LIFESTYLE

The

INDIAN SPICED
LENTIL SALAD
1 cups basmati rice, rinsed
and drained
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
and drained
cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon oil
red onion, nely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed,
minced
1 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
4 3/4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cane sugar
cup golden raisins
1 small carrot, chopped
3/4 cup cauliower
1 small red capsicum, chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 small cucumber, chopped
1 handful mint leaves
1 handful cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup yogurt

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AASIYA JAGADEESH

A
COLOURFUL
PLATE
With dishes named Beyond
Belief and Melt In Your
Mouth, Colour My Plate
serves up an offering that
aims to be at once sassy,
healthy and delectable, says
Priyanka Pradhan

DIRECTIONS
In a large, heavy saucepan over
medium heat, toast the almonds.
Once they begin to brown and
become fragrant, remove them
from the pan and set aside.
Add in the oil and saute the
onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno
until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in
the garam masala and cumin and
cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the
water and stir in the salt and sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and
add in the lentils. Cook the lentils
for 5 minutes. Add in the rice and
raisins and return to a boil. Boil,
uncovered for 5 minutes. Reduce to
a simmer and cover. Cook until the
water is absorbed, about 8 minutes.
Remove the rice from the heat and
let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
Bake the cauliower till they
brown.
Stir in the tomato, cucumber,
carrots, capsicum and reserved
toasted almonds. Mix in the mint
leaves and cilantro, reserving some
to top.
Blend the yogurt and lemon juice
and chopped mint and drizzle over
the rice salad. Sprinkle some
turmeric powder on top.
Serve at room temperature.

he more colour on your

plate,
the
more
nutritious your meal is!
says dietician Hala
Barghout, as she explains the concept for her Dubaibased healthy meals startup.
As a newbie in its category, Colour My Plate aims
to differentiate itself in little details that go a long way
in making a difference for both the serious calorie
counters as well as those looking for an occasional,
guilt-free parfait.
Firstly, were all about balance, which means we
focus on the right amount of lean protein, carbs and
vitamins we involve all major food groups in one
meal, hence the different colours on a plate, she says.
Secondly, our concept is to use clean, unprocessed
and unrened ingredients that ultimately make
a huge difference in nutrition and taste.
For example she makes her own peanut butter for
her recipes at Colour My Plate from scratch.
Nothing is store-bought, says Hala. We also use
raw honey and organic maple syrup as opposed to
the ones from supermarket shelves. So this makes it
easier to customise meals to make them gluten-free,
sugar-free, low-carb or dairy-free because all the
ingredients are made in our own kitchen, including
wraps and breads.
Barghouts personal favorites are the Melt In Your
Mouth Avocado Brownie, a breakfast of egg-white
bagel with avocado, tomato and spinach and the
chicken teriyaki bowl a main course with a base of
black rice and quinoa topped with broccoli and salad.
If this sounds experimental, blame it on her roving
eye for recipes from around the world and her
adventurous kitchen persona. I love researching new
recipes and then experimenting with them on my
own, she says. For example, I came across an Indian
spicy rice and lentil salad to which I added more
colour with carrots, cauliowers, some greens and
peppers and ne-tuned it to taste delicious!
Halas passion for food is palpable as she quips
about her plans for a health food caf. She wants to
offer the local community a wider array of options
and experimental and gourmet recipes on-demand.
She is also concerned with the importance of
education on healthy living and offers talks and
lectures in schools, events and corporations.
Halas vision is simple to help the community
feel better, live longer and enjoy meals. And she aims
to meet her goals, one colourful plate at a time.
colourmyplate.ae