Red Lentil Soup with Carrots and Coconut

3 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
2 bay leaves
6 cups water or chicken broth
1 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Juice and zest of half a lime
1 teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
Plain yogurt and coriander leaves for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, chile, and carrots until the onions are just coloring, around 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, lentils, bay leaves, and water or broth, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft--around 30 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, salt, and lime juice and zest, and simmer another five minutes. Heat the remaining butter in a small skillet and fry the mustard seeds until they are just popping, around 1 minute. Stir them into the soup, taste for salt and lime juice, and serve topped with plain yogurt and coriander leaves. Serve over rice, like a stew, or in bowls as soup.

Serves 4-6

Source

Beetroot Marmalade

500 grams white onions, peeled and chopped
750 grams raw beetroot, peeled and grated
375 grams green apples, peeled and grated
1 cup white balsamic vinegar
250 grams white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 dessertspoon ground ginger
Small knob green ginger peeled and grated
Small amount of lime rind and a little of the juice

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 hour (do not boil vigorously or you will lose the rich colour). Fill into sterilized bottles.

Serve with cold meats and cheeses.

Source

Veggie Burgers

1/2 cup chopped onion, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for frying
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup bulgur
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup packed coriander leaves and stems, coarsely chopped

Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice and zest of half of a large, juice lime
1/2 teaspoon chipotle puree (or Smoked Tabasco)

Accompaniments: toast or buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion, jalapenos, pickles...

Cook the onion in the oil in a smallish pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, around 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the spices and stir for a few seconds, just until fragrant. Add the bulgur and water and cook, covered, over low heat until water is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce.

Pulse the bulgur mixture, pintos, walnuts, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or half as much etc.), and a few grindings of black pepper in a food processor until finely chopped.

Form the mixture mixture into 6 patties. Chill them for at least 10 minutes and up to a couple of hours. While patties chill, whisk together together the mayonnaise, lime juice and zest, chipotle, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Fry the burgers for about 10 min over medium heat, with a big glug of oil, until very brown and crisp on the outside, turning them over carefully when the first side is done.

Serve on buns with the sauce and lots of accompaniments.

---

What do the food critics say? I liked them, but no one else did.
What does the cook say? Easy enough - but they were a little lacking in chewiness for my taste. Maybe next time I won't puree the bulgur. I also added an egg to make them hold together better, and preferred them fried with less oil.

---

Source

Stir-fried chicken with lime and coconut

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Grated zest and juice 1 large lime
150ml (5fl oz) coconut milk
1 dessertspoon olive oil
1 green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 dessertspoon Thai fish sauce
4 heaped tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
4 spring onions, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) shreds, including the green part

Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl with the lime juice and zest. Stir well and leave to marinate for an hour.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat the oil in the pan or wok over a high heat, add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until they’re golden.

Then add the chilli, stir-fry for 1 more minute, and add the coconut milk, fish sauce and half the coriander and spring onions. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then serve with Thai fragrant rice and the remaining coriander and spring onions sprinkled over.

Source

Lime & corriander fish

4 thick MSC-certiifed white fish fillets, about 200g (7oz) each, skinned
Fresh banana leaves to serve (from Asian grocers), or use lightly oiled squares of foil
2tsp ground cumin
2tsp ground coriander
1½tsp golden caster sugar
150g (5½oz) freshly grated coconut
2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and chopped
8-10tbsp chopped coriander leaves
4tbsp chopped mint leaves
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1tsp peeled and finely grated root ginger
3tbsp vegetable oil
Juice of 2 limes

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Cut the banana leaves into four 24cm (9½in) squares, and soften them by dipping into a pan of very hot water for a few seconds, then dry with kitchen paper.

Grind into a paste the cumin, ground coriander, sugar, coconut, chillies, fresh coriander, mint, garlic, ginger and oil, with a pinch of salt.

Apply the paste liberally to both sides of the fish and drizzle with lime juice. Place a piece of fish on each leaf and wrap, securing with bamboo skewers or string.

Place on a baking sheet, and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.

Source