Spicy Potato Curry

Okay. This one's a little spicy, and loosely based on something I tried from the markets up here. It's pretty cheap to make.

~Potato
~Garlic (3-4 cloves, more if you really like garlic)
~1/2 onion or similar (diced really finely)
~tablespoon of oil/butter.

'Panch Phoran' spice mix - which you can make easily from scratch. Use the whole seed spices, not ground, for this part:
~teaspoon of fenugreek
~teaspoon of nigella seed
~teaspoon of cumin
~teaspoon of fennel
~teaspoon of brown mustard seed.

Later on you'll also need:
Basmati rice per person.
salt & black pepper
turmeric, garam masala, chili powder.
cornflour
boiled water.
1/2 lemon.

Method.
1. Cut up the garlic and onion, add to warmed oil in a saucepan. Sautee until aromatic and golden.
Add panch pora, and wait until the mustard seeds start popping. Peel and dice your potato while you wait.

2. Add potato to onion, garlic, spices and oil. Add just under a tablespoon of turmeric, 1/4 tbsp chili, and 1/2 to 2/3 of a tbsp of garam masala. Stir well, try and coat the potato liberally with the seeds and spices. Stir for 2-3 minutes, add boiling water to about an inch below the top of the potatoes.

3. Cover, shake occasionally to stop potato sticking. If in ten minutes the sauce is still quite thin, you can add up to a tablespoon or so of cornflour/plain flour to thicken. Continue to stir and reduce.

4. When potato starts to look cooked, add a few tablespoons of lemon juice, stir well, put back over heat for a bit over 5 minutes.

5. Serve with rice.

(If far too spicy, add a little bit of coconut cream/milk) The original recipe only involved potato, but I think it'd be good with sweet potato, pumpkin, or peas, too)

Rocket, Pinenut, Parmesan Salad

~VEG, (Vegan if suitable parmesan substitute can be found)
~Apparently originally an Italian salad.


Easy to make, popular, multi-textured salad. Great as a side for something with lots of carbohydrates in it, although we had it here last week with mock-chicken from the asian grocer on the side. Ingredient quantities are a bit fiddly, feel free to add more or less of anything there.

INGREDIENTS:

• A packet of wild/baby rocket, washed.
• 80g or so of pinenuts
• 100g or so real parmesan cheese (in a block, not the crumbs)
• splash (1:1 ratio) of extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

Wash the rocket, put it in a bowl. Splash equal quantities of oil and vinegar over the top, and toss through. You're aiming to have a bit of the dressing on all the leaves, without too much pooling at the bottom.

Using a small pan on moderate to high heat, toast your pinenuts. They burn quickly, so keep an eye out and toss them about the pan regularly.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave little strips of parmesan onto the leaves. you're aiming for quite small strips, so feel free to crumble them a little. Add the toasted pinenuts. Toss well, serve.

Potato Erbensuppe (Pea & Tater Soup)
~VEGE, Opt Vegan (omit/replace cream)
This recipe makes a big soothing pot of filling potato-based soup. If you don't like peas, you could substitute for roast pumpkin, or a tin of campbells creamy mushroom. Either way, it's awesome with crusty fresh bread.

INGREDIENTS:

• 60g (or just a good-sized knob) of margarine/butter/nuttelex type product.
• 60-80g spring onion/leek, diced finely
• 3-4 sticks celery, diced finely.
• opt - tiny amt minced garlic.
  
• 4-5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 cups vege stock
• 2 1/4 cups extra water
• 250g/2cups froz. peas
• opt. 1/3 cup cream (80ml)
• ground salt and cracked pepper to taste.

METHOD

1.Melt butter in large pot. Add finely diced spring onion, celery, and 1/4 tsp garlic (if using). Stir about on a low heat until coated in butter. Cover, and leave on low heat until vegetables have softened. Meanwhile, prepare stock according to packet directions, and peel/dice potato.

Add potato, stock and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer apx 20 minutes, or until potato softened.

Add peas, cook until tender (abt 6 minutes)

Process soup using a blender or barmix. Return to heat, add cream (if using, not required), stir until hot, serve.