Thai Vegetable Pastie with Yoghurt Sauce

I will be in Thailand as this goes to print, to source some fabulous cooking schools and gourmet walking trips through the unknown parts of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I hope to get a great Food Tour organized for next year, so watch this space. There is a lot of  eating to do and I have set myself, a pretty hectic schedule.
Before leaving I thought I would get in the mood  and make this little vegetable pastie probably more like a samosa without the right pastry. I used puff pastry and Yellow Curry paste from the Spirit House. There are many store bought curry pastes, use a green if you like, slightly different taste but still a little chilli and Thai ( sort of ) You could use an Indian Curry paste as well, medium to hot
The yoghurt sauce is a fabulous and very versatile . Wait till the summer barbeque, delicious with lamb and chicken too.

2 tablespoon oil
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 red capsicum
2 potatoes peeled and chopped
200 gams chopped pumpkin or sweet potato cut into 2cm pieces
1 carrot
2 cloves garlic
2 cm piece chopped ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
30 grams curry paste or 1 good tablespoon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Puff pastry sheets thawed in fridge
1 egg

Yoghurt sauce

1 cup plain Greek style yoghurt
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Make the yoghurt sauce first and keep in the refrigerator.
Toast the nuts in a pan until slightly golden on a low heat. If you don't happen to have pine nuts slivered almond would do. Add the ground cumin and turmeric and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.
Remove from the stove and  cool . Process until finely ground.
Add the remaining ingredients and give a quick pulse to combine or use a hand mixer. Check seasoning, maybe add a little salt.
Set aside.


Heat the oil in a wok or large pan. Add the curry paste and stir until fragrant. Add the onion and garlic and coat in the spices. Add the rest of the vegetables and tomato paste and stir through.
Add one cup cold water, and bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and add chopped parsley and coriander. Stir and keep cooking until liquid has evaporated. If you find the vegetables aren't cooked and water has evaporated add more water, until they are cooked.
Set aside and cool.
Preheat oven to 175C
I used a bowl turned upside down to mark a 15cm circle on my pastry sheets. Of course if you want to serve them as finger food use a smaller cutting guide.
This mixture will make 6 large pasties.
Divide the mixture into six and place an amount on each pastry circle. Work one sheet at a time at a time, if you find this easier.
Pull pastry up to centre and crimp together with your fingers.
Place on a baking paper lined tray and wash with the beaten egg.
Cook for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden.
Serve with the yoghurt sauce and a chutney if desired.

Sweet Potato and Cumin Soup

This hearty soup is almost a meal in itself. Its thick and full of flavour and is slightly Indian in taste. I serve it with pappadums and a cucumber and coriander yoghurt . The recipe makes a lot, it can be made well ahead of time and is fine to freeze. If you would like it a thinner consistancy pour some cream or milk into it just before reheating to serve.

1/3 cup peanut oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 medium sized onion chopped
2 cm piece of ginger pelled and chopped or grated
1 small red chilli seeded and chopped or a teaspoon of minced chilli ( if you don't like chilli leave this out )
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2 large sweet potato approx 1 kilo peeled and chopped into rounds and halved or quartered
1 litre vegetable stock
1 cup yoghurt
1/2 cucumber peeled and seeded
handfulof chopped coriander
pappadums


Don't worry too much about the chopping, as once cooked, it gets pureed and blended.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and when hot, add the ground spices and cumin seeds. Stir for a minute, the add onion,ginger,garlic and chilli if using. Stir this mixture for another couple of minutes .Add sweet potato, tomatoes, and celery. Toss through to coat with the spices. Reduce heat and stir frequently for 5 minutes
Add the vegetable stock and simmer until the sweet potato is soft.
Process in a food processor, blender or with a bamix until smooth. Return to saucepan to reheat. You may add more stock to adjust consistancy or add milk or cream.
I chop cucumber into small dice and add to yoghurt with chopped corainder.
Serve hot topped with yoghurt mixture and a plate of pappadums.

Eggplant Frittata

I am not sure where I got the original idea for this recipe. Maybe a very old Gourmet Traveller, its a  variation on the American Eggplant Parmigana. I have been making it for so long and it has become  another family favourite. It can be made ahead and reheated. It is delicious and some have even thought it contained meat!!! This will make enough for 8 people cooked in a large rectangular ceramic baker which you can take to the table. A great vegetarian dish.

3 - 4 large Eggplant thinly sliced

Tomato sauce

Olive oil

100 gram mozzarella
100 gram parmesan

8 eggs, beaten together with some S&P

Extra parmesan to serve

Spray a large rectangular baking dish with oil to stop frittata from sticking. I salt my sliced eggplant, and leave to sweat. There are two schools of thought on this procedure, but I do find it removes the bitterness especially if they are slightly seeded. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel.

Flour the eggplant, heat the oil in a large fry pan, and fry the eggplant, until golden and drain on paper towel.  Cover the bottom of the baking dish with some of the tomato sauce, and layer the eggplant, sauce, a small amount of the beaten egg, and mozzarella, repeating layers and top with remaining egg mixture and mozzarella.  Cook in 180C oven for 30 - 40 minutes.  Serve with parmesan cheese and green salad.

                                                          
  Tomato Sauce

1 Large Onion finely chopped

3-4 cloves Garlic finely chopped  

Fresh tomatoes 1 kilo chopped or tinned tomatoes 2-3 tins

Fresh Basil, Parsley, Chives

Play around with the amounts it’s better to make more than you need. It is also great in a pasta dish.

Gently cook garlic and onions until soft and add tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper, chopped basil etc.  Cook gently for 15 minutes.  If quantity needs to be increased add tomato puree, like Pomi, Sugocasa etc.

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