Delicious and Easy Chicken Biryani
Home cooked food is always the best.
Recent Posts
Fish Cakes made with Sweet Potato
These fish cakes are just fabulous. Made with sweet potato instead of potatoes and it is the perfect meal to hide those veggies in the fish cakes giving your kids no clue that they were even in there.It is easy to put together and delivers …
Wholesome Vegetarian Tikka Masala Soup
This delicious and nutritious tikka masala vegetarian soup hits all the rights spots especially when the days outside are filled with an icy chill in the air. We have been having some glorious sunshine during the day here in Johannesburg but if you happen to be standing in the shade and the rays of the sun aren’t hitting you then you feel that winter chill that I speak off. Our homes in South Africa are also not equipped for the colder months and having a door ajar with that icy breeze wafting through the house basically makes me want to stay indoors and cook up a storm in my warm kitchen.
Tikka Masala is one of the most widely cooked and sold dishes around the globe and rightfully so. This vegetarian tikka masala soup serves up all the delicious flavours that you would expect from this world renowned dish and it is so simple to make. McCain Garden Mix (linked for ease of reference) simplifies the cooking process and saves you time. Combined with the vegetables from McCain, I’ve used simple spices (that you might already have in your pantry), butter, tomatoes, onions, garlic, coriander and cream to create this mouthwatering soup. You can pair it with some delicious crusty bread or even steamed basmati rice and you have a winning meal on the table.
I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I did and if you on the lookout for more soup recipes, then I highly recommend that you have a look at my Creamy Pea and Broccoli Soup recipe and also take a look at this Beetroot and Sweet Potato soup recipe.
Happy cooking, Pri
Vegetarian Tikka Masala Soup
A warming soup made with vegetables, onions, garlic, tomatoes and spices.
Ingredients
- 750 grams McCain Garden Mix
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 sprig curry leaf
- 4 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tin chopped tomato
- 1 cup cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Small bunch of coriander
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat
- Add onions and allow to caramelize
- Once the onions are browned, add the crushed garlic, curry leaves, curry powder, garam masala salt and pepper
- Mix well and then add the chopped tomatoes and McCain Garden Mix
- Next add in the vegetable stock
- Allow to cook on medium to high heat for about 10 minutes until the veg have softened
- Remove half the veg mixture and set aside
- With a handheld blender, puree the mixture in the pot to a creamy consistency
- Add the chunky veg mixture back to the pot with the cream
- Simmer for 2 minutes and remove from the heat
- Season and garnish with chopped coriander
An Earthy Beetroot, Sweet Potato and Basil Soup
How gorgeous does this soups look? Well I can guarantee that not only does it look the part, it tastes the part too. The deep, vibrant colour and earthiness from the beetroot combined with the creaminess from the sweet potato makes this a match made …
The Perfect Creamy Broccoli and Pea Soup- Winter food
It is freezing in Johannesburg, South Africa and I can safely say that the cold weather is here and by the looks of things, it will be keeping us company for a good three months still. As I mentioned before, I love the food associated …
Peruvian Style Beef and Chips, Lomo Saltado
Have you heard of Lomo Saltado before? Well if you haven’t, then today I shall tell you a little about it. As many of you know, food is my obsession, and what happens when we are obsessed with something, it takes over and it becomes powerless to resist. Well I have no issues with this type of obsession because it pushes me to new heights and makes my brain work the way it should. So this obsession I have with Food can stay.
So back to the Saltado. I am intrigued by all types of cuisines and I want to try my hand on as many as possible. Lomo Saltado is one of the most popular foods in Peru. It literally means “sautéed beef”. It is typically made with beef, yellow peppers, onion, tomatoes and other veg and tossed together with chips (fries). All the recipes that I found, talk of an Amarillo paste, yellow pepper paste. I tried to find the paste in my local area, but unfortunately that didn’t not work to my liking. So I decided to try my hand at making something similar to add to the authenticity of the dish.
Really this dish is simple and and an absolute must try…. I mean just think about it, sautéed beef and chips, could there be a better combination? Go on, save the recipe and try it this weekend. Happy Cooking, Pri
Peruvian Beef- Lomo Saltado
A simple Peruvian Lomo Saltado- Delicious Beef cooked with a yellow pepper paste with onion, tomatoes and chips (fries)
Ingredients
- 500 grams McCain Asian Stir Fry
- 400 grams McCain Fry Chips
- 600 beef rump cut into thick strips
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion thickly sliced
- 1/3 cup beef stock
- ½ cup rosa tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped coriander
- Ingredients for Yellow Pepper Paste:
- 1 yellow pepper roughly chopped
- ½ onion roughly chopped
- ¾ chilies chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook McCain Fry Chips according to package instructions
- Combine the beef with 1 teaspoon cumin, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and pepper and set aside
- Heat oil in a pan and once very hot, fry the beef in batches until nicely browned-about 2 minutes per batch – remove the beef and set aside
- To the same pan, add the chopped red onions and allow to fry for about 2 minutes
- Now add the rest of the cumin powder, soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of the yellow pepper paste
- Add the Asian Stir Fry mix
- Allow to cook for 5 minutes then add the stock and rosa tomatoes
- Cook until the liquid reduces- about 6 minutes
- Add the beef and chips, adjust seasoning and top with chopped coriander and serve
Moroccan Beef Stew with Chickpeas and Spinach
It is warming, it is hearty, it is filled with goodness and it most certainly is lip smacking damn delicious. Simple, economical ingredients that are paired together and simmered low and slow leaving you with tender, melt in your mouth flavours. During the …
Mackerel and Cashew Nut Salad with Beetroot Vinaigrette
A simple yet delicious mackerel salad with a beet vinaigrette.
Spinach and Dhal Makhani – Good old Indian comfort food
Cold, chilly evenings has slowly crept its way into our part of the woods here. The steaming, creamy hot chocolates are filling up my kids cups and the hearty, comforting and warming meals are filling up my pots in the kitchen. My favourite part about winter is the food and off course the cuddles and fires and wine….. oh wait it seems like my winter love list is getting a little longer.
Back to the winter warming meals. This Spinach and Dhall Makhani is packed with all the Indian flavours that will make you lick your bowl clean. This is a promise! And the best part, it is so easy to make compared to any other dhall makhani recipe that you will find. Take 30 minutes out of your day, and do yourself a favour, try this recipe.
I love big, bold flavours and this recipe will deliver just that. the cumin, curry leaves and fresh garlic combined with the tomatoes and finished off with a dash of cream, is like heaven in your mouth, Like I said before, it is a promise!
Happy cooking
Pri
Spinach and Dhal Makhani
A warming winter Indian classic made in under 30 minutes. Rich, creamy, buttery and warming.
Ingredients
- 1 tin lentils rinsed and drained
- 1 tin red kidney beans rajma beans- rinsed and drained
- 1 can sugar beans rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- Ghee
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- A dash of cream
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the rinsed lentils and beans in a pot with a cup of water and 1 teaspoon turmeric, salt and allow to get really mushy, you can smash it a bit with a masher
- Heat a pan on medium heat and add the ghee, onions and cumin seeds
- Allow the onions to brown before adding the garlic, curry powder and curry leaves
- Mix well and then add the tomatoes, cook for until tomatoes are softened then add the chopped spinach and cook for a further 3 minutes
- Add the braised onion and tomato/ spinach mixture to the mushy dhall and allow to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the cream, switch of heat
- Serve with naan, roti or rice
Mussels in Creamy Garlic Sauce
Wishing you a great 2019 filled with fantastic food!
Happy 2019….
Growing up I never ate seafood. I love the ocean and the life that exists there, the unknown! I also had dreams of becoming a marine biologist, saving the ocean and by me not eating seafood I was helping.
Well that all changed in 2010 when we were on holiday in Cape Town and all I wanted to eat was seafood . Two weeks later I found out that we were expecting our first child. Suddenly I couldn’t stop eating seafood and now we eat seafood at least once a week. My 8 year old is obsessed with seafood from the time he was a baby and well ever since he was sharing my body with me. He changed me… I now love Seafood and Still love the Marine Life! I found peace!
Seeing that I never ate seafood, I never cooked it much. I did dabble my hand at some seafood dishes to impress the then boyfriend…. And it worked because he is now the husband!
My seafood dishes have improved tremendously, thanks to my 8 year old and his insatiable appetite, but mussels are not something I ever tried cooking. My son’s dish of choice in December was mussels, if we went out to eat and the restaurant had mussels on the menu then he ordered it. One evening when we were out, whilst indulging on his mussels, my 8 year old says to me, “Mum, I’m sure the way you make mussels are way better then the restaurants!”. I almost chocked on my favourite (boring) pasta dish, Penne Arabbiata. I had to tell him that me, his mum who cooks everything, has never cooked it before. Well that evening happened a month ago and I am glad to let you know that tonight was the 4th time we have had mussels in our home. It even featured as a starter on our Christmas menu.
It really is so simple and I am wondering why I was acting like an 8 year old not wanting to make it.
Mussels in Creamy Garlic Sauce
800grams half shelled mussels
butter and a dash of olive oil
4 cloves garlic crushed
juice of 1 lemon (I always use fresh, lemon juice is something that you will NEVER find in my home)
1 onion finely diced
half a bunch parsley
250 ml cream
250 ml white wine (I drank the rest!)
1 chicken stock cube
salt and pepper
Heat your saucepan add butter and a touch of olive oil
Add onions, allow to cook until translucent
Add garlic, cook for a minute (don’t let it burn)
Add white wine and reduce (about 5 minutes)
Add stock cube, lemon juice and cream
Allow the sauce to thicken
Season with salt and pepper and switch off
Rinse the mussels thoroughly in a colander and throw them into the pot and cover.
Turn on the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parley
Check seasoning
Serve hot with crispy bread of your choice.
Enjoy Remember Life is too short to eat Bland Food, so eat your way through 2019
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Pumpkin and Butter Bean Hummus
Don’t know about you but I when I was a kid, I was always excited about Christmas and I am happy to say that nothing has changed! I loved waking up to a filled pillowcase left by Santa and I loved staying awake at the …
A Dreamy Beetroot Ice Cream
A luscious, creamy and striking looking dessert and the taste is going to knock your socks off. And you know what else is going to knock your socks off….. is the ingredient list, all you need is five ingredients. Yip, five ingredients and you are …