RECIPES

NEW!
MEXICAN BEANS
This recipe comes with the usual twist of baking cocoa. The Mexicans used chocolate in cooking savory dishes. Rather than wasting totally edible and yummy chocolate I add baking cocoa powder. 
1 can four beans (or other beans), drained
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes with juice
1 sachet tomato paste
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t paprika
2 t cocoa powder (unsweetened) - yes, baking cocoa! dissolve in a little hot water
2 t flour (I use chick pea for its protein value), dissolve in a little water
salt and pepper

Brown onion, garlic, celery, carrot; add spices, beans, tomato. Add in cocoa, flour, extra water as needed and simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Optional: add grated cheese or a drained can of corn kernels


Serve with Mexican wraps, rice or even 

corn chips (Tricky to take travelling, too fragile).

EASY FRIED RICE

Finely chop 1 medium sized onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1 carrot, 1 small stick of celery.

Soak to reconstitute dried peas and/ or Chinese mushrooms.

Open a small can of corn (uncreamed).

Use whatever you have, but not soggy vegies.
2 cups cold cooked rice (when camping I use the vacuum packed cooked rice)

Fry onions and garlic in small amount of oil, adding other vegetables and when they are almost cooked, then rice, stirring to prevent sticking. Then stir in lightly beaten eggs (1-2 per person), stirring until the egg coats the rice and is just cooked. Not too long or it dries out. Season to taste with salt or soy sauce, pepper, chilli.

Garnish with a handful of roasted unsalted nuts.

EGG MOLEE (from Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Asian Cookbook) serves 2

3 eggs, hard boiled and shelled, set aside

1 c water extra

1 x 50g packet of coconut milk powder dissolved into ¾c water

1 T oil 1 medium onion sliced finely

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 t finely chopped grated fresh ginger

1-2 fresh green chillies, seeded and sliced finely

4 curry leaves

½ t ground turmeric

½ t salt

1 T lemon juice (or equivalent in tamarind water)

Heat oil, fry onion, garlic and ginger and curry leaves on low heat until onions are soft (not browned). Add turmeric and stir for a minute. Add the1 cup of water and a little of the thick coconut milk. Simmer gently for 10 minutes uncovered. Add thick coconut milk and salt, stirring constantly until it comes to the simmering point. Add in eggs, cut in half and simmer, uncovered for 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice or tamarind. Serve with rice, couscous or roti.

Hint: Dissolve 2 teas cornflour into the thick coconut milk to prevent curdling.

Variation: Add dehydrated peas, red capsicum, finely diced potatoes at the same time as the 1c water.

GERMAN POTATO CAKES (serves 2)

2-3 large potatoes grated

½ t ground black pepper

½ c grated cheese

½ c flour

2 eggs

1 small onion grated or finely chopped

little milk to mix

Mix together and cook large spoonsful on a lightly greased griddle or frypan. Makes about nine small pancakes 7cm diameter. Serve with chutney, tomato/chilli sauce or lemon and a salad.

CHICKPEAS AND COUSCOUS (serves 2 as a light meal)

Dressing

Combine in a jar, shake, set aside: 2 T olive oil 1 T lime or lemon juice (or use tamarind water) 1 t harissa paste (from a tube) 1 small clove garlic, crushed. Couscous 1/3 c instant couscous – add ½ boiling water, stir, cover and sit for 5 mins. 1 X 440g can chickpeas, drained 2 spring onions, finely chopped, or ½ finely chopped red salad onion 6 cherry tomatoes ¼ c chopped fresh mint or 2 T dried mint ¼ c fresh coriander leaves chopped or 2 T dried parsley Fluff couscous with a fork. Add remaining ingredients. Toss dressing through using two forks

CASHEW CURRY (serves 2 with rice, couscous or chapatti)
1 T oil, ghee or margarine 3 shallots or 1 small onion sliced 2 cloves garlic minced 2 slices ginger 1 sprig curry leaves if available Small piece of lemon grass (3cm lemon rind or 2-3 kaffir lime leaves) 2 t ground coriander ¼ t ground turmeric Pinch salt 1 chilli thinly sliced or 1 dried chilli150g cashews 1 c coconut milk or ½ packet powdered coconut milk (1 T coriander leaves to garnish)
Optional: cubed pumpkin or sweet potato, cauliflower pieces added with coconut milk Fry shallots/onions, ginger, garlic in oil till golden. Add spices and herbs and a little coconut milk, cooking till fragrant. Add coconut milk. Add cashews just before serving.

CHICK PEA CURRY (serves 2 with rice, couscous or chapatti)
1T oil

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic minced

½ t chilli powder

½ t ground cumin

½ ground allspice or garam masala

1 ½ stock or water

1 400g can tomatoes

1 400g can chick peas or other legume

1 c chopped vegetables eg pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, carrot, dehydrated peas, cauliflower (or 1 can mixed vegetables)
Variations: Use other canned legume, soaked black-eyed peas, cubed tofu or tofu nuggets

ASIAN SOUP: VEGETARIAN PHO (serves 2 as a meal)

4 c Vietnamese broth (made with 1T soy sauce, 4 cloves garlic chopped, ½ small onion diced, 1cm ginger (charred),

1 piece cinnamon bark,

2 pods star anise,

1 bay leaf.

Boiled for 20 mins and sieved). Or use dried prawns.

250g rice noodles - after broth has been on for 10 mins soak in boiling water for 15 mins). Or use instant Asian noodles or angel hair pasta (4 mins)

250g firm tofu sliced- simmer in sieved broth to heat, about 4 mins. Or use Japanese dried tofu, soaked first and cubed

¼ c sliced cabbage - briefly pop in broth before serving

1 spring onion or ¼ red onion, chopped fine or dried chives

Salt and pepper

For serving: chilli sauce, ½ lemon in wedges, 2T unsalted roasted chopped peanuts

Variations: Use stock cube. Cook cubed pumpkin, dried peas, grated or finely chopped carrot, sprouts. Poach eggs in broth instead or tofu. Make broth with dried prawns.

FISH KEDGEREE (serves 2) Uses cooked rice
½ c long grain rice

1 T dried parsley

1 egg

½ medium brown onion chopped finely

1 T oil

2 t mild curry paste (or curry powder + oil, or 1 T tomato paste)

210 g pink salmon or tuna, drained and flaked

2 T cream or coconut milk
Cook rice in water or stock with dried parsley. Set aside. Hard boil egg. Peel and cut into quarters. Fry onion in oil in frypan. Add curry paste or tomato paste, salmon or tuna, and cream or coconut milk. Serve garnished with hardboiled egg in wedges.


SWEET CORN FRITTERS (serves 2 with side vegetables or salad)
½ c SR flour, mixed with 1 t sugar,

pinch paprika, salt and pepper

1 c sweet corn kernels from 3 cobs (or 1 300g tin)

1 egg

¼ c milk or water, enough to make it stick together

¼ c sliced spring onions or red onion

½ c chopped herbs and vegetables (dried parsley, capsicum, basil)
Cook in tablespoonfuls in hot oiled pan.

Variation: Add small can cooked shrimp or crabmeat or fish

SALMON OR TUNA PATTIES (serves 2 with salad or other veg)
2 medium potatoes (400g) chopped coarsely and boiled till tender. Mash and cool 5 minutes

210 g can salmon or tuna, drained and flaked

2 spring onions or ¼ red onion, chopped

¼ t finely grated lemon rind or 2 t dried dill or parsley

¼ c (3T) plain flour

1 egg beaten

½ c packaged breadcrumbs

To mashed potatoes add canned fish, onion and rind/herbs. Stir till well combined. Make into 4 patties. Dip patties in flour, then egg then breadcrumbs. Pan fry. Serve with tomato or chill sauce and veg or salad.

TUNA OR SALMON MORNAY (serves 2)
1 ½ c milk or 1 ¼ c water and 4 ½ T powdered milk

4 T cornflour - mix with the powdered milk

3 T melted butter or oil

210 can tun or salmon, drained and flaked

300g can corn kernels

2 T dried peas -soak in

¼ c hot water

½ t paprika

Heat milk, add butter/oil. Stir in cornflour mixture dissolved in 2 T cold water. When thickened stir corn and peas, fish and cook through. Stir in ½ c grated cheese.

DAMPER

½ c SR flour per person (or ½ c plain + ½ t baking powder) Salt

Water into a well in the middle to make fairly stiff dough, pliable but not soggy. Flour bottom of camp oven. Place damper in camp oven about 5cm/ 2” thick. Cook about 30 minutes until brown & crusty, and test with skewer or sharp stick.Variations: Add powdered milk or dried fruit. Cook in foil with room to expand.

KEDGEREE: TUNA & TOMATO RICE (serves 2)
1 t red curry paste (or 1 t curry powder and 1 t oil)

½ brown onion, finely chopped, brown with curry paste

½ can tomatoes chopped

2 c veg stock or water 210g can tuna drained and flaked

1 T dried parsley

1 c mixture of broccoli pieces, cubed carrot, dried peas (use 2 T) (6-8 black olives)

1c rice