KUKU-YE KADOO (WHITE COURGETTE OMELETTE WITH MINT AND MELTING CHEESE)

KUKU-YE KADOO (WHITE COURGETTE OMELETTE WITH MINT AND MELTING CHEESE)

INGREDIENTS

100ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 tsp freshly grated
nutmeg
1 tsp dried mint
4 white courgettes
(about 350 g), coarsely
grated
6 eggs
2 tbsp self-raising flour
Grated zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground
black pepper
200g provolone cheese
or any other melting
cheese, grated
Handful of chopped
walnuts and/or
barberries (optional)
Thick natural yoghurt,
to serve

METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to
180C.
2 Heat half the oil in a
frying pan over a low
heat and fry the onions
until softened. Stir in the
nutmeg and mint and
fry for another minute.
Remove from the heat
and allow to cool.
3 Pour the remaining
oil into a non-stick
ovenproof frying pan and
heat in the oven for 5 to
10 minutes.
4 Squeeze the grated
courgettes firmly to
remove as much moisture
as possible. Whisk the
eggs until frothy. Whisk
in the flour, lemon zest,
salt and pepper, followed
by the courgettes and
cheese. The mixture will
be quite sloppy.
5 Pour the mixture into
the hot oil. Cover the
pan with a lid or foil and
bake in the oven for 15
minutes or until nearly
set. Remove the lid and
cook for a further 10 to
15 minutes to brown the
surface.
6 Cut into wedges and
serve hot from the pan
with thick yoghurt. If
you want to be fancier
with your presentation,
you can turn it out onto
a serving platter. If the
surface seems overly oily,
then pat dry with a paper
towel. I think kuku is best
eaten lukewarm or at
room temperature with
pickles or relish. It keeps
well in the fridge and
makes a great picnic dish
or sandwich stuffing.

RASPBERRY ALMOND STREUSEL CAKE

What you need:
For the streusel topping:

• 25g Lurpak® Baking
• 50g plain flour
• A pinch of salt
• 25g caster sugar
• 50g toasted flaked almonds
For the cake:
• 200g Lurpak® Baking
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. rose water (optional)
• 1 level tsp. baking powder
• 250g raspberries or blueberries

What you do:
Preheat the oven to 160°C / 180°C Fan Assisted / Gas Mark 4.
Grease a 20cm spring form tin, then line the base with baking
paper.
For the streusel topping, melt the Lurpak® Baking in a small pan,
then stir in the flour, salt and caster sugar. Mix with a wooden
spoon to make a crumbly mixture and gently fold in the flaked
almonds.
To make the cake mix, put the Lurpak® Baking into a large bowl
and beat with the sugar to make a light, creamy mixture.

Next, beat in the eggs one at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a
spoonful of flour.
Add the vanilla extract and the optional rose water, then, using a large
metal spoon, gently fold in the remaining flour and baking powder. If the
batter doesn’t easily drop off the spoon, add a little milk.
Spread the mixture in the tin and dot with the raspberries or blueberries.
Cover with the streusel mixture and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then remove and serve.

KALEIDOSCOPE’S BUTTER CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS
700g boneless chicken, skin removed

and cut into small pieces
FOR THE MARINADE
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
3 tbsp white vinegar
Salt, to taste
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp cumin powder
¼ cup mustard oil

FOR THE CURRY SAUCE
¼ cup ghee
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods
7 whole black peppercorns
3 cloves
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
½ tbsp ginger, finely chopped
2 brown onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp honey
100g butter
3 tbsp ground cashew nuts, made into
a paste with a little water
100ml cooking cream
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, to
garnish

METHOD
1 Combine the chicken with all the
ingredients for the marinade and allow
to rest for 10 minutes.

2 Thread the marinated chicken pieces
onto skewers and place in a tandoor
oven, barbecue or under a hot grill until
cooked. Set aside.

3 Heat a saucepan over a medium-high
heat. Add the ghee and sauté the
cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorns
and cloves until their fragrance is
released.
4 Add the onions, garlic and ginger and
gently sauté until the onions turn golden
brown.

5 Add the tomato purée, honey, butter and
cashew nut paste.

6 Add the chicken, cover and reduce the
heat to a slow simmer for about 20
minutes, stirring halfway through.

7 Finish the sauce with cream, give the dish
a final stir and garnish with coriander
leaves before serving.

Did Neanderthals Eat Their Greens?

The oldest known Neanderthal faeces suggest that cavemen ate vegetables as well as meat. Researchers analysed the 45,000 year-old remains from the archaeological site of El Salt, in Spain and, as expected, discovered coprostanol, a lipid formed from digesting dietary cholesterol. They also found 5B-stigmastanol, a substance made when digesting plants.

  ‘Neanderthals probably ate what was available in different situations, seasons and climates,’ said Ainara Sistiaga, a graduate student at the University of La Laguna.

Previous studies suggested that Neanderthals probably ate nuts and plants, based on residue found in their

teeth. However, since Neanderthals used their teeth as tools, they may not have actually consumed the plant

matter. It’s also possible that the traces of plant came from the stomach contents of their prey.