Follow the recipes in a sequence (A,B,C,D,E)
A) Basil-pesto sauce
Can be made a day earlier
Ingredients
4 1/2 cup - Basil (strip the leaves from the centre)
15 tsp- Pine nuts
3 Tbsp - Garlic (chopped finely)
1 1/2 Tbsp - Black pepper (grounded)
1/2 cup - Olive oil
2 tsp or as per taste - Salt
Method
Put 3 cubes of Ice in the blender at medium speed.
Remove this water in a bowl.
Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, black pepper, gradually adding the olive oil.
Add the salt and the ice water as required, blend it further.
You can blend it to a coarse finish or into a fine paste.
It can be stored for atleast a week.
B) Vegetable broth
Ingredients
2 inches - Bottle gourd [Gheeya or Loki or Dhoodhi] (peel and chop)
2 inches - Pumpkin [Petha, Kaddu] (peel and chop)
1 pc - Carrot (chop)
1 pc - Onion (chop)
2 cloves - Garlic
(This equals to two and a half cups of mixed vegetables)
Salt as per taste
4 cups - Water
Method
Add the salt and water to the vegetables.
Boil in a covered pan or pressure cook it.
Then cool and blend it into a broth.
C) The lemony vegetable medley
Ingredients
1 1/2 Tbsp - Extra virgin olive oil
3 small cloves - Garlic
3 large - Carrots (scrape the skin out and divide into half from the centre and then cut into pieces of approximately 3/4 th inch)
10 pcs - Baby corn (cut into 3/4 inch)
15 pcs - French beans (remove the side strings and cut into 3/4 inch pieces)
3/4 cup - Peas (frozen or fresh)
Salt to taste
2 pinches - Sugar
One recipe of the Vegetable broth
1 Tbsp - Lemon juice
1 tsp - Lemon zest (grate the lemon on the outside just upto the white pith, do not grate the white pith)
2 tsp - Taco seasoning
2 tsp - Chilli flakes
Method
Heat a pan, add the oil.
When the oil is slightly heated, add the garlic and saute till it releases its aroma.
Then add the carrots, baby corn, french beans and sprinkle the salt on it.
After a couple of minutes, add the peas and the sugar.
Now add the broth, cover and cook till it thickens to a point where the vegetables are cooked but yet have a bite to them.
It will take around 12 to 15 minutes.
(Do not overcook the vegetables, they should be slightly crunchy)
Add the lemon juice, zest, taco seasoning and the chilli flakes to it.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
D) Seasoning for the Polenta
Ingredients
2 Tbsp - Butter
2 cloves - Garlic (chop finely)
2 pcs - Tomato (chop into 1/2 inch pieces)
3 pcs - Dried red kashmiri whole chillies (cut each into five parts)
3 pcs - Green chillies (chop finely)
30 pcs - Mint leaves (tear into halves)
Method
Heat a pan, put it on low heat and add the butter.
As soon as the butter melts, add the garlic to it.
When it releases its aroma add the tomatoes.
Increase the heat and when the tomatoes starts leaving its water add both the chillies and salt.
Cook for a few minutes and then add the mint leaves.
Remove from heat and keep it aside.
E) Polenta scramble
Ingredients
190 gms - Polenta (pre-cooked maize flour) (available at Natures Basket)
3 cups - Water
Salt to taste
Method
Bring the water to the boil and add salt.
When the water boils, add the polenta stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
Reduce the heat and cook for 4 to 6 minutes.
(Follow the instructions given on the pack you are using, as the cooking time may variate)
If it gets too thick add half a cup of hot water.
Add the seasoning to this polenta.
Stir continuously to mix well.
Remove from heat and serve with the vegetables and basil pesto sauce.
To garnish
Lime juice
Cabbage - one cup (chop finely)
Bulb and the leaves of two spring onions (chop finely)
Mint leaves - few
Assembly
Plate the polenta scramble in individual platters.
Top it with the basil pesto sauce and the lemony vegetable medley.
Garnish with some lime juice, cabbage, spring onions, the leaves and serve.
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