RED HOT CHILLI CHUTNEY

This red chilli chutney is made from my homegrown chillies in the garden. It is hot but delicious. It has simple ingredients and very easy to make at home. I use this chilli chutney base for a number of other sauces like chilli mayo dip, yoghurt, cream cheese or sour cream. You can also use a few teaspoons for marinating also. It can stay in the fridge for up to a month or two if stored in a glass bottle.

Makes 250ml x 4 bottles

Time: 40 minutes

1 kg red chillies

2-3 medium size carrots peeled and sliced

2 whole bulbs of garlic

Salt

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs sugar

1 cup water

1 cup oil

Method

Add all the ingredients ( except oil ) to make the chutney in a pot and let it cook for 10 minutes, covered.

When the chillies have softened and most of the moisture has evaporated, turn off the heat and cool it down.

After cooling, using a hand blender, blend the chillies well. ( I first hand blend it and then pass it through Nutri bullet as it gives completely pureed texture and seeds are not visible)

Now heat the oil in the pot and pour the blended chillies in it and cook for 20 - 30 minutes on slow heat.

Remove from the heat and cool completely and bottle it. 

RED CHARD (CAHULI SAAG)

A great recipe to cook with Swiss chard/red or ruby chard. Personally, I am not a fan of chards. But the way I cooked this chard, I don't mind having it again and again. A few Indian spices tossed in with yoghurt just brought the whole dish together without leaving the woody taste in my mouth. If you do like chard, try this recipe. Goes well with chapati ( I had it with chapati).

Serves 2

Time: 30-35 minutes or less

1 bunch of red chard or any colour chard shredded very finely with the stems

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 medium onion chopped

2-3 whole chillies halved or less (optional)

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

Salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander powder

2 tbs yoghurt

1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)

2-3 tbs ghee/oil

Method

Heat the oil/ghee in a pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds. when they start popping, add the chopped onions. Cook the onions until soft and changed colour.

 

Now, add the ginger and garlic paste with the halved chillies. Cook for a minute and then add the shredded chard along with the stems (stems should be finely shredded as it will cook along with the leaves. I don't boil the stems). Give it a stir and cover to cook for 5-7 minutes.

 

Remove the cover, add the salt, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder and yoghurt. Mix it and let it cook for another 5-7 minutes on high heat so that all the spices are cooked in and the oil/ghee has separated from the chard.

 

Serve the chard/cahuli saag with chapati as I had mine. 

CHERRY TOMATO RELISH

This time I got lots of cherry tomatoes in the garden. Have made pizza sauce, bolognese sauce and relish with them. Here is the recipe for cherry tomato relish. These are just sauteed and flavoured with herbs, adding sugar to the tomatoes balances the tarty flavour and enhances the colour. To cook, it takes about 20 minutes. They are well stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for a month. Relish is perfect to serve with any sort of meats or poultry or even on bruschettas or crostinis along with other cold meats or cheeses. 

Makes 1 jar  (serves 4)

Time: 20 minutes

2 punnets/250 grams cherry tomatoes poked with a fork/knife

1 tbs chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tbs thyme

1/2 tbs marjoram/oregano

1 tbs sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tbs butter

salt and pepper

Method

In a pan, melt the butter and add the tomatoes on medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar and shake the pan so that the sugar is distributed evenly. Keep on stirring as sugar should crystallise

 

Increase the heat to high when the tomatoes have blistered, add the thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Give it a stir. Increase the heat. At this moment, the sugar starts to thicken, add water. Stir it one more time. 

(The reason I poke the tomatoes is because of the tomatoes bursting its juices out and flattening. Poking them helps to retain their shape and doesn't dirty the cooker top.)

 

Remove from the heat, stir in the  parsley. Let it cool for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a jar. 

Here, I have served the tomato relish with the pork chops and crushed potatoes. The sweet and tart flavour of the tomatoes pairs well with the pork chops. But feel free to serve with grilled chicken, fish, lamb or duck meat.

EGGPLANT CHUTNEY/RELISH

Roasted eggplant is delicious side dish which goes well with chapati, pita or even rice and fresh yoghurt too. Normally the relish is made in a pestle and a mortar but a hand blender would do the same job. It is a good recipe to make even to use as a dip.

Serves 2

Time: 30 minutes

1 eggplant

1 small onion peeled

5-6 garlic cloves

2-3 whole chillies (or less)

Salt

A handful of fresh coriander chopped

1 tbs lemon juice (optional)

Method

Roast the eggplant, onion, garlic and chillies on the gas burner. The reason being, the mild smoky flavour and the charred bits. I have tried it in the oven, but it doesn't give the same result. But yes a charcoal grill can work.

 

Once the ingredients are roasted, peel the eggplant and chop the flesh along with the other ingredients in a bowl. Using a hand blender, blitz it. adjust the salt.

 

Here, I have served it with pearl millet (bajra) chapati. This relish can be served cold or at room temperature.

ROASTED EGGPLANT STUFFED WITH ITALIAN SALSA

Stuffed eggplants are the easiest and healthiest options for healthy eating and for vegetarians. I mean this can be served along with any grilled meat or poultry also. I had served with grilled pork chops. Give it a try. 

Serves 2

Time: 30 minutes

1 big eggplant poked with a fork all around

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs lemon juice

2 red tomatoes finely chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper

1 tbs finely chopped parsley

Method

Roast the whole eggplant, rubbed with olive oil in a preheated oven at 200'C wrapped in a foil paper. (until soft to touch). Remove to let it cool. 

 

In the meantime, mix the salsa ingredients together. Once the eggplant has cooled, cut in half and scoop the flesh out. Finely chop the flesh and mix it in the salsa. Adjust the seasoning and lemon juice. Keep it aside for 5 minutes so the flavours can marry.

Spoon the eggplant salsa back into the eggplant halves and drizzle with more olive oil on top.

 

Serve it at room temperature with dipping bread or a side dish or even as a main meal with a crusty bread.

STUFFED BELL PEPPER WITH EGG AND COATED IN CHICKPEA FLOUR

These are tempting spicy stuffed bell pepper fritters. The bell peppers were in the Mlango farm basket this week. They were really tiny and there was not much I could with them so I decided to stuff them with boiled eggs and then dip in spicy chickpea flour batter and fry them. They tasted good with a fresh salad on the side. It was a light meal for afternoon lunch.

Stuffed bell pepper

Serves 1 or 2

Time: 30 minutes

2 medium bell peppers

2 hard-boiled eggs sliced into halves

2 tsp hot sauce/sauce/chutney of your choice

Chickpea batter

1/2 cup chickpea flour

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 + cup water enough to make batter like pancake mixture

Oil for frying

Method

Cut the tops and core the inside of the bell peppers. ( my peppers were smaller than the eggs as you see in the picture below, that's why I had difficulty in closing the lids while dipping in the batter)

 

Apply the hot sauce on the each half of the eggs and close them. Then insert them in each bell pepper.

 

Put the tops back, here you can either use a toothpick and seal the edges if the tops don't stay on. Dip the one pepper at a time in the batter. The batter should be a bit thick so that it coats the skin as the pepper skins are very slippery. Spoon the batter on the top and slowly tip it in the hot oil. Don't worry if some parts of the pepper are not coated. 

 

Using a spoon, drizzle the hot oil on the top of the pepper so that the batter doesn't slip downwards anymore. Turn it and fry until golden in colour and crisp.

 

Remove the peppers on to the kitchen towel and let it rest for few seconds.

Serve the peppers on a bed fresh salad.

PANCH RANGI DAL FRY (FIVE LENTILS CURRY FRY)

As the name says, panch rangi, meaning five coloured/mixed lentils. It is not difficult at all. All you need is pressure cooked lentils with onion, tomatoes, turmeric and salt. (slow cooker can be handy in this recipe) I always pressure cook the lentils and store them in the freezer. It is very handy and takes less time when preparing for dinner. Just defrost and temper it.  And then a simple tempering of little onions, garlic, ginger and chillies. That's it. Serve it with simple chapatis, parathas or rice. 

Panch rangi dal

Serves 4

Time: 20-25 minutes

1/4 cup black urad dal

1/4 cup green mung dal

1/2 cup red kidney beans

1/4 cup chana dal

1/4 yellow mung dal

1 tsp turmeric

1 big tomato chopped

Salt

1 medium onion chopped

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

Tempering

2 tbs ghee

1 small onion chopped

2-3 garlic cloves chopped

1 tsp  ginger chopped

Whole or chopped chillies

1-2 tbs chopped coriander stems 

Fresh coriander for garnishing

Method

Soak the above lentils overnight in different bowls. Then pressure cook all of them with ingredients listed above. If using the slow cooker, thrown in everything together and let it cook for 4-5 hours until softened. I used mine from the freezer. 

For the tempering, heat the ghee in a pan, add the chopped onions, garlic, ginger and the coriander stems. Cook them till they are golden brown in colour. Then add the chillies.

 

Tip in the lentil mixture. Mix it. Add a cup of water ( according to the consistency ) and stir. Bring it to a boil.

 

When the lentils have thickened enough stir in the chopped coriander and adjust the salt.

Serve the lentils with chapati, paratha or rice.