Veggie Rice Balls

In the UK the yogurt council  launched for the first time Yogurt week during May. This was to bring awareness to the public about the health benefits of yogurt. Yogurt is one of my favourite ingredients and I use it daily in a lot of my cooking. The yogurt council have announced a competition to create and style a yogurt recipe I am very excited to enter. This is my entry for #yogurtstylist competition hosted by yogurt council.

Delicious crispy rice and veggie balls served in a soft fluffy pitta bread with green salad and lashing of yogurt and mint chutney.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons natural Greek yogurt
3 carrots peeled and finely grated
60 g frozen peas finely grated in food processor
3 spring onions finely chopped
3 slices brown bread ( made into crumbs)
1 teaspoon green chilli paste
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
60 g  precooked cold boiled rice
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
2 tablespoons sunflower oil for cooking veggie balls

Method:

1. In a large pan add the oil, when it is hot add the garlic and spring onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the ginger, chillies, carrots, peas and sauté the mixture for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is cooked.
3. Take the mixture off the heat and transfer it to a large bowl and leave to cool until it reaches room temperature.
4. To the cooled carrot mixture add the breadcrumbs, rice, salt, chilli powder, lemon juice and yogurt and bind the mixture together.
5. Pinch walnut sized balls from the mixture and roll them into crack free balls. Once all the balls are made place them in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 35 degrees F .
7. Oil a baking tray and place the veggie balls on it. Using  a pastry brush , brush the veggie balls with a little oil sparingly.
8.Bake the balls in the oven for 10-12 minutes until they start to turn golden brown. Rotate them intermittently  after every 4 minutes so they brown evenly. Alternatively you can shallow fry the balls.

9. I  did not bake my veggie balls in the oven instead I cooked my veggie balls in my panirayam pan also known as aebleskiver pan, to cook them in this pan just brush the pan with little oil and drop the balls in the holes, rotate them whilst cooking to ensure even browning.

To serve the Rice veggie balls, you will need some green salad, pitta bread and some yogurt mint chutney.
To make the yogurt mint chutney, add 4 tablespoons of natural  Greek yogurt into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of mint sauce, pinch of salt and mix together.