Get Ramadan Ready With India Gate

The brand shares delicious and nutritious Suhoor & Iftar recipes to try out during Ramadan.

MARCH 2022, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Upon sighting the beautiful crescent moon, enjoy a scrumptious Iftar meal with India Gate products during the holy month of Ramadan. Introducing nutritious and delicious Suhoor and Iftar recipes that are not just easy and convenient to make, but also don’t require a lot pre-planning and taste delish.

While the brand, India Gate, one of the largest global rice exporters and popular household name, is known for their long-grain, healthy basmati rice, they also offer an extensive range of healthy rice products such as Quinoa, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Sprouted Brown rice, and Amaranth – to name a few.

The products are not just limited to cooking certain cultural dishes but can also be incorporated into Middle Eastern and Western recipes. The best part? Traditional basmati rice-based recipes can be easily swapped with healthier options to help you cut down on calories without compromising on the taste.

The consultant Chef at India Gate, Chef Nishant Choubey shares beautifully crafted recipes that are easy to prepare and packed with goodness with the help of his favorite India Gate products to help bring out the chef inside you!

Let’s start cooking, the first dish on the menu is a healthy take on a delectable dessert served in many households during Ramadan, Flax Seed Ladoos.

Ingredients:

• India Gate Flax Seeds – 500gm
• Buckwheat Flour – 250gm
• Jaggery – 250 gm
• Ghee – 3.5 tablespoons
• Cardamom Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Fresh Organic Rose Petals – Garnish

Method:

• In a small skillet pan, dry roast the flax seeds
• Using a blender, add the roasted flaxseeds and blend it into a coarse powder. Ensure to not over grind them as they may excrete oil.
• Take 250 grams of Jaggery and grate it into a bowl, set aside for later.
• In a separate skillet, heat the pan and add 3.5 tablespoons of Ghee.
• Add the flaxseed powder and buckwheat flour to the ghee and stir them together until blended well.
• Take the grated jiggery and add it to the mix alongside green cardamom. Cook for another two minutes until it thickens and forms a clay-like texture.
• After two minutes, take the skillet off the heat and let it cool down.
• Once the dish has cooled down, take some ghee and lightly apply it on your palm. Take the mix formed in the pan and begin rolling a chunk into a dumpling. There’s your Ladoos.
• Garnish with some fresh organic rose petals and it’s ready to be served.

Next on the line we have is Zarda Rice Pulao, a sweet delicacy enjoyed by people of South Asia.

Ingredients:

• Ghee – 250 gm
• Cashews – 75gm
• Almonds – 50 gm
• Raisins – 30gm
• Dry coconut – 30gm
• Cardamom (Green) – 4/5 pieces
• Clove powder – 1 teaspoon
• Water – 250ml
• Saffron – ¼ tsp
• India Gate Classic Rice – 100gm
• Sugar – 50 gm
• Blueberry – 30gm
• Dried Cranberries – 30gm
• Bay leaf – Handful
• Black Cardamom – 2
• Dehydrated Rose Petals – 5 gm

Method:

• Soak India Gate’s Classic Rice – 100gm in room temperature water for 30 minutes.
• Add 50 grams of sugar into a glass of water and mix it to create a sugar syrup. Ensure the consistency is not too thick.
• Take a large pan, add it to heat and add 2 tablespoons of ghee and cashew nuts, almonds, raisin, coconut, black cardamom and bay leaf and let it roast.
• Cook it until golden brown, then set aside for later.
• Using the same pan, add green cardamom and cloves and let it simmer for a few minutes.
• Drain your soaked rice and add it to the pan. Fry it for 2 to 3 minutes, add the roasted spices, then add sugar syrup and saffron.
• Cover the pan and let it cook for 15 minutes.
• Open it up gently and mix it well. Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Serve the rice on a platter with fragrant zarda, nuts, berries, coconut powder and dehydrated rose petals for garnish.

Moving on, we have Ground Chicken Fried Rice.

Ingredients:

• NurJahan Premium Rice – 3 cups
• Ground or minced chicken – 500gms
• Sesame oil – 2 tablespoons
• All-purpose cooking oil – 1 tablespoon
• Green peas – 100gm
• Red capsicum – 150 gm
• Yellow capsicum -100gm
• Spring onion – 150gm
• Garlic 2 – cloves
• Eggs – 3
• Carrot – 2
• Low sodium soy sauce – 3 tablespoons
• Aromate powder – 3 tablespoons
• Micro greens for garnish

Method:

• Wash 3 cups of NURJAHAN RICE and cook it in a rice cooker.
• In a large wok pan, heat 1.5 tablespoons of sesame oil with all-purpose cooking oil over medium to high heat, once the pan has been heated add ground or minced chicken to the pan. Lightly season it with salt and pepper, then transfer it into a bowl.
• Reduce the heat to medium heat and add remaining sesame oil and all-purpose cooking oil.
• Add green peas, fine diced red carrots, green onion, diced red and yellow capsicum and sauté for 1 minute.
• Now add chopped garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
• Push vegetables to the edge of the pan and scramble 2 eggs into the pan.
• Now add the chicken and rice along with soy sauce and aromate powder.
• In a separate skillet pan, prepare one sunny side egg.
• Transfer your rice into a serving bowl, add your sunny side egg and plate it on top of the rice.
• Serve warm with micro greens garnished on top.

Next, a healthy recipe with a fusion twist, Salmon Rice Bowl with Coconut and Ginger Broth.

Ingredients:

• India Gate Classic Rice – 3 cups
• Salmon fillets – 300gm
• Coconut oil – 3 tablespoons
• Black pepper – ½ tsp
• Smoked paprika – ½ tsp
• Cayenne pepper – ½ tsp
• Sea salt – ¼ tsp
• Pak choy – 150gm
• Cherry tomato – 50gm
• Red chili whole – a few for garnish (optional)

Ingredients for the broth:

• Coconut milk – 250ml
• Grated ginger – 2 tablespoons
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Sea salt – 1 tsp
• Fresh lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
• Lime wedges – for garnish

Method:

• Wash your India gate classic rice in cold water and then cook it in a rice cooker.
• Take the salmon fillet and marinate it with sea salt, paprika powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and sea salt.
• In a pan, add the skillet and add coconut oil over medium heat  
  Add salmon and sear it from all the sides
• Transfer it onto the same plate
• In boiling hot water, blanch the leafy pak choy.
• Cut cherry tomatoes into half and set them aside for later.

For the broth:

• In the same skillet pan, heat coconut milk, ginger, sugar, salt and water.
• Let it boil then take it off the gas.
• Stir in lemon juice and keep it aside.

• Now slice the salmon with a sharp knife in even slices and plate it over warm rice, add steamed Pak choy, and cherry tomatoes.
• Instantly pour in some broth and enjoy.

Lastly, a Middle Eastern favorite, Mediterranean Mezze, that includes rice falafel, muhamara, babaghanoush, labneh, pita, quinoa salad and pickled vegetables.

Ingredients:

• India Gate Classic rice – 1 cup
• Edamame beans – 100gm
• Coriander fresh – 100gm
• Cumin powder – 2 tsp
• Spring onion – 150gm
• Corn starch – 30gm
• Garlic – 1 tsp
• Oli for frying

Muhammara Ingredients:

• Walnut – 200gm
• Red pepper – 300gm
• Fresh breadcrumbs – 50gm
• Pomegranate molasses – 2 tsp
• Garlic – 1 clove
• Olive oil – 150ml

Babaghanoush ingredients:

• Eggplant – 250 gm
• Olives – 1 bit
• Olive oil – 50 ml
• Garlic – 1 or 2 cloves
• Green coriander fresh – 50gm
• Flat parsley – 50gm
• Fresh mint – 25gm

Labneh ingredient:

• Hung yoghurt – 100 gm
• Pomegranate –a few
• Cucumber juice – 1 tsp
• Garlic paste – 1tsp
• Sumac – 1 tsp
• Zartar -1 tsp

Quinoa salad ingredients:

• India Gate Quinoa – 25 gm
• Olive oil – 2 tsp
• Olive – a few
• Jalapenos – a bit
• Flat parsley – 15 gm
• Fresh coriander – 15 gm
• Fresh mint – 10gm
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp

Method:

For falafel:

• Soak and boil India Gate Classic rice and keep it aside
• Make a coarse mince of Edamame, spring onion, garlic, fresh coriander
• Add rice, cumin powder and corn starch
• Make flat cakes and fry in hot oil

To make muhamamara:

• Roast the pepper in open heat
• Take off the skin
• Toast the walnuts too
• Blend both in fine paste with olive oil, add breadcrumbs and finish with molasses

For quinoa salad:

• Wash and boil India Gate Quinoa in double the qty of water. don’t forget to add salt while boiling.
• It will take around 20 minutes approximately. Cool it down.
• Chop coriander, parsley and mint, slice olives and jalapenos too
• Add quinoa and toss it
• Add lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper to finish

For labneh:

• Take hung yoghurt or thick yoghurt
• Add cucumber juice, and garlic paste
• Add olive oil, sumac and za’atar
• Garnish with fresh pomegranate

For babaghanoush:

• Take a long aubergine and insert garlic cloves inside by making incisions and cook it in open heat
• Take off the skin and chop it all together
• Add chopped flat parsley, coriander, and mint
• Add olive oil and season.

Arrange everything neatly on a platter and serve with fresh pita and pickled vegetables.