Channa Masala

Can you see that on the horizon? Squint a little, sometimes the sun gets in the way. You see it now? Towers of bricks, dried cement, paint fumes and sweating construction workers will be taking up residence in the Creative household. Well not literally taking up residence, but building plans and decisions regarding floor and surface finishes will be featuring strongly in our lives over the next few months.

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Garithes Yiouvetsi (Prawns with Tomatoes & Feta)

Remember that movie Wedding Crashers? You know, the one where Owen Wilson and Vince Vaugh teams up (again - really, how many movies have they made together?) and, well, crashes a wedding? The duo are smooth-talking bachelors, out to have a good time on someone else's tab and  hopefully get lucky. Because, let's face it, if getting lucky is your aim, a wedding is the perfect backdrop. All that romance in the air? It's like taking candy from a kid.

Want to know a dirty secret from the archives of the Creative Pot family tree? Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn has nothing on my dad. He was the original wedding crasher. For real.

As child my brother and I would delight in grand tales of how my dad and his best friend at the time used to crash weddings in their youth. They almost always got away with it and knew all the popular wedding reception venues in their hometown intimately. Unlike the characters in Wedding Crashers though, they didn't have a different back story for each wedding they went to. No, my dad and his buddy kicked it old school, sticking to a story that worked. For my dad, that was pretending to be Greek.

Now, if you've met my dad, you'll know that he does not look Greek at all. But he claims they got away with it every time. Either he's just bragging or there were some pretty gullible people around in the 70's. Either way though whenever I see something Greek or eat Greek food, I think fondly of those legendary stories.

And so I couldn't help but giggle when Joanne issued the Regional Recipes challenge for June - we were going on a virtual tour of Greece! Land of my wedding crashing forefathers! And what could be more Greek than seafood? The name (yiouvetsi) initally puzzled me as I've come to associate it with a slow cooked lamb dish featuring sun-ripened tomatoes. Yiouvetsi, incidentally, refers to the dish in which the dish is traditionally cooked & served in. (Much like the Moroccan tagine.) So technically anything can be a yiouvetsi.

When I started plotting this prawn rendition, TheHusband eyed me with slight mistrust. You see, he is not a seafood lover. But he is also a very patient man and so he indulged me and even rooted from the sidelines. It paid off. The tomato and bellpepper stew formed the perfect backdrop for the man-sized prawns and together with some flat bread and simply sauteed babymarrows, this was a lick-your-fingers off kind of meal. After all, good things come to those who trust their wives.

Prawns with Tomatoes & Feta
(Garithes Yiouvetsi) 
Adapted from The Complete Book of Greek Cooking
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-size squares
500g cherry (baby) tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp peri-peri*
1/4 cup dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
500g king-size prawns, deveined, but with tails attached 
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped oregano
75g feta cheese, cubed

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C (350F). Heat oilve oil in a large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add onion and fry for 2 minutes, then add bell pepper and fry another 2 - 3 minutes or until starting to soften.
2. Add tomatoes, peri-peri and wine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boiling point, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove lid and cook another 5 minutes over medium heat to evaporate most of the liquid and allow the sauce to thicken.
3. Toss prawns and herbs through, then spoon into an oven dish. Dot with feta and bake at 180C (350F) for 25 - 30 minutes.

Serve with orzo or crusty bread, and simply sauteed veggies or a fresh salad.

*or use chopped dried chillies.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 186.1, Total fat 5.3 g, Saturated fat 1.2 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.6 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 295.5 mg, Potassium 386.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 11.7 g, Dietary fiber 2.9 g, Sugars 0.4 g, Protein 23.0 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 122.1 %, Vitamin A 66.7 %,

Mujadarra

I have often sung the praises of the rich and flavourful cuisine of the Middle-East and so it should come as no surprise that I bring you yet another recipe from the region, this time from Lebanon. (Maybe I should change the blog's name to The Middle-Eastern Pot?)

Mujadarra is a firm favourite not only in Lebanon, but also among many Jewish communities, where it is referred to as Esau's favourite referencing the famous story of how Esau sold his birthright for a pot of lentils. Mujadarra has also made an appearance in contempary literature, playing a starring role in Ameen Rihani's novel The Book of Khalid.*

I have always been both foodie and self-confessed bookworm and I feel a strange tingle of delight when I stumble across instances of these two areas overlapping. As in the first case where food arguably forms part of one of the most-oft repeated tales of all time. Ditto for Ameen's book featuring the very same dish. 

You can imagine my delight then when I became aware of a blogging event that celebrates this partnership of good food and good books. Starting this month, I will be diving into Garlic & Sapphires by Ruth Reichl in preparation for my very first challenge of This Book Makes Me Cook. The basic premise is that all the participants read a specific foodie novel which will then serve as inspiration for a recipe to blog about. If you are a fellow book & food nerd, I am sure you will need no convincing to dive in with me.

Coming back to the dish that launched a thousand novels (almost), Mujadarra happens to also be perfect for Meat-Free Mondays. Not only that, but it is super versatile to boot, as you can served it both as main or side-dish, hot or cold. Some might say Esau was crazy, but I'm telling you, the man was onto a very good thing when he made that life-changing trade.

*source: Wikipedia

Mujadarra

Adapted from The Confused Homemaker

Serves 4 (as main or 6-8 as side)

2 tbsp olive oil

4 large red (or a mix of red & white) onions, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp cumin seeds, crushed

2 tsp mustard seeds, crushed

1 tbsp curry powder (optional)

1 cup brown lentils

1 cup brown rice

3 1/2 cups water 

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper 
1/2 tbsp lemon juice 

a handful fresh coriander, chopped 
hummus, to serve (optional, but highly recommended) 

1. Heat half of the oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized frying pan. Add one onion and fry for a few minutes or until softened.
2. Transfer onion to a pot, adding garlic and spices and fry for a few seconds or until fragrant. Add lentils and rice, stirring to coat with the oil and spices, then add water, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for about 30 - 40 minutes or until cooked through. Add lemon juice, stir through, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remainder of the oil in the frying pan yo used previously, then add remainder of onions with a touch of salt and allow to caramelise over low-medium heat. This will take roughly 30 minutes as well.

Spoon rice and lentil mixture into serving bowls, top with caramelised onions, hummus (if using) and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.

Nutritional info (per main dish serving): Calories 248.7, Total fat 8.7 g, Saturated fat 1.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 5.9 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 592.5 mg, Potassium 525.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 36.6 g, Dietary fiber 8.1 g, Sugars 0.2 g, Protein 8.3 g

Good source of: Manganese 56.1 %, Folate 30.5 %, Iron 24.6 %, Phosphorus 20.6 %

Red Pepper and Kidney BeanTagine

My creative pot (metaphorically speaking) was placed on the back burner the past few days in favour of a relaxing few days away with friends. We wallowed in the hot springs, made liberal use of the waterslides, putt-putt and trampolines and spent our nights braai-ing. If you've ever contemplated a midweek break but was unsure if you should go ahead: wonder no more!

We came back refreshed, energised and steamy from the inside out and was welcomed home with wintry Cape weather - cold, overcast and drizzling.

This type of weather lends itself to such a wide array of comforting foods though, that it's impossible for me not to be at least a little bit glad when waking up to the beating rain. Apart from the culinary possibilities of cold weather, I think few things beat snuggling up under a duvet with your man/a good book/your adorable little kitten. Some form of hot beverage on standby goes without saying of course...

This is strictly speaking not a tagine as it's cooked on the stove top in a plain old saucepan, but tagine sounded a hell of a lot better than stew or hotpot. Besides, I'm allowed some artistic license, right? Whatever the name though, this is one seriously comforting mix of vegetable goodness and smoky heat from the spices used. It is both delightfully light and deliciously filling - the perfect rainy day meal for you and your man. Or cute little kitten...

Red Bean and Red Pepper Tagine

Adapted from food24 (originally sourced from Ideas magazine) 

Serves 6

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 red bell peppers, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp (5 ml) cumin seeds, finely ground

2 tsp (10 ml) smoky hot paprika

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tins (410g each) peeled and diced tomatoes

125g baby marrows (zucchini)

salt, to taste 

2 tins (410g each) red kidney beans, drained

1/4 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and peppers, saute until softened. and add peppers, onion and garlic. 

2. Add cumin, paprika and cinnamon and cook for a few seconds or until fragrant.

3. Add tomatoes and babymarrows, season to taste with salt, cover and cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.

4. Add beans and gently reheat until simmering. Sprinkle with coriander and mint and serve with couscous.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 200.5 , Total fat 3.3 g, Saturated fat 0.5 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.7 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.8 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 633.9 mg, Potassium 908.2 mg, Total carbohydrate 35.7 g, Dietary fiber 12.4 g, Sugars 4.0 g, Protein 10.0 g 

Good source of: Vitamin C 243.0 %, Vitamin A 79.3 %, Manganese 33.8 %, Folate 26.5 %, Iron 22.7 %, Vitamin B6 22.4 %,

Diri Jon Jon (Mushroom Rice)

What do you get when you mix one food blogger with too little time and a challenge deadline? Well, if this blogger approached any sense of normality, they would do the sensible thing and opt out of the challenge with fervent promises to join in again the following month.

However, if you're me, you procrastinate up to the very last minute, get up early to finish frying your main course and take photos, then fire of three blog posts in 24 hours, kamikaze style. Opting out is not an option! Especially considering I'd never tasted Haitian food - a fact which should've added to the many reasons for opting out of this round.  But clearly, I'm insane and so, I bring you post number two, in a series of three posts on Haitian cuisine**

Also known as Du Riz Djon Djon, Diri Jon Jon is one of two well known rice dishes in Haiti, the other being Du Riz et Pois Coles (rice with red beans). Doesn't saying that make you feel fancy? Djon djon mushrooms are considered a delicacy in Haiti and give the rice its characteristic taste, colour and aroma. Unfortunately, I couldn't find djon djon mushrooms and had to substitute with the only dried mushrooms I could find - dried porcini. I know, I know, this probably doesn't even come close the the real thing. I compensated though by leaving the mushrooms in the final dish for good measure.

The rice turned out fluffy and flavourful, and to be honest, I quite enjoyed the bits of mushroom in every third forkful. Eaten with crispy tassot and spicy ti malice sauce drizzled on top, this was a sure-fire winner. Next time, though I'll go about it in a more relaxed fashion...

I am submitting this to Regional Recipes - Haiti, originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok and currently managed by Joanne from Eats Well With Others. 

Diri Jon Jon (Mushroom Rice)

Adapted from Island Flave

Serves 6

Traditionally served with Tassot (Fried Goat) or Griots (Fried Pork) and Sauce Ti Malice (Haitian Hot Sauce), it also makes the perfect accompaniment to just about any main meat or fish dish.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

25g dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups uncooked brown rice

4 cups water

1. Heat oil in a pot large enough to cook rice over medium-high heat. Fry onion and garlic until soft. 

2. Add salt, mushrooms, rice and water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 124.7 , Total fat 2.9 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.2 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.7 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 194.2 mg, Potassium 66.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 23.1 g, Dietary fiber 1.5 g, Sugars 0.0 g, Protein 2.8 g 

** In case you missed it, you can find my first post here --> Sauce Ti Malice. And stay tuned for my next post, Tassot (Fried Goat).

Krummelpap/Putu Pap (Crumbly porridge)

Long weekends are truly the stuff dreams are made of. You get to recharge, sleep late and best of all indulge in the kind of breakfasts that you never have time for during the week. 

I love a good breakfast, but truth be told, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to cooking so soon after I wake up. Supper I'll do, even lunch, but breakfast, oooh boy I need some strong motivation to find myself with a spoon in the kitchen during the AM hours. 

Some breakfasts are worth it though. Like some deliciously creamy scrambled eggs, perhaps dotted with salmon and piled high on a fresh buttery croissant. Or perhaps some cinnamon-y syrup-y Finnish Pancakes. Even a plain muffin goes down very well when it's fresh and the perfect balance between moistness and crumb. 

While those are all great breakfasts though, few things evoke such wonderful memories as krummelpap(say: krim-mel-pup). Krummelpap is not glamorous, nor is it particularly trendy, but it takes me straight back to my childhood. My my mom used to make a pot of krummelpap whenever we had family visiting (see, this no-cooking thing in the mornings is in the genes) and the smell of the steaming pap never failed to bring a smile to our faces.

The dish was always served with stories of how my mom, as a little girl, used to beg their domestic worker (who was like a second mom to her) to give her some of the porridge she made for her own children in the mornings. And, according to my mom, that's where she learned to eat it with milk and salt instead of sugar. She still eats it that way, and this custom was also adopted by my brother and me. So much so that I can't imagine eating it with sugar (strange, considering my sweet tooth!). 

Such is the power of nostalgia. Sitting at the breakfast table with a bowl of krummelpap on Saturday, it was almost as if I could smell my mom in the tempting aroma of the pap. And it truly felt like home.
 

I'm submitting this to the Monthly Mingle - South Africa created by the fabulous Meeta from What's For Lunch Honey.

Krummelpap 

Slightly adapted from Rainbow Cooking

Serves 4

2 1/2 cups boiling water

a pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups maize meal

1. Add water and salt to a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. 

2. Add the maize meal to the water, but don't stir (very tempting I know!). Cover with lid, lower heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. 

3. Using a fork, fluff the porridge, then cover again and allow to cook for another 30 minutes. Fluff sporadically during this time. A crust will form on the bottom of the pan - this is not a problem and in fact is treasured by many people (including myself). 

4. Serve warm with warmed milk and sugar (as most people from the southern parts of South Africa eats it), or warmed milk and salt (like my mom taught us) for breakfast. It can also be served with tamatiesmoor (a tomato and onion gravy) as side-dish to a braai (barbeque) - the majority of people from the northern parts of South Africa eat it this way.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 251.2, Total fat 0.8 g, Saturated fat 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.0 g, Monounsaturated fat 0.0 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 40.3 mg, Potassium 0.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 57.5 g, Dietary fiber 4.3 g, Sugars 0.0 g, Protein 5.8 g

Good source of: Vitamin B6 23.6 %, Thiamin 20.5 %

Portabellini and Sweet Potato Stuffed Tortillas

Don't you just want to take a bite? When I saw the original recipe over at The Wind Attack (great blog by the way) I felt like taking a big bite through the screen, so inviting did these tortillas look. Luckily for my teeth (and my medical bills) I refrained from taking a bite, instead opting to make these babies at home.

I've had an encounter with a sweet potato tortilla filling before and it was a revelation. Of course it also had a fair amount of gooey melted cheese to sweeten the deal so I might've been was probably biased. I'll admit the cheese-less nature of this tortilla had me doubtful and I was considering adding a handful of grated cheddar (or perhaps even Brie... mmmm) but in the end decided against it. All in the name of science of course.

And you know what? I didn't miss the cheese at all. Okay maybe a little bit. I'm a cheese addict okay? But the meaty spicy mushrooms and the bright specks of sweetcorn more than made up for the lack of dairy. And you can't go wrong with mashed sweet potatoes. Although I will concede that roasting the potatoes instead of just plain boiling them would've concentrated their flavour nicely.

All things considered though, these were a hands-down success. Hell I might even consider trying another cheese-free concoction!

Portabellini and Sweet Potato Stuffed Tortillas

Adapted from The Wind Attack

Makes 6 tortillas 

3 dried shitake mushrooms*

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

200g portabellini mushrooms, sliced

1 cup cook sweetcorn (you can use fresh, frozen or canned)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed with a little bit of milk

6 smallish flour tortillas (approx 16cm or 6.5 inch diameter)

sweet chilli sauce or tomato salsa to serve (optional)

1. Cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water and leave to re-hydrate and soften for approximately 10 minutes. Slice and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium frying pan, add garlic and portabellini mushrooms and fry for 4 - 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to release their juices. 

3. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the cumin and coriander seeds. You want it to be broken up but not finely ground. Add this to the mushrooms in the pan.

4. To the mushrooms in the pan add the dried mushrooms, sweetcorn, paprika, salt and fresh coriander and cook for another minute or two to heat evenly. Set aside.

5. Heat the tortillas for a few minutes in a frying pan or a few seconds in the microwave until soft and pliable. 

6. To assemble: Spread 1/6th of the mashed sweet potatoes on a tortilla, concentrating on the front quarter (triangle-shaped). Top with the mushroom and sweetcorn mixture, then fold the tortilla in half over the filling and in half again so that you have a triangular shaped tortilla casing stuffed with the filling. Repeat with the remaining 5 tortillas.

Serve as is or drizzle with sweet chilli sauce or tomato salsa. As a variation you could add grated cheddar to the filling and place under a hot grill to melt before serving.

Nutritional info (per tortilla): Calories 215.4, Total fat 5.1 g, Saturated fat 0.2 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.2 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.2 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 436.1 mg, Potassium 197.1 mg, Total carbohydrate 36.1 g, Dietary fiber 2.5 g, Sugars 7.7 g, Protein 6.9 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 47.8 %

* You should be able to find these at your local Asian grocer. I happened to find mine at an Indian spice shop in Durban. They will last forever in your cupboard too.

Curried Chicken Salad on Spicy Chickpeas

Okay I know, I know. Multiple sections on a salad recipe?? That ain't right. You know what else ain't right?

The fact that it's only Thursday today. Where are you weekend?
Or how about the fact that it's still 10 more days to go until the CTFBC? Yes I'm counting..
Or that our little kitty has now started jumping onto our balcony's ledge?

*shudder* Be still my beating heart.


I'll admit, I also thought it was a bit much when I stumbled upon the recipe over at Epicurious. Four separate phases? You've got to be kidding me right? But you know what, it's really not that bad. Mmmm... I see I haven't convinced you yet, have I? Okay how about this - all the parts are super easy to do and don't take more than a few minutes. Better? Yeah I thought so... 

Do try this recipe though - it really is quite good for a casual weeknight meal.

Curried Chicken Salad on Spicy Chickpeas

Adapted from Epicurious

Serves 4 (generously)

For the curried chicken:

1 onion

1/2 tbsp garlic

1/2 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 cup plain low fat yogurt

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1. Saute onion, garlic and ginger in oil until onion starts to soften. 

2. Add curry, cumin, salt and tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens.

3. Stir yogurt in, then add chicken, mixing evenly

4. Cover and set aside to cool to room temperature.

For the spicy chickpeas:

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 

2. Add chickpeas and spices, and fry for about 5 minutes or until fragrant

3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

For the cucumber & grape salsa

1 cucumber, chopped (remove seeds)

1 cup green grapes, halved

2 tbsp mint, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix everything together, then set aside until assembling the salad.

For assembly:

1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped

1. Spoon salsa into individual serving plates. 

2. Top with a spoonful of chickpeas and a dollop of the chicken salad, then scatter with almonds and serve.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 447.2 , Total fat 12.0 g, Saturated fat 2.2 g, Polyunsaturated fat 2.4 g, Monounsaturated fat 6.1 g, Cholesterol 72.1 mg, Sodium 1,294.1 mg, Potassium 1,068.7 mg, Total  carbohydrate 41.1 g, Dietary fiber 8.1 g, Sugars 12.2 g, Protein 39.8 g

Good source of: Niacin 71.6 %, Vitamin B6 69.6 %, Manganese 62.7 %, Phosphorus 51.5 %, Selenium 39.4 %, Vitamin C 33.9 %

Parmesan Mushrooms with Cherry Tomatoes

"Love is in the air... everywhere you look around.... " {du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum dum}  "Love is in the air... every sight and every sound..." {du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum dum}

Huh? Oh sorry, didn't see you there. Okay I'll stop singing now.

"And I don't know if I've been foolish..." Aaah there I go again. Sorry, I can't help it. I'm still stuck in February mode. You know what with Valentine's day and the anniversary of our meeting, first kiss and wedding, I couldn't help but have love on the brain for the whole of last month.

And why should it stop now? I'm a firm believer in celebrating the ordinary days too. Which is why I roasted a chicken for myself and TheHusband last night, added some roasted potatoes to the mix and made these sexy mushrooms as starter. Well okay, it was intended as a side-dish, but man that chicken took long to roast! Either way though, it was delicious. Tender meaty mushrooms, contrasted beautifully by tart cherry tomatoes and my old friend parmesan. What better way to add a sense of ocassion to a weeknight?

Parmesan Mushrooms with Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

10 (approx 250g) portabella mushrooms

1/4 tsp minced garlic

25 cherry tomatoes

1/2 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

30g grated parmesan cheese

few sprigs of oregano, to garnish (optional)

1. Place mushrooms cap side down in a non-stick frying pan. Add garlic and little bit of water, then cook over medium heat until starting to soften (5 - 7 minutes)

2. Scatter cherry tomatoes amongst the mushrooms, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook further until mushrooms are tender (another 5 or so minutes).

3. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm, garnished with oregano.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 87.9 , Total fat 4.4 g, Saturated fat 1.7 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.4 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.0 g, Cholesterol 5.9 mg, Sodium 153.0 mg, Potassium 547.1 mg, Total carbohydrate 8.4 g, Dietary fiber 2.1 g, Sugars 1.1 g, Protein 5.6 g

Good source of: Riboflavin 22.4 %, Vitamin C 17.8 %, Niacin 17.5 %, Phosphorus 16.8 %, Copper 16.6 %

Rustic Tuna Salad

No words today. Just a really simple light lunch, whipped up from (mostly) store cupboard basics. Enjoy!

Rustic Tuna Salad

Serves 2

1 tin (410g) butterbeans, drained & rinsed

75g french green beans, trimmed and halved

+/- 15 cherry tomatoes, halved

+/- 15 black olives

1 tin (170g) tuna chunks in brine, drained

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

a handful of basil, shredded

1. Toss beans, tomatoes and olive together in a salad bowl. Add tuna and gently stir through.

2. Drizzle oil and lemon juice over the salad, season to taste and scatter with basil. Gently toss to combine and serve immediately.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 271.1, Total fat 12.5 g, Saturated fat 1.5 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 8.2 g, Cholesterol 25.0 mg, Sodium 1,167.9 mg, Potassium 489.8 mg, Total carbohydrate 21.0 g, Dietary fiber 5.6 g, Sugars 0.7 g, Protein 15.6 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 29.5 %, Vitamin A 22.9 %, Iron 17.3 %, Vitamin E 15.9 %

Daring Cooks - Mezze

People adopt smug smiles for various reasons. Maybe you know something that no-one else does. A juicy secret definitely ups the smug factor (or at least it does for me!) Smug smiles can also be caused by the knowledge that you are somewhat (in some way at least) superior to someone else.



Sometimes you are not necessarily good at something, but certainly better than the average person out there. Something a whole slew of people realised in this past week with the whole facebook login fiasco. If you don't know what I'm talking about now - Daring Fireball has a great summary of the events that ensued when ReadWriteWeb wrote an article about facebook which resulted in unintentionally hilarious comments from confused facebook users.  It's one of those things that can make even the most un-savvy computer user feel like Bill Gates . Smugness on tap!

The 2010 February Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid. Our mezze had to include (but was not limited to): pita Bread (from scratch) and hummus. My hummus was a dismal FAIL, so I won't include a recipe for that. The pita bread though, was a HUGE success. I don't think I'll ever go back to buying ready made pita again.

And if you've never felt smug in your life, I can almost guarantee you that a bout of bread making will rectify that. Not because it's very complicated or even difficult. It's just that hardly anyone still does it anymore. And as such it has become quite awe-inspiring when someone does venture into the kitchen to exercise their kneading prowess.

Fast is not a word I'd use to describe making pita bread from scratch. But in the same breath, it's very low-maintenance. Mix, let rest, knead, let rest, roll out & bake for a few minutes. Active time is probably 30 minutes tops. The rest is just sitting back and waiting for the yeast to do the work. Producing perfectly fresh chewy, pillowy pita bread with (almost) no effort. Now that's something to feel smug about.

Pita Bread
Recipe adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Makes 8

2 tsp instant dry yeast

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

2 cups white bread flour

1 cup brown bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1. In a large bowl combine yeast, water and half of the flour. Stir 100 times in the same direction to activate the gluten. Cover and allow to rest for 1 1/2 hours.

2. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well, then gradually add more flour until the dough comes together. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Roll dough into a ball, lightly coat with olive oil, place in large bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rise until double in volume (45 mins to 1 hour)

3. Preheat oven to 230C. Gently punch down the dough, and divide in 8 equal pieces. Flatten each piece and roll out to a circle approx 1/2 cm thick. Lay the rolled out pita dough pieces next to each other (not on top of each other) and cover with a dish towel until ready to bake. 

4. Place two pita rounds at a time (or more if you have a large enough oven) onto a rectangle of heavy duty foil (or baking sheet or pizza stone), then place on oven rack. Bake for 2 - 3 minutes, or until bread puffs up like a balloon. Remove fom oven and wrap in a large kitchen towel to keep warm and soft while you bake the remaining breads. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

 

Nutritional info (per pita): Calories 142.9, Total fat 2.3 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.3 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 436.5 mg, Potassium 21.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 26.5 g, Dietary fiber 2.3 g, Sugars 0.0 g, Protein 4.6 g

Zucchini Puree with Tomatoes

  
Boy it really must seem like I'm a negative Nellie, but lemme have just this one more gripe. And then I'll be perky & positive for a few days. Pinky swear.

So you get two types of people: 

a) go-getters
b) lazy asses



I am not afraid (but a teensy little bit ashamed) to admit that I fit neatly into the last category. Of course I sometimes kick into gear, but mostly the laziness takes over and wrestles me down. I like to call it the path of least resistance... Having said that though, I also understand that if you want to be a lazy ass, you also give up your rights to complain when things are done by someone else. You need to pick your poison I think. 

Which is why it grates me so when I have to take care of something that is actually supposed to be someone else's job (am I talking about my dear colleague again? Perhaps...), and then that person has the audacity to point out everything that is wrong with the completed task. Bite me!

*Breathe in, breathe out*

Let's move on to more pleasant subjects though, shall we? Like food. Specifically Moroccan food. More specifically Moroccan mezze. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm you know you want some. This zucchini puree is about as easy as they come. Boil/steam your babymarrows, mash them up roughly with a fork and toss with a garlicy tomato sauce. Lovely as a dip or thickly scooped onto crusty bread. Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge (covered) for a few hours or even a few days. Low maintenance. Perfect for lazy asses.

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes (February's theme is the Middle East), hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others and created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok. 

Zucchini Puree with Tomatoes

(Slada Bil Gharaa Wal Tamatem)

Adapted from Arabesque (Claudia Roden)

Serves 3 - 4 as part of a mezze selection

250g zucchini, cut into thickish slices

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tin whole peeled tomatoes (with juice)

salt & black pepper, to taste

fresh parsley or coriander to garnish (optional)

1. Steam the zucchini until tender. Remove from heat and roughly mash with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook over medium heat until sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Gently combine tomatoes and zucchini and spoon into a serving bowl. Allow to cool down, then garnish with fresh herbs and serve with crusty bread and other mezze.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 36.8, Total fat 1.9 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.1 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 43.1 mg, Potassium 443.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 4.0 g, Dietary fiber 1.2 g, Sugars 0.8 g, Protein 2.5 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 52.4 %

Sweet Potato Salad with Green Olives (Slada Batata Hilwa)

What a week! What a month to be more specific. For most people, January is a month of loafing after the (preferably) long and lazy December holidays. But if you're an accountant at a company who decided (WHY??) to have a December year end, then January is going to be a rough month for you. Especially if you have auditors descending on you within 2 weeks of your return from holiday. Oy vey. But, *wipe sweat off my forehead*, luckily, it's all over now. Now I can breath again. And catch up with my google reader subscriptions (I confess, I'm a greedy greedy reader). And cook. And of course, blog!




This has got to be one of the best ways to eat sweet potatoes. The perfect balance between sweet, spicy and salty, I suspect even my mom (a self-confessed sweet-vegetable- hater) would be convinced after just one whiff of the delicious aroma. The flavours are very reminiscent of the same author's Orange, Olive & Red Onion Salad, which as you know, is a top contender for my favourite salad of all time. This comes a very close second. *Sigh* I think I should've been born in Morocco...

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes (February's theme is the Middle East), hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others and created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok.

Sweet Potato Salad with Green Olives
(Slada Batata Hilwa) 

Adapted from Arabesque (Claudia Roden)

Serves 4 (as side-dish)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp olive oil

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, ground

1/2 tsp paprika

salt to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

6 green olives, pitted and quartered

a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley

1. Gently saute onion in olive oil until soft and glassy. 

2. Add sweet potatoes and spices, stirfry for a few minutes, then add water, enough to just cover the sweet potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium low heat until potatoes are fully cooked and fragrant. 

3. Season to taste with salt, add lemon juice and stir olives through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve while still hot.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 110.9, Total fat 2.4 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.3 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 38.3 mg, Potassium 456.8 mg, Total carbohydrate 20.7 g, Dietary fiber 3.8 g, Sugars 7.4 g, Protein 2.1 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 106.2 %, Manganese 25.0 %, Vitamin C 25.8 %, Vitamin B6 18.0 %

Chickpea, Apricot & Walnut Salad

Carrying on with my Tex-Mex theme (as evidenced by my Spicy Mexican Beef Skewers and Tex-Mex salad), I bring you... well.... a not so tex-mex-y salad. But it did hang out with some cacti... so I think we can at least give it honorary Tex-Mex status! Eh... probably not, right? Oh dear.. now the salad is skulking away in shame.



Come back salad! All is forgiven. Tex-Mex or no Tex-Mex, this one can rough it up with the best of them. And it's pretty pleasing on the tastebuds too. Especially as leftovers the next day - there's just something about hanging around for a day that seems to bring out the best in some dishes.

Chickpea, Apricot & Walnut Salad
Serves 6

2 tins (400g each) chickpeas, drained
150g babymarrows, sliced diagonally and lightly steamed
100g dried apricots, chopped
50g walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

1. Toss chickpeas, babymarrows, apricots and nuts together.

2. Combine spices, lemon juice and oil to form a dressing and drizzle over salad. Toss lightly to combine and serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 166.3, Total fat 1.3 g, Saturated fat 0.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 0.2 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 242.9 mg, Potassium 573.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 35.4 g, Dietary fiber 6.1 g, Sugars 13.5 g, Protein 5.7 g

Good source of:  Vitamin A 30.5 %, Manganese 30.0 %, Vitamin B6 24.9 %, Vitamin C 23.0 %, Folate 15.7 %

Tex-Mex Salad

Apologies for the few days of absence, but our thoughts have been occupied with this little cutie:

The newest addition to our household, JD has already been embroiled in a sex change scandal although we've only had her for a week.

How so?

Well, dear reader, that is what happens when two non-cat experts adopt a little kitten from a friend who proceeds to inform said non-cat experts that the little ball of fur is of the male persuasion. Of course these two non-cat experts get so caught up in the "brand-new-kitten!"-euphoria that they don't even bother to make sure that the kitty is indeed a rough and tumble little boy or whether a dainty little girl is hiding inside there.

Suffice to say, when we took her to the vet yesterday, we felt pretty darn stupid when the vet told us that she has to be a girl because only females come with this particular colouring (something about the x chromosomes - she kinda lost me halfway). That and the very obvious matter of female genitalia...

So, for the past week's gender confusion - a sincere apology my lovely little JD!

The irony of her name of course is not lost on us... JD was originally named after Dr Dorian from Scrubs and, as all Scrubs fans will know, Dr Perry frequently teases JD about being a girl. Ne'er a truer word spoken in jest!

Anyyywhoo, let's get back to the food (because let's face it, that's what  you're here for!), shall we?

This tex-mex salad is supertasty and best of all, it's quickly assembled out of (mostly) storecupboard ingredients. The perfect accompaniment for grilled meats (perhaps these beef skewers?), it also makes for a very satisfying light lunch. Keeps well in the fridge.

Tex-Mex Salad

Serves 4 - 6 (as a side-dish)

2 x 400g tins red kidney beans, drained

1 x 360g tin sweetcorn kernels, drained

2 or 3 tomatoes, diced (optional)

1/2 large cucumber, diced

200g pack black olives in brine, drained and halved

1/2 red bellpepper, diced

1/2 green bellpepper, diced

1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp cumin seeds, ground

1 tsp coriander seeds, ground

1 tsp salt

1. Toss, beans, sweetcorn, tomatoes (if using), cucumber, olives and bellpeppers together in a large salad bowl.

2. Add oil, lemon juice & spices, then toss again.

3. Refrigerate, covered for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the flavours to mingle, then serve cold.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 169.6 , Total fat 4.6 g, Saturated fat 0.6 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.9 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.8 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 1063.6 mg, Potassium 481.6 mg, Total carbohydrate 28.3 g, Dietary fiber 9.1 g, Sugars 0.6 g, Protein 7.3 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 66.6 %, Vitamin A 33.1 %, Iron 20.6 %, Folate 19.9 %

Guilt-Free Chocolate Mousse

Behold, my friends, for I bring you a way to satisfy my your chocolate and sweet tooth cravings sans guilt.

"Hah!", you scoff, "I've heard claims of this before and it ends up either costing a fortune or tasting like cardboard".

"But wait", I reply, "this is not like all the others, it's different!"


 

How is it different? Well firstly, it tastes AWESOME. On top of that it's got zero added sugar, very little fat, and consists almost entirely of bananas. How is this possible? The science of it boggles my mind, but what I do know is that once you whip those frozen bananas up in your blender, they turn gloriously creamy and delicious and mousse-y and ice-creamy. The perfect base to transform into a variety of delicious (good-for-you) flavours.

Oh, and did I mention  it's all-natural and super healthy? NOM to the max!

Guilt-Free Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once

Makes 2 generous servings

3 bananas

2 tbsp coconut milk

2 tbsp best quality cocoa powder (unsweetened)

coloured slivered almonds, to garnish (optional)

1. Peel bananas and cut into chunks. Arrange in a ziplock bag in a single layer and freeze until solid.

2. In a food processor, blend bananas, coconut milk  until whipped and creamy looking. Add cocoa powder, mixing to incorporate the cocoa evenly into the banana mixture.

3. Serve, garnished with slivered almonds.

Notes: You can also serve this as a ice-cream, by returning the mixture to the freezer to firm up again after incorporating the cocoa powder. Alternatively, leave out the cocao powder and serve as a delicious alternative to vanilla ice-cream. Or get creative and add your own flavours. 

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 204.7 , Total fat 4.9 g, Saturated fat 3.7 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 0.6 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 4.8 mg, Potassium 816.3 mg, Total carbohydrate 44.9 g, Dietary fiber 6.0 g, Sugars 22.0 g, Protein 3.1 g

Good source of: Vitamin B6 51.7 %, Manganese 29.7 %, Vitamin C 27.1 %, Magnesium 21.4 %, Copper 21.1 %

Orange, Olive & Red Onion Salad

S. Alad, meet Blog universe. Blog universe - meet my favourite salad. The combination sounds strange I'll admit (I  mean come on  - oranges and olives? You're kidding, right?), but man oh man do they work well together. I could seriously inhale eat this salad day in and day out. By the truckload bowlful. The chocolate peanut butter cups in the fridge are even looking worried that this salad will dethrone them as The One and Only in my heart & tummy. I'll be honest, it's a very real risk.




On a side-note - if you have not yet read Arabesque (Claudia Roden), please do yourself a favour and go beg/steal/borrow/buy a copy now. It's one of my top 3 favourite cookbooks and one you can read over and over again for the intoxicatingly vivid food pictures she paints.

I'm submitting this to Weekend Herb Blogging #214, hosted by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once. 

Orange, Olive & Onion Salad

(Slada Bartokal Bil Zaytoun)

Adapted from Claudia Roden's Arabesque

Serves 4*

4 large oranges

12 italian black olives, pitted & halved

1/2 small red onion

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1. Peel oranges and divide into segments. Remove all visible pith, then halve each segment.

2. Gently mix oranges, olives, onion and cumin seeds together in a bowl. Add salt, olive oil and lemon juice and gently mix with salad ingredients, ensuring everything gets an even coating.

3. Place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow flavours to mingle.

4. Serve cold.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 122.2, Total fat 3.2 g, Saturated fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.2 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 515.4 mg, Potassium 360.1 mg, Total carbohydrate 24.1 g, Dietary fiber 5.3 g, Sugars 9.1 g, Protein 2.2 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 165.8 %, Calcium 10.4 %

*or one blogger/salad addict

Oregano Chicken Skewers

Summer calls for swanning around in next-to-nothings, sultry sounds and sipping on colourful cocktails. It also calls for skewered food. Can you hear it? Skeeeeeeeeeeeeee-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeers. Okay maybe that's just me.

These skewers will have you calling out for more though. Even if you aren't swanning around in next-to-nothings. And let me just say, apricots are a very under appreciated fruit. Especially when it comes to skewers. They add a delightful tang to the other ingredients. Try them skewered and wrapped in bacon - it is truly divine.

Oregano Chicken Skewers

Inspired by The Culinary Sherpas

Serves 4

500g skinless boneless chicken breasts
juice from 1 lemon (approx 2 tbsp)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp plain lowfat yoghurt
8 largeish button mushrooms
4 apricots, pitted and halved
1 tbsp olive oil

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes, then marinate in a mixture of the lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and yoghurt. Leave to soak up the flavours for an hour.
2. Thread the chicken, mushrooms and apricots onto skewers and place on a baking tray.
3. Bake at 180C for 20 - 25 minutes until chicken is cooked but still tender.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 205.8, Total fat 5.5 g, Saturated fat 1.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.7 g, Monounsaturated fat 3.0 g, Cholesterol 73.4 mg, Sodium 675.4 mg, Potassium 577.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 7.3 g, Dietary fiber 1.3 g, Sugars 5.2 g, Protein 31.4 g

Good source of: Niacin 78.2 %, Vitamin B6 38.6 %, Phosphorus 30.8 %, Selenium 37.3 %, Riboflavin 18.5 %

Aubergine, Bulghur & Lentil Salad with Fresh Salsa

Things I love about Christmas:

• Christmas cheer (and Christmas carols!)
  
• Spoiling my loved ones
• Sunny days & the prospect of achieving that elusive bronze glow (okay who am I kidding on this one... I'm usually the one who blinds the rest of humanity with my still snow white legs by the end of summer)
• (Over)indulging in food of every kind and, more to the point, sinful desserts of every kind

 Things I don't like about Christmas:

• Having to listen to other people's Christmas cheer while I'm working/sleeping
• The mad rush in the mall trying to find Christmas gifts that will a) be appreciated and b) not break the bank
• Achieving a lobstery red glow in the summer sun whilst in pursuit of a bronze glow
• Starting the New Year 1 dress size larger owing to all the (over)indulgence of the festive season

I don't have satisfactory solutions to the first 3 issues (yet), but I think I've found the solution to the last one. Yes sirree, my body is stockpiling on VVM's at the moment so that I have a buffer for the overindulgences that is bound to follow in the days to come. This salad is a prime example of a VVM. (Very Virtuous Meal) The unexpected bonus? It's also mighty tasty. The variety in textures - nutty chewy grains vs creamy aubergines vs crunchy veggies - ensures that this combo is anything but boring.

Aubergine, Bulghur & Lentil Salad with Fresh Salsa

Adapted from Food & Wine

Serves 6 - 8

1 cup dried lentils
1 tsp salt
1 cup bulghur
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 medium aubergine, finely diced
2 tsp sambal oelek
1 tbsp fruit chutney
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1 medium yellow bellpepper, finely diced
3 medium tomatoes, finely diced
1 cucumber, finely diced
salt & pepper to taste
baby salad leaves, optional
sweet chilli sauce, optional

1. Add lentils, salt and 3 1/2 cups of boiling water to a medium sized pot. Bring to the boil, then turn down heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add bulghur and cook another 10 minutes until both the lentils and bulghur is cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool down slightly
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan. Add onions and garlic, saute 2 - 3 minutes, then add aubergine along with the rest of the oil. Fry for 3 - 4 minutes, then add sambal oelek, chutney and 1 1/2 cups of water. Season to taste with salt and cook over medium-high heat until liquid has been absorbed and aubergine is soft.
3. Add the aubergine to the lentil/bulghur mixture and stir through gently. Add to this the chopped up herbs, taste and adjust seasoning if required. Set aside.
4. In a seperate bowl assemble the salsa by mixing the yellow bellpepper, tomatoes and cucumber. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. To serve - arrange salad greens on plates, top with a generous spoonful of the lentils and some salsa and drizzle with sweet chilli sauce

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 250.5, Total fat 4.8 g, Saturated fat 0.6 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.9 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 377.5 mg, Potassium 666.7 mg, Total carbohydrate 42.4 g, Dietary fiber 11.7 g, Sugars 1.0 g, Protein 11.1 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 74.4 %, Folate 41.0 %, Manganese 28.8 %, Iron 17.2 %