Summer is now upon us, with hot, heady days ahead and Bhabi’s Corner acknowledges this change of weather… with our selected recipes featuring light, summery dishes, including the wonderful Dragon Fruit & Grape Greek Salad. With ease of preparation in mind, we are delighted to once again present a selection of recipes, courtesy of Irene DaSari, author of cookbook ‘Rustic Elegance’. Keep it light in the kitchen and you will breeze through the scorching summer. *Do remember dear readers, according to many reports, the Corona Virus is back. So, please be careful; wear a face mask, wash your hands often and try to avoid crowded places.
Recipes
Dragon Fruit and Grape Greek Salad
Combine or layer the following ingredients:
(slice to your liking), 1/2 cucumber
Mixed lettuce
1 onion
20 cherry tomatoes
1 packet olives
2 discs feta
1 cup seedless grapes
1 large dragon fruit
You can serve with any roasted or braai’d meats or on its own.
2 Minute Hummus
The quickest, most delicious and healthiest spread. Use as a dip for chips, fresh veggies, etc., use as a spread for sandwiches, shawarmas & wraps, together with meat and other veggies or on its own. So versatile and kids will love it too!
1 can drained chickpeas
Juice of 1/2 lemon
±1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. dhania/jeera powder
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Enough water to reach a thick, smooth consistency.
Blitz all ingredients together until smooth and drizzle with extra olive oil if you like.
Spicy Barbecue Chops
INGREDIENTS
Spice 2kg chops of your choice thoroughly with a mixture of 2 tsp each of dhania/jeera powder, chillie powder, steak and chops spice, ginger and garlic paste, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, 1 tsp. turmeric, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and 1 cup barbecue sauce. Grill/bake in a preheated oven @ 200°C for ± 45mins or until chops are cooked through and browned to your liking.
Avocado Bomb (Smoothie)
2 tsp. sabja seeds (sweet basil seeds)
1 large ripe avocado, peeled & pitted
1 cup almond OR coconut milk
Half cup plain yogurt
Half tsp. vanilla essence
6 whole roasted almonds
honey to taste
1 tsp. chia seeds
6 ice cubes
METHOD
Firstly, handpick any small unwanted pebbles from the sabja seeds and discard them.
Wash the seeds once or twice and soak in a small bowl of water for about 2 hours.
Once they are soaked, you will see that they have increased their size and are swollen.
Strain out the excess water that remains.
Combine all the ingredients together, besides the prepared subja seeds, and blend until smooth.
Mix in the subja seeds and serve. Serves 2-3 depending on the size of your drinking glass.
Tip: Avocados can be replaced with bananas.
3 Ingredient Mango Smoothie
3 large stringless sweet ripe mangoes
1L vanilla ice cream
Enough milk, coconut milk or evaporated milk to top up 1.5L liquidiser
Blitz together and serve.
Household tips & hints
1. Clear Cracks of Mold: Keep outdoor surfaces mold-free. Use a scraper to loosen mold in sidewalk, patio, and driveway cracks and sweep away the debris. Then, directly apply vinegar via a garden sprayer to the cracks to kill remaining mold spores. Repeat a few times a year to prevent new mold from growing.
2. Banish Kitchen Odours: Along with hot, humid weather comes unpleasant smells at the sink and in trash cans and recycling bins. Soak sponges and dishcloths in a solution of 1/4 cup bleach and a gallon of water daily for 5 minutes to keep them clean and germ-free. Be sure to rinse well after soaking. Pour white vinegar down drains to banish yucky scents. On trash day, wash out garbage and recycling bins with bleach and water.
3. Tackle Gutter Cleaning: To clean gutters efficiently and safely, equip your lawn blower or hose with a gutter-cleaning attachment so you can blow out debris while your feet are firmly planted on the ground. If you’re hosing, wear rain gear because you are going to get wet. When on a ladder, use a four-prong garden tool in a ploughing motion to push leaves out of gutters. Wear latex gloves under work gloves to keep hands dry and protected from odours. Finally, use a hose with a spray nozzle to flush all remaining dirt from the gutters and to clear downspouts of debris.
