Aubergine Chutney, Coconut Chickpea Hummus with Quinoa

170222 Aubergine Chutney Coconut Hummus with Quinoa-4322

This dish has three main components and makes for a delicious light lunch or a starter. Of course, the chutney and hummus can be used on their own too. The toasted coconut/nuts/seeds in the hummus gives a wonderful crunch to each bite! A must try!!

1.Aubergine Chutney
2 aubergines, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
olive oil

½ tsp curry
½ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp agave syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce

50 ml water
50 ml olive oil
75 ml coconut cream

Shredded basil.

1. Sauté the onion, garlic and aubergine over low heat until soft.
2. Add the spices, vinegar, agave and soy sauce. Stir for a few minutes.
3. Add the liquids and simmer 10-15 minutes.
4. Lastly, stir in the basil.

2.Coconut Chickpea Hummus

100 ml un-peeled almonds, chopped
75 ml shredded coconut
75 ml sunflower seeds
salt and pepper

400 g cooked chickpeas
2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 lemon, zest and juice

1. Toast the almond, coconut and sunflower seed in a pan. Season. Set aside.
2. Combine the chickpeas, chili, paprika and lemon in a blender and run until well blended. Add some water (or juice from the chickpeas) if it is too thick. It doesn’t have to be smooth.
3. When done, turn off the blender and stir in the toasted mix.

3.Quinoa
200 ml quinoa
500 ml water (or vegetable broth)
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, whole

1. Wash the quinoa and combine all ingredients in a pan
2. Cook the quinoa for 12-15 minutes
3. Discard the bay leaf and garlic

4.Plating.
Rocket salad
Tomato
Olive oil

1. Plate on rocket salad with tomato sliced.
2. Chop some rocket salad and sprinkle on top together with some olive oil.

Beef Bake – Family Meal

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Delicious ground beef casserole with sweet and spicy mango chutney. Can be made in advanced and just placed in the oven for 20-25 minutes before serving. Great dish to prepare for many. Kids usually love this too!

Serves 4

500 g ground beef
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil

1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp curry
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp mango chutney (I like the Sharwood spicy version)

3 large eggs
1 tsp turmeric
300 ml single cream

50 ml grated cheese

Extra mango chutney and salad to serve.

1. Oven at 200 C.
2. In the olive oil, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground beef and fry until done.
3. Add the spices and the chutney.
4. Place in oven proof dish.
5. Combine the egg mixture, pour over the beef and sprinkle the cheese on top.
6. Bake in oven 20-25 minutes.
7. Serve with mango chutney and a salad.

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Cauliflower Spiced Rice with Tomato and Cinnamon Chutney

Cauliflower rice DSC_8795

To get the best result for the rice, make sure you use a large enough frying pan so that the cauliflower can be fried in a thin layer. The chutney recipe is simple but delicious. The cinnamon provides an interesting, different flavour but don’t forget to discard it after about 15 minutes as it will overpower all other flavours otherwise. Can be served with marinated tofu (see previous recipes) or maybe a few pices of grilled halloumi cheese.

“Rice”:
Cauliflower, 1 medium size head (about 1 kilo)
2 red onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp ginger, finely grated
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

150 g Cashews
Chili flakes
1 tbsp honey

Parsley, chopped

  1. In a food processor, blitz the cauliflower crowns (the stalks and hard core removed) into small, grain like pieces.
  2. Using a large pan and some olive oil, fry onion until soft, add garlic and then ginger.
  3. Turn up heat – add the blitzed cauliflower rice and fry over high heat , constantly stirring, until slightly coloured. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. In separate pan, toast the cashews, when done add honey and chili flakes.
  5. Combine all plus the chopped parsley.

Chutney:
12 tomatoes (1 kilo), quartered
1 onion, halved and sliced
50 ml red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 cinnamon stick
chili flakes

  1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and let simmer on low heat for 40 minutes.
  2. After 15 minutes, discard the cinnamon stick.

This chutney may be served hot or cold.

Grilled Halloumi: IMG_7661

Spicy Plum Chutney

A great condiment on the BBQ! A pinch of added sugar will bring out the flavour (but, personally, I seldom cook with sugar).

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet and Spicy Chilli Sauce, Nutty Guacamole Pie, Cognac BBQ Marinade, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

2 onions, sliced
300 g red plums, stones removed and quartered
2 medium sized courgettes, sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, shredded
Salt and black pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil to sauté in

Sauté onions, plums and courgettes. When soft, add remaining ingredients and let simmer in sauté pan 7-8 minutes or until until everything is soft and the flavours well blended. Serve hot or cold.