DAL CURRY

1 cup dal (lentils)

1 tomato (diced)

1 teaspoon chicken soup mix OR 1 chicken cube (crushed)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 green chili (split OR 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder)

4 garlic cloves (crushed or minced very fine)

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin (whole or powder)

2 sprigs of coriander (chopped)

1 tablespoon oil

eggs (optional)

• Boil dal in enough water to cover dal completely and a little extra
• Add chicken soup mix/cube
• Let cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes
• Add tomato, turmeric & chili. Stir and let cook as you start the following:
• In another pot, fry 4 garlic cloves in oil, until slightly brown
• Add mustard seeds – careful, they will splatter
• Add cumin and stir. Let brown
• Add in dal from other pot and stir
• Add coriander and let boil for ~5 minutes on low heat, stir. Add more water if needed
• For eggs, crack as many as wanted on top of boiling dal and let poach until set.

ZUCCHINI-TOMATO CASSEROLE

2 medium-sized zucchini

2 tomatoes

1 onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon oregano

Salt & pepper to taste

Wash zucchini and cut into ½ inch slices

• Wash tomatoes and cut into small wedges
• Thinly slice onion
• Arrange zucchini, tomato wedges and onion in 2 layers, using half of each vegetable/ layer
• Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper to taste and oregano
• Pour 1 Tbsp olive oil over top. Cover.
• Microwave 20-25 minutes (on High) or until done.

PAD THAI

pad thai rice noodles & sauce

chicken cut into small pieces

fried tofu cut into small cubes or slices

1 egg

shrimps

green onion

coriander

bean sprouts

chili pepper flakes

crushed peanuts

lime wedges

soy sauce (optional)

• Soak noodles in hot water according to directions on packet (soak longer if possible)
• In a large wok, fry egg then start chicken
• Add shrimp when chicken nearly done and add tofu
• Drain noodles and add to the wok – cook about 5 minutes
• Add chili pepper flakes, onion, coriander and bean sprouts, followed by noodle sauce. May add a touch of soy sauce if mixture is dry
• Cook and stir for another two minutes
• Serve garnished with peanuts and lime wedges.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

4½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups butter, softened

1½ cups packed brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3-4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

RED VEGETABLE CURRY

1 tablespoon oil (peanut)

1 onion, chopped

1-2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 can coconut milk

2 potatoes, peeled & chopped into cubes

200g cauliflower florets

6 makrut (kaffir lime) leaves – optional

150g snake beans or green beans, cut into 1′ lengths

½ red pepper, sliced

1 can baby corn, cut in half lengthwise

1 tablespoon green peppercorns, chopped – or just use crushed black pepper

1 small handful fresh Thai basil leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice – or use slightly less lemon juice

2 teaspoons soft brown sugar

• Heat oil in wok and stir-fry the onion and curry paste for ~4 minutes over medium heat
• Start boiling water for preparing the rice
• Add the coconut milk and 1 cup of water; bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes
• Add the potatoes, cauliflower and makrut leaves; simmer for 5 minutes
• Add the beans; simmer another 2-3 minutes
• Add the red peppers and peppercorns; cook for ~5 minutes or until veggies are tender
• Add the canned corn, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and basil just before serving
• Serve over rice and enjoy!

CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST

3 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 capful vanilla extract

Shaking of ground cinnamon

6-8 slices bread

Heat pan on medium. Mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, and ground cinnamon together. Put the bread in the batter then quickly turn it over and soak the other side. Cook the bread on each side until both are light brown. Serve with maple syrup.

OATMEAL COOKIES

¾ cup margarine (room temperature) ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick-cooking)

½ cup chocolate chips – optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until incorporated. Stir in the oats then chocolate chips.

Grease cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. Drop ¼ cup batter onto sheet, about 2 inches apart. Wet hand and slightly flatten cookies until they are about ½ inch thick. Bake cookies for about 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown around edges but still soft and a little wet at centres. Remove from oven and let stand on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring them to wire rack. Makes 20-24 large cookies.

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BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

¾ cup margarine (room temperature) 1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg 1 teaspoon salt

½ cup mashed bananas (2 medium bananas) 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick-cooking)

½ cup chocolate chips – optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, banana and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until incorporated. Stir in the oats then chocolate chips.

Grease cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. Bake cookies for about 12 minutes or until light golden brown around edges but still soft and a little wet at centres. Remove from oven and let stand on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire rack. Makes ~30 large cookies.

OATMEAL MUFFINS

¼ cup vegetable oil 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup milk 1 cup oats

1 large egg ½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

Streusel: 1/3 cup oats

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup flour

3 tablespoons margarine (chilled)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups.

For streusel: combine dry ingredients; mix well. Cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly; set aside.

For muffins: combine dry ingredients; mix well. Beat together egg, milk & oil separately. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter, patting gently. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let muffins stand a few minutes, remove from pan. Serve warm.

SIMPLE WHITE CAKE

1 cup white sugar

½ cup butter (room temperature)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

LEMON ICING

½ cup butter (room temperature)

2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups icing sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Add more lemon juice or a bit of milk if too stiff, or icing sugar if too runny. Adjust until ideal consistency.

For a double-layer white cake, double the cake recipe and pour batter into two 8-9” diameter baking pans. Make 1.5x the icing recipe in order to frost the stacked cakes. Stack them bottom to bottom or top to top.

ALOO GAJJAR

2 tablespoon olive oil OR vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin OR ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into ½ inch cubes

2 medium carrots, peeled & cubed

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Juice of ½ lemon (optional)

Heat oil in large pan or wok.

Add cumin & stir.

Add potatoes & stir for 1 minute then add carrots & stir.

Sprinkle with chili, coriander, turmeric & salt.

Stir-fry the mixture for 1-2 minutes.

Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot.

Cover & cook over low heat for 8- 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving if you want.

PANZANELLA

1 crusty baguette, diced and dried overnight

6 slices bacon, chopped

6 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 small white onion, chopped fine

2 tablespoons shredded basil leaves

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, crushed

In a large frying pan, fry bacon till crisp and set aside.

Toss cubed baguette in the remaining bacon drippings and fry for 2 or 3 minutes, set aside.

Mix the tomatoes, pepper, onion and basil in a large salad bowl.

Add the bread cubes and mix lightly.

Combine the olive oil, vinegar and garlic.

Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss well.

Garnish servings with the reserved bacon.

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL CAKE

*** You can halve this recipe easily for one 8” or 9” diameter cake.

1 ¾ cups boiling water

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• Grease and flour two 8” or 9” cake pans.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix water and oatmeal in mixing bowl, and let sit 10 minutes.
• Add sugars, butter, and eggs. Mix well.
• Add flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Blend.
• Pour into greased and floured pans. Top with chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until toothpick in centre is clean.

GINGER SNAP COOKIES

½ cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 ¼ cups sifted flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

Granulated sugar

1. Combine butter, brown sugar, molasses and egg and beat thoroughly.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
3. Gradually add dry mixture to wet, and blend well. Make dough into a large ball, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F then grease or line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Roll into 1-inch balls then roll in granulated sugar.
6. Bake for 8-9 minutes (don’t overbake or bottoms burn).

Makes ~40-45 cookies.

MIDDLE-EASTERN CHICKEN

Canola or olive oil

2 boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1 large red onion, thinly sliced into strips

Canned chickpeas (about 310g or 11 oz), drained
½ cup pistachio kernels

1 tomato, diced

Juice of 1 orange, squeezed
1 large handful of flat parsley, finely chopped

Ground pepper

Powdered garlic

Couscous

1. Heat wok to medium-high, and add oil. Stir-fry the chicken in batches until golden. Remove from wok with a slotted spoon.
2. Add some more oil and stir fry the onion for 2 minutes.
3. Add the chickpeas, pistachio kernels, and tomato. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes or until the chickpeas are soft and cooked through.
4. Pour the squeezed orange juice into the wok, with the chicken. Stir-fry until a good amount of the juice has evaporated (no more than half of it).
5. Stir in the parsley. Season with some powdered garlic (if you want) and ground black pepper.
6. Serve on couscous.

 

Conclusion:
Tasty.

BIRYANI

1 lb. beef or chicken or lamb cut in pieces

4 medium onions finely sliced

2 tomatoes chopped

½ cup plain yogourt

1 teaspooon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 potatoes cut (16 pieces)

Biryani spice mix

2 tablespoons oil

2 cups basmati rice

fresh coriander leaves

Wash meat & cover with yogourt – mix well. Add in Biryani mix and stir.

Fry onions & tomatoes in oil. Add ginger & garlic – stir well.

Add potatoes & 1 cup water. Add in meat. Cook on low heat until meat & potatoes are cooked. Remove from stove.

Meanwhile cook rice with turmeric powder (for colour) in your usual way.

In a dish layer 1/3 cooked rice. Add ½ the meat for the second layer. Repeat these layers.

Top layer rice. Sprinkle top with left over curry if you wish.

Garnish with coriander leaves & fried onions.

Keep warm in oven & serve.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
• Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.
• Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts.
• Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
• Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

TURKEY STUFFING (DE SOUZA VERSION)

8 oz butter or margarine

2 large celery stalks with leaves, diced

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 loaf of white bread, cubed

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme (dried)

1 ½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 lb pork breakfast sausages

cooking oil

turkey or chicken stock

• Heat a little oil in a pan. Remove sausage meat from casings & fry until no longer pink.
• Melt butter in a pot on medium-high heat. Cook celery & onions in butter stirring until tender. Remove from heat.
• Toss celery mixture & remaining ingredients together in large bowl.
• Stuff turkey just before roasting. You will still have some stuffing left over. Bake the left over stuffing in a small baking dish as follows:
• If you do not want to stuff the turkey, bake the stuffing seperately. Place in a large greased baking dish. Coat the top with some melted butter or turkey/chicken stock to keep it moist. Cover & bake in a 325°C oven for 30 min. Uncover & bake 15 min. longer.

LAMB CURRY

1 large yellow onion, minced

2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced

½ inch fresh ginger root, finely minced

3 tablespoons fresh parsley minced OR coriander leaves minced

1 teaspoon fresh mint minced (optional)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala OR curry powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 lb. boneless lamb, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 cup water

2 medium tomatoes, cubed OR 1 cup drained canned tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

• Heat a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add oil.
• Add onion, garlic, ginger, minced leaves. Stir & fry 5 minutes until soft but not brown.
• Add turmeric, masala & salt. Mix well. Cook 1 minute.
• Add lamb. Stir & fry until meat is lightly browned (about 3 minutes).
• Add water and mix well. Cover & bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 30 minutes.
• Add tomatoes. Mix well. Cover & bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium low & simmer 30 minutes until meat is tender.

GINGER PUMPKIN BREAD

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground ginger (or a 2” piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated)

1 teaspoons salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée (1 ¾ cups)

3 large eggs

• Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
• Spray two 8 ½ x 4 ½” loaf pans with PAM; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs; add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in centre of loaves comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
• Let cool 10 minutes, invert pans and transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.