Make your Independence Day exciting with this chef-special recipe

Ingredients for the quinoa cakes

1 cup – Water
½ cup – Quinoa
4 – Large eggs, beaten
1 cup – Plain bread crumbs
¼ cup – Grated Parmesan cheese
100g – Goat cheese, crumbled
½ onion – Diced finely
¼ cup – Chopped chives
4 tbsp – Olive oil
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

ALSO READ | This fluffy, colourful ‘cloud bread’ is the latest food trend; try the easy recipe

Ingredients for roasted red pepper sauce

2 – Red peppers
1½ tbsp – Olive oil
1 – Small garlic clove, crushed
1 – Small white onion, roughly chopped
100 ml – Vegetable stock
½ tsp – Sugar to taste (optional)

Ingredients for basil chive cream

¾ cup – Creme fraiche
¼ cup – Chopped basil leaves
2 tbsp – Chopped chives
2 tsp – Fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Method to make quinoa cakes

Combine the water, quinoa, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed into the quinoa. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Stir together the quinoa, eggs, bread crumbs, cheeses, red onion, and chives in a medium bowl to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Form the quinoa mixture into 12 patties.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Working in batches, cook the patties for 4 to 5 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed, until golden brown.

ALSO READ | Would you like to try ragi ladoos today?

Method to prepare roasted red pepper sauce

– Heat oven to 200 degree Celsius
– Place the peppers on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes until the skins are blackened.
– Remove from the oven and put into a plastic bag – this makes them sweat and the skins slip off easily. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins with your fingers.
– Slice the peppers open, pick out and discard all the seeds and membrane, then roughly chop the red flesh.
– Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, fry the garlic and onions for a few minutes.
– Add the chopped peppers and continue to fry for a few minutes, stirring to combine everything.
– Add the vegetable stock, bring to boil, then allow it to reduce a little.
– Pour the contents of the pan into a blender and whiz until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
– Depending on the ripeness of the peppers, you shouldn’t need any sugar – but if they retain a slightly bitter flavour, return the sauce to the pan, add sugar to taste and let it dissolve over the heat.

ALSO READ | How about some jamun rava cake today?

Method to prepare basil chive cream

– Stir together the crème fraiche, basil, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl to combine.
– Season with salt and pepper, to taste and refrigerate to chill.

Final assembling

– Top each quinoa cake with a dollop of cold basil chive cream cream and serve with warm red pepper sauce on the side.
– Garnish with fresh chives and microgreens.

From the homepage

Bihar Election 2025 Exit Polls LIVE Updates: Axis My India predicts 121-141 seats for NDA; MGB likely to bag 98-118

Exit polls may give NDA the edge but Tejashwi has a different prediction: 160-plus for Mahagathbandhan in Bihar

Two decades ago, Nitish distributed cycles to girls in Class 9. Where are they now?