Recipes post
I think another recipes post is in order! All credit to Ainsley Harriott's Gourmet Express cookbook that I picked up free from our little workplace book swap. I've always liked Ainsley Harriott, as he goes for simple but big flavors. I'm really pleased with this book, it's got a lot of frugal-friendly recipes to try!
So here are two I immediately flagged because they are both ultra-thrifty, vaguely healthy and would be really good make-ahead for snacks and lunches:
Celtic samosas
250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
large pinch turmeric
40g butter/margarine/veg oil
2 tablespoons veg oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped *optional
350g potatoes, cubed & boiled
75g frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon cumin
salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (dried is fine if it's what you have)
more veg oil for frying
1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt & turmeric into a bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in about 150mL (1/4 pint) of water to make a soft dough. Knead well for a few minutes, then roll into 8 balls. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion, garlic, chilli for 3-4 minutes until softened and golden. Add the potatoes, mashing down rougly with a fork. Add the peas, cumin & salt to taste; remove from heat and stir in coriander.
3. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Meanwhile, roll out each piece of dough into a 4 inch round. Spoon an eighth of the potato mixture into the centre of each round. Moisten the edge of each round with a little water, then fold over the dough to enclose the filling, pressing the edges to seal, then gently flatten out each samosa. Fry the samosas for about 2 minutes, turning until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. Easily freezable.
Foolproof falafel
225g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water (tinned in a pinch, but dried are much cheaper)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed (or sub garlic powder to be thrifty)
juice of 1/2 lemon
veg oil for frying
1. Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic & lemon juice. Whizz until very finely chopped but not pureed. (if you have time, set set the mixture aside for a couple of hrs so that the flavours can mingle, but it's not imperative)
2. Heat 2 in of oil in a deep frying pan or wok. (or skip to step 3 if you want to bake these)
3. Using wet fingers, shape the mixture into 16 balls, then flatten slightly into patties. Deep-fry in batches about 4 minutes, turning occasionally until browned OR bake on an oven tray for 30 min (turning halfway through) at 200 C.
4. Great served in warmed pittas, wraps or even alone with yoghurt or salsa.
250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
large pinch turmeric
40g butter/margarine/veg oil
2 tablespoons veg oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped *optional
350g potatoes, cubed & boiled
75g frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon cumin
salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (dried is fine if it's what you have)
more veg oil for frying
1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt & turmeric into a bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in about 150mL (1/4 pint) of water to make a soft dough. Knead well for a few minutes, then roll into 8 balls. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion, garlic, chilli for 3-4 minutes until softened and golden. Add the potatoes, mashing down rougly with a fork. Add the peas, cumin & salt to taste; remove from heat and stir in coriander.
3. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Meanwhile, roll out each piece of dough into a 4 inch round. Spoon an eighth of the potato mixture into the centre of each round. Moisten the edge of each round with a little water, then fold over the dough to enclose the filling, pressing the edges to seal, then gently flatten out each samosa. Fry the samosas for about 2 minutes, turning until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. Easily freezable.
Foolproof falafel
225g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water (tinned in a pinch, but dried are much cheaper)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed (or sub garlic powder to be thrifty)
juice of 1/2 lemon
veg oil for frying
1. Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic & lemon juice. Whizz until very finely chopped but not pureed. (if you have time, set set the mixture aside for a couple of hrs so that the flavours can mingle, but it's not imperative)
2. Heat 2 in of oil in a deep frying pan or wok. (or skip to step 3 if you want to bake these)
3. Using wet fingers, shape the mixture into 16 balls, then flatten slightly into patties. Deep-fry in batches about 4 minutes, turning occasionally until browned OR bake on an oven tray for 30 min (turning halfway through) at 200 C.
4. Great served in warmed pittas, wraps or even alone with yoghurt or salsa.
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