Bali Bliss & hubby cooks Get-Well-Soon Soup

 

Welcome back Vegie Patchers... it’s been an eventful few months. Our winter vegie crops are now ready for harvesting, and we continue to pick from it daily to add a little home-grown freshness to our meals. So let me share a few highlights of what we have been up to these past few months. Over Easter we shared a magnificent family holiday in Bali. Aah, the serenity ;) What beautiful people and a unique culture, so self-content. We stayed in a couple of different locations to mix it up (this is how we love to travel), including a villa with the extended family completely surrounded by rice paddies, and later up in the gorgeous mountains of eclectic and vibrant Ubud. We enjoyed quality family time at its best, saw some stunning sights & sunsets & sunrises, had regular (read: almost daily!) massages, and ate some absolutely delightful food. Balinese cuisine is distinctly tropical marrying nicely with its environment and what is readily available. We ate some sensational snapper on the beach at Jimbaren Bay as the sun set; had many a satay chicken stick; beautiful nasi goreng; succulent, juicy, spicy and fresh roast pork in Ubud; beautiful banana roti pancakes as well as a guilty pleasure of poolside burgers with the lot at a resort (best ever!). I have included a few pics below of some of our Balinese highlights (mostly food related of course!)below:
 

On return from Bali I hit a bit of a lowlight (is that a word?) where I ended up with such intense stomach pain, in and out of hospital, with the end result of having my gallbladder removed! It’s now been about 6 weeks and I’m happy to say that I once again feeling chipper, back to my old self and back in the kitchen (how I have missed it so!). My lovely husband, family and friends have been amazing in helping me recover. My gorgeous husband Mr K has too taken to picking our produce and whipping up some healthy family dinners, so I now have a sous chef for VPTP! 

Here’s a lovely spinach, broccoli & potato soup he made recently. Just beautiful simple flavours, very easy to throw together, low fat and above all really delicious! I have plenty of recipes coming up so stay tuned, there’s plenty more to come. Enjoy Mr K's Get-well-Soon Soup ♥

Prep time needed: about 15 min. cooking time: 20min.

Stuff needed from kitchen: a few big saucepans, sharp knife, chopping board, blender, wooden spoon

From my vegie patch:
450g broccoli, cut into florets
100g spinach leaves/silver beet
01/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Other ingredients:
Olive oil spray
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1L (4 cups) salt-reduced vegetable stock
400g potatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped
½ cup natural yogurt (I use low fat, but use full fat if you prefer)
Fresh basil sprigs, to serve
Crusty bread slices, to serve

Let do it:

1.       Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Spray with oil.

2.       Add onion and stir for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute or until aromatic.

3.       Add stock and potato. Bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4.       Add broccoli and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

5.       Add spinach. Simmer for 1 minute or until just wilted. Set aside to cool.

6.       Add basil leaves. Blend one-third of mixture in a blender until smooth.

7.       Transfer to a clean saucepan. Repeat twice with remaining mixture.

8.       Cook soup over medium heat for 2 minutes or until heated through.

9.       Combine fresh in a bowl. Divide soup among bowls. Top with pesto cream and basil sprigs. Serve with bread.

Soundtrack for my hubby as he cooks me this delicious soup (true!): I got burned by Bamboos and Tim Rogers

Tandoori Lamb, Pilau Rice and Mint & Cuc Raita

For 4 extraordinary years we lived in East London. The vibe in this area was always on. From Sundays of markets and fine food from Spitalfields and Upmarket to bar-hopping and galleries of Shoreditch, flowers and cupcakes on Colombia Road, beers at The Ten Bells and curry nights on Brick Lane. We enjoyed a sensational time and made friendships that will last a lifetime. It was a moment time that spanned several years as transients with no real responsibilities, while travelling through Europe on the odd weekend was the way we happily existed.   We enjoyed  regular gatherings with friends on and off Brick Lane where you negotiated more food than you would ever eat for a fixed price. I have still not had a Peshwari Naan that amazing since. At that, this week’s Friday night dinner is a Lamb Tandoori, and I must say that for me the Pilau rice became the unexpected hero of the dish with its foreign spices and amazing aroma’s. Enjoy this, I hope it transports you back to that carefree time in your 20’s that makes you smile.  serves 4.

Prep time: approx. 30 min. Soaking time for rice: 30 min. cooking time: about 30 min

Kitchen stuff needed: Sharp knife, chopping board, Grill/griddle, cling wrap, 3 serving bowls, large saucepan.

Ingredients from the garden:

20 x mint leaves – chopped finely

1 x cucumber – deseeded and finely chopped

Other Ingredients:

Tandoori Lamb:

6 x Lamb fillets
2 x tablespoons tandoori paste
1.5 x cup natural yogurt (half will be used for raita)

Pilau Rice:

1.5 cups x basmati rice (for a more authentic flavour and texture it is best not to use easy-cook rice; however, it will still work and be very tasty if you do)
1 x medium onion, finely chopped
40gm x butter, plus extra to serve

4 x cardamom pods (smashed slightly)

8 x cloves

1 x cinnamon sticks
1 x teaspoon cumin seeds

Pinch saffron threads/or pinch of turmeric if it’s not payday!

2 bay leaves

700ml/1 pint hot chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

Salt

Let’s do it:

1. Combine well lamb with tandoori paste and half yogurt in a large bowl. Cover with cling wrap and pop in fridge (you can make a day ahead if you like or rest for 20 min while you do rice.)

2. Rinse rice through a sieve and then cover with water and leave to soak for 30 min.

3. After 30 min, in saucepan, add butter, onion, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, and cardamom. Bay leaves and saffron. Stir until onions are soft and translucent.

4. Strain rice and add, giving a good stir until well combined with all that spicy buttery goodness.

5. Add stock and bring to the boil and then immediately turn down to a simmer, add tight lid and steam on low for 18 min. Do not be tempted to open lid or you will spoil the surprise. Trust me on this!

6. In separate bowl combine yogurt, mint and cucumber to make your raita. Cover and pop in fridge.

7. Once rice cooking time is up, take of the lid and enjoy the fragrant aromas of all that spicy rice. Using a fork fluff up the rice and add a bit more butter and put lid back on.

8. Using a grill, grill to your liking the lamb fillets for about 4 minutes each side. (less if you like it very rare)

9. Rest lamb under some foil for a few minutes while you prep the rest.

10.         Pop rice out in big serving bowl, along with Raita in a side bowl.

11.         Slice as you like the lamb and enjoy this wonderful tasty Friday night takeaway cooked at home.

Enjoy with an ice-cold longneck Kingfisher (Indian beer, ask your speciality beer man!) or a fine NZ north island Savignon Blanc

Soundtrack for some Friday night curry: Kala by M.I.A