Chana Dal with Spinach & Tomato

Found this recipe while searching for vegetarian recipes and it tuned out very very very GOOD!!!! Easy to make too and even better the day after!!! The initial recipe had no potatoes but i put potatoes in mine to make it a complete meal, and it worked!

Ingredient

• chana dal
• turmeric
• potatoes
• spinach
• ghee or olive oil
• brown mustard seed
• asafoetida
• cumin seeds
• curry leaves 
• onions
• ginger
• garlic
• tomatoes
• salt
• chilli powder
• dried red chillies
• black pepper

Lets Make It
1. Wash the dal properly in several changes of water and drain. Turn on the heat, put the dal in a pot with enough water. It will begin to form, skim them off as it rises tot he top, do not allow to boil over and pour out of the pot. Add half a tsb of turmeric, cover partially and allow to cook for 1 hour. Make sure you constantly check incase it needs more water. When it is done, add the salt and mix well.
2. Put a another pan on heat. Pour in the ghee or olive oil. When hot add the asafoetida, mustard seeds. When they pop, add the cumin seeds. Add the red chillies, Stir until they get dark. Stir for a few seconds and add the chopped curry leaves (i didn't find curry leaves i used basil leaves), stir in the diced onions. Stir for about 7 minutes until the onions start to brown.
3. Stir in the ginger and garlic. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes and stir until they get soft, mashing them down with your wooden spoon. Add the chopped spinach and about 150ml of water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add the chopped potatoes. Cover and cook gently or until the spinach is very soft.
4. Check your dal it should be ready by now. Pour in the spinach mixture and stir very well. Check the seasoning. Add the chilli power and the black pepper. If the dal is too thick add more water and stir.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning to you taste.

Chana Dal with Spinach & Tomatoes

Chickpeas Pottage with Yam and Potatoes

As you may have noticed Chickpeas is a major ingredient in my kitchen these days so i had to think of better ways to make them because my husband is now a vegetarian and this is one ingredient that is almost always present. So what we did is that we always have already soaked chickpeas in the freezer, makes it easy to make whatever you want to make faster.
I felt like eating a pottage and made this delicious Chickpeas with Yam and Potatoes Pottage. I enjoyed this meal very much!!!

Ingredient

• chickpeas
• yam
• potatoes
• onions
• salt
• minced garlic
• cumin
• turmeric
• pepper
• seasoning
• basil or parsley 
• palm oil
• groundnut oil

Lets Make It
1. Put your already soaked chickpeas in a pot. Put in enough water, (the longer you allow them soak the shorter time they will spend on heat). Dice your onions and pour it in, save some onions, add salt, minced garlic and cover. Allow it get cooked.
2. When the chickpeas is soft, very soft. Add the already diced and washed yam and potatoes (cute them into bite sizes).
3. Add the seasoning, pepper and cover allow to get cooked.
4. Put a pan large enough to hold the pottage on heat. Pour in little palm oil and groundnut oil (you can use either one of them alone), when hot add the remaining onions, add the turmeric and cumin. Stir very well.
5. Pour in the chickpeas, yam and potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Stir very well. Add the chopped basil or parsley.
6. It is ready to be enjoyed.

Chickpeas Pottage with yam and potatoes

Plantain Pepper Soup with Goat Meat

And the other day i was craving for Plantain pepper soup and so i made it and boy was i glad i did!!! I finished it almost immediately! Lol

Ingredient

• unripe plantain
• goat meat
• pepper soup spices
• seasoning
• salt
• grounded pepper
• fresh yellow pepper blended (optional)
• onion
• efinrin leave (scent leave)/mint leave
• little palm oil

Lets Make It

1. Wash your goat meat properly. Put in a pot, add the onions, salt, grounded pepper and seasoning. Cover and allow get cooked.

2. Peel your unripe plantain and cut into any shape your want. Wash and set aside.

3. When the meat is cooked add the plantain in. Pour in the fresh blended yellow pepper, the little palm oil, and the pepper soup spices. Cover and allow get cooked. 

4. When the plantain is cooked, taste and adjust seasoning. 

5. Pour in the efinrin leave. Stir very well.

6. It is ready to be enjoyed.

Plantain Pepper soup with Goat Meat 

Homemade Hummus

Happy New Year, been a while, how have you been enjoying playing with recipes with your family! Today i will be sharing with you something that has been a regular in my home.
Hummus is a Middle Eastern recipe, made with a blend of Chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice!!!
Hummus means Chickpeas in Arabic...Its a very healthy dip sauce! Chickpeas are among the best legumes and one of the highest source of protein. Hummus is used as a dip or spread. It is super easy and fast to make, so you can make it fresh when you want.  You can enjoy it with bread but we got stuck munching it with carrots...hehehe

Ingredient

• chickpeas
• tahini
• garlic
• salt
• black pepper
• cumin
• paprika
• olive oil
• water
• lemon juice
• cumin

Lets Make our Hummus
1. Drain your chickpeas, if you are using fresh chickpeas make sure it has soacked for atleast 24
hours
2. Blend the chickpeas and garlic, in a food processor or a mixer. When smooth add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, about 2 TBS of water, olive oil, salt, grounded black pepper, cumin and paprika. Blend until smooth.
3. Your fresh homemade Hummus is ready to be enjoyed with either bread, cucumber, carrots, e.t.c

Hummus

Chickpeas

Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne is fast becoming one of those popular delicacy at gatherings with friends and while we were on vacation recently i had it at a restaurant and my hubby said how come we have never made it at home...and i said oh! that so true! we have never made it at home and i bet its super easy...So i said why not! and made it for dinner today...It was yummmmmmmmmmmmmy!!!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 500g minced beef
• chopped tomatoes (400g can)
• red kidney beans  (400g can)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• half tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tbs sugar
• beef stock
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili power (depending on how hot you want it)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red pepper
• 1 large onion
• salt 
• pepper

Lets Cook
1. Chop the onions, garlic and red pepper (cut it open and wash out the seeds).
2. Put a pan on heat. Add the oil. When its hot, pour in the onions. Cook for about 3 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.
3. Pour in the chopped red pepper and garlic. Add the chili powder, if you love hot food, you can add a lot of Chili (Its called Chili Con Carne afterall). Add the paprika and cumin. Stir very well and leave to cook for another 5 minutes. Watch it so it doesn't burn.
4. Add the minced meat. Separate the minced meat, break it up with a spatular and spoon. Increase the heat so the meat fry up and not become stew. When it is brown and no longer pink. Pour in the beef stock (if you don't have beef stock, add beef cube in hot water, mix properly)
5. Pour it into the mixture. Add the can of tomatoes in, the marjoram, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes paste. Stir it very well. Lower the heat a little bit and allow it to simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid it from sticking to the pan, add water if it gets dried up.
6. Drain the beans and stir it into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if need be. Cover the pot and allow to cook for another 20 minutes, stir from time to time so it doesn't burn. Turn off the heat and leave it for 10 minutes.
7. Serve with your rice, bread, couscous, potatoes or pasta. I ate mine with Rice
N.B: It is usually served with Soured Cream to help tone down the spice but i didn't need one as the chili i used wasn't over powering for me.
Enjoy your meal.

Chili Con Carne and Rice

Chili Con Carne

Chick Peas and Potatoes Pottage

Hola! Am still trying out different things with Chick Peas. So i decided to make a pottage with Chick Peas and Potatoes with Prawns... It tasted more delicious than i thought...YUMMYLICIOUS...

Ingredients 

• chick peas
• potatoes
• prawns
• palm oil
• chilli
• salt
• seasoning 

Lets Cook

1. Soak the Chick Peas. It is better if you soak the Chick Peas hours before you start cooking it.

2. Put the Chick Peas in a pot, add onions and salt. Boil until soft. 

3. Peel the potatoes and cut into little bite sizes. Add it to the Chick Peas.

4. Pour in the Palm Oil. Add the seasoning, chilli and prawns. Allow to simmer.

5. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning. 

6. Serve and Enjoy. 

Chick Peas and Potatoes Potage 

Chick Peas

Fried Rice and Shredded Beef Stir-Fry

I have come to realize that Stir-Fries are among the fastest and easies meals to prepare and so it is one of my main meals at home as i love fast, easy, delicious dishes... Don't you? hehehehe
So make sure you always have beef and chicken breast in the freezer.

Ingredients

• Beef Sirloin
• Carrots 
• green pepper
• red pepper
• green peas
• mixed vegetables 
• rice
• hoisin sauce
• soy sauce 
• ginger cornstarch 
• beef stock
• sesame oil

Lets Cook
1. Boil the rice. Add some chicken or beef stock in it. Not too much water.
2. Cut the beef, carrots, green pepper and red pepper horizontally.
3. Put a pan on heat, add sesame oil, add onions, pour in the shredded beef and stir.
4. Mix the beef stock, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and cornstarch. Mix well until smooth. Add the mixture to the chicken on heat and bring to a boil.
5. Put another pan on heat, add butter, when hot stir in onion, vegetable mix, add salt, seasoning, stir. Pour in the rice and stir.
6. Serve the rice and shredded beef stock. Enjoy.

Fried Rice and Shredded Beef Stir-Fry