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PRAWN CURRY
An easy, creamy prawn curry served with roti. Everyone will come back for seconds. Save time by preparing the chili paste the day before.
Delicious and easy prawn curry.
PRAWN CURRY SERVED WITH DHAI / YOGHURT SAUCE
Ingredients:
750g prawns
1 large onion, liquidised
2 medium onions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons chili paste (**see footnote)
3 bay leaves
½ tin coconut milk
4 cardamoms, crushed
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Method:
Wash and dry the prawns in a kitchen towel. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add bay leaves, cardamom and fry for a few minutes.
Add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
Then add the liquidized onion paste and the chili paste. Fry for several minutes adding little water, as necessary, to prevent the masala from burning.
Add the prawns. Stir thoroughly and then add the coconut milk. Keep simmering in medium heat till the gravy reduces to a half. Add salt to taste.
Serve hot with rice or roti.
**Chili paste
Ingredients:
1 level teaspoon of chili powder
3 garlic cloves crushed
5 Red chilies chopped
3 Tablespoons of ground ginger
2 Pinches of salt
5 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 Level teaspoon of sugar (can be omitted if preferred)
Method:
Heat oil to medium hot and add chili powder and garlic.
Cook for 2 minutes and then add all other ingredients.
Cook until soft. Decant into a blender and blend into a course paste.
Leave to cool and eat.
Refrigerate and consume within 7 days.
Serve with curry or breyani
DHAI / YOGHURT SAUCE
250m natural yoghurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 tablespoon dhanya, chopped
Pinch salt
Mix all the ingredients together. Pour into a serving dish and serve with curries, breyani, kebabs, etc…
CHICKEN CURRY
Delicious chicken curry, always a winner no matter what the occasion. Serve with flaky roti, chapati (Indian flat bread) or plain boiled white rice. Traditionally served with onion and tomato salad.
Delicious Cape Malay Curry
CHICKEN CURRY
Ingredients
4 tbsp oil
2 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2 green cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1½ tbsp chopped ginger
6 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp chilli powder
2 tomatoes, puréed
450g small chicken
½ tsp garam masala
1 handful chopped dhanya
Method:
Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods and cumin seeds and fry for about 20 seconds until aromatic.
Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring often. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook stirring for 40 seconds before adding a pinch of salt and the ground spices, and stir for 15 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the liquid in the pan has dried off and the oil leaves the sides of the dry masala around 10 minutes.
**Add the chicken and brown over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add enough water to almost cover the chicken (about 350ml), bring to the boil and then cook over a low heat until the chicken is cooked through. The slower it cooks the better it tastes. This takes about 15 minutes for small joints and up to 25-30 minutes for larger ones. Check with a fork; once it is tender it is done.
Add the garam masala and chopped dhanya. Serve with rice or roti.
Variation:
**Add potatoes cut in quarters with the chicken
ONION AND TOMATO SALAD
1 large onion, chopped finely
5ml salt
1 large firm tomato, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
10ml sugar
30ml vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped dhanya
Steam the chopped onion in the microwave for 3 minutes. Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Transfer into a serving dish and enjoy with breyani, curry, etc…
EASY SAVOURY CHEESE MUFFINS
Easy cheese muffins (savouries)
Ingredients:
500ml (300g) cake flour
15ml baking powder
5ml dry mustard powder
5ml salt
500ml grated cheddar cheese
250ml milk
80ml oil
2 eggs
Method:
Sift flour, baking powder, mustard and salt in a mixing bowl
Add grated cheese
In a jug combine the milk, oil and eggs. Mix well
Add to dry ingredients and mix gently until combined, taking care not to over mix. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 200C for 20 minutes
PUFF PASTRY
PUFF PASTRY
This is the richest of all pastries and benefits from being made the day before use.
Ingredients:
450g cake flour
Pinch salt
450g firm butter or margarine
250ml cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice (approximate)
Method:
- Mix the flour and salt together. Place butte on a place and work with a knife until soft. Rub a small knob of butter into the flour.
- Add water and lemon juice to form a fairly soft, elastic dough.
- Knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth
- Form the rest of the butter into an oblong, see “cook’s tip”. Roll pastry into a square.
- Place the block of butter on one half of the square, fold other half of pastry over it. Seal edges. Turn the pastry so the fold is on one side, then roll out a strip three times longer that it is wide. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down and seal edges.
- Cover pastry with greaseproof paper and leave to rest in a cool place for approximately 20 minutes.
- Turn the pastry so that the folds are to the sides and roll, fold and rest as before until this has been done about six times altogether. After final resting, shape pastry as required. Bake at 230C
Cook’s Tip:
- To form the block of butter into an oblong, roll out butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper.
- Always take care to roll out the pastry away from you and do not break the air bubbles that will rise.
- Ensure the butter used is cold and hard, if necessary chill for 20 minutes after dividing into four portions.
- If the butter comes through the pastry and sticks to the surface put the mixture back in the fridge to harden as the butter has become too soft with rolling and handling.
- If the pastry rises unevenly, it may be due to the pastry being badly rolled and folded. When rolling keep sides straight and always fold into a true oblong.
PUFF PASTRY
PUFF PASTRY
This is the richest of all pastries and benefits from being made the day before use.
Ingredients:
450g cake flour
Pinch salt
450g firm butter or margarine
250ml cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice (approximate)
Method:
- Mix the flour and salt together. Place butte on a place and work with a knife until soft. Rub a small knob of butter into the flour.
- Add water and lemon juice to form a fairly soft, elastic dough.
- Knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth
- Form the rest of the butter into an oblong, see “cook’s tip”. Roll pastry into a square.
- Place the block of butter on one half of the square, fold other half of pastry over it. Seal edges. Turn the pastry so the fold is on one side, then roll out a strip three times longer that it is wide. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down and seal edges.
- Cover pastry with greaseproof paper and leave to rest in a cool place for approximately 20 minutes.
- Turn the pastry so that the folds are to the sides and roll, fold and rest as before until this has been done about six times altogether. After final resting, shape pastry as required. Bake at 230C
Cook’s Tip:
- To form the block of butter into an oblong, roll out butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper.
- Always take care to roll out the pastry away from you and do not break the air bubbles that will rise.
- Ensure the butter used is cold and hard, if necessary chill for 20 minutes after dividing into four portions.
- If the butter comes through the pastry and sticks to the surface put the mixture back in the fridge to harden as the butter has become too soft with rolling and handling.
- If the pastry rises unevenly, it may be due to the pastry being badly rolled and folded. When rolling keep sides straight and always fold into a true oblong.
This weeks recipes posted on Facebook
Here follows a round up of the past week’s recipes posted on Facebook.
Monday 13th May – TOMATO FRIKKADEL
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE
Tuesday 14th May – CHICKEN WRAPS
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE
Wednesday 15th May – DHAL AND BATTERED FISH FILLETS
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPES
Thursday 16th May – FLAKY ROTI
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE
Friday 17th May – MAQLUBA
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE
Saturday 18th May – DHALTJIES / PAKORAS
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE
FOR MORE RECIPES 
ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES
This remains a firm favourite with my kids. We have it at least twice a month and they never get tired of eating it! We love it with vanilla ice cream or whipped fresh cream.
ROCKY ROAD BROWNIE BARS
Makes about 2
Ingredients
2 cups of chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups of cake flour
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 ½ teapoon of baking powder
¾ cup of sugar
1 1/4 cup of soft brown sugar
6 tablespoon of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 cups of mini marshmallows
1 ½ cups of walnuts, coarsely chopped
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C. Spray a 13x9inch baking pan with non stick cooking spray and lay the bottom with parchment paper.
Add 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a small bowl and melt in the microwave and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add in the melted chocolate and beat until smooth.
Beat in the dry flour mixture and spread this mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly sticky.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the marshmallows, remaining chocolate chips and walnuts. Return to oven for 2 minutes or until the marshmallows begin to melt.
Variation: Substitute the vanilla essence with peppermint essence and sprinkle peppermint crisp chocolate over instead of the chocolate chips for a pepperminty flavour.
Let them cool for about 30 minutes and cut into bars.
CHILLI CON CARNE
Chilli Con Carne Recipe
This great chilli has to be one of the best dishes to serve to friends for a casual get-together. It’s easy to throw together using mostly store cupboard ingredients.
Chilli Con Carne
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 heaped teaspoon hot chilli powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground jeera
500g lean minced beef
1 beef stock cube
400g can chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried mix herbs
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon tomato purée
410g can red kidney beans
Method:
- Put your pan on the stove over a medium heat. Add the oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add in the garlic, red pepper, chilli, paprika and cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Brown the mince. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon . The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince. Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew.
- Making the sauce. Crumble your stock cube into 300ml/1⁄2 pint of hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture. Open the can of chopped tomatoes and add these as well. Add the mixed herbs and the sugar, and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tablespoons of tomato purée and stir the sauce well.
- Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
- Bring on the beans. Drain and rinse the beans in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think. Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving, and relax. Leaving your chilli to stand is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle and the meat. Serve with boiled plain rice or my kids love it with cooked spaghetti.
CHICK PEA RICE
CHICK PEA RICE
Having canned chick peas on hand is quite useful for a quick and easy meal. When using canned chick peas, you don’t even have to cook for long. To make rice using chick peas doesn’t take much time at all. I like to add chopped pieces of boneless chicken for a filing meal for the kids. I don’t use much chili powder but to make an adult version, go ahead and increase the amount of chili powder and add some chopped green chilies to spice it up.
Chick Pea Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked rice
1 tin of canned chick peas
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 sticks cinnamon
3 cardamom pods
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon ginger and garlic paste
½ teaspoon chili powder
Pinch of turmeric
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon jeera powder
2 teaspoons oil
Small pieces of boneless chicken
Chopped dhanya leaves for garnish
Method:
- Heat oil in a saucepan.
- Add onions and sauté till translucent.
- Add stick cinnamon and cardamoms.
- Add the chicken now if using.
- Stir and cook approximately 10 minutes or until chicken are cooked.
- Then add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 sec before adding the tomatoes.
- Add the chick peas and some salt.
- Cover and cook for about 5 minutes till the chick peas are cooked.
- Add the turmeric, chili powder and garam masala and sauté for another couple of minutes.
- Add in the cooked rice and mix it up well the cooked chick peas.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve warm.
CINNAMON RING DOUGHNUTS
Ring Doughnuts
Makes +/- 30
Ingredients:
500g selfraising flour
3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
70g butter/margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 – 1½ cups buttermilk
Oil for frying
7cm and 3cm round cutters
For the coating:
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
125g caster sugar
Method:
Cream together the eggs, sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla essence.
Add the flour and baking powder. Make a slight dent in the middle of the flour.
Add the buttermilk.
Mix together into a smooth ball and then turn out on to a floured work surface.
Roll the dough out to a thickness of just over 1cm. Flour the cutters and use the larger one to cut out rounds of dough, then cut out the centres using the smaller cutter. (Or you can buy a ring doughnut cutter from your local spice shop)
Re-roll the trimmings to make more doughnuts.
Put the doughnuts to one side and make the coating.
Mix the cinnamon into the sugar in a small bowl.
Now fry the doughnut. Place the rings carefully into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until golden on the bottom, then turn them over and fry for a further 2-3 minutes, until they are an even golden colour and cooked through.
Lift on to kitchen paper to drain briefly and, while they’re still hot, toss them in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated. Shake off any excess and place on a wire rack to cool. (Not suitable for freezing).
Cook’s tip
GLAZE
1 cup of icing sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla essence or a drop of food colouring
Whisk in enough boiling water to make a thin glaze, drizzle over donuts.
Cover with sprinkles.
Kids love these different coloured doughnuts!!
Or
Spread the doughnuts with chocolate spread
Ring Doughnuts
Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights - Salwaa Smith 
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