SPRIG Mango Jalapeno gourmet sauce, ginger juliennes, lime juice and a dash of olive oil.

Take the cooked rice and the shrimps in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the dressing and season with sea salt . Toss everything together.

Serve at room temperature.

Buckwheat and Sesame Halwa ( Makar Sankranti Collab )

 IMP - Buckwheat and Sesame Halwa is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.

Sugarcane. Freshly harvested rice. Sesame seeds. Jaggery. A whole lot of ingredients that remind one of Makar Sankranti (also known as Gudi Padwa or Lohri in different parts of the country). Curiously enough, unlike other Hindu festivals, this is one festival that falls on 14th of January every month. Apart from being a harvest festival, it also marks the beginning of six months of 'Uttaarayan', an auspicious period for the Hindus. Hence most parts of the country celebrate this festival by distributing sweets among friends and relatives as a gesture of goodwill.

One of the most popular Makar Sankranti recipes is the 'til-gud' or 'til ki barfi'. Both the primary ingredients used in this recipe are believed to keep the body warm and their consumption is considered to be beneficial during the cold months. But since sesame and sugar are high in calories, I put my own twist by substituting a portion of the sesame with buckwheat flour.

And if you happen to be thinking on the lines of why buckwheat, here are 5 reasons why you absolutely need to make this gluten-free and allergy-free grain a part of your everyday diet -

1. Helps prevent diabetes
2. Lowers Cholesterol and blood pressure
3. High fiber content
4. High quality protein
5. Rich in Antioxidants

As part of my resolution (mentioned in the earlier posts), I will be including more of the indigenous superfoods in my everyday diet this year. So, read on for this 'gluten-free' and ' dairy-free' recipe -

[ Do not forget to check out more Makar Sankranti recipes shared by my blogger friends Parinaaz and Saswati ]

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp jaggery
• 1/4 cup date syrup
• 1 tsp ghee
• extra sesame seeds for garnishing

Preparation - Toast the sesame seeds on a skillet. Remove from flame and allow to cool down. Grind into a fine powder.

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a wok. Add the buckwheat flour and roast on a low flame till the flour takes on a pink color. Remove and keep aside.

Add the powdered jaggery and date syrup along with 1 cup of water to a wok. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 3-4 mins before adding the roasted buckwheat flour and powdered sesame seeds. Cook for another 2-3 mins before removing from the flame.

Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on a greased plate. Spread the halwa over the seeds and let it cool down before cutting into desired shapes.

Store in a airtight container in the fridge. Consume within the week.

That's not all !!! More yumm-e-ness to be discovered when you scroll down -

Parinaaz's  Til and Nuts Chikki (Sesame seeds and mixed nuts brittle bars)

Black Rice And Pumpkin Soup ( My experiments with Ambila )

 IMP - Black Rice And Pumpkin Soup is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


Ambila. Sweet, sour and with a hint of chilli, this traditional soup from Odisha is a hot favorite during the winter months. It has quite a few variations in terms of the vegetables used and the choice of souring ingredient. While availability of certain ingredients is definitely an important factor, the major influence lies in the preference of the local populace. Though dried mango is the most popular souring agent used, tamarind or even sour curd is preferred by certain people. The sweetness also varies as per personal preferences. Strangely enough, the absence of any sweetening agent is enough to label it as 'Kanji', another close cousin of the ambila.

While both these traditional recipes are quite popular in my home, I picked the 'Ambila' for a makeover because of the 'sweet' component. The strong earthy flavor of black rice pairs rather well with coconut and jaggery, both of which are integral to the 'Ambila'. The deep hue (anthocyanins) of the black rice adds a whole new appeal to this traditional recipe.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 35 mins ( plus 30 mins soaking )

Ingredients - 

• 1/2 cup sliced pumpkin
• 3-4 tbsp black rice ( coarsely ground )
• 4 tsp jaggery ( or as per taste )
• 1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1-2 dried mangoes pieces
• 1/2 tsp pancha phutana 
• 1-2 dry red chilis
• 1 1/2 tsp canola/rice bran oil
• a  pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste

Preparation - Soak the coarsely powdered rice for 30 mins in 1/2 cup. 

Soak the dried mango pieces separately in 1/3 cup water

Cooking - Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a deep vessel. Add the pumpkin slices along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the soaked rice and let it boil for 15 mins.

Stir in the jaggery and grated coconut. Boil for 5 mins.

Finally add the dried mango along with the water used for soaking. Adjust the salt. Keep boiling for 5 mins.

In another small pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Add the broken red chili and pancha phutana. Once it starts spluttering, pour it over the ambila.

Serve hot.