Tomato Scallion And Peanut Pulao Food

TOMATO-PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, 2 more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, brown sugar and 1 cup water to the pot, then whisk in the peanut butter until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in batches.Season with salt and black pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls; top with creme fraiche, celery leaves, cilantro and peanuts. Drizzle with olive oil. Photograph by Con Poulos

PEA AND PEANUT PULAO WITH PICKLED BEET RAITA

Steps:

• Put the rice in a strainer and rinse under cool water three or four times, until the water runs clear. Place the strainer in a bowl of water and let the rice soak, about 20 minutes. Drain the rice well.
• Meanwhile, warm the ghee in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin, cardamom and bay leaf and cook until the spices sizzle and become aromatic, about 1 minute. Then add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the drained rice to the pot. Cook until the water evaporates from the rice grains and you can hear a gentle snap, crackle and pop, 1 to 2 minutes. (The rice will smell ever so slightly nutty.) Pour in 1 3/4 cups hot water and season with a big pinch of salt. Cover the pot, turn down the heat to low and cook 15 minutes. (Don't take the lid off while cooking!)
• Meanwhile, pour the peas into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water and microwave 2 minutes. Set aside. Remove the rice from the heat and fluff with a fork. Place a clean kitchen towel over the top and pop the lid back on. If the rice felt a little wet when you fluffed it, return the pot to the burner for 3 to 5 minutes -t he residual heat will cook off the excess water. If the rice felt pretty good, let the pot sit off the heat, undisturbed, 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and kitchen towel from the rice. Sprinkle with the peas, peanuts and mint. Squeeze the lemon wedge on top and season with a little more salt; stir well with a fork. Serve with the raita.
• Combine the yogurt, beets, cucumber, pomegranate seeds and mint in a bowl. Season with a big pinch of salt, the cumin and black lime. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PASTA WITH GRILLED TOMATO AND SCALLION SAUCE

Steps:

• Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Oil the grates. Meanwhile, soak 1 bamboo skewer for 10 minutes. Thread the garlic on the skewer.
• Brush the scallions and the cut sides of the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the garlic and scallions over high heat, turning frequently, until blistered in spots and softened, about 2 minutes. Grill the tomatoes cut side down until nicely charred, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill until the skin starts to shrink, about 1 minute.
• Peel the garlic and finely chop, then transfer to a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise and transfer to the bowl. Pull off the tomato skins, dice the tomatoes and add them to the garlic and scallions.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the hot pasta, the cheese and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the tomatoes and toss. Add the pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the sauce.
• Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve immediately.