Pesto

6 cups basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper

Process basil, pine nuts and garlic in food processor until almost smooth.  Add oil in a slow and steady stream until combined. Stir in parmesan, season to taste.
Options:
Parsley and basil: Replace half the basil with parsley
Basil almond:  replace pine nuts with toasted slivered almonds
Mint and almond: replace basil with mint and pine nuts with almonds - serve with lamb
Parsley pistachio and chili:  replace basil with parsley and pine nuts with raosed pistachios.  add chili to taste, stir into pasta.

Naan

Naan
2 cups white or wholemeal flour
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
1 Tbs oil

dissolve sugar in 1/4 cup warm water (not hot), mix in yeast and leave until it bubbles.  Combine flour and salt in a big bowl and then add the yeasty water and yoghurt.  Knead for 5 or ten minutes - in the bowl or on a  board.  You may have to sprinkle with a little flour to stop it sticking.  Pour a little oil over the dough and turn over so it is all coated with oil, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave in a  warm place until doubled in size.  Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and pat into round flat discs.  Cook on a hot frying pan with a  tiny amount of oil - just enough to stop them sticking -  a minute or two each side.

Seafood parcels

1 piece Tumeric, cordeline or cardamom leaf about 3X5"
a few slices fresh ginger
few stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
400g marinara mix
2 cups assorted prepared veggies,
I used sliced carrots, spring onion,asparagus, winged beans, pumpkin slices
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 -2 Tbs green curry paste or to taste
1 Tbs fish sauce

Place 4 squares of baking paper on counter, add a leaf on each one, then start to pile up all the ingredients evenly distributed between the parcels.  Lastly mixing together the coconut milk curry paste and fish sauce and pouring evenly over the fish and veggie mix.  Fold in sides and then fold over the top a few times to seal. Place packages on a baking tray and bake at 220*C for about fifteen to twenty minutes.  Serve with rice to soak up the lovely juices.

Curry - many ways

1 Tbs oil
3 tsp coriander seed
2 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp cardamon seeds
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp chopped chilies, or to taste
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 large knob ginger, grated
1 small knob turmeric, grated  or 1 tsp turmeric powder
1 300g tin chopped tomatoes
2 Tbs chutney
1 Tbs vegetable stock powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 sprigs curry leaf (optional)

Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan, smash the seeds in a mortar and pestle, then add to hot oil until they release a strong fragrance, stir in curry powder and stir until mixed and coated with the oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger and turmeric and saute slowly until soft - more oil or a little water can be added to stop the mixture sticking  Add the tomatoes, chutney and stock powder and blend with a stick blender in the pot until smooth.  Add curry leaf if available (remove before serving).   Check for seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste.  This makes enough base for two large curries, so put half aside for another quick curry meal.

 Pumpkin curry
1 small onion sliced
1 cup sliced butternut pumpkin
1/2 cup frozen peas

Saute the onion in a little oil, then add pumpkin and stir in the basic sauce, and a  little water to thin it down to the desired consistency.   Let simmer for about 15 minutes, so that the veggies are just tender crisp, stir in peas, simmer a few minutes then serve.

Options:
Diced and sauteed chicken, lamb or beef
Diced carrots, potatoes, eggplant, green beans, peas, cauliflower, pumpkin, cooked chickpeas
Sauteed paneer with peas

We like curry on basmati rice (low GI) and with an assortment of toppings to choose from

1/2 cup coconut milk or
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
Chutney, sliced banana, chopped tomato and onion, chopped cucumber.

Black bean and corn soup

1/2 cup dry black beans
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chopped chili or to taste
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 large tin diced tomatoes
1 cup stock
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 lemon, zest and juice

Place beans in pot, add water to cover and bring to the boil. Cover and let sit for 1 hour, then drain. ( this method helps to reduce flatulence that eating beans often causes.) add more water to cover and boil until just tender - about 45 minutes. Drain beans again.

Saute onions, celery and garlic until soft, then stir in the spices until coated in the oil and fragrant. Add remaining ingredients, and let simmer slowly for another half an hour for flavours to blend, add more liquid if too thick, but I like this soup chunky.

sprouted lentil soup

3 cups lentils
1Tbs olive oil
2 onions chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped celery, leaves included
2 carrots, chopped
1 Tbs curry powder, or to taste
1 1/2 liters chicken stock
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbs fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Soak lentils overnight, then drain and place in large sieve.  Rinse three times a day until they begin to sprout.  Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in curry powder to coat and mix in with the oils.  Add vegetables and herbs and saute for about five minutes, adding a little water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add lentils and stock and simmer for about an hour or until lentils are tender.  Season to taste with vinegar salt and pepper.
Sprouting the lentils, and the addition of cider vinegar makes the lentils more digestible.

Tabbouleh

1/2 cup bulgar -soak in 1 cup boiling water for 1 hour, drain
juice and grated rind of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped red or spring onion
1 cup chopped tomato
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix all together and let marinade for about  an hour or overnight.