Mushroom Biriyani

It was in Phnom Penh that I had mushroom biriyani for the first time at the Masala Dosa Street Kitchen

Delicious, delightfully light. Back home in the Netherlands, I started experimenting to get the same taste. I only had one hint: coconut milk to  get the rice light and fluffy. This is my version after many experiments.

 Ingredients

o     225 gr. Basmati rice o    350 ml. water o   1 tablespoon sunflower oil or coconut oil o   1 bay leaf o   1 star anise o   2 black cardamoms o   ½ teaspoon cumin seed o   ½ teaspoon chili powder o   1 medium onion sliced thinly

o   1 teaspoon ginger paste o   1 teaspoon garlic paste o   1 or 2 green chilies, to taste o   1 teaspoon garam masala o   1 small strand mace o   200 gr. chestnut mushrooms o   200 gr. shitake o   165 ml. coconut milk o   2 tablespoons coriander, chopped o   Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash the rice and soak in 350 ml water for 20 minutes.
2. Cut onions, make the ginger and garlic paste.
3. Slice the mushrooms.
4. Heat the oil.
5. Fry the bay leaf, star anise, cumin seed, cardamom.
6. Add onions and fry till slightly colored.
7. Add garlic and ginger paste.
8. Add mushroom and the other spices. Fry about 5 minutes.
9. Add coconut milk, stir well and bring to boil.
10. Add salt.
11. Add rice with water.
12. Bring to boil and simmer for about 12 minutes. Turn of the heat and rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Serving Tip:

Serve with vegan mint-cucumber raita and spinach.

 

Ginger Coconut Rice Cookies

To continue with the range of gluten free and soy free rice cookies, this is the variation with coconut and ginger.

Ingredients 

o   125 gr. plant based butter

o   80 gr. white caster sugar

o   150 gr. glutinous rice flour

  o   about 1 tablespoon almond milk 

o   60 gr. shredded coconut, lightly toasted 

o   6-8 balls of stem ginger (candied ginger balls), chopped finely

o   1 tablespoon of ginger syrup (from the jar of the stem ginger)

 Directions

o   Mix the ingredients for the cookies to a dough, if it is to dry add a few drops of sunflower oil and water. Cover the dough with foil and cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

o   Preheat the oven to 175°C.

o   Line two big baking trays

o   Roll out the dough into a slice of about 0,5 cm thick

o   Use a glass of 7,5 cm (or if you have cookie moulds) to cut out the cookies and place them carefully on a baking tray

o   Bake in about 15-20 minutes

o   Let them cool

  

Matcha Rice Cookies

I wanted to make special sweet treat for a friend who suffers from lots of different allergies and decided to veganize an old recipe for lavender cookies, and also made a variation with matcha and lime.

Ingredients 

For the cookies

o   250 gr. plant based butter

o   180 gr. white caster sugar

o   350 gr. glutinous rice flour

o   about 1 tablespoon almond milk (water is fine as well but the almond milk gives it a richer flavor)

 For the frosting

o   4 tablespoons of icing sugar

o   1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

o   1/4 teaspoon matcha powder

 

Directions

o   Mix the ingredients for the cookies to a dough, if it is to dry add a few drops of sunflower oil and water. Cover the dough with foil and cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

o   Preheat the oven to 175°C.

o   Line two big baking trays

o   Roll out the dough into a slice of about 0,5 cm thick

o   Use a glass of 7,5 cm (or if you have cookie moulds) to cut out the cookies and place them carefully on a baking tray

o   Bake in about 15-20 minutes

o   Let them cool

Frosting 

Mix lime juice with the matcha powder and icing sugar until you have a spreadable frosting. I keep a little fluid so I can brush it on the cookies. Brush the cookies with the icing and while still sticky, sprinkle with lavender sugar.

 

 

Lavender Rice Cookies

I wanted to make special sweet treat for a friend who suffers from lots of different allergies and decided to veganize an old recipe for lavender cookies, and also made a variation with matcha and lime.

Ingredients 

For the cookies

o   250 gr. plant based butter

o   180 gr. white caster sugar

o   350 gr. glutinous rice flour

o   1 tablespoon bio lavender (ground, finely or roughly up to your taste)

 For the frosting

o   4 tablespoons of icing sugar

o   A dash of rosewater

o   A dash of water

 

For the lavender sugar

o   2 tablespoons fine sugar

o   1 teaspoon lavender (roughly ground)

Directions

o   Mix the ingredients for the cookies to a dough, if it is to dry add a few drops of sunflower oil and water. Cover the dough with foil and cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

o   Preheat the oven to 175°C.

o   Line two big baking trays

o   Roll out the dough into a slice of about 0,5 cm thick

o   Use a glass of 7,5 cm (or if you have cookie moulds) to cut out the cookies and place them carefully on a baking tray

o   Bake in about 15-20 minutes

o   Let them cool

Frosting and lavender sugar

Mix rosewater and water with the icing sugar until you have a spreadable frosting. I keep a little fluid so I can brush it on the cookies. Mix the sugar and lavender. Brush the cookies with the icing and while still sticky, sprinkle with lavender sugar.

Variations

o   Replace the lavender by cardamom or lemon zest or in wintertime with pumpkin spice.

 

Lupine patties Italian style

Lupine is an excellent source to get your protein intake.

Ingredients

·       250 gr. of cooked lupine seeds

·       ½ cup of water

·       3 tbsp of oatmeal

·       2 tsp ground flax seed

·       2 shallots

·       2 cloves garlic

·       1 tsp olive oil

·       ¼ leek thinly sliced

·       ½ Spanish green chili (or more to taste)

·       200 gr. tomatoes

·       1 big pointed pepper, finely diced

·       50 gr. carrot finely diced

·       1 tsp tomato paste

·       Salt to taste

·       Black pepper to taste

·       ½ tsp smoked paprika powder

·       1 tsp fresh oregano

·       1 tsp fresh thyme

·       1 tsp fresh sage

·       1 tsp fresh olive herb (if you can find it)

Method

·      Grind the cooked lupine seeds with half of the chopped tomatoes, add half a cup of water in a blender.

·      Chop the shallots and garlic

·      Chop the tomatoes

·      Heat the oil and fry the chopped shallots, leek and garlic, add half of the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes are cooked.

·      Add this fried mixture to the ground lupine seeds in the blender, add tomato paste, herbs, smoked paprika powder, salt and black pepper, blend shortly.

·      Put the mixture in a bowl and add the oatmeal, ground flaxseed, carrot, pointed pepper, and green pepper. Mix well, put aside in the fridge for half an hour.

·      Heat the oven at 220 C.

·      Make small balls and flatten them, put on a baking tray, coat with a little of olive oil and bake for 15 minutes, turn and bake for another 10 minutes.

·      Serve with pesto and rocket on a bun as a mini burger or without the bun as a side dish.

Black Bean-Shiitake Burgers with avocado-wasabi dressing

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and diced 
• ¼ cup grated carrot 
• 1 small can black beans, drained and rinsed (265 grams) 
• 2 small shallots 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 green chilli pepper (or less to taste) 
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce 
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt 
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup oat flour
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water

Ingredients for the Dressing

o    1 avocado

o    1 teaspoon wasabi paste

o    ½ green chilli pepper finely chopped (or more to taste)

o    1 teaspoon soy sauce

o    ¼ cup soy yoghurt

o    ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

o    1 tablespoon coriander finely chopped

Directions

• 1 avocado 
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste 
• ½ green chilli pepper finely chopped (or more to taste) 
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce 
• ¼ cup soy yoghurt 
• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon coriander finely chopped

Preheat the oven at 200⁰C

• Mix ground flax seed with water 
• Remove the stems from the Shiitake mushrooms and dice finely 
• Chop the onions, garlic and chilli pepper. 
• Grate the carrots. 
• Heat the olive oil in a pan, add onions and fry for 2 minutes, add grated carrots, garlic and chilli pepper. 
• Add shiitake mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes. 
• Cool the cooked mixture. 
• Preheat the oven at 180⁰C 
• Mash the beans slightly. 
• Mix all ingredients 
• Divide the mixture into 4 portions. Form a ball with your hands, the mixture should stick together as you press together and form it. Press down into a 2 cm. thick burger. Dust with sesame seeds. 
• Place the burgers on a (lined) baking tray. 
• Bake for 10 minutes, flip over and bake another 10 minutes.

Variations

Serve on a salad leaf with the dressing on top.

Serve as a burger on a bun:

• (hamburger) buns 
• 2 cups rocket 
• 2 tomatoes, sliced 
• Top with the dressing 
• Gari (Japanese pickled ginger) at the side