Not for those who are on a calorie-controlled diet;)

I can't stop cooking and baking. Now I took up my crochet hook again too. Looks like something good came into my life and motivated me more than ever! Not that I have ever been bored in my entire life. Anyway, enough chit chat. You probably liked the recipes I posted last time and are coming for more!;) If you are on a diet, go easy on them but, hey, what's life without occasional indulgence really! lol. OK if mum reads that, mum hope you remember what 'lol' means (I told you last time when we were chatting but if you forgot, no matter, I will remind you).

Now to the recipe(s)...I thought I would include something very easy that can be ready in under 15 minutes. Quick dinner, healthy and scrumptious; what more can someone want! Today the recipe is Prawns with vegetables and Shitake mushrooms. You will need:

• Vegetable oil (2 turns)
• A teaspoon of butter
• Prawns (about a good handful)
• A handful of green runner beans cut in pieces
• Shitake mushrooms (about 6, sliced)
• Soy sauce
• Lemon juice, about 2 tablespoons (preferably fresh)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic (2 cloves minced) and a small piece of ginger (grated or minced)

Put together the ingredients and let them work their magic! Heat up a frying pan and add the butter and the oil. The oil will make sure the butter does not brown and burn. Add the prawns and half of the garlic and ginger. Fry just for 3 mins maximum on medium heat. Then remove the prawns from the pan and add to it the beans and the rest of the garlic and ginger; saute those for about 3 mins then add the mushrooms and soy sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Keep sauteing until the mushrooms are cooked and the beans somewhat softened. If the sauce is too thick of you can hardly notice any liquid in the pan, add a little bit of water and as soon as it comes to the boil, take the pan off the heat. This is best enjoyed with plain boiled rice but is just as nice with plain boiled noodles (type of your choice). Enjoy!

Recipes Recipes...:)

Oh hello everyone, another perfect blue sky today; perfect for a stroll or a day out. However, Justine and myself are having a quiet day at home because yesterday we had a really good day out and indeed have left home at around 10 am and came back at 9.50 pm. Sounds like a long day but hours go by quickly when you are having fun especially with good friends and the kids.

I am straying again from the post title...oops! OK, recipes wasn't it? I believe that I am not mistaken if I say that some people will be glad if I posted some favourite Mauritian recipes on my blog. In a previous post, I included a picture of 'bouillon bredes' and 'rougaille', so let me give you the method to prepare those two since they go very well together.  Please note that they are eaten with rice. There will be more recipes to come in the near future.

To prepare a bouillon bredes, you need any leafy vegetable such as pak choi or bok choi, even lettuce if nothing else is at hand. You also need any vegetable oil, garlic paste, ginger paste, diced or sliced onions, salt, pepper and boiling water. First chop the vegetable keeping stalk bits and leafy bits separate then heat up some oil in a pan and fry the onions about 1 minute. Afterwards, add the ginger then the garlic (do not allow to brown). Have your boiling water ready and pour it in the pan (about 2 cups for 1 pak choi or a bit less depending on how watery you want your soup to be). Let it boil together with the onion, ginger and garlic for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and a sprinkle of black pepper, to taste. Then add the stalk bits of your leafy vegetable. Leave it to simmer about 2 minutes then add the leaves. Boil for a further 2 or 3 mins then it's done.
For rougaille, you need vegetable oil, blended tomatoes, sliced or diced onions, ginger paste (only use if the flesh you choose for your rougaille is fried fish), garlic paste, thyme, chopped parsley, salt and any meat of your choice (fried fish, cooked chicken or beef or bacon or even canned tuna). First fry the chicken, fish or beef then put away in a bowl. Use some of the same oil to prepare the tomato-based sauce for the rougaille. Heat it up again and fry the onions in the oil, then add thyme, ginger (if used) and garlic for about 1 min; do not brown the garlic. Next, add the blended fresh or tinned tomatoes and stir well. Let this mixture simmer for a good 15 minutes, adding some hot water if the sauce sticks to the pan. The sauce will be nearly ready when the oil sorts of separate from the tomato sauce and floats on top. At that point you can add in some salt to taste. Finally, stir in the meat you chose to use as well as the chopped parsley and let them simmer together for 5 minutes. Then it's ready. Serve the rougaille and bouillon bredes on some plain boiled rice.

Give it a try and let me know how you got on;)

See you soon everyone with more recipes and tips.