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DIY Garam Masala

For Garam Masala, I’ve discovered, there are about as many recipes as their are people making it. There isn’t one authentic, or one original recipe, but rather it seems to be a matter of personal choice.DIY Garam Masala Spices

For a long time I would say that I didn’t like curries. I think this was because every curry I ever had from a takeaway was just an overkill of hot and I didn’t find that very pleasant. It was only when a friend served me a curry she made that I realised that there was a world of flavour out there that I knew very little about.  Over the recent years I’ve learned to enjoy curries – but only those I make, so that I manage the heat!DIY Garam Masala Spice Mix

Garam Masala is the foundation for many North Indian and South Asian dishes, but I’ve also learned that it can add amazing flavour to any meat dish without specifically making it a curry. Garam Masala actually means ‘warm spices’ and that’s precisely what these spices do – they add a warm depth of flavour to the meal.DIY Garam Masala

As with all spices, if you’re able to blend it fresh when you need it, the flavours are stronger and richer, but I make a small amount at a time so that I make a fresh batch every month or so. You can freeze this and take it out as you need it, or just store in an airtight container. DIY Garam Masala Gift

DIY Garam Masala
Recipe Type: Seasoning, Spicemix
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 200g
Since I prefer to make this mix up fresh as often as possible, I keep the quantities small, meaning the Thermomix scales aren’t useful here, so this recipe uses a 5ml teaspoon and a 15ml tablespoon.
Ingredients
  • 1 Whole nutmeg
  • 10 Whole cloves
  • 1 Cassia Stick (sold as cinnamon sticks in supermarkets)
  • 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
  • 2 tbs Coriander seeds
  • 1 tbs Cumin seeds
  • 1 tbs Fennel seeds
  • 1 tbs Cardamom pods (about 6 pods)
  • 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (add more if you prefer a hotter spice, or substitute for dried chillies)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
Instructions
  1. If you’re using a Thermomix, you can add all the ingredients to the bowl and whizz at[b] speed 10 / 20 seconds[/b]. Check inside to confirm, but everything should be a fine powder.
  2. If you’re not using a Thermomix or similar high powered blender, add the first four ingredients, and blend for 30 seconds or until broken into pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a further 30 – 60 seconds depending on your blender, until all the spices are crushed.
  3. Store in an airtight container and use within a month for the best flavours.

 

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Watermelon And Rosewater Granita Recipe

Granita, despite my children calling it ice cream, is actually a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavourings. It is related to sorbet and Italian ice; but in Sicily it has a coarser, more crystalline texture – a bit like this recipe below. Watermelon & Rosewater Granita

Watermelon is a childhood memory for me. It reminds me of hot days, living in a hot, hot place, and my mother deciding to to make dinner, because who wants to cook when it’s 42C outside?! It reminds me of sweet sticky nectar running down my arms, of getting hosed down in the garden. It’s a good memory, and while we now live on – quite literally – the opposite side of the world, and the watermelons are round and have softer skins, but I love that I’m able to pass this same memory on to my own little girls now too. Watermelon & Rosewater Granita

When there’s left over watermelon – and sometimes there is – I like to make a watermelon and rose water granita. It keeps the watermelon going for a few days more and it is just so refreshing. 

I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

Watermelon & Rosewater Granita
Recipe Type: Summer, Ice Cream, Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 800g
Granita is light, easy and refreshing!
Ingredients
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 125 ml water
  • 600g watermelon
  • 1 teaspoon rose water
Instructions
Regular Instructions
  1. Add 80g caster sugar to a saucepan with 125ml water and bring it to boil. Allow it to boil for 3 minutes, then put aside to cool down completely.
  2. Liquidise the watermelon – a couple of minutes in a food processor should do it – and add the rose water. Place in the fridge.
  3. Once the sugar syrup is cool, mix the two together and place in the freezer. I use a metal bowl.
  4. Remove from the freezer every 30 mins to stir, making sure to break up all the lumps. After 90 minutes and three stirs, the granita should be ready to eat.
  5. Decorate with washed rose petals if you have any, and enjoy.
Thermomix Instructions
  1. Add 80g sugar to the Thermomix and pulse 3 or 4 times.
  2. Add water and boil Varoma/Speed 2/3 mins.
  3. Put aside to cool down completely.
  4. Add the watermelon to the Thermomix and add the rose water, then speed 5/2 mins.
  5. Once the sugar syrup is cool, mix the two together and place in the freezer. I use the ThermoServer.
  6. Remove from the freezer every 30 mins to stir, making sure to break up all the lumps. After 90 minutes and three stirs, the granita should be ready to eat.
  7. Decorate with washed rose petals if you have any, and enjoy.

 

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Leftover Couscous Balls Or Patties

We often eat couscous as an alternative to pasta. While I know I do better on a grain free diet, life circumstances dictate that grains make up a big part of our diet – they just cost less than the better-f0r-me stuff! Sad but true. So, we eat a lot of grains. One of the fantastic things about couscous is that you can make completely different meals by adapting the sauce, seasoning and add-ons in your couscous salad.

Sometimes we also end up with a left over couscous – not enough for another meal, but too much to bin in good conscience. So I tried frying it arancini-style. Because the leftover couscous was already so flavourful, I wasn’t all that fussed with additions, but we could have put mozzarella balls or even flavoured cream cheese in the centre. I didn’t miss it though.

Fried Couscous Balls

Obviously these aren’t perfectly round as sticky rice arancini would be, but it really makes no difference to the flavour. They make great little patties too.

The couscous on the outside forms a crispy layer outside the softer insides, so it provides a great variety of texture from the standard couscous salad too.

Fried Couscous Balls This recipe is just a starting point. You can adapt it to pretty much anything. Be careful with wet ingredients that it doesn’t get too wet and fall apart – start with less and add more as needed. Also, you don’t need to use egg, but it’s more fragile without the egg.

Another delicious flavour combination is couscous with shredded chicken in tomato and basil sauce. Add feta to the centre of the balls, and follow the instructions for cooking!

Tip: Plan to make a few more than you need as some will break and fall apart. They still taste great, and can be eaten anyway, but not ideal if you’re looking for presentation brownie-points.

Fried Couscous Balls Or Patties
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10 balls
I use a basic formula when I make couscous salad, and no two are ever the same. It’s quite simple: 1 part meat, equal amounts vegetables, and herbs & spices to taste. For the leftovers, I simply mix in an egg. Done. It couldn’t really be simpler! It’s hard to give an exact recipe though, as that kind of negates the point of using the leftovers – just play around with it. It’s worth it!
Ingredients
  • For the couscous
  • 300g dry couscous
  • 200g pancetta or diced bacon, cooked
  • 2 spring onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 10g (2 tsp) [url href=”http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NGU3DIW/?tag=diaofafirchi-21″ target=”_blank”]Ras el hanout[/url] or other favourite spice mix. (Chinese 5 spices, BBQ etc)
  • For the balls/patties
  • 300g prepared couscous (roughly)
  • 1 egg, whisked
Instructions
If making couscous especially for this recipe
  1. Bring 500g water (2 cups in a kettle) or stock to the boil.
  2. Switch off the heat and stir in 300g couscous and spices.
  3. Add a tablespoon of butter if you used a water based stock. If you used a meat stock you are unlikely to need the extra fat.
  4. Chop cooked bacon, spring onions, garlic finely. (10 seconds, speed 4 in Thermomix) and add to couscous.
  5. Leave to cool.
If using leftover couscous
  1. Once cool, whisk an egg and add to the mixture to help it stick together. You don’t have to use an egg, but they are a lot more fragile without it.
  2. Form either balls or patties in the palm of your hand.
  3. Meanwhile heat a frying pan to medium heat with a small amount of oil. Add the balls to the frying pan and leave for 2 – 3 minutes until they become golden and crispy. Turn over, remembering that they are more fragile than e.g. meatballs. The browner and crisper the outer layer, the better they will hold together. Everything in the patties that needs to be cooked, like the pancetta or bacon, is already cooked so you’re just trying to crisp it up.
  4. Once golden on all sides, remove to a serving dish and serve immediately as a snack or as a side dish to meat, salad or similar.

 

 

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Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

I enjoy my sourdough. I like sourdough bread. I feed my sourdough every day, like a good parent. But sometimes, I just don’t fancy a straight up sourdough bread.

One thing I really love is cinnamon. I have about 8 supermarket spice jars and a 1kg bag in the store cupboard! That’s some good stuff, cinnamon.

I decided to sweeten the bread with cinnamon sugar left over from making pancakes, and threw in a cup full of raisins, and see what happens. It was so good! My daughters love it, and it’s a favourite here now.Sourdough Bread

This is quite a dense bread, unless you leave it to rise for ages – it’s one of those sourdoughs that does better for a 12 hour rise.

It also makes a huge batch – two regular sized loaves. The Thermomix TM31 copes with it, but just. The T5 should be better with the bigger capacity bowl. You can split the ingredients in two and just do the Thermomix bit in two batches.

I hope you like this bread. We love it!Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough

Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread
Recipe Type: Bread, Baking
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 loaves
Ingredients
  • 750g strong white bread flour
  • 400g lukewarm water
  • 40g olive oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 200g sourdough starter
  • 100g sugar
  • 10g cinnamon
  • 150g raisins
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to the Thermomix bowl
  2. Mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds to combine everything
  3. Then knead for 3 minutes on the dough setting (wheat sheaf)
  4. Meanwhile, oil or butter your loaf tin.
  5. Note: This makes a HUGE loaf, so if you’re using a standard loaf tin, you’ll need to separate the dough into two.
  6. Remove from Thermomix and place on a tray. Halve the dough now if you’re going to.
  7. You need to ‘fold’ it into a ball. Essentially treat it like a sheet you’re tucking in to a mattress – take one side and fold it under, then the other, and fold it under, then the final two, till it’s a ‘ball’.
  8. Place in the bread tin, then cut deep slits along the top – this is to prevent the sides of the bread splitting apparently.
  9. Now here things get tricky. There are as many instructions for making sourdough bread as there are recipes, so here’s what I did.
  10. Leave the dough to rest for six hours, in a warm, but not hot place.
  11. Heat the oven to 200C and cook for 30 – 40 minutes. Test to see if it’s ready by knocking on the crust. If it sounds hollow it’s ready.
  12. Leave the bread to cool slightly before cutting.

 

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Vietnamese Cashew Pineapple Chicken

I love this dish. It just looks summery and fresh and inviting. Serve it with rice, or if you’re sharing, add a hearty meaty dish with it.

Vietnamese Cashew Pineapple Chicken This recipe is originally from The Essential Asian Cookbook*, but adapted for serving two children and using a Thermomix – but you can use a knife as most of the cooking is done in a wok. I do think all of this could be done in the Thermomix to some extent. You could saute the cashews and coconut in the bowl, steam the chicken in the Varoma, and then combine all the ingredients at about 90C in the bowl before serving, but if I don’t have to and do have access to the wok, I’d do it that way.

Vietnamese Cashew Pineapple Chicken
Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Vietnamese,Asian,
Author: Adapted by Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
A good stand alone, or perfect as part of a shared meal.
Ingredients
  • 30g (2tbs) shredded coconut
  • 80g (1/2 cup) raw cashews
  • 30g (2tbs) oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 chopped red chillies (optional – I do it without)
  • 350g chicken thigh fillets, diced
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 tbs fish sauce (nam plah)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 320g (2 cups) chopped pineapple (fresh is good, but tinned and drained is fine)
  • 3 spring onions
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 150C (300F) and spread the coconut evenly onto a tray. Toast the coconut for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from the tray immediately to prevent burning and set aside.
  2. Increase the heat to 180C (350F) and roast the cashews for 15 minutes until deep golden.
  3. In a wok, pour the oil to heat up.
  4. Drop the onion and garlic (and chillies if using) onto a running Thermomix at speed 4, about 5 seconds.
  5. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan.
  6. Meanwhile, put the peppers into the Thermomix and chop speed 4 about 10 seconds or until it’s the size you want.
  7. Add the chicken and the peppers to the wok, and cook until the chicken is light brown. Add the onion back in to the wok, then add the fish sauce, sugar and pineapple and heat through for about 2 minutes.
  8. Blitz the spring onion on Turbo to chop.
  9. Toss the cashews through the food in the wok, then serve and scatter the toasted coconut and spring onion over the top.
  10. Serve with rice or Asian vegetables.
Regular Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 150C (300F) and spread the coconut evenly onto a tray. Toast the coconut for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from the tray immediately to prevent burning and set aside.
  2. Increase the heat to 180C (350F) and roast the cashews for 15 minutes until deep golden.
  3. In a wok, pour the oil to heat up.
  4. Chop the onions, garlic and chillies. While you’re at it, chop the peppers roughly and spring onions finely. Make sure the chicken is evenly diced.
  5. Add the onion, garlic and chillies if using to the wok.
  6. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan.
  7. Add the chicken and the peppers to the wok, and cook until the chicken is light brown. Add the onion back in to the wok, then add the fish sauce, sugar and pineapple and heat through for about 2 minutes.
  8. Toss the cashews through the food in the wok, then serve and scatter the toasted coconut and spring onion over the top.
  9. Serve with rice or Asian vegetables.
Calories: 2082
Notes
serves 4[br]521 calories per serve (doesn’t include rice)

 

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Sri Lankan Devilled Pork Recipe

I’m not a fan of spicy food, and put a stack of take away fliers down in front of me and I’ll never go for the Indian or similarly spiced option. That said, whenever I’ve made anything vaguely curry-ish in nature, I’ve really enjoyed it. Strange, isn’t it.

This recipe is fantastic. Honestly, the richness of flavours is out of this world. Specially since it’s not a spice combination I’m accustomed to. And I don’t even like strong tomato flavours. But this, I enjoy! Sri Lankan Mild Devilled Pork“Devilled” is the generally given adjective for when something is highly spiced – which I’ve come to realise doesn’t have to mean hot. Traditionally this recipe would have some chilies added to it. If you like chilies, go wild. I don’t like hot food, and I’m feeding a five and a three year old too, so we don’t add chilies.

I find food like this so hard to photograph. I look at this picture and see a symphony of flavour, but without having eaten it, it probably looks a bit weird. Sorry about that. It’s fantastically flavorsome though. Take my word for it!

 

Sri Lankan Mild Devilled Pork Serve this with Baharat Spiced Meatballs with yoghurt and garlic butter to cut the spices a little. It makes a nice shared meal.

 

Sri Lankan Devilled Pork
Recipe Type: Meat
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
A forgiving recipe that lets you adjust the seasoning and flavours to your preference. Sri Lankan curry is a blend of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cassia bark, fenugreek seeds, cloves, cardamon, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, kashmiri chilli & turmeric – buy one ready made or mix your own before starting this recipe.
Ingredients
  • Marinade
  • 1 tbs cider vinegar
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 500g pork
  • 1 large onion
  • 320g (can) tomatoes
  • 4 – 6 garlic cloves
  • 3 tsp [url href=”http://www.spicekitchenuk.com/products/8-spice-blends” target=”_blank”]Sri Lankan Curry Powder[/url]
  • Lemon rind
Instructions
Thermomix Instructions
  1. Cut Pork into 1′ chunks
  2. Place marinade ingredients in the Thermomix bowl, and mix, speed 5/10 seconds. Add chopped meat and mix speed 1/15 seconds
  3. Set aside to marinate for at least 45 minutes
  4. (Don’t worry about cleaning the bowl)
  5. In the Thermomix, drop the onion over running blades (speed 4).
  6. Heat a pan to medium heat. and add the marinated pork with the marinade. Cook until the juices have reduced to a thick gravy. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Also add salt & Sri Lankan Curry Powder to taste.
  7. Stir to prevent burning, till all the liquid is gone.
  8. In the meantime, fill the Thermomix with water, and cook rice per the usual method. You can add your choice of Asian vegetables to the Varoma at this point too.
  9. Sprinkle with grated lemon rind
  10. Serve the rice with soy sauce and Sri Lankan Devilled Pork.
Regular Instructions
  1. Cut Pork into 1′ chunks
  2. Place marinade ingredients in a bowl, and mix together.. Add chopped meat and stir till it’s all covered.
  3. Set aside to marinate for at least 45 minutes
  4. Slice the onion finely.
  5. Heat a pan to medium heat, and add the marinated pork with the marinade. Cook until the juices have reduced to a thick gravy. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Also add salt & Sri Lankan Curry Powder to taste.
  6. Stir to prevent burning, till all the liquid is gone.
  7. In the meantime cook rice per your usual method.
  8. Sprinkle with grated lemon rind
  9. Serve the rice with soy sauce and Sri Lankan Devilled Pork.
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South African Thermomix Vetkoek

I love Vetkoek, it reminds me of growing up, of my dad coming home on a Friday with a bag of ready made dough from the shop, chopping it up and making vetkoek, which he’d put into a big cream-coloured bowl and we’d all crowd round eating warm fresh vetkoek filled with cheese, mince, syrup or apricot jam. Sometimes we have it with a chicken mayonnaise filling, and sometimes I’d simply have it on it’s own.Vetkoek

 

While you can try to compare a vetkoek with a doughnut, it doesn’t taste like a doughnut, it’s more savoury, but still a little sweet. Actually, there’s nothing I can think of to compare the flavour to – it’s it’s own thing.

Your choice of fillings is endless – pretty much anything goes, but for us the favourites are cheese, mince, chicken, syrup, and apricot jam, as I said above.

South African Thermomix Vetkoek
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 210g water (room temp)
  • 280g unbleached bread flour
  • 1 (5g) teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3g) sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons (7g) fast-rising active dry yeast (I use this one)
  • oil, for deep-frying
Instructions
  1. Pour water into the Thermomix bowl.
  2. Add dry ingredients finishing with the yeast.
  3. Mix 10 seconds/ speed 6
  4. Then 3:30 minutes/ kneading setting
  5. Remove and set aside to rise
  6. When doubled in size (about 90 minutes) divide into 10 balls on lightly floured surface. Flatten slightly in the palm of your hand.
  7. Let rise for 1/2 hour. (Use this time to prepare your filling)
  8. Warm oil in deep pot– oil should be about 2 inches deep – on medium heat. Drop a thumbnail sized bit of dough into the pan. If it sizzles it’s hot enough, and once the tiny bit of dough has risen to the top, remove it and start cooking your vetkoek.
  9. Add the dough balls one at a time, depending on the size of your pot, about 5 or 6 at a time. They will swell up so don’t overfill the pot.
  10. Fry vetkoek for about 5 minutes a side, but keep an eye on it. If they blacken too quickly, they’ll still be raw inside, and your oil is too hot. If the oil is not hot enough, the vetkoek will absorb lots of oil and be gross.
  11. They should be the color of doughnuts when ready. Golden delicious.
  12. Drain on kitchen towels or in a colander.
  13. As soon as you can bear to touch them, slice open and fill.
  14. Enjoy.

 

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Chocolate Crispy Bars {Dairy Free Sugar Free Gluten Free}

It’s almost Easter again, and while we aren’t really a free-from anything family, when there’s so much focus on chocolate – between Valentine’s day, Mother’s Day, and Easter, I like to have alternatives available, so that even if I don’t manage to curb my sweet tooth, I’m at least not filling up myself or the children with cheap, often actually not very good – chocolate.Chocolate Crispies

This recipe is very easy. The children can help you make it, or you can whip it up quickly. It’s quite dark, we like dark chocolate. If you don’t like it as dark, adjust the cocoa down. You could add other things, like marshmallows, nuts, or cherries, but just remember to adjust the quantity of rice crispies down then. The main thing to remember is this isn’t held together by chocolate, which is strong, but by coconut oil, which needs to be kept cool, otherwise you’ll end up with what looks like a (very tasty) bowl of chocolate cereal.

I use a gluten free Rice Crispie from Nature’s Path, because we have it at the moment, but you can use any other if you prefer.

I also use this brownie pan because it’s super convenient.

Dairy Free Sugar Free Gluten Free Chocolate Crispy Bars
Recipe Type: Sweets, TM31
Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24 blocks
A lovely snack box recipe for the kids, and fabulous for hitting that sweet spot, while not being overly unhealthy.
Ingredients
  • 50g Coconut Oil (1/4 cup)
  • 70g honey (1/4 cup)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 30 – 50g cocoa powder (1/3 cup) (Cacao for Paleo)
  • pinch of fine sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
  • 100g [url href=”http://www.amazon.co.uk/Natures-Path-Crispy-Organic-Breakfast/dp/B004990VLG/?tag=diaofafirchi-21″ target=”_blank”]rice crispies [/url] (1.5 cups)
Instructions
Thermomix Recipe
  1. Add the coconut oil and honey to the Thermomix bowl. If you’re using runny honey, 30 seconds/37 degrees/speed 2 should melt it all, but if the honey is crystalised or set, about 1 minute/50 degrees/speed 2. It must be mixed and melted before you go to step 2.
  2. Add the vanilla and cocoa powder, and a small pinch of sea salt. 15 seconds/speed 3
  3. Add the rice crispies and use the spatula to stir it in so that all the rice crispies are covered with the chocolate mix.
  4. Transfer to a brownie pan (this one is fantastic!) and squash it all in nicely. Put in the fridge for an hour or two to set, then cut into squares.
  5. Tip: Remember this is kept together with coconut oil, so keep it cool otherwise it might fall apart a bit.
Regular Instructions
  1. Create a double boiler by boiling a pot of water on the stove, and put coconut oil and honey in a glass bowl over it. Once they’re melted, mix together and add the vanilla extract (be careful – both the glass bowl and the mixture will be very hot).
  2. Add the cocoa powder and sea salt, and then add the rice crispies.
  3. Mix together till all the rice crispies are covered in the chocolate mixture and transfer into your brownie pan.
  4. Place in the fridge till it’s cooled and set, then cut into squares.

chocolate crispies

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Sourdough Bread In The Thermomix

Before we go any further, I need to come clean on something here: I’m not a professional at sourdough. I’m not even really good at it. This was my first attempt at sourdough, and I’m really happy with how it turned out, so I wrote it down. I expect that there’ll be plenty of editing and changing as I play and learn with it. But, sitting here eating a slice of bread with butter, I can tell you that this recipe as it is written here, works, and works well.

Sourdough BreadBack in November a friend gave me a master class on Sourdough as it’s something she makes a lot. I took away a dried starter with me, and then life happened. In the last week of February, I finally activated the starter, and have been feeding it for a week. Yesterday I felt we were good to go.

If you want to buy a ready to go starter, you can get them from eBay and Etsy, among others.

This makes a huge loaf. In future I’ll make it as two breads in a regular loaf tin. You can also use this proving basket for up to 1kg of bread, which would suit this recipe perfectly.

So, to the recipe…

Author: Luschka
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 standard loaves
Ingredients
  • 750g strong white bread flour
  • 400g lukewarm water
  • 40g olive oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 200g sourdough starter
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to the Thermomix bowl
  2. Mix on speed 6 for 10 seconds to combine everything
  3. Then knead for 3 minutes on the dough setting (wheat sheaf)
  4. Meanwhile, oil or butter your loaf tin.
  5. Note: This makes a HUGE loaf, so if you’re using a standard loaf tin, you’ll need to separate the dough into two.
  6. Remove from Thermomix and place on a tray. Halve the dough now if you’re going to.
  7. You need to ‘fold’ it into a ball. Essentially treat it like a sheet you’re tucking in to a mattress – take one side and fold it under, then the other, and fold it under, then the final two, till it’s a ‘ball’.
  8. Place in the bread tin, then cut deep slits along the top – this is to prevent the sides of the bread splitting apparently.
  9. Now here things get tricky. There are as many instructions for making sourdough bread as there are recipes, so here’s what I did.
  10. Leave the dough to rest for six hours, in a warm, but not hot place.
  11. Heat the oven to 200C and cook for 30 – 40 minutes. Test to see if it’s ready by knocking on the crust. If it sounds hollow it’s ready.
  12. Leave the bread to cool slightly before cutting.

I hope it works for you. Please let me know, and if you have any hints and tips, leave them below! I think I could use them!

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Egg & Smoked Salmon Salad Recipe

Egg and Smoked Salmon

During my pregnancies I became very aware of what I called my Food DNA. It may have been mid-winter with snow falling around our home in the UK, but I was craving mangoes, litchis, kiwi fruit:  seasonally appropriate for my Southern Hemisphere DNA. I find myself here again – not pregnant, thankfully – but wrapped and bundled in scarves and gloves, but craving salads and light suppers. Egg and smoked salmonI came across this salmon & egg salad recipe, designed by Sunrise’s award winning chefs, among a bunch of others regularly served in their care homes and it really appealed to me, but I’ve made a few minor changes to adapt it for the Thermomix. You can find the original recipe here, and you certainly don’t need any fancy kitchen machinery to make it. Egg and smoked salmon 2 I’ll be in Australia for a while next month. I’m looking forward to a lot more salads and fresh, sun-kissed fruit – and will certainly be revisiting this one again.

Salmon & Egg Salad Recipe
Recipe Type: Lunch, Light Supper
Cuisine: Salad, Healthy
Author: Sunrise chefs
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
A delicious recipe adapted from the Sunrise Care website for the Thermomix
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs (hard boiled)
  • Small bunch of parsley
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of ground black pepper
  • 4 table spoons olive oil
  • ¼ tsp French mustard
  • 2 table spoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tomato – quartered
  • 1 red pepper – seeded and halved
  • ½ red onion – peeled and halved
  • ¼ cucumber – cut in four
  • 50g watercress
  • 160g smoked salmon pieces
  • ½ lemon
Instructions
  1. In the Thermomix bowl, add 1 litre warm water and add the whole eggs in the internat steamer. Boil for 14 minutes/speed 2/ Varoma temp.
  2. When it’s done, remove the basket and empty out the water.
  3. In the bowl, add parsley , salt, pepper, olive oil, mustard, vinegar and stir for 10 seconds on speed 5.
  4. Add the tomato, red pepper, onion and cucumber and mix speed 4 for 10 – 15 seconds. Keep an eye on it to see the size. You don’t want to end up with a smoothie.
  5. Peel the eggs and halve.
  6. Pour the salsa in a mixing bowl, a glass bowl is nice. Put the watercress on top, then add the strips of smoked salmon.
  7. Dot the eggs around the top, and drizzle the lemon juice over the top.
  8. When you’re ready to serve, mix the ingredients well, and make sure every plate gets a bit of everything.