IOL - Food - March 2023

QUICK RECIPES to make before load shedding strikes

HAVE you been letting out a collective sigh whenever load shedding hits?

And have you ever wondered what to eat when you are about to have no electricity or Googled load shedding dinner ideas?

Instead of going hungry or ordering takeaways, try these recipes.

AVOCADO SMOOTHIE BOWL

Ingredients

1 avocado

½ cup spinach

1 tsp chia seeds

1 tsp honey

2 dates

Almond milk

Method

Blend everything together.

Add enough milk for consistency. Serve chilled.

AVOCADO smoothie bowl. | Supplied

TABBOULEH AND FALAFEL SALAD

Ingredients

Salad

1 cup bulgur wheat, soaked in boiling water and strained.

A handful of mint, dhania, and parsley

¼ cucumber, cubed

¼ red pepper, cubed

¼ red onion, finely cubed

Falafel

1 tin chickpeas

Handful of dhania

¼ cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ onion

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

Mix all salad ingredients together.

Dress with olive oil, salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Top with falafel and serve at room temperature.

To make falafel: Mix all ingredients together and deep fry.

Recipes by the Chilli Chocolate Chefs.

FATTOUSH SALAD

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, chopped into chunks

¼ cucumber, deseeded and sliced

½ red onion, sliced

1 small head of romaine lettuce, shredded

A handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped

A handful of parsley leaves, roughly chopped

2 pita bread

1 tsp sumac

For the dressing

½ garlic clove, crushed

2 tbs red wine vinegar

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Juice ½ lemon

Method

Toss together all the salad ingredients except for the pita bread and sumac. Make up the dressing and season to taste. Leave these separate until just before serving.

Next toast the pitta bread on a braai, until lightly golden (can be used without toasting). When cool, tear it into pieces and combine it with the salad and dressing. Spoon into two serving dishes and sprinkle over the sumac.

FATTOUSH salad. | Supplied

NO COOK SPICY BEAN AND VEGETABLE OPEN WRAPS

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 x 180g tubs of marinated chargrilled vegetables (available at local supermarkets)

2 x 400g cans of butter beans, drained and rinsed

200g tub tomato salsa

2 limes, zested and juiced

1 tbs red wine vinegar

2-3 tbs chopped red chillies, plus extra to serve

Small bunch of coriander, chopped, plus extra, shredded, to serve

2 ripe avocados, stoned and diced

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

1 small red onion. Finely chopped and rinsed

8 medium soft flour tortillas

100ml sour cream or double-thick yoghurt, to serve

Salad leaves, to serve

Method

To make the filling mix, tip the drained marinated veg into a bowl with the beans. Stir in 2 tbs salsa, half the lime zest and juice, the vinegar, onion, chillies, and half the coriander. Set the mixture aside.

Put the avocado in another bowl with the remaining lime zest and juice and add the garlic. Roughly mash together with a fork, then season and stir through the remaining coriander.

Spread the crushed avocado mixture over the tortillas, then top with the fajita mix, remaining salsa, sour cream or yoghurt, extra chillies and extra coriander. Serve with salad leaves lightly tossed in olive oil.

Recipes from chefs Asif Mughal and Ofentse Morake.

NO COOK spicy bean and vegetable open wraps. | Supplied