Sommer Gooi Dip

Last Sunday evening when we had been down to the sports club for a couple of drinks while the dogs and my grandson, Caleb, wore themselves out running and playing on the sports fields I came home and chucked a dip together, just a snack to help fill the hollows before supper was ready. I simply grabbed whatever I could find in the fridge and threw it in the blender, hence Sommer Gooi, which means "just throw" in Afrikaans.

My son-in-law was so taken with it that he's telling our friends when they come to visit about this fantastic dip I made. 

As a consequence, for my sins, I had to try and remember all that went into it…

So here goes…

This one's for you, Craig!

Ingredients:

Flesh of half a large avocado, or a whole one if small

½ an onion, finely chopped

125ml creamed cottage cheese

60ml mayonnaise

60-80ml tomato sauce, 

---- or a whole medium tomato, skinned, deseeded and chopped

10ml roasted red pepper sauce

---- or a quarter sweet red pepper, skinned, deseeded and chopped 

10ml ready-made basil pesto

5ml chopped garlic

3-4 dashes of Tabasco sauce

---- or 2ml chilli powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Throw everything into a blender and whiz it together until smooth, dump it in a bowl and serve with potato or corn chips. 

Hanneica's Avocado Dip

Ingredients:

1 large Natal Butter Avocado, stone and skin removed

30ml lemon juice

60ml mayonnaise

125ml smooth cottage cheese (optional - garlic and chives)

5ml chopped garlic

½ a small onion, finely chopped

2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 spring onion, finely chopped, snipped chives or cracked black pepper to garnish

Method:

Place avocado flesh and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, cottage cheese, garlic, onion, Tabasco and seasoning. Blend to mix thoroughly. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with spring onion, chives or cracked black pepper. Serve with tacos, corn chips or salted crinkle cut potato chips.

Jalapeno Lime Hummus

Ingredients:
425g Can Chickpeas (drained)
15ml Coriander, roughly chopped
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
30ml Jalapeno, roughly chopped
7.5ml Fresh lemon juice
15ml Fresh lime juice
1 pinch Salt And Pepper
20-30ml Olive Oil
15ml Water

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except olive oil and water in a food processor and blend until smooth.

With the machine running, stream in the olive oil and water and continue processing until super creamy and smooth.


Spread on savoury biscuits, corn chips, toast or what ever takes your fancy.

Curry Dip

I’ve been making this dip for family gatherings and parties and braais with friends for quite a number if years. Regularly I’m asked how I make it and my answer is always, “It’s my secret.” I made it for the braai we had with friends this last Saturday past when my daughter’s sister-in-law suggested, not for the first time, that I should market it. I have one problem with packing and marketing it; I would have to add preservatives and I don’t want to do that. I prefer to make it fresh as required. Therefor I think it’s time to share my secret so my friends, who have enjoyed it on previous occasions, can make it for themselves; that includes all my Hanneica’s Kitchen Fans!

The curry powder you use will give the major flavour of the dip. I use a medium Madras masala varying the amount to adjust the degree of flavour and heat. If you prefer a mild curry flavour, use a mild masala; if it’s heat you are after, use a hot masala or add more chilli flakes. To add a bit of sweetness, I occasionally add about 30ml sweet chilli sauce instead of chilli flakes.

Warning!

Don’t be too eager to add too much chilli flakes or masala as this dip will mature in depth of flavour and heat on standing.

Whatever you do with this dip, be sure to appreciate it with special friends!

Ingredients:

125ml smooth cottage cheese or cream cheese

125ml thick Greek yoghurt

60ml tomato sauce

60ml mayonnaise

5-10ml curry powder

2.5ml garum masala

2.5ml turmeric

2.5ml chilli flakes

2.5ml ground ginger or 1 inch fresh root ginger, grated

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2-3 heaped teaspoons vegetable achar

20-30ml chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a medium mixing bowl, blend all the ingredients (except the seasoning and a third of the chopped coriander) to a smooth, assimilated mixture. Mix in seasoning to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with a couple of twists of black pepper and the reserved coriander. 

Blue Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
125g blue cheese, crumbled
200ml buttermilk
200ml thick Greek yoghurt
60-80ml mayonnaise 
2.5ml sugar
2.5ml garlic, finely chopped (or garlic powder)
5ml finely chopped shallot
30ml fresh lemon juice 
15ml chopped fresh parsley
2.5ml sea salt
1ml freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh chives to garnish

Method:
Combine all the ingredients, except the chives, in a medium bowl.  Mix until well combined. Cover with cling film, pressing the film onto the surface of the dip, until ready to serve. Garnish with chives and serve.

Best Ever Guacamole

Ingredients:

1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, deveined and roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
30ml chopped coriander
4 large ripe avocados
30ml fresh lemon juice

5ml fresh lime juice (a squeeze)
5ml coarse sea salt

2.5ml freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Mix jalapeño, onion and coriander in a small bowl. Slice avocados in half and scoop out the flesh. Place in a blender with the lemon juice, and lime juice. Pulse to get a chunky blend.  Add salt and pepper. Mix the onion, jalapeño, onion and coriander. 

Place one avocado pit in a serving bowl and over it with guacamole. This helps to keep the guacamole from oxidizing. Press plastic wrap onto top of guacamole until ready to serve. 

Brinjal Pate

Better known as Baba Ganoush, this brinjal or aubergine pate can be served as a pate or dip with tortilla chips, potato chips or savoury crackers. It also goes great with steak or lamb chops as a thick sauce.

Ingredients:
1 large brinjal (aubergine)
1 clove of garlic
Juice and zest of half a lemon
15ml green Italian pesto - basil or coriander works well
5ml sesame oil
15ml sesame seeds
2.5ml Cayenne pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Wipe the brinjal (aubergine) and prick it all over with a fork.
Cook the brinjal in the oven for about half an hour, or until the flesh feels soft and the skin is blackened. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Place all the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin of the brinjal. Add the flesh to the blender or food processor, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and leave for a few hours for the flavours to develop.
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