Persian omelette

6 eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
3 spring onions (finely chopped)
small bunch of fresh spinach leaves (finely chopped)
1-2 sprigs fresh parsley (chopped)
1-2 sprigs fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
A pinch of dry tarragon
A sprig of fresh dill (chopped)
3-4 fresh mint leaves (shredded)
2 walnut kernels (chopped)
1 tbsp pine nuts
Sea salt to taste
Peppercorns to taste (freshly ground)

Heat oil in a large shallow pan that can be used under the grill. Add spring onions and cook till pink and soft. Add spinach and cook till spinach just wilts. Remove from heat. Beat eggs in a bowl using a fork. Add the cooked spinach mixture and then stir in all the herbs and nuts.

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour the mixture into a pan and cover with a lid. Cook on very gentle heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Place under hot grill to brown the top. Cut into wedges and serve with garlic butter toasts with sundried tomatoes.

Garlic butter toasts with sundried tomatoes

1 loaf brown bread (sliced)
100 gm salted butter
1 pod garlic (minced)
2 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes
1 tsp dry oregano

Preheat oven to 220 C. Mix butter, garlic, sundried tomatoes and dry oregano. Brush one side on the bread slices with prepared butter. Place closely on baking tray and bake at 220 C till bread is crisp at the edges. Cut into halves and serve immediately.

Frozen fruit pudding

500 ml chocolate ice cream (softened)
cup chikoo puree
cup glace cherries (chopped)
cup seedless apricots (chopped)
3 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp rum
2 tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
8-10 roasted whole almonds

Combine ice cream, chikoo puree, cherries, apricots, raisins and rum. Pour into a greased and lined 750 ml capacity pudding basin. Freeze for two to three hours or until firm. To serve, demould, dust with cocoa powder and garnish with roasted almonds. Cut into edges and serve.

Potato and carrot oven fries

4 large sized potatoes
4 large sized carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp dried mixed herbs (oregano, basil, parsley)

Wash potatoes well and parboil them in two to three cups of water. Cool. Preheat oven to 220 c. Grease a large rectangular baking dish with half a tablespoon of olive oil. Cut potatoes with peel into thick batons. Scrape carrots and cut into similar thick batons.

Place in a large bowl and coat evenly with remaining olive oil. Spread the batons evenly in the baking tray. Bake at 220 C for 20 minutes (turning once with a spatula) or until vegetables are lightly browned and crisp. Transfer vegetables to a napkin-lined platter and season to taste with salt, pepper and dried mixed herbs.

Shopping list for next week

Crusted arbi tikkis
500 gm coloccasia (arbi)
150 gm peanuts

Tiranga paneer kebabs
450 gm slab cottage cheese (paneer)
250 ml yogurt
100 gm butter
50 ml fresh cream
50 gm cheese
60 gm khoya/mawa
A bunch of fresh mint leaves
A pack of white pepper powder
A small pack of saffron
A pack of garam masala powder
A small bottle of mustard oil
A pack of chaat masala

Chicken and coleslaw sandwiches
1 loaf brown bread
A bottle of mayonnaise
1 boneless chicken breast
1 small sized cabbage
2 medium sized carrots
A bunch of lettuce leaves
A pack of mustard powder
A pack of caraway seeds (shahi jeera)

Warm orange and syrup cake
125 gm unsalted butter
125 gm refined flour (maida)
3 oranges
2 eggs
A pack of baking powder
A bottle of vanilla essence
25 gm almonds
25 gm walnut kernels