Waffles

INGREDIENTS

375 ml cake flour
15 ml baking powder
2 ml salt
15 ml sugar
300 ml milk
2 extra large eggs, seperated
45 ml butter melted or cooking oil

METHOD

• Sift the flour, baking powder and the salt together,add the sugar.
• Whisk the milk, egg yolks and butter together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold in.
• Leave batter to stand for 20 minutes.
• Fry in a waffle pan until golden brown.
• Serve warm, with syrup.

Scones

INGREDIENTS

500 ml cake flour
15 ml baking powder
2 ml salt
45 ml castor sugar
80 g butter
1 extra large egg
120 ml milk

METHOD

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the sugar and mix well.
• Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resemble fine breadcrumbs.
• Whisk the egg and milk together.
• Add to the dry ingredients and mix lightly to form a soft dough.
• Turn out on a lightly floured surface and press to a thickness of about 2cm.
• Cut out with cookie cutters.
• Bake on a greased baking tray in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS

+ - 6 - 12 Slices of bread
2 tbsp melted butter
4 eggs beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180 deg
• break bread into small pieces and place in lightly greased baking dish / pan
• Drizzle melted butter over bread
• In a bowl combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.Beat well
• Pour mixture over bread and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking the egg mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 min or until the top of pudding springs back up when lightly tapped.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream

* Raisins can be sprinkled on top of bread pudding before placing in oven if desired

Christmas Turkey Gravy

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons flour
750ml turkey stock
2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tbsp masala

METHOD

• Remove all turkey fat from roasting tin after turkey is roasted leaving as much of the juices as possible
• Transfer juices to a pot and add the flour
• stir until a smooth paste is formed
• gradually add turkey stock to the pot stirring continuously to avoid mixture sticking to bottom of the pan
• add masala and mixed herbs
• bring gravy to a boil
• reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until gravy is thickened to your preference

Meringues

INGREDIENTS

3 extra large egg whites
2 ml cream of tartar
250 ml castor sugar
2 ml vanilla essence
cornflour for dusting

METHOD

• Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks stage.
• Slowly add the castor sugar, beating consistently until most of the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are stiff. Add the essence.
• Grease the baking trays and dust lightly with cornflour. Spoon teaspoonfuls of meringues onto the tray or use a piping bag.
• Bake in a 120°C oven for 1 hour.
• Leave to dry for another hour once baked.

Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

5 potatoes peeled and cubed
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 boiled eggs
salt to taste
mixed herbs
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons butter

METHOD

• boil potatoes until softened
• add milk, butter and salt to the potatoes , then mash it all together
• flatten the potatoes in a serving bowl
• cut the boiled eggs into rings and layer it over the potatoes
• add mayonnaise over the boiled eggs very liberally avoiding smashing the eggs
• garnish with mixed herbs

* This dish can be served with roasted chicken , turkey or even roasted lamb .Perfect for a christmas side dish

Mango Mint Chutney

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of mint leaves
1 onion
6 green chillies
salt to taste
200g fresh raw mangoes

METHOD

• Peel the mangoes and remove the stones.
• Grind the mint leaves, chopped onion, green chillies and mango pulp together into a fine paste.
• Mix with salt.
• Serve as a dip with savories.

Coconut Nests

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 egg yolk
1egg white
dessicated coconut

METHOD

• Sift the flour and salt.
• Cream the butter, add the sugar.
• Add the beaten egg yolk and combine well.
• Mix the dry ingredients.
• Roll the dough in tiny balls, then roll in the egg whites.
• Finally roll in the coconut.
• Place on a greased tray.
• Indent the centre with your fingertips.
• Bake for 20 minutes in 180°C oven.
• Fill with cherries or jam when cooled down.

Gulab Jamun

INGREDIENTS

1/4 bicarb
1/2 tin condensed milk (200g )
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tblsp semolina
1 tblsp butter
1/4 fine cardamon powder


METHOD

• Place the dry ingredients in a bowl, add butter and cardamon, then add the condensed milk and make a soft dough.
• Roll into length and thickness of a finger and fry in oil over medium heat.
• Lower the heat and allow the jamuns to cook slowl;y and allow to swell.
• Remove from the heat when golden brown and drain.

Syrup

• Boil together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 cup water.
• Remove from the heat before it starts to get sticky.
• Dip the jamuns in the syrup.
• Drain and cool.
• Sprinkle with desiccated coconut.

Vermicelli ( Kheer )

INGREDIENTS

250 g butter
250g vermicelli
3 cinnamon sticks
2 gloves
2 cups water
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
125g chopped almonds
1 tsp cardamon powder


METHOD

• Heat the butter in a pot.
• Add the crushed vermicelli,gloves and cinnamon sticks.
• Fry until golden brown.
• Add the water, sugar and milk,cook until vermicelli is soft.
• Sprinkle with cardamon powder.
• Add chopped almond
• Serve hot

Fried Indian Puris

INGREDIENTS

2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 level tsp margarine
1 1/2 cups warm milk


METHOD

• Sift dry ingredients.
• Rub in margarine.
• Add warm milk to flour mixture and mix to form a soft dough.
• Roll out and fry in hot oil.
• Drain on a paper towel.

* Best served with sugar beans curry 

King Soup ( Rasso / Rassam ) - Indian Cold Remedy

INGREDIENTS


1 onion
6 dry chilies
1 tsp freshly roasted black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tomato
Half cup Tamarind ( diluted in water )
6 whole garlic
Salt to taste
coriander

METHOD

• Fry the onions and dry chillies till brown.
• Add the tomatoe together with the ground cumin and mustard seeds,garlic and ground black pepper.
• While that gets brown,mix the tamarind and water together and pour into the pot.
• Let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add salt and garnish with coriander.

* Pre-packed king soup mixes are also available at your local store , however fresh ingredients makes this dish more potent 

Butter Chicken

INGREDIENTS

2 kg chicken fillets
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon masala
2 tablespoons ground ginger and garlic
1 teaspoon dhania Powder
1 teaspoon jeera Powder
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder


For the creamy Sauce

1 stick butter ( 5 tablespoons)
1 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
a pinch of black pepper
1 teaspoon mixed herbs

METHOD

• Mix all the spices into a paste forming with the lemon juice
• Rub paste thoroughly over chicken and allow to marinate in refrigerate for + - 1 hour
• Heat oil and add chicken , leave on low heat ,stirring occasionally until chicken begins to dry
• Heat butter,cream, yogurt, cayenne pepper , black pepper and mixed herbs in a separate pan
• Add this sauce over chicken
• Remove from heat 
• Best served with naan

* Recipe for a delicious naan can be found in my blog as well :)

Vada ( South Indian Savory Snack )

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pea dhall
1 piece ginger
4 green chillies
3 dry chillies
2 cloves garlic peeled
2 tablespoons jeera ( cumin seeds )

VADA MIXTURE INGREDIENTS

1 onion
1/2 cup spring onion
1/2 cup coriander
salt to taste

METHOD

• Soak 1 cup dhall overnight with boiling water 
• Next day rinse dhall and drain
• Add 4 green chillies,3 dry chillies, 2 cloves garlic, small piece ginger, and some jeera to the dhall
• Grind all together using a food processor until dhall is soft and smooth ( takes a while,do a little at a time) 

Vada mixture

• Now chop 1 onion fine
• 1/2 cup shallot ( spring onions) chopped fine
• 1/2 cup dhania ( coriander) chopped fine
• Add chopped things to dhall mixture, add salt to taste 

• Heat oil in pan, make vada shapes with a hole in center and fry until cooked and crispy

*It is easier to make shape using a banana leaf.
*Dip your hands in water after each vada that you make so your hands don't become sticky

Soya Mince with Double Beans

INGREDIENTS

Soya Mince ( dry soya mince in packet) (500g)
Double beans (1/2 cup - 1 cup) cleaned
3/4 cup - 1 cup oil
2 onions peeled and chopped
4 tomatoes grated
2 tsp jeera
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
4 tablespoons Masala
Salt to taste ( around 2 tablespoons)
Curry leaves

Marinade for soya mince ingredients

4 tablespoons ginger and garlic
6 tablespoons Aminas peri peri marinade
2 tablespoons veri peri sauce
1 tablespoon garam masala

METHOD

• Place soya mince in large bowl and pour boiling water in bowl until soya mince is covered.      ( soya mince will soften and absorb water)
• Allow to stand for 5 minutes
• Rinse soya mince in cold water and drain.
• Use hands to squeeze out all excess water from soya mince and place in bowl.
• Marinate soya mince with ginger and garlic, peri peri marinade ,garam masala and veri peri sauce
• Mix well
• Steam double beans until semi soft and drain in colander ( boil for about 10 - 15 minutes)
• Heat oil in a pot, add onions and fry until golden brown and take off heat
• Add jeera,mustard, cinnamon sticks, tumeric,and Masala to pot.
• Place pot back on stove and add soya mince, mix well
• Allow to cook for 10 minutes on low heat
• Add double beans,tomatoes, salt and curry leaves
• Mix well and leave to cook on low heat (no 1 setting) for around 30 -45 minutes until cooked
• Garnish with chopped dhania

( potatoes can also be added if desired )

Crispy Sunny Side Up Eggs

INGREDIENTS

3 Tablespoons oil
1 Egg

METHOD

• Heat oil in a medium sized pan until moderately hot
• Crack egg into oil carefully without breaking the yolk
• Allow egg to fry until edges turn golden brown
• Spoon hot oil over the top of egg in order to cook the egg white without having to turn egg and risk cracking the egg yolk
• Serve with side dish or sauce of your choice