Cooking Demonstration Recipes

LATASHA’S MIXED VEGETABLE PAL KHARI

Ingredients A

3 tbsp oil
2 tsp ghee/unsalted butter
1 tsp mustard seeds
5 cloves
5 green cardamoms
3 cm stick cinnamon bark, broken into two
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leave
1 blade of mace
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
2 tbsp julienned ginger
1 tbsp garlic thinly sliced
2 green chillies, sliced diagonally
1 brown onion, crushed or sliced

Ingredients B - mix together the masalas

1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tbsp cumin powder
½ tbsp fennel powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
2-3 tsp chilli powder
750 g fresh vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, broccoli, pumpkin, aubergines, green beans, red capsicum and 1 cup boiled chickpeas

Ingredients C, blend finely

½ cup roasted coconut
2 tomatoes
Bunch of coriander leaves
½ cup yoghurt
Salt to taste
Ingredients D, dry grind the seeds together
2 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp peppercorns
2 tsp good quality garam masala
2 cups light coconut milk, pre heated
¼ cup lemon or tamarind juice
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

1. Heat oil in a large vessel on moderate heat, add mustard seeds, and when it starts to crack, add the rest of the whole spices in Ingredients A one at a time. When fragrant, add the julienned ginger, sliced garlic, green chillies, followed by the onions. Add a pinch of salt and butter or ghee, and fry for 10 minutes or so until it caramelises.

2. Then add Ingredient B and fry for 5-8 minutes, sprinkling some water as the mixture catches.

3. When the oil starts to separate from the masala, add in the diced vegetables and coat well. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and cook on high heat. When the vegetable juices start to appear, put the lid on and cook for about 20 minutes on medium heat until the vegetables are cooked.

4. Next add Ingredients C and bring to a quick boil, then add all of D, simmer for 5 minutes then. Enjoy with boiled rice or Indian breads.

HOMESTYLE CAULIFLOWER, PEAS & POTATO PERATAL

Ingredients

4 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp ground asafoetida
1 tbsp whole black mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 dry chillies, broken
2 tsp urud dahl
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 red onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh green chillies, sliced diagonally
1 fresh tomato
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground chilli powder
½ a medium cauliflower
2 cups broccoli florets
3 potatoes
1 cup frozen peas
Salt to taste
½ tsp jaggery
2 tbsp toasted coconut
2 tbsp chopped fresh green coriander

Method

1. Cut the cauliflower into small flowerets, @ 4cm.

2. Scrub potatoes then cut into small quarters.

3. Warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, add the asafoetida, followed by the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the urud dahl, curry leaves, dry chillies and cumin seeds. Stir at once.

4. Then add onions, garlic and green chillies, fry for 5 minutes.

5. Next add all the masala powders. Cook this mixture for 3 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes until the tomato starts to break down.

6. Add potatoes, cauliflower, peas, salt and sugar. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes on moderate -high. Next add about 60 ml of water and stir. As soon as the water begins to bubble, cover and turn the heat low. Cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are just done.

7. Sprinkle coconut and coriander over the top and stir.

Piquant Barbecued Pears

Ingredients:

4 firm ripe pears cored, peeled and halved
Macadamia oil
Freshly ground black pepper
50 g shaved Parmesan
Honey

Method:

Brush pears lightly with oil, season with pepper then grill on the barbecue. Cook over a high heat until the pears colour well but are still firm. Place two pear portions on a serving plate, scatter with Parmesan flakes and drizzle with honey.

Quick, tasty and quite stunning, this simple recipe keeps guests coming back for more.

Guacamole Avocado Dip

by Neville Passmore (Garden Gurus)

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocadoes
2 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 cm cubes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
2 drops of Tabasco chilli sauce (optional)

Method:

Mash the avocadoes roughly and fold in the remaining ingredients with a fork. Serve with corn chips or crudités (cut lengths of celery carrot or sweet fennel to dip).

Cooking Demonstration - Whole food

PANCAKES WITH POACHED STONE FRUITS, AND HONEY & VANILLA YOGHURT CREAM:

by Jude Blereau 2010 (Celebrity Chef for the Summer Stonefruit Festival)

If you are able to soak your pancakes, they will be far more digestible (it will break down the phytic acid, and some of the gluten) with the added bonus they will be quick to put together the next morning. I’ve used a wholemeal spelt, and I would suggest if you do use wholemeal, you make sure it is soaked. You can enrich the batter with melted butter (approx 1 tablespoon, or more) if desired. Add the next morning with the other ingredients.

1 cup plain wholemeal flour – wheat or spelt
2/3 cup milk - any is fine, however if using soy, oat or rice use only ½ cup and add 1/3rd cup coconut milk
1 ½ tablespoons plain yoghurt
1 ½ teaspoons aluminium free baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
butter / ghee / coconut oil for frying

Put the flour in a bowl with the milk and yoghurt. Cover with muslin or tea-towel, and leave on the bench (or in the fridge) overnight. Sift in the baking powder, add the beaten egg and mix through. Adjust the consistency as desired.

Heat the fat in a small – medium sized frying pan. Pour a small amount (approx 2 tablespoons) batter into the pan. As the batter hits the lightly sizzling fat, lift the pan and tip it on an angle, allowing the batter to spread out, moving the angle to achieve a circle. Cook well on one side for 1 – 2 minutes before turning over (bubbles should appear in the batter as it cooks. Cook on the other side for approximately 1 minute, until ready.

POACHED STONE FRUITS: Serves 4 – 8

by Jude Blereau 2010

When poaching I use a couple of tricks. First choose your sweetener – I like raw sugar, because it lets the flavour of the fruit come through, but maple syrup is another favourite. Start with just a little, adding more if needed – different fruits will require very different amounts of sweetening.

Also, add only the tiniest amount of liquid to protect the fruit from burning before it sweats out its juices – this will give you a better-flavoured result. Add vanilla extract and rose essence for flavour.

4 peaches - quartered and seed removed
4 apricots – halved and seed removed
½ - 2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

Place the fruit in a saucepan with ½ tablespoon ½ tablespoon sugar, the vanilla bean or extract and ½ cup water. Cover and place over a gentle heat for approx 10 – 15 mins or until the juices have begun to be released by the fruit. Taste for sweetness and add more as required. Increase heat a little and cook for another 5 mins or until the fruits are soft, but not overcooked. If using a vanilla bean, remove and place on a flat surface. Using the tip of a small knife, scrape out the seeds and add these back to the fruit.

Serve warm or chilled. Poached fruit will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

HONEY AND VANILLA YOGHURT CREAM: Gluten free: Makes 1 – 2 cups:

by Jude Blereau 2010

Extremely simple to make, and a sweetened version of the classic yoghurt cheese, Labne. As a bonus, because yoghurt is rich in lactic acid, it will help you to digest your meal. Take care to use a yoghurt that is not already sweetened, and does not have a large amount of milk solids in it – I like the Paris Creek. The whey that that drips from the yoghurt into a bowl will keep for weeks in a sealed container in the fridge, and is perfect for using when soaking any grains.

500gm non -homogenised, full cream plain yoghurt
honey or maple to taste
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or to taste
ground cinnamon to taste.* otpional

Place a sieve lined with 4 layers of muslin over a bowl, the muslin may well extend over the sides of the sieve, this is fine. Pour or spoon in yoghurt and allow it to drain in the fridge for 2 - 3 hours. The longer it sits, the firmer it will become.

Sweeten to taste with honey or maple syrup, vanilla, stirring through to combine and flavour with cinnamon if desired.

Past Cooking Demonstration Recipes

Chocolate Mousse (54.53 Kb)