Breakfast Special - Red Lentil Pancakes

Fresh cooked from the griddle, toasted red lentil pancakes, golden crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. A wholesome, high protein and high fibre breakfast with the tantalizing aromas of onions, capsicum and fresh herbs. A low fat alternative to potato hash. Enjoy with a side of grilled tomato and a poached egg.

For instructions, follow the recipe for Red Lentil Burgers and use herbs of choice.

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Stuffed Bitter Melon

Due to the bitterness, bitter melon, or karela in Hindu, is an acquired taste. The bitter taste can be reduced by salting first, or blanching in boiling water, and removing all traces of the white piths.

To prepare whole baby bitter melon for stuffing, make a slit down the length. Plunge into boiling water and remove from heat. Allow the bitter melon to change colour. Immediately plunge into cold water. Carefully remove the pith with a knife and scrape remnants with a spoon. Rinse.

For bigger bitter melons, cut into 2 cm sections. Carefully core out the white piths. Plunge into boiling water and remove from heat. As before, allow the bitter melon to change colour before rinsing in cold water.

For vegetarians, try red lentil stuffing using the recipe for Red Lentil Burgers. Season the lentil mix as for meat filling with your own choice of herbs and spices.

The stuffed bitter melon can be cooked a number of ways, typically by frying, steaming and/or boiling. With lentil stuffing, it is best to brown the stuffed bitter melon first by shallow frying before finishing off with steaming, or simmering in a sauce for 5 minutes.

Deep fried stuffed bitter melons make a wonderful snack food, with yoghurt dip, for those prepare to overcome the bitterness to savour the delicate aroma.

A recipe for Thai Pork with Bitter Gourd (Khiew Wan Mara Yud Sai Moo) can be found in Charmaine Solomon's Thai Cookbook. Charmaine's favourite way is "thinly sliced, sprinkled with salt and turmeric and left for an hour, then wiped over and shallow-fried until golden brown."

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Lunch Special - Red Lentil Burgers

Pan roasted red lentil patties delicately flavoured with coriander, capsicum and onion, with a fresh garden salad. Accompanied with lentil pappadum or flat bread, and choice of spiced yoghurt dressing and homemade tomato sauce. A vegetarian/vegan alternative to the Char-grilled Aussie Beef Burger.

Red Lentil Burgers

250 g red lentils, soaked overnight

1 onion, finely chopped

2 T chopped coriander or herb of choice

2 T chopped capsicum and/or chilli

1/2 t salt, optional

1/4 t black pepper, ground

2 T rice flour, or more to bind patties

olive oil for frying

1. Drain the red lentils well. Puree half the lentils.

2. Combine all ingredients, adding extra rice flour as needed to form patties.

3. Shallow fry until golden, or brush with oil and toast under a griller.

Variations:

Thai: 2 t coriander and pepper paste

Cajun: 2 t cajun seasoning

Indian: 2 t curry powder

Yoghurt Dressing

4 T yoghurt

1 T coconut cream, optional

1 T chopped coriander

1/2 t garam masala

1 T lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1 lemon myrtle leaf, chiffonade

1/4 t chilli powder, optional

1/4 t chopped mint

Combine all ingredients and chill for 30 minutes.

Tomato Sauce

1 garlic, smashed

1 shallot, finely diced

1 T olive oil

400 g canned diced tomatoes in juice

2 t allspice

1 T chopped parsley

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t salt

1. Fry shallot and garlic in olive oil until golden brown.

2. Add tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until thick.

3. Add allspice. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat. Add parsley. Season.

Homemade Pappadum

150 g (1 c) white urid dal flour (lentil flour)

75 mL (1/3 c) boiling water

1/2 t baking soda

1/8 t salt

olive oil for rolling

1. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water.

2. Add to lentil flour and mix to a stiff dough with electric hooks.

3. Beat for 15 minutes until soft and pliable. Rest for 15 minutes in cling wrap.

4. Oil the dough and roll as for pasta sheets.

5. Air dry for 15 minutes before cutting to shape.

To use as a pasta, boil for 2-3 minutes. Otherwise fry or microwave until crispy as for pappadum.

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Potato Tart

1 sheet shortcrust pastry
200 g potato (waxy)
2 t blue cheese, crumbled
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 garlic, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
60 mL milk
1 t cornstarch, optional
pinch of pepper, salt, thyme
2 t melted butter, olive oil or rendered duck fat

1. Line a greased 20 cm fluted pie dish with shortcrust pastry. Prick the base. Freeze. Blind bake using a saucer as weight for 15 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Remove the saucer halfway through. Brush with some beaten egg in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

2. Parboil potato in skin for 10 minutes. Chill. Slice thinly.

3. Sprinkle cheese, shallot, and herb into the tart shell. Season with salt & pepper.

4. Mix milk with eggs and pour into the tart shell.

5. Arrange potato slices over the egg mixture. Drizzle melted butter over the potato slices.

6. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes until the top is golden and potato is crispy.

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Confit Byaldi

Ever since the animated movie "Ratatouille" which starred a mouse as an aspiring master chef, Joesph Keller's confit byaldi ("French Laundry" cookbook) became a dish for kitchen snobs to serve with flair if visited by the most famous food critic. In Australia, that food critic is Matt Preston of Channel 10's Masterchef TV cooking competition.

Confit byaldi is a version of the French provincial ratatouille dish which comprises rustic vegetables cooked in a tomato sauce. In confit byaldi, the vegetables are sliced, attractively arranged, and then slow cooked (at 135 degrees Celsius) in a capsicum and tomato sauce known as piperade. Traditional vegetables are zucchini and eggplant.



Here is a simple version which can be cooked in the microwave as well. Serves 4 as a vegetarian lunch. By using seasonal vegetables with potato as the main ingredient, accompanied by pasta or bread (including crepe or chapati), this dish suits budget meal plans for "Living Below the Line" challenge.

1 small capsicum, sliced (100 g)
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced (120 g)
2 shallots, sliced (50 g)
1 potato, sliced (250 g)
2 cabbage leaves, cut into 5 cm squares (150 g)
400 g canned diced tomatoes in juice
1 garlic, finely chopped
1/2 t parsley
1/4 t thyme
1/4 t basil
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
2 T olive oil

1. Mix garlic, herbs with diced tomatoes in juice. Place half in bottom of pie dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Arrange sliced vegetables over the tomatoes base.
3. Season well. Drizzle with remaining olive oil.
4. Top with rest of diced tomato in juice.
5. Microwave 4 minutes on high until liquid starts to bubble.
6. Bake, covered with foil, for 2 hours at 135 degrees Celsius.

To serve, neatly lift the sliced vegetables onto a plate and fan out. Sprinkle with herbs, drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

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Cucumber Carpaccio

Paper thin slices of cucumber served with olive oil and lemon dressing. Simple, but beautifully effective salad, achieved with a quality sharp knife.

Check out King of Knives for their range of top brands at discounted prices, from budget Victorinox to Shun and Wusthof. This is the place where the local culinary school (TAFE) sends their commercial cookery students.

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Lunch Special - Vegetarian Nut Crusted Potatoes

A light lunch of crunchy nut crusted potatoes with surprise olive and capers yoghurt centres, recommended with a fresh garden salad. The meal is best served warm, or at room temperature. The meal contains no added fat other than from the nuts in the crust and the 99.7% fat-free yoghurt.



Styling ideas come from culinary art graduate, Soycap of "WOG: Without Garnish" . The recipe is adapted from Deccanheffalump's Paper Chef #8 entry of Olive and Spinach Surprise.



The potatoes also make a great accompaniment to a main course or an entree.

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