Aubergine Baigan

Watched this video yesterday while searching for Fried Aubergine Marsala. It looks simple enough, had most of the ingredients and I tried it out.

I chopped the onions, and heated the pan with more oil than I normally use.
Threw in the onions, cumin and fenugreek - I forgot he used mustard seeds too.
I chopped the aubergine and salted in while the onions were softening.
I should have left the onions caramelise a little bit but I thought the aubergine would take a while to cook.
As it flavoured the oil, I threw in the aubergine and let it cook. I added some curry leaves.
I prepared the next few ingredients.
When it looked half cooked I added the
 - chilli powder, tumeric powder
 - crushed ginger and garlic (should have added this earlier)
 - chopped tomatoes and 1/4 chilli
 And gave it a stir
I didn't have coriander leaves so I added rice vinegar.

I think this recipe needed some tamarind water. But thats often not in my pantry. The tomatoes were a good substitute. It doesn't often work for me, however, I think the ginger and garlic made up for it.

I cooked cumin lamb for the family. This went fantastically with it.

Cumin lamb you say? How was that made?

Just marinade slivers of lamb (lamb chops cut across the grain) of lamb in
 - crushed ginger
 - powdered cumin
 - dark soy sauce
 - tiniest cooking wine
 - tiniest bit of chinkiang vinegar
 - salt
Leave it for 30 minutes, or while I cooked the other accompaniments

Heat wok and oil in it till its quite hot
Add chopped garlic
Add the marinated lamb
When the lamb is half cooked
Add long slices of onion and 1/4 chilli
Stir it
Let the water come out and evaporate
Let it sit for a while to reabsorb the tastes.

Eat with Aubergine Baigan.!!

Next time - add the coriander leaves.

Lamb stew

I bought some lamb cubes and wanted to make a stew. I had once made one with aubergines, cumin and mint. I liked the idea of the ingredients but it never turned out well. I don't know where I went wrong with that one. I came home only to find I didn't have that magazine with me so I had to consult the internet to get some ideas.

Nigella had an interesting one, but I realised most British/Australian lamb stew recipes resemble lamb shank recipes or had a Moroccan tinge to it for added spices (served with couscous). All had tinned tomatoes, beans, cumin/cinnamon, chilli, bla bla bla. I looked at my recylced space filled with empty tinned tomatoes (pizza, pasta, another stew) and decided not to use tomatoes.

So I needed a Greek recipe and found this. I was so inspired by its simplicity. Such basic ingredients. Then you could add vegetables as appropriate and it gave a few authentic examples. What better place to find!.

I am getting some experience with making stews, especially since Stephen got his casserole dish. So I invented this recipe and it turned out alright. I am confident of writing the recipe out because it had the least inteference and effort put in, quiet straight forward.

One thing though, I served it to Nathan and he turned his nose at it. Didnt like it at all. I on the other hand loved the taste of it and as I got to the cauliflower (which Nathan used to love!) remembered my childhood days when I used to hate cauliflower. The whole dish was stamped - anti children - the sort of food mothers would force on their children. But I loved it.....

Lamb stew with cauliflower.

1 kg lamb cubed, floured
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 slices tinned jalapeno pepper
1 clove garlic
3 tbs parsley chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup wine
3 cups cauliflower chopped
4 potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks


1. While you heat casserole dish, flour, salt and pepper the lamb cubes. Then add oil and brown the lamb. Turn heat off. Add onions, green pepper, garlic, jalapeno pepper and mix thoroughly. Leave to marinate in the oven for 1 hour.
2. 2 1/2 hours before its needed, turn the oven on with the casserole inside.
3. 1/2 an hour later, add the wine and some water but dont cover the meat.
4. 1 hours later, mix the casserole then lay the potatoes on top of meat but so as it doesnt touch the liquid.
5. 1/2 an hour later, remove the steamed potatoes gently and into another container. Mix the casserole, season as appropriate and add the cauliflower.
6. 15 minutes later its all done and ready to serve.

I served this with green lentils with tomatoes. This stew had a very lemony taste and needed something earthy to go with it.

Merry Christmas

We had Christmas dinner on Christmas eve at home. We roasted a leg of lamb the way we do it in Mallacoota - pierced with garlic, stolen rosemary and anchovies. Served with roast potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, garlic and tomatoes. Delicious. It was a bit dry because Stephen isn't patient enough for gravy. The roast tomatoes provide some sauce. Special Japanese garlic was roasted and its soft juicy flesh spread like butter over the slices of lamb. I must remember to start the roast with potatoes, to put it in while preparing the lamb. I think that it needs the opportunity for its temperature to rise and that next to the lamb the temperature is the same as the lamb which is not hot enough. The roasted meat and vegetables was served with green beans and a salad. Sancha on the side was a new addition to the mix. I should have bought the aubergines and roasted that too, would have gone well together.

Christmas Day, we spent by the beach at bills cafe. After trying to get directions from their japanese speaking staff, we managed to see the tiny word bills on a grey building and not a white one that they told us. Great aussie food - they had scrambled eggs, wagyu burger, chicken schnitzel, pasta, rissoto, pavlova. Obvious business formula to locate its japanese branch in kamakura,right next to the ocean, very Sydney. Stephen had seafood stew which both Nathan and he thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, they ordered only one dish to share and Stephen didnt have enough. We couldnt order anymore as it was past their last order, in fact we couldnt order a coffee after 2pm. I would recommend they change their chairs.

For dinner we had lamb soup. The left overs stewed with a tin of tomatoes, left over vegetables and beans served with cous cous.