Chapter 25 - Try this at Home

Chapter 25

Try this at Home

Since my chapter “Pickled and Preserved” I have had many requests to share the recipes for Eggplant Kasundi and Holy Guacamole Salsa, so I thought that this week , as the projects don't necessarily keep up with the blogs, that I would share those with you.  Please bare in mind that these taste all that much better when the majority of the ingredients have been grown in the sun in a particular little corner of your own back yard.  So if you enjoy these recipes I hope that it spurs you on to get your own hands dirty and plant at least two of the easiest vegies to grow; the humble cherry tomato and the exquisite eggplant.

Eggplant Kasundi - this recipe was adapted from an eggplant chutney recipe.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup pure olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, diced finely
• 2 jalapeños
• 3 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger grated
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon seeded mustard
• ¼ cup water
• 8 Lebanese eggplants, or 12 dwarf eggplants diced finely
• ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan and cook onions, chili, garlic until softened. Add spice and cook stirring for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook until combined. Add sugar and vinegar and cook mixture until reduced and jam-like. 
2. Fold through diced eggplant, water and seeded mustard.
3. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until eggplant skin has softened. Fold through coriander leaves, season to taste.
4. Pour into sterilized preserving jars.  Great served with cheese on a cheese board, on sandwiches, with egg dishes etc.

Holy Guacamole Salsa

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 15 min

Ready in: 25 min

Yields: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6-8 large Roma tomatoes OR can whole tomatoes, drained OR better still two punnets of your own homegrown cherry tomatoes
• 2 small or 1 medium onion(s), diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 2-3 hot chilies, seeded and halved, we use our own homegrown jalapeños 
• 1/2-1 cup (a handful) fresh coriander leaves, to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ground pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• juice of one lemon or lime, optional

Method

1. If using fresh tomatoes, add ½ inch of water to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Place cherry tomatoes in whole.  They will break down during cooking at which time you can mash them with a potato masher or fork.
2. While you dice the onions, simmer tomatoes until water evaporates and tomatoes start to soften. Peel and discard any skins if using large tomatoes.
3. Toss tomatoes, hot peppers and coriander into a blender container. Blend until smooth.
4. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic in hot oil for about 10 seconds; just a flash in the pan.
5. Add blended tomato mixture to the pan with the onions and garlic and give it a stir.
6. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste. Add cumin if desired.
7. Simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes, or until salsa is reduced and thick. You may need to increase cook time if tomatoes are very juicy.
8. You can add the juice of a fresh lime or lemon at this point, although it's not necessary and will temper the salsa's spiciness.
9. Serve with tortilla chips, enchiladas, tacos, scrambled eggs, etc.