STARTER: HUMMUS WITH WHOLE WHEAT SNACK
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15 min
Serves 4-6
YOU WILL NEED
Paratha bread
500 ml (2 cups) whole wheat flour plus extra for dusting
Pinch of salt
125 ml (½ cup) melted butter
Enough cold water to form a dough
Hummus
500 ml (2 cups) canned chick peas
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 ml (½ tsp) sea salt
80 ml (? cup) tahini (sesame seed paste)
60 ml (4 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
30 m (2 tbsp) mustard dressing
60 ml (4 tbsp) chick pea liquid
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
About 5 ml (1 tsp) hot sauce
METHOD
1. Paratha bread
Sift the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Add the melted butter and rub it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Gently knead together, adding enough cold water to form a soft dough.
Cover with cling wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 10 equal sized pieces and roll into small balls.
Roll our each ball out on a floured surface to make a 10 cm circle and brush with oil.
Heat the heavy based saucepan and add a little oil.
Cook the rolled out parathas on both sides until golden.
Keep each paratha in a warm place while continuing with the rest.
2. Hummus
Drain the chickpeas from the can and reserve some of the liquid.
Throw the chickpeas into a sieve and rinse with cold water.
Place the garlic, chickpeas, salt and tahini in the food processor and blend into a smooth paste.
Add the lemon juice, chickpea liquid, mustard dressing and olive oil, and blend again.
Add the hot sauce and blend until the mixture is light airy.
Transfer onto serving bowls and chill until needed.
Serve with the whole wheat snack.
MAIN: LAKSA SOUP
Laksa, a seafood soup, hails from Southeast Asia. The name, “ten thousand”, refers to the many ingredients. There are thousands of variations of this fragrant soup which can be made with seafood or chicken. This recipe is quick and easy and the result is very tasty!
Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time: 15 min
Serves 4-6
YOU WILL NEED
30 ml (2 tbsp) sesame or olive oil
15 ml (1 tbsp) grated fresh ginger
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1-2 red chili, chopped
2 lemongrass stems (hard outer layers removed), finely chopped
60 ml (¼ cup) finely chopped fresh coriander
Freshly ground black pepper
1 L (4 cups) chicken stock
200 g frozen mussels, shells removed
100 g frozen calamari rings
100 g cleaned and shelled prawns
10 g (1 can) coconut milk or cream
10 ml (2 tbsp) fish sauce
10 ml (2 tbsp) sesame oil
375 ml (1 ½ cups) cooked thin egg noodles
Fresh coriander to garnish
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the ginger, garlic, chili, lemongrass and coriander for a few minutes.
Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Add the stock and coconut milk or cream and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the mussels, prawns and calamari to the coconut and stock mixture and cook for 5 minutes until the seafood mix is cooked.
Add the cooked noodles and then season with fish sauce and sesame oil for flavour.
Add some more freshly ground pepper, if needed.
Ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish with coriander and serve.
DESSERT: TIRAMISU
Preparation time: 10 min
Chilling time: 2-3 hours or overnight
Cooking time: none
Serves 6 or more
YOU WILL NEED
125 g – 250 g sponge fingers
180 ml (¾ cup) strong black coffee, cooled
3 egg yolks
100 ml (? cup + 4 tsp) castor sugar
30 ml (3 tbsp) rum or Amarula (optional)
250 g tub mascarpone cheese
230 g tub plain cream cheese
100 g (1 slab) mint dark chocolate
Top with
Chocolate whispers
Cocoa powder
Mint to garnish
METHOD
Dip the sponge fingers in the coffee on both sides and layer in a lightly greases baking pan.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and castor sugar until pale and thick.
Mix in the brandy, the mascarpone and cream cheese, mixing until combined.
Spread a layer of the cheese mixture on top of the sponge biscuits, then the top with another layer sponge fingers and off with another layer of the cheese mixture.
Grate over the chocolate, scatter some chocolate whispers on top and dust with a thick layer of cocoa powder. Chill in the fridge for overnight.
Sprinkle with grated chocolate and garnish with mint.
Tip Use cream cheese or creamed cottage cheese instead of mascarpone cheese as these are less expensive. However, if you use these the desert must be chilled in the fridge overnight.
