Vegetable Curry

VEGETABLE CURRY
I was looking for inspiration for a fantastic thick chunky vegetarian curry recipe,   but none particularly appealed to me,  So, once again, I fell back on my own inspiration and wanting of good healthy food.   I ended up with this wonderful recipe, which I use regularly and adapt according to what's in season.  Perfect for a cold rainy evening.  It is Vegan, and Gluten Free,  and only uses one pot (bonus!).  I hope you love it as much as my family does.

Vegetarian Curry

Elderflower and Lemon Cordial

My elderberry tree (Sambucus nigra) in my veggie garden is a mass of flowers this year.  What better way to use them up, than by making an Elder-Flower cordial - oh so refreshing for our hot climate.

Dukkah Spice

Guests of ours recently spoilt us, with making this most wonderful spice.  They very kindly shared the recipe, which is based on the traditional Egyptian Dukkah Recipe (but better!).  This is the most Fabulous spice is so deliciously yummy, I found myself sprinkling it in on almost everything, even just gobbling straight off my hand.

Dukkah spice

Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese

I usually do this dish as an accompaniment to a braai (barbecue).  There are more and more vegetarians out there these days, and the old fashioned South African idea of a braai consisting of only pap and vleis (meat) just isn't really an option any more.  It is always extremely popular and very YUM!

Granadilla condensed milk mousse

Perhaps you are more familiar with the name 'Passion Fruit'.  But I'm not... so Granadilla it is.... And my granadilla vine is overflowing with fruit at the moment.  All of which just has to get eaten.  This recipe is so easy and quick it can easily be done whilst cooking a main meal.  You know how good we all are at multi-tasking! Ha-ha!

Rich Tomato Lamb Stew

DELICIOUS RICH TOMATO LAMB STEW
Winter is on it's way sneaking into our normally warm Northern KZN climate.  Stews are a real winter warmer meal.   Thick, rich with loads of veg and healthy goodness.  I love a stew served the real South African way - which of course is with mielie 'pap' or 'putu' (maize meal - the stale diet of most South Africans), to soak up all that fab gravy.   A good stew takes some time, and it is best to relax, preferably with a glass of good red whilst whilst ambling about the kitchen.

Ingredients for the Stew
1 kg Stewing lamb pieces, trimmed of excess fat
Black Pepper, milled
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp (5ml) Garlic, crushed
1/2 caspium Red Pepper, chopped
1 stick Celery, chopped
1 tsp (5ml) Brown Sugar
200ml Red wine
200ml Beef Stock
2 Tbls (30ml) Tomato Paste
6 Tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tsps (10ml) fresh Rosemary, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tsps (10ml) fresh Oregano, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp (2,5ml) Smoked paprika
1 Tbls (15ml) Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbls (15ml) Fresh lemon juice
1 Carrot, chopped
2 Baby marrows (zucchini), chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method for the Stew:
- Put meat into a heavy based pot, grind black peeper over it and brown the meat slowly over a lowish heat.  I find I don't need any extra oil, as the meat supplies it's own fat.  But you may need a dash, depending on the meat.
- Add the onions once the meat starts browning, cook until onions are translucent
- Add the garlic, red pepper and half the celery, cook for a few minutes.
- add the sugar, red wine, beef stock and tomato paste.
- Add the chopped tomatoes herbs, spices, and vinegar.  Simmer on low heat for about 1 and 1/2 hours.
- Add the lemon juice carrots, marrow, salt and pepper.  Simmer for about another 45 minutes until meat is tender, and liquid has reduced to a nice rich gravy.

Tips:
* I love my stew sprinkled with just a dash of cayenne pepper. Try it, it brings out all the flavour.
* For the mielie pap recipe go here
* also great served with mashed potato or rice.

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Real Coake
Fresh Eggs Daily

Mielie Pap

MEILIE 'PAP' or 'PUTU'
This is the staple diet of the majority of South African's, made from maize meal, which is ground up dried corn.  It is also the most popular side dish at a braai (barbeque) in Africa.  SA Kids and adults love it!  It is usually served with a tomato and onion relish or gravy.  Or served with a stew, to soak up all that delicious gravy.  It is even eaten for breakfast with milk and sugar as a porridge.

  

Mielie pap topped with Tomato relish and melted cheese

Ingredients for the Pap (Maize meal)
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/2 tsp (2,5ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) maize meal 
1 Tbls (15ml) butter
Optional extras: 
1 x tin sweetcorn
1 x tsp Crushed Garlic
1 x 400g Tin Tomato and onion mix 
200g grated cheddar cheese

Method:

* Put the water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to the boil.
* Optional:  You can add a tin of sweetcorn at this stage, or a teaspoon of garlic.

* Turn to a low heat once boiling and immediately add in the butter and the maize meal. Don't wait for the water to cool. Mix to combine.

* Adjust with extra water or maize meal to the consistency of your liking.  I like it the same consistency as mashed potato.  
* Optional:  Smooth off the top of the pap in the pot.  and smooth over a tin of tomato and onion mix. cover with grated cheese. 

* Leave to cook covered on a low heat for about 30 minutes.  Turn the heat right down so it stays warm,  it can stay like this for ages until the braai / bbq is done

* Serve hot

Preparation:  5 minutes
Cooking:  30 minutes
Serves:  8 as a side dish
(All Approximates)

Maize meal

Tips and Suggestions:

* For a braai / bbq side dish I add a tin of tomato and onion sauce to the top of the pap (don't mix it in), and grated cheese on top of that.  this melts over the top, so as you spoon out the pap you get a bit of pap with tomato and onion and melted cheese - mmmm... delicious
* Mix in a tin on sweetcorn to the water just before mixing in the pap for some extra decadence
* Also wonderful for breakfast (like a porridge),  Add some extra milk when cooking, so it is a bit more of a sloshy mix.  Scoop out some made pap into a bowl, and add milk and honey
* For more fabulous ideas and conversions have a look at my Yummy Food index page
* Please comment and share your ideas.

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Chilli Tamarillo Jam

STICKY SWEET CHILLI and TAMARILLO JAM
My garden is full of little bell peppers (like Pepperdews), Chillis and my Tamarillo tree is drooping Tamarillos.  So what better way than to utilize them all in a sweet chilli jam.  You can substitute the Tamarillos for tomatoes if you like.  It is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients
1 Cup (250ml) Tamarillos, skinned and chopped.
1 Cup (25ml) peppers, chopped. ( I used a mix of sweet caspium peppers and chilli peppers)
1 Tbls (15ml) Garlic, crushed.
2 Cups (500ml) Sugar.
1/2 Cup (125ml) White grape vinegar
1 Tbls (15ml) Dark Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbls (30ml) Freshly squeezed lemon Juice
1/2 tsp (5ml) Salt

Method
- Put all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan
- Keep on a low heat stirring occasionally until all the sugar has turned to liquid.
- Turn up slightly and simmer for about 45 minutes until the jam turns syrupy.
- Test a bit on a spoon, the cooled liquid on the spoon must be thickish and syrupy  but it will thicken even more on cooling.
- Sterilize a jar in boiling water, and pour the warm jam into the jars.

Tips:
- Makes about 2 cups of jam
- will keep for about a month or so in the fridge
- Can substitute tomatoes for the Tamarillos


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Potato Chips

CRUNCHY POTATO CHIPS

Every now and then I just love fried potato chips (or french fries).  I'm not really fond of 'shlap' chips that they serve in fast food places - seriously - those are just so not cooked enough.  In my opinion they need to be a lovely golden brown and a bit crispy.  This is my recipe that works perfectly every time.  Easy, simple and yummy.  if the peels on the potatoes are nice - leave them on.  

Ingredients:

Potatoes, (work on about 2 potatoes per person)

A generous sprinkling of salt

sunflower oil (enough to just cover the potatoes)

paprika

Method:

- Put the oil in a deep pan to heat up

- Slice the potatoes thinly in sticks.

- Sprinkle the raw potato chips with salt (this is the trick to their crunchiness)

- Check that the oil is hot enough by putting one potato stick in the oil.  It must frizzle and rise to the surface.

- Add all the raw potato chips, carefully one handful at a time.

- Turn the whole lot over a couple of times to brown all over.  Don't turn too often or too soon, else they turn to mush.

- Drain on newspaper

- Sprinkle with more salt, and paprika

Tip:

You can re-use the sunflower oil a few times. I put mine in a large glass jar and store it in the fridge, until the next chip craving comes along

Brinjal Jam

STICKY BRINJAL JAM

This recipe comes from my friend Nadia.  It is super easy, yummy with cheese, and lasts for about 2 weeks or so in the fridge.  The recipe uses palm sugar, but you can substitute this for normal light brown sugar.  Palm sugar can be purchased at a Chinese food store.

Ingredients

2 to 3 Brinjals, sliced into thin rounds (about 250g)

5ml (1tsp) cumin seeds

5ml (1tsp) Mustard seeds (I used yellow mustard seeds)

1 Chilli, halved long-ways and seeds removed

250ml (1 cup) balsamic vinegar

125g palm sugar, grated

Method

- Grind the cumin & mustard seeds with a pestle & mortar

- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan.

- Simmer for about 30 minutes, until vinegar reduces and it is thick and syrupy. 

- Cool, and chill until required.   

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My Snippets of Inspiration

Herb Peppers and Lemon salt

HERB, PEPPERS and LEMON SALT
I love doing different salts to sprinkle over a fresh garden salad, or pasta, or whatever you fancy really.  They look fab and fancy on the table.  And are really easy to make.  I am fortunate enough to have the most wonderful herb garden,  (but you could also add dried herbs towards the end).  Use whatever herbs you got available to you.
The herb mix I used was:  Rosemary, Marjoram, Parsley, Vietnamese coriander, Chives, Mint, and Lemon basil.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh herbs 
1/2 cup different peppers (chili, Caspium, pepper-dew)
1 teaspoon grated lemon or lime peel
1 cup Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Method
- Cut and chop up the herbs and peppers finely.
- Mix everything together and place in a baking tray (don't grease)
- Bake in a low oven at 80 degrees C for 1 hour 20min.  Stirring occasionally

The Finished Product:
It will keep for a long time (up to a year) in a pantry, as salt acts as a natural preservative

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Veggie Gobbler
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Frugal Foodie Mama
Cookin' for the Seven Dwarfs
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This Chick Cooks

Marula Liqueur

MARULA LIQUEUR
Notes:
Marulas drop like crazy off the trees in December, January.  And what better way than to make your own Liqueur.  I am not particularly fond of the creamy version of this drink as found in shops. as the actual marula flavour is lost ad-mist the cream.  This recipe however is just fab!

Ingredients:800g Marulas
750ml Vodka
5ml Fenugreek
4 Whole All spice
500g (625ml) Sugar
650ml Water
Method:
Peel the Marulas.
Place the Marulas, Vodka, fenugreek, and all spice in a clean, dry glass or earthenware container with a tight fitting lid. 
Leave to stand in a warm spot for 3 weeks. Shake every morning and evening.
Pour the mixture 1st through a clean dry sieve and then strain through 2 layers of cheesecloth. Set aside.
Mix the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pot, stir over low heat until the sugar has melted. Bring to the boil and boil for 17 minutes.
Remove the syrup from the stove and leave to cool.
Mix the Syrup with the Marula mixture.
Pour the liqueur into dry sterilized bottles, cork, seal and mark. Store for 1 month before use.

Cape Velvet Liqueur

CAPE VELVET LIQUEUR
Notes:
Oh so easy, and so much more tastier than the bought version.

Ingredients:
397g Tin of condensed Milk
410g Tin of Evaporated Milk
300ml Brandy
10ml Instant Coffee
10ml Glycerine  (available from a chemist)
Method:
Mix all the ingredients for at least 10mins in a food processor or liquidizer.
Pour the Liqueur into bottles. 
Refrigerate for a day before use.

Basic method for making liqueurs

BASIC METHOD FOR MAKING LIQUEURS

Method:
Weigh the clean, peeled & stoned fruit. The nuts (pip) and the sugar.
Place the fruit & spices or herbs in a clean, dry glass or earthenware container with a tight fitting lid.
Add the alcohol, mix well & close.
Leave to stand in a warm, sunny spot indoors. 
Shake regularly to spread the flavour of the ingredients.
1st pour the fruit alcohol mixture through a clean sieve & then through a cheesecloth pegged firmly to the edges on a glass bowl. The aim of this procedure is to clarify the liqueur.
Pour the sugar, water or wine into the heavy bottomed pot and heat at a low temperature whilst stirring. Then bring to boiling point and boil until the syrup has the right consistency. 
Remove from the stove.
Leave the syrup to cool. 
Add the flavoured alcohol to the cold syrup. 
Pour the liqueur into sterilized bottles, cork and seal. 
Store and leave to mature according to the instructions. This improves the flavour.

Easy Ice Cream

EASY ICE CREAM
Notes:
This recipe was handed to me (after much coaxing and nagging) from a friend of mine that run's the most fabulous restaurant.  She added the most weird and unusual flavours to her ice cream, like chilli, and even wasabi.  My favourite is adding a tin of caramel with grated lemon rind.  But play - be arty!

Ingredients:
6 Egg whites
500ml cream
1 tin condensed milk
Method:
Beat egg whites till stiff
Mix together cream and condensed milk.
Add other ingredients at this point (Chocolate, orange, caramel, etc.)
Fold egg whites into mixture.
Freeze.

Chocolate Sauce

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Notes:
Serve hot over ice cream.  
This is one of those recipes that has been handed down in the family for years.  It keeps in the fridge for ages, and gets better, stickier and yummier with age.  This is by far the best chocolate sauce I have ever tasted.  

Ingredients:
½ cup Sugar
½ cup Cream
¼ cup Butter
Pinch Salt
¼ cup Cocoa
⅓ cup Syrup
60g Dark Chocolate
½ tsp Vanilla Essence
Method:
Heat ingredients over low heat stirring well until just starting to boil.
Remove from stove and add vanilla.

Curried Butternut Soup

SPICY BUTTERNUT SOUP
Notes:
This is by far one of the best (and easiest) butternut recipes I have ever made.  The addition of the curry powder enhances the flavour of the soup.  Just divine!  You could also substitute pumpkin for the butternut.

Ingredients:
1 Tbls Spoon Olive oil
20g Butter
2 Onions,  Sliced and chopped
1 kg (or so) Butternut, skinned, pips removed, and cubed 
2 Apples, cored, peeled and cubed
1/2 Tbls (7.5ml) Curry Powder
1 and 1/2 litres vegetable Stock
Salt and Black Pepper to taste.
Method:
- Cut the butternut into 3cm cubes.
- Fry the onions in the oil and butter in a large saucepan until translucent.
- Add the curry powder, apple and the butternut.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer covered for about 30 minutes until tender.
- Puree with a food processor, or stick blender
- Season to taste.
Serves 8-10

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Wheat free bread

WHEAT FREE FLOUR MIX

Notes:
Make a wheat-free flour mixture to use instead of wheat flour in all recipes.  Almost all these ingredients you will find at a health shop
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Rice Flour
1 cup Potato Flour
1 cup Tapioca Flour
¼ cup Corn Flour  (Maizena - if you live in SA)
¼ cup Chickpea Flour
2 Tablespoons Xanthan Gum  


WHEAT FREE BREAD
Ingredients:
3 cups Wheat free flour mix
500ml Plain Low Fat yoghurt
1 ½ teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Mixture of seeds and nuts (optional)
Method:
- Mix all Ingredients well.
- Place the dough in a well buttered loaf tin and bake at 180°C for 1 ¼ hours.