#ground tumeric

I find myself making flavoured butters oftener in the Summer, than in the colder months. Maybe because there’s nothing better than fragrant butter melting on grilled meat, fish or vegetables just off the barbie grill... My latest and current favourite is this tasty Tumeric and Garlic Butter!

Ingredients (makes about a cup):

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground tumeric

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 large garlic clove, mince

In a medium bowl, spoon softened butter.

Add ground tumeric and ginger, as well as minced garlic, and stir energetically  until well-blended and fluffy. 

Attempt #6 at chicken bone broth. Ive been making this twice a month. This attempt is with a slow cooker :3

Whole organic chicken carcass

Vegetable scraps

Two garlic bulbs

A few years ago, Mum was looking up La Réunion, whilst planning our Summer Holiday. In the end, we headed Westwards, to the Caribbean island of la Guadeloupe, and spent a heavenly fortnight there. The food was delicious, and we feasted on Accras, Bananes Flambées, Sorbet Coco, and drank quite a bit of rum! I still intend to travel to La Réunion someday, visit the island and taste a staple of French Creole cuisine, the famed Rougail Saucisse. In the meantime, and because this is a year without travel, I’m cooking it myself; and it’s really good!

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 teaspoon Graines à Roussir

2 tablespoons olive oil

600 grams/ pound good quality pork sausages

1 onion

1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon ground tumeric

1 tablespoon Hot Pepper Sauce

5 Whole Peeled Tomatoes

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add Graines à Roussir, and toast, about 30 seconds. Add olive oil. 

Cut sausages into thick slices, and add to the skillet. Fry, a couple of minutes, until browned on all sides.

Peel and finely chop onion. Stir into the skillet, cook, a couple of minutes. Peel ginger and garlic, and grate both. Stir into the skillet, along with tumeric. Cook, 1 minute. Add Hot Pepper Sauce, cook, another minute.

Dice Whole Peeled Tomatoes, and stir into the skillet, along with their juices. Add water. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, 5 minutes. Stir in demerara sugar, and cook, 1 minute more.

Ever since lockdown started mid-March, I’ve invested a lot more time into gardening, and also into exercising. Both keep me sane, and I’ve found that serotonin thing is no shit! And my triceps are developing by the day, I kid you not! So, when I get peckish, I’d rather have something filling that would not erase the results of all these squats, hand-release press-ups and mountain climbers Karl Te Nana has me doing! These Cashew and Tumeric Enery Balls are that very kind of treat: indulgent and satisfying, and also chocka with good stuff, that will keep you going...whether you’re tilling soil before planting flowers or herbs, or doing sit-ups!

Ingredients (makes a dozen):

1/2 cup raw cashews

3/4 cup Medjool dates

2 1/2 tablespoons raw honey, such as heather or Manuka

1 teaspoon ground tumeric

about 2 tablespoons flax seeds

Place cashews in a food processor. Pit Medjool dates, and add to the food processor as well. Blitz until finely chopped.

Add Manuka Honey and ground tumeric to the food processor, and blitz once more, until well-combined.

Take about a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture, and roll into balls between slightly wet hands. Repeat with remaining mixture until you have a dozen balls, then roll each ball into flax seeds, to coat.

Chill at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator to firm up.