Author: sujatanz

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GRILLED HALLOUMI FLATBREADS

I guess this could easily pass for a Mediterranean version of a taco! You can serve with store bought flat breads or pita breads for convenience but my flat bread recipe is not cumbersome just takes a bit of planning. Don’t be daunted by the different elements – I guarantee this is very easy to make and you can serve this as a starter or on its own for a light lunch.

Grilled Halloumi flatbreads

INGREDIENTS

2 x 250g blocks Halloumi cheese

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons liquid honey

Sumac powder to garnish

For the avocado salsa

2 avocados, peeled, stoned and diced

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STUFFED MINIKIN WITH MINT YOGHURT SAUCE

There are 45 different varieties of pumpkins and while the Jack O Lantern pumpkins are the most recognizable, pumpkins come in different colours, shapes and sizes. Look for the mini ones if you want to stuff and cook them whole.

I have used caramelized onion in this recipe and I recommend doing a batch and keeping in fridge as these are incredibly versatile. You could add to a quiche or pie or sandwiches. To do caramelized onion, slice 2 onions thinly, fry in a couple of tablespoons of oil on low heat for 20 – 25 minutes.

Stuffed minikins with a mint yoghurt sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 small pumpkin or winter squash

1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

½ red pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons of caramelized onion

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup

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ROAST BUTTERNUT & QUINOA SALAD

When I tried quinoa nearly a decade ago, to be perfectly honest I didn’t like it. I felt it was chalky and the appearance wasn’t appetizing. I am now converted – I believe that locally grown organic red quinoa is tasty and yummy. You will love this salad as it is another great one pot dish that has all the nutrients you need.

Roast Butternut and Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS

800g butternut, skin on cut into a small 2cm by 1cm pieces

400g tin of chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 cup organic red quinoa

1 red pepper, cored and finely diced

50g red onion, finely diced

Arals of 1 pomegranate

2 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon sumac

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QABOOLI – KICHADI WITH OOMPH

This is a Mughal influenced dish kind of like a kichadi and there are several variations. This is my take and is more of a rice salad than a kichadi. It is really easy to put together and the perfect one pot dish. The meaning of qabooli means acceptable or palatable and this dish certainly lives up to that expectation. Another easy and tasty one pot dish!

Qabooli

INGREDIENTS

250g Basmati rice

400g tinned brown lentils, drained and rinsed well

400g tinned Beluga lentils, drained and rinsed well

50g shallots, finely diced

1 medium sized red onion, finely diced

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DIWALI SWEETS – THIYYA GAVALLU

Thiyya Gavallu literally translate to sweet shells. Store bought ones pale in comparison to homemade ones. This is an Andhra sweet and is like a sugar dipped dough nut. My grandmother used to make them and I have her shaping device but if you don’t have any such contraption, you can use the back of a fork.

Thiyya Gavallu

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour or standard flour

2 tablespoons ghee

Oil to fry

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DIWALI SWEETS – COCONUT BARFI

This is a traditional Indian sweet that I made for Diwali a few days back and it was well appreciated by the family.

Around Diwali, I reminisce about my own childhood memories of this festival with a huge smile. Diwali is about wearing new clothes, decorating the house with as many oil lamps as you can manage, eating a feast and then fireworks. A month prior to Diwali, the preparations for making our own rockets, flower pots and pencils would start. We had a real chemistry lesson patiently delivered by my father. We lived on a University campus and would always have competitions with neighbours. Now we all know better and it is good everyone is keeping away from fireworks because of pollution. The spiritual significance of Diwali is to try to distinguish the truth from lies, illumine our minds from darkness with light and realize the oneness of energy in all living beings. It is believed that the spirits of our ancestors return on the night of Diwali and the fireworks are an offering to their spirits.

There isn’t ever a dessert course in a traditional Indian cuisine. Sweets and other sweet things are served alongside and in some regional cuisines they are eaten at the start of a meal. It is good to have some of these sweet treats as part of your repertoire so you can create an authentic Indian dining experience.

Coconut barfi

INGREDIENTS

1 and a ½ cups sugar (frozen is fine)

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MUSHROOM PIE

Pies (the meat kind I mean) could very easily be the national dish of New Zealand. I don’t know how true this statistic is, but on an average every New Zealander eats 17 pies a year. I don’t know who is eating our family’s share!!! I have never come across a vegetarian pie that looks good enough to make me want to try. So I have been on a quest to develop a vegetarian pie that is bursting with flavour and I think I have just the recipe for you.

This mushroom pie is so delicious and using dried as well as fresh mushrooms makes it yummy and flavourful. This is great as a family meal or you could do individual ones as a first course for a dinner party. I used store bought butter puff pastry (Edmonds) but you could just as easily make your own with a bit of planning.

Mushroom pie

INGREDIENTS

750g butter puff pastry

5-10g dried mushrooms (like porcini)

125ml boiling water

60g butter

1 leek, finely sliced into half moons

1 small carrot, finely diced

1 stick celery, finely diced

1 sprig thyme

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ASIAN FLAVOURED PRAWN CAKES

All through South East Asia as well as in India, little patties or cakes are made from minced sea food be it fish, prawns or a combination. These are most often served as a snack or an appetizer. They are so moreish I often tell myself I should have made more!! Three are never enough!!

When you make with fish, use any firm white fish fillets. I often buy a big pack of prawn meat offcuts from the freezer section and use the off cuts to make these cakes.

Asian Flavoured Prawn Cakes

INGREDIENTS

400g prawn meat

2 shallots, finely chopped

A handful of coriander leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped

2 green chillies, chopped

1 tsp mayonnaise

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CHEESE & ONION SCONES

If I remember correctly, it was Christmas break 1990– we went to Thames and it rained every day. The most memorable part of that trip was eating cream and jam filled scones straight from the oven with a cup of tea. I know some scones are just so stodgy and tough – this could be because of overmixing. My daughter is somewhat of an expert in scone making and she reckons I taught her but I’ve never made scones until now. In fact, my daughter kind of showed me her technique which I will share with you.

Cheese and onion is a classic combination if you ask me. I always like to add a touch of cayenne to make them extra savoury. Use a sharp tasting cheese like cheddar. You can easily double the recipe if you are making for a crowd.

Cheese & Onion Scone

INGREDIENTS

3 onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons oil, for frying the onions

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups grated cheddar or tasty cheese, plus extra for topping

300ml milk plus extra for brushing on top

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BLACK BEAN QUESADILLAS

Quesadillas are very popular with kids and adults alike. They are easy to put together and we love these vegetarian options for a quick weekend lunch. You can use a flat grilled sandwich press or do it old school, in a pan. If you use the pan method, use a spatula to press down firmly.

Bean quesadillas

INGREDIENTS

2 x 400g canned black beans, drained and rinsed well

100g red onions finely chopped

100g corn kernels

150g grated melting cheese

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