Coconut Balls of Heaven :) (or properly named - Coconut Cardamom Burfi )

4 Ingredients:

250g desiccated coconut

395g can sweetened condensed milk

10 cardamon pods - grind/crush seeds into a powder (or about a teaspoon of ready ground powder or you can use mixed parts of cinnamon / ground nutmeg)

Handful of pistachio nuts, roughly crushed/ground

4 steps for Preparation:

1) In a bowl, mix 200gm of desiccated coconut, sweetened condensed milk, cardamon and pistachios.
2) In a non-stick pan, heat the mixture, stirring gentally for about 10 mins until the mixture starts to dry (be less sticky) and can roll easily into a ball.
3) Remove from heat, and cool mixture until cool enough to handle. Place the remaining coconut onto a plate.

4) Using damp hands (I keep some water close by to constantly wet my hands) roll the mixture into balls and then roll in coconut to coat.

Chill in fridge for about 30 mins before serving

The coconut balls can be refrigerated for up to a week.

This recipe came from the SBS show Food Safari. You can watch the video here:

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/41/Coconut_cardamom_burfi/search/true

*Warning - these are addictive* *Double the recipe for more balls of heaven to eat*

Fab-ulous Steamed Fish with Lemon Sauce!

Stole this recipe off my sister, Fab :)

It's easy...

Steam rice (and while you're at it some greens as well) to serve with the fish:

Ingredients:
Sliced lemons, lemon juice and lemon rind
Fish fillets
Garlic
Chicken Stock
White wine
Small carton cream (whipping/pouring cream)
Pepper

Method:
Put sliced lemons and a bit of water in a pan. Place fish fillets on top of lemons and steam with lid on until fish is cooked. (Should take about 10 minutes - Don't overcook the fish).

In another pan, saute the sliced garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the 1/2 cup or so of white wine and cook for a few minutes.
Add a cube of chicken stock, half a lemon's juice and rind and some fine ground black pepper.
Add cream and slowly stir and bring to boil. This will thicken the sauce.

The longer the sauce is cooked, the thicker it gets... I only simmer mine for about 5 minutes.
Then serve the steamed rice, with fish fillets and the lemon sauce on top with your greens!

Yummm...

Yummy Lemon Yoghurt Cake

The easiest & yummiest cake (or cupcakes) ever... I got this recipe from a good friend of mine Nicola, but think it came out of a Women's Day Mag.

Sue's Lemon Cake

Ingredients
1 cup natural yoghurt
3/4 cup oil (I use vegetable as olive oil may be too "heavy")
1 1/2 cups castor sugar (I use slightly less)
2 1/4 cups SR flour
3 eggs beaten
2 tspns grated lemon rind
1/3 cup lemon juice

Method
Grease & flour 24cm ring tin
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl
Bake for one hour at 160C
Stand 5 minutes
Dust with icing sugar

Doesn't get easier than that! ;)

**Option to bake as cupcakes instead of a cake. I sometimes double the mixture and make loads of cupcakes as they don't last long!**

**In my oven, the cupcakes take about 20 minutes**

This recipe is great for variations: my friend Andrea adds in blueberries from his garden into the mixture. You could even try making with orange rind/juice instead of lemons..

Delicious served warm with a dollop of fresh cream, or on their own with a good cup of tea :)

Ode to Michelle...

Knowing Michelle is the only one who ever actually checks to see if there is something new on my food obsessed blog... this one is for you darling!

John's Mean Mushroom Risotto!

Now.. there is no exact recipe for this one.. John improvises, usually with a glass of wine in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other! But it goes a little something like this;

Ingredients:

Onion (white or red) - chopped

Garlic clove

Arborio Rice - 1 cup for 2 ppl provides a big serve and a bit more for seconds ;)

Wine (Dry White preffered but Red works too) - just a big splash

Stock - mushroom or vegetable (chicken too if you're scraping the pantry)

Dried Porcini Mushrooms (soaked in warm water/stock)

Mushrooms - fresh - any mix of different types or just one type.

This time we used - swiss brown, field and button all cut up differently

Salt, Pepper

Butter

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese - grated

Rosemary / Sage from the garden :)

Method:

Prep all your food so it's ready to throw in

Pour some wine (for yourselves to enjoy)

Sweat the onions (i.e saute in the pan with no butter/oil) until softened

Add a bit of butter and olive oil, cook for a bit more

Add the rice and stir through with the onions.

Cook the rice until it starts to turn translucent & just starts to crackle and pop, a bit like popcorn.

Add a splash of wine and stir until the alcohol has evaporated

Add the mushrooms & herbs, stir then slowly start to add the stock (with porcini soaking in them) bit by bit constantly stirring.

Keep the risotto moist/covered with stock, don't let it get too dry.

Continue adding stock and stirring until the rice is just al dente (bit firm) (this takes about 15-20 minutes). Then remove from the heat.

Stir through a knob of butter (about 40g), a good handful of parmesan, cracked pepper and salt to taste.

Let sit for 5 minutes (if you can wait!) then serve with more wine ;)

*hint - keep your stock on or near the boil on the stove*

*for easy variations you can: add fresh asparagus, mix through baby spinach at the end, chopped italian sausage, the possibilities are endless*