Tomato Salad

 It seems like tomatoes just taste as good as I remember them as a child. This salad - or dressing lifts them to a higher level of yum...and its super easy.

Ingredients

• 1 kg tomatoes (I like to use a mix of varieties)
• 1/2 small red onion peeled
• 10 g fresh basil plus extra for serving
• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Chop the smaller tomatoes into halves and the larger ones into quarters. It’s quite nice to have a mixture of different sizes here, so don’t worry about making them all perfectly even.

2. Combine the red onion, basil, garlic and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a food processor. Blitz into a rough paste, making sure it retains a some texture. Add it to the tomatoes along with the olive oil, red wine vinegar and another big pinch of salt. Give everything a good stir, then let the salad marinate for at least 20 minutes, or for up to 4 hours.
3. Spoon into a serving dish, avoiding any tomato juice left at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Serve topped with an extra crack of black pepper and a few sprigs of fresh basil.

Sesame Carrots - Japanese side dish

 I was looking for a side dish for a Japanese meal and found this - easy because we had all the ingredients.

I served it warm, but we decided chilled would be nice too!

Ingredients

4 carrots

2 ½ tbsp sesame oil 
  tsp black pepper
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (or 4 if you’re making extra)

recommended utensil: julienne peeler

Directions

1. Carefully toast sesame seeds, then put to one side

2. julienne into long strips - or use mandolin and cook in sesame oil.

3. Add pepper

4. Add sesame seeds previously toasted.

Spicy Garlic Edamame

 Spicy Garlic Edamame

I made this with frozen edamame and didn't add the oyster or chilli sauce.

I also added ginger to the garlic in the first step.

Really nice...needed a bit more salt.

Recipe-

- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp chilli flakes
- 2/3 cups frozen edamame beans (ore boiled)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce
- Salt to taste

Fry garlic and chilli flakes in oil.

Add frozen beans  and salt to taste

🌱 Don't overcook the Edamame & cook it on low flame briefly !

🌱 Use frozen Edamame for best results and in case you can't find frozen ones, boil the Edamame in salted water.

Jeera Rice - Indian Spiced Rice

 Jeera Rice - Indian Spiced Rice

Family 'Indian Feast' nights are something we do from time to time. I've got a couple of go to dishes, but wanted to expand my list!

See also...

Chickpea Curry

Dahl with coconut cream

 This is a really subtle flavouring of white rice.

I use a microwave rice cooker and it works well.

Watch the video tutorial to this 'Jeera Rice' recipe 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of oil

• 1.5 teaspoons roasted cumin

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2-3 green cardamom

• 2-3 cloves

• 1 cup of rice (preferably Basmati)

• 1 and a quarter cup of water

• Pinch of asafoetida (optional)

Method
 

1. Heat oil in a pan on high heat. When the oil is hot (you can check by adding a few cumin seeds, and if they sizzle it is ready) add the roasted cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves. Stir until you see the cardamom start opening up.

2. Add washed rice and salt to taste. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the rice starts becoming translucent.

3. Stir in water and add a quarter piece of lemon or lime.

4. Cover on high heat until it starts to simmer. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes.

 
Watch the video tutorial to this 'Jeera Rice' recipe