curry in a hurry...

i would love to tell you my middle name is madras but alas it is not or that i go by the pseudonym of tika masala but then that would be just a fib, hee,hee. but truth be known i love a good curry whether it is one of lovie's infamous homemade concoctions or an authentic indian one. call me spicy, i like it hot but draw the line at self combustion!!! someone with their guchas on fire and screaming high heaven probably really ain't that sexy! ok,ok,ok enough i hear you say, just get on with the damn blog and so i shall loyal, devoted viewers wherever you are. (btw it would be cool if you followed me so that i don't appear to be too lame ass, you know the universe is dominated by the proliferation of food bloggers, come join and at least make me appear credible).
     today it is all about curry in a hurry and yes it is time to take a big shortcut. first of all i am not flogging any particular product; any particular paste or spice mix will do but from one curry cheat to another, here it is...
the scene...
you have been at work most of the week well make that every day bar one. you decide to work that extra friday after all easter is coming and you need the extra dosh to top up your chocolate supply. yeah great idea you say to yourself as you battle with the parent from hell who wants to know  why charlotte didn't get chosen for the prize box. you want to say it's because she is a right royal pain in the ass. well actually that is rather mild because if you said what you really wanted you know you will be on the next today tonight episode. OMG i wish this day would end you think. OMG you fret after realising you have eaten 23 tim tams at morning tea while you think no-one is watching.OMG the bell has gone and now you are returning home to ravenous boys who are gonna be asking MUM WHAT'S FOR DINNER? and if you don't give them an answer they are gonna dob you into lovie who will roll her eyes because after all she is the right royal queen of cooking.  so what is one over worked tired mum on the run suppose to do? go to her mama's place and hope she has something on the stove? nope, already used up the free dinner passes. mm,well i will tell you. she consults her culinary guide of cheating your way through home dinners and turns to page 53.
      so viewers here is another one of my culinary secrets that will have your dinner on the table in just under 30 mins. you will need: 500gms of chicken tenderloin, 1 medium brown onion, 2tbspns of organic virgin coconut oil (but hey if you don't have that on hand i shall let you off the hook this time) 1 small can of light coconut milk (185ml) and one packet of spice tailor punjabi tomato curry, yes that's right OMG a packet curry paste you say? you bet your basmati rice it is. but seriously folks you won't be gasping in cooking horror when you realise how quick, convenient and tasty it is. my rule of cooking is this, if it is going to come out of a packet then i make sure it is free from crappy ingredients like added preservatives, colours and general fake stuff and then one can cook guilt free and avoid a fine from the culinary police or the disdain from those who yeah make it all from scratch. good on ya just don't turn your nose up at us culinary rebels. so just follow along and you will have dinner in no time:
curry in a hurry
quarter and slice onion
place coconut oil or oil of your choice in frying pan, add dry spices from curry packet, fry until aromatic then add onions and sautee. cut tenderloins into chunks add to onion, seal. add small curry packet and coat chicken, then add larger curry sauce packet, then coconut milk. stir, bring to boil and then simmer until chicken is cooked. you can also be cooking your basmati rice at the same time, enough for 3-4 people. and that's it. it will be done in just under 30 unless you have the chopping speed of a snail. serve with greens or freshly sliced. enough for 3 big appetites or 4 medium ones.
PS i have even converted my sister and for those her know her i say culinary BINGO!!! lol.

aunty lindi's sausage rolls...my entry for foodblogger idol 2015 and no i wasn't a finalist, poo, poo!!!

I have a confession to make…yes viewers I am nothing more than a low down culinary cheat, ooh I just said it and what’s more it is true. I would like to tell you that I am a graduate of the Francoise school of esteemed pastry makers but alas I am not and guess what? I don’t care, really don’t care and do you know why? Pampas Butter Puff pastry… teehee.

     I am mum on the run with two growing boys that are eating me out of house and home. One is a rower who with the size of his appetite you would think was training to make it all the way to Antarctica and back. The other plays basketball and is yet to catch his brother in the appetite stakes but time will no doubt skyrocket his into the food stratosphere as well.  I pride myself on my culinary shortcuts viewers. Seriously who has time to make puff pastry or butter puff pastry for that matter? If you do and have passed your certificate with honours and have it framed and hanging on your wall, then congratulations you win a free set of steak knives!              

     However, I will let you on in a little secret, the cold pressed culinary truth is, that no-one really is going to be able to detect the difference. And no-one needs to hear about your advanced pastry making techniques or where you sourced your grassfed butter or the fact that your kids only ever eat organic. OK smack me with the wooden spoon now food police. But one more culinary truth is, that sometimes we just have to make do with what we have. And sometimes we have to…dare I say it? Use something already pre-made and out of the packet, (Please forgive me Julia Child’s queen of French cookery knowledge) but that’s just the way it is. And sometimes it is better than good when someone hands over their secret recipe because they have no plans to be the next contestant on Master Chef. And sometimes it just so happens to be handy to have a little sista who is a chef (and yes she is one of those grassfed beef organic kind of gals) but I forgive her and you will too because today culinary fortune has shined down upon us all.

     The recipe for today that you will be very pleased to include in your culinary catalogue is…Aunty Lindi’s chicken and veggie sausage rolls. Entertaining or kids lunch boxes? Either way they are an absolute winner which I can attest to and our children will as well. And to add one more to the bragging rights and the integrity of this recipe, recently these were made and taken to a fiftieth birthday celebration. They disappeared in record time and the hostess’s actual quote was, “these are on par with my grandmas.” Can you believe that? What an endorsement and how much more verification do you really need? So get yourselves ready viewers and follow this recipe to a T and you too can become the new sausage roll making championess…food processor ready? On your mark, aprons on and let’s go!

     Aunty Lindi’s chicken and veggie sausage rolls…

You will need if you have in your kitchen arsenal, one food processor, (if not you are gonna have to grate by hand) plus a variety of other utensils which I am sure live in your cupboards.

Ingredients

500gms of chicken mince

1 large carrot

1 medium brown onion

1 cob of sweetcorn (steam and put aside)

1 medium zucchini

¼ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup of fresh parsley

1 tspn of fresh thyme

1 tspn of fresh marjoram

4 tbspns of fresh chopped chives

2 tspns of sea salt

A few twists of freshly ground black pepper

½ cup of fresh sourdough breadcrumbs

4 sheets of Pampas butter puff pastry

1 lightly beaten free range egg for egg wash

Chia seeds or sesame for garnish

Method

Roughly chop onion, carrot and zucchini. Put into food processor with parsley, thyme, marjoram, chives and blitz until finely combined. Strip corn kernels from cob. Add blitzed veggies and corn to chicken mince with salt, pepper, parmesan and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly. Set aside. (And if you are thinking why there is no egg to bind the mince, believe me you do not need it, repeat you do not need it, so don’t sneak one in, teehee)

Separate butter puff pastry but ensure you leave the blue plastic on and that plastic is face down. Cut each into halves. The mixture now should be divided into eight and trust yourselves viewers you can do a Jamie Oliver and use your powers of estimation. Place chicken and veggie mix down the middle of each half. Brush egg wash along each edge and using plastic roll over until closed. Repeat until you have made eight rolls. Using a sharp knife, make 5 slits on the top (to let the steam escape) so that each roll will be dived into 6 bite size pieces. Place baking paper on tray and spread rolls out so they have enough room to cook. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with chia seeds ( if you want to add a superfood , teehee, or sesame seeds) Bake in a conventional oven at 220 C or 200 C for fan forced for 25 mins. Cool on rack. Each roll can be divided into six which will provide you with 48 mini rolls or cut into halves for 16 larger ones which are a winner in the kid’s lunchboxes. Voila there you have it! But wait there is more…to add a fancy twist for entertaining and a few extra calories whisk some sour cream with finely chopped chives and lemon zest to taste for a dipping sauce, if not just enjoy and forget about working out on the treadmill.

     So for us these made it into the boy’s lunchboxes and my nieces to boot. The chicken mince makes for a change to the traditional sausage mix. The butter puff pastry encases this delicious mixture and boosts these into first place. I have followed and made this recipe under my little sista’s guidance and can tell you now viewers it has made it into my handwritten recipe book. I would have wowed you with one of my own secret recipes but that would have involved a ton of sugar and for now I have jumped off the sugar bandwagon, temporarily of course because sooner or later chocolate will be calling my name and I will be unable to resist. Just as you will be unable to resist these once you begin sampling them. So spread the word, the secret is out. Be culinary smart and save yourself a lot of time. I may not be a graduate of the Francoise school of esteemed pastry makers viewers but for that I am sure I will be forgiven. Bon appetite to you all anyway. 

welcome to mum on the run...

well viewers it is me mum on the run formerly known as bittersweet...cooking one's way from betrayal to love among other things. i stopped writing that blog some time ago, the therapeutic value recognised, the desire to deep fry and caramelise my ex partners testicles evaporated, hee,hee. time has gone and i have moved on, although don't be surprised if you find some of bittersweet re-surfacing on these posts ( gotta admit some of it is worth it, lol). so here i am, back with my passion intact to food blog, to food photo bomb your senses and of course to entertain you. as the croats say preeakno ( yes i know my croatian is crap but don't let that fool ya and don't tell my mum) feel free to follow me and let me lead you down the culinary path of food love and food fun among other things...