Banana Puri With A Twist...

Banana Puri... Have you ever wondered how that name came about? I mean, considering that they have no bananas in them, nor do they even faintly resemble a banana!

These fragile  fried beauties are made of hundreds of layers of light as air pastry. Made, by layering thinly rolled out dough with ghee in between. After frying, they are left on a thick wad of paper for a day or two, until every last drop of oil has drained out. Once drained, they become beautifully crisp and feather light. They are then drizzled with some sugar syrup and decorated with pistachios or almond slivers.

When I made these last week, I knew that I that I wanted to do something a little bit different with them. Going through my note book, I came across an old Indian chaat recipe of my Mom's, that I hadn't made in a while, and I thought, why not? Since this chaat is usually served with some crisp puris anyway, I decided to experiment...Aaaaand I loved it!

For the pastry, you will need:

2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons cornflour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon solid ghee
1/2 cup cold milk
1/2 cup cold water


For layering, you will need:
1/2 - 3/4 cup melted ghee
1/2 cup cornflour


You will also need:
Flavorless vegetable oils for deep frying


Sift all the dry ingredients together. Rub in the ghee until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.combine the milk and water in a jug. Gradually add the milk/water until a stiff dough is formed. Knead lightly until the dough is smooth.  Cover with some plastic wrap and set aside for half an hour. Unwrap the dough and knead again. Divide into 6 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface, until it is really thin. (about 1mm)  Generously brush 1 round with some ghee, ensuring that no part of the dough has not been covered with the ghee. Sprinkle with some cornflour, and place another round of dough on top. Brush this layer with ghee, dust with cornflour, and continue to layer until all 6 layers are piled up. Do not brush any ghee on this layer. Roll out the layered dough into a large, thin rectangle. Ensure that the bottom of the dough is well floured, to prevent sticking. Now spread the top with some ghee, again be generous and ensure that the entire surface is covered. Sprinkle with some cornflour, and starting at the bottom short end, roll up into a
swissroll. Do not roll too tightly, as the layers will not puff up. Wrap the entire roll in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.

Place a thick layer of newspaper on a large baking sheet. Cover with several sheets of paper towel.

Heat the oil in a deep pot. I don't use a very large pot, since I prefer to fry the puris one at a time, but ensure  that your pot is large enough to allow the pastry to puff up.

Slice the swissroll into 2cm thick slices. Press down gently on each slice. The layers should be visible on the sides. Then, using a rolling pin,lightly roll out into long fingers. (To about 3mm thick). Heat the oil over a medium heat. Place the banana puri in the oil, and using a fork, gently prise the layers open. Fry until it is a very pale gold on one side, then carefully flip over and fry the other side.Drain in a colander for a few minutes, before transferring to the paper towel lined tray. Continue until all the pastries have been fried. Cover the banana puris with a few sheets of paper towel, and leave to drain for a few days. I leave mine for two days. You may need to replace the oil soaked paper with some fresh paper after a day.

SWEET VERSION:

For the Syrup, you will need:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over low heat. Do not stir! Simmer for about 15 -20 minutes, until the syrup has thickened slightly. set aside to cool.

Place the pastries on a serving plate, and drizzle each one with a tablespoon or two of syrup. Sprinkle with pistachios, or almonds. Serve...

SAVOURY VERSION:

3 medium potatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies, thinly sliced
6-8 curry leaves
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

Boil the potatoes in their jackets,until tender. Steam the corn. When potatoes are done, remove the skins and cut up into 1cm cubes. Place in a large bowl. add the steamed corn. Season with salt. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the remaining ingredients. Fry until the mustard seed stop spluttering. Pour over the potato and corn mixture. Stir gently to coat. Set aside.

You will also need:
A handful of baby tomatoes, halved
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
A handful mint leaves
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
4 tablespoons thick Greek yoghurt
1/2 cup sev
1 tablespoon chaat masala (I used the Shan brand)
Tamarind sauce (see below)
Green chutney


For the Tamarind sauce, you will need:
1/2 cup store bought tamarind paste
2 teaspoons sugar
A pinch of salt
A squeeze of lemon juice

Stir everything together.

For the coriander chutney, you will need:
1 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup white vinegar
5 green chillies
1 tablespoon dessicated coconut
salt to taste

In a blender, liquidise everything together.

To Assemble:

Place the Banana puri on a plate. (You will need 1 per person) Top with the potato mixture. Layer with the tomatoes, coriander, mint leaves and pomegranate seeds. Place a dollop of yoghurt over each puri. Sprinkle with the sev and the chaat masala. Serve with the tamarind sauce and the coriander chutney. Serve at once.

NOTE: Sev is a vermicelli-like crisp fried chickpea flour (gram flour) snack.  You can buy this at specialist Indian grocers or sweet shops.

A Bunny Chow To Remember...

A classic South African fast food dish, said to be created in the 1940's, Bunny chow originated in the Port city on Durban. Created by Indians during the apartheid regime, bunny chow was served to Zulu workers who were not allowed into Indian restaurants, due to racist legislation. They were served a takeaway curry inside a hollowed out  loaf of bread. Although the original curry was vegetable, 'bunnies' are now made with mutton, chicken, vegetable or beans. 

I know that this may be unusual for a South African, but I have never eaten a bunny chow before. Somehow the idea of a curry stuffed into a stodgy loaf of bread has never held any appeal for me. Whilst I enjoy a good curry once in a while, I could not see myself eating it out of a loaf of bread! 

that is until last week, when I decided to make these mini bunnies... My version uses home made buns, filled with a creamy chicken and potato curry, and topped of with a sweet and tangy salad and some minty yogurt.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a book called To the Banqueting House by Anna Trapido and Fathi Reinarhz

Batter Buns:
500 grams flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup  sugar
1 sachet (10 grams) instant yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup warm water
Combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast, in a large bowl.  Whisk the olive oil, egg, milk and water together in a measuring jug. Add this to the flour mixture, whisking until a smooth batter is formed. I use a stand mixer for this job. You may need to add a little more water if necessary. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for half an hour.
Meanwhile, grease ten pastry moulds (7cm in diameter, and about 6-7cm tall) with some oil. Line a baking sheet with some foil, and grease the foil. The pastry rings give a nice toadstool shape to the breads, but you could use some muffin tins if desired. Empty food cans would also work... Place the
rings on the greased foil. If you are using a muffin tin, or any tin with a base, you do not need to grease the foil. Just be sure to grease the tin very well.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Ladle the batter into the moulds, about 2/3 ful. Set aside, uncovered, for about half an hour or until they are puffy and almost reaching the top of the tins. Place the buns in the oven, and bake for about 20- 25 minutes, or until done.
Remove the now golden buns from the oven, and place them, still in their moulds, on a wire rack to cool. Remove from moulds once they are cool.

Creamy Chicken and Potato Curry:
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup crisp fried onions, crushed
1 kg skinless and boneless chicken breast pieces, cut into 1cm cubes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon red chilli paste
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
A generous pinch of saffron, optional
250 ml  pouring cream
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes, and fried until cooked through and golden.

Combine the onions, chicken, lemon juice, garam masala,
Garlic, ginger, chilli,  salt, cumin and saffron, if using, in a large bowl. Refrigerate, and allow to
marinate for a few hours. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chicken, and allow to simmer over low heat,  for about 45 minutes, or until cooked through. Stir in the cream and potatoes. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Salad:
A handful of baby tomatoes
1 small red onion, sliced into half moons
A handful each of coriander and mint, finely chopped
1 red chilli, sliced at an angle into rings
2 teaspoons caster sugar
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime

Combine all the ingredients together. Place in a bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

Yoghurt Sauce:
250 ml low fat yogurt
A small handful mint leaves
Salt to taste
1 green chilli, optional

Purée all the above together. Chill until needed.

To Serve:
Slice the cooled buns across the top. Scoop out the insides. Fill with the chicken and potato curry. Top with the salad. Serve with the yogurt on the side.

Mielie Bread...

Made some Mielie (corn) bread today. Back in January, when  I posted a pic of this on Instagram, I received so many messages and emails requesting the recipe! Hope you enjoy...

Ingredients:
4 mielies (corn on the cob)
1 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
80 grams butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
4-6 green chillies
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt to taste
1 x 415 gram tin cream style corn (creamed corn)
50 grams butter, extra

Preheat oven to 180°C. Besides the cream style corn and extra butter, combine all of the above ingredients together. Liquidise in a blender until fairly smooth. I use an immersion blender. Stir in the tin of cream style corn. Pour into a well greased casserole. Dot with little knobs of the extra butter. Bake for about 35-40 minutes.
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NOTE:
*This recipe makes a very soft Mielie bread, with an almost pudding-like texture. This is how my Family likes it. If you want a firmer bread, add about 1/2 cup extra flour.
*Whilst this recipe turns out best with white corn , you can also substitute yellow sweet corn if desired. I have had satisfactory results using frozen corn as well. You will need about 5 cups.
*This recipe freezes well. You can either freeze the baked bread, or freeze the batter without adding the baking powder and extra butter. Thaw, add the baking powder, dot with the butter, and bake. This is my preferred method.
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If You Make One Thing This Week...Mughlai White Chicken Korma

During the Mughal era, the Emperors, known for their opulent and sybaritic ways, would throw grand all white banquets on full moon nights. The terraces of the Agra Fort were bedecked with white carpets, cushions and flowers. All the guests would be dressed in white and the food served was also all white in colour! Imagine the Nawaabs, Maharajahs, and their entourages, all dressed in white and dripping in jewels, arriving from far and wide, bearing lavish gifts for the Emperor! They would recline on divans bedecked with silk carpets and brocade cushions, whilst turbaned servants served course after course of exquisitely spiced saffron lamb,smothered in a rich buffalo milk yoghurt, rich, nut studded  kormas,  a variety of birds, turnips, giant bunches of white grapes,sweet melons, sweetmeats and fried pastries, dripping with honey and clotted cream, sweet sherbets, perfumed with attar of rose or jasmine.. Each dish would be  lavishly garnished with gold or silver leaf.  What a sumptuous sight it must have been! Oh, I am certain that a heavily adorned elephant or two made an appearance as well!

Ever since I cooked this korma for the first time,way back in the 1990's, I have been intrigued with the idea of an all white party, so, when my Daughter got engaged almost five years ago, my younger Daughter and I decided to do just that! We chose white flowers and decor items, all serve ware was white and the food was all in varying shades of white... Whilst it was not a full on dinner party, more of a finger food and canapés kind of evening, we served white pastries, white sweets, white desserts, white savouries, and even white juices and mocktails! However, we did not demand that the guests all wear white clothing!

Anyway, looking at her engagement pictures a few weeks ago made me want to recreate an all white meal again. This time it was lunch on a rather gloomy Friday afternoon.....the table was decked out in white and gold, and I served a starter sweet dish called Sojee, which is made with semolina. I added an Indian fudge like sweetmeat called Barfee to it to make it even more decadent! The main course was this sumptuous white chicken Korma that I served with plain boiled Basmati rice to mop up that deliciously creamy sauce. For dessert I served milky balls of  Rasgullahs in Ras Malai. Instead of a salad with greens, I chose to serve some rose scented pickled white radish and onion slices. The acidity of the pickle worked really well with the richness of the korma. Even though there were no silken carpets, or jewels in sight, this meal made us feel like royalty!

The Korma recipe has been adapted from a classic book by Camellia Panjabi.

For the Sojee you will need:

1/3 cup ghee
1 cup semolina
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cups full fat milk
1/2 cup powdered milk (klim)
1 egg
1 teaspoon rose water
150 grams barfee, crumbled  *optional
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
flaked almonds to garnish

Edible gold leaf, optional

In a heavy based pan, place the ghee over a low heat. Add the semolina and cook, whilst stirring, until a very pale gold in colour. Whisk the cardamom, milk, powdered milk, egg, rose water and barfee together. I place the ingredients in a measuring jug and use a stick blender (immersion blender) for this. Add this mixture to the semolina, stir well, then cover and steam over low heat until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Add the sugar and steam for a further 10 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the ground almonds. Grease a large mould (or some individual ones) with cooking spray. Fill with the sojee, making sure that it is well compacted, and set aside for 5 minutes. Unmould and garnish with flaked almonds and some gold leaf if desired.A silicone mould works best for this. Alternatively, you could simply pile the sojee onto a platter and serve.


* Barfee is available at Indian sweet shops or some restaurants.

For The Chicken Korma You Will Need:

3 teaspoon white poppy seeds*
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
120 grams raw cashew nut
2 tablespoons char magaz seeds, optional*
3 bay leaves
3 cardamom pods
5 whole green chillies
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
3 teaspoons minced ginger
3 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cloves
1 kg boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
salt to taste
125 ml whipping cream
Edible gold leaf to garnish, optional

Soak the poppy seeds in 1/2 cup of water for about 1/2 an hour. Drain off the water and using a pestle and mortar, grind the poppy seeds to a fine paste.

In a large heavy based pan, over low heat, melt the 1/4 cup of ghee. Add the onions, cashews, char magaz, if using, and the bay leaves. Cook until onions are softened, and cashews are very lightly coloured. Add the cardamom pods, three of the chillies,and the poppy seed paste. Cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add a cup of water, and cook for about ten minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Discard the bay leaves. Place in a blender,together with the yoghurt and 1/2 cup of water, and whizz to a smooth paste.

Place the remaining tablespoon of ghee into the pan, add the ginger,garlic, whole chillies, and the cloves. stir fry for a few seconds, Then add the chicken breast pieces. Cook over low heat until the chicken is almost cooked through. Add the yoghurt mixture and stir constantly, until mixture come to a boil. To avoid curdling, it is very important to stir continuously.

Add the remaining spices, and salt to taste. add 1 cup of boiling water. Cook, over low heat, until the chicken pieces are tender. Just before serving, add the cream, and heat through. Plate up, garnish with gold leaf, and present to you guests!

NOTE: Known as khus-khus, white poppy seeds are available at  Indian grocery stores. Char magaz seeds are the seeds of (four) different types of melon and squash.(literally translated, char magaz means four seeds) Available at specialist Indian grocers,they are worth seeking out for this recipe.

Serve with some plain boiled Basmati rice, that is garnished with a few fried cashew pieces and some fried poppadoms.


Pickled Onion And Radish:

1 large onion, thinly sliced into rings
4-5 small white radishes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon rose water

Place onion rings in a sieve. add a teaspoon of salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain the onions and place in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

If You Make One Thing This Week...A Chocolate Nut Torte...

These chocolate nut tortes are just the bees knees! I have been making these for years and totally adore them. I'd like to think of them as the Chanel bag of the cake world, since you can dress them up for a party, or dress them down for everyday!
This  would make a glorious  birthday cake, or, leave out the ganache, and serve it with some lightly whipped cream or some good quality vanilla ice cream, for an elegant dessert.
These are made with almonds and pistachios, but I have made them with hazel nuts, walnuts, and even cashews. Oh, and you can make a large cake or individual ones. Told you that this cake was versatile!

So without further ado, let's get to the recipe...

Note: *Try to make the chocolate paste the day before you plan on making this cake.
           ** I used Lindt Ecuador 70% dark chocolate for this cake, but feel free to use a chocolate of your preference.

Ingredients:
150 grams shelled pistachios
150 grams almonds (skins can be left on)
1 tablespoon cake flour
320 grams dark chocolate
260 grams butter
100 grams + 1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 180°.
Line the bottom of  a 23cm springform tin, or 5 x 11cm individual tins with baking paper. Butter the paper and the sides of the tin(s). Dust the tins with some cocoa powder. Shake put excess. Whizz the the nuts and flour in a food processor, until finely ground. Add the chocolate and grind finely.
In a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and 100 grams of caster sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Fold in the nut and chocolate mixture. In a clean, grease free bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining tablespoon of caster sugar, until stiff peaks form. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the egg whites in two batches. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin(s). Bake for about 1 hour, or until the torte feels firm. Place the torte on a wire rack and leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Dust the torte with icing  sugar, or to decorate, spread the ganache over the top and side of the cake, and decorate with a chocolate paste rose.. This torte keeps well for up to 1 week.

Ganache:
100 ml whipping cream
200 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped

Heat the cream in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove, until it just starts to bubble. Add the chocolate, and stir until all the chocolate is melted and the ganache is silky smooth. Set aside to cool.

Chocolate Paste: (for rose)

150 grams dark chocolate, melted
50 grams liquid glucose or light corn syrup
1 tablespoon warm water

Cool the chocolate to 40°C. Warm the glucose/ corn syrup slightly. Add to the chocolate and mix well. Add the water. Wrap well in plastic wrap and set aside for at least 6 hours.
When ready to use, remove from the plastic wrap and knead well until pliable. The paste will be really stiff initially but it will soften as you knead it. Pass it through a pasta maker or roll it out thinly between two sheets of plastic. Cut into strips and swirl into a rose or make individual roses like you would with fondant.
ENJOY1

Rose and Pistachio Bundt Cake...

This recipe has been requested so many time, that I have decided to put the recipe on the blog. It is such a flexible recipe, you can use whatever flavourings you desire.
Since I hadn't planned on putting this recipe up, unfortunately, I did not take a picture of it after it was sliced.
The cake is flavoured with rose water and pistachio paste, with a crunchy pistachio streusel in the centre.
I used a store bought pistachio paste, but for those who are unable to find any, I have included an easy recipe that works just fine. Not authentic, but it will do...

Ingredients:

Streusel:

100 grams coarsely chopped pistachios

45 grams muscovado sugar

2 -3 teaspoons rose water (or to taste)

Batter:

250 grams unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs, beaten

150 grams caster sugar

125 ml sour cream*

100 grams pistachio paste (see recipe below)

1 teaspoon rose water, optional

300 grams flour

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease a bundt pan very well. I use baking spray.

Combine the streusel ingredients and set aside.

Place the butter, eggs, caster sugar, sour cream, pistachio paste, and rose water in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until smooth and creamy.

Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the butter mixture, folding in gently, but thoroughly.

Pour half the batter into the bundt tin. Sprinkle 2/3 of the streusel over, then pour the remaining batter in. Sprinkle the remaining streusel over. Gently press the streusel into the batter so that it does not crumble after baking. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven, and place on a wire rack to cool. Once completely cool, unmold onto  a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Enjoy! 

*Note: I added 125 ml of sour cream as my pistachio paste was quite runny. If your paste is thicker, then increase the amount of sour cream 175 ml, or just enough to make a cake-like batter.


Pistachio paste:
 150 grams shelled pistachios
1 tablespoon flavourless oil
1-2 tablespoons sugar syrup or liquid glucose

Soak pistachios in boiling water for 15 minutes. Slip off the skins, then toast in the oven for a few minutes. Cool, then place in a spice grinder, and grind until it starts to form a paste. Add the oil and continue to grind. Then add the sugar syrup. Pulse until it comes together. The consistency should be similar to peanut butter. Place in a jar and keep refrigerated.

Note: it is not absolutely  essential to remove the skins of the pistachios, but the Colour and consistency would be much better if you do.

Indian Kheer With Puri...

I adore rice puddings. I have discovered that  many countries have some sort of rice pudding in there cuisine. Kheer is an Indian version of rice pudding. This sweet milk based dish is thickened with  rice, and flavoured with cardamom and rose water, enriched with cream and made even more delicious with the addition of pistachios and almonds.

This dish is either served as part of a meal or as a dessert after a meal. I serve it with Puri, an Indian fried bread.

What I love about this dish is the flexibility. You can choose to thicken your kheer with either rice, vermicelli of sago. You can also add whatever nuts or flavouring that you desire. This dish can be served either hot or cold.

The rice is usually cooked in the milk, but I prefer to cook the rice in water and then add the milk as hastens the cooking time slightly.

Ingredients for Kheer:
1/2 - 3/4 cup of jasmine rice (or use any other soft cooking rice)
1 litre milk (preferably full fat)
1 385 gram tin of sweetened condensed milk (or to taste)
250 ml whipping cream
1 tablespoon ground almonds
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup sliced skinless almonds
1/2 cup sliced pistachios
1 tablespoon Charoli nuts, optional*
A splash of rose water
Extra pistachios for garnishing

Rinse and soak the rice in hot water for about 20 minutes. Drain the water and add the rice to a heavy based pot. Cover with fresh water, and boil until most of the water is absorbed. And the milk and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent the milk from scorching. The rice should be really soft and mushy. Add the condensed milk, cream, ground almonds and cardamom. I give the kheer a quick whizz with a stick blender at this stage. Do not blend for too long as you want some texture. Just a quick pulse for a second or two!cook for 10 minutes, then add the remaining nuts and the rose water. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve in cups or bowls with some extra pistachio sprinkled over.

* Charoli is a type of nut from India. Also known as chironji, they are creamy white tiny round nuts, with a brown skin. Their texture is similar to pine nuts, although they are closer in flavour to almonds. They are available at Indian grocers.

PURI:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon  sugar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, optional
3 tablespoons butter
Cold buttermilk to make the dough
Oil for deep frying

 In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Rub in the butter. Add enough  buttermilk to make a
soft dough. Cover the dough and set aside for an hour. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Form into little balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a circle, about 3mm thick. Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut each circle into 4 wedges. You can also cut out shapes using a cookie cutter if desired. Heat oil in a small pot, over medium heat. Fry the puri, 1 at a time, until puffed up and pale gold in colour. This only takes a few seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Creamy Sweet Potato, Cashew and Coconut Soup...

The overcast, rainy weather hasn't ceased, and I am thrilled! I love days like this...dark and gloomy, the perfect weather to stay home and read, and that is exactly what I have done since yesterday. And of course we need the rain since we have had a particularly dry spell for the past two summers.

I was inspired by a recipe that I came across in the Jamie Oliver magazine late last year, but since it was summer and pretty hot in my part of the world, I didn't have the opportunity to make it. Today was the perfect day!
Hope you enjoy.

This recipe serves four.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red chillies, finely chopped
A  2 cm piece of ginger, finely minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
A small bunch of coriander, leaves picked and stalks chopped
Salt to taste
650 grams orange sweet potato, peeled and chopped
100 grams cashew nuts
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
250 ml coconut milk

Heat the oil in a deep saucepan, and add the onion. Sauté until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic, chillies, ginger, coriander powder, and the coriander stalks. Season with the salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the sweet potato and 50 grams of the cashews. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes,
until potatoes are tender. Leave to cool for a bit, then blitz with a stick blender until creamy. Add the coconut milk. Toast the remaining cashew in a dry pan until golden. Reheat the soup and serve in deep bowls, topped with the coriander leaves and cashews. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Rose Scented Baklava Muffins...

We usually bake at the weekend, when we tend to have family for friends dropping by. I prefer baking things that are simple and not too rich or heavily decorated, as those are the kind of things my family prefer on a day to day basis. Something that they can enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. Oh, and of course, if the treat is quick and easy to prepare, then it is an all round winner! I have been making these baklava muffins for years now, and I always get complimented on them.

Nut filling:
75 grams walnuts, chopped
75 grams pistachios, chopped
50 grams butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon rose water
1 teaspoon orange blossom water, optional

Batter:
 220 grams cake flour
75 grams caster sugar
10 ml baking powder
2.5 ml bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
50 grams unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
250 ml buttermilk


Topping:
100 ml honey, I use orange blossom (heated)
Chopped pistachios
Rose buds or petals to decorate

Preheat e oven to 200° Celsius.
Line a 12 cavity muffin tin with paper cases. Spray the cases well with non stitch baking spray.
Combine all the nut filling ingredients, and set aside.
Combine the flour,caster sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the butter, egg and buttermilk together. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Mix very lightly, as the mixture should be lumpy rather than smooth. Half fill the muffin cases with the batter, then top with a tablespoon of the nut mixture. Cover with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture over.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until they are puffed and golden. Place the still hot muffins, on a wire rack and drizzle the honey over. Decorate with the chopped pistachios and the rosebuds or petals.

Sesame-Honey Prawns...

I know that this recipe has been long overdue. My apologies! But I am confident that once you make these prawns and taste them , all will be forgiven! Although I have given quantities to serve these as an entrée, they can easily be adapted to a main course. Simply increase the quantity of the ingredients. I have made these successfully with chicken breast strips as well.

Sesame-Honey Prawns

Serves 2 as an Entrée

12 large headless prawns, shelled and deveined
3/4 cup cornflour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
About 1 cup cold water to make a batter
Enough oil to deep fry
1/2 cup fragrant honey (I like orange blossom for this)
A handful of sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Spring onions for garnish
Baby tomatoes to serve

Dry the prawns thoroughly. Dust with a 1/4 cup of the cornflour. Refrigerate while you make the batter. Combine the remaining cornflour, cake flour, baking powder,salt and chilli powder in a bowl.
Combine the egg and water in a jug. Gradually add the water/egg mixture to the flour mixture, whisking to make a smooth batter. The batter should be the consistency of  double cream. You may need to add some more water. Heat the oil in a pan. Dip the prawns in the batter and fry, a few at a time, until golden and cooked through.keep the prawns warm while you fry the remaining prawns.
Heat the honey in a pan until just starting to bubble. Quickly add the sesame seeds and prawns and stir to coat. Remove from heat and place into two serving bowls. Garnish with the spring onions and some baby tomatoes and serve. Bon Appetit!

Custard Apple Ice Cream Pops...

Custard Apple is not a fruit that we see regularly at the markets, so when I saw some a few weeks ago, I was delighted! Also known as Cherimoya, it is pale green in colour, with a creamy flesh, and several large seeds. The fruit is best eaten when really ripe and soft. The flesh has a somewhat tropical in taste, faintly reminiscent of a mixture of pineapple, mango and something else that I cannot quite place. Banana perhaps?
Note that the custard Apple in this recipe can easily be replaced with the puréed flesh of a large mango.
 I placed the churned ice cream into Popsicle moulds, but you could easily place it into a container and serve it by the scoop.

Creamy custard apple and lime ice cream

2 large ripe custard apples
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
250ml full fat milk
200ml cream
50g sugar
2 egg yolks
50 g good quality white chocolate
Zest of 1 lime, extra

Cut the custard apples in half. Remove the pulp and place in a sieve. Press down with a spoon, reserving the juice. Discard the seeds. Add the lime zest to the custard apple and refrigerate until needed. Place the milk and cream in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until pale and thickened. Slowly add the milk and cream mixture, and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture back into the pan, and place over low heat until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and strain into a clean bowl. Leave to cool. Refrigerate until well chilled, then stir in the custard apple purée. Churn in an ice cream machine. Place in Popsicle moulds and freeze until solid. Decorate with melted white chocolate and the extra lime zest.

If You Make One Thing This Week...The Best Eggs Ever!

There are some days that you wake-up listless and simply don't want to do any thing. Do you know the feeling? Well, today was that day for me. As much as I wanted to crawl into a cupboard and hide, I knew that I had a family to feed! So, rather halfheartedly, I opened the fridge and took out some eggs. I then grabbed the last two pita that I had, and somehow I recalled seeing a picture of some fried tortilla chips. 'Yep, that's what I'll do' I thought. Slowly I started searching for other bits and pieces in the fridge and this recipe came together. As breakfast started to take shape my mood started to lighten, and I started to think that today is not such a bad day after all! After tasting the first morsel, I decided that today was a good day! A really good day. Not only did this meal fill me up, but it lifted my spirits totally! This was one of THE best egg meals that I have had in a while! Judging by the look on my family's faces, they thoroughly enjoyed it too! I was smitten with this, and I knew that I had so share this with you all, so I hurried to my laptop to type the recipe out, lest I forget!  

You will need:

2 pita breads, torn up into bite sized pieces

5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup tomato Passata

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons Harissa paste

1/2 cup hummus

3 slices pastrami

A cup of  baby exotic  tomatoes, sliced

8-10 button mushrooms, sliced

1 avocado, sliced 

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas

4 eggs

1/2 cup Egyptian white cheese, or feta, crumbled 

A handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 

A few chopped chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and fry the pita, in batches, till crisp. Drain on paper towels. Fry the pastrami in the same oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then tear into smaller pieces.Prepare the tomato sauce, by combining  a tablespoon of the olive oil, passata, garlic, harissa paste, and some salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat for five minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Rinse and slice all the vegetables. Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer. Poach the eggs, one at a time for four  minutes,. Remove from water and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Meanwhile, place the pita crisps in a clean pan or casserole. Drizzle the tomato sauce over, then dollop on the hummus. Layer on the veggies, chickpeas, pastrami, and eggs.season to taste. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over.  Top with the cheese and some parsley and chives. Serve with a spritz of lemon juice... Bon Appetit

Serves four.

A Tea Party...

Macaron, Eclairs, Profiteroles...with a twist...We made these at the weekend, but instead of the usual sweet fillings,we decided to go for savoury ones. For a while now, we have been wanting to make a savoury version of some of the  classic sweet pastries. Finely had a chance last weekend...So, Smoked Salmon and Grapefruit Macaron, Caramelised Onion Eclair and Caprice 'Salad' Profiteroles graced our tea table last weekend. We also had three types of Scones, all savoury-Cheese, Tarragon and Za'ater. The Za'ater Scones were my favourite! I've shared some of the recipes below...

For the tea table, we combined vintage with new. We went for a pastel look with lots of white. The starting point was a snowy white silk organza table cloth. We teamed this with vintage napkins and an old Noritake tea set. Soft pink crystal goblets and antique heirloom silver completed the look...

Our current craze, is to use edible gold leaf to add sparkle to our mocktails and drinks... Really glams thing up!

Smoked Salmon Macaron

For the Macaron:

120g Ground Almonds

200g Icing Sugar

90g Egg Whites (Approximately 3 eggs)

55g Caster Sugar

1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Put the ground almonds and icing sugar into a food processor and grind to a fine powder and then sift into a bowl. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar a little at a time. Whisk the mixture until stiff and glossy. 

Fold the sifted almond mixture and the black pepper into the egg whites. Continue folding the mixture until it falls from the spoon in a ribbon. 

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe disks onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with a little bit of extra black pepper. Tap the tray against the work surface and then leave to stand for about an hour or until the tops are dry to the touch. 

Preheat the oven to 150C. 

Bake for 10 minutes and then open the oven briefly to let out the steam. Continue baking for another 2-5 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a little while before transferring to a wire rack. 

For the Filling:

Cream Cheese

Smoked Salmon

A small Grapefruit, segmented

Chives

Fill a piping bag with the Cream Cheese and pipe a little on the Macaron bases. Top with a piece of smoked salmon, and a grapefruit segment. Garnish with some chives and perch a Macaron lid on each. 

Za'atar Scones

225g Cake Flour

3 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp salt

50g Butter

70g Cheddar Cheese

2 tsp Za'atar

125ml milk

Beaten egg, to glaze

Extra Za'atar for sprinkling

Preheat an oven to 200C. Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. 

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt  into a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and the Za'atar. Gradually add the milk, mixing just until the mixture forms a dough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Don't overwork the dough.

Roll out on a floured work surface to about 3cm thick. Use a small, round cookie cutter to cut out the scones. Place on the baking sheet . Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with a bit of extra Za'atar. 

Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Oh, we had some Sweet Coconut and Violet Macarons and a few other sweets too!

Coffee and Almond Cake...

For a while now, I have been wanting to make a coffee and walnut  cake that was featured in an old 1970's magazine that belonged to my Mother, but the elaborate icing was just not my thing! Last week whilst going through a new book called 'Cardamom Trail by Chetna Makan', I came across a recipe for an Almond and Coffee Cake that sounded so good. This is my version...

Espresso and Almond Cake

Ingredients:

250 grams caster sugar
250 grams butter, softened
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond meal
220 grams cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
60 ml milk
4 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons  boiling water

Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease a 10 cup bundt tin.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and flour. Add the eggs, be at a time. Add the almond meal. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and cardamom together. . Fold into the butter mixture. Lastly,, fold in the liquid ingredients. Pour the batter into the greased, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer come, out clean. Remove from pan, place the tin on a wire rack and leave to cool. Once cool, turn the cake out of the tin.
If desired, drizzle with the ganache.
Note: due to the almond meal, this cake will keep well for a few days.

Ganache:
50 grams dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
100 ml fresh cream

Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl, until just starting to come to a boil. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and silky smooth.

Almond Milk and Tahini Spiral Breads...

Today was a busy day... But a rather unproductive one... Do you ever feel like you're busy all the time, but don't get anything done? Yep, today was THAT day!

I made some bread though, so I guess that I can't actually call the day a total fail! 

Yesterday I made some Popsicles using almond milk, and I had a half carton of milk in the fridge, so when I went to the fridge to get out the milk for my bread, I found that almond milk and decided to use it instead.

The one loaf is made using Lotus Biscoff Spekuloos Spread, whilst the remaining loaves have a Turkish/ Arabic influence, since  I used Tahini or Tahini related fillings in them. You all must know by now how I adore Tahini. I can never get enough of the stuff!

This recipe is so versatile as you can use any filling that you desire. Try caramel, Nutella, or even a savoury filling like crumbled feta or ricotta and some herbs... Like I said, so versatile...

so without further ado, let's get started...

Ingredients:

For the bread you will need: 

4 cups flour (I used cake flour)

1 10g sachet instant yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

60 ml vegetable  oil

About 300 ml lukewarm almond milk to make a soft dough

For the fillings, you will need:

Loaf 1: 3 tablespoons  Tahini and 1 tablespoon caster sugar

Loaf 2: 3 tablespoons orange Tahini and 2 tablespoons finely crushed pistachios. Reserve some pistachio for sprinkling on top.

Loaf 3: 3 tablespoons Lotus Spekuloos  spread and  2 tablespoons flaked almond to sprinkle on top

Loaf 4: 3 tablespoons chocolate Halawa Spread

Combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl of your mixer. Add the oil and enough almond milk to make a dough. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place to rise, until almost doubled in size. This should take about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the room temperature. When the dough has risen, remove to a floured work surface and punch it down. Divide into four equal portions. Place three portions back into the bowl and roll out the remaining portion into a large, thin rectangle, about 1 mm thick. Spread with the desired filling (see above) and roll up tightly. Gently stretch the roll to a thin rope, about 3 cm in diameter. Now, holding the one end down, gently twist the rope tightly. Coil your rope, tucking the end underneath. Place on a baking paper lined tray. Complete the remaining three loaves. Cover with a tea towel, and leave to rise until it looks puffy. This didn't take too long at my place. About 1/2 hour. Meanwhile preheat you oven to 180° C . Warm about 2 tablespoons of Tahini, until it is runny. Brush this Tahini over your loaves. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until done and golden on the top. Halfway through baking, brush the loaves with the Tahini again and sprinkle with the appropriate nuts. Complete baking.  Once they are done, remove from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool 

completely. Enjoy!

Spicy chicken with sweet potato mash...

This recipe is just so easy...minimum effort, and maximum flavour... That is just what we need on some  days.

I usually place all the ingredients in a Ziplock bag, mix together, add the chicken pieces, and seal. Set aside to marinate until required.

Note: This recipe uses Mrs Ball's Chutney. This is a popular South African,  apricot based chutney. It may be available in other parts of the world in the international foods aisle of larger supermarkets, or at stores specialising in South African foods. Failing that, you may use whatever fruity chutney is available, or some sweet chilli sauce works well too.

Chicken:
4 skinless and boneless  chicken breasts, butterflied
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
11/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan and crushed
1 tablespoon golden mustard seeds
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon dry mint.
1/2 cup Mrs Ball's chutney
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Salt to taste

Combine all the marinade ingredients together. Add the chicken breast pieces. Stir well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to marinate.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan, and cook  the chicken on both sides until done. Pour over the remaining marinade, together with a knob of butter. Cook for a few more minutes.

Sweet potatoes:
1 kg orange sweet potatoes, unpeeled
Juice of 1/2 lemon
A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Mrs Ball's chutney, or sweet chilli sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

 Wash and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Place in a pan of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain well. Place in a bowl with all the other ingredients , and mash coarsely. I leave the skin on for some texture.
Spread onto a serving platter or board. Place chicken on top. Sprinkle with some charred corn and coriander. Finely slice a red chilli and scatter on top. Serve with lemon wedges.