Little Indian-spiced vegetable pies with raita

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 1 large parsnip, peeled
• 1 onion
• 2 zucchini, ends trimmed
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 6 fresh curry leaves*
• 120g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 (25 x 25cm) shortcrust pastry sheets
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp mild paprika
• Mango chutney and raita*, to serve

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place cumin and coriander seeds and dried chilli in a mortar and pestle and grind coarsely (or you can use 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander). Combine spices with garam masala and oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Chop parsnip, onion, zucchini and sweet potato into equal-sized pieces, toss in oil mixture, add garlic and curry leaves and spread onto a flat baking tray. Roast for 40 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden at the edges. Set aside to cool (this can be done in advance). Add the tomatoes and toss to combine.
4. Use a 23cm round template to cut out 4 circles from pastry and place on a greased baking sheet. Divide vegetables between pastry rounds, leaving a 3cm border. Turn border in, fluting the edges. Brush edges with egg and sprinkle with paprika.
5. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Serve with chutney and raita.

 

Notes

• * Curry leaves are available from good greengrocers. Raita is available from Indian takeaways or use sour cream.

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.

Mango pudding

Celebrate the Chinese New Year tradition with this Asian-inspired mango pudding. 

Preparation Time

20 - 380 minutes

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 2 x 425g cans mangoes in syrup, drained reserving syrup
• 5 tsp gelatine powder
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 500ml (2 cups) mango nectar
• 375ml can evaporated milk
• Double cream, to serve
• Thinly sliced fresh mango (optional), to serve

 

Method

1. Process the canned mango in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Place 185ml (3/4 cup) of the reserved syrup in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with the gelatine. Place the bowl in a small saucepan. Add enough boiling water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Whisk the mixture with a fork until the gelatine dissolves.
3. Place the sugar and 185ml (3/4 cup) of the mango nectar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
4. Add the gelatine mixture, mango nectar mixture, evaporated milk and remaining mango nectar to the mango puree. Whisk until smooth. Divide among eight 250ml (1-cup) capacity serving glasses. Place in fridge for 6 hours or until set.
5. Top with cream and fresh mango, if desired.

Mango chicken pappadums

A fusion of fresh Indian flavours atop crispy mini pappadums is finger food heaven. 

Preparation Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

15 minutes

Makes

14

Ingredients

• 2 single chicken breast fillets
• 2 tbs tandoori curry paste
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 14 plain mini pappadums
• 1 Honey Gold mango, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 small Lebanese cucumber, cut into 1cm pieces
• 2 tbs finely chopped red onion
• 1 tbs chopped fresh coriander
• 3 tsp fresh lime juice
• 130g (1/2 cup) natural yoghurt
• 1 tbs chopped fresh mint
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve

 

Method

1. Place the chicken and curry paste in a glass or ceramic bowl and turn to coat.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 7 minutes each side. Set aside to cool. Shred.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pappadums following packet directions.
4. Combine the mango, cucumber, onion, chopped coriander and one-third of the lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine the yoghurt, mint, garlic and remaining lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place pappadums on a serving platter. Top with chicken, mango mixture, yoghurt mixture and coriander sprigs to serve.

Fruit tea

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 cups lemonade
• 2 peach and mango tea bags
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups pineapple juice, chilled
• 1 cup orange juice, chilled
• 125g strawberries, hulled, finely diced

 

Method

1. Pour lemonade into a jug. Cover and freeze for 2 to 3 hours or until semi-frozen.
2. Place tea bags in a heatproof jug. Pour over boiling water. Brew for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Allow tea to cool.
3. Pour tea into a large jug. Add pineapple juice, orange juice, semi-frozen lemonade and strawberries. Serve.

 

Notes

• For mango fruit tea, replace the pineapple juice with mango nectar and the strawberries with dried mango.