Bitter Sweet Recipes

This is a recipe my mum used to make when I was growing up and is still one of my favourites today. Its really quick and easy and everyone will love them. They are great hot or cold as a snack, fingerfood or with a garden salad for lunch or dinner.

This will make approximately 12 small triangles or 4 Large logs. The assembled uncooked curry puff can be wrapped in cling film and frozen for about 2 weeks then defrosted overnight in the fridge and baked in a preheated oven. Alternatively it can be kept uncooked in the fridge for 1 day, or cooked in the fridge for 2 days… but trust me they wont last that long!

INGREDIENTS

Filling
2 Cups of coarsely grated carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
1 medium finely diced onion
1 Stick of Finely diced celery
120 grams coarsely grated tasty cheese
1/2 a Red Capsicum finely diced
1/4 cup mayonaise
3 teaspoons Madras Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large tin of tuna drained
salt and pepper

4 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry

1 egg extra, lightly whisked for an egg wash

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius

Mix all filling ingredient together until they are well combined.

Cut sheets of puff pastry into 4 square quarters and place about 2 heaped tablespoons on each quarter.

Using a pastry brush, brush around the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.

Fold the corner over each quarter to form a triangle with the filling inside and press out the air. Push down the edges with a fork and prick the top to allow steam to escape during cooking.

Place filled triangles onto a lined baking tray and brush with a little egg wash.

Bake for 25 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Serve with garden salad and tomato sauce on the side. Delicious hot or cold.

VARIATIONS

Filo pastry makes a nice substitute for puff pastry, and will make less of an impact on your waistline. However if you use filo, you will not be able to freeze the uncooked puffs.

Any variety of fillings can be used just make sure the flavours go together and you dice them very small so they will cook properly. Tinned Salmon makes a good substitute for tinned Tuna.

You can make a variety of shapes with the puffs. Small triangles and squares are perfect for single serves, however if you are making a family meal you can also make large logs and slice accordingly.

I love a good curry! Easy to make and tastes even better the next day. There is a fabulous range of curry pastes that are available in the supermarket to save you the bother of making your own, and while it is sometimes nice to make it ‘from scratch’, these bought curry pastes can offer an authentic flavour for those who are time poor or have trouble sourcing good fresh curry spices and flavours.

This veggie curry is a staple in my house, its great because you can really put anything you have on hand into it which makes it a good dish to make when you haven’t been food shopping in a while! I usually make it Vegetarian however you can add your favourite meats for a more hearty meal.

This recipe is enough for 4 very generous servings with leftovers. The flavours will develop overnight so its great to have the next day alternatively it can be frozen in airtight containers for around a fortnight defrost in the fridge overnight before heating and serving.

INGREDIENTS

1 Brown Onion chopped into wedges
2 Medium Carrots cut into rounds
3 Stalks of Celery cut in large pieces
1 1/2 cups cubed pumpkin
1/4 Head of Cauliflower cut into small florets
1/2 cup Green Lentils

This is a rough guide of vegetables that I usually use, if you dont have something on hand its fine to omit it or use something else. Its great with green beans, potato cubes, corn and other veggies too so experiment on what suits your tastebuds.

1 Tablespoon of Oil
1 Tin of Light Coconut cream
3 cups of hot water
Curry paste of your choice ( I like to use Patak’s Korma Curry Paste its nice and mild so suitable for children too)

METHOD

In a large saucepan heat the oil, add onion and curry paste. Saute this until the spices are activated a rich aroma is produced. Some may stick to the base if this happens add a few tablespoons of water to the pan. When the onions are soft and coated in the curry paste add the veggies and raw lentils and stir until they too are coated.

Pour in the hot water and mix well. If you are not using lentils you will not need to add so much water. Turn down the heat, cover and allow to simmer for around 30 minutes until the vegetables and lentils are cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Add the coconut cream until  the taste of the sauce is desirable and the texture is creamy. Bring the heat back up for another 15 minutes and allow the sauce to thicken further.

I like to serve my curry with lots of side dishes including; basmati rice, pappadums, yoghurt and cucumber sauce, chutney, naan bread and banana slices rolled in coconut with sultanas.

VARIATIONS

This recipe can be made with almost any variety of vegetables you have on hand. If you love your meat you can also add cubes of beef, chicken, lamb or even a mild tasting white fish.

Every curry paste will have a different flavour, so experiment to find the flavours and heat intensity that you like.