Gazpacho

When you have an abundance of beautiful heirloom tomatoes, cucumber and purple capsicums in your garden and it is a hot Aussie Valentines day evening, what does one do? Well if you are me, then you make gazpacho - yummy, healthy, refreshing, super easy and quick to make with the perfect hues of pink to start your valentines evening.

This recipe is gluten free and does not have any bread and still has a lot of body and volume, however, you may choose to add some stale bread soaked in water if you prefer or alternatively add some almond meal.

You will need:

5-7 medium sized ripe tomatoes
1 lebanese cucumber or 1/2 a continental cucumber
1 small capsicum
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper or a few drops of tabasco sauce (optional)
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method:

Roughly chop the tomatoes, peeled cucumber and capsicum and add to a blender. You can also use a hand blender. Blend until all the chunks disappear, season with salt and pepper and add the olive oil. Briefly blend again and pour into glasses. Chill for 20 minutes and garnish with mint leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. You can also add ice cubes and serve it immediately.

Enjoy and happy valentines day!

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is another Indian fast food favourite.  The origins of the dish are from Bombay and hence it is sometimes also called Bombay Pav Bhaji, but its popularity has spread to other parts of India, especially Calcutta, where Pav Bhaji vendors do brisk business. The bhaji, which is essentially a spicy blend of many vegetables is pre made and is kept hot. The pav is similar to a dinner roll/ burger bun but is made out of milk and is slathered with butter and toasted on order. Served together you have Pav Bhaji, a finger licking, match made in heaven.

To make the bhaji, you can choose a combination of different vegetables of your choice. I use the following:

Ingredients for Bhaji (serves 4-6)

3 red onions
1 large green capsicum
1/4 cauliflower
3 large ripe tomatoes
4 medium sized potatoes boiled
1 cup of frozen peas
5 cloves of garlic
1 green chilli
1 cup of water
Salt and chilli powder to taste
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 heaped teaspoons of  shop bought Pav Bhaji masala
Juice of 1 large lemon
Butter or oil to cook

Method

Add two tablespoons of butter or oil (for a vegan version) in a large wok or skillet and add finely chopped garlic, green chilli and onions, saute on a low flame until the onions are tanslucent. Next add the chopped green capsicum and cook for 2-5 minutes followed by the finely chopped cauliflower, continue to cook for about 10 minutes stirring regularly. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well and add the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and Pav Bhaji masala (which can be bought in most Indian grocery stores). Add 1 cup of water and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes and then add the frozen peas and mashed boiled potatoes. The boiled potatoes help thicken the Bhaji, and if the consistency is too thick you can add 1/4 cup of extra water, but remember this is not a curry but a thick vegetable mix, similar in consistency to a slurry. Cook for another 5-10 minutes to ensure all the ingredients are well cooked and assimilated. Add the lemon juice and taste to ensure the seasoning is to your liking. Adjust as needed and garnish with a wedge of lemon and a small knob of butter.

The Bhaji is traditionally served with butter and toasted Pav bread, but you can serve it with dinner rolls, burger buns, gluten free rolls or even toasted sliced bread.

Enjoy!