July 1, 2024 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments
Because it’s a mild curry that’s more about flavour than heat, butter chicken is probably the most popular curry dish in the world. Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Tab oil
2 Tab butter
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tab grated ginger
2 tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala
4 green cardamom pods, bruised
4 to 6 curry leaves – dehydrate first
1 can 410g chopped tomatoes
½ tsp brown sugar
4 chicken breast fillets diced
⅔ cup cream or plain yoghurt
4 fresh tomatoes, diced
3 Tab coriander, chopped
50g ground almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
Sambals if liked – chopped extra vegies combined, banana in small bowls
1. Heat oil & butter in a large saucepan over a low heat, add onion and cook until onions soften.
Add garlic, ginger, chilli powder and spices and stir for a minute or two until fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes and sugar and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add diced chicken and simmer on a low heat until cooked through – about 30 mins
3. Stir through cream, seasoning, coriander and ground almonds. Serve with basmati rice and sambals
Notes:
Keep in mind curry develops more flavour the day after making it, so try make a little more for a light lunch the next day.
(from website https://www.cookingclue.com/ – looks like a good resource on how to cook!)
June 30, 2024 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments
Minestrone is rich with ingredients that are good for you yet full of flavor, and almost any vegetable works well in this hearty soup. I love parsnips and carrots, but you can use celery root or diced Yukon Gold potatoes as well. Just use your favorite vegetables and get cooking! This recipe makes a large batch of soup; leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen. Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Soup:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (110 g) diced red onion
1 cup (140 g) diced peeled carrot
2 small parsnips, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, sliced
Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning*
6 cups (1.4 L) chicken stock
One 28-ounce (800-g) can crushed tomatoes
One 15-ounce (430-g) can cannellini beans or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups (80 g) baby spinach
Meatballs:
1 pound (455 g) ground pork or dark meat turkey
⅓ cup (30 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese*, plus more for serving
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, parsnips, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the Italian seasoning, then add the stock and tomatoes. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for 5 minutes longer.
3. While the soup cooks, make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the meat, Parmesan, egg, thyme, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir until well blended.
Reduce the heat to low so that the soup is barely simmering. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop up about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and form meatballs about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Drop the meatballs gently into the soup. If the meatballs are not submerged, use a spoon to gently push them under so they can cook evenly.
4. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, then stir in the spinach and allow the leaves to wilt, about 5 minutes. Taste the soup and season with more salt or pepper if desired. Serve the soup hot, with Parmesan sprinkled on top.
SUBSTITUTES:
1. Instead of parmesan for Mum, use nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan (low salt).
2. Instead of Italian Seasoning use one without salt added or make up your own…easy enough.
3. With chicken stock, check no salt is used or added. Otherwise use frozen meat juices or leftover chicken gravy in freezer, if any.
4. canned beans – Woolies have the low salt ones