Steamy affair

Momos, pomfret, kofta and a dessert all cooked the healthier way

Momos
Ingredients
1 cup refined flour (maida)
10 French beans, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
4-5 fresh button mushrooms, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup bean sprouts
8-10 cashewnuts, chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
8-10 black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp MSG (optional)
Salt to tasteu00a0
1 stalk spring onion greens, choppedu00a0
Method
Mix refined flour with five tablespoons of water and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for fifteen minutes.u00a0
In a large bowl, combine French beans, carrot, button mushrooms, spring onions, beansprouts, cashewnuts, ginger, green chilli, peppercorns, soy sauce, sesame oil, MSG and salt to taste.
Divide the dough into sixteen equal portions and roll into thin small discs.u00a0
Place a spoonful of the vegetable filling in the centre of each disc and bring the sides together in the centre, pinching firmly together to form a dumpling.
Line a steamer with a clean, damp piece of muslin and arrange the momos in it.
Cover and steam for eight to ten minutes, until momos are cooked through.
Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot with chilli sauce.


Steamed pomfret with lemon grass
Ingredients
2 large whole pomfretsu00a0u00a0u00a0
3 tbsp lemon juiceu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Salt to taste
1 lemon grass stalk, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 spring onions, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 green chilli, seeded, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 inch ginger, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 garlic cloves, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 medium stalk celery, choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp lemon rind
Method
Cut the pomfret into half-inch thick slices. Pat dry with an absorbent towel.u00a0
Mix one-tablespoon lemon juice, little salt and marinate the fish slices and set aside.
Grind the lemon grass, spring onions, green chilli, ginger, garlic and celery to a fine paste with the remaining lemon juice, lemon rind and salt to taste.
Apply this paste on the pomfret slices and leave to marinate for half an hour.
Steam in a Chinese bamboo steamer, in small batches for four to five minutes or until the fish is completely cooked.
Serve hot straight from the steamer.


Steamed lauki and palak kofta
Ingredients
For koftas
1 small (approx. 250 grams) bottle gourd (lauki), gratedu00a0u00a0
2 medium bunches fresh spinach leaves (palak), blanched and choppedu00a0u00a0
Salt to taste
3 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
2-3 green chillies, finely choppedu00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tbsp raisinsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
3 tbsp coarse rice powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp chaat masalau00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tsp ginger pasteu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tsp garlic pasteu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 large onions, finely chopped
For curry
1 tsp red chilli powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/4 tsp turmeric powderu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp garam masala powder u1 tsp roasted and crushed kasuri methiu00a0u00a0u00a0
5-6 medium tomatoes, pureed
1 1/2 tbsp honeyu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leavesu00a0u00a0u00a0
Method
Add salt to grated bottle gourd and leave it for five minutes. Squeeze bottle gourd to completely remove excess water. Squeeze excess water from the chopped spinach.
Combine the two with potatoes, green chillies, raisins, rice powder, chaat masala, half teaspoon of ginger paste, half teaspoon of garlic paste, half of the chopped onions and salt in a large bowl. Divide into twenty equal portions and shape into oval shaped koftas. Steam them in a steamer for fifteen-twenty minutes. Set aside.
Heat a non-stick pan. Roast remaining ginger paste, garlic paste and chopped onions on medium heat for five to six minutes. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, kasuri methi and two tablespoons of water and cook for a minute.
Add tomato puree, honey and salt. Add one cup of water and simmer for ten minutes.
Arrange the steamed koftas in a serving plate, pour the gravy over and serve immediately garnished with coriander leaves.


Steamed fruit pudding
Ingredients
2 medium bananasu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 medium apple, peeled and coredu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 medium chikus, peeled and seededu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
2 egg whitesu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 cup coarse whole-wheat flouru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
1 tsp baking powderu00a0u00a0u00a0
1/2 tsp cinnamon powderu00a0u00a0u00a0
3 tbsp honeyu00a0
Methodu00a0u00a0
Peel banana and grind to a fine paste along with apple and chikus. Beat the egg whites till stiff. Mix wheat flour with baking powder and cinnamon powder. Mix pureed fruit, egg whites and honey with a light hand. Add wheat flour and combine well.
u00a0Pour into pudding mould. Cover tightly with thick aluminium foil.
Heat four cups of water in a large pressure cooker and place the pudding mould in it. Cook on medium heat without whistle. It should take about thirty to thirty-five minutes to steam. Check by inserting a skewer into the pudding and if the skewer comes out clean then it is cooked.
Serve warm or chilled.