3 Festive Recipes To Try This Christmas

This festive season is about new beginnings and fresh starts. Why should the food and drinks lag behind?

Ruby Sparkles: Virgin Cranberry and Pomegranate Bellini

Need a go-to drink this New Year?

We bring you an easy-to-make mocktail that not only looks bewitching but is healthy too.

Ingredients:

1 cup crushed ice

Sugar syrup, to taste

1 ¼ cup unsweetened cranberry juice, chilled

3 cups soda, chilled

Rosemary sprigs, to garnish

Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

Method:

1. Place the ice in a punch bowl.
2. Add the sugar syrup and juices. Stir well.
3. Slowly pour in the sparkling water.
4. Pour into six flutes, garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate seeds, and serve.

Black Knight: Black rice with black-eyed beans and pickled veggies

It’s gorgeous to look at, and seems exotic and rare! (We, at least for us city folks.)

Black sticky rice, with its wonderful texture and nutty flavor, is rich in antioxidants and loaded fiber.

It also has anti-inflammatory properties, lowers the risk of diabetes and promotes heart health.

In fact, legend has it that ancient Chinese emperors treasured this grain so much that it was meant to be consumed only by royalty.

And this led to it being known as the ‘forbidden rice’. Don’t just take our word for it, try it!

Ingredients:

200 g black sticky rice

½ cup black-eyed beans, boiled

1 cup diced veggies (like carrot, broccoli, baby corn)

2 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp mustard seeds

3 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ tsp ginger

1  small onion, chopped

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil

Salt, to taste

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

Method:

1. Soak the black rice for three hours and cook until done.
2. Heat butter in a pan, add half the crushed garlic and chopped onion and saute. Add salt and the cooked beans.
3. Boil the veggies with salt, vinegar, and sugar.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and chilli powder. Add the cooked rice and stir fry for a few minutes.
5. In a serving bowl, layer the rice at the bottom, and then the butter-tossed beans. Serve with pickled vegetables.

Green Roll: Avocado and Kale Sushi

Ingredients:

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp ginger, minced

2 tbsp sesame oil 

1 tsp rice vinegar

60 ml white miso

1 tbsp lemon juice

Sesame seeds

1 avocado, sliced

10 kale leaves

4 or 5 nori sheets

2 cups sushi rice

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix lemon juice, salt, and sushi rice.
2. Place a nori sheet on a sushi mat and evenly spread rice over it.
3. Place the avocado and kale on the rice and sprinkle sesame seeds.
4. Shape your hands around the mat to gently tighten the roll. Use a wet, sharp knife to cut the roll into five or six pieces.
5. Combine the vinegar, miso, ginger, sesame oil and maple syrup to make a dipping sauce for the sushi rolls.