Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups oil
2 cups grated carrots
½ cup chopped pecans
2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon powder
1 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
250g tinned pineapple drained
½ cup sultanas

Method:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line large ring pan.
- Beat sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. Add carrots, nuts, pineapples and sultanas. Mix well.
- Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Gradually add this flour mixture.
- Batter will be thin. Pour into a prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Turn out and cool.
- Ice with whipped cream and decorate with chopped nuts

Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 large red peppers
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1tsp dried oregano
4tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
6 large tomatoes, peeled
850ml (1½ pt) vegetable stock
1tsp sugar
Half a packet fresh basil leaves
2 small ciabatta loaves, baked according to packet instructions

Method:
1, Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Place the peppers and garlic on a baking tray, sprinkle with oregano and 1tbsp olive oil. Roast for 30-35 mins until the pepper skins are blistered. Place the hot peppers in a plastic bag. When cold, peel and chop the flesh, discarding the seeds.

2, Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the onion for 10 mins until softened. Chop the tomatoes, discarding the seeds and add to the pan with the peppers, stock, sugar and a few basil leaves. Squeeze the soft cooked garlic from the cloves and add to the pan. Simmer for 30 mins.

3, Slice the ciabatta into four and brush with the remaining olive oil. Chop the basil (keeping a few leaves for garnish) and sprinkle over the bread. Season and lightly grill. Whizz the soup in a food processor then reheat. Garnish with basil leaves and black pepper and serve with the toasts.

Lamb Boti Kebab

Ingredients:

1kg deboned leg of lamb

1 tsp ginger garlic

1 tsp garlic paste

1 ½ ground green chillies

1 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp crushed cumin

1 tsp crushed coriander

4 Tbsp fresh green pawpaw, grated

3 Tbsp lemon juice

3 Tbsp oil

Method:

Wash and drain meat

Liquidized all the ingredients and marinate the meat onto skewers, alternating with the red and green peppers.

Cook on a braai, or in a non stick pan or on an electric braai.

Serve with yoghurt raita.

Leek and Potatoe Soup

Ingredients:
4 leeks, chopped
4 large potatoes, cubed
1tbsp vegetable oil
800ml chicken or vegetable stock
300ml single cream
Pinch of grated nutmeg

To serve:
Croutons
Grated nutmeg
Parsley, chopped

Method:
1, Sweat 4 chopped leeks and 4 large cubed potatoes in 1tbsp vegetable oil for 10 mins, stirring occasionally until softened but not browned.

2, Add 800ml chicken or vegetable stock, cover and simmer for 15 mins. Season to taste and leave to cool slightly.

3, Liquidise soup until smooth. Return to pan, stir through 300ml single cream and pinch of grated nutmeg. Reheat gently.

4 Garnish with a swirl of natural yogurt, chopped parsley and some crunchy croutons.

Chicken Manchurian

Ingredients:

1/4 kg boneless chicken, cut into fine pieces
6-7 tbsps spring onion whites
3-4 tbsps spring onion greens
1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tsps soya sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tsps vinegar
1 tbsp corn flour + 5 tbsps chicken stock or water
1/2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsps tomato sauce
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd (preferably Kashmiri)
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsps sesame oil
oil for deep frying

For marinade: (marinate chicken with below ingredients for at least 15 mts or 1 hr)

1/4 tsp pepper pwd
1 egg white
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsps ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour
2-3 tbsps corn flour
1-2 tbsps of water, if required


Method:
1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, make small balls of the marinated chicken and carefully drop into the hot oil. Cook on low medium flame and towards the end of the cooking process increase flame to high and deep fry to a golden brown shade. Drain with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper. Keep aside.

2 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, add oil, add the chopped garlic and saute on high flame for about 30 secs. Add the chopped ginger and green chillis and saute for a few more secs. Add the spring onion whites and saute for 3 mts on high flame.

3 Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar. Combine well and cook for 2 mts. Add 1/4 cup chicken stock or water and cook for a mt. Add the deep fried chicken balls and cook for 4 mts. Adjust salt, if necessary.

4 Add the cornflour water and cook, tossing the contents, for 4-5 mts. You will find that it becomes thick due to cornflour.

5 Add the chopped spring onion greens and combine. Garnish with more spring onion greens. Serve hot as a starter/appetizer.

Onion Bhajis

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion , sliced
• 200 g chickpea flour
• 1 tsp baking powder ,
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• some salt
• 100 ml water
• 750 ml vegetable oil
• 1 saucepan
• 1 bowl
• 1 whisk
• 1 spoon
• 1 slotted spoon
• tray lined with paper towels

Method:

Put the oil into the pan and place it on a medium-high heat.

In a bowl, combine the chickpea flour, rice flour, baking powder, chilli, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt and the water. Mix it together well and add the sliced onion.

Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a little batter into it. If it fries slowly, it is at the right temperature.

Carefully drop spoons of batter into the oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, which will make them stick together. Fry them for about 1-2 minutes or until the batter becomes a lovely golden brown. Remove them, place them to drain on the paper-lined tray, and repeat until all the bhaji are cooked.

Sprinkle over a little salt and your onion bhaji are ready to serve. They make a perfect appetiser and go well with coriander chutney or cucumber raita, both of which can be found on our website. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 kg boneless and skinless chicken cut into small cubes
1 green bell pepper remove seeds, cut into cubes
1 red bell pepper remove seeds, cut into cubes
1 onion cut into cubes
2 clove garlic chopped finely

Ingredients to Fried Chicken:

8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients:

6 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons Lingam chili sauce (you may use any brand but has to be hot )
2 teaspoon plum sauce
1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
7 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
4 dashes white pepper powder
3 tablespoons oil

Method:

Cut the boneless chicken into small cubes and mix the ingredients to fried chicken in a bowl.

Mix well the sweet and sour sauce in a small bowl and keep aside.

Deep fry the chicken cubes. Transfer the chicken out on a plate lined with paper towels to dry the excess oil. Remove the cooking oil and leave only 2 tablespoons oil in the wok.

Add garlic and saute the garlic until light brown and then follow by the chopped onion, green and red bell peppers. Stir-fry until you smell the aroma. and add the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the wok and bring it to boil. Toss in the chicken, do just a few quick stirs, dish out and good to serve immediately with steamed white rice.