Frushi

Frushi.

Makes about 20 pieces. Serves 5.

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups short grain rice. - 2 cups water - 3 Tbsp sugar - 1/4 tsp salt - 1 cup coconut milk - 1 1/2 tsp vanilla A variety of fruit an berries: - pineapple - strawberries - mango - kiwi - blackberries - raspberries In a medium pot combine the rice, water, sugar and salt. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or until all the rice absorbs the water. Add the coconut milk and vanilla. The mixture should be moldable. Cook a few minutes longer if it’s too runny. Lay a bamboo rolling pad on a counter top, and place a square of wax paper over top. Spread the rice about 1/2 inch thick over the paper into approximately a 7” x 5” rectangle. Slice fruit of choice into long pieces. Use a potato peeler to shave thin slices off the mango. Toast a 1/4 cup of coconut shreds for 3 minutes. Lay the fruit pieces on the rice, and roll up carefully. If rice sticks to the paper too much, try spreading it a little thicker. Coat the rolls with either the mango slices, or the toasted coconut. Slice each roll into 6 pieces. With the rest of the rice, roll into balls and place thin slices of kiwi or strawberries over top ( like nigiri) with half a blackberry on top to look like fish eggs. Blend 1/4 cup raspberries with 1/4 cup water to make a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Watermelon balls in sweet ginger-mint syrup

Watermelon balls in sweet ginger-mint syrup.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons fresh chiffonaded mint leaves and few stems 1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh ginger 3/4 cup water 2 cups scooped watermelon

Method:

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, mint stems, ginger, and water over medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then remove from heat. Let the mixture steep 20 minutes before straining through a fine sieve. Chill the syrup. To serve, drizzle the chilled syrup over the watermelon scoops and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Guacamole

Guacamole.

Ingredients:

1 large ripe tomato 3 avocados, very ripe but not bruised juice 1 large lime handful coriander, leaves and stalks chopped, plus a few leaves, roughly chopped, to serve 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 chilli, red or green, de-seeded and finely chopped tortilla chips, to serve

Method:

Use a large knife to pulverise the tomato to a pulp on a board, then tip into a bowl. Halve and stone the avocados (saving a stone) and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the tomato. Tip all the other ingredients into the bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Use a whisk to roughly mash everything together. If not serving straight away, sit a stone in the guacamole (this helps to stop it going brown), cover with cling film and chill until needed. Scatter with the coriander, if using, then serve with tortilla chips or spicy wedges and sour cream

Watermelon and Feta Salad

Watermelon and Feta Salad.

Ingredients:

1 small red onion 4 limes 1.5 kilograms watermelon (sweet and ripe) 250 grams feta cheese 1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley 1 bunch fresh mint (chopped) 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 100 grams pitted black olives black pepper

Method:

Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half-moons and put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice, to bring out the transparent pinkness in the onions and diminish their rasp. Two limes' worth should do it, but you can find the fruits disappointingly dried up and barren when you cut them in half, in which case add more. Remove the rind and pips from the watermelon, and cut into approximately 4cm / 1½ inch triangular chunks. Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both into a large, wide shallow bowl. Tear off sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf, rather than a garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint. Tip the now glowingly puce onions, along with their pink juices over the salad in the bowl, add the oil and olives, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don't lose their shape. Add a good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime.