Oyster Mushroom Spicy Stir-fry

Oyster mushrooms are packed with protein, vitamin B and C. These mushrooms are also rich in mineral salts that our body needs. The iron, phosphorous and calcium in these mushrooms is double that of chicken, pork and beef. It is also believed that vitamin B3 in these mushrooms is five to ten times higher as in any other vegetable.


Ingredients
Serves 3-4
500g Oyster Mushroom (wash them in water, squeeze water, then tear them into thin strips including stems. Cut off edges of the stems)
1 Large onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
4 tbsp vegetable oil
Few curry leaves
2 tbsp pepper
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
½ lemon juice

Method
Heat oil in a large pan, add onion, curry leaves, garlic ginger, and oyster mushrooms. Sauté for few minutes.


When mushrooms starts to wilt, add turmeric powder, salt, pepper. Cook stirring occasionally for 10 more minutes.


Once mushrooms are cooked and turns to crispy golden brown colour, add soy sauce, curry powder and mix well. Turn off heat sprinkle some lemon juice.


Serve with rice / noodles / choice of main meal.

Tabbouleh Style Salad

Slight variation is applied to this Middle Eastern salad by replacing bulgar with pasta. Parmesan cheese and sweet corn is added to enhance flavor and to make it a wholesome main meal.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3


50g pasta
50g de-frozen sweet corn
100g boiled / canned chickpeas
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 Japanese cucumber, diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 green chili finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of roasted pine nuts
50g parmesan cheese grated / Soy Cheese 


Method


Boil water in a sauce pan, when water starts boiling add salt and pasta, cook for 15 minutes till pasta is soft. Drain water and set aside.


Mix pasta with all other ingredients with a wooden spoon and serve immediately.

Peas, Rice and Asparagus Stew

Ingredients
Serves 2-3


100g de-frozen green peas
100g asparagus, trimmed cut into 3 cm lengths
100g French beans, trimmed cut into 3cm lengths
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp curry powder
1 vegetable soup cube
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
100g red/white rice - washed
100g grated parmesan cheese / soy cheese


Method


Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add washed rice, salt, turmeric, soup cube, curry powder and stir well till rice is mixed with spices.


Add 2 bowls of water, lower the heat, close the lid, and boil for 30 minutes till rice is cooked.


Separately blanch greens, by boiling water in a sauce pan, when water is boiling add salt, French beans and asparagus; let it boil for 2 minutes. Finally add green peas, leave it for a minute. Drain all vegetables, wash them in cold water and set aside.


When rice is cooked, turn off heat, stir blanched greens and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve immediately.

Mock Fish Curry

This is a meatless delight for vegetarians / vegans craving for chewy and meaty texture dishes. Similar to mock fish there are other vegetarian mock items such as chicken, lamb, duck, beef, drumstick, prawns etc.,  Mock meat dishes can be tried at Chinese Vegetarian Restaurants and in Singapore and Malaysia certain Indian restaurants serve them cooked in Indian style. Mock meat can be bought in Chinese super markets.


Ingredients
Serves 4-5


To marinate
500g Mock fish cut into 3” size slices
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp plain yoghurt


To make curry
1 onion diced
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
Few curry leaves
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp tomato puree
100ml yoghurt
100 ml milk
1 tbsp tamarind paste
300ml water
100ml vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing


Method


Mix soy sauce, tomato puree and yoghurt to make a paste. Add mock fish pieces and marinate for 30 minutes.


In large pan heat oil, add mock fish in batches, deep fry till skin is golden brown. Drain with slotted spoon, and leave them to dry in kitchen towels.


To make curry, heat remaining oil in a pan, add onion, garlic ginger, curry leaves, mustard, fenugreek and fennel seeds sauté for a minute.


Add yoghurt, tamarind paste, tomato puree, curry powder, chili powder. Stir for 2 minutes till it forms a thick paste. Add milk, water and salt to taste. Close the lid let it boil for few minutes.


When gravy starts simmering, add fried mock fish, mix well.


Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with rice /bread /roti /chapathi.

Bitter Gourd Fry

Bitter gourds are very low in calories but dense with precious nutrients.  It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber.  It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3


3 small bitter gourds, de-seeded thinly diced
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp toor dhal ( yellow split peas)
Few curry leaves
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp ghee (optional)


Method
Mix diced bitter gourd with salt and turmeric powder. Set aside in colander for 10 minutes.


Heat oil in a pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger, curry leaves, yellow split peas, mustard and fennel seeds for 2 minutes.


Squeeze the bitter gourd to drain excess water. Add bitter gourd and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.


When bitter gourd softens and changes to golden brown color, add curry powder, tamarind paste and sugar, mix well and cook for few more minutes till vegetable absorbs the spices.


Turn off heat, add ghee, salt to taste, mix well, and serve with rice

French Onion Soup

This is perhaps the most famous of all onion soups. Non-alcoholic variation is tried to this western recipe replacing wine and brandy with curry powder to infuse spicy flavor. Yes it worked and was delicious.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 large onions, sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 vegetable soup cube
2 tbsp curry powder
50g grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

For the roasted bread
2-3 slices of French bread
Garlic butter
50g cheese grated


Method


Heat butter and oil in a large pan; add onions, salt, sugar and vinegar. Sauté stirring occasionally for 10 minutes till onion turns to golden color. Add all purpose flour, thyme and curry powder, stir for few more minutes.


Add soup cube and one bowl of water, bring to boil. When soup starts simmering, season with salt and grated cheese. Mix well and turn off heat.


To make the toast, spread garlic butter to bread, sprinkle cheese, toast in oven for 5 minutes.


Ladle soup into bowls serve with toasted bread.

Okra (Lady’s Fingers) Curry

Okara (Lady’s Fingers) these hairy and sticky vegetable helps to relieve constipation and sticky substance in okra is used to treat gastric ulcer. It’s a good source of soluble fiber which helps in controlling the cholesterol level.


Serves 2-3
Ingredients


200g okra wash & slice diagonally
2 green chilies sliced diagonally
1 onion diced
Few curry leaves
Pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp curry powder
Salt to taste
200ml low fat milk / 100ml coconut cream
1 tomato roughly chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice


Method


Add all ingredients in a large wok, except lemon juice. Cover the lid and cook for 5 minutes till okra is soft.


Turn off heat, mix lemon juice and serve with rice.

Jamie Oliver’s Leeks and Chickpea Soup

C

Serve’s 2

Ingredients

1 medium size leek stick chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic & ginger

100g boiled chickpeas

2 tsp corn flour mixed in cold water

1 vegetable soup cube

Parsley for garnishing

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic, and ginger for a minute. Add chopped leeks, soup cube sauté till leeks are wilted turns to golden colour. Add one bowl of water and boil for about 5 minutes.

When the soup starts simmering, add corn flour mixture stir well. Add boiled chickpeas, salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle in soup bowls and garnish with parsley.

Carrot Sambol (Salad)

Carrot has high content of vitamins A, B and beta carotene which prevents night blindness. Best to take carrots in raw form as salads.


Ingredients
Serves 2-3


1 large carrot grated into thin strips
1 onion diced
Handful of curry leaves thinly sliced
1 of each fresh green and red chili finely sliced
2 tbsp low fat yoghurt (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste


Method


Mix all ingredients in a bowl, serve immediately with rice.

Spicy Lentil Dhal Soup

This chunky lentil soup makes a sustaining meal in a bowl.


Ingredients
Serving size 2 -3

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 green chilies chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
100g red lentils washed
1tbsp cumin powder
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
100g diced tomatoes
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt & black pepper to taste


For garnishing
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Fried onion
Thinly sliced green chilies


Method

Melt oil in a pan, sauté onion, chilies, ginger, garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and 2 cups of water, soup cube and bring to boil. Reduce heat, boil stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes until lentils are soft. 

Add tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste cook stirring. Turn off heat and mix lemon juice.

Serve soup in bowls and garnish with chopped coriander, green chilies and fried onion.

Kang Kung Belacan

Kang kung also known as water spinach, is rich in iron, and good to alleviate anemia.  Kang kung is also rich in calcium, vitamin A & C.


Blanched kang kung in rich spicy sauce, is a delicious way of eating greens with rice or noodles. Same cooking method can be applied to other leafy vegetables such as Chinese spinach (Amaranth), choy sum and pak choy.

Serves 2-3
Ingredients
500g Kang kung washed and roughly chopped
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
4 dry red chili thinly sliced
2 tsp corn flour mixed in 50ml cold water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped


Method


To make the sauce, heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, red chili and corn flour, mix well for a 2 second and turn off hurt. Sauce should be creamy. Set them aside.


Boil water in a sauce pan, when water is boiling add 1 tsp salt, kang kung, leave for 2 seconds. Drain them using colander and wash with cold water.


Mix blanched kang kung with sauce, serve immediately. 

Bean and Capsicum Stew

Ingredients
Serves 2-3


200g cannellini beans boiled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
½ of each red, yellow and green capsicum thinly sliced
1 celery, chopped
200g can tomatoes roughly chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 vegetable soup cube
50g pitted black olives, roughly chopped
1 tbsp brown sugar


Method


Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, soup cube and sugar stir well for 2 more minutes.


Add capsicum, celery and one bowl of water, bring to boil for 5 minutes.


Once soup starts simmering stir cannellini beans, season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and add black olives.


Serve with crusty bread.

Sri Lankan Dinner

String hoppers served with Lentil gravy, soya meat curry, soy chicken curry and grated coconut sambol.

String hoppers or idiyappam(Tamil) or Puttu Mayam (in Malaysia) is served for breakfast or dinner with a thin fish or chicken curry, a lentil dish, and a spicy coconut sambol or fresh chutney. String hoppers are made from steamed rice flour made into dough with water and a little salt, and forced through a mould similar to those used for pasta to make the strings. They are cooked by steaming. This simple dish can be adapted to more interesting things such as String Hopper Biriyani, by adding scrambled eggs or vegetables.

Beans with Chili Stew

This flavorful beans with chili stew is made with rice, kidney beans, garlic, onions, red pepper, and chili powder. This is a wholesome meal to revive you after a long tiring day.


Serves 2-3
Ingredients


1 onion chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
½ red capsicum thinly sliced
100g kidney beans / black cowpea boiled
1 carrot diced
100g green beans cut into 2.5cm pieces
200g canned tomatoes mashed
50g rice washed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 soup cube
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp curry powder
1 vegetable soup cube
Chopped coriander leaves


Method
Heat oil in a large pan, sauté onion, garlic ginger for 2 minutes. Add tomato puree, tomatoes, soup cube, curry powder and chili powder, mix well to form a thick paste.


Add washed rice, stir till rice is discolored and coated with spices. Add 1 bowl of water, lower the heat and boil for 15 minutes till rice is cooked.


Add carrots and capsicum mix well cook for 5 more minutes.


Separately blanch French beans. Boil water, when water starts boiling add salt and beans, cook for 3 minutes, drain water, wash beans with cold water and set aside. By doing this you can retain and enrich colors of vegetables.


When rice and vegetables are cooked, add boiled kidney bean, salt, blanched French beans, chopped coriander, mix well and serve.

Country Vegetable Soup

Soup making is a good way to make the most of seasonal vegetables. It is also a great way of making healthy meals from the best selection of frozen food. Plain or frozen vegetables cook’s fast and taste terrific. Serve this classic mixed vegetable soup with crusty garlic bread and perhaps a wedge of cheese as a light meal.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 carrot diced

1 celery sliced

½ stick leek sliced

1 potato cut into small cubes

1 small parsnip, cut into small cubes

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger 

1 vegetable stock cube 

100ml milk / soy milk

1 tsp corn flour mixed in 2 tsp cold water

50g de-frozen green peas

Parsley for garnishing

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan sauté onion, leeks, minced garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes. When onion and leeks are soft and changing to golden color, add potatoes, carrots, celery and parsnip stir well for 3 more minutes.

Add one bowl of water, soup cube, milk bring to boil for about 5 minutes. When soup starts simmering add corn flour mixture, salt and pepper to taste stir well until soup thickens a bit.

Turn off heat add green peas and parsley. Ladle the soup into bowls. 

Depending on your preference, serve this soup with roasted garlic bread and cheese.