Things are changing

If a few years ago someone had suggested that we spend my day off cooking, I would have laughed my head off but to my surprise, last week I took my RDO (roaster day off) and that is exactly what I did.

As my husband was working that day, I had a friend come over. We didn’t have much planned so we thought it would be a great idea to try some new dishes. So we came up with a four course menu for the day.

It was

• Aloo chop with golbheda achar 
• Lentil soup
• Chorizo and tomato couscous
• Fresh green beans with pan fried mushrooms
• Chocolate mud cake with ice-cream

Surprisingly the food turned out yummy even though we tried some of the recipes for the first time. They were all easy and quick to make so I am sharing the recipes here.

Aloo chop with golbhera achar (click here for recipe)

Lentil soup

Ingredients

• 200gm brown lentils
• 2 litres chicken or veggie stock
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tomato diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon of ghee (can be replaced by butter or oil)
• 1/ 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Thickening cream (optional)

Steps

• In a large saucepan, heat oil and add turmeric powder and crushed garlic.
• Once garlic is brown, add tomatoes and onion along with cumin powder and salt. Fry for few minutes.
•  Now add lentils and stock and combine all ingredients. Bring to boil, then simmer until lentils are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.
• If you have a pressure cooker, press it for 5 whistles instead.
• Add thickening cream if you want to add flavor.

Chorizo and tomato couscous (from Coles website)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Moroccan Seasoning Mix
• 400 g can Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup Chicken Stock
• 250 g  Broccoli Florets
• 1 1/2 cups Couscous
• 1 cup Flat Leaf Parsley
• 2 Chorizo Sausages, sliced
• 1 Onion, chopped

Steps

• Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium. Cook chorizo for 1-2 mins each side, until golden. Remove from pan. Cook onion in the same pan for 3-5 mins, until soft. Add seasoning mix and stir until fragrant.
• Add tomatoes, stock and broccoli. Bring to boil and sprinkle over couscous. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 mins, until liquid has been absorbed. Using a fork, stir through parsley and chorizo, fluffing up grains as you go.

Fresh green beans with pan fried mushrooms (from Coles website) 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, (from pantry)
• small brown onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 300 g cup mushrooms, quartered
• 500 g green beans, ends trimmed
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

Steps

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
• Cook the green beans briefly in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until just tender and vibrant green.
• Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and add to the mushrooms with the thyme. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a serving platter.

Chocolate mud cake with ice-cream

Ingredients

• 1 cups hot water
• 250 g butter
• 200 g dark cooking chocolate
• 1 cup cocoa
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten lightly
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 cups self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoon chocolate topping
• Ice cream to serve

Steps

• In a saucepan over low heat melt together, butter, cocoa, chocolate, sugar, vanilla and hot water.
• When cooled add flour and eggs and mix well. The mixture will be very runny.
• Pour into a lined 30 cm cake tin and bake at 150C for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out.
• When cool sprinkle with icing sugar.
• Pour chocolate toppings on the slice of a cake in the plate and serve with ice cream.

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