Nectarine salsa

For a light accompaniment to my pan-fried sea bass fillets and barbecued garlic chicken, I made a nectarine salsa with whatever was already available in my not-so-full fridge. So technically this is not a salsa in the strictest sense, but nonetheless refreshing and complemented the mains well.

Nectarine salsa

Caprese salad

I started growing basil out of a tin a few months ago. By the end of July, three stalks had sprouted and reached 20+ centimetres. A couple of stalks had also started to bloom. So last weekend, I pinched off the blooms, harvested the leaves, and pruned back the stalks. 

The leaves I harvested was more than enough for me to make two generous plates of caprese salad.

Caprese salad, with homegrown basil

Spicy & crunchy meatballs

Spicy, crunchy meatballs in sundried tomato sauce, served with turmeric wholegrain basmati and garlic sautéed cavolo nero

Malaysian chicken curry

After a couple weeks of sun and warmth, a glimpse of spring, the temperature dropped to a cool 7°C during the day and as low as 0°C at night. What better, then, than to have a steamy bowl of rice with hearty curry for dinner?

Malaysian chicken curry with wholegrain basmati 

Sea bass with chunky mango salsa

Pan fried sea bass fillet, served with chunky mango salsa and blanched tenderstem broccoli

Thai red curry (Gaeng Daeng)

Red curry with turkey, tomatoes & garden peas, served with kaffir lime basmati

Mini 'hamburgers'

Mini 'hamburger'

Pan fried cod with salsa cruda

Pan fried cod with salsa cruda, served with sautéed broccolini & green beans 

Spicy beef & cabbage soup

I had a yen for a nourishing soupy dish for the past week. I think it has something to do with the weather, which has been wet and chilly. So I picked up some stewing beef from the butcher's last week and a big head of savoy cabbage earlier this week and prepared to make spicy beef and cabbage soup. Even though today turned out rather warm, showing the first sign of spring, I still went ahead as planned.

Spicy beef & cabbage soup

Lamb madras

Pan-fried seabass with spicy mango salsa and couscous

Tuna puttanesca with brown rice penne