Griddled Halloumi with Spiced Couscous

175g couscous
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, cumin and coriander
vegetables, such as tomatoes, courgette, broccoli, sugarsnap peas
300ml hot vegetable stock
250g halloumi cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
drizzle of olive oil

Mix the couscous with spices in a bowl, pour over the hot stock, then cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Heat a griddle pan. Cut the halloumi into 6-8 slices and cookquickly on each side for 2 minutes. Mix the vegetables (griddled courgette slices, steamed broccoli and peas) and tomatoes into the couscous, squeeze in the lemon juice and drizzle with oil. Pile onto two plates and top with the halloumi.

Summer and lazy afternoons

Azuki bean soup

Azuki (or adzuki) bean is grown in East Asia, genetic evidence indicates that the azuki bean was first domesticated in the Himalayas. It is second most popular in Japan after soybean. Azuki bean is commonly eaten as a sweet dish, but this is a savoury dish, recipe of which I found in here. It claims that it helps diminish the appearance of dark circles around the eyes by cleansing the body and it's a great diuretic.

3 cups of azuki beans soaked overnight
2 tbsp of cumin
1 tsp of white pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 diced carrots
2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic
1 large onion
1 lime juice
3 tbsp of fresh chopped coriander leaves

Put the soaked beans into a pot, cover in cold water and bring to boil. Drain the beans, then add fresh cold water again. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add cumin and white pepper. In a frying pan, sauté diced onion, carrots, ginger and crushed garlic until tender. Add this mixture to the beans, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until beans are cooked through. During the last 15 minutes only, add salt to taste. Adding the salt any earlier will harden the beans. Just before serving, add lime juice and coriander.

Raspberry cupcakes

No occasion necessary.

250 g raspberries
150 g flour
80 g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
100 g sugar
salt
1 egg
250 g butter
+ 1 tbsp of melted butter
1/2 tsp grated ginger
icing sugar

Mix flour with almonds, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat the egg with butter, add ginger and 1 tbsp of melted butter. Add this mixture to flour and mix well. Pour the batter into paper muffin cases and press a raspberry into each cake. Bake in the oven (180C) until golden. Powder in icing sugar.

Spiced carrot soup with coconut cream

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 small red chilli
1 tsp grated ginger
500 g carrots
1 sweet potato
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 L chicken stock
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp palm sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
200 ml coconut cream
grated nutmeg

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add crushed garlic, chopped chilli, ginger, chopped carrots, sweet potato, lime leaves and stock. Bring to boil,then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 min.
Allow to cool slightly, take the lime leaves out, then puree in a blender. Return to the pan with lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and gently reheat. Whip cream until thick. Pour the soup into glasses and top with the coconut cream and sprinkle of nutmeg.

Rice Noodles with Tender Sweet-Chilli Meatballs

800 g pork mince
2-3 cm piece ginger, grated
2 chopped garlic cloves
60 ml sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
200 g rice noodles
1/2 cucumber
1 small red onion
handful of mint leaves

Mix pork, ginger, garlic, 1 tpsp of chilli sauce and half of the coriander in a bowl. Roll into walnut-sized balls and bake in a pre-heated oven (180C) for 20 min.
Place the remaining sauce in a bowl and dip meatballs one by one, then return them to the oven for another 5 minutes.
Prepare the rice noodles according to the packet instructions. Slice cucumber and onion and combine them with mint and remaining coriander.