EASTER TREATS - BRIDGET WHITE

RICE, LENTILS AND COCONUT GRUEL / PORRIDGE ( Good Friday Rice Congee)

Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence. In the olden days, people would have just one simple meal at mid day on Good friday. This Rice and Lentil Porridge / Gruel / Congee is normally prepared and eaten in most Christian Homes on Good Friday in India.

RICE, LENTILS AND COCONUT GRUEL / PORRIDGE

( Good Friday Rice Congee)

Serves 6  preparation time 1 hour

½  cup Raw Rice                   
½ cup Moong Dhal (Green gram dhal)
¼ cup Brown Sugar or Jaggery      
½ cup grated coconut or 1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons raisins           
A pinch of salt

Wash the rice and soak it for half an hour in a little water. Dry roast the Moong Dhal lightly in a pan and take down.  Heat 3 cups of water and the salt in a vessel, and when nicely boiling add the rice and the roasted Moong Dhal. Cook on low heat till the rice and dhal are soft and pish-pashy.
Add the coconut, sugar/ jaggery and raisins and mix well. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then off the heat. The Porridge / Congee should be of the consistency of thick soup.
erve plain or with Coconut chutney either hot or cold

(Omit the Brown sugar or jaggery if you want it plain not sweet)

This Congee is usually eaten on Good Friday

SHIN BONE SOUP

SHIN BONE SOUP
A Soup is primarily liquid food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with some seasonings and boiling these ingredients in a pot for a suffient time till the flavours are extracted and a thick broth is obtained. Soups are generally served warm (but may be cool or cold).
Here is a simple recipe from the olden days for a whole SHIN BONE SOUP. Just right for a cold winter or rainy day or when one is feeling 'down in the dumps'

Serves 6     Preparation Time 2 hours

Ingredients
½  kg Beef Shin Bones chopped into medium size pieces
2 teaspoons pepper powder
2 teaspoons chopped mint or chopped corriander
2 large tomatoes chopped
2 medium size onions sliced thickly
Salt to taste
Wash the Shin Bones thoroughly, and boil with all the other ingredients in sufficient water - (about 1 or one and half litres of water or more depending on how much soup is required) in a suitable Crock Pot or Vessel.  
Simmer for about one hour till the soup is slightly thick and the broth gets a nice brown colour. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with bread or toast.

FRIED FISH - RED MASALA FRIED FISH

 

Red Masala Fried Fish

Serves 6   Preparation Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 kg good fleshy fish cut into thick slices (I used White Pomfret)
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
2 tablespoons red chillie powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½  teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon spice powder or garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder
Salt to taste
6 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

Mix all the ingredients together (except the oil) with a little water. Marinate the fish with this paste and keep aside for 1 hour. Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the fish on both sides till brown. Use a little more oil if necessary. Serve with bread or with Rice and Pepper Water