In order to feed the troops in a timely manner, the thermomix made short work of okonomiyaki; a family favourite. Thanks to my massive fry pan, this was prepared, cooked and served in just on 10 minutes.

Vegetarian Okonomiyaki
220g plain flour
60g corn flour
200ml water
10g dashi powder
2 eggs
20g pickled ginger
8og tasty cheese, cubed
420g cabbage, roughly chopped
corn kernels, sliced from 2 cobs
2 – 3 tablespoons rice bran oil
To serve
okonomiyaki sauce
kepie mayonnaise
bonito flakes – omit for real vegetarians!

1. Place all ingredients (except those under to serve) in thermomix bowl. Chop for 15 – 20 seconds on speed 6
2. Heat oil in pan, pour in half the batter, split into two thick pancakes. Poke a few holes in each with the end of a wooden spoon to let steam out.
3. After a couple of minutes, when base is browned, flip. Cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from pan.
4. Repeat with remaining batter.
5. To serve, drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and then kewpie mayonnaise. Sprinkle with bonito flakes if required.

Chinese Chicken and Eggplant
300g basmati rice
4 chicken thighs
1 eggplant
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon rice bran oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
optional – sliced fresh chillies to serve

1. Place rice in steamer basket inside thermomix. Cover with water.  Place varoma with tray on but lid off on top. Cook at varoma temperature on speed 4 for 16 minutes.
2. While the water is heating, quickly dice chicken and eggplant. Throw onto varoma tray, evenly spread and place lid on top.
3. When the rice is cooked, remove and place in thermal bowl with lid on. Empty remaining water from thermomix bowl. Put garlic in thermomix and chop for 10 seconds on speed 8. Scrape down sides.
4. Add rice bran oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, water, white vinegar, sugar, chilli sauce and sesame oil. Mix on 6 for 5 seconds.
5. Add chicken and eggplant to thermomix bowl. Cook at 100 degrees for 3 minutes on reverse speed 1.
6. Serve over rice.

As both fig and rhubarb are low in pectin, some form of added pectin is necessary. I used some jamsetta I found lurking at the back of the pantry so I used that.

Rhubarb and Fig Jam.
600g fresh figs
600g trimmed rhubarb
1.2kg sugar
7 tablespoons lemon juice
50g jamsetta or substitute pectin addition of your choice.

1. Place quartered figs and roughly chopped rhubarb in thermomix. Chop for 20 seconds on speed 9.
2. Add sugar and lemon juice. Combine for another 10 seconds on speed 9.
3. Cook for 45 minutes  at 100 degrees on speed 2
4. Add jamsetta and cook for another 10 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 2.
5. Check that it is set, place in sterilised jars and seal immediately.

More than ever, the thermomix is my saviour. We’re still eating much the same as always, just with a decided lean towards meals that can be produced in no more than 30 minutes from the time we run through the door. Training the Ankle Biters from a young age in the gentle art of cooking and making their own lunches certainly helps too!

Thermomix risotto continues to be a faithful standby. So much so that our usual rounds of flavour combinations were becoming a little dreary. A little rummage through the fridge and freezer earlier this week added the following variation to our repertoire.

Lamb, Spinach and Lemon Risotto.
1 red onion, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
150g lamb, cut into 1cm cubes
20ml olive oil
500g arborio rice
75g lemon juice
1 litre chicken stock
3 handfuls baby spinach
grated parmesan to serve – optional

1. Grate parmesan if required.
2. Place quartered onion and garlic cloves in thermomix bowl. Chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
3. Add lamb and oil. Cook for 5 minutes at 1oo degrees on reverse speed 1
4. Add rice and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes at 100 degrees on reverse speed 1.
5. Add chicken stock. Cook for 16 minutes at 100 degrees on reverse speed 1.
6. Stir through baby spinach. Let sit for a couple of minutes and serve.

This makes a beautiful light meal for a summer night and the presentation is elegant enough to make it suitable for entertaining. It would work equally well with any firm fish fillets. If you’re not very hungry, it’s delicious without the rice, which brings it into the 10 minute meal category.

Steamed Barramundi with Soy/Garlic/Ginger Sauce and Julienne Salad.
300g basmati rice
4 barramundi (or other firm white fleshed fish) fillets
2 cloves garlic
2cm piece of ginger
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup kecap manis
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salad
finely julienned carrot, spring onion, yellow capsicum and cucumber tossed together.

1. Place rice in steamer basket. Cover with water. Cook at 100 degrees for 16 minutes. Remove and place in insulated dish to keep warm. Empty remaining water from thermomix.
2. Place peeled garlic and ginger in thermomix. Chop for 10 seconds on speed 8, scrape down sides.
3. Add water, soy sauce, kecap manis, vinegar and sesame oil.
4. Place fish on varoma tray, put in place and cook at varoma temperature on speed 2 for 10 – 15 minutes depending on thickness of fish.
5. To serve, put rice in middle of plate, top with fish, pour a little sauce over and sprinkle salad liberally over the fish.

I will give two sets of instructions, the first is for non-thermomix cooks and will work for any non-thermomix combination of cooking appliances. The second is for thermomix only cooking.

Mexican Beer and Cheese Nacho Sauce
2 onions
3 cloves garlic
goodly dash olive oil
1/4 cup flour (can use rice or corn flour if gluten free)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (or 1 teaspoon cumin seeds for method 2)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (or 1 teaspoon coriander seeds for method 2)
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder (or 1 fresh chilli for method 2)
1 large red capsicum
2 medium tomatoes
2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, tasty, Mexican blend, suit yourself)
salt and pepper
335ml beer
2 teaspoon sugar
sliced jalapenos to garnish (liberally)

Method 1.

1. Dice onions and crush garlic, heat pan, add olive oil and saute onion, garlic, spices and seasoning.
2. Dice capsicum and tomatoes while sauteing the above. After about 3 minutes or when onions are transclucent, add tomatoes and capsicum.
3. Saute for another 10 minutes and then sprinkle in flour. Stir and cook for another 5 – 10 minutes and then add beer.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
5. Turn heat to very low (or transfer to very low oven or slow cooker on low) and simmer for 1 – 3 hours. Add sugar, stir through and let stand for 45 minutes.
6. Heat gently to serve, sprinkling in the cheese as it heats. Serve very hot either poured over corn chips or as a hot dip for corn chips. Garnish liberally with jalapenos.

Method 2.

1. Place cumin, coriander and chilli in thermomix, chop for 10 seconds on speed 10. Scrape down sides. Add quartered, peeled onion and peeled garlic. 5 – 10 seconds on speed 6. Add olive oil and seasoning and saute for 4 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.
2. Add roughly chopped capsicum and tomatoes. Saute for another 10 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 3.
3. Sprinkle in flour. Cook for another 7 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 3 and then add beer.
4. Cook at 100 degrees for 30 minutes on speed 1. Add sugar and cheese, blend slowly turning the speed from soft speed to speed 2 over 1 minute.  Serve very hot either poured over corn chips or as a hot dip for corn chips. Garnish liberally with jalapenos.

Enjoy!

Just in case you were wondering, the recent lack of photos is a gesture of disgust at the hideous lighting in my hideous house. Photography will resume when the house has been demolished. Which will happen soon should the universe care for my sanity.

Sticky Rice Lunch Bites
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
1 cup glutinous rice
2 teaspoons tumeric
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3/4 cup cocnut milk
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped finley
200g dried Chinese pork, finely sliced
hoisin sauce to serve

1. Place rice in a bowl with tamarind and turmeric and cover with cold water. Soak overnight. Or do it in the morning for cooking in the evening. Or something like that. Soak it for 8 hours or more.
2. Drain rice and spread over varoma tray (or whatever you steam in)
3. Put 1 litre of water into thermomix. Steam for 40 minutes on varoma temperature at speed 4.
4. Place rice in a bowl and stir in all remaining ingredients (except hoisin sauce)
5. Line a 20cm square or similarly sized rectangle baking pan with baking paper. Spread rice over evenly and refrigerate until set.  About 2 hours should do the trick. Cut into squares and serve with hoisin sauce for dipping. Or dab a little on the top of each square to make it pretty if serving as finger food.

So without further ado…

Crispy Salt & Vinegar Tripe
1 tripe
bay leaf
salt
pepper
1 cup flour
cracked black pepper
sea salt
oil for deep frying
vinegar

1. Place tripe and bay leaf in gently simmering water. Simmer for around 2 hours until very tender.
2. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Heat oil in wok until it reaches about 3 cm deep
4. Generously salt and pepper the flour and mix well to combine
5. Coat the trip in flour and deep fry in batches until golden brown.
6. Drain and serve with vinegar of choice as a dipping sauce.

1. Place pumpkin in TM and grate on speed 7 for 3 – 5 seconds. Add water and cook for 3 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.
2. Add eggs, flour, garlic and combine for 20 seconds on speed 7
3. Add cheese and season with salt and pepper. Combine on reverse speed 3 for 10 seconds
4. Heat a little oil and a little butter in a fry pan. Fry large spoonfuls of the batter into fritters on each side until golden.
5. Top fritters with sliced avocado to serve.

Rice with lentils
3 tablespoons rice bran oil (or ghee)
5 bruised cardamon pods
4 cloves
1 piece cinnamon bark
4 large onions, sliced
2cm piece ginger, grated
1 fresh red or green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup brown lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
500g basmati rice
500g peas (I used frozen)
5 cups hot water
coriander to garnish
Accompaniments
2 tomatoes, diced and sprinkled with salt
1 cucumber, deseeded and diced
plain yoghurt
lime pickles
mango chutney
chilli sauce

1. In a fry pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the  oil or ghee. Add onions, cardamon pods and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until onions are brown. Remove from heat and place in a bowl to serve as an accompaniment.
2. In a large dutch oven or saucepan, heat the remaining oil. Add ginger, chilli and cumin seeds, fry until fragrant. add lentils, turmeric and cumin. Fry for another minute.
3. Add rice, peas and water. Stir to combine. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for half an hour.
4. Top with chopped coriander to serve