Cooksister: Make January a veg month
We are officially in the longest month of the year and for us home chefs that means getting creative with what’s left in the kassies.
January is usually the time when many Christians embark on a 21-day spiritual fast during which they only eat vegetables.
The month is also known as Veganuary which is meant to encourage mense to adopt a vegan lifestyle for the month.
Of course, the month is most popularly known as Januworry which simply means die geld is min, die vleis is amper op and we need to come up with ways to make all the leftover veggies from the festive shopping taste lekker until the next payday.
Whatever your reason for eating more vegetables right now, Cooksister is here to help.
With the prices of everything going up it might be a good idea to also rethink how and when you buy your veggies.
Search around and find your nearest farmers market because buying directly from the farm you can get a discount.
Also gooi bymekaar with family and friends and buy your veggies saam and you will save by buying in bulk.
Be more savvy when you shop and look out for combo veggie deals and weekly specials at supermarkets in the Kaap.
The recipes I chose this week are all vegetarian and can be enjoyed as a main meal, a quick snack or as a side to your favourite meat.
Stay safe and happy cooking!
Recipes
Vegetarian curry in a hurry
Rhodes
Ingredients
300 g butternut, cubed
1 x 410 g can coconut milk
45 ml (3 T) sunflower oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Indian Style
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Mixed Vegetables in Curry Sauce
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Butter Beans in Curry Sauce
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Chick Peas, drained
salt and white pepper
handful of coriander leaves, whole or chopped
Method
Cook the butternut in the coconut milk until tender.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and fry the garlic and the onion. Add the Rhodes Indian Style Tomato, Rhodes Mixed Vegetables in Curry Sauce, the Rhodes Butter Beans in Curry Sauce and Rhodes Chick Peas.
Season to taste then bring to the boil, reduce heat and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the butternut and the coconut milk and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the coriander and serve with rice.
Sweetcorn Bake
Rhodes
Ingredients
4 large eggs
65 ml (¼ C) melted butter
250 ml (1 C) self-raising flour
5 ml (1 t) salt
2 x 410 g cans Rhodes Cream Style Sweetcorn
250 ml (1 C) grated cheddar cheese
45 ml (3 T) chopped parsley
Method
Beat the eggs with the melted butter.
Sift in the flour and salt and mix well.
Stir in the Rhodes Cream Style Sweetcorn and pour into a greased oven dish.
Combine the grated cheese and parsley and sprinkle on top then bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for an hour or until baked through.
COOKING TIP:
This is a very flexible recipe. You can add 65ml (¼ C) sliced spring onion tops to thoe mixture for a delightful cheese and onion taste and some drained, canned asparagus tips to the mixture if you’d like. Chilli loves corn and sweetness, so you can also add as much chilli as you can handle.
Vegetable Biryani
Rhodes
Ingredients
Rice
250 ml (1 C) basmati rice
15 ml (1 T) butter
45 ml (¼ C) sultanas
10 ml (2 t) biryani masala
1 ml (¼ t) cumin seeds
1 ml (¼ t) coriander seeds
500 ml (2 C) water
salt
Vegetables
30 ml (2 T) butter
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 ml (1 t) garam masala
2.5 ml (½ t) ground cumin
2.5 ml (½ t) ground turmeric
2.5 ml (½ t) ground ginger
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Mixed Vegetables, drained
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Haricot Beans, drained
salt
to serve: fresh coriander leaves and plain style yoghurt
Method
Rice
Wash rice well under running water.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
Add the sultanas, biryani masala, cumin and coriander seeds, stirring until toasted and fragrant.
Add the well drained rice and toss thoroughly to coat the rice in the spices.
Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.
Vegetables
Melt the butter in a medium frying pan.
Add the onion and cook, stirring until lightly browned.
Add the spices and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the Rhodes Mixed Vegetables and the Rhodes Haricot Beans.
Stir gently over a low heat until well mixed and heated through.
Add the rice to the vegetable mixture and stir to mix.
Season with salt to taste.
Garnish with the fresh coriander and yoghurt and serve immediately.
Butternut and sweetcorn bake
Cooking from the heart 1
Ingredients
400 g butternut, cut in cubes
400 g sweet potatoes with the skin, cut in cubes
½ onion, halved and sliced
1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower oil
½ x 410 g tin cream style sweetcorn
½ tsp (2,5 ml) ground nutmeg
black pepper to taste
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 °C.
2. Mix butternut, sweet potatoes, onion and oil together in an oven dish.
3. Bake for 30 minutes or until the veggies are just cooked.
4. Pour sweetcorn over veggies and season with nutmeg and pepper.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve as a side dish with meat or chicken or a braai.
Cranberry Bread Breakfast Cups
Sasko
Serves 3
Ingredients
6 slices SASKO Low GI Cranberry Brown Bread
6 eggs
½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters
1 handful baby spinach, washed
Salt and pepper
Chives for garnish
1 tsp. butter for greasing muffin tin
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Cut the crusts off the SASKO Low GI Cranberry Brown Bread slices and cut into squares.
3. Roll the bread flat with a rolling pin.
4. Push the slices into a greased muffin tin.
5. Place into the oven and bake for +-5 minutes.
6. Remove and add the spinach, a few tomatoes and a cracked an egg into the cup.
7. Season and add a few tomatoes on top.
8. Bake in the oven until cooked through and golden.
9. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing from the pan.
10. Garnish with chopped chives.
Wok-fried noodles
If you’re a fan of either Chinese or Thai cuisine then you should definitely try-out this easy wok-fried noodle recipe that uses common, everyday vegetable ingredients for a nutritious, meat-free meal that’s both aromatic and flavourful; and that won’t cost you a fortune sourcing exotic ingredients.
Ingredients:
30ml Sunfoil Sunflower Oil
200g Chinese cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, julienne
1/2 each red and yellow pepper, julienne
10ml fresh ginger, grated
30ml soy sauce
45ml sweet chilli sauce
2 x 2 min noodles cooked according to packet
instructions, drained
4 spring onions, sliced on angle
100g bean sprouts
15ml black and/or white sesame seeds, toasted
Method
1. Heat the oil in a wide pan or wok and stir-fry the cabbage, carrot and peppers for 2–3 minutes.
2. Add the ginger, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and noodles and cook for 2 minutes, tossing to combine.
3. Remove from the heat and add the spring
onions, bean sprouts and sesame seeds.
4. Toss to combine and serve at once.
megan.baadjies@inl.co.za