Healthy Brownies (beetroot; almonds, gluten free)

1 lb freshly cooked beetroot; diced

6 oz dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solid); broken in pieces

3 eggs

6 oz brown sugar

4 oz ground almonds

3 oz cocoa powder

3 tablespoon rice flour

pinch salt

2 level tspn baking powder

1tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Sliced almonds

Heat the oven at 160 C, 325 F or gas mark 3

1.  Boil the beetroots for 40 minutes, skin and dice. Place in the microwave for 3 minutes

2.  Add the dark chocolate, mix until it melts, liquidize.

3.  Whisk the eggs and sugar.  Add the ground almonds, cocoa powder, rice flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla essence.
4. Fold in the beetroot/chocolate mixture.
5. Place on a greased baking tray (approx 12 x 9 inches), sprinkle the slice almonds
6. Bake for 35 minutes.
7. Cut into 2 inch squares

Vegetarian Seekh Kebab - Mushroom and Bean Kebab

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion;  finely chopped
400g mixed mushrooms; chestnut, oyster, portobello; finely chopped
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
1 green chilli; chopped fine
1 teaspoon freshly roasted cumin; crushed
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 tabllespoon chopped mint
400g tin black beans; washed and drained
1 cup bread crumbs
50g goat cheese

1. Fry the onions in a large frying pan until golden brown, add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, chillies and cumin.  Cook until almost dried.
2. Place in a large bowl let it cool a little, then add the chopped coriander, mint, beans, bread crumbs and goat cheese.
3. Mix well.
4. Form long sausage shapes press onto wooden skewers.
5. Broil under a hot grill until crispy, about 7 minutes per side.
6. Serve with a green salad and nan bread.

Indonesian Seafood Satay

1/2 lb prawns
1/2 lb haddock or cod
2 oz dessicated coconut
2 tablespoons coconut milk
6  kaffir lime leaves; finely cut
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 inch galangal
1 inch fresh turmeric
1 inch ginger
 12 skewers


1. Grind the fish and prawns until smooth.
2. Add the dessicated coconut and the coconut milk
3. Grind the shallots, garlic, ginger and tumeric root and add to the mixture with the kaffir leaves
4. Make long sausage like shape on the skewer.
5. Place in a hot grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side
I served them with peanut sauce

Syrian Chickpea Fatteh Salad

I first had this in Syria in 2008 for breakfast.  It can be very healthy if you use low fat yogurt and bake the bread and nuts instead of traditional frying.  I had it for my lunch on Saturday.

400g tin chick peas

1 cup strained Laban or Greek-style yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pitta bread

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon melon seeds

1 tablespoon slivered almonds

Salt to taste

A little olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sumac

1. Set the oven at 180 degrees centigrade

2. Split the pitta bread and cut into small wedges

3. Oil a baking tray with olive oil, place the bread pieces, brush a little olive oil on tops of the bread pieces.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, until crispy

5. Wash the chickpeas and place in a pan with enough water to cover, bring to boil and simmer.

6. Add the garlic and salt to the yogurt mix and beat well.

7. When the pitta is ready, place the nuts and seeds on a baking tray and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown

8. Place the crispy bread pieces on a plate, pour a little of the hot water from the chickpeas over them.

9. Place all the chickpeas over the pitta bread, cover with the yogurt / garlic mix.

10. Garnish with the seeds and nuts, and a little sumac

enjoy

Summer Berry Meringue (Pavlova)

This is my sister Munira's recipe

4 egg whites

200g of castor sugar

250ml carton double cream; whipped

500g berries , raspberries, red currents, blackberries, strawberries

1. Heat the oven to 160^oC or gas mark 4.
2.  Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
3. Whisk the eggs until stiff, add sugar slowly; a table spoon at a time.
4. Place on the  baking tray, making a big circle (20cm)
5. Place in the oven, turn down the temperature to 120^oC / gas mark 1, bake for an hour.
6. Let it cool complete, lift and place on a serving dish
7. Fill the centre with the whipped cream
8. Top with the berries.

Indonesian Beef Rendang

I first tasted this dish in Kuala Lampur then in Jakarta, where I realised that is originated from the Minangkabau, Western Sumatra.

Ingredients

1 400gm can coconut milk

1 kg / 2 lb stewing beef (I used leg); cut into 1 inch cubes

1 stalk lemon grass; split into two

6 Shallots; cut into halves

4 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger; chopped

1 inch fresh turmeric root; chopped

4 red chillies;  chopped

1 inch galangal; chopped

6 fresh or dried kaffir leaves

2 tablespoons desiccated coconut; toasted in a dry pan until brown

5 small potatoes; peeled, cut into halves and sauted

10 chestnut mushrooms; cut into halves and sauted until dry

Method

1.    Place 4 tablespoon of coconut milk in a pan, add beef and lemon grass to it. Stir and cook for 5 minutes

2.    Chop finely all the rest of the ingredients except for the desiccated coconut in a food processer.

3.    Add this to the meat and coconut milk, stir fry for a few minutes.

4.    Add rest of the coconut milk and simmer or about 2 hours.

5.    Grind the toasted desiccated coconut and add to the stew.

6.    Add sauted potatoes and or mushrooms, simmer for ½ hour or until the potatoes are cooked.

7.    Serve with rice.

Mothers's Day Menu

I am back in Chachi's Kitchen with a camera.  Busy day ahead,the theme is Indonesian,  I will be blogging the recipes as soon as I can.

Starters
Seafood Satay
Oyster Mushroom Satay with Peanut Sauce

Main Course
Beef Rendang with Coconut and chives Rice

Salads
Cucumber Salad
Carrot, Bean Sprout and Ginger Salad
Thai Basil and Tomato Salad

Dessert
Red Currentt Meringue

Carrot and Chickpea Salad

Ingredient

3 cups grated carrots

1 400gm can of chickpeas; drained and washed

1 clove garlic;

1 cup cup fresh coriander;

1 lemon; juiced

1 teaspoon cumin; roasted and freshly ground

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Place the carrots and chickpeas in a bowl

Place the rest of the ingredients in a liquidiser and grind

mix

Healthy Waldorf Salad

3 Apples; cut into bite-size pieces

3 sticks celery; sliced finely

1 cup red/black grapes; cut into two

1 cup walnut pieces

1 lemon; grate the jest and juice it.

1 cup low fat Greek-style yogurt

2 tablespoons low fat mayonaise

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon; chopped fine

1. Place lemon juice in a bowl, add the chopped apples and mix.

2. Add the celery, grapes and walnut

3. Mix the yogurt, mustard, mayonaise pepper, lemon jest and tarragon, add to the chopped salad and mix

4. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving