Green Rice

This is very good with dal.

Blend in a Nutri-bullet or blender:

a few handfuls of baby spinach
a handful of parsley, stems removed
a knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
half a cup of water

In the Instant Pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 2 cubes of frozen garlic or 2 big minced cloves and stir to release flavour into the oil.

Add 1 1/2 cups of washed basmati into the olive oil and stir.
Add the green mixture of spinach, parsley and ginger and stir.
Add:
 1/2 teaspoon of salt
the juice of a lime
1 cup water

Stir it nicely, put on the top, and set pressure for 6 minutes.
Let sit for a few minutes to release steam. Stir well when you remove the lid.
Serve with freshly grated pepper.
(Good with dal, mango chutney, and plain yoghurt.)

Penne with mixed bell peppers, basil, tomatoes, and olives

Boil salted water and add one pound of penne. Stir often.
Cut in half cherry or grape or tiny heirloom tomatoes and grind a little sea salt on them.
Wash and mince fresh parsley.

Cut three bell peppers (orange, yellow, and red) into short strips.
In a large wok, heat olive oil and saute the peppers.
Clear a space and melt a little butter and add 3 cubes of frozen garlic. Stir the garlic in the butter until it melts and becomes very fragrant.
Add a little more olive oil into the cleared center area of garlic and add about 8 cubes of frozen basil and stir in with garlic until basil is melted.
Mix the garlic/basil into the surrounding peppers and add generous grindings of lemon pepper.

When pasta is al dente, drain and add a little olive oil to it and then pour it into the wok and toss until the pasta is evenly covered with the garlic/basil/peppers mix.

Fold the halved tomatoes into the pasta.

Serve on plates and add fresh minced parsley, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or crumbled Unexpected Cheddar, 4 or 5 olives per serving, and freshly grated pepper and salt to taste.