Recipes for you…

Sesame Plate Recipe By Rilang G. Blah

(Winner of the 1st Mei-Ramew Culinary Contest for Youth)

Starter

Chopped Green Salad with Pear shavings in olive oil and lemon dressing (Serve 2)

Ingredients:

1. Mint 1 bunch
2. Coriander 1 bunch
3. Chameleon Plant (Jamyrdoh) 1 bunch
4. Jaut 1 bunch
5. Chopped walnuts 2 tsp
6. Sliced pear (5 slices)

Dressing:

1. Lemon Juice 1 tsp
2. Olive Oil 2 tsp
3. A pinch of crushed garlic
4. Salt to taste

Method:

Clean all the herbs and wild edibles and dry them after. Separate the stems from the leaves. Roughly chop them together. Blend in the dressing by giving it a good shake. Pour it on top of your salad and give it a toss. Top it off with some chopped walnuts and and sliced pears.

Main Dish

Ja Nei Iong (Serve 2)

Ingredients:

1. Vegetable oil – 2 tsp
2. Roasted and ground Black Sesame Seeds ½ tsp
3. Garlic Paste ¼ tsp
4. Sliced Onion 1
5. Crushed Ginger ½ tsp
6. Salt 1 tsp
7. Turmeric ¼ tsp
8. Short Grain Rice (Optional) 1 Cup
9. Water – 2 Cups

Method:

Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan; add sliced onions and sauté for 3-4 mins on medium heat. Add turmeric followed by garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell of the garlic is gone. Add the black sesame seeds which are roasted and ground to powder form. Saute for 2 mins. Add the rice grains. Saute for another 2 mins Add water and salt and turn up the heat to medium high. When the water level has decreased add the crushed ginger and cover till the rice is done

Sides

Mash Potato and kidney beans with white sesame seeds (Serve 2)

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes- 2-3
2. Red Kidney beans (Rajma) ½ cup
3. Roasted and ground white sesame seeds ( Nei Lieh)
4. Lemon Juice 1 tsp
5. Salt to taste

Method:

Boil the potatoes and the Rajma beans till well done. Roughly mash them. Mix with the roasted and powdered white sesame seeds or nei lieh along with a dash of lemon juice and salt to taste.

Crispy Pork with Sesame seeds (Serve 2-3 people)

Ingredients:

1. Pork cut into small pieces 1/2 kg
2. Oil for deep frying

For the marination:

1. Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
2. Lemon Juice – 2 tsp
3. Salt and pepper ½ tsp
4. Corn flour – 2 tsp

For the Gravy:

1. Ginger garlic paste ½ tsp
2. Water 1 cup
3. Corn flour 2 tsp
4. Jaut a few sprigs
5. Oil 1 tsp

Garnish:

Sesame seeds

Method:

After washing and cleaning the pork, cut it into small pieces or according to a size of your choice. In a bowl, mix the ginger garlic paste, salt and pepper, lemon juice and corn flour. Add this mixture to the pork and mix well and let it marinate for a minimum of 20 mins. Leave overnight for best results. Take deep pan for deep frying and heat the oil. When the oil is hot fry the pork till done. For the gravy take a pan heat oil, fry ginger garlic paste till the raw smell comes off, add the chopped Jaut along with some salt and pepper. Add water and a bit of corn flour and leave it to simmer till it the consistency becomes a bit thick. When it is done mix it with the fried pork and garnish with sesame seeds.

Ladies’ Fingers Fry (Okra) (Serves 2)

Ingredients

1. Oil
2. Ladies’ fingers thinly sliced – 10 pieces

Method

Take a pan deep enough to deep fry, heat the oil till hot, and fry the sliced ladies’ fingers till crispy and done.

Dessert

Sliced pears in blackberry sauce topped with Passion fruit (Serves 2)

Ingredients

1. Sliced Pears
2. Blackberry (Sohiong)
3. Passion fruit

Method

Boil the blackberry fruit till it splits and has a thick consistency, you can add sugar if you want while boiling. Leave it to cool and deseed it. In a bowl take some sliced pears, add the deseeded blackberry and a little syrup and top with passion fruit.