Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal – gastronomy columnist, author and consultant based in Mumbai, India and an avid UTMT honey fan has specially developed these recipes for you.
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients : ½ kg Pumpkin, diced, ½ cup carrot, shredded, 1.5 ltr vegetable stock or water, 1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped, ½ tsp Garam masala, 2 tbsp oil, Salt to taste, Honey butter to garnish, made with UTMT’s Sweet Clover Honey
Method : Cook diced pumpkin in a pressure cooker or microwave with a little stock till the pumpkin is very soft. Puree in a blender and set aside. In a large deep pan, heat oil and add the garam masala. Add pureed pumpkin, carrot and stir well. Add remaining stock and bring back to boil, stirring well. Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with slice of honey butter.
Honey Butter
Ingredients : 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1/2 cup UTMT’s Sweet Clover honey
Method : Place butter in a small bowl. Gradually add honey, beating constantly, until desired thickness is attained. Spread ½ the mixture out on a piece of foil. Scatter spices in a line down the middle. Spread the rest of the butter over. Take one edge of foil and roll over butter. Shape into a cylinder, make lines to divide and freeze solid. When ready to serve, slice into disks and arrange on a plate.
Apple/Radish Salad with Honey Fenugreek dressing
Ingredients :¼ cup White Wine Vinegar or 1/3 cup synthetic vinegar, 1 tsp Mustard honey, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp toasted and crushed Fennel (Saunff), A pinch of toasted and crushed Fenugreek (Methi)
Combine everything, mix well and set aside.
For the salad
2 cucumbers, sliced thinly, 6-8 small – medium red radishes or 1 Mooli, sliced thinly, 1 apple, sliced thinly
To assemble, Combine apples, Radish /Mooli and cucumber and mix well. Add dressing and toss thoroughly. Serve.
Kimchi (Chinese Pickled Vegetables)
Ingredients :1 kg cabbage, 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp spring onions-chopped fine, 1 tbsp garlic-chopped fine, 1 cup soya sauce, 1cup natural vinegar, 1/3 cup Honey
Method : Chop cabbage and place in a glass or steel bowl, sprinkle salt over it, mix well and leave for 3-4 hours, till a little wilted. Squeeze out moisture till cabbage has softened. Mix in the rest of the ingredients except the oil and transfer into sterilized jars. Seal and leave for 24 hours in the fridge before using. To serve garnish with some toasted sesame oil and Sesame seed.
Salsa
This is an easily done recipe, that will come handy as a dip with chips, a spicy but light and fresh pasta sauce and also a spicy accompaniment to breakfast, as a topping for toast. If you have a ripe avocado at hand, add it for that luscious texture only Avocado can lend.
Ingredients :1 tbsp oil, 6 whole spring onions sliced fine with whites and greens kept separate, 1 onion chopped fine, 6 garlic cloves chopped fine, 1 whole stalk celery, washed and chopped fine, 1/2 cup Jalapeno peppers or more if you like things spicy (If you are using brined Jalapenos wash them and chop fine) optional, 1 cup Chopped Tomatoes, 500 ml Tomato puree, 1/3 cup vinegar, ½ cup honey, 2 green peppers (Capsicum) chopped fine, 1/2 cup coriander chopped fine. Salt and pepper to taste
Method : Combine all the ingredients and stir well, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Cool and refrigerate. Use cold or at room temperature on tacos, nachos and as a spicy side dish to baked beans.
Chicken Satay a la Rushina
Serves 4- 6
Boneless chicken breasts 4
For Peanut Sauce
1 small onion sliced fine, 4 cloves garlic chopped
½ tsp each ginger, garlic and green chilli pastes, ¼ cup roasted peanuts crushed to a coarse powder, 3 tbspns Tomato puree, 2 tspns honey, Oil, 1 tbspns Soya sauce, Red chilli powder, Salt to taste
For the marinade
½ tsp each ginger, garlic and green chilli pastes, 1 tbs soya sauce, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp red chilli powder, Salt
Method : Cut clean chicken into broad long strips. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and add the chicken. Mix well and allow to stand for 1-2 hrs.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic and onion. Cook on high heat for a minute stirring it continuously until the onion is well browned. Add ginger, garlic and chilli paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add chilli powder, soya sauce, tomato puree, honey, peanuts, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes. Then set aside.
To make the Chicken, work marinated chicken onto wooden skewers. Cook them on a grill or grease a non stick pan slightly and place the chicken and cook both sides for about 10 minutes, basting with marinade two to three times. Your chicken should be fairly well browned on both sides but tender on the inside. Serve hot with sauce.
Coriander, Honey and Raisin Relish
I invented this recipe one afternoon, because I was looking for a fresh dressing for lettuce. It works beautifully as a dressing tossed with lettuce greens & spinach but I also like to leave some raisins whole and serve it as a relish over good grainy bread or add finely chopped cucumbers wrapped in lettuce leaf parcels on hot days.
Ingredients :½ cup raisins, 1 cup fresh Coriander chopped, 2 tbsp Olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp honey, 1 green chilli
Method : Place ¾ of the raisins, coriander, olive oil, lemon juice honey and salt in a blender and process to a fine paste. Stir in the remaining raisins and chill until ready to use.
Jewel Fondue
I find these jewel Skewers a great way to savour a light sweet treat. Serve with single flora honey of your choice, I prefer Orange Blossom. Also go for whatever you like in terms of fruit. These are my favourites.
Ingredients :1 kiwi, peeled, 1 large orange, peeled, 12 black grapes, 12 pineapple chunks, 12 strawberries
Method : Cut the kiwi and orange crosswise into 4 rounds, then cut each round into 3 pieces, so you end up with 12 pieces of each fruit. To prepare the skewers, put 2 grapes about 1/3 of the way down the skewer, add a piece of kiwi, a pineapple chunk, a piece of orange, and top with a strawberry.
Fresh Fruit Pizza
Ingredients :I bar sponge cake, sliced into 3/4 inch thick slices , 1 cup thick hung yoghurt, 4 tsp honey, 2 cups assorted fresh fruit (such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sliced kiwi fruit, oranges), 1 cup skinned and toasted almonds
For the hung yoghurt cheese: Line a sieve or small colander with a clean cloth and suspend over a bowl place yogurt in lined sieve, cover and refrigerate for at 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator, discard liquid and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons honey, mix well and chill until required. Spread yogurt mixture evenly over sliced cake and arrange fruit attractively on top. You could drizzle additional honey on top if you like. Sprinkle with toasted almond flakes. Serve chilled.
Spiced Honey Drink
Ingredients :1 ltr water, 2 cups apple juice, 2 cups orange juice3/4 cup lemon juice, 1 cup honey, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 whole cloves, 2 Star anise
Method : Combine everything, except lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat through but do not boil and simmer for 30 minutes so the spices infuse the liquid. Strain. Serve hot or chilled depending on the weather.