Faridah's Flavours

SENSATIONAL SESAME POTATO SKIN CRISPY CHILLI NIBBLES

Potato peels

Cooking oil

Sesame oil

Sesame seeds

1 green chilli sliced in half length-wise

Aromat

Heat both oils in frying pan – equal parts of each, enough to “shallow-fry” the skins

Add some sesame seeds and the chilli

Fry the skins until crispy

Drain on kitchen towels and sprinkle with aromat

FARIDAH’S STRAWBERRY & COCONUT LIME SENSATIONS

Makes about 12 squares

Ingredients:

BASE:

100g butter

200g self-raising flour

50g castor sugar

2 egg yolks

Juice and zest of one lime

150g strawberry jam

TOPPING:

3 egg whites

100g castor sugar

Zest of one lime

125g desiccated coconut

1 20x20cm baking tin lined with foil

METHOD:

• ·         Heat the oven to 180*C
• ·         Rub the butter into the flour in a large bowl, to resemble breadcrumbs. NOTE: THIS IS PARTICULARLY RELAXING AND THERAPEUTIC IF YOU DO IT SITTING IN THE WINTER SUN IN A SHELTERED SPOT, AND PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO ALL THE LOVELY LITTLE DETAILS OF NATURE AROUND YOU.
• ·         Stir in the sugar
• ·         Mix in the egg yolks, zest and lime juice
• ·         Gather the mixture into soft dough. (MORE TACTILE THERAPY HERE BECAUSE IT’S NOT ONE OF THOSE YUCKY STICKY DOUGHS. IT’S SOFT, SCENTED AND SEXY!!!
• ·         Press evenly into the base of the lined tin
• ·         Spread the jam on top

• ·         In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks
• ·         Using a large metal spoon, fold in the castor sugar, lime zest and coconut
• ·         Spread this on top of the jam

• ·         Bake for about 30 minutes until the topping is golden
• ·         Cool in the tin and cut into squares

Faridah’s FIERY HOT FESTIVE scrambled eggs

PART 1

There comes a time when giving ourselves over with wild abandon to hot chillies, albeit for a brief affair, is inevitable. And getting together in the kitchen with your beloved to intimately share the experience of burning finger tips, runny noses and tearing eyes as you de-seed the hot little creatures (not that that did anything to make these ones milder I’m sure), is a memory-making experience.

Usually I like being alone in my kitchen, to create and surprise. But this weekend past I needed help. So the new husband was enlisted to de-seed my 150g fresh red and green chillies. He did so with brave and cheerful willingness, and I’m just hoping he’ll be just as obliging 10 years from now!! J

Together we decided maybe only 100g will do, and with relief we put the rest back in the basket. Next time I try this recipe I’ll use the larger sweeter variety, and maybe more grilled sweet red peppers – if only because they’re so delicious when grilled that after nibbling away as I skinned them, I didn’t have as much as I should have to ease the burning chill!!!

This recipe come from FOOD & HOME, August 2010, and is Justice Kamanga’s “Harissa hot chilli paste”.

Here is what I bottled after keeping a little out for immediate use.

150g fresh red or green chillies, seeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 green pepper, grilled, skinned and chopped

1 red pepper, grilled, skinned and chopped

60ml olive oil

30ml fresh coriander, finely chopped

15ml sesame seeds, toasted

15ml ground cumin

Sea salt, to taste

Combine all the ingredients and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes before using, for the flavour to develop. Store in a sterilized jar in the refrigerator.

PART 2

Sunday night braai had us enjoying marinated T-Bone steaks, tender enough to sell in a Purity jar, soft creamy salted and buttered mielie pap, and the following sauce, so simple it can be made by the baby for whom the T-bone is bottled.

Faridah’s Simple Braai Sous for pap

Take 4 ripe, skinned bright red tomatoes

Place in saucepan with butter, salt and pepper

Simmer until they soften

Crush with wooden spoon

Add a few slurps of Worcestershire sauce

Add a tablespoon or two fresh chopped coriander

Mix in about a teaspoon brown sugar

Simmer on low as the rest of the food gets done

Serve on plain mielie pap

For the scrambled eggs the next day:

Take a spoonful of PART 1 (or as much as you dare), mix into what’s left over of PART 2, pour into a small hot frying pan and sizzle as you beat the eggs (as many as will appease your appetite).

Pour eggs into the mixture and stir until firmer and done to your liking.

Serve on brown wheat toast.

Purrrrfect.

I’ve cleaned and oiled the potjie, getting ready for winter weekend afternoons around a good old outdoor stew.

Seeing as I got married three weeks ago, it’s time to get enthusiastic about the kitchen once again… and I’m happy to say all that passion for cooking has come back!

Something quick and easy was the above:

BABY MARROW & ALMOND FRITTERS

Grated baby marrows

Add slivered almonds

1 beaten egg

Add chana (chic-pea) flour to get the right consistency

Salt and pepper

Fresh corriander leaves

Fry in hot oil

That’s IT.

I hope to be blogging more often now – miss U all.

Fari

xx

…And may it find you all well and cooking up major storms.

I had a lovely 10 day break away to the coast, and stayed from Tinley manor, north of Durban, all the way down to Ramsgate.

The trip’s main purpose was to meet more and more of my soon-to-be extended family. I’m getting married, God Willing, on the 20th Feb this year, to a wonderful man who I have known and loved for almost 9 years.

The following link will take you to where we stayed for the first 3 nights.

Example of BREAKFAST

2 Large smoke haddock

Mushrooms simmered in butter

2 Perfect Poached eggs

Never-ending toast with lashings of Mooiriver BUTTER

Fresh coriander

Fried tomatoes

Muffins

Cheese

Jam

Mince Pies

Coffee, Tea, Fresh juices

Cereal, yogur

Fresh fruit platters

… I’ll stop for now as I salivate. Lets just say I put on about a kilo per day….

http://www.wheretostay.co.za/tinleymanorhils/

Hello everyone!

Just because I’m quiet doesn’t mean I’m not spying on you all on a regular basis.

Hoping to have time one day soon to get back to regular blogging… but I guess first I must get back to regular cooking!

Have a gr8 long weekend.

Fari

xx

http://blogs.food24.com/ayeshak/spinach-lagan

I tried Hidden Treasure’s lagaan recipe AT LAST.

10/10

Hope all my foodie friends are well.

Miss you

xx

Photo: Steve Lawrence

I found the following recipe in the VERVE section of Thursday’s Star newspaper. The fact that I had all the ingredients thrilled me no end, and I decided to make it last night. DELICIOUS. Just a word of caution: When trying out a new recipe for the first time, even a really basic one like this, do not allow people to lure you away to quickly look at something on the TV as you’re measuring out your ingredients. I was lured, and ended up using 250ml flour instead of 60ml. The result was still edible – quite lovely actually – if you like sort of well cooked liquidy citrus flavoured dough.

Let’s just say I can’t wait to try it out again, it has GREAT POTENTIAL. No cream or custard needed.

Japie’s Delight

(Serves 4 – 6)

2 eggs, separated

250ml sugar

60ml flour

250ml milk

15ml lemon juice

190ml orange juice

45ml melted butter

Beat the egg yolks and mix in the sugar.

Add the flour and milk and mix.

Add lemon juice, orange juice and melted butter.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture.

The mixture should be very liquid.

Pour mixture into a deep, ovenproof casserole and place in a roasting tray. Fill halfway with hot water and bake at 180*C for 40-50 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

This pudding forms a delicate crust on top with a citrus sauce underneath.

It’s that time again – time to salvage what can be salvaged from a fridge that hasn’t been opened for a while. All okay – nothing leapt out by itself.

FRAIDAH’S FRIDGE-RESCUE SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cooking oil

A chunk of ghee or normal butter

Half an onion, chopped

Spring onions to garnish

About a fist full of green beans, chopped

Half a medium sized cauliflower, chopped

1 potato, chopped

1 green chilli, chopped

1 heaped teaspoon mild curry powder

Feta cheese to garnish

Whatever other cheese is nearby for variation

1 heaped teaspoon crushed garlic

2 heaped teaspoons chicken stock powder

Boiling water to cover

Method:

Fry the onion and garlic in oil and butter

Add garlic, curry powder and potato chunks.

Stir.

Add everything else except the cheese and spring onions.

Boil until done.

Blend to desired consistency.

Add cheese chunks and spring onions when you serve.

Enjoy!