GREEN BANANA CURRY

DID YOU KNOW... You can Cook a meal with GREEN BANANAS!  Living on the East coast of South Africa, many like Priya Pillay, will vouch on the abundance of this fruit, due to the tropical climate.  Growing up on the East Coast myself, I remember family and neighbours all having at least One banana tree in their yards.  Even if there was no banana tree in the yards, Bananas are so readily available at many stores in South Africa.  

This is what Priya Reckons about this delicious looking dish she prepared: 

"I love this so much that I could eat it nearly everyday. I've even eaten it on toast and crackers; with rice, bread, roti or on its own with salad. Simply delicious."

Well there you have it, REASON ENOUGH to give this curry a try soon. Perfect for those #Meatfree meal days 😉

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS WITH US PRIYA.

GREEN BANANA CURRY

(Kindly shared by Priya Pillay - WATALOTWEGOT)

10 green bananas
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 large onions sliced
6 green chillies split in half
4 fat cloves garlic sliced
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tomato diced
Salt
1 tsp tumeric
2 tsp kashmiri masala
Water

Peel and slice banana into 2mm thick rounds Heat oil in pot. Add mustard seeds. When it starts to splutter add onion, garlic, chillies and curry leaves. Fry until onions are light brown. Add salt, masala and tumeric. Fry for 30 seconds then add tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add banana to pot with about quarter cup water. Mix well. Cook on medium heat until banana is soft but not mushy. May need to add slightly more water as required when cooking.

BEEF LASAGNA

WHAT TO COOK DILEMMA.... SORTED!!!, All Thanks to MELANIE KRAMAR from our WATALOTWEGOT FACEBOOK GROUP.  Here she shows us how to make a decadent meal, that is simply comforting. So if you are planning an ITALIAN INSPIRED MEAL SOON, do give this one a try.

LASAGNA
(Melanie Kramar) - Watalotwegot

Ingredients:

Lasagna sheets, soaked in hot water
750 gr lean beef mince
1 onion chopped
3 minced garlic cloves
1 punnet of mushrooms sliced (optional)
1 can Italian tomatoes
1 sachet tomato paste
Red pepper flakes
Black pepper
250 ml beef stock
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp Italian herbs
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 Bay leaf

Filling
2 tubs cottage cheese (1 garlic and herb) (Ricotta cheese can also be used)
2 eggs
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
½ cup parmesan cheese
1/8th tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
(Mix together with electric hand mixer)

1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese

Method

Heat olive oil, add beef mince and fry till beef changes colour breaking up beef ensuring no clumps. Add, onion, garlic, and mushroom and fry till vegetables are cooked. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, salt, pepper, chili flakes, Italian season, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and chopped parsley. Simmer for 2 hours on low heat stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 180 °C .

Pour a layer of meat sauce at bottom of baking dish. Layer lasagna sheets making sure they don’t overlap. Spread a 1/3 of the cottage cheese filling, Sprinkle some mozzarella over. Spoon meat sauce over. Repeat layers ending with lasagna sheets. Cover with parmesan & mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle some parsley. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes till golden. Enjoy.

STRAWBERRY DESSERT

It's almost SPRING, and Strawberries are in abundance again in many stores in South Africa.  Many a strawberry farm even have a Strawberry picking day during Spring months, when families can come out onto the farms and pick, eat, and purchase strawberries.

I love anything strawberry, DO YOU?  And look how amazing this Strawberry Dessert looks😍.  This was kindly shared on by Ayesha Randeree, on our Facebook Group, and has been made a few times by our members.  So why not give this one a try, when you need something easy, yet delightful, to spoil your family and guests.

Strawberry Dessert (Ayesha Randeree) - Watalotwegot

500 ml fresh cream

2 tubs cream cheese

3/4 cup Icing sugar or according to taste

1/2 tsp strawberry essence

Boudoir Biscuits

2 tins Canned strawberries drain and blitz till smooth. Reserve some for drizzling over

Dessert

Line loaf tin with cling film overlapping the sides

Beat together cream cheese, fresh cream, icing sugar and essence till thick 

Layer boudoir biscuits, cream cheese and strawberries

Continue layering ending off with boudoir

Leave in fridge to set overnight or few hours 

Unmould onto serving platter

Pour over reserved strawberries 

Garnish with fresh mint leaves

Tip: Leave cream cheese outside to soften for about an hour before making dessert