An Italian-Indian treat

AN ITALIANINDIAN TREAT

BY RAJNI MENON

Rice is a staple part of the diet in many cuisines of the world. It can be savored just plain or by adding meat or vegetables along with spices in India. In other parts of the world, rice is cooked with squid ink, lentils or green tea. In Sicily, rice is used in making these gorgeous, golden, deep fried balls filled with cheese and herbs called arancini. Here’s a dish combining Sicilian and Indian flavors — Masala Halibut with Arancini.

For more, visit creativerajni.com.

Photograph by Aditya Menon.

MASALA HALIBUT

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons coconut oil 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or paprika 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 tablespoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 fillet of halibut skinned and cut into medium chunks 4-5 spinach leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl mix the coconut oil, salt, spices and combine well. 2. Add in the halibut chunks and marinate them for 1 hour. 3. Heat a nonstick pan and sear the halibut on both sides without adding oil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside. 4. Add spinach for garnish.

ARANCINI

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Arborio rice 2 cups vegetable stock 1 cup black raisins 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1 cup grated Fontina 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 egg 3 cups breadcrumbs 4 cups vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium size pan, cook the rice with the vegetable stock, salt and white pepper. Once cooked, spread the rice on a baking tray. Let it cool. 2. In a mixing bowl, combine the grated Parmesan, grated Fontina, raisins and parsley and set aside. This is the filling for the arancini. 3. Once the rice is cool, add in the egg and combine well. Make a ball about the size of your palm and slightly push in the middle with your finger to make a dent. Place some of the filling in the dent and seal it gently with more rice. 4. Coat the rice ball in breadcrumbs and set it aside. Continue making rice balls until the mixture is finished. Place them in the refrigerator for 35 to 40 minutes 5. In a deep pan, heat the vegetable oil. Once hot, deep-fry the rice balls until golden brown.

THREE COLOR PEPPER SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

1 red bell pepper 1 orange bell pepper 1 yellow bell pepper 3 cloves garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt 1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. 2. Clean the bell peppers and pat them dry, placing them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Wrap 3 cloves of garlic in aluminum foil and place them on the same tray. Bake for 40 minutes. 3. Once done, place the peppers into three different bowls and cover them with plastic wrap. After 10 minutes, remove the wrap and the skins from the peppers as well as the seeds inside. Set the roasted peppers aside. 4. Remove the skin from the roasted garlic, mash it with salt and pepper and set it aside in another bowl. 5. Purée the roasted peppers separately with garlic, salt and pepper. The three pepper sauce is ready.

MARKING MAY

The merry month of May, which is Gifts From the Garden month, is filled with unusual celebrations like Garden Meditation Day (May 3), Wildflower Week (week two) and Pick a Strawberry Day (May 20).

Three dates, however, are uppermost in the general public’s minds this month. The first is Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire on May 5, 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. It is a day of more significance for Americans than Mexicans, a celebration of Mexican-American culture and relationships since 1863, marked by Mexican foods and enough beer and guacamole to rival Super Bowl Sunday.

Though saluting motherhood goes back to ancient times, modern Mother’s Day was an early 20th-century initiative of American peace activist Anna Jarvis, who grew to regret its commercialism. This year, remember mom with a bouquet of peonies from the garden, a breakfast tea in bed and other simple tokens of your love on May 10.

Last May, WAG’s own Phil Hall told us how Georgia teacher-activist Moina Michael helped popularize wearing a poppy to remember soldiers fallen in World War I after she read Col. John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Fields.” Remember our war dead May 25 by sporting a poppy – and reaching out to our veterans and active-duty servicemen and women.

Cactuses are native to the Americas and grow all over Mexico. Here a kind of flowering opuntia, or prickly pear cactus. Celebrate Mexican-American friendship on Cinco de Mayo (May 5).