Poached Guava

 

Ingredients

8  ripe Guavas

360ml/12fl.oz. Water

100g/4oz  Sugar

60ml/2fl.oz. Lemon Juice

 

Instructions

 

1. Peel the guavas and cut into halves. Remove the seeds and pulp and set aside.

 

2. Cut the guava flesh into strips about 12mm/ ¼  inch wide. Set aside.

 

3. Put the seeds and pulp in a saucepan together with the water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes.

 

4. Strain the mixture and rub through wire sieve into a clean saucepan. 

5. Add the sugar, lemon juice and guava strips to the strained mixture in the pan, mix well and boil slowly for about 3-4 minutes or until the fruit is soft.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

 

5. Serve cold with ice cream.

 

 

Spiced Dahl Soup

Ingredients

Water

200g/7oz dry Lentils

1/2 teasp Fenugreek Seeds

1/2 teasp Mustard Seeds

1.1L/40fl.oz. Strong Vegetable Stock

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

4 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 Large Onion, chopped

1/2 teasp crushed dried Chilies

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Sticks of Celery, chopped

1 teasp Salt

½  teasp Ground Turmeric

½  teasp Curry Powder

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

 

Instructions

 

1.   Place the lentils, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds in a large saucepan, cover with 5cm/2-inches of water and leave to  soak for about 1 hour until softened.  Drain and rinse well in fresh cold water.

 

2.  Return the lentil mixture to the rinsed out saucepan, add the stock,  bring to the boil stirring then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

 

3. Meanwhile,  heat the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and onions and cook over a medium high heat, stirring,  for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.

 

4.  Add onion mixture, crushed chili, carrots and celery to the lentils, mix well and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.

 

5. Allow the soup to cool a little then transfer to a food processor and process until pureed. You will probably have to do this in batches.

  6.  Return the soup to the saucepan together with the salt, tueric, curry powder and soy sauce. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot

Chicken and squash soup

Serves 4-6   

 

Ingredients

2 tbsp Cooking Oil

1 Onion, chopped

2 Large Chicken Breasts, diced

900ml/30fl.oz. Water

2 tbsp Lime Juice

Salt

2 Tomatoes, chopped

675g/1-½ lbs Pumpkin, peeled and sliced

120ml/4fl.oz. Coconut Cream

 

Instructions

 

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.

 

2. Add  the chicken to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

 

3. Add the water, lime juice and salt, bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

 

4. Add the tomatoes, pumpkin and coconut cream and bring to the boil, stirring.

 

5. Immediately remove from the heat and serve hot.

 

Traditionally served as a main course with boiled taro or breadfruit.

Fijian Corgettes

Ingredients

675g/1-½ lb Courgettes (zucchini), cut into 6mm/¼ -inch slices

225g/8oz Mushrooms, sliced vertically

60ml/2fl.oz. Vegetable Oil

Salt

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

120ml/4fl.oz. Chicken Stock

2 teasp Cornflour

3 tbsp Water

 

Instructions

 

1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and saute the mushrooms for  3-4 minutes.

 

2. Add the courgettes and stir fry for 3 minutes until well coated with the oil.

 

3. Add the salt, soy sauce and chicken stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 minute or until zucchini is tender crisp.

 

4. Mix the cornflour with the water in a small bowl or cup then add to the pan, stirring constantly and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Serve immediately.

 

Fish in banana leaf with egg and peanut salad

Ingredients
For the Parsee fish
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 grey mullet, head and backbone removed (ask your fishmonger to do this)
1 fresh coconut, flesh grated (or 200g/7oz desiccated coconut, soaked in water and squeezed dry)
2 large bunches fresh coriander, leaves only
4-5 long green chillies
6-8 garlic cloves
7.5cm/3in piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp caster sugar
1-2 limes, juice only
1 large bunch fresh mint, leaves only
3-4 tbsp water, as necessary
4 banana leaves, trimmed, any hard stem removed (available from some Asian grocers, sometimes frozen)
4 tbsp malt vinegar

For the egg and peanut salad
5 free-range eggs, hard boiled, cooled, peeled
6 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or desiccated coconut, soaked in water and squeezed dry)
1-2 large green chillies, trimmed, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp tamarind pulp (or 1½ tsp tamarind concentrate, available from Asian grocers)
3-4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tbsp chopped fresh tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

For the Parsee fish, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

In a bowl, mix together the salt and ground turmeric until well combined, then rub the spice mixture into the fish.

Blend the grated coconut, coriander, chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, sugar, lime juice and mint to a paste in a food processor. If necessary, gradually add enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to loosen the mixture.

Rub the paste all over each seasoned grey mullet, both on the outside skin of the fish and inside the belly cavities.

Pass one side of each of the banana leaves over the flame of a gas cooker (5-10 seconds is sufficient) to soften the leaves. Alternatively, soften the leaves using a chefs' blow torch.

Place one piece of fish into the centre of each banana leaf. Fold the leaves over to make four parcels. Tie each parcel securely with string.

Place the banana leaf parcels into a roasting tray. Sprinkle over the malt vinegar and a few drops of cold water. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

For the egg and peanut salad, cut each of the hard-boiled eggs in half. Remove the yolks from the whites. Crumble the yolks, then finely chop the whites.

In a bowl, mix together the diced egg whites, crumbled egg yolks and the remaining egg and peanut salad ingredients. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, place one banana leaf parcel into the centre of each of four serving plates. Remove the string from the banana leaf parcels and open them up. Serve a portion of the egg and peanut salad alongside each Parsee fish portion, inside the banana leaf.

Coconut and prawn broth with rice, spinach and chilli

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
5 large prawns, shells and heads only
½ fresh green chilli, chopped
25g/1oz fresh ginger, sliced
¼ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
300ml/½ pint boiling water
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp tomato purée
1 tbsp grated fresh coconut
1 lime, juice only
handful fresh spinach
25g/1oz basmati rice, cooked
small handful fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Preparation method
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan, add the prawn shells and heads, chilli, ginger, onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the water, curry powder, tomato purée, grated coconut and lime juice. Bring to the boil and cook for ten minutes.

Place a fine sieve over another clean pan, pass the mixture through the sieve and discard everything that is left in the sieve. Add the spinach and rice to the broth and stir.
To serve, pour into a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Fruit and yoghurt with homemade granola

You could substitute the apples for other stewed fruit. The granola will keep for up to a week in an airtight container.

Ingredients
4kg/9lbs eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped
250g/9oz demerara sugar
2 litres/3½ pints water
200g/7oz unsalted butter
800g/1lb 12oz oats
200g/7oz desiccated coconut
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
150g/5½oz honey
2kg/4lb 8oz plain yoghurt

Preparation method
Preheat the oven 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Place the apples, sugar and water in a large saucepan and cook gently for 10-15 minutes, or until the apples start to break up. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Melt the butter in a microwave. Place in a large bowl and stir in the oats, coconut, cinnamon and honey. Spread the mixture onto large baking trays and cook in the oven for 7-8 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
To serve, place the cooled apples into individual serving bowls, top with the yoghurt and sprinkle over the granola mix.