QUICK VEGETABLE SOUP

QUICK VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS

Soup ingredients:

½ cup lentils / dal

2 cups cleaned and chopped vegetables (Ex. carrots, Cabbage, cauliflower, Bell Peppers)

1 big chopped tomato

1 big chopped onion

1 tablespoon seedless tamarind paste (Optional)

1 tablespoons Mix of all spices (you can use curry powder)

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 cup water (extra if needed)

Vegetable / chicken stock 2 to 2.5 cups

Tempering - OPTIONAL:

2 tablespoons sunflower (any) oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon of asafoetida

2 to 3 garlic cloves

10 to 12 curry leaves (optional)

Method:

Cook lentils & all the remaining soup ingredients except tempering ingredients in 2 to 2.5 cups of chicken stock on medium to high until the lentils are soft and mushy.

Tempering (It’s optional):

1.      In a deep (& wide) pot, heat oil. Crackle the mustard seeds (add the muster seeds in the hot oil and wait for it to pop open).

2.      Add garlic, asafoetida and curry leaves.

3.      Fry till the garlic turns a light brown. Pour the steaming hot previously cooked soup into this. Close with a lid so that the flavours infuse for about 5-6 minutes.

Done

Banana Cake

Banana Cake

Ingredients

·     2 ripe bananas

·     ¾ cups of caster sugar

·     2 eggs

·     ½ cup of sunflower oil

·     1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups of plain flour

·     1 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

·     ¼ teaspoons salt

·     1 teaspoon cinnamon

·     ¼ cups of chopped walnuts

·     ¼ cups of raisins

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Method

1.     Heat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

2.     Mash the bananas until they are smooth.

3.     Add all other ingredients, one by one, stirring with each addition.

4.     Lightly grease your baking tin and pour the cake mixture in. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Banana Cake

Banana Cake

Kourabiedes or Kourabiethes (Greek: Kουραμπιέδες)

Korabiedes

Today I would like to share with you all a recipe I learnt from a friend of mine. They are easy to make and are addictive. Greek Butter Biscuits called Kourabiedes (Greek: Kουραμπιέδες)

Ingredients

·         1 Cup butter, softened

·         ½ Cup icing sugar

·         1 egg yolk

·         1 tablespoon Brandy or Ouzo (I have used Metaxa [Μεταξά])

·         1 tablespoon rose water (optional)

·         2 ½ to 3 cups plain flour (approximately)

·         1 Cup ground almonds

·         1 packet icing sugar for dusting

Method 

1.   Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

2.   Mix the butter and the icing sugar until light and fluffy.

3.   Beat in the egg yolk and brandy, then almonds and the flour (start with 2 ½ cups and add little extra if the dough is runny) to form a soft, firm dough.

4.   Make the cookies in your desired shape (I preferred the round shape as it was easy to make)

5.   Place on a baking tray, allowing room for spreading slightly.

6.   Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to the touch.

7.   Meanwhile, sift a layer of icing sugar into a large roasting tin.

8.   Remove biscuits, allow to cool slightly then place in the tin in a single layer.

9.   Sift over more icing sugar (generously) and cool for 3-4 hours.

Tip: Try the biscuits without the icing coat (leave the steps from 7 to 9). 

Marinara Sauce (Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoon olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 - 5 can peeled tomatoes, seeded and lightly crushed
Salt & pepper

1 teaspoon of sugar
Red chilli flakes (peperoncino)
1 tablespoon basil leaves dried (If using fresh 3 tables spoon chopped)

Method of Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, toss them into the oil, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. 
• Carefully slide the tomatoes and their liquid into the oil. Bring to a boil, and season lightly with salt and red chilli flakes. Add sugar. 
• Lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and cook, until the sauce is chunky and thick, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the basil about 5 minutes before the sauce is finished. Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce (Orange Pasta)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 whole medium onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of tomato sauce or marinara sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

Dash of sugar (more to taste)

1 cup heavy cream

Grated mozzarella, to taste

1 teaspoon basil, chopped

3 cups dried macaroni (of your choice)

Method of preparation

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
• Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)
• Serve with grilled chicken.