My Windowsill Garden

I thought I should share pictures of my beautiful garden which I will sadly have to leave behind as I relocate:

My tomato plant

My beloved chillies which add a "kick" to my cuisine.

I was unsuccessful at mass-producing beans, but I grew a few organic ones. My children don't like them anyway.

I do not only grow vegetables, but beautiful flowers like this Christmas Cactus.

I have Christmas Cactuses in red and purple as well.

Last but not least, the latest addition to my garden: The Aparajita. I bought these seeds with me from India. Sadly, I am relocating just as they start to bloom. At least I had the pleasure of one flourishing before I departed.

Grilled Dressed Sole

Marinade

Ingredients:

Ø 4 Medium sized sole fillets washed and dried

Ø 1 Tbsp of:

• Garlic
• Green chilli
• Basil pesto
• Tomato pesto
• Curry powder
  
• Cake flour OR bread crumbs

Use these ingredients to marinade the sole fillets and leave for 3 hours.

Frying

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp of cooking oil
• Ø 1 Tbsp methi seed

Heat the oil with methi seed and lightly fry the fish on both sides for approximately 2 – 3 minutes.

Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp of brown onion soup powder OR 2 Tbsp vegetable stock
• 1 Tsp of mustard powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of boiled water

Boil the water and mix all these ingredients into it while stirring.

Baking

• Arrange the fish in an oven-proof dish
• Pour the sauce over the fish
• Blanch green vegetables and decorate the dish.
• Grill for approximately 10 minutes (All ovens are not the same! Trust your own judgement)

I hope you enjoy this dish. However, if you do not, remember that we must accept that pain and disappointments are a part of life :-)

God Bless

Koolz’ Cardamom Chicken

The dish consists of 3 steps. The recipes for each step are shown. They are to be finally served together.

Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 4 Skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp Paste of Ginger and garlic
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 tsp Mustard Powder
• 2 Tbsp Plain yoghurt
• Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Marinade the chicken by mixing all the above ingredients and leave for 3 hours.Bake at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes.

Veggies:

Ingredients:

A selection of fresh green vegetables of your choice and lentil sprouts.

Method:

Wash, dry and steam these vegetables.

Cardamom Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Butter or margarine
• 4/5 cup milk
  
• 2 Tbsp cake flour
  
• Pinch of salt
  1 tsp of freshly ground cardamom powder

Method:

• Melt the butter in a sauce pan over slow heat.
  
• Gradually stir the flour, mixed with salt into the melted butter until quite smooth.
  
• Add milk little by little while stirring constantly until the sauce is thick and smooth.
  
• Add cardamom powder

Finally

• Place the chicken breast on a plate and decorate with steamed vegetables and cover with cardamom sauce.
  
• Garnish with fresh herbs
• Enjoy!

Recipe: Grilled Hake con Plum

This Recipe has been certified by my son who loves it!


Ingredients:

• 4 Hake Fillets (Medium size)
• 4 Tbsp Brown onion soup powder
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil to fry
• ½ Tbsp Methi Seeds
  
• Boree
• Plums (4 if small, 2 if large)
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• Chillies
• Handful Basil
• 1 Tbsp Mustard Powder

Method:

• Wash and dry hake fillets
• Sprinkle salt and a pinch of turmeric powder and brown onion soup powder on fillets.
• Put 1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil in a frying pan along with ½ Tbsp methi seeds
• When the oil is very hot, place the fish in the pan. Fry the fish for a minute or two.
• Remove the fillets from the oil and place in an oven-proof tray.
• Add 1 or 2 cloves of garlic (depending on size) chopped finely onto the fillets as well as chopped green chillies.
• Fry Boree (derivative of gram dahl paste) in the same oil as the fillets.
• Once the Boree is fried, add to the fillets on the tray.
• Slice 4 plums (if small, or 2 big plums) and place on the tray along with the fish and Boree.
• Boil 3 cups of water. Add 2 Tbsp Brown onion soup powder to the boiled water and 1 Tbsp of mustard powder. Pour this water on top of the fillets
• Add salt to taste and a handful of basil leaves to the tray.
• Put the tray in the oven at 180°C and bake for 10 minutes.
• Serve with rice or with a salad.
• Enjoy and good luck!