Smoked Brinjal and Yoghurt Purée

One of the most popular Turkish meze dishes, this garlic-flavoured purée varies from house to house and from region to region. It is sometimes made with a lot of garlic, with a kick of chilli, or with the fresh taste of dill, mint or parsley. The purée is heavenly when it is freshly made, served with chunks of warm crusty bread for scooping it up.

Ingredients:

2 large plump brinjals (aubergines)

30ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Juice of 1 lemon

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

250g thick natural yoghurt – plain

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A few fresh dill fronds to garnish

Lemon wedges to serve

Method:

Put the brinjals directly on the gas flame on top of the stove, or under a grill, and turn them from time to time until the skin is charred on all sides and the flesh feels soft. Place the brinjals in a plastic bag and leave for a few minutes to soften the skin. Hold each brinjal by the stalk under cold running water and gently peel off the charred skin until you are left with just the smooth flesh. Squeeze the flesh between your hands to get rid of any excess water and place it on a chopping board.

Chop the brinjal flesh to a pulp, discarding the stalks. Put the flesh in a bowl and add 30ml oil, the lemon juice and garlic. Beat well to mix in the yoghurt and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with dill. Serve at room temperature, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Yoghurt Cheese in Olive Oil

Sheep’s milk is widely used in cheese making in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly in Greece where sheep’s yoghurt is hung in muslin to drain off the whey before patting into balls of soft cheese. Here it’s bottled in extra virgin olive oil with chilli and herbs making an appropriate gift for a friend who enjoys Greek cuisine.

Ingredients:

750g Greek sheep’s yoghurt

2.5ml salt

10ml chilli powder or chilli flakes

15ml chopped fresh rosemary

15ml chopped fresh thyme or oregano

About 300ml olive oil, preferably garlic flavoured

Fills 2 x 450g jars

Method:

Sterilise a 30cm square of muslin or cheesecloth by steeping it in boiling water. Drain and lay over a large plate.

Mix the yoghurt with the salt and tip on to the centre of the muslin. Bring up the sides of the muslin and tie firmly with string. Hang the bag of yoghurt over a large bowl to catch the whey and leave it in a cool place for 2-3 days, or until the whey stops dripping.

Wash thoroughly and dry two 450g glass preserving jars. Sterilise them by heating them in an oven preheated to 150˚C for 15 minutes.

Mix together the chilli and herbs. Take teaspoonfuls of the cheese and roll into balls with your hands. Lower into the jars, sprinkling each layer with the herb mixture.

Pour the olive oil over the soft cheese balls until they are completely covered. Mix gently with the handle end of a wooden spoon in order to blend the flavourings through the olive oil, making sure that you do not break up the cheese balls. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

To serve the cheese, spoon out of the jars with a little of the flavoured olive oil and spread on lightly toasted bread or savoury biscuits.

Yoghurt and Cucumber Soup

Yoghurt is frequently used in Greek cooking, the yoghurt usually being made in the home. Sometimes it is added at the end of the cooking to prevent it from curdling, but in this cold soup the yoghurt is one of the basic ingredients. It makes a cool and refreshing first course to a meal on a hot Summer’s day.

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber

300ml single cream

150ml natural yoghurt

2 garlic cloves, crushed

30ml white wine vinegar

15ml chopped fresh mint

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 sprigs fresh mint, to garnish

Method:

Peel the cucumber and grate coarsely. This can be done in a food processor or blender, or you can do it by hand using the coarse side of a grater.

Place the cream, yoghurt, garlic, vinegar and chopped mint in a large bowl. Add the grated cucumber and stir well to blend. Season to taste.

Put the soup in the fridge and allow it to chill for at least 2 hours. Stir well before serving in individual bowls.  Garnish each bowl of soup with sprigs of mint.

Serves 4

Turkish Yoghurt Soup with Chicken, Chickpeas and Rice

Ingredients:
250ml water
125ml basmati rice
1 L chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
250ml full-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg yolk
30ml all-purpose flour
One 410g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
15ml extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
30gunsalted butter
10ml minced garlic
10ml sweet paprika
2.5ml ground cumin
1ml cayenne pepper
50ml finely chopped mint
Lemon wedges, for serving

Method:

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat until barely tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over moderately high heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Skim any fat from the surface of the stock.

In a large saucepan, whisk the yoghurt with the egg yolk and flour. Whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking occasionally. 

Using a stick blender, purée some of the chickpeas, rice and chicken. Stir this purée into the stock and yoghurt mixture until thoroughly blended, then stir in the rest of the chickpeas, rice and reserved chicken. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over low heat. Do not boil!

Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the garlic, paprika, ground cumin and cayenne and cook for about 2 minutes over moderate heat until fragrant. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in the garlic spice butter. Sprinkle with chopped mint and serve with lemon wedges.

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. 

Polish Beetroot Salad

Ingredients:

4 cooked beetroot, skinned and thinly sliced

300ml plain yoghurt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Caraway seeds

Paprika

Salt and pepper

Method:

Place the beetroot slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, beat the yoghurt and garlic, a little salt and the caraway seeds. Pour the dressing over the beetroot and sprinkle with paprika.

Raw Beetroot Salad

Ingredients:

2 medium beetroots, trimmed, peeled and grated

2 Granny Smith apples, grated with the skins on

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced on the diagonal

60ml natural yoghurt

30ml lemon juice

125ml chopped fresh parsley

Sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

Put into a salad bowl the beetroot, apples and spring onions, leaving some of the green onion tops for garnish.

Mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice and half the parsley and toss into the salad. Garnish with reserved spring onions, parsley and sesame seeds.

Avocado Salad Mould

Ingredients:

3 large avocados, peeled, stoned and mashed

125ml celery, finely chopped

1 spring onion, finely sliced

250ml mayonnaise or salad cream

250ml sour cream or Greek yoghurt

10ml gelatine powder

65ml cold water

125ml boiling water

37.5ml vinegar or lemon juice

5ml sugar

2.5ml onion salt

2.5ml pepper

Lettuce

Watercress or parsley sprigs to garnish

Method:

Soften the gelatine in the cold water for 5 minutes, then add the boiling water and sugar and stir until the sugar and gelatine are completely dissolved.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and add the gelatine mixture, stirring until well blended.

Pour the mixture into an oiled mould and chill in the fridge until set.

Turn out on a bed of lettuce leaves and serve garnished with watercress or parsley sprigs.

Cooks Note:

For a richer result add 125g cream cheese to the avocado mixture 

before adding the gelatine mixture.

Chicken and Apricot Burgers with Yoghurt and Cucumber Relish

Chicken and Apricot Burgers 

with Yoghurt and Cucumber Relish

Ingredients:

500g chicken mince

4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

8 dried apricots, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

15ml olive oil

Pitta bread to serve

For the Relish

125ml Greek yoghurt

10cm cucumber, finely chopped

30ml fresh chopped mint

Method:

Mix the minced chicken and spring onions, dried apricots and a generous amount of seasoning. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape each portion into a burger about 10cm wide.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers two at a time. Leave to cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 5-6 minutes on the other side or until they are cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the relish by mixing all the ingredients. Serve the burgers with the relish and warmed pitta bread.

Lamb Kofta with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:
For sauce:
1 cup plain yoghurt, preferably whole-milk
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Sea salt

For kofta:

2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
500g ground lamb
1 small red onion, grated
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
15ml baharat spice blend
15ml chilli flakes
10ml sea salt

Optional accompaniment:
16 soft lettuce leaves for wrapping

Special equipment:
16x10-inch-long wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Charcoal or gas grill
Method:
For the sauce:

Stir yoghurt together with garlic and salt to taste in a small bowl.

For the kofta:
Cover bread with water in a small bowl and let soak for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal or gas grill: If using a charcoal grill, open vents in bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Fire is hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for just 1 to 2 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat on high, covered, for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.

Squeeze bread to remove as much moisture as possible. Put in a large bowl, add remaining ingredients, and mix with your hands until thoroughly blended. 

Divide lamb mixture into 16 portions and form each into a ball. Roll each ball into a 7- to 8-inch-long cigar, rolling it first between your hands and then on a work surface (be sure the kofta are uniformly thin for even cooking.) Slide a skewer lengthwise through centre of each kofta.

Oil grill rack and grill kofta, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, loosely covered with foil, and serve warm with yoghurt sauce, wrapping them in lettuce leaves, if using.

Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts

The word "korma" is derived from Urdu, one of the languages of India. "Korma" means "braise",and has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of modern-day India and Pakistan. It is a characteristic Indian dish, which can be traced back to the 16th century and to the Mughal incursions into present-day Northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Classically, a korma is defined as a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with water or stock, and yoghurt added. The technique covers many different styles of korma. The flavour of a korma is based on a mixture of spices, including ground coriander and  cumin, combined with yoghurt added at the end of the cooking so as not to allow curdling. Traditionally, this would have been carried out in a pot set over a very low fire, with charcoal on the lid to provide all-round heat. A korma can be mildly spiced or fiery and may use chicken, lamb or game. Beef is not regularly used in India because the cow is sacred to the Hindus, but if you choose, beef can also be used to make korma.

Ingredients:
For the Curry:
50ml sunflower or peanut oil
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
550g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces.
125ml water
Sea salt
3 small potatoes, cubed
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
115g plain yoghurt
60g roasted cashew nuts

For the Spice Paste:
30ml coriander powder
5ml ground fennel
2.5ml ground cumin
2.5ml turmeric
2.5ml ground chilli
a few twists of freshly ground black pepper
10 raw cashew nuts

Method:

Combine all the ingredients for the spice paste in a pestle and mortar with 50ml water and grind to a paste.

In a medium sized pot, heat the oil. Fry the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves for 1-2 minutes until the spices start to pop.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the spice paste and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes over a medium heat. Stir constantly so that the spices do not burn.

Add the chicken pieces and continue cooking foe another 4-5 minutes.

Pour in 125ml water, cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Season with sea salt to taste and add potatoes. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stir in the yoghurt. Allow to simmer for about 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow the Korma to rest for 10 minutes.

Before serving, sprinkle with cashew nuts.

Fresh Strawberry and White Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

10ml baking powder

2.5ml salt

2 eggs

1 cup yoghurt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

5ml vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

½ to ¾ cup white chocolate chips or 100g white chocolate, chopped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Line your muffin pan with paper cups or muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

In another bowl whisk the eggs together until combined. Add the rest of the wet ingredients (yoghurt, oil and vanilla) and mix together.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix. I use a spatula to fold in the flour and mix everything together but you can also use a whisk. The batter would be thick.

Fold in the berries and the chocolate chips.

Divide evenly among the 12 muffin cups.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and after about 5-8 minutes (when they’re cool enough to handle) transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Yogullies

Yogullies are what I call jellies that have been made with yoghurt. These jellies are wonderful to finish off a summer evening meal or for the kids when out of school for the summer break. What a wonderful way to get them to have at least one of their '5 a day'. Make them a day in advance so they have plenty of time to set.

Ingredients:
6 sheets of gelatine
600ml strawberry and apple juice
250g strawberries
15ml icing sugar
150g Greek yoghurt

Method:
Soak the gelatine in 60ml of cold water for 10 minutes. Heat 150ml of the strawberry and apple juice in a small pan. When hot, remove from the heat and add the gelatine, squeezing out the excess water from the gelatinous mass. Stir until all the gelatine has dissolved. Add the remaining juice and stir well.

Pour 200ml of the juice into a bowl and leave to set in the fridge. Divide the rest of the mixture between 6 small glasses and leave to chill in the fridge for about an hour and a half until almost set.

Keeping 3 small strawberries intact, hull the remaining fruit. Place the hulled fruit in a mini-blender with the icing sugar and most of the yoghurt, reserving about 6 teaspoonfuls for garnish. Pulse until the strawberries are roughly chopped. Stir this yoghurt mixture into the bowl of set jelly and divide between the glasses. Leave to set for a further half an hour.

Serve topped with the reserved yoghurt and half a strawberry each.

Summer Fruit Charlotte

Chill out this summer with this cool light dessert;

it needs time to set but is definitely worth the wait.

Ingredients:
100g caster sugar
250g strawberries, sliced
175g raspberries
1 pack sponge fingers
2 sheets gelatine
500g Greek yoghurt
2ml vanilla extract
a few extra berries for garnish

Method:
Place 75g of sugar in a small pan with 100ml water. Heat gently, stirring until dissolved. Add the strawberries and raspberries to the pan. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Strain into a shallow dish, reserving the fruit.

Dip the sponge fingers one by one into the syrup and use to line the base and sides of a 1 litre pudding basin, cutting the sponges to fit. In another pan, soak the gelatine in about 50ml cold water for about 5 minutes until soft, then warm gently until melted.

Place the yoghurt in a bowl with the vanilla extract and the remaining sugar, then beat in the melted gelatine. Place half this mixture in the basin, add the reserved fruit, cover with the rest of the yoghurt mixture and top with any left over sponge fingers. Drizzle any remaining syrup around the edges and chill for 4 hours.

To serve, invert onto a plate, remove the basin and top with some extra berries.

Chicken Tikka Masala

When we came to the UK, we found that curries were given some strange names here, 'Chicken Tikka' being one of them. Not wanting to appear ignorant, I asked a Hindu friend back in Durban what a tikka was. When she indicated her forehead, I was totally nonplussed. I thought she was indicating brains, and I wasn't into eating chicken brains; they are too small to be of any significance and who wants to eat brains? Not me, that's for sure!

When she figured that I was asking her about food she laughed and explained: A tikka is the mark worn on the forehead by a Hindu married woman and, simply translated, it is a 'piece'. But when referring to food, it is pieces of meat. So a chicken tikka masala, I surmised, is pieces of chicken in a spiced paste or masala - well that's a curry isn't it? So why the fancy name?

With a bit more investigating I found that this description - pieces of chicken in a spiced paste - needed more elaboration: small cubes of chicken marinated in a yoghurt spice mix, then threaded on skewers and grilled over coals, or more particularly in a tandoor oven. Well, in my book, that's called 'Tandoori Murgh'. However, it seems this is still not quite what the dish has evolved into here in Britain, perhaps because it's not so easy to live an outdoor lifestyle in a cold, wet and miserable place like the UK is.

The first time we went to an 'Indian' in England - by that I refer to the British way of speaking about eating in an Indian restaurant - I decided I had to order Chicken Tikka, more out of curiosity than anything else. I was sorely disappointed though as what I was served I would have called a simple yoghurt-chicken curry - chicken pieces in a yoghurt-curry sauce - no skewers, no grilling, just big chunks of chicken in sauce! Go figure!

To cut a long story short, it appears that everyone has their own idea of what 'Chicken Tikka', supposedly the nation's favourite curry, should be. So I thought the best way to tackle it was to share a few recipes under their relevant names and you can make up your mind how to make a

'Chicken Tikka Masala'

Charga or South African Chicken Tikka (Chicken Braai)

Ingredients:
2 whole chickens
15ml chilli powder
5ml chopped ginger
5ml chopped garlic
15ml green pawpaw pulp (unripe papaya)
30ml yoghurt
salt to taste

Method:
Cut each chicken into four portions and make cuts across, but not through the thicker parts of the meat. Smear well with chilli powder, ginger, garlic and salt. Allow to marinade for 34 hours.

Two hours before cooking, mix yoghurt, green pawpaw pulp and lemon juice and smear over the chicken. Leave to marinade. Cook under the grill, on a cast iron grill, or best of all, on a braai.


Tandoori Murgh

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
30ml oil
30ml melted ghee
1 green chilli, chopped fine
5ml ginger, chopped
5ml garlic, chopped
5ml salt
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
2ml ground white pepper
30ml single cream
juice of 1 lemon
1 pineapple cut into 6 wedges

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.

Butterfly the chicken. Mix the oil and ghee together. Make a paste of the spices with cream, lemon juice and about 15ml oil/ghee mixture to make it sticky. Smear this paste over the chicken and allow it to marinate for 2-3 hours.

Place the marinated chicken in a deep-lidded roasting pan and bake covered in the oven for half an hour. Remove the lid and place the pan directly under the grill. Pour 15ml oil/ghee mixture over the chicken at 5 minute intervals until the chicken juices have evaporated and the chicken is cooked through. To check that the chicken is done, cut between a leg and breast; there should be no pinkness and any running juices should be clear.

Place wedges of pineapple around the chicken and braise under the grill for a few more minutes, removing before the pineapple looses colour. Serve immediately.


Makhan Murgh or Butter Chicken

Ingredients:
For the Tikka Marinade:
15-20ml lemon juice
100-120ml Greek yoghurt
2-3 cloves of garlic, made into a paste
1 inch root ginger, grated
2ml red chilli powder or tandoori masala
2-3ml paprika
10ml ground cumin
15ml vegetable oil
5ml salt

For the chicken curry:
6 deboned, skinless chicken thighs, cut across, but not right through the thicker parts of the meat.
2 inches root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
30ml vegetable oil
80-100g butter
2 black cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
8 green cardamom pods
1 inch piece of cassia bark
500g tomatoes, pureed
15ml tomato paste
2-4 small green chillies, whole but pierced
80-100ml single cream
10ml sugar
1-2ml red chilli powder or tandoori masala
5ml paprika
5ml garam masala
chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, add the chicken and leave in the fridge to marinate for 3-4 hours, or overnight if possible. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

In a mini blender, blitz together the ginger and garlic for the curry, using a little water to make a paste. Meanwhile heat the oil and half the butter in a large non-stick saucepan. Add the whole spices and, once they start to sizzle, add the ginger and garlic paste and cook until the moisture has evaporated and the garlic odour is mellow and it looks grainy.

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan and cook down for about 20 minutes until the resulting paste releases oil. Reduce the heat and brown the paste for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. The paste should darken considerably. Pour in 250ml of water and bring to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the paste through a sieve, pressing the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible from the tomatoes and spices. Discard the solids and set the liquid aside.

Heat the oven to 240C, with the grill on as well if possible. Place the chicken in a foil lined tray on the uppermost level of the oven and cook for 8 minutes or until slightly charred. Remove from the oven. Cut the meat into large chunks.

Heat the remaining butter and add the green chillies, the prepared sauce, some salt and a good splash of water and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Mix in the cream, sugar, chilli powder, paprika and garam masala. Add the chicken to finish the cooking. Simmer, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is lovely and creamy. If the sauce starts to get dry, add a splash of water and mix in. Test for seasoning. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle over with the chopped coriander leaves.


Chicken Tikka Pineapple Skewers with Masala Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:

750g chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes
3ml turmeric
juice of half a lime
100g Greek yoghurt
2ml garam masala
5ml ginger, grated
5ml garlic grated
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml red chilli powder
10ml tomato paste
20-25ml vegetable oil

For the Skewers:

wooden skewers, soaked in water
5-6 x 1cm slices pineapple cut into quarters
50ml light brown granulated sugar
3ml red chilli powder
2ml garam masala

For the masala sauce:

2ml ground cumin
15ml butter
2 inch piece root ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 x 1cm slices of pineapple, shredded
15-20ml chopped fresh coriander

Method:

To make the marinade, Put the chicken cubes in a bowl and mix in the turmeric and lime juice, blending well. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Mix the remaining ingredients for the marinade with the chicken and season with sea salt. Cover the bowl with cling film and put in the fridge for at least 6 hours, overnight if possible.

Preheat the grill with the door shut to make it as hot as possible. Mix together the sugar, red chilli pepper and garam masala and sprinkle this over the pineapple pieces. Thread the chicken cubes on the prepared skewers, putting a piece of pineapple between each cube. Lightly grease a baking sheet and lay the chicken skewers on it, leaving space between each skewer. Grill until you have charring on the edges of the chicken and the sugar on the pineapple is caramelising - about 4-6 minutes. Make sure the chicken does not overcook or the chicken will be too dry. Remove, cover with foil and set aside in a warm place wile you make the masala sauce.

Heat a large frying pan and add the ground cumin and butter, moving the spice through the melting butter all the time so as to not let it burn. When the butter begins to froth, stir in the ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry until the garlic changes colour. Stir in the chopped onion and fry until soft. Add the shredded pineapple and stir into the onion. When the pineapple softens into the onion, add the chopped coriander, season to taste and serve with the chicken skewers.

Lamb and Cashew Nut Curry

Cashew nuts, yoghurt and saffron make this a delicious dish for a special occasion. Served with rice, dumplings or Indian breads, it makes a substantial meal.

Ingredients:
1-2 inch piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
2 green chillies
50g unsalted cashew nuts
60ml water
4 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods, bruised
15ml coriander seeds
15ml white poppy seeds
50g ghee
2 onions, finely chopped
1kg lamb, cubed
300ml yoghurt
a pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 30ml boiling water
5ml salt
juice and zest of a quarter of a lemon
30ml chopped coriander leaves
3/4 of a lemon, sliced

Method:
Put the ginger, garlic, chillies and cashew nuts in a blender with half the water. Blend to a smooth paste. Add the cloves, cardamom, coriander and poppy seeds and the remaining water and blend. Transfer the puree to a bowl.

Melt the ghee in a large saucepan. Add the onions and fry over medium heat until the onions are golden brown. Stir in the prepared puree and fry for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lamb cubes and fry until they are evenly browned.

Mix the yoghurt with the soaked saffron, including the liquid. Add the salt and stir this mixture into the meat in the pan. Increase the heat and bring your curry to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.

Transfer to a warmed serving dish garnished with lemon slices.

Creamed Cumin Chicken

All too often the busy housewife or the working mom needs a quick but nutritious meal they can throw together within an hour in the evening. Chicken normally fits the bill and this 'Creamed Cumin Chicken' is one of those meals that can be put together within 60 minutes and which comfortably feeds a family of four or more.

Ingredients:
125ml flour
3ml freshly ground black pepper
3ml curry powder
5ml salt
1 kg chicken thighs
125ml ghee
1 large onion, chopped
5ml cumin seeds
5ml fennel seeds
1-2 bay leaves
25ml curry powder
5ml crushed garlic
5ml chopped root ginger
250ml chopped tomatoes
10-12 mint leaves, shredded
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
125ml yoghurt
1-2 long thin green chillies, slit in half lengthways
5ml garam masala
chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Place the flour, pepper, curry powder and salt in a plastic bag. Wash the chicken pieces, pat dry with kitchen towel and place in the bag with the seasoned flour, shaking the bag to coat the chicken pieces.

Heat the ghee in a large pan and fry the chicken until just lightly browned all over. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions, cumin, fennel and bay leaves to the remaining ghee in the pan and cook gently, stirring, until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the curry powder, ginger and garlic, tomatoes, mint and seasoning.

Cook over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the yoghurt, chicken pieces and chillies.

Return to the stove over a low heat and sprinkle over the garam masala. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander.

Spiced Lamb Kebabs with Herbed Raita

Here's another nibble on a stick for serving at a cocktail party or around the braai or barbecue while waiting for the steaks or chops. It's quick and easy to prepare and can be made up a day or so in advance, ready to be brought out and cooked quickly when the fire is just ready to cooking.

Ingredients:
For the lamb kebabs:
750g lamb mince
1 onion, grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
5ml ground cinnamon
10ml paprika
10ml ground cumin
2ml chilli powder
30ml chopped fresh mint
60ml chopped fresh parsley
15ml dry red wine or red wine vinegar

For the Raita:
500ml plain yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
15ml chopped parsley
30ml chopped fresh mint
15ml chopped fresh chives

Method:
For the lamb kebabs:
Soak about 30-40 skewers in water at room temperature for about an hour. Combine the lamb, onion, garlic, spices, herbs and wine in a bowl, mixing well with the fingers. Shape a tablespoon or more of mixture around the sharp end of each skewer. Put the loaded skewers on a tray in the fridge for about an hour - or overnight if you are preparing them the day before - so that they can set and firm up. Just before serving, grill over prepared hot coals until browned all over and cooked through. Serve hot with herbed raita.

For the Herbed Raita:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If desired, put a little into individual dipping bowls for each guest.

Spiced Chicken Kebabs

Whether for a quick supper, for party food or for a braai or barbecue, meat on a stick always goes down well. These chicken skewers are easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients:
For the Chicken Kebabs:
2 eggs
10ml ground cumin
10ml chilli powder
5ml white pepper
5ml garum masala
60g coriander leaves, finely chopped
20ml grated root ginger
12 cashew nuts, ground
1 onion, finely chopped
30ml vegetable oil
1kg chicken breasts, minced
2ml salt

For the minted mango yoghurt:
150ml natural yoghurt
30-50ml mango chutney
20-30ml mint sauce

Method:
To make the Kebabs:
Soak 6 wooden skewers in cold water for about an hour. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl then add the remaining ingredients. Mix well, blending with the fingers to bring the meat together like sausage meat. Divide into 6 equal portions, then with wet hand, shape each portion around one of the wet wooden skewers to form a smooth long sausage. Put in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
Cook the chicken skewers over a medium-high heat on a flat griddle plate or a ridged griddle pan, turning over or twice until the meat is browned at the edges and cooked through.
Serve with minted mango yoghurt.

To make the Minted Mango Yoghurt:
Mix the three ingredients together and serve with the chicken skewers in a separate bowl.

Rezala

Rezala is a Bangladeshi and Bengali mild lamb or goat curry with saffron, rose water, yoghurt or curd, lightly spiced with cardamom and cassia. As a dish for high days and holy days, it's almost a sweet and sour, rich and poor representation of the people of the land from which it comes. If you can get goat, well and good, but if not, make it with lamb or hogget, as I have here. Hogget is lamb that is past its first year and has far more taste and flavour than lamb.

Ingredients:
4 onions, halved
3-4 inch piece of root ginger, roughly chopped
8-9 cloves garlic
100g ghee or clarified butter
10 green cardamom pods
3-4 sticks of cassia bark (tuj or Chinese cinnamon)
1.5kg shoulder of hogget, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
250g full-fat natural yoghurt
15ml dark muscovado sugar
5ml salt
6 dried chillies
30ml rose water
a loose pinch of saffron threads
2 long thin green chillies, cut lengthways
zest and juice of a lime

Method:
Thinly slice half the onions and roughly chop the rest. Put the roughly chopped onions in a blender with the ginger and garlic and blend to a smooth paste.

Heat the ghee in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium to high heat. Add the cardamom and cassia and leave to sizzle for a short while until they give off an aromatic odour.

Add the sliced onion and fry for about 10 minutes until the onion is past being translucent and has quite a bit of colour. Add the onion paste and fry another 5 minutes, stirring as they cook so as not to allow them to catch on the bottom of the pan.

Add the hogget and fry for 5 minutes, stirring to cook the meat all over. Now add the yoghurt, a little at a time, stirring between each addition for a minute or so before making the next addition. This is to ensure that the yoghurt does not split - stirring is essential. Continue untill all the yoghurt is added, then mix in the sugar and salt. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about half an hour.

Meanwhile soak the dried chillies in enough boiling water to cover them and leave to soak for half an hour. Soak the saffron in rose water in a small bowl, crushing the threads a little with the back of a teaspoon. Place the bowl over a dish of hot water so as to warm it and leave it to soak for half an hour.

Drain the soaked chillies and finely chop them - or put them in a blender and pulse tow or three times to chop - don't whizz or they will become a paste, which you don't want. Stir the chopped chillies into the meat with the split green chillies and the saffron and rose water.

Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer for another half an hour or until the meat is tender. Remove the lid, stir in the lime zest and juice and check the seasoning, adding more salt if required.

Serve with sticky rice, naan bread or parathas.