Yogurt again

Stuffed white zucchini in yoghurt sauce

It has been ages since I last participated in Weekend Herb Blogging. This week, I've joined the fun again with those small white zucchini. The current host is Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at least once

“Buy locally” is what people say these days. Sometimes I wonder what it really means. In the suburb where I live, all we have is small supermarkets with inflated prices on sad-looking vegetables. So, we do take the effort to drive at least 30 mins to get to Preston market to get our dosage of seasonal vegs and fruits at least once per fortnight. It’s just better.

But it pays to look around, locally. Recently, I’ve been able to locate a really nice butcher, a large deli and a small decent vegetable shop which cater for the dominant Middle Eastern presence in the area. I have access to cheese sold in 1kg block, yoghurt sold in 2kg tube (smallest!), different kinds of flours in at least 5kg bag, spices in large containers, pre-made pastries of various forms. It’s like going through a new food maze! If only I could get my tofu fix a bit easier.

And of course, vegetables, like those little white zucchini. I’ve seen them in the past at farmers market, but this is the first time I try to do something with them. And to add a bit of “local” flair, I’ve decided to stuff them with meat and rice before cooking them slowly in a large amount of yoghurt sauce. (Well, I do need to find a way to use up that 2kg tube of yoghurt. What was I thinking?)

To do stuff these zucchini properly, I have bought a handy tool. Ping @herbalGill, this is it! The secret to get that nice “hole” instead of the “boat style”. If you are in Melbourne and get a chance to hang around Sydney Rd, Brunswick, drop by a $2 shop there. You’ll find it.

The recipe is adapted from the excellent Arabesque by Claudia Roden. Serve the stuffed zucchini with rich rice pilaf (not photograph). It’s nice, warming and refreshing at the same time.

Of course, this recipe is for the smaller zucchini kind. With the bigger ones, you can useFaith’s @ An edible Mosaic tip – cut them into smaller chunks.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI IN YOGHURT SAUCE

I've been thinking of a vegetarian version of this dish. Couscous or lentil will be nice here. Right?

Ingredients
1kg small zucchini (10-12 cm long)
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves - crushed
2 tsp dried mint
Salt + pepper + sugar to taste

1kg full-fat yoghurt
1 tbp corn flour
Some butter to fry

Filling:

150g minced beef
50g aborio rice
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice

Method

Wash the zucchini, slice off the stem end and shave off the brown skin on the other end. With a corer (photo above - an apple corer will also work?), make a hole at the stem end of each veg and scoop out the flesh. Be careful - don't break the skin or the other end.

Prepare the filling by putting all the ingredients together in a bowl. Knead well by hand unil thoroughly blended. Fill each zucchini, packing in the filling into 1cm of the end (to allow for expansion of the rice)

Arrange the stuffed veg in a large saucepan, cover with enough chicken stock and simmer gently, covered, for 25 mins or so (until the water is absorbed and the zucchini is nearly done)

In another saucepan, beat yoghurt with little salt until it's liquid. Mix 1 tablespoon cornflour and 2-3 tbp water, add to the yogurt and beat well. Bring the mixture to the boil slowly, stir constantly in one direction. Once boiled, reduce the heat to as low as possible. Let the mixture barely simmer, uncovered for 10 mins or until thickened.

Pour the yoghurt over the zucchini. Simmer for about 20 mins.

Just before serving, quickly fry the garlic with butter and little salt. Add the dried mint and mix well. Pour into the yoghurt mixture, stir.

Serve the zucchini with plenty of source with some rich pilaf.*

Sumber: http://www.anhsfoodblog.com/2010/05/stuffed-white-zucchini-in-yoghurt-sauce.html

Cherry Yoghurt Cheesecake

what you need

1 1/4 cups sweet biscuit crumbs

70g butter, melted

Filling

750g block PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

200g Greek yoghurt

Garnish

400g jar cherries, drained, liquid reserved

1/4 cup caster sugar, extra

2 teaspoons arrowroot, blended with 1 tablespoon cold water

• Conversion Chart

make it

COMBINE biscuit crumbs and butter in a bowl. Press into the base of a greased and lined 22cm (9”) round springform tin. Chill 10 minutes.

BEAT 500g Philly*, ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Pour mixture into the prepared base and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.

BEAT remaining Philly*, sugar and vanilla until smooth, then beat in the yoghurt. Pour over cooked base then bake for a further 10-15 minutes until just a little wobbly in centre. Turn off oven and allow to cool in oven with door ajar. Chill.

COMBINE reserved cherry liquid, extra sugar and arrowroot mixture in a small saucepan over a low heat until sugar has dissolved and syrup has thickened. Stir in cherries and take off heat, cool. Serve cherries and syrup over the chilled cheesecake.

Sumber: http://www.kraft.com.au/recipes/cherry-yoghurt-cheesecake-107006.aspx

Fennel and Cumin seeds flavoured Yoghurt stuffed Celery

Ingredients:

• Celery sticks -2
• Fennel seeds -  ¼ Teaspoon
• Cumin seeds -  ¼ Teaspoon
• Brown sugar - ½ Teaspoon
• Yoghurt - 50 ml
• Salt - pinch

Method:

• Take yoghurt in a muslin cloth, hang for the water to drain and keep aside.
• Toss fennel seeds and cumin seeds together in a heated pan until you get the flavour. Cool, grind coarsely  and keep aside.
• Wash celery sticks, pat dry and cut into 1½ inch pieces.
• Mix yoghurt, toasted seeds, sugar and salt together and stir gently .
• Trim the back side of celery sticks so that it can properly sit on the serving plate.
• Place yoghurt mixture over celery sticks before serving.

Sumber: http://infoveni.blogspot.com/2010/08/fennel-and-cumin-seeds-flavoured.html