The Great Recipe Swap

Most of us have our go-to recipes, be it for amid-week lunch, a dinner party pleaser or a sumptuous cake that Nigella Lawson would be proud of. In case you’re stuck in a food rut, however, here are some of our readers’ fail-safe recipes from around the world to add to your repertoire. Bon appétit!

“I learnt how to cook this simple, delicious recipe at a cookery class in London. We’ve been cooking it for years! We eat it with plain rice and pak choi, sautéed in garlic and oyster sauce.” – Gill Burns, UK

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 small fresh chillies, deseeded and minced
• 5cm fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Rind of one lime, grated
• 1 tablespoon light soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 220ml coconut milk

Directions:

1. Blend the garlic, chilli, ginger, coriander, grated lime rind and juice, soya sauce, sugar and coconut milk until smooth.
2. Make a few slashes in each of the chicken breasts. Assemble the chicken in a single layer in a wide, non-metallic dish. Cover the chicken with the marinade for at least two hours (covered and refrigerated), or ideally overnight. (If making kebabs, as pictured, cut the chicken into medium pieces first and then marinate in the sauce. Pre-soak wooden kebab sticks in water. Thread chicken pieces onto sticks before grilling.)
3. When ready to cook, drain the chicken, reserving the marinade, and then cook thoroughly under a hot grill for 12 to 15 minutes. You may need to turn the chicken breasts or kebabs once.
4. Heat the remaining marinade in a pan on the stove until cooked through. Drizzle over the chicken and serve with rice.

“Passionfruit being one of my favourite fruits, I thought I’d incorporate this fresh, tangy, tasty ingredient into one of my raw cheesecake recipes. This cheesecake satisfies that craving for something sweet, and with all-raw, natural ingredients there’s no guilt! I always keep portions of this in the freezer for unplanned dessert evenings or when friends come around for a quick chat.” – Charissa Areington, British-South African

Ingredients:

Base:

• ½ cup almonds
• 1 cup macadamia nuts
• 1½ cups Medjool dates
• Juice and rind of 2 lemons
• 3 teaspoons coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprinkle of salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Filling:

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked
• ½ cup coconut cream
• 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
• 2/3 cup passionfruit pulp
• Juice and rind of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons natural maple syrup or agave nectar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Pulp of 3 passionfruit for topping

Directions:

1. To make the base, place the almonds and macadamia nuts in the food processor and whizz until they are a fine crumble.
2. Add the Medjool dates and blend until they are broken down into chunks.
3. Grate the rind of the lemon into the mixture and add the lemon juice, coconut oil, vanilla extract, pinch of salt and shredded coconut. Mix until combined into a dough-like consistency. If the consistency is too dry, add two tablespoons of water.
4. Press the base into the bottom of a cake pan lined with baking paper, or into a square silicone tray. Refrigerate.
5. To make the topping, drain and rinse the cashew nuts and blend in the food processor until smooth and velvety. Add the coconut cream and coconut oil and keep processing.
6. Add the rind and juice of the lemons, as well as the passionfruit pulp (I added the seeds and they got whizzed up very finely), maple syrup, vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Process the topping until very smooth.
7. Once the topping is the desired consistency, pour onto the base and place in the freezer for an hour or until firm. Add the pulp of the three passionfruit to the top, then freeze for another hour or until set. Enjoy.

This article first appeared in the March 2016 issue of Expat Living. Subscribe

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