Lamb and Potato Saag or Lamb, Potato and Spinach Curry

All Photos taken By Me.

In my back yard the only thing that thrives is spinach.
So I decided today I am cooking spinach. I looked online for a recipe I could use to make an Indian dish called Saag Paneer, I did have all the things I needed in house. I then decided I would make a Lamb and Spinach Curry but didn't have all I needed for that. I gave up on looking because it seemed nearly impossible! I decided give it a go with what was in my pantry. Turned out well!
                                 




What I used:

• Lamb (Stewing Pieces or Cubed)
• Spinach (I used 6 Large Leaves or you can use a bag of frozen thawed and drained)
• 2 Tablespoons of Medium Curry
• Large Onion (Chopped)
• 2 Potatoes (Cut to your liking)
• 2 Tomatoes
• Green Chilli Pepper
• Tablespoon Minced Garlic and Ginger
• Teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 Tablespoon Tumeric
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mutton Spice
• Teaspoon Black Mustard Seed
• Can of Coconut Milk (Substituted for Plain Yogurt...i usually use it with my curry)
• Table Spoon of Oil (Coconut, Vegetable or Sunflower)
• Optional Broth or Flavour Cube (Chicken or Lamb if you are using Coconut Milk and the taste is overpowering...it shouldn't but just in case.)

Spinach

Chilis. Seeds Removed

                                     

Tomato

This is another simple meal.

 In a Pot or Large Sauce Pan pour in your Oil and add in the Onion, Garlic and Ginger and Mustard Seed.  Stirring them together cooking until Onions are transparent. 

Next add in your Lamb, Tumeric, Mutton Spice and Cumin. Mixing it all together. Let it cook for about 5 minutes stirring making sure it does not stick.

When the meat is has lost its pink colour add in your Chilis and Tomatoes. 

   

Tomato and Chilis Diced 

Stirring the mixture all together. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Don't let it stick, now.

Add in Spinach...

                 Spinach Diced

Now add in your coconut milk stirring it in. Let it begin to Bubble then turn the heat down to simmer and toss in your potatoes.

Let it cook until the potatoes are cooked through. You can tell by stick a fork in them to see if they are soft enough. 

If you used coconut milk and do not like the flavour add in your broth or cube of chicken flavour.

                                     

When the potatoes are done the dish is complete. Serve it up with some rice...If you are inSouth Africa don't use Tastic it's too darn thick! Buy some Basamati Rice it's much better!

Baked Beans...Ms. Mareka inspired

When I was in Nashville I met this awesome lady at church. Ms. Mareka and sister could cook, let me tell you! I never ate beans as a kid and in fact never tried them in my adult years until she made me them. She made baked beans and I swear I licked my plate when I finished. They were beast, I tell you!

Well, I asked her for the recipe. She gave it to me and I did not write it down. However I did remember some of the keys (or at least I think I do). Well I make these beans when I BBQ now. And since summer is nearing here in South Africa I made some Sunday for dinner.

What I used:

• 2 Cans of Baked Beans
• Small Pack of Mince (Hamburger Meat. Turkey is fine)
• 4 Strips of Bacon
• Onion
• Tablespoon of Brown Sugar (Treacle Sugar if you are in SA)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Seasoning Salt
• Cup of Barbecue Sauce

This is so quick and simple. 

First Toss your Mince, Seasoning Salt and Onion in a pot and brown it. 

When its brown drain the extra fat. Add in your Beans, Brown Sugar and BBQ sauce.

 When the mixture begins to simmer take off the eye and put it in a baking dish.

Toss your Bacon in the mix and bake for 20 minutes on 325 Degrees. 

Take it out and serve it up!

Tandoori Chicken...The simple way

Some days you just don't feel like cooking. For those days Salad and Chicken do the trick. But who wants the same chicken all the time..."Ain't nobody got time fah dat!"

So I decided to broil chicken Indian style. Because I am not Indian nor have I been to Indian I just did it my own way. Sure there are other ways but I did't feel like searching so I just went for it. Here we go!

All's you need is...

• Chicken Pieces (I used Wings)
• Wet Tandoori Seasoning (Can be purchased at any Indian Shop)
• Table Spoon of Olive Oil (More for Drizzle)
•  Salt

For You Salad: (Whatever you like!) But I did...

• Baby Spinach
• Feta
• Red Onion
• Tomato
• Apple
• Strawberries
• Bell Peppers

Lets get this chicken done so easy!

Place your chicken in a bowl and then add Olive oil. Then add your salt. Next add in your Tandoori. Use your hands get in there. Make sure all the pieces are coated in the wet powder.

 Place the Pieces on your broiling pan. Broil each side nicely. I mean I could say 15min but really who keeps time? It took a lot just to measure Olive Oil. I normally just cook by how it looks. Do that but makes sure its done before you serve it. 

Serve it next to your Salad. And eat it up quick and easy Baby! 

Beef Tips and Gravy from Scratch

It's suppose to be Spring time here in Johannesburg but the other day it was chilly. It made it want a hearty meal from back home. So I decided. I will make some Beef Tips with Gravy. And as always it was simple and easy to do!

I took this pic..good hey!?!

What you Need:

• Pack of Beef  (Cubed)
• Flour 
• Large Onion
•  Garlic Clove
• Seasoning Salt
• Beef Broth
• Tablespoon of Cooking Oil
• Butter 
• Teaspoon Worcestershire 

                       

See not much at all! Lets do this...

Start by spreading some flour on a clean surface. You only need enough to coat the Beef pieces. Coat the pieces in Flour and sprinkle a little of your seasoning salt on there. Not to much, and remember we are only coating the meat not frying chicken so they should not be white.

While you are coating pour your cooking oil into a pot. Lets start it on high. When the oil is hot toss in your Meat pieces. Make sure to move them around so they can cook on all sides. The coating with serve as a thickening agent. Cook the meat alone for about 3 minutes then add in the Butter and Worcestershire.

Next add in your Onion also chopped and your garlic minced. I sure other people do it a different way its fine. What ever works for you this is just how I make mine. Try it the way you like.

Once your onions are transparent add in the Beef Broth. It is hard to find liquid Broth here in South Africa so I just used a beef broth cube and added 2 1/2 cups of water.  Once the mixture starts to boil turn it down to simmering and let it cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. It will cook down leaving a nice gravy.  

Honestly its done in an hour but the more it cooks the more tender the meat is. I hate chewing meat for 10 minutes at a time. So try to avoid that...don't make your guest work to eat. 

Give it a taste. If the gravy is too thin make a rue and thicken it up. I add Worcestershire sauce to maintain the color. 

Serve it up. I served mine with Balsamic Green Beans w/Sun-dried Tomatoes and Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. Yes From scratch AND  easy to make.

Photos by Cirvant aka ME.

Balsamic Green Beans w/Sundried Tomatoes

I was looking online to see if there was a recipe for Green Beans and Sundried tomatoes. My green beans were about to go bad and I didn't want to chuck them. I found one it looked good but was for a cold green bean salad. So I thought why not just add my own little spin and do it my way. I did and I am glad I did!

What I used:

• Green Bean (Fresh is always best but Frozen is okay if you must)
• Sundried tomatoes
• Garlic Clove
• Balsamic Vinger
• Tablespoon of Butter
• Feta Cheese (Yes and Amen)

So I did follow one instruction from the recipe. Only one...I know but hey its  a guideline cooking is and art go with how you feel. I started with boiling the green beans. When they were done it was time to cook!

In a Skillet or Sauce pan put in your butter and let it melt down, Heat on Medium High. When it melts down add in Garlic and Sundried tomatoes. 

Let it cook for a couple of minutes ten add in the beans. Make sure to coat the green beans in the mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes. The beans are already done from boiling. Take it off the heat and crumble the Feta over it and then drizzle Balsamic over the mixture. 

Its good. If you are a fan of sundried tomatoes you will love it! If not you will think its strange. ha!

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. Yes Jesus!

This is so simple and easy y'all. Ill just put it out there...

All you need:

• 4 Potatoes
• Butter (Tablespoon to be conservative but more if you want it banging)
• Milk 1 Cup (Less to make it more dense, More milk to make it smoother)
• Table Spoon Minced Garlic 
• Parmesan Cheese (You decide how cheesy you want them) 

 

                            

This is so simple guys...

First CHopp up your potatoes.
Next Boil them until they are soft enough to mash easily.
 Next drain the access water.
Add your milk and butter while mashing (I used a fork). Then add in your garlic and parmesan cheese. Mix it all together and here is what you get...

I served it with Beef Tips! 

All pics by me. :)

Sugar Bread

Sugar Bread

You take two pieces of bread

Bunny Wrapped

Lite or White

Brown is for white folks

Opening twisted tight

No Bugs

Put up from mice

Check to see no green

Pull off any

“Little mold never hurt nobody”

Granny yells

Pull off the edges

Get the sugar in that jar

Make sure there ain't no coffee droppings

Take your bread and pour sugar on one slice

Now rub'um together

Make sure you over the sugar jar

Now eat that

Lunch

Sugar Bread

This piece was written for my first book entitled "Wounded Healer; Memoirs and Poems of a Broken Boy".  

Sugar Bread was a snack my cousins and I would often eat in the summer. Growing a prepared lunch was a rare thing in summer. So we had to make due with what we had available. Most days Ramen Noodles would be lunch but every now and then when no one adult is looking  we would indulge in the slender that is sugar bread! Ha! 

Easiest Pasta Ever!

I got home late one day. I had a meeting that went longer than expected but I still had to cook. I know, we could have just grabbed Nando's or some other quick meal. However I hate to spend money for when I have food in my fridge and plus I try my darnedest to avoid the devil that fast food is.

So, with only a hour until my wife arrives home I needed to throw together a meal. The easiest meal I tell you! Ready for the ingredients here we go.

You will need...

• Lean Mince meat (US we say Hamburger meat. I prefer turkey but that hard to find here so beef works great!)
• Macaroni Noodles
• Jar of Tomato Sauce
• 6oz Can Tomato Paste
• Spinach (Remember Fresh is best, I grabbed a few leaves from my garden)
• Mozzarella cheese (And the church said...Amen)
• Table Spoon Italian Herb Seasoning 
• Salt and Pepper
• One Onion
• Bell Pepper
• Garlic clove

This will be quick and easy. First boil water and then chuck in 1 1/2 cup of noodles. Second, Dice your Spinach, Bell Pepper and Onion into small pieces. Next Put the mince the pot when it begins to brown add the veggies and garlic. Lean mince will have less fat so less "grease".  

After the meat browns drain the fat/grease. Add into the the meat tomato sauce and tomato paste. The pot temperature should be on medium. Add in Italian Seasoning  and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in Salt and pepper to taste. 

You have to taste what you are about to feed people. Make sure you like it before you share it. Feel me?

When your noodles are finished and drawn mix in the noodles and Meat Sauce into a baking or casserole dish. Cover the dish with a layer of Mozzarella and bake at 350 Degrees  or 176 Celsius for 20 minutes or until the cheese and melted and all nice and yummy looking.  Take it out plate it up and be done! Dinner is served Baby!

That was easy right? 

Keep up with me and all that jazz on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Also learn more about me from my website Cirvant. 

My First Post...Let's get cooking

I decided to do this blog because after post on my Instgram and FB pages I get asked for recipes. So I figure what the heck, lets give it a go. I reckon I will share poems as well. So. I will kick it off with the most requested so far. Lamb Stew.

My wife and I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. She works a 9-5 job and I am Poet, Speaker, Author and Performer which sums up to being an Artist. Anyway being an artist allows me to be home more than she is so most of the cooking in our home is left up to me.

 I hate eating the same meals over and over. It becomes boring. Boring isn't fun. So I figure why not bring the same artistry of Poetry to cooking. This meals is a good fall meal. Its simple! TRUST me. You don't have to do a lot of measuring just tossing things in a pot.

 You will need...

•   Lamb Meat (Cut into cubed pieces) 
•  Lamb Broth (Beef Broth is a great substitute) 
•  1\2 Cup Red Wine (The real deal don't worry zealots the alcohol cooks away)
•  Fresh Green Beans (You can use Canned but come on...fresh is always best)
•  3 Carrots (Cut to you liking) 
•  2 Large Potatoes (Chop it up, the way you like!)
•  Large Onion 
•  Salt and Pepper 
•  Flour (Enough to coat the pieces) 
• Tablespoon Cooking Oil (Coconut is fine, so is Vegetable. Which ever cooking oil you prefer)   

See not too Hectic. Now lets get it done! 

 First, take the flour and pour a thin layer on a clean cooing space, counter top is fine. Take your lamb pieces and coat them with the flour. A thin coat just enough to cat them without them being white. The flour is aiding in thickening remember, we aren't frying chicken.

 Get a large pot and Pour you oil in. Once it is hot add your Lamb pieces stirring them in making sure you are cooking all sides Should take two minutes. 

Next you add your chopped onions. When they become transparent add in your wine. Let it cook for a couple of minutes it should start to boil. Next add in Carrots, Potatoes and Green beans. Finally after they are all in the pot add your Broth. 

Take a deep breath! Smells good, right? 

 Cook on high heat until it reaches a boil then turn it down to simmering. Let it cook for about 4 hours. Checking in on it and stirring it. Add your salt and pepper to taste. 

If the stew is not thick enough make a rue. 

 Rue: Take a table spoon of the stew (liquid only) and add in a teaspoon of flour mixing the two in a separate bowl. 

After it is mixed return the mixture to the pot. I served mine with Hot Water corn bread. We invited friends over for dinner and the pot was finished! Enjoy!