Burnt Garlic Rice

This is a dish I happened to try over the past weekend at a Chinese/ Thai restaurant. Heard about Garlic rice, a common in my mom's ktichen, but 'burnt' garlic rice was a new flavour to rice that I tasted that day. It was indeed nice. But I really wished there was a little more of the garlic flavour, I really expected it to stand out. So, here I tried making it to the taste I had expected it to be.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

2 cups of Basmati rice - soaked in water for 30 mins.

4 cups of water

1 cup garlic coves - cut into jullienes

salt to taste

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

Cook the rice with water and salt to taste; and keep aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp of oil, add the garlic jullienes and fry till they get burnt a little.

Add the cooked rice and mix well. Serve hot with a sauce of your choice.

Wine Reduction Sauce

This is an amazing dip for a snack or a sauce for pasta. Although, it goes best with proteins like meat and sea food, why should non-veegies have all the fun? I tried this dish for the first time, and much of my apprehension, it turned out well. I had it with rice and spicy side-dish. To call it a success at my home, is an understatement.

Ingredients:

Serves Two

1 cup Wine - white or red, depending on what you are cooking (I used non-alcoholic white wine)

2 cups vegetable stock or warm water

1 cup shallots, minced or coarsely ground

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 cup fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary - finely chopped or 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs

Optional:

2 tbsps butter at room temperature

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp garlic paste

Method:

In a saucepan, add about 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil. Once hot enough, add the minced shallots and garlic paste; and saute till the shallots change colour. Now add the wine and simmer till it reduces to half its quantity. Now add the stock and repeat the same. Once the stock too has reduced to half its quantity, add the lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper and mix well. The stock is already ready. But to get that velvety texture, you could add 1-2 tbsps of butter before finishing and mix well. Also, if you are intending to get an Asian flavour out of it, add a tsp of Soy Sauce. Serve hot.

Burnt Garlic Rice, White Wine Reduction Sauce, Chill-tossed Carrots and Potato Stir-Fry

This can be had with pasta or even rice, as I just did.