Aloo Begoon Supreme

Note: Aloo = potato
Begoon = eggplant = brinjal

I learnt this dish many years ago from a good friend when I was living in Kenya. Remember that when you are cooking, it is your own dish. You have the license to add or subtract whatever you think is necessary – I have done this a lot of times.

Ingredients:

• · 4 large eggplants (when buying, choose the ones which are light and firm). Wash and cut each one into 8 pieces. Coat and salt with turmeric powder, and keep aside.
• · 4 large potatoes, washed and steamed in a microwave for approximately seven minutes. When they cool, peel and cut them into small cubes.
• · 5 – 6 medium-sized tomatoes, washed and chopped.
• · 1 Tbsp mustard seeds
• · 2 – 3 dried red chillies
• · ½ cup oil
• · ½ tsp turmeric powder
• · 1 lemon zest
• · Juice of half a lemon
• · 4 – 5 green chillies for garnishing
• · Green dhania leaves for garnishing
• · 1 tsp sugar
• · Salt to taste

Method:

• · Set your stove to medium temperature. Put oil in your frying pan along with mustard seeds and red chillies.
• · When the oil is hot, fry the eggplants. Lower the temperature on your stove and then cover the frying pan. This reduces oil-consumption.
• · When the eggplant has fried properly, add the potatoes and tomatoes.
• · Stir the pan well before adding the salt and sugar.
• · Cooking the tomatoes will release juice, cook the vegetables in this juice for 5 – 6 minutes.
• · When the pan is dry, add the lemon zest and lemon juice before stirring well.
• · Your curry is ready. Serve with roti or puri. Garnish with dhania and green chillies.
• · Good luck and God bless

Easy Goat Curry

My mother always said: “When using dry-powder masala, always make a paste with water before using. Also, only add salt at the last moment.” Unfortunately, I always forget about this and sometimes make food without salt.

I used a pressure-cooker for this dish.

Ingredients:

• · 500g goat meat
• · 2 – 3 small onions, chopped
• · 3 green chillies
• · 3 – 4 cardamoms
• · 4 – 5 cloves
• · 3 – 4 bay leaves
• · 1 tsp jeera
• · 1 tsp turmeric powder
• · 1 Tbsp mustard paste
• · 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• · 1 Tbsp brown onion soup powder
• · 2 tsp olive oil
• · 1 big tomato, chopped
• · 1 big potato, washed and cut into 8 pieces
• · ½ cup yoghurt
• · 1 tsp sugar
• · 1 Tbsp mixed herb
• · Salt to taste

Method:

• · Wash, dry and cut the meat into small pieces
• · Mix the brown onion soup powder and yoghurt to form a paste.
• · Smear this paste onto the meat, and marinade for 30 minutes.
• · In your pressure-cooker, at medium temperature, pour the oil and add the green chilies, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves and jeera. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes.
• · Add the chopped onions and fry them until they are light brown.
• · Add the goat meat, potatoes and tomatoes. Stir for 2 – 3 minutes.
• · Add the ginger-garlic paste and mustard paste so that it coats the meat. Stir well and be careful of burning.
• · Add all the remaining ingredients and continue to stir.
• · When you smell a nice aroma, add about a cup of water.
• · Finally close the pressure-cooker lid and wait for one whistle.
• · When the whistle blows, switch off your stove and wait until the cooker has cooled down before opening the lid
• · Serve with basmati rice or roti.
• · Good luck and God bless

Easy Sweetcorn Muffins

Ingredients:

• · 50g margarine
• · 2 eggs
• · 1 tin (410g) cream-style sweetcorn
• · ½ cup milk
• · ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
• · 4 Tbsp brown sugar
• · Pinch of salt
• · ½ cup brown bread flour
• · 1 cup cake flour
• · 15ml baking powder
• · 1 tsp orange zest

Method:

• · Preheat your oven – 200°C if it is a fan-oven and 210°C if it is not.
• · Melt the margarine in your microwave in a bowl.
• · Gradually add the eggs, sweetcorn and milk in this order to the melted margarine.
• · Sift the brown bread flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl, before adding the brown sugar.
• · Mix these dry ingredients with the wet ingredients (melted margarine).
• · Add the cheddar cheese and orange zest.
• · Mix all these ingredients, but be careful not to overmix.
• · Spoon into a well-greased muffin pan and bake for 10 – 15 minutes.
• · Good luck and god bless

Sugar-free Fruit Scones

This makes about 12 scones. Remember that every oven is different, you know yours the best. Don’t hesitate to deviate from the temperature and duration which I have used.

Ingredients:

• · 2 cups of cake flour
• · 15ml baking powder
• · 3ml salt
• · 5ml cream of tartar
• · 125g margarine OR you can use ½ cup of grated cheese
• · ½ cup fruit mix
• · 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• · 1 tsp aniseeds
• · 2 egg yolks
• · 2 egg whites (for glaze)
• · ½ cup milk
• · 1 Tbsp icing sugar for dusting

Method:

• · Sift the first four ingredients and rub in the margarine until the mixture appears like breadcrumbs.
• · Add the fruit mix, sunflower seeds and aniseeds.
• · Whisk the egg yolk and milk separately and pour this liquid into the dry ingredients to make soft dough.
• · Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press out and cut into any shape you desire.
• · For the glaze, beat the egg whites until they are foamy and brush the top of the scones with this. Also, sprinkle the scones with icing sugar.
• · Good luck and god bless.

Spicy Veg Rolls

A long time ago, I was visiting Mumbai with my family. On the roadside, I saw someone selling a dish similar to this, and many people were queuing up for it. I tasted it as well, but it was too spicy for me. I made this recipe for my children because they wanted something new. This dish works nicely for brunch or early dinner.

“Congratulate yourself when you do something new, even if it may seem a little extravagant.”

Ingredients:

• This is enough filling for 6 brown bread rolls
• · 4 -5 medium sized potatoes
• · 1 Tbsp oil
• · 1 Tbsp butter
• · 1 medium onion
• · 2 – 3 green chillies
• · 2 – 3 cloves of garlic
• · ½ cup peas
• · 1 grated carrot
• · ½ cup mixed herbs (mint, basil and spring onion)
• · 4 – 5 nice ripe tomatoes
• · 3 Tbsp Pav Bhaji masala (available at Indian spice shops)
• · ¼ cup of red or yellow capsicums washed and cut into small pieces
• · Coriander for garnishing

Method:

• · Wash and boil the potatoes before mashing them.
• · Place a frying pan onto your stove at medium temperature.
• · When the pan is hot, pour the oil and fry the onions, green chillies and garlic until they are golden brown (about 5 minutes).
• · Add the tomatoes and stir.
• · When the tomatoes are soft and watery, add the Pav Bhaji masala.
• · Stir until the masala has mixed well and there is a nice aroma.
• · Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• · Cover at low temperature for 2-3 minutes.
• · Garnish with dhania.
• · Your filling is now complete.
  

• · Place a flat-frying pan on the stove at medium temperature.
• · Cut a roll in half, and place the filling inside it.
• · Roast it on the frying pan for 2-3 minutes, remembering to flip it over once.
• · Enjoy while it is still hot!
• · Good luck and god bless