Ingredients
6 large potatoes cut into bite size pieces
Salt
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
Olive oil
Method
Heat the oven to 220C.
In a large saucepan, add the potatoes, turmeric and salt to taste and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain.
In a bowl combine all the ingredients and enough oil to coat the potatoes. Line an oven tin with baking paper. Add the potatoes, preferably in a single layer, and roast for about 40 minutes in the oven until crispy.
Serve with a curry and some bread.
Ingredients
600g of flour, plain or wholemeal
Olive oil
1 teaspoon of salt
Warm water
Method
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, then add a splash (no more than a tablespoon) of oil. Add the water slowly and combine with a spatula or with your hands. Keep adding water (it should take just under a cup) until you have a stiff but workable dough. Remove to a work surface and knead until fully dough-like, then coat in flour, place in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth for about 30 minutes (longer is fine).
Divide the dough into 6 to 8 pieces and roll into balls. On a lightly floured surface roll out the balls into flat disks.
In a large flat pan, heat a small amount of oil over a medium flame until it is obviously hot. Add one chapati and cook for a bout a minute, then turn and cook the other side. Remove, add a little more oil and continue until all the chapatis are cooked.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons of oil (e.g. grapeseed)
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 small onion, halved and sliced into strips lengthwise
1 fresh green chilli, seeds removed, sliced into long thin strips OR 2 dried red chillies, whole
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1.5cm cube of fresh ginger, grated
1/2 a small white cabbage, sliced into thin strips
1/3 cup of frozen peas
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
salt to taste
Method
In a wok, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and when they start to 'pop' add the onions and chilli. After 2 minutes add the garlic and ginger. Toss gently until the onions start to brown. Then add the cabbage and peas. Stir to coat the cabbage with the oil and onions, then add the coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and soy sauce. Reduce the heat to low and sautee, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes of until the cabbage reaches your preferred balance of cooked versus crunchy. Add salt if required.
Serve as a side dish to curry, with brown basmati rice or with a chapati or paratha.
Ingredients
1 large onion, finely diced
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
2 mushrooms, finely chopped
1 slice of smoked ham, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
Olive oil
Salt
500g of minced pork or beef
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons of red wine
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
5 leaves of basil roughly torn (or 1/2 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs)
Method
Over a low to medium heat add olive oil to a large pot - enough to cover the bottom. Add the onions, celery, mushrooms, ham and garlic and fry, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables are soft and slightly browned. At the same time, add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan. Fry the minced meat until cooked. Throw away any excess oil that collects in the frying pan.
Add the minced meat to the vegetable and ham mixture and reduce the heat to low. Add the canned tomatoes, the wine and the soy sauce. Put some water in the empty tomato can, about 1/3 of a can, to get any remaining juice out. Add the water to the sauce and stir. Once the sauce comes to a boil, cover the pot with a lid (or some tin foil) and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook slowly, stirring often, until the chunks of tomato have dissolved into the sauce.
Add the basil shortly before serving and salt to taste and stir through.
Serve with spaghetti.
Any remaining sauce can kept in the refrigerator and used for a second dish. E.g. Add to cooked pasta (e.g. fusilli or penne) in an oven proof dish, cover in cheese and cook at 180C fan forced for 25 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
For the curry paste
2 tablespoons of cumin
1 tablespoon of coriander
1 large dried chilli
1 tablespoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
2cm cube of ginger roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 tablespoons of orange juice (or 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar)
2 tablespoons (1/2 a handful) of fresh coriander leaves
For the curry
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 onion chopped
1 can of coconut milk
1 cauliflower cut into florets
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup of frozen peas
4 tablespoons (a handful) of chopped fresh coriander leaves
METHOD
Put all the curry paste ingredients into a blender and make a grainy paste.
In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil, then add the onions and fry over a medium heat until soft.
Add the curry paste and continue to fry for a further minute until the fragrances are released.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer, lowering the heat.
Add the cauliflower and cover the pan, simmering until the cauliflower is half cooked (5 mins or so)
Add the chick peas and the green peas, remove the cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Serve over rice (I like basmati rice with this dish) and sprinkle with the chopped coriander.
We have a glut of oranges from the garden this year (2018) so I decided to have a go at an orange sponge cake. Couldn't believe how easy this was!
Ingredients
3 oranges. Grate off the zest and juice the oranges
For the sponge cake
1&1/2 cups of self raising flour
3/4 cup of caster sugar
2 tablespoons of orange zest
125g of softened butter (approx 1 cup)
1/4 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of milk
2 eggs
For the icing
1&1/2 cups of icing sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest
2 tablespoons of orange juice
50g of softened butter (approx 1/3 cup)
Method
Heat oven to 180C fan forced (200C no fan)
Combine all the ingredients for the sponge cake and whisk until smooth (3 - 5 mins)
Turn into a lightly greased 20cm round cake tin (I used silicone for this one as its easier to remove after cooking). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.
Combine all the ingredients for the icing and whisk until smooth (1 - 2 minutes). When the cake is fully cooled, spread the icing evenly on to the top of the cake.
