Category: RECIPES

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RAINBOW SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING

This is a very colourful and scrumptious salad that can be served on its own, or as a side dish to quesadillas or tacos. Poached chicken is optional.

For the Salad:

¼ small red cabbage

¼ small green cabbage

1 large carrot

3 or 4 pink table radishes

2 sticks celery, peeled and sliced

3 or 4 spring onions sliced

Handful of parsley roughly chopped

Handful of mint leaves sliced

½ cup sunflower seeds toasted (optional)

For the dressing:

4 tablespoons tahini

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons liquid honey

2 teaspoons salt

Freshly ground pepper

For poached chicken (you will need an instant read thermometer)

400 grams chicken breasts

2 -3 pods of garlic

1 teaspoon pepper corns

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 sprig of coriander or parsley stalk

If using poached chicken, prepare this first so chicken has time to cool. Place chicken in a deep sauce pan. Add enough cold water so the chicken is at least submerged 5 centimetres deep. Add the remaining ingredients. Put the sauce pan on gentle heat and check temperature has reached to 65 degrees Celsius at the thickest part of the breast. This normally should take about 10 -12 minutes depending on the size of pan and amount of water. Once the desired temperature has reached, remove chicken breasts and let cool completely on a plate before slicing on a diagonal.

Prepare the salad by finely slicing the cabbages and julienning the carrot and radish. I normally use a mandolin for this. Mix all the prepared salad vegetables and set aside in a large bowl as it yields about 12 cups or so. You can add the parsley and mint after dressing the salad.

For the dressing, mix all the dressing ingredients until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. Set aside.

Mix the dressing a little at a time with the salad vegetables and chicken if using (I normally take out enough for one time use and store the remaining vegetables in the refrigerator). Once the dressing is mixed in, I stir in the herbs and garnish with the toasted sunflower seeds on top.

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PUMPKIN & PEANUT CURRY

400 grams peeled and cubed pumpkin or butternut

1 x 400 grams can of coconut milk

2 cups water

½ cup red lentils rinsed

1 x 400 grams tin of chick peas drained and rinsed

1 red onion sliced

½ head cauliflower washed and cut into florets

Juice of one lime

Curry Paste

4 tablespoons peanut butter

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 red chilli finely chopped

To Serve:

3 tablespoons coriander leaves

35 grams toasted peanuts and sesame seeds

1 lemon cut into wedges

Silverbeet Rice:

4 silverbeet leaves washed and finely chopped removing the rib

4-5 spring onions finely chopped

2 cups Basmati rice rinsed

30 grams butter or ghee

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 x 5 centimetre cinnamon pieces

Salt to taste

For the curry:

Mix all ingredients for curry paste and set aside. You can thin by adding a couple of tablespoons of warm water.

Heat oil in a sauce pan. Fry pumpkin cubes, then add the lentils. Add a cup of water and after ten minutes, add sliced onion, chick peas and cauliflower florets. Increase heat, add the curry paste and coconut milk. Stir to combine and check amount of liquid – add more if necessary. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 15 -20 minutes making sure all vegetables are cooked to your liking. Finish off by adjusting seasoning. Serve immediately with the toppings or the silverbeet rice.

Silverbeet rice:

Heat half the butter (15 grams) in a large fry pan with a lid. When the butter is starting to froth, add the chopped silverbeet. Increase heat, add a half teaspoon salt and fry until the silverbeet is nicely wilted and partially cooked. Remove and set aside. Heat the remaining butter in the same pan. When frothing, add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. After frying about 20 seconds, add the rice and continue to fry so the rice is toasted (maybe about a minute or so). Add half a teaspoon salt and about three and three quarters cups of cold water. Stir, increase heat and cover with lid. Let it come up to the boil, reduce heat and cook without stirring for 15 minutes. Mix in the silverbeet, cover and let cook for a further minute. Once rice has blossomed and is cooked, stir in the spring onion and serve with the pumpkin and peanut curry.

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BROCCOLI SALAD WITH MISO DRESSING

1 large broccoli washed and trimmed into florets (the stems are sweet and tasty, just peel lightly)

For the Miso dressing

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon white miso paste

1 small garlic grated

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

¼ cup vegetable oil like canola

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the broccoli florets into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 6 minutes or less if you prefer the pieces crunchy, taking out after three minutes and giving the broccoli pieces a shuffle. Drain any liquid and set aside to cool.

Prepare the dressing in a large bowl by mixing the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. When the broccoli is warm to touch, pour in the dressing and mix well. Serve at room temperature. Serves four.

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TOFU PUDS

Tofu Puds

1 ripe banana

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 tablespoon honey

1 x 300 grams pack of soft tofu drained

Combine all ingredients and blend in a food processor. Pour into serving glasses. Garnish with fresh mint sprig or top with toasted nuts. Serves 2

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BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Blue cheese dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1 shallot (2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot)

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

½ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

100 grams of blue cheese crumbled

Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour and take out one hour before serving. Great with Cos lettuce or microwaved broccoli.

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EGGPLANT RAGU WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Eggplant Ragu with Creamy Polenta

Ragu

2 egg plants

1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes mashed up using your hand

5 plump garlic peeled and sliced

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

1 tablespoon plain flour

8-10 basil leaves

12 pitted black olives and roughly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of sugar

Creamy Polenta:

400 grams Instant Polenta

40 grams butter cubed

30 grams freshly Microplaned Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Cook the ragu first. Cube the eggplant (no need to peel). Sprinkle salt generously on the eggplant and let sit in a colander for at least an hour. Squeeze out all the water and dust pieces with the flour. Heat the olive oil in a deep enough sauce pan (one that you would use to make the sauce / ragu in) and fry the eggplant pieces in batches. Set aside. Once all the eggplant is fried, add the garlic to the oil taking care not to burn the garlic pieces. Once garlic gets a bit of colour and the fragrance is evident, add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, olives and some of the basil leaves saving a few for garnish. Add salt (may not need much as you have salted the eggplant), pepper and pinch of sugar. Stir to combine and let it come up to the boil. Mix in the eggplant pieces and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. The sauce should be rich and thick. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with creamy polenta or pasta.

Creamy polenta

Cook the polenta as per the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, stir in the butter mixing to avoid lumps. It should look smooth and creamy. Then stir in the microplaned parmesan. Taste and adjust salt according to your taste. Serve hot immediately.

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UPMA

Upma

This is a traditional South Indian (very popular in Andhra and Telangana) breakfast item. I have modified it and use bulgur instead of semolina.

Ingredients:

1 onion diced into 1 centimetre piece

1 large carrot diced into 1 centimetre piece

1 large potato diced into 1 centimetre piece

1 cup frozen peas

1.5 cups of bulgur

1 thumb size ginger finely chopped

1 – 2 green chillies (deseeded if you don’t want the heat) finely chopped

2 -3 sprigs of curry leaves washed

½ cup of cashew pieces roasted

3 tablespoons vegetable oil like canola

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1-2 dried red chilli cut into couple of pieces each

3 cups water from the kettle

2 teaspoons salt

½ large lemon or lime for serving

Method:

Heat oil in a large fry pan or saute pan (kadai). Add the mustard seeds and dried red chillies – you need to wait until mustard seeds sputter (about a minute or so – if you don’t allow the mustard seeds to sputter, they will be bitter). Then add the curry leaves. When you can smell the curry leaves frying add the onion. Allow the onions to fry, then add the green chilli and ginger. After thirty seconds, add the carrots, potatoes and peas along with the salt. Once the vegetables are all mixed in, add the water. Allow the vegetables to cook for about 5 minutes, add the bulgur in a steady stream mixing continuously so as no lumps are formed. Once all bulgur is incorporated, reduce heat to lowest setting and allow to cook for a further 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with a squeeze of lemon or lime along with the cashew pieces on top. Serves four.

Notes: You can add other vegetables like cauliflower, green pepper and or tomato.

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NASI GORENG

Nasi Goreng

6 cups of cold cooked white rice (I used Basmati)

1 large onion finely chopped

1 large carrot diced to 1 centimetre cubes

½ cup of frozen corn kernels

½ cup of frozen peas

4 plump cloves garlic minced or finely chopped

1 tablespoon medium curry powder

4 tablespoons vegetable oil like canola

½ to 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons ketjap manis

Salt to taste

4 x eggs fried to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a well-seasoned wok. Fry onions for 3 -4 minutes. Add the diced carrot and garlic and continue frying for a further three minutes. Now add the curry powder – continuing to fry for thirty seconds so the powder does not burn. Add the tomato paste, ketjap manis, chilli flakes if using, a couple of generous pinches of salt, the corn kernels and peas. Give it a stir and cover the wok with a lid for a minute. Break up the rice during the process of adding the rice to the wok. Continue frying until all the rice is thoroughly mixed and heated through (about five minutes). Serve hot with fried egg on top. (Serves 4)

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Char Kway Teow – Malaysian style rice noodles

This is typical Malaysian street food and for best results you need to cook individual serves. I normally prepare the tofu and have all my ingredients portioned out and ready to go, so cooking becomes a coordinated effort and is a breeze.

I suggested using fresh rice noodles but you can also use dried rice noodles about 1cm wide. Cook them first in boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes (refer to instructions on the packet) and refresh them several times in cold water so they don’t clump up together.

You can use any combination of protein – Chinese sausage, squid, prawns or just egg and tofu.

INGREDIENTS

90ml light soy sauce

45ml dark soy sauce

20ml oyster sauce

20ml fish sauce

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

Continue reading “Char Kway Teow – Malaysian style rice noodles”

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Vegetable Korma

Ingredients:

½ medium sized cauliflower cut into small florets

1 onion finely chopped

1 large carrot cut into 3 centimetre cubes

1 large potato cut into 3 centimetre cubes

1 small bunch of green beans cut into 3 centimetre pieces or 1 cup of frozen cut beans

½ cup frozen or fresh peas

½ cup natural yoghurt

60 grams blanched peanuts dry roasted and ground

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon sugar

1 hot green chilli

5 centimetre piece of ginger

6 plump garlic cloves

10 -12 thick coriander stalks roughly chopped

4 tablespoons vegetable oil like canola oil

Salt to taste

Steamed Rice or Roti or Pita Bread to serve

Method:

Using a mortar and pestle or a mixer, grind the ginger, garlic, green chilli and coriander stalks to a fine paste.

Heat oil in a large fry pan. When oil is sufficiently hot, throw in the cinnamon stick and fry for 30 seconds. Then add the finely chopped onion and fry for a minute. Add the cauliflower, carrot and potato pieces. Turn the heat to the highest setting and let them sizzle for two to three minutes. Clear a bit of space so you can see the bottom of the pan – now add the cumin, coriander, chilli and garam masala powders along with the pinch of sugar and salt. Incorporate the spice powders into the vegetables and continue frying for a minute. Now add the yoghurt and ground paste mixing everything so the spice paste adheres to the vegetables. Add a cup of water, mix, cover with lid and let cook for about 15 minutes. (The vegetables need to be just about done but not too mushy) Add the green beans and peas and continue cooking with the lid on for a further five minutes. Finally add the ground peanut powder. Give everything a good stir. Taste to adjust seasoning. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti or pita bread.