Eggplant Parmesan

 

I made Eggplant (aubergine) Parmesan for dinner last night. Shane was adamant he wasn't going to like it but then when back for seconds. I was eating the toasted eggplant fresh out of the oven, before it even had a chance to reach the casserole dish. It really is delicious, so I thought I'd share the recipe so everyone can enjoy it.

 

It's based on a Quick, Light & Delicious recipe, which I've modified to suit my own tastes.

 

Ingredients:

3 eggs whites, lightly whisked

1/4 cup water

1 large eggplant (or 2 small) cut into 5mm slices

1/3 cup of plain flour

1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs

440g can diced tomatoes

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (extra sharp)

Dried garlic flakes

Salt and pepper

 

1. Preheat oven to 200*C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. In a small bowl lightly whisk egg whites and stir in water.

3. Add grind of salt and pepper to flour, and garlic flakes (as little or as much as you like) to breadcrumbs. Dip eggplant in flour, then egg whites followed by breadcrumbs.

4. Place eggplant in a single layer on baking trays and bake in oven, turning once, until golden and tender (approximately 30 minutes).

5. Spread 1/3 of the tomatoes over the base of a medium casserole dish. Cover with a layer of the eggplant, 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, finishing with tomatoes, mozarella and parmesan on top.

6. Bake in oven until cheese melts and ingredients are heated through (approximately 15 minutes).

 

Enjoy!

 

How does your garden grow?

 

I realised this morning that it's been awhile since I've taken you on a stroll around the veggie patch. Winter was quite a disappointing season: I'd hoped to grow some cool season veg but it turned out to be far too cold for anything to grow. Then spring arrived but the frosts persisted, continuing right into October.

 

It was the second week of October before I considered it safe to plant the summer selection of veg, including eggplant, two kinds of tomatoes, lettuce, basil and oregano, corn, cucumber, zucchini and capsicum.

 

The weather continues to be full of inconsistencies: Stinking hot one day and cold the next. Today the temperature is hovering around 30 degrees (Celsius) with the breeze blowing in from the south-east. Every now and then it becomes quite gusty and a little chilly, but I won't complain about the coolness of it as no doubt it'll soon be scorching hot yet again.

 

The veg has been a little slow to grow. I'm not sure if it's the soil or the weather, but today I'll give the plants some seaweed solution and hopefully that'll give them the boost they need. I've had to make cages that slip over the raised garden beds as the birds have been getting in and eating the beetroot and carrot seedlings, which I grow in-ground from seed. The pigeons and the black birds have been the main culprits!

 

We had to put new tyres on both cars so we saved some of the old tyres to use as garden beds. I started with two zucchini plants but am now only left with the one.

 

But the surviving zucchini plant is fairing well, despite its slow start. You can see here two baby zucchinis and some more flowers yet to open.

 

I'll plant some pumpkin seeds, potatoes, watermelon and rockmelon in the coming days. Shane is supposed to be picking me up some soil sometime this week to put in the empty tyres you see here so that I can do just that.

 

I've taken to leaving the shadecloth on the beds most days. The weather is prone to sudden changes around here and I've found many plants (such as the cucumber, onions, cabbage and lettuce) prefer the protection from the sun and wind that the shadecloth provides.

 

I've tried my best to follow the principles of companion planting this season in an attempt to ward off pests and disease. So far, so good. The most we've had to contend with is the odd cabbage moth, but otherwise the plants appear to be pest and disease free.

 

I've also made sure to include beneficial flowers in the veggie patch, namely marigolds and red geranium. There's a multitude of benefits: Not only do they protect the neighbouring vegetable plants from pest attack and assist in pollination, they also add a wonderful splash of colour to the garden beds when in full bloom.

 

How does your garden grow this season?

The Week in Pictures...

* Vegetarian Delights: Salad with boccocini and quorn, drizzled with my favourite salad dressing. It's my new favourite thing to eat. I've been having it every day for lunch when at work as it helps me to pretend that it is, in fact, already spring.

* I made lemon cordial for the first time ever this week using my Nanna's recipe. It made enough for 3 bottles but barely made a dent in the mountain of lemons I have. I might make another batch this week coming and have a go at lemon butter, if I find the time...

* You see, all my spare time may well be gobbled up by Neil Oliver's The History of Scotland, which arrived in the post this week. Loving it.

* Bailey-dog finally went for his post-winter haircut.

* We had SJ's builder Uncle come around to take a look at a bit of cracking along the cornice in a couple rooms, which we'd put up less than 12 months ago. We were concerned it was a major issue, but builder Uncle could not find anything seriously wrong aside from the cornice cement coming away from the wall. Apparently a common problem with stone buildings due to the clash of old and new materials. Easy to fix, though, just a pain in the...

* I can feel the days longer now. When I finish work at the end of the day the sun is still visible over the buildings in town, as opposed to having half disappeared below the horizon already.

To Recipe or not to Recipe...?

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all".

~ Harriet Van Horne

I was asked recently where I find all my recipes. The truth is, I rarely refer to cookbooks. Sometimes I'll stumble across a recipe online that looks interesting and print it off to make at a later date, but rarely does a recipe ever stay the same once I get to it. I like to make changes to suit my taste and my budget.

Often when deciding what I want to eat I simply head to the refrigerator and/or the pantry and make a quick mental note of possible ingredients. Then I'll sit down at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, my "recipe" notepad and a pen and scribble away until I come up with something that:

(a) satisfies the craving, and

(b) doesn't force me to make a trip to the supermarket (I really am terribly lazy).

On the weekend it was cold and I felt like soup. I went to the refrigerator where I found pumpkin, a bunch of carrots and some sour cream. The pantry revealed an abundance of potatoes and onions, and a score of spices. When I sat down at the kitchen table what came about was a rough plan for a Roasted Pumpkin, Carrot & Potato Soup.

It could probably use a little more garlic and larger quantities of the spices to add a greater depth of flavour, but otherwise it is really rather delicious. Very filling and perfect for our chilly, chilly evenings.

[If you'd like to make it yourself, you will need the following ingredients:

1 kg pumpkin, chopped roughly into 1" cubes

400g carrot, cut into roasting pieces

400g potato for roasting

1 large brown onion

2 cloves garlic

Olive oil

1/2 tspn dried coriander

1 tspn cumin

1 tspn turmeric

1 tspn garam masala

1/2 tspn chili flakes

1L vegetable stock

Extra water (if needed)

--> Roast your pumpkin, carrot, potato, onion and garlic at 200*C for approximately 30 minutes.

Then in a large saucepan heat oil and cook coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and chilli for 2 - 3 minutes, ensuring they do not burn.

Add to the saucepan roasted vegetables and stir through spices, then pour in vegetable stock. Simmer for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before blending to desired consistency.]

How do you create in the kitchen?

The Sago Revival!

[Boiled, sweetened sago with stewed plums and cream]

I am happy to report that I finally found some sago last Friday, in Woolworths, on the bottom shelf in the section where you'll find rice cream and maple syrup, between the canned fruit and the dessert items. The exact place where my logical-thinking brain told me I would find it. Nice one, brain.

Anchor's Lion Sago is the only brand they stock, however, which I feel is severely over-packaged: A tiny bag of sago seed inside a box that is at least two times too big! Most of what is inside is air! I would have much preferred to purchase my usual McKenzie's Seed Tapioca as I feel it is more appropriately packaged, but I had no choice. I was tempted to purchase every box in stock but I limited myself to just the two, which should last a few months at least (although at the rate that SJ is eating it, perhaps not).

If I am wanting to make something quick and easy for dessert, something that feels light but is actually rather filling, I boil some sago in milk and sweeten it with sugar and vanilla essence. I eat mine with stewed fruits and cream, or you could do what SJ does and sprinkle it with Milo. He insists it is tasty, a vanilla-jelly with chocolate-malt sprinkles. Personally, I'd rather just stick to the fruit.

To make the sago featured in the picture above, all you need is:

1/2 cup sago seed

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tspn vanilla essence

Soak the sago seed in the the milk (refrigerate. Obviously) for at least an hour; the longer you let it soak the less time it will take to cook.

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and sago to boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir constantly until sago is clear and mixture is sticky. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla essence. Pour into bowls (or moulds, if you want to be clever) and refrigerate until cool. Then serve.

So easy, right? This recipe usually provides two to three servings, depending on how much of it you'll eat in one sitting. If you need more, double the mixture and use a larger saucepan - the sago increases in size as it cooks so you'll need the extra space.

Now I really want to try cooking sago in coconut milk. I'm a huge fan of Asian-inspired desserts: They are so deliciously simple. One of my all-time favourites is sticky black rice pudding (which is cooked in coconut milk) - truly delectable. Since sago and black rice have a similar sticky end result, I can't see why I couldn't make a sticky coconut sago pudding, sweetened with maple syrup. How good does that sound? (The question is rhetorical)

I am drooling at the mere thought of it.


Edit 16/7/12: DO NOT cook sago in coconut milk! DISASTER! It goes like glue, looks like cement and tastes little better. It would appear that black rice and sago are nothing alike.

Announcing the Vegetarian Cookbook Giveaway Winner...

It's finally time to announce the winner of the Oxfam Shop Vegetarian Cookbook giveaway, which I was inspired to host in honour of Rhonda Hetzel's Meatless Meals challenge.

First, however, I just want to say thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered the giveaway over the past few weeks. There were 21 entrants overall, but the lucky person who will be receiving my used-but-in-excellent-condition copy of Oxfam Shop's Vegetarian Cookbook is...

sue15cat!

Congratulations Sue! Could you please contact me by email (sorcha dot sidhe at gmail dot com) at your earliest convenience with your postal address so that I may pop this little beauty of a recipe book in the post. I really hope it will become a regular reference tool in your kitchen!

I'd also just like to add that it has been really interesting to read everyone's comments and gain a greater insight into how vegetarians and non-vegetarians think and feel about meat consumption. It has been especially heart-warming to see all the meat-eaters out there so willing to make the changes necessary to reduce their meat intake and give vegetarian meals a try. No one is particularly keen on change, especially dietary change, but the end results are incredibly rewarding. Trust me on that one. All that is required is a little persistence and patience.

I wish everyone the best of luck in their aim to eat less meat. If ever you need suggestions or motivation, please feel free to drop me a line. It would be wonderful to hear from you.

A Giveaway inspired by Rhonda Hetzel's Meatless Meals Challenge...

"From an immediate perspective, living simply frees up financial resources which can be transferred to those in greater need. It also reduces the burden we place on the environment. In a wider context, a simple lifestyle is a living example of an alternative way - a way in which not all needs are insatiable, in which endless material progress is not the main goal in life. Finally, living simply keeps us honest." - Oxfam Shop's Vegetarian Cookbook, p15

Rhonda Hetzel from Down to Earth has set herself the challenge of reducing her household meat consumption by 50% as part of her aim to live a sustainable, simple lifestyle.

Being 100% vegetarian myself I don't have any meat intake to reduce, but yesterday whilst I was browsing through the comments left by her readers, many of whom have decided to join Rhonda in her challenge, I was inspired to participate in my own way.

In 2006 I purchased a wonderful vegetarian cookbook from Oxfam shop (now also online). By this time I'd already been vegetarian for a few years but was struggling to find new, interesting, healthy recipes to try. Then one day whilst I was in my local Oxfam shop I found this wonderful vegetarian cookbook.

What makes it so great is that it's more than just your regular cookbook. It introduces the reader to the two different forms of vegetarianism (vegan and lacto-ovo, of which I am the latter), and explains how proteins work in the human body, with each recipe promoting a balanced vegetarian diet where all vitamins and minerals are present.

It also provides an introduction to the health, environmental and economic benefits of eating less meat, and there's information on simple living for humans and their pets.

The recipes found in the book include entrees, main courses and desserts, and are grouped into their respective countries of origin. In a multicultural country like Australia we are blessed with having access to so many different kinds of foods and this little cookbook introduces its user to a variety of new, previously unconsidered ingredients. But the best thing about this book is that there is great variety between the recipes and they are not overly complicated or time-consuming (most recipes have a preparation/cooking time of around 30 minutes).

Having been vegetarian for a decade now, I tend to no longer refer to recipe books: The ingredients and instructions for the food I cook is either known by heart or kept in a lever arch file for easier access. So, this wonderful little cookbook from Oxfam has been sitting in my bookshelf, no longer used, and I cannot help but feel it is going to waste. I figure Rhonda's challenge is a great opportunity to give this book new life and let it provide information and inspiriation to a new cook, one who is serious about reducing their meat intake. I don't expect everyone to become vegetarians, but being conscious of the amount of meat we eat and doing something to keep it to a minimum is not only good for you and the animals, it's also good for the environment and the world community as a whole.

If you'd like your chance to win my used-but-otherwise-in-good-condition copy of the Oxfam shop's Vegetarian Cookbook all you have to do is leave a comment on this post.

Entries will be taken until midnight (Australian Central Standard Time) on Friday, 18 May 2012. The winner will be announced sometime over that weekend (19 - 20 May).

Giveaway is open to anyone and everyone from anywhere, as long as they don't mind receiving a secondhand cookbook (that is in good condition. Promise).

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Whilst I'm here, babbling on, I'd like to thank Rhonda from Down to Earth for considering my modest blog worthy enough to make her Weekend Reading List for this week. I'm perplexed and humbled ~ thank you. I've been a regular reader of Rhonda's blog for a number of years now and I recommend everyone take the time to check it out if they haven't already. Her book is fantastic too.

I'd also like to send out a big "hello and welcome" to any new readers that visit my blog via Rhonda's. I hope there is something here to interest you, and thank you for taking the time to stop by.

In My Kitchen: March 2012...

You can tell autumn has come to the Flinders because in my kitchen there are pumpkins, and delicious, warming foods like this roasted pumpkin risotto:

Ingredients:

1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled & cut into 1" pieces

7 cups vegetable stock

1/2 brown onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 1/2 cups arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

30g butter

2 tspn dried parsley flakes

1/3 cup fresh chives, finely chopped

Olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200*C. Chop pumpkin, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes or until tender.

Bring stock to boil in a saucepan then reduce heat to a simmer.

Heat some oil in a large saucepan and sautee onion and garlic until tender. Add rice and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring consistently.

Add stock to rice one ladel at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until absorbed. Continue adding stock until rice is tender but still firm (will take around 30 minutes), stirring consistently.

Then stir in parmesan cheese, butter, parsley and chives. Gently stir in the roasted pumpkin.

Serve immediately (enough for 4).

Keep any remaining risotto in an air tight container in the fridge for up to three days. Leftovers can be used to make patties (crumbed and fried - great on the BBQ), or as filling for stuffed capsicums or zucchinis (corgettes).

What's been cooking in your kitchen this month?

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In My Kitchen is a monthly feature hosted by Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.

To take part, simply make a blog post and link back to Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.

In My Kitchen: February 2012...

In my kitchen this month are the sweetest, juiciest, tastiest peaches, stewed and packaged...

And are so good as a sweetener on porridge for breakfast, or with icecream for dessert after dinner.

In my kitchen are fresh figs, served with baked custard and a dollop of cream...

And roasted vegetable soup, great for getting in a veggie-fix when the hot weather lets up for a bit.

In my kitchen is quick and easy meals like broccoli and cauliflower cooked in stock and served with pasta flavoured with butter and covered in parmesan cheese...

And vegetable casserole pies.

What's in your kitchen this month?

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In My Kitchen is a monthly feature hosted by Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.

To take part, simply make a blog post and link back to Fig Jam & Lime Cordial.

Bean Central! (aka Nachos, nom nom)

[Vegetarian Nachos]

I came up with this recipe for vegetarian nachos around five years ago, when we were still living in Adelaide. It has remained a firm favourite, but something we only have as a bit of a treat. It was a public holiday here in Australia yesterday, and in true summer fashion it was a right scorcher (38*C in the Ranges), so I decided to whip up some nachos for dinner. They only take around 30 minutes to make, from start to serving, and taste absolutely fantastic. They are surprisingly refreshing on a hot day.

This recipe makes enough to serve 6 adults.

INGREDIENTS

425g tin red kidney beans, drained

400g tin brown lentins, drained

425g tin mexican chilli beans, drained

400g tin diced tomatoes

1 jar nachos sauce (with pinto beans, onion and tomato)

Paprika

1/2 brown onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

Salt & pepper

Corn chips (original/salted)

Grated cheese

Chopped iceberg lettuce

Diced fresh tomatoes

Sliced red (spanish) onion

Sour cream

Guacamole

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the corn chips in the bottom of a large baking dish. Grate a little cheese over them, and then pour over drained mexican chilli beans.

In a medium saucepan fry brown onion with garlic in a little olive oil until onion tender. Add tin of diced tomatoes and bring to the boil. Add drained kidney beans and lentils, a dash of paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes and then pour over the corn chips, followed by the jar of nachos topping.

 Generously grate cheese over the top and bake in oven at 180*C until cheese has melted and is starting to brown.

Best served fresh straight out of the oven whilst the corn chips are still crunchy. Top with chopped lettuce, red onion and tomato, a dollop of sour cream and a drop of guacamole.

Easy (and very tasty) homemade Vegetarian pizza.

To make the base you will need:

1 teaspoon dried yeast

1/4 teaspoon caster sugar

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 + 1/2 cups plain (all purpose) flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl. Set aside in a warm spot until bubbles appear.

2. Place the flour and the salt in a separate bowl and make a well in the centre.

3. Add the yeast mixture and stir until combined and it comes together in a dough.

4. Cover with a clean tea towel or a piece of cling-wrap sprayed with oil, and sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.

5. Remove dough from bowl and on a lightly floured surface kneed and press dough out into desired size and shape using fingers and palm.

6. Fold edges in for a thicker crust.

For the topping I used:

Tomato paste mixed with 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic + basil

1/2 small red onion, sliced

1/2 small green capsicum, sliced

1 flat mushrooms, sliced

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Corn kernals

Baby spinach leaves

Grated mozarella cheese (non-animal rennet)

Grated parmesan cheese (non-animal rennet)

Feta cheese (non-animal rennet)

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1. Cover pizza base with desired amount of tomato paste, and sprinkle with a little mozarella and parmesan cheese.

2. Place onion, capsicum, mushroom, tomatoes, corn kernals and spinach leaves onto pizza in desired quantity.

3. Cover with a generous amount of mozarella cheese and bake in oven at 180*C for approximately 15 minutes or until base is cooked through.

4. Remove from oven and crumble feta cheese over the top,

5. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper.

Serves 2.

If you knew what your meat went through, would you still be able to eat it?

Perhaps you saw the 4-Corners expose on Australian live export to Indonesia on Monday night, perhaps you did not, and although I wouldn't normally make politically-orientated posts on my blog, when it comes to animal welfare I will make an exception. 

Animal welfare is a topic that I have felt very strongly about for a long time. In 2002 I made the decision to become vegetarian, and two years ago I wrote a post here on my blog about why I feel so strongly about vegetarianism. Having seen first-hand how some so-called "farmers" treat their livestock, I find the whole idea of animal trade cruel.

  

If you want to know more about Australia's live exports, and in turn the 4-Corners expose, you can do so here. There is also the option of sending your local Member of Parliament a letter demanding the immediate ban of all live exports. If you are outside Australia, perhaps it is time to consider your own country's policy on live exports? You could always send your local politican a letter requesting the same if you're not happy with the standards.

I believe the way that we, as humans, treat animals is a reflection of our true selves. It's about time that we took action against the manner in which animals are bred, modified, force-fed, cage-kept, poorly treated and killed in mass-slaughter in order to meet our excessive, consumerist demands. No more excuses: It's just plain wrong and it makes us all bad people.

"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty." - Sir Paul McCartney

On My Mind: Food! Glorious Food!

Having spent most of this week laid up with the pesky 'flu, these pasties (made fresh today and packed full of veggie goodness) are on my mind - now that I'm starting to feel better and my appetite is returning!

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This is a Friday photo feature from Down to Earth that anyone with a blog can join. It opens the door to us sharing our lives through these photos and gives us all a new way to discover each other, and maybe form new friendships. Your photo should show something at home that you're thinking about TODAY.

To take part, all you have to do is post a photo, write a short caption explaining it, and link it back to Down to Earth. Please write a new post, don't link to an older one. When your photo is published, go to Down to Earth and add a comment , with a link to your blog photo.



Winter Warmers: Veg & Lentil Soup

It has certainly started to feel like winter these past few days. Our combustion heating has remained alight non-stop for this last week, and as the days get shorter I find myself gravitating more and more towards the kitchen in order to make warming soups, breads and puddings.

This vegetable and lentil soup recipe is a variation of a recipe by Australian cooking extraordinare, Donna Hay - and it's delicious, of course!

Veg & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 gloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup fresh lemon thyme

1 carrot, grated

1 parsnip, grated

1 zucchini, grated

4oz dry red lentils

400g diced or crushed tin tomatoes

1L vegetable stock

Parmesan cheese to serve

1. Place oil, onion and garlic in a large saucepan and sautee until tender, then add lemon thyme and cook for a further 30 seconds to release the flavour.

2. Add carrot, parsnip and zucchini to pan and sautee for a further two minutes, then add lentils and stir through so they are completely covered in the oil.

3. Pour in crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock, then bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Place lid on pan and allow to cook for a further 30 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender.

4. Allow to cool slightly and then blend either all or half of soup before reheating to serving temperature.

5. Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese and warm crusty bread.

Serves 4.



Quandong Crumble Pie

[The Quandong, aka Australian Wild Peach]

I recognise that not everyone will be able to get their hands on quandongs in order to complete this recipe. However, we are eating plenty of them at the moment as the only fruit trees we have are Wild Peaches, and they are loaded with fruit!

Of course, the following crumble pie recipe doesn't have to have a quandong filling: Any stewed fruit will do!

To make the shortcrust base:

2 cups plain (all purpose) flour

1/2 cup icing sugar

150g cold butter

1 egg

Cold water (the amount you use will depend on the flour and the humidity in the air)

--> Place flour, icing sugar and butter in food processor and mix until butter has been incorporated into the flour and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix for a further 3 to 5 seconds. With the food processer going, pour in cold water: Start with 2 tablespoons and then drizzle it in until the pastry comes away from the sides and forms a ball. Take it out, wrap in glad wrap (cling film) and place in the fridge for around 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, take the pastry dough out of the fridge, and on a lightly floured bench, roll it out gently with a rolling pin. Roll it into a circle until it is approximately 5mm thick. Place the pastry over your greased pie dish and gently press it in and around the sides. Cut off any excess, and prick the base many times with a fork (this helps the pie shell cook without rising). Put the pie dish into the freezer for 10 minutes before you cook it. Cook at 180*C until it is golden brown, then remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the filling:

5 cups seeded quandongs

1/2 cup white sugar (quandongs can be quite bitter so ensure you check that the fruit is of the desired sweetness, and use less or more sugar as required)

A little water

--> In a large saucepan place seeded quandongs, sugar and water and stew on a low heat until fruit is tender and well cooked (approximately 15 - 20 minutes).

Spread stewed quandongs evenly into cooled pie dish.

To make the crumble:

1 & 1/4 cups plain (all purpose) flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter

--> Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut or rub in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of pie and press down lightly. Bake, uncovered, at 190*C for 20 minutes or until crumble has browned slightly.

Serve pie with fresh cream and/or vanilla icecream.

[Quandong Crumble Pie]

Dahl Soup

A couple weekends ago I made the most amazingly good red lentil dahl soup. In fact, it is quite possibly the tastiest meal I have ever served, and I know I will make it again and again and again...It freezes well too.

Dahl is a delicious Indian lentil dish, with tomatoes, coconut milk and Indian spices - the smell and taste is incredibly moreish. And, of course, the lentils are incredibly good for you! I would go so far as to say it is almost impossible not to like this dish!

Here is the recipe:

Red Lentil Dahl Soup

Ingredients

25g butter

2 garlic gloves, crushed

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tspn turmeric

1 tspn garam masala

1/4 tspn chilli powder

1 tspn ground cumin

400g canned diced tomatoes

1 cup red lentils (dry)

2 tspn lemon juice

600ml vegetable stock

300ml coconut milk

Salt and pepper

Chopped coriander (cilantro) and lemon slices to garnish

Naan bread or steamed rice (or both!) to serve

1. Melt butter in large saucepan/pot and saute garlic and onion for 3 minutes. Add spices and cook for a further 30 seconds.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, red lentils, lemon juice, vegetable stock and coconut milk and bring to boil.

3. Reduce heat and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender and cooked.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the soup into a warm bowl. Garnish with coriander and lemon slices and serve on rice or with naan bread (or both!).

TIP:

If the lentils absorb too much liquid whilst cooking, simply add small quantities of hot water to the pan. You should have a thick soup at the end, not thin and watery.