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SILKEN TOFU

A lot of people say they don’t like tofu. Ten years back that was me. The thing about tofu is that it has no flavour of its own and happily take on whatever flavour you throw at it. There are several types of tofu – silken, soft, firm, extra firm, marinated, etc.

For this dish, I took inspiration from Adam Liaw’s recipe. This is simple, easy and you can put it together in ten minutes.

Silken tofu

INGREDIENTS

300g silken tofu

75g onion, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped

3tbsps vegetable oil

1tsp sesame oil

2tsps soy sauce

Pinch of sugar

Finely chopped spring onion for garnish

METHOD

Invert the silken tofu onto two or three layers of kitchen paper while you work on the next step.

Put the vegetable oil on medium low heat in a small saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and fry on medium heat for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Mix in the soy sauce and pinch of sugar along with the sesame oil.

Discard the kitchen paper and unmould by inverting the silken tofu onto a serving platter. Spoon the onion mixture on top of the tofu and drizzle the liquid evenly onto the tofu. Garnish with the spring onions and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 as part of an Asian themed meal.

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TOMATO & CHEESE SCROLLS

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth – I prefer savoury stuff any day and these are perfect with a cup of coffee and great to take on a picnic.

You can use pesto or Branston pickles instead of tomato relish.

Tomato & cheese scrolls

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

400g strong bread flour

8g salt

7g instant dry yeast (contents of one packet)

15g olive oil

250ml water

Additional flour for dusting

FILLING

5-6 tbsps tomato relish

150g tasty or any sharp tasting cheese, grated

Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing

METHOD

Place flour, salt, yeast and oil in a large bowl and mix together. Add the water and using a wooden spoon, combine to form a dough mass. Tip dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 -15 minutes, resting it for 1 minute every 2-3 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a  warm place for approximately 45 minutes, until almost double in size.

Tip dough onto the work surface and gently deflate by folding it a few times. Return it to the bowl, cover and let rest again for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Tip one portion onto a well-floured work surface and roll out to about 30cm x 25cm.

Spread the tomato relish up to half way through your rolled out dough. Sprinkle the cheese to cover the relish. Gently roll the dough like you would roll a carpet. Using a sharp knife, cut cross-ways about 3 centimetre wide scrolls. You should get between 8 -10 scrolls. Lay them on the baking tray and cover with the kitchen towel. Let them prove for another 30 minutes. Repeat with the other portion.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush immediately with olive oil and place on a wire rack to cool.

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YOGHURT BAVAROIS WITH ROASTED NECTARINES

This is a delicious dessert and I have substituted most of the cream with yoghurt and hung yoghurt making it relatively light. To prepare 300 millilitres of hung yoghurt, spoon 600 millilitres of plain unsweetened yoghurt onto a muslin cloth. I tie mine overnight to the kitchen faucet and you have thick hung yoghurt by the time you wake in the morning.

The roasted nectarine recipe is adapted from Peter Gordon’s book “A World in My Kitchen”.

Yoghurt bavarois with roasted nectarines

BAVAROIS

50ml cream

10g gelatine mixed with a few spoons of tap water

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g castor sugar

300ml hung yoghurt (see notes below)

Continue reading “YOGHURT BAVAROIS WITH ROASTED NECTARINES”

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RED PEPPER & TOMATO SALAD WITH SAGANAKI

This red pepper salad is vibrant and elegant and complements not only this cheese entrée but also pan fried fish. You may want to see my dory fillets with this salad which I posted a few months back.

Red pepper and tomato salad with saganaki

FOR THE RED PEPPER SALAD

INGREDIENTS

2 large red peppers

2 medium sized tomatoes

1 medium sized red onion

12 Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons of capers

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

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NAAN – INDIAN FLAT BREAD

I do get a bit irked when people refer to these Indian flat breads as “Naan bread”. Naan implies it is a flat bread and there is no need to say naan bread, just as there is no need to say chai tea or roti bread.

Normally naan is baked in a tandoor (clay pot oven) but my recipe has been adapted for regular oven. Pizza stone or pizza steel works well but I had neither so just used baking trays.

This is a recipe that requires time for proving so allow yourself enough time.

Naan

INGREDIENTS

350g all-purpose flour

1tbsp butter, melted

10g instant yeast

1tsp baking powder

75g natural unsweetened yoghurt

60 -75ml milk

Couple of tablespoons of warm water

Salt to taste

Nigella seeds, garlic flakes to sprinkle

Melted butter to brush on cooked naan

Continue reading “NAAN – INDIAN FLAT BREAD”

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THIYYA PULUSU

I reckon every household in Andhra makes a variation of this dish. The word “Pulusu” denotes a sauce made with tamarind. Thiyya pulusu is mixed vegetables in a sweet and sour sauce. In Andhra Pradesh, it is served alongside plain dhal and rice. You can use any seasonal vegetables of your choice but the classic combination always includes pumpkin, kumara (sweet potato) and drumstick. You can use choko, eggplant, okra, beans, cooking melon, etc.

Thiyya Pulusu

INGREDIENTS

600g of mixed vegetables

1-2 green chillies, slit

30g tamarind soaked in warm water for 30 minutes

½ tsp turmeric powder

Sprig of curry leaves

30g jaggery or brown sugar

Continue reading “THIYYA PULUSU”

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APPLE CRUMBLE – everyone’s favourite humble crumble

The humble crumble is the quickest and easiest dessert you can make. It is a classic and no matter what the food trends are, I guarantee it will be popular.

Apple crumble with vanilla icecream

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE FILLING

1kg Braeburn, Granny Smith or Ballarat apples, peeled, cored and cut into a 2cm dice

½ cup raw castor sugar

2tbsps lemon juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2tsps corn flour

CRUMBLE TOPPING

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CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP (with no cream)

I hadn’t heard of pumpkin soup until I came to this country. In the late 80’s, sometimes pumpkins were given free and even now, thirty years later they are still wallet friendly and have loads of goodness in them.

I didn’t have a clue how to cut a pumpkin and had an accident on my first effort. I still have a scar on my left thumb to remind me how not to do it. If you are pumpkin challenged and you are preparing for soup, stick the piece in the microwave for a couple of minutes to soften the skin. This way peeling is safer!

There are several variations of pumpkin soup and this is a simple one using 4 ingredients and some spices.

Pumpkin soup

INGREDIENTS

1 – 1.2kg crown pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 3-4cm chunks

200g onions, chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled

75g red lentils, rinsed (one third cup)

Freshly grated nutmeg

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PRAWN SAMBAL

A little tangy, a little spicy and a little sweet is how I would describe a prawn sambal. The ready to use sambal pastes you get in the supermarket are a bland version of this Malaysian dish packed with punchy flavours. The recipe is straightforward and because the prawns don’t need a whole lot of time to cook, the dish comes together in 45 minutes.

Prawn Sambal

INGREDIENTS

For the sambal paste

30g tamarind pulp or 2 tablespoons tamarind puree

10 shallots

6-10 red chillies

5-6 (30g) garlic cloves

Continue reading “PRAWN SAMBAL”