Garam Masala Prawns and Pineapple

Sometimes when we feel like that we go to an Indian restaurant near our place. To be honest, there are not so many Indian restaurants in Oslo, and as some Indian people say, the Indian restaurants in Oslo are actually Pakistani. There is a little place called Curry and Ketchup, a budget cafeteria run by cheerful dark haired immigrants serving colorful curries on all fasons and colors plates (you never get the same plate in this cafe, believe me on this!). There is a spacious restaurant Gate of India made in old fashioned apartment in the city, you can sit there in comfort red velvet armchair and sip Indian white wine. Very polite Swedish speaking waitress will bring you hot nan bread and ask if you like the view of the busy Bogstadveien. But no matter, the case is that I know nothing about Indian food except of that nan bread is tasty and garam masala has something with chicken to do. Never too late to learn. Based on several recipes from BBC Good Food, I made this dish yesterday inspired by Indian smells and tastes.

Do you have these ingredients?

2 cups of chopped pineapple
500 g frozen unpeeled prawns
1 red chili
1 green chili

2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
3 tsp tamarind
400 g coconut milk

vegetable oil
salt, pepper

Step for step

Defrost the prawns.
Peel and chop the pineapple. Set aside.
Peel the prawns. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in the skillet.
Add the garam masala and turmeric, cook 1 min.
Add the tamarind and coconut milk, get to boil.
Add the chopped pineapple chillies and cook 5-7 mins.
Add the prawns and cook until the prawns get pink colour (about 5 mins).
Season.

Enjoy as we did.

Grated Zucchini Tart

It is seldom I get my home for myself. But this morning I did. It was wonderful drinking coffee listening to jazz doing nothing. At the end I found myself in the kitchen baking a tart. Really easy made. Definitely will be making this again.

Do you have these ingredients?

150 g butter
240 g flour
80 ml water
1 tsp salt

1 zucchini

3 tbsp creme fraiche
1 tsp tomato-garlic paste

5-6 tbsp grated parmesan

Step for step

Place and flour into the food processor. Run the food processor for 1 min.
Mix water and salt; add the salty water to the food processor. Run the food processor.
Take the dough from the food processor and roll out it.
Fold the roll-out dough 4 times and roll out the dough again.
Repeat this rolling out/folding action 3-5 times.

Butter the ovenproof dish and place the roll-out dough into the dish.
Put the dish into the fridge for about 30 mins.

Grate the zucchini. Set aside.
Grathe the parmesan. Set aside.
Mix the creme fraiche and the tomato-garlic paste. Set aside.

Remove the dish from the fridge and spread over the creme fraiche mix.
Sprinke over the grated zucchini.
Sprinkle over the grated parmesan.

Bake in oven 200C for about 1 hour.

Walnut and Dolcelatte Linguine

This dish is especially for my daugther - a busy student who never has time for cooking. Followed this recipe.

Do you have these ingredients?

Linguine
350 g broccoli
150 g crème fraîche
150g dolcelatte
2 handfuls walnuts

Step for step

Slice the broccoli. Set aside.

Warm the skillet og toast the walnuts. Set aside.

Cook water for pasta.
When water is boiling, add the linguine.
When the linguine is almost cooked, add the sliced broccoli.
Drain into a collander.

Put the skillet back on the heat.
Add the crème fraîche and the dolcelatte. Stil until the cheese melted.
Stir in the pasta and the broccoli.

Serve sprinkled with the walnuts.

Bread and Tomato Gratin

Bread is the most important meal of all nations. No matter if we are talking about elegant French baguettes or rustic African flat breads, there are bread all together. What is so fantastic about bread, that you can use it as main meal, snack, site dish or even dessert. My today's dinner was all about bread – easy made bread gratin, with tomatoes and parmesan. Really good. Definitely will be making this again.

Do you have these ingredients?

3 red bell peppers
1 yellow bell pepper

8 tomatoes

2 garlic cloves
3 cups cubed loaf
¾ cup grated parmesan
5 tbsp oliven oil

2 handful finely chopped parsley

salt, pepper

Step for step:

Heat oven to 200C.
Halv the bell peppers lengthwise, seed and place in the form cut sites down.
Roast for 20 mins.
Remove from the oven, cool a little, peel and cut into strips. Set aside.

Slice tomatoes. Set asite.

Peel and chop the garlic.
Discard the crust and cut the loaf into cubes.
Grate the parmesan.
Mix the garlic, the loaf cubes and the grated parmesan in a bowl.

Chop the parsley and season.

Arrange halv of the tomatoes in a gratin dish.
Spread the peppers strips and sprinkle with the parsley.
Spread the bread mixture.
Spread the remaining tomatoes, pepper strips and parsley.

Bake gratin for 1 hour.

Greek Tomato Pancakes

A nice Greek lady shared this recipe with me. At first I got really surprised - can you do pancakes of tomatoes? And so I tried - and yes, you can.

Do you have these ingredients?

5 tomatoes
2 spring onions
1 egg
100-120 g flour
salt, pepper
2-3 tbsp oliven oil

Step for step:

Halve tomatoes and grate on the largest holes of a grater into a colander.
Chop the spring onions.
Mix the grated tomatoes and the chopped spring onions.

Beat the egg and whisk in the egg. Beat in the flour, season, mix well to make a thick smooth batter.

Heat a non-stick frying pan and fry spoonfuls of the batter mix, cook pancakes 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through, transferring pancakes to a plate.

Courgettes Pancakes with Rocket Leaves

Do you have these ingredients?

6 courgettes (about 700 gm)
1 red onion
2 egg
2 handfuls rocket leaves
60 gm plain flour
1 table spoon creme frache
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Step for step:

Grate courgettes on the largest holes of a grater into a colander. Let courgettes drain 30 minutes.
Thinly slice the onion.
Using hands, squeeze as much liquid from the grated courgettes as possible.

In a bowl whisk eggs, stir in the grated courgettes, the sliced onion, rocket leaves, flour, cream frache and mix well to make a thick batter. Season.

Heat a non-stick frying pan and fry spoonfuls of the batter mix, cook pancakes 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through, transferring pancakes to a plate.

Baked Aubergine and Pomegranate Salad

Blogging opens new doors, trust me on this. A friend of mine, whom I met by blogging but never have seen in person, shared with me her recipe of this salad. And I tell you — this is the best baked aubergine salad I tried. And I have been to Middle East many times...

Do you have these ingredients?
1 aubergine
handful walnuts
handful basil leaves
handful pomegranate seeds
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp oliven oil
salt, pepper

Step for step
Heat the oven to 200C and bake the aubergine for 1 hour.
Remove from the oven, peel and chop.
Chop the basil leaves and the walnuts. Mix with the aubergine mix.
Peel and crush the garlic clove. Mix with the aubergine mix.
Add the oliven oil and the pomegranate seeds to the aubergine mix and mix well.
Season.

Rustic Breakfast or Baked Tomatoes filled with Eggs

Lazy breakfasts are for weekends. This Saturday morning was an early one; it was lovely cooking this quick and rustic breakfast and eating it after that - the day was about to begin and the weekend was just starting...

Do you have these ingredients?

40 g ham

5 tomatoes

4 sage leaves

2 eggs

oil to butter your form

salt, pepper

Step for step:

Heat the skillet and chop the ham.

Add the chopped ham to the skillet and cook for about 5 mins.

Remove the tomato tops and scoop out the tomatoes.

Chop the tomato «inmate» and add 2-3 tablespoons of the chopped tomatoes to the skillet.

Mix and cook for 2 mins. Chop the sage leaves and add to the ham-tomato.

Butter the form and place the scooped out tomatoes in the form.

Using a tea spoon, fill the tomatoes with the ham-tomato-sage mix.

Heat oven to 200C and bake the tomatoes for 10 mins.

Remove the form with the tomatoes from the oven and fill the tomatoes with eggs.

(Divide one egg among 2 tomatoes).

Season and put the form back in the over. Bake for another 10 mins.

Have a nice Saturday! It is not yet over...