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Crisp rice balls

Prep time: 45minutes; Cooking time: 30 minutes; makes: 6 servings.

1 cup uncooked rice; 2 cups water; 6tabsp parmesan cheese or any processed cheese; 2 eggs; 1 cup breadcrumbs; 1 cup orange juice; salt and pepper ; ½  cup shredded cooked chicken, ham or salami; 12sprigs of  pudina; Oil  for frying; 2tbsp cream

1. Bring pan of water to a boil and cook and cook rice until just tender. Drain excess water. Rinse rice and spread it out on a plate.
2. Stir cheese, lightly beaten eggs, half the orange juice, salt and pepper into rice.
3. Mould mixture into a ball, forming a hollow in centre.
4. Fill the hollow with shredded chicken and close ball…Repeat to make 12.
5. Gently roll balls in breadcrumbs to coat.
6. Heat oil and fry rice balls. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Garnish with pudina.
7. Thin remaining orange juice with the cream and serve as a dipping sauce with the rice balls.         

Pati shapta

Prep time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 20 minutes; makes: 6 servings

For crepes: ½ cup rice flour; ½ cup suji; 2 cups Maida; 3 cups milk; 5-6tbsp condensed milk; oil to fry.

For filling: ½ cup khoya; 3 cups grated coconut; 1/2 cup sugar.

1. Mix coconut, sugar and khoya. Cook over medium heat till mixture begins to soften and edges turn brown.
2. Makes a butter of pouring consistency with rice flour, Maida, suji and milk. Let it stand for ½ hour.
3. Smear non- stick pan with oil. Pour a ladle of batter and spread like a small dosa. Let it set and curl at the edges.
4. Flip crepe. Fill with 1 tbsp coconut mix. Fold into a roll; cook 2 minutes on both sides. Spoon condensed milk over.

Greek rice ring

Prep time: 20 minutes; cooking time; 30 minutes; Setting time: 1 hour; makes: 6 servings.

1 cup basmati rice; salt pepper; lemon juice; 2 large tomatoes; 2 tbsp (level) of chopped chives or  spring onions; 2 tbsp parsely or dhania; 8 olives, chopped; 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs; 1 capsicum, cut into strips; 2 tbsp vinegar.  

1. Cook rice foe 15 minutes or until tender, in double the amount of salted water adding 1 tsp of lemon juice. Drain over with a cloth to absorb steam.
2. Skin tomatoes in boiling water and chop finely. Scald capsicum in hot water and cut into cubes. Add chives, olives, and herbs to capsicum and tomato. Add salt and pepper.
3. Mix it into (still warm) rice. Blend oil and vinegar and add to mix. Check seasoning and add lemon juice.
4. Press rice into a ring mould; set for one hour. To serve, unmould, fill centre with chutney, put kebabs around ring. 

Stuffed capsicum

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 40 minutes; makes: 6 servings.

6 capsicums; ½  cup cooked rice; 1 small onion; ½  cup mushrooms; 2 rashers bacon; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 4-6chicken livers; salt pepper; chopped parsely; 1 egg; ½ cup parmesan or processed cheese (Britannia or amul), grated;. 

1. Deseed capsicum, stand in hot water for 5 minutes; drain Cook rice until tender; drain. In butter, fry onion till pink. Add mushrooms and bacon, and cook for few minutes. Add chicken livers. Chop livers after frying; return to pan.  
2. Stir in rice. . Lightly beat egg and add to rice mix. In greased baking dish, arrange capsicum; spoon rice; sprinkle cheese. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180*C (350*F) for 35 minutes.