Rendang Curry

This is one way to kill 2 birds with one stone.

I am going to use one curry paste to cook a beef and a vegetarian rendang.

Paste
In a blender combine

2 red onions
5 garlic cloves
2 tsp grated ginger
2 chillies
lemon grass stalks (white part only)

Heat in some oil until fragrant and then add
2tbs ground cumin
2tbs ground coriander
2tsp tumeric
1 tbs tamarind paste or lime juice
1tbs brown sugar or palm sugar if you have it
Then add coconut cream

This needs to be reduced slowly over about 1-2 hours


For the vegetarian version I added diced beetroot and diced eggplant

Diced beef was used for the meat eaters version

Spinach and Feta Slice

This idea comes from Super Food Ideas, a cheap little magazine that often has clever ideas, well worth checking out.

Ingredients 

• 1 Loaf wholemeal bread
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1 packet frozen spinach
• 200g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 thickened cream

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 4cm deep, 16cm x 26cm (base) slab pan.
2.  I didn't do any of this I just layered it. Cut eight 1.5cm-thick slices from loaf. Using a rolling pin, roll out each slice until 5mm thick. Spray both sides with olive oil.
3. Use sliced bread to line pan, overlapping bread slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly toasted.
4. Meanwhile, place half the spinach in a microwave-safe dish. Cover. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until just wilted. Drain. Repeat with remaining spinach. Using your hands, squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Roughly chop.
5. Arrange spinach evenly over bread base. Top with feta and onion. Using a fork, beat eggs, cream and salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Pour over spinach mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Cut into slices and serve.

Potato, carrot and eggplant Curry

This is a curry I through together to use up a few leftover vegetables.

Start by melting 1 tablespoon of ghee in some vegetable oil.
Fry a nice masala mix (powdered garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander, cumin)

Add
4 diced potatoes
1 sliced onion
A handful of baby carrots
2 diced eggplants
Coat all ingredients with oil and masala powder
Add water till just about covered

Toss in a handful of red lentils

Cover and simmer until potatoes are cooked

If it needs thickening mix water and becan flour and stir through.

Creamy Chicken Casserole

In a fry pan with a little olive oil sauté
1 sliced leek
2 cloves of garlic
150gms of sliced mushroom
When softened remove from pan
add a little more oil if needed
Diced chicken pieces
Several pieces of diced bacon
Brown the chicken, I used diced thigh fillet
Season salt, pepper, tarragon and chilli powder
Deglaze with white wine
Add a can of cream of chicken soup.
Top with cheese

Place in a casserole dish and cook for 25-30mins at 180c

Serve with pasta and garlic bread. I mixed the pasta into this one.

Beetroot Curry

This one comes from My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita. Always loving beetroot I thought this one look very interesting.

Ingredients

1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 green chilli
1 5cm piece pandan
1 sprig curry leaves
½ kilo beetroots, tops removed, peeled and cubed
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt
1 cinnamon sticks, washed and broken up
2 tbsp ghee
Oil
1 tsp sugar
3 tsp white vinegar
300ml coconut milk
100ml coconut cream, plus extra to serve

Preparation

Place the beetroot, chilli powder, coriander, salt and cinnamon sticks chilli, pandans leaves and curry leaves in a bowl and set aside

Heat the oil in a separate pot over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Fry until translucent, stirring occasionally

Add the beetroot mixture, sugar and vinegar and stir to combine.

Add the coconut milk and leave to cook for 50-75 minutes, or until the gravy has reduced. To test if the curry has completely cooked, stick a knife through a piece of beetroot. It should fall apart quite easily but still have a slight crunch to it.

Check the taste of the curry. If there is too much vinegar, add a bit more sugar to balance it.

Add the coconut cream and stir to combine. Leave to cook until the sauce is thick and glossy.

Remove from heat and serve with a little extra coconut cream drizzled over the top.

Pistachio Dip

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• 50g (about 1 slice) day-old crusty bread, crusts removed, torn
• 215g (1 1/2 cups) pistachio kernels
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs Greek-style no fat natural yoghurt
• 125ml (1/2 cup) water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Blend all of the above in a blender, goes well with seafood.

Muhammara Dip

• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 3 red capsicums (or roasted capsicum in a jar)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup (50g) walnuts
• 1 tbs molasses or golden syrup
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tsp sumac (see note), plus extra to sprinkle
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1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Rub 2 teaspoons oil over the capsicums. Place on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes or until soft. Turn off the oven and leave for a further 20 minutes until skins are wrinkled.
3. Place capsicums in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then cool for 10 minutes. Halve, then remove skin and seeds.
4. Place capsicum, garlic, nuts, molasses, lemon juice, cumin, chilli and 2 tbs oil in a food processor and grind until a coarse puree. Season with salt and pepper.

Chick Peas and Greek Yogurt Dip

• 400g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
• salt and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Place chickpeas in a food processor or blender with 1 tablespoon warm water and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, pour olive oil in a thin, steady stream and process until smooth.
2. Remove chickpea mixture from the processor and fold through yoghurt, coriander, salt and cracked black pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Serve drizzled with a little olive oil with toasted pita bread 

Bean and Chilli Dip

This is a morning tea dip for work.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 long red chillies, finely chopped
• 300g can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
•  corn chips, to serve

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add chilli. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Add beans, tomato, tomato paste and 2/3 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stand for 15 minutes.
3. Place half the bean mixture in a processor. Process until almost smooth. Add processed mixture to remaining bean mixture. Stir to combine. 

Tamatar Bhatkalikura (Tomato curry with coconut, spinach and eggplant)

In a pan
Temper 1 tsp mustard seed and three chopped red chilli

Saute 2 sliced onions
500gms diced tomatoes
1 diced eggplant
Diced spinach, stalks as well
6 curry leaves
2tsp crushed garlic
500mls of water
Reduce then add
2tsp turmeric
3tps ground coconut
Cover until all vege has softened

Serve with rice and Indian sides

Glamorgan Sausages

Well it goes without saying I didn't follow the recipe, mainly because I had no access to the cheese.

Ingredients

• 175-200g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 150 g Caerphilly cheese or lancashire cheese, crumbled or grated (I used grated cheddar and parmesan)
• half a leek or 6 spring onions, very finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• half tsp thyme, leaves only
• black pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp English mustard or Dijon mustard
• 2-3 tbsp milk (needs a lot more milk than this)
• 45 g butter or 3 tbsp sunflower oil

Method

1. Mix together 150g of the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the cheese, leek or spring onion, parsley, thyme and plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper, blending well. 

2. Beat the eggs with the mustard. Set aside 2 tablespoons of this mixture and stir the remaining egg mixture into the breadcrumb mixture. If it seems a little dry add a touch of milk to help bind it together without making it sloppy. 

3. Divide the mixture into eight and shape each portion into a sausage about 2.5cm thick. Put the reserved egg and mustard mixture into a shallow bowl and spread the remaining breadcrumbs onto a plate. One by one dip the sausages into the egg mixture and coat in the crumbs. If you have time, chill the sausages in the fridge for at least half an hour to firm up. 

4. To fry the sausage, heat the butter or oil in the frying pan and fry the sausages briskly for about 5 minutes until brown, reduce the heat and fry for a further 3-4 minutes. 

5. To grill, preheat the grill. Drizzle the sausages with a little melted butter or oil and grill the sausages under a pre-heated grill until well browned on all sides, turning frequently.

Andhra Tamarind Vegetable Curry

Ok not sure if I can really call this by its true name, I have taken a number of liberties with the recipe. It was nice and this is what I did.

Heat 2tbs sesame oil (I know but its authentic)
Add
1tsp black mustard seed
.5 tsp fenugreek powder
1tsp asafoetida powder
1tsp dried red chilli flakes
2tsp curry leaves
When the seeds start to pop
Add
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbs brown sugar
1tsp turmeric
2tsp grated ginger
300 mls of water

Now dice the vege, I used (I think you could add whatever vegetables you have on hand)
2 eggplants
1 butternut squash
2 diced chillies
2tbs red lentils
Place a lid on and leave to simmer until vegetables are soft

Then whisk  125mls of water with 1 tbs of besan flour
Add to curry stir and heat

Serve with rice and desired Indian condiments

Pepper and Egg Stew

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• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
• 2 pinches saffron
• 400gm tin crushed tomatoes
• 1 each red, yellow (I left this one out, way too expensive) and green capsicums chopped
• 1 hot chilli finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4  eggs

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them fry gently for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, or until soft and golden.
2. Add the garlic and capsicums and continue to cook over a low heat for at least 20 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft and wilted. Add the paprika, crumble in the saffron, then add the tomatoes and some salt and pepper. Cook gently, stirring from time to time, for 10–15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°c.
3. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if necessary.  Make 4 hollows in the surface and carefully break an egg into each one. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the egg white is set and the yolk still just runny.

Vegetarian Oven Roast

Well its cooked in the oven, so its baked. Sort of.

In a fry pan heat 3tbs oil and 50gms butter

Saute in this mix
1 sliced leek
1 halved and sliced red onion
1 sliced red capsicum
150gms diced swiss mushroom
50gms diced oyster mushrooms
400gm tin of cannelloni beans
2 sliced garlic cloves
3cm grated ginger
2tsp mustard
1 cup vegetable stock
Thicken with a tbs of flour
Season with salt, pepper, chilli flakes dried tarragon

Separately cook a handful of diced Dutch carrots

Combine in a baking dish
Add a generous handful of grated cheese
Stir through 300gms of cream
Top with panco bread crumbs and bake until golden

Oven Baked Eggplant

Brenda loves eggplant so this is another dish for her.

Cut an eggplant into halves.
Scoop out the flesh and dice roughly.

Fill with Sauce and top with diced eggplant
Drizzle with olive oil
Cover with grated cheese

Oven bake until golden

Sauce

• olive oil
• 2–3 shallots, or 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 150–200g diced tomatoes
• 400g tin beans, such as borlotti, pinto or butter beans, drained and rinsed
• Bunch of coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp hot smoked paprika

Saute until reduced and thick

Stuffed Peppers

• 2 large capsicum or bull peppers
• 1 olive oil
• 2–3 shallots, or 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 150–200g diced tomatoes
• 400g tin beans, such as borlotti, pinto or butter beans, drained and rinsed
• Bunch of coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
• 1tsp hot chilli flakes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional crumbled goats cheese

For the garlicky yoghurt (optional)

• 6 tbsp plain (full-fat) yoghurt or soured cream
• ½ garlic clove, crushed

Method

1. Preheat the grill to high. Lay the chillies on a baking tray and grill, turning from time to time, until the skins begin to char. Leave until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away the skins, taking care to keep the chillies whole. Cut around and remove the stalks and
2. Cut a flap of flesh to form a ‘lid’. Carefully scrape out all the seeds and membranes from inside the chillies and lids, and tip out any juice.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, then gently sauté the shallots or onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Dice the tomatoes. Simmer for a minute or two to reduce slightly. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the drained beans to the pan and roughly mash some of them with a fork, so they break up a little – don’t overdo it, you want plenty of them to stay whole. Add the chopped coriander, cumin, chilli and paprika, mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the mixture carefully into the chillies and top with the ‘lids’. Lay them in
5. a lightly oiled ovenproof dish and bake for 20 minutes.
6. While the chillies are in the oven, combine the yoghurt with the crushed garlic and some salt and pepper, if serving, and set aside.
7. Serve the stuffed chillies hot, with a spoonful of garlicky yoghurt if you like, and a crisp, green salad.