Spicy Crab Cakes

INGREDIENTS

25 ml olive oil
1 x 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger root
12 crab sticks each cut into 6 pieces
1 small red chilli, seeds removed and chopped
4 spring onions chopped
1 small bunch fresh coriander chopped
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
2 ml lemon pepper
3 large eggs
70 g - 110 g cake flour
250 ml breadcrumbs

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and saute the ginger and garlic for a minute
• Add the crab sticks and cook until they start to break up 
• Add in the chilli and cook for a further minute
• Add the spring onions then turn off the heat and mix in the coriander, juice and rind, seasoning and leave mixture to cool
• Add eggs and sufficient flour to make the mixture firm enough to shape into small patties
• Shape into small rounds about 2 cm thick then crumb them with the breadcrumbs
• Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer to firm up
• Heat oil and deep fry until golden brown and cooked through about 6-8 minutes
• Drain well
• Serve with sweet chilli dipping sauce

Southern Prawn With Lime Rice

INGREDIENTS

300g prawn tails peeled and deveined
handful of coriander, finely chopped
15 ml Cajun seasoning
15 ml olive oil
salt and milled black pepper
400g  Rice cooked
250 g frozen corn thawed
1 lime , zest and juice

To serve 

Fresh Coriander
Lime wedges

METHOD

• Combine the prawns , coriander and cajun seasoning and oil in a large bowl
• Season with salt and pepper
• Heat the olive oil in a large non stick frying pan and fry the prawn mixture for 2 minutes or until just cooked
• Toss in the rice along with the corn and lime zest and juice and heat through for 3 - 4 minutes
• Top with coriander sprigs and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side

Easy Tamarind Chutney

INGREDIENTS

300 g packet brown tamarind
1 cup vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp methi masala
1 tsp chilli powder

WAGAAR:

2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chilli chopped

METHOD

• Soak tamarind overnight in vinegar
• Strain the pulp and place liquid in pot
• Add the sugar and cook on low heat until a thin sauce forms
• Add the methi masala and chilli powder
• Heat oil and fry all the ingredients for wagaar for a few minutes
• Add to chutney
• Add salt to taste

Easy Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup boiling water
¼ cup cocoa

ICING

100 g milk chocolate
1 small tin desert cream

METHOD

• Cream eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy
• Sift dry ingredients 3 times and set aside
• Dissolve cocoa in boiling water  and add the oil and vanilla extract
• Add dry and wet ingredients to egg mixture and beat on low for a minute or until well blended
• Pour into baking tin and bake at 180°C for approximately 25 minutes
• Once cake has cooled , decorate with icing

ICING

• Combine melted 100 g chocolate and a small can of desert cream
• Grate white chocolate and sprinkle over cake

Orange Cake

INGREDIENTS

160 g softened butter
1 cup castor sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mixed dried fruit

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Cream butter while adding sugar until mixture is fluffy
• Add the beaten eggs a tbsp at a time and beat into mixture
• Stir in the essence
• Sift dry ingredients 3 times and fold into mixture
• Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the buttermilk and add to the mixture
• Mix lightly to blend everything
• Lastly stir in the fruit
• Pour batter into a 23 cm square tin
• Bake for 1 hour
• Remove from oven and pour hot syrup over the warm cake
• Make 4 - 5 holes int the cake with a skewer so that the syrup gets absorbed
• Return to oven for 5-6 minutes
• Cool the cake int the tin before attempting to slice in order to prevent the cake from breaking

SYRUP

INGREDIENTS

½ cup orange juice
½ cup sugar
1 tsp grated orange rind

METHOD

• Combine juice and sugar
• Boil for 8 - 10 minutes
• Stir in the orange rind

Creamy Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS

1kg Filleted chicken cut in strips
1 fresh cream
1 litre fresh milk
 3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp oil
500 g mushroom sliced
red, green and yellow pepper cut in strips
2 onions diced
1kg penne pasta boiled
Tandoori spice marinade

METHOD

• Marinate chicken with ginger and garlic and tandoori spice and set aside
• In a large saucepan fry onions until golden brown 
• Add mushroom and pepper to onion
• Simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 minutes
• Fry chicken in oil until cooked
• Add the chicken to the saucepan
• Mix flour and milk together until smooth
• In a separate pot melt the butter and add the flour and milk mixture to pot and bring to boil
• Stir mixture continuously to avoid lumps
• Add fresh cream toflour and milk mixture
• Drop the sauce into the chicken and mushroom 
• Add pasta to saucepan and mix well