Tomato Scallion And Peanut Pulao Recipes

TOMATO-PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, 2 more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, brown sugar and 1 cup water to the pot, then whisk in the peanut butter until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in batches.Season with salt and black pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls; top with creme fraiche, celery leaves, cilantro and peanuts. Drizzle with olive oil. Photograph by Con Poulos

STEWED SCALLIONS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Crush the tomatoes into the dish and add 1 cup of the reserved juice. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, garlic, parsley, tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the red pepper flakes.
• Cut the white and light green parts of the scallions into 2-to-3-inch pieces and add to the tomato mixture. Roughly chop about 1 cup of the scallion greens and add to the dish along with 1/4 cup water. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter, cover with foil and bake until the scallions are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake until the sauce is thickened, about 20 more minutes.

PASTA WITH GRILLED TOMATO AND SCALLION SAUCE

Steps:

• Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Oil the grates. Meanwhile, soak 1 bamboo skewer for 10 minutes. Thread the garlic on the skewer.
• Brush the scallions and the cut sides of the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the garlic and scallions over high heat, turning frequently, until blistered in spots and softened, about 2 minutes. Grill the tomatoes cut side down until nicely charred, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill until the skin starts to shrink, about 1 minute.
• Peel the garlic and finely chop, then transfer to a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise and transfer to the bowl. Pull off the tomato skins, dice the tomatoes and add them to the garlic and scallions.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the hot pasta, the cheese and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the tomatoes and toss. Add the pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the sauce.
• Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

TOMATO, SCALLION AND PEANUT PULAO

Steps:

• Wash the rice. This is one of the most crucial steps in creating a delicate pulao, where each grain of rice is separate from the other. Pour the rice into a large bowl and fill with fresh water. Gently wash the rice, running your hand through the rice without breaking the grains. The water will go smoky. Pour off the water and fill the bowl again. Wash, drain, and repeat 3 or 4 times until the water runs clear. By washing the rice in this way, you've just removed the excess starch from the rice so the grains won't stick together. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil until it's shimmering, but not smoking. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves - they should sizzle as they hit the oil. Saute gently until their woodsy aromas waft up into your nostrils. Add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and the chopped scallions and saute 1 minute or so until they soften. Add the rice to the pot, season with salt, and saute gently until the grains aren't sticking together anymore and the rice turns translucent, about 2 minutes. You should also start to smell the basmati's gentle aroma. This smell always reminds me of my mum! Add the can of tomatoes and stir. Cook about 2 minutes to get rid of some of the excess liquid. Add the water and salt and turn the heat up so that the contents of the pot come to a boil. Then turn the heat down as low as it can go, put a lid on it, and cook for 15 minutes. Don't take the lid off at all during this process! Once the 15 minutes are over, resist the temptation to take the lid off again. Let it sit 5 minutes off heat. This will steam the rice and give you a nice, fluffy pulao. Finish with a flourish of peanuts and a sprinkling of the scallion greens and serve.