Mum's lamb mince goulash

My mum has a habit, a "good habit", of throwing whatever left overs we have in the house together. As the weather is getting cooler, she starts making a lot of stews and soups. Here is her latest.

- 250g lamb mince
- 1 carrot,  diced

- 1 tin (250g) diced tomatoes                
- a hand full of peas
- 1 potato, diced
- 1/2 a sweet potato, diced
- 1 cup pumpkin, diced
- 1 stick of celery, sliced
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 a large eggplant, diced
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- salt and pepper to taste

1. Fry all ingredients together until tender.

2. Add stock, curry and salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Thai Green Chicken Curry

After tasting Thai food for the first time, I had to find a recipe for the dish I tried so I could have it whenever I wanted. It was the first time I've used fish sauce before and got so worried once I put it in the dish it would ruin it as it stinks so bad! I was surprised to find it tasted nothing like how it smelt and made the dish taste better.


- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/2 a carrot                                                    
- 3 tablespoons green curry paste
- 500g chicken tenderloins
- 2 cups coconut cream
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
- 125g baby corn
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons grated palm sugar
- steamed jasmine rice to serve

1. Heat the oil in a wok or fry pan. Add the carrot and heat for a few minutes.

2. Add the curry paste and stir briefly. Add the chicken and stir fry, tossing to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the coconut cream, stock, lime leaves and corn and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until chicken is cooked and corn is tender. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and  sugar and heat for 1 minute.

3. Serve with steamed rice. 

Croatian Peas Soup

I am the worst when it comes to peas. I despise them. Doesn't matter where I am, if I see a pea that I can pick out of a dish, I will, leaving just the peas at the end of my meal. I was making this soup for my mum, and decided to taste it, expecting the worst. I was quite surprised by the taste. I LOVE IT!! I sat and ate a whole bowl of it.

- 200g frozen peas
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 40g bacon        
- 2g celery leaves
- 2g parsley leaves
- 20g butter
- 1/2 litre beef stock
- 1  teaspoon thyme
- 2g salt
- 1g pepper
- dash of sour cream

1. Slice the carrot thinly and saute it in the butter. Add the onion and saute until onion is transparent.

2. Add the finely chopped bacon and saute no  longer than 5 minutes. Add a little bit of cold water.

3. Add the celery leaves, peas and parsley to the pot. Add the stock, salt and pepper, and cook until the peas are soft.

4. Blend smooth with an electric blender. Add the thyme. Serve with a dash of sour cream. 

Lamb Kofta

When I made these, I didn't realize that you should add some "fresh" mint as well. The dried mint just isn't strong enough. Or maybe you could try adding some more. Serve them with garlic sauce.

- 1 cup breadcrumbs

- 1/2 kg lamb mince                  
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Mix the breadcrumbs with the lamb and eggs. Mix well with your hands.

2. Add the spices, garlic onion and parsley.

3. Roll mixture into sausage shapes with wet hands and fry the in the oil until evenly browned. 

stuffed risotto balls

One of these balls filled me up.

- 1 litre beef stock
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 200g minced beef
- 1/2 onion
- 120g parmesan cheese, finely grated          
- 200g mozzarella, cubed
- 1 can tomato soup
- salt and pepper to taste
- 500g arborio rice
- 2 eggs
- 100 ml white wine
- breadcrumbs and 2 eggs for coating
- vegetable oil for frying

1. Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add the mince and brown well, breaking up all the lumps. Add the wine and burn off the alcohol. Add tomato soup and season with salt and pepper, cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

2. Add the rice and the stock little bits at a time (like you're cooking a risotto, but 2/3 of the time. Don't cook  it completely, otherwise you'll get mushy rice). When done, remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 eggs, and the parmesan cheese. Cool down.

3. When the rice is cool enough to handle, make about 20 balls. *keep wetting your hands, this will help keep the rice from sticking to your hands.* make a hole in the middle of each with your thumb and insert 2 or 3 cubes of the mozzarella into it. Close the ball by pressing it and re-rolling it

4. Beat the eggs in a bowl and put the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Dip each ball in the egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Do this 2 times.

5. Deep fry the balls until golden and drain.