Vietnamese Chicken and Pineapple Soup

It is freezing in the Western Cape at the moment. Yes, I know I proclaimed my love for winter just the other day, but it would be nice if the temperature could be dialed up to juuuust a notch above freezing. Just saying.

This month Joanne from Eats Well with Others chose Vietnam as the theme for the Regional Recipes event and when I saw that I did a silent "hell yeah!" in my head. Because you see, I  love asian food. Chinese take out (the greasier the better), all-you-can-eat buffets and tempting noodle-y dishes at our local Thai place, you name it, and I'll probably like it. Sad thing though: I tend to not cook a lot of asian food at home. Yes I do the odd stirfry, but that's where it stays. Mostly.

So this was the perfect opportunity for me to get out of my rut and into my kitchen. Except it was really cold yesterday. And while Asian foods are many things, comforting is not the first word that springs to mind. Or maybe I've just been ignorant so far?

Nevertheless I set off without fear or trepidation into the hallowed halls of the internet where I stumbled across a vast array of warming soups and even a curry or two. Comfort meal? Hells yeah! But one stood out. Vietnamese Chicken and Pineapple Soup. Yes, okay, the reason I was attracted to it, was because of the odd combination. Pineapple? In soup? Eh... 

But it works! Oh and does it ever. TheHusband and I slurped this motley crue of ingredients right up. And we want more. MOAR I say! Any volunteers for making me another batch?

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes - Vietnam, hosted by Joanne from Eats Well with Others.

Vietnamese Chicken and Pineapple Soup

Adapted from Pots & Pearls

Serves 4

2 small pineapples

approx 8 cups water

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 - 2 tbsp dry red chilli flakes

3 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp fish sauce

1 lemongrass stalk

120g fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp black pepper

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts (approx 250g)

200g rice noodles, softened

1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

1. Peel and core pineapples, discarding only the peel. Chop the cores and puree with 1/2 cup of water in a blender. Strain using a sieve and pressing down on the solids to extract the most liquid. Discard the solids and set the juice aside. Chop the remaining pineapple pieces and set aside as well.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot, then fry the chillies and 2 tsp garlic for a minute or two until fragrant. Add 1/4 cup fish sauce and cook another 2 minutes to reduce.

3. Add enough water to the pineapple juice to make up 8 cups, then add to the pot with the lemongrass stalk.

4. Bring to the boil, then add mushrooms, tomatoes, reserved pineapple pieces and 1/2 tsp pepper. Return to the boil, then cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, add rest of garlic, along with a pinch of chilli flakes and the remaining 2 tbsp of fish sauce. Cook 2 minutes or until reduced, then season chicken with 1/2 tsp pepper and add to the pan, frying briefly until just cooked.

6. Stir chicken into the soup and simmer for 1 minute.

7. Divide noodles amongst serving bowls, then ladle in the steaming hot soup. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 327.5, Total fat 8.8 g, Saturated fat 0.8 g, Polyunsaturated fat 4.9 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 33.8 mg, Sodium 2236.7 mg, Potassium 577.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 50 g, Dietary fiber 5.3 g, Sugars 24.4 g, Protein 16.3 g 

Good source of: Manganese 212.2 %, Vitamin C 80.0 %, Magnesium 23.8 %, Vitamin E 20.1 %

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).

Sauce Ti Malice (Haitian Hot Sauce)

If you want a spicy,  yet easy-to-make sauce, you've come to the right place. And as an added bonus, you get to go on a (virtual) tour of Haiti if you proceed. Sound like a deal?

In Haitian folktales, there are two main characters, slow-witted Bouki, and mischievous Ti-Malice.  Stories are introduced by an invitation (KRIK?) and if the audience wants to hear the story, they respond (KRAK!). (Source: Watching the Waters)

One of the many folkstories attempts to explain the origin of Sauce Ti Malice:

"Two men, Ti-Malice and Bouki, are good friends. Ti-Malice has meat for lunch everyday and Bouki just so happens to show up at Ti-Malice's house every day around lunch time. Haitians, being good natured, offer whatever they are eating to their guests. So Bouki winds up sharing Ti-Malice's meat every day.

One day, Ti-Malice decides to trick Bouki and prepares a very hot sauce for the meat, hoping to deter Bouki from coming back at lunchtime to eat his food. Bouki tastes the meat with the hot sauce on it and runs all over town shouting to everyone 'Come taste the sauce Ti-Malice made for me'; and that's how Sauce Ti-Malice got its name." 

(Source: A Taste of Haiti)

It's obvious why Bouki enjoyed this sauce so much - it is spicy, yet not too spicy, and perfect for dishes in need of a little flavour injection.

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.

Sauce Ti Malice

Adapted from CaribSeek Recipes

Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

One of the most popular sauces in Haiti, Sauce Ti Malice is traditionally served with Tassot (Fried Goat) or Griots (Fried Pork).

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 green bellpepper, finely chopped

1/4 red bellpepper, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 tsp chilli powder (or use more to taste)

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups water

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. 

2. Add bellpeppers, tomato paste, salt, pepper, vinegar, chilli powder and lemon juice and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

3. Thin sauce with 2 cups water and cook for 15 minutes on low-medium heat to slightly thicken the sauce. 

Nutritional info (per cup): Calories 61.5 , Total fat 2.5 g, Saturated fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated 0.3 fat g, Monounsaturated fat 1.7 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 717.2 mg, Potassium 306.4 mg, Total carbohydrate 10.0 g, Dietary fiber 2.0 g, Sugars 3.5 g, Protein 1.5 g 

Good source of: Vitamin C 79.6 %, Vitamin A 25.4 %

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.

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 %

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 %

Black Bean Burgers

Back to school, back to reality as they say, right? No that's not really indicative of my mood. I've actually had a really relaxing holiday and as such I feel refreshed and ready for the new year. Who's with me now? The start of a year (and a decade at that) should be full of hope for what's to come and I'm definitely feeling that vibe. 2010 is going to be full of great things.

One of those is good health and as such I (and I suppose about 5 billion other people around the globe) have embarked on a healthy eating and exercising regime. I do eat pretty healthily already I must add, but of course there are always ways to up the ante. Like say, stepping away from the chocolate every once in a while and attempting to turning a blind eye to all the delicious sweet treats tempting me on Tastespotting. Hmmm, maybe I could sue them for the extra poundage I am currently lugging around?

Or maybe I should have one of these Black Bean Burgers instead to satisfy my tastebuds AND be healthy at the same time. Agreed?

Black Bean Burgers

Makes 6 patties 

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp chilli powder (or use more if you prefer things spicier)

1 tsp salt

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

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup brown bread (wholewheat) flour

1. Grind the coriander, cumin and black mustard in a pestle and mortar until coarsely ground.

2. Mash the kidney beans with a fork or potato masher, then add onions, egg, flour and spices. Mix to combine everything evenly, then form into patties

3. Place the patties on a greased oventray and freeze for 30 minutes to firm them up.

4. Bake at 180C for 30 minutes until crisp on top. Will still be slightly soft inside, but should be cooked through.

Serve on a fresh bun smeared with a dab of creamcheese (or leftover labneh if you like), slices of cucumber, gherkins and a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce.

Nutritional info (per patty): Calories 139.2, Total fat 1.8 g, Saturated fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.4 g, Monounsaturated fat 0.6 g, Cholesterol 46 mg, Sodium 800.6 mg, Potassium 343.7 mg, Total carbohydrate 23.3 g, Dietary fiber 8.4 g, Sugars 0.0 g, Protein 8.4 g

Good source of: Folate 16.6 %, Manganese 16.4 %, Phosphorus 13.7 %

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 %

Okra Fried Rice

You know what is clearly impossible to find in this town? Five-spice powder. Seriously people, I'm missing out on lots of cool recipes because of this lack of five-spiciness. I might be forced into some hardcore protesting outside my local grocery store when next I am unable to find said spice. But for now I'm going to live and let live, eat my okra fried rice and smile beatifically if anyone dares comment on it's lack of five-spiciness (as per the original recipe).

 

Now that I've got that out of the way, I can happily report that I did manage to find okra. Go Checkers! (We'll talk later about your lack of performance in the five-spice arena...)

I've never had okra before and I must admit I was rather curious to what it would taste like after reading various negative reports online regarding it's sliminess. My verdict? Not slimy! Okay that's not entirely true.  There is a slight gummy factor, but I wouldn't call it slimy per se. It adds a nice mouthfeel (oooh look I'm being all gourmet-y now) to the otherwise very mild taste that okra offers. To be honest, even after eating the okra fried rice, I would still be hard-pressed to describe to anyone what okra tastes like. Maybe I should try it unadorned next time? Any okra experts out there, this would be the place where you chime in and help me out of my okra ignorance. You will be rewarded* greatly!

Okra Fried Rice

Adapted from Cook It Simply

Serves 5 - 6 (as side-dish)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
100g okra, sliced into rings
1/2 large green pepper, finely chopped

100g cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)

3 cups cooked brown rice

3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped

1. Heat the oil over medium to high heat in a fairly large saucepan, add the garlic and onion and saute for about 3 minutes or until starting to soften.

2. Add okra and greenpepper to the pan, and saute another 5 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes and cook another 3 minutes until all the veggies are cooked through.

4. Add the cooked rice to the okra mixture, along with the soy sauce. Stir to mix and cook a further few minutes to heat through evenly.

5. Lastly, add the coriander, stir through and serve warm.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 163.0 , Total fat 3.6 g, Saturated fat 0.5 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.2 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 500.7 mg, Potassium 171.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 28.8 g, Dietary fiber 3.0 g, Sugars 1.0 g, Protein 4.1 g

Good source of: Manganese 55.3 %, Vitamin C 24.8 %, Selenium 15.3 %

*Note to self: Think of a great reward to offer Okra Experts