Recipe 1 – Baked Tomato Bowls
Ingredients : 4 to 5 tomatoes, medium sized, red-ripe and firm, scooped out and placed upside down to drain off the excess moisture.
For the stuffing :
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Garlic -1 tsp
- Chopped onion – 2 tbsp
- Boiled corn – 1 cup
- Chopped capsicums – 2 to 3 tbsp
- Boiled macaroni pasta – 1/2 cup
- Salt, pepper, herbs and chilli flakes to taste
- Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
- Grated cheese – 2 to 3 tbsp
Method :
- Prepare all the ingredients for the tomato cups.
- Heat oil, add in the garlic, onions, saute for 1 min, add in the capsicums and corn and seasonings to taste.
- Add in the tomato sauce and cook the mixture for 3 to 4 mins.
- Stuff the tomato cups with the filling, top with little grated cheese and place in a baking dish, bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees celsius for 10 to 12 mins and serve hot.
Chef’s Variations :
Try making the same stuffing with a little white sauce and corn, mushroom filling.
Addition of boiled chicken, saute prawns or chopped chicken tikka or sliced seekh kabab also makes it an interesting recipe.
Recipe 2 – Classy Curd and Mint Dip
Ingredients :
- Hung curd – 1 cup
- Cream cheese – 2 tbsp
- Mint leaves – 8 to 10 nos
- Salt and crushed black pepper to taste
- Grated carrots – 1/2 cup
- Chopped celery – 2 tbsp
- Sliced olives – 3 to 4 nos
- Capsico sauce or chilli sauce – 1 tsp
- Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
To serve with : Sticks of veggies, carrots, cucumbers, celery, radish, bell peppers, savoury crackers etc.
Method :
- Prepare all the ingredients for the dip and keep aside.
- Cut the vegetable sticks and place them on a serving platter.
- In a mixing bowl, combine together the ingredients for the dip and mix well.
- Assemble the platter and serve.
Chef’s Variations :
- Try adding a little peanut butter into the hung curd for a nutty flavour in the dip.
- Also try adding a roasted red capsicum puree for a nice robust taste in the dip, along with some roasted sliced almonds for that crunch!
- These dips can be served with tikkas and kababs as well therefore it offers more options to go with as well.
