Tag Archives: ghee

Asparagus Mashed Potatoes

I have to admit I wasn’t very familiar with asparagus, until my taste buds got to taste some very well prepared bits of this rather luxurious vegetable. I was pretty fascinated not only about the taste, but also the texture and colour.

And so I had to try some at home, this time using ghee instead of butter and a few of my latest favourite flavourings that match well with the starchiness of the potatoes – the chosen accompanying veggie. It goes like this:

I cut the potatoes in medium to small pieces and put it to boil with salt and turmeric. In a large pan I gently fried very fine chopped ginger and garlic along with a spoonful of green curry. Everything in ghee. I added the asparagus (partially peeled and cut in half) and continued to sautée everything together with a bit of water over medium heat. Meanwhile, the potatoes were almost ready and so I poured almost all their water out and put it aside. When the asparagus was fairly tender I mixed it with the potatoes and their remaining liquid and left it to cook for a few minutes more. I seasoned it with kaffir lime powder and, at the end with fresh melissa and rucola leaves and spring onions. Some lemon zest or a juicy green salad goes together perfectly. The combination turned out delicious, filling and yet subtle in taste! hope you’ll like it too 🙂

list of ingredients:

  • potatoes
  • asparagus
  • ghee
  • turmeric
  • ginger
  • garlic
  • green curry
  • kaffir lime powder
  • melissa & rucola leaves (optional)
  • spring onions
  • lemon

 

Jeweled Rice

Not that I’d have a special insight into Persian kitchen, but this recipe appealed to me so much, that I decided to simply let myself inspired by its flavors and colors.

And it’s wasn’t difficult at all 🙂 I used the raw pieces of cinnamon and cardamon and a handful of pumpkin seeds to boil them over the pressure cooker along with the basmati rice . When the cooker cooled out enough, I transferred the rice into a bowl and immediately added the orange blossom water and the hot saffron water so there’s enough fluffiness while for adding the rest of the ingredients. As they follow:

  • freshly grated carrots
  • a handful of cranberries and a few raisins
  • more pumpkin seeds, soaked or pistacchio
  • pomegranate seeds
  • ghee (look for organic one)
  • 7 spices mix (you can do it yourself, just put an emphasis on cinnamon)
  • grated orange peel on top

P1090119

For serving I used fresh leaves of lettuce and sorrel, for its sour lemony taste. That’s about it. The result was a true delight of hues and flavors, that revealed one by one, just like the motifs of an arabesque unfold to their true depth as you look further more.