This is an extremely versatile pesto. It goes well with almost anything. Marinate fish or prawn and grill with it, toss it in some pasta with vegetables, or mix with some rice for a fragrant side. Use it as dressing for a salad of warm vegetables by mixing it with vinegar, or as a great dip by combining with mayonnaise or yoghurt.
Serves
5
-
Cook Time
20m
Plus 20 mins to prep
Ingredients
- 1 bunch or 200 gm fresh coriander leaves and stems
- 30 gm coriander seeds
- 30 gm garlic
- 30 gm sunflower seeds
- 100 ml olive oil
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 20 ml lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Wash the coriander and chop roughly, both leaves and stem. Peel and bruise the garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet until it is hot but not smoking.
- Toss in coriander seeds and allow them to darken (the darker they are, the more citrus flavours they release).
- Add garlic and then finally coriander. Give a good stir and season with salt.
- Allow mixture to cool.
- Toast sunflower seeds on a dry pan and allow to cool.
- Blend all ingredients, including lemon juice, into a coarse paste.
- Place in a jar and cover with extra virgin olive oil.
- Keep refrigerated until you crave it.
Viraf Patel, one of India’s most exciting young chefs, is Scroll Food’s Chef of the Month for July. His culinary adventures, which began fairly early in life, have taken him from Zur Rossweid in Zurich to some of the finest dining establishments in India. Over a career spanning 20 years, he has worked at, or consulted with, Indigo, The Table, The Tasting Room, Salt Water Grill, among other places. He was the Chef-Partner at Café Zoe, before joining Olive Bar & Kitchen in Mumbai as the Executive Chef. His food philosophy is rooted in his belief in truly honest cooking. With a deep knowledge of ingredients and applications, he works to make recipes relevant to our age.
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