Puréed Watercress Raita Recipes

CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Grate the cucumber then drain the excess water created in the process.
• Place the grated cucumber in a large bowl then stir in the yogurt, garlic and cumin.
• Season with salt and pepper and top with mint leaves.
• Serve as a starter with pappadums or as a side dish to an Indian meal.

LOIN OF BEEF WITH WATERCRESS PUREE

Steps:

• First, make the sauce. Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Push in all the watercress and boil for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another minute or so until wilted. Drain in a colander. Press with the back of a ladle to extract as much moisture as possible.
• Put the leaves in a food processor and blend to a fine puree, scraping down the sides occasionally. Pour 1/4 cup of the cream through the processor funnel and keep the blades whirling for what seems like an eternity. You will eventually get a sauce with a texture like silk. It will be so smooth, you will not need to pass it through a sieve. If you want a pouring sauce, add the remaining cream. Check the seasoning, and pour into a small saucepan for reheating.
• Cut the beef loin into 4 even steaks and rub each side using 1 tablespoon oil. Heat a heavy, non-stick frying pan until you can feel a good heat rising. Lay in your steaks-they should give a good hiss as they hit the hot pan. Season the tops and cook for about 3 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Slip the butter into the pan at this stage and season the second side. Remove the steaks from the pan and leave to rest while you cook the mushrooms.
• Saute the mushrooms with the garlic in the remaining oil. Season and mix with the parsley.
• Reheat the watercress puree. Place the steaks on warmed plates (sliced first if you like), trickle any pan juices over, and spoon on the mushrooms. If your watercress puree is firm, shape it into quenelles. If it is a sauce, spoon some over the steaks and pass the rest separately. Serve whatever accompaniment you like to eat steak with. Fries are great, or why not try slices of really fresh baguette?

PURéE OF PEAS AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the peas and return to a boil. Turn off the heat. Add the watercress tops to the peas and cover the saucepan. Let sit for 5 minutes so that the watercress wilts.
• Drain the peas and watercress and transfer to a food processor. Add the butter, pepper and salt and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon into a serving dish and serve.

PUREED WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water & salt to a boil. Add potato. Boil until very soft, about 20 minutes.
• Add watercres. When the water comes back to a boil, cook 1 minute.
• Drain & press down to get all the liquid out. puree in a food processor, add butter, puree again. Season to taste.

PURéED WATERCRESS RAITA

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the cumin seeds. Then, in a food processor or a blender, process together the scallions, green chili pepper, cilantro, and watercress to make a smooth purée.2. Place the yogurt in a serving bowl and mix in the pureed greens and salt. Pile up the tomatoes in the center. (Do not mix them into the raita.) Sprinkle the roasted cumin and black pepper on top, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.