Mung Bean Curry, Flat bread, and apple rose pastry

This post was first published on 24/06/2020

Finishing off what is in the fridge I made this curry today,  bringing back lovely memories from 2nd february 2010

After a very stormy night a warming curry is just the job.
WE made some mung bean curry with rice and flatbread.
  

In September Melendra, June and I went to pick apples in Storey's way. June wrapped them in newspaper and today was the day that we turned about 15 apples into a on the stove apple crumble
    

In the topping we put walnuts and maple syrup instead of pecan nuts and we added

crushed branflakes in the mix.

Pea and Parmesan Gnocchi

 With the last of the potatoes dug up, I used the not so good looking ones to make some of Gordon Ramsay's recipes. Gnocchi.   This is  great video too They turned out beautifully. I normally make ridges with a fork, but this time making the little pillows and a dimple in it made these fried delicate eats into a glorious meal.

I don't think I will ever go back to the original recipe. A great find.

Kale & Broccoli salad, pumpkin Soup

 With the kale growing so well, and the broccoli ready too, this salad was a must.

Haruna, Ai, June and I enjoyed it very much. So many wonderful vegetables in it to make our lunch.  

Together with the leek and pumpkin soup topped with mushrooms, thyme and chives a great meal for an autumnal afternoon.

Use what is in the freezer

first posted 17/6/2019

What a difference a year makes!

The weather has been terribly wet which made me harvest all the strawberries that were ready to harvest, normally I might have left them for a few more day in the sunshine to sweeten them but I did not want to risk rot, slug damage and watery flavour, so today we picked all in order to eat in the strawberry and banana ice cream as well as to freeze for later use.

         

The onions, garlic and spinach beet that were frozen in the last few weeks, were turned into a delicious spinach and potato curry.

        

The potatoes were harvested from the back garden and the area resown with french beans, Faraday, and beetroot boltardy for a late harvest in September.
The bed sit has peas in them, so we all had a little pod to enjoy as a treat. Like June said, this is what she used to do as a small girl when visiting her grandmother.

   



The flat bread we enriched with calendula and cornflower blossom. It did not give a special taste, but it was a joy for the eye.





We also went out to cut some of the lavender to be turned into lavender cordial. A real delight.
   

    

Terry, Sayaka, Ai, Yasmin, Hiroe, Asako and June enjoying their lunch

   

Mung bean curry

As I still have perpetual spinach and carrots left in the allotment, I thought I could make this Mung Bean curry this weekend.

We made this first with our  Wednesday group on 9th October 2017 and Monday group on  2nd February 2020. So lovely to see the happy smiles again. 

Miss you all,  and hope that the group cooking sessions can start again soon. For now, enjoy this anti inflamatory curry and the happy memories.

The recipe for the  Mung bean curry: 4 servings
1 cup of mung beans soaked for 6 hours or overnight
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 finely sliced onion
15 gr finely grated ginger
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
4-6 minced garlic cloves
1 can of chopped tomatoes
2 carrots sliced into half moons
4 cups of vegetable stock
3 large handfuls of shredded silverbeet/spinach
sea salt to taste





In a large pot heat the oil over a medium high  heat and add the mustard seeds

When the mustard seeds start to pop add the cumin seeds and onion. Saute for a few minutes over a medium heat. When until onions become translucent, add the chilli, tumeric, ginger, garlic and tomatoes.

Continue to saute on gentle heat for another 5 minutes, until the tomato pieces are cooked down. Then mix in the mung beans and carrots. Stir thoroughly so all the spices and flavours coat the ingredients

Next add the stock and bring to boil. then turn down and gently simmer.
At this point you may want to add some salt, try 1/2 a teaspoon.
Cook for 30 minutes with the lid partially on, until the lentils are fully cooked and you have a thick caserole like consistency. You will need to stir consistently so that the beans don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Once cooked, stir in the beet and simmer for a couple more minutes before turning off.

Serve with basmati rice, a dollop of yoghurt  topped with fresh coriander and a fresh salad.
Enjoy!

These days I tend to use the Lazy Dough to make flat bread, but I have to save my eggs and yoghurt  as there has been a 'run on eggs' due to the Corona virus, so for this flat bread  the ingredients were.

2 cups of plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup of milk
3 1/2 tbs butter

Warm the milk and melt the butter in it.
Add to the flour and salt and mix thoroughly and knead into a ball.
Leave to rest for 10 mins, then cut in 4 and roll out thinly
In a dry frying pan, put in the flat dough and leave it until it shows bubbles, then turn for another minute or so (make sure it does not burn). Et Voilà! Delicious flat bread to go with your curry
(or if you want to use it as a wrap this is possible too as long as it is thin enough)


If you have enough yoghurt this flatbread  recipe might be another easy option.

First week of no from Spade to Plate

What a weird week it has been. Nature is in full swing. Birds are in and out the garden picking up materials for their nests. The temperature outside at times is above 12C which brought the (bumble) bees out to pollinate the nectarine and peach trees.
To be honest looking into the garden all seems exciting with a longing for the months ahead.

On the other hand, looking at the TV, papers and shops however, it is crazy. The Corona virus crisis has made us all take big steps to stop the spread of the virus.  For this reason I am not running the cooking sessions with my friends, I had an idea though to keep on giving inspiration on what to cook, by sharing the menu I am making for the family.

So today, I need to bake bread, I found this video on how to knead for those of  you who have not done this before.  The recipe I normally use is either Lazy Dough or my basic bread dough.
One needs eggs and yoghurt  the other just flour, water, salt and yeast.

During the year we made many versions of bread with the Lazy Dough, here are some pictures of us making this dough

Ai and Kim mixing the dough

dough doubled in size

Hiroe showing what the dough should look like

Joan shaping the dough into bagels

Li, Alice, Lucy and Erika showing off their flat bread made with  lazy dough

 .