Thai Butternut Soup

An exotic twist on an old favourite

Braise one chopped onion and 1 Tbsp ginger garlic in 1 Tbsp butter.

Add:

2 ½ cup of cubed butternut

2 ½ stalks of celery roughly chopped

2 Tbsp of brown sugar

1 ½ cup of vegetable stock

20ml of Worcestershire sauce

20ml of sweet soy sauce

1 Tbsp of chilli sauce

Cook till tender.

Add 1 can of coconut milk and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Liquidize.

Add salt, pepper and more chillies to taste.

All Bran Rusks

Melt the following in the microwave till it bubbles:

500g butter

2 cups brown sugar

To the above add:

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

and mix well.

Read more: All Bran Rusks

White Chocolate and Caramel Parfait

Extremely decadent! Definitely worth all the bowls.

Melt 300g of white chocolate.

Whisk 3 egg yolks, 3 Tbsp castor sugar and 1 tsp vanilla essence till pale and thick.

In a separate bowl whip 1 cup fresh cream till thick.

In another clean bowl whisk 3 egg whites till stiff.

Fold the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture.

Fold in the egg whites followed by the fresh cream.

Chop 1 box of Romany Creams into small pieces.

Stir 1 can caramel treat till smooth.

Layer your mousse, caramel treat and biscuit pieces in glasses or a trifle bowl.

Refrigerate to set. Eat within 3 days as the mousse will become grainy when kept for too long.

Coconut Steak Curry

Clean and cut 500g of tenderized steak into pieces.

Drizzle some lemon juice over the steak.

Soften one chopped onion in oil.

Braise with the onion:

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp ginger garlic

1 cinnamon stick

2 elachi

Add: 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp red chilli paste

½ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp dhana jeero

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp black pepper powder

Add steak and braise. Slit and add 2 green chillies.

Cook till tender.

Add 1 can of coconut milk. Simmer till thickened.

Serve with rice or roti.

Butterscotch Date Roll

A delicious (and easy) alternative to a traditional Swiss roll.

Place 150g chopped dates, ¾ cup boiling water and 1 tsp bicarb in your liquidizer.

Let it stand for 5 minutes.

Add 60g butter and 160 ml brown sugar. Process.

Add 2 large eggs, ¾ cup flour and 1 ½ tsp baking powder. Process.

Stir in 50g chopped pecan nuts.

Line a 25 by 30 cm baking sheet with baking paper.

Spread your batter evenly in the tray.

Bake on 180 degrees celcius for 15-20 minutes.

Read more: Butterscotch Date Roll