Multi seed Banana cake

• 25g soften unsalted butter
• 40g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 ripen bananas, mashed
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 100g self-rising flour
• 50g milk
• Optional: seed mix, vanilla extract (1/4 tsp), cinnamon ground (1/4 tsp)

1. Beat the butter until fluffy, add sugar and mix well
2. Add egg and mix it in
3. Add the mashed banana, mix well
4. Mix in 50g flour, then 50g milk, and 50g flour, mix well at each step
5. Add baking soda and all the other optional ingredients
6. (Sprinkle seeds on top just before baking)
7. Bake @ 170 for 25 mins

Spinach (Palack) Paneer

Palak paneer
Originally uploaded by chowen

250g Spinach, cook in boiling water or microwave (2 mins)
150g Paneer, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 inch Ginger
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp butter
Salt

1. Cool and blend spinach to form a paste
2. Shallow fry paneer, till golden (for a healthier option, boil in salted water for 1 min), set aside
3. Heat butter (ghee) and fry the onion till golden brown
4. Add ginger, garlic, cumin and pepper. Mix well
5. Add spinach paste, salt and water
6. Mix in the cooked paneer and cook for a further few mins
7. Remove from heat, when cooled, add the lime juice

Sri Lankan Aubergine (Brinjal) Moju

Sri Lankan Moju
Originally uploaded by chowen

3-4 Aubergines, cut into 1 inch stripes, sprinkle with salt (marinate for 10-15 mins, squeeze out the water)
250g red onion, cut into chunks
1 tsp Ginger paste or grated ginger
6 cloves Garlic, crushed

Spices:
1 cinnamon
1 cardamon pod, crushed
Salt
1 tsp tamarind, dissolve in 1 cup hot water to make the pulp
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp Chilli powder (optional) or 1 tsp pepper powder instead of chilli
1/4 tsp tumeric

1. Deep fry the aubergine in oil, drain grease on paper
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in pan and fry the spices (cinnamon, cardamon) 
3. Add onion, ginger, garlic, chilli or pepper powder
4. When cooked, add tamarind pulp and tumeric
5. Reduce heat and add sugar
6. Fold in the aubergines, mix well
7. Cook further on low heat for a further few minutes until all the flavours have been absorbed

Chilli paneer and Chapati

Chilli paneer
Originally uploaded by chowen

Chapati
Wholewheat flour 250g
Salt 1 tsp
Oil/Butter 1 tbsp
Water (as needed)

1. Sieve flour and add salt/oil/water to make it into a stiff dough
2. Divide into 10-15 balls and roll out flat
3. Fry in a pan (without oil), turning on either side occasionally. Alternatively place under the grill for approx. 2 mins

Chilli paneer
Paneer cheese (alternatively solid cottage cheese) 250g
3 Onions, chopped
1 Tomato, chopped
Ginger/Garlic paste: blend 1 inch Ginger piece with 4 Garlic cloves
Coriander leaves (1 bunch)
pinch of Tumeric powder (optional)
Chilli powder
1 Cinnamon
2 Cardamon pods
Cumin seeds - some
Oil/salt

1. Boil paneer in salted water for 1 min, drain
2. Shallow fry the paneer till golden
3. In the meantime, blend ginger and garlic together
4. Fry onions in oil till it turns transparent, add chopped tomatos till cooked. Blend with the ginger/garlic paste and coriander leaves. Mix well.
5. Fry cinnamon, cardamon and cumin seeds in a little oil, add the above, chilli powder, tumeric and salt. Cook for a further few minutes
6. Add water and simmer
7. Mix in the Paneer, cook for a further few minutes
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chapati

dahl

dahl
Originally uploaded by chowen

- 2 cups of red lentil
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- salt & pepper, cumin seed

1. Soak lentil in water for 10-20 mins (cook faster if soaked)
2. Cook high till boiling, then turn low and cook till the lentil 'splits'
3. mix in salt, onion and garlic
4. add cinnamon and cumin
5. Cook for a further couple of minutes, then finish with cumin seed and ground pepper

Vegetarian risotto

Vegetarian risotto
Originally uploaded by chowen

- 200g risotto rice
- 1 carrot, chopped into small square pieces
- 5-8 asparagus, chopped
- 5 mushrooms, squared
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 shallot, minced
- 2 garlic, crushed
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 150 ml white wine (optional)
- fresh parsley

1. fry onion, shallot and garlic in olive oil until golden brown

2. add risotto rice, stir to coat, add the white wine

3. add stock to the rice mixture bit by bit, only adding more when it's absorbed in the rice

4. add the vegetables, season with salt

5. cook until vegetables are cooked through. The rice takes about 20-30 mins.

6. serve with fresh parsley and pepper

I make the rice into a pile and pour remaining stock on top, while the risotto is still hot it absorbs the stock and leaving it moistened

mushroom grill

mushroom grill
Originally uploaded by chowen

Ingredients:
Mushrooms
2x tomatos, chopped
grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp parsley
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 180c
2. Mix tomato, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl
3. scoop and stuff the mushrooms
4. drizzle over the mushrooms with olive oil
5. place under the oven for 10-15 mins, until the cheese has melted

pumpkin and tofu laksa

pumpkin and tofu laksa
Originally uploaded by chowen.

200g pumpkin cut into cubes
200g tofu cut into big chunks
1 tin of 400ml coconut milk
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
150g rice vermicelli noodles
150g beansprouts
5 sprigs of coriander
1 chopped spring onions
sunflower oil, for frying

spiced paste
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 red chillies, de-seeded and coarsely chopped
peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1 small onion
¼ tsp ground turmeric

1. cook the pumpkin in water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes, until the cubes are tender, drain and set aside
2. Heat oil in a frying pan, fry the tofu on both sides. set aside
3. Heat oil in a pan, fry the paste for two minutes. Add the coconut milk, fried tofu, soy sauce and sugar and water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
4. divide cooked noodles and top with the beansprouts and cooked pumpkin.
5. Pour over the hot coconut soup, top with the cucumber, coriander, and spring onions

improvised from BBC's recipe

water spinach with ground sesame

water spinach sprinkled with ground sesame
Originally uploaded by chowen.

2 cloves of garlic, chopped
400g water spinach
2 tsp ground sesame
1 tsp sesame oil
salt

Grease the pan with some peanut oil, fry the chopped garlic until browned. Add water spinach and fry on medium-high heat until softened, mix with sesame oil. Add salt to taste and sprinkle with ground sesame to serve.

potato layer veggie pie

potato layer veggie pie
Originally uploaded by aevwang.

300 gram of potatos, sliced
1 cup of chopped carrot
1 cupt of chopped turnip
1 onion
1 shallot
1 brocoli
grated cheddar cheese

Chopped carrot, brocoli and turnip and cook in boiled water until tender.
On medium heat, fry onion and shallot, layer sliced potatos to line the bottom of the pan, add a layer of the cooked vegetable on top, then finish with another layer of potatos, leave for a few minutes
Sprinkle a thick layer of grated cheese on top, place the pan under oven and bake for a further 5 minutes