Moroccan pumpkin soup

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red birdseye chilli, finely chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3cm piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1.5kg butternut or Queensland blue pumpkin, peeled, seeded (see note), cut into 3cm pieces
• 1/3 cup (70g) yellow split peas
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Coriander sprigs and soup sprinkles, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low-medium heat and cook leek, garlic and 2 tsp salt, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add chilli, cinnamon, ginger and cumin and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add carrots, pumpkin and split peas. Stir to coat in onion mixture.
2. Add 1.5 litres water to saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 50 minutes or until split peas are soft.
3. Remove and discard cinnamon stick from soup. Add lemon juice then process or blend soup, in small batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return soup to pan and reheat over medium heat. Serve topped with coriander sprigs and soup sprinkles.

 

Notes

Reserve 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds for soup sprinkles.

Chai panna cotta

A spiced indian take on a classic dessert. 

Makes

8

Ingredients

• 3 cardamom pods, bruised
• 2cm piece ginger, peeled, grated
• 2 chai and vanilla tea bags
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 litre buttermilk
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatine
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachio kernels
• 1 tablespoon orange zest

 

Method

1. Place cardamom, ginger and tea bags in a heatproof jug. Add 1/3 cup boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes for flavours to develop. Strain mixture into a bowl. Discard cardamom, ginger and tea bags.
2. Place buttermilk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and tea mixture in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and buttermilk is just warmed through. Remove from heat.
3. Place remaining boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle over gelatine. Whisk to dissolve. Add gelatine mixture to buttermilk mixture, stirring constantly until combined. Pour into eight 200ml-capacity glasses. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
4. Divide pistachios and orange rind between glasses. Serve.

Indian kofta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 500g lean beef mince
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small onion, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon tandoori paste
• 1 tablespoon mango chutney

• Yoghurt sauce

• 1 cup thick natural yoghurt
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon mango chutney
• 1 teaspoon salt
• steamed basmati rice, to serve
• pappadams, cooked, to serve
• mint leaves, to garnish

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Combine mince, ginger, garlic, onion, tandoori, chutney, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix with clean hands until well combined. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls. Place onto baking tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked.
3. To make yoghurt sauce: Place 1/2 cup yoghurt and mint leaves into the bowl of a food processor. Process until mint is finely chopped and sauce is green. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining yoghurt, chutney and salt. Stir to combine.
4. Serve kofta with basmati rice, pappadams and yoghurt sauce. Garnish with mint leaves.

Carrot and ginger soup

Home-made garlic bread is the perfect accompaniment to this smooth carrot and ginger soup. 

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 5 medium (about 150g each) carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 brown onion, halved, coarsely chopped
• 500ml (2 cups) hot water
• 2 x 14g pkts vegetable concentrated liquid stock (MasterFoods brand)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 baguette (French breadstick), cut into 2cm thick slices
• Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine the carrot, onion, water, stock and ginger in a saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes or until carrot is tender. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
2. Pour the carrot mixture into the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Add the cream and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
3. Meanwhile, combine garlic and oil in a bowl. Brush bread with oil mixture. Wrap in foil and bake in oven for 5-8 minutes.
4. Pour soup in bowls and season with pepper. Serve with bread.

Vegetable sung choi bao

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 425g can young corn cuts, drained
• 1 280g can mushrooms, drained
• 1 230g can water chestnuts, drained
• 3 green shallots, trimmed, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 4 whole iceberg lettuce inner leaves, washed, dried
• Coriander leaves, to serve

 

Method

1. Place the corn, mushrooms, water chestnuts and green shallots in the bowl of a food processor. Process until roughly chopped.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable mixture, garlic, soy sauce and ginger, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
3. Divide the mixture among the lettuce cups. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and serve immediately.