Spaghetti alla Nerano, Zucchini Spaghetti

Serves 4

Ingredients
6 medium zucchini, sliced into quarter-inch rounds
Sunflower oil, for frying
14 oz. spaghetti
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
2 to 4 oz. grated cheese (such as aged Parmigiano Reggiano, Provolone del Monaco, or Caciocavallo)
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
A pat of butter (optional)
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Take thinly sliced zucchini rounds and deep-fry in sunflower oil until golden (or even slightly burnt).
2. Put fried zucchini on a paper towel to absorb oil; let sit in a bowl for a few hours to rest (or put in the fridge overnight). Before using, dab them again with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
3. Boil spaghetti in lightly salted water until al dente. Save a cup of cooking water after draining spaghetti.
4. Reheat zucchini in a frying pan with optional minced garlic.
5. Place half of the zucchini into a clean pot or bowl, then add a few Tbsp. of cheese and a few Tbsp. of the pasta cooking water. Stir the mixture until cheese begins to melt. Add spaghetti, the rest of the zucchini, and cheese, and continue stirring until cheese and spaghetti water form a saucy emulsion. If the mixture seems too thick, add a bit more cooking broth. If it is too thin, add more cheese.
6. Add fresh basil, butter, and black pepper, to taste.
7. Serve with sprig of basil on top—with basil flower, if you have it—in a shallow bowl.

* Adapted from Lo Scoglio da Tommaso and other Nerano restaurants.

Lentil Curry

Ingredients

50g (3 tbsp) butter , unsalted (sub 2 tbsp neutral oil)
4 garlic cloves , finely minced (Note 1)
1.5 tbsp ginger , finely minced (Note 1)
1 onion , finely chopped (white, yellow, brown)
2 tbsp curry powder , mild or spicy (your choice!) (Note 2)
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup dried lentils , green or brown (or any other dried lentils or split peas, Note 3)
400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk , full fat
400g/ 14 oz canned tomato , crushed or diced
3 cups (750 ml) water

Serving:
1/2 cup coriander/cilantro , finely chopped
Yogurt , optional
Basmati rice (or other rice)

Instructions

1. Saute onion: Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Slowly cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes until tinged with gold and the onion is sweet.
2. Cook off spices: Turn heat up to high, add curry powder and turmeric, stir for 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Add everything else: Add remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to simmer, then place lid on and adjust heat to low / medium low so it's simmering gently.
4. Simmer: Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes to reduce the sauce. {Note 2 for cook times of other lentils} 
5. Lentils should be soft, sauce should be thickened and creamy. Too thick, add water. Too thin, simmer with lid off - thickens quickly.
6. Coriander: Stir through half the coriander, then taste and add more salt if needed.
7. Serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with more coriander and a dollop of yogurt. (Low carb option - cauliflower rice).

Notes
1. Garlic and ginger - while fresh is ideal (followed by jarred), powder is a sufficient substitute - use 1 tsp of each and add with curry powder.
2. Curry powder - I use Clives of India, Keens, and a generic brand and all tasted the same. The beauty of this recipe is that you don't need any fancy curry powder, just your run-of-the-mill jar from the grocery store.
3. Lentils - use any dried lentils or canned here, or split peas (will result in an an interesting colour in your pot, but it will still be phenomenally delicious!).
NOTE: Age of lentils will affect cook times. Very old dried lentils can take double the cook time. Just keep adding water until it is cooked. Cook times provided are packets purchased within the past few months from a grocery store (ie not super fresh but not extremely old).

COOK TIMES:
Green and brown lentils - most common & cheapest, cook per recipe
Canned lentils (2 cans drained) - 25 min, uncovered the whole time
Red split lentils - 25 min, uncovered the whole time
Yellow or green split peas - 25 min, uncovered the whole time
Any dal (Indian lentils) such as channa dal, toor dal or moong dal - per recipe
French lentils (Puy lentils / black lentils) - not recommended as they don't soften as well as other lentils so you won't get the same creamy, thick texture.

4. Storage - will keep in fridge for up to 5 days, and in freezer for 3 months (thaw, heat, give it a good stir and it will be as good as new. Use water to thin slightly if needed.)

5. Nutrition per serving, excluding rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 414cal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 782mg | Potassium: 865mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 544IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 7mg

Mulligatawny Soup (Thermomix)

Difficulty : easy

Preparation time : 5 min
Total time : 35 min
Serving size : 6 portions

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves
30 g olive oil
150 g onions, quartered
150 g carrots, cut in pieces
150 g sweet potatoes, cut in pieces
210 g dessert apples, diced (1 cm)
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground turmeric
15 g tomato purée
100 g red split lentils
900 g vegetable stock
2 pinches fine sea salt, or to taste
1 pinch ground black pepper, or to taste
sour cream, to serve

Preparation

1. Place garlic, oil, onions, carrots and sweet potatoes in mixing bowl then chop 4 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula then sauté 5 min/120°C/speed 1.
2. Add diced apples, curry powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and turmeric then cook 2 min/100°C/speed 0.5.
3. Add tomato purée, lentils and stock then cook 20 min/100°C/Reverse Spin/speed 1.
4. Taste and season as desired then serve in soup bowls with a spoonful of sour cream.

Lentil (Dahl) Curry (Thermomix)

Difficulty : easy

Preparation time : 20 min
Total time : 30 min
Serving size : 6 portions

Ingredients
200 g dried red lentils
500 g water
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 pandan leaf, tied in a knot
60 g coconut cream
60 g oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 red onion, quartered
1 garlic clove
2 bird's eye chillies, fresh, deseeded if preferred
3 fresh curry leaves
1 tomato, diced (1 cm)

Preparation

1. Place simmering basket on mixing bowl lid and weigh in lentils. Rinse lentils until water runs clear.
2. Place rinsed lentils, water, salt, turmeric and pandan leaf in mixing bowl then cook 12 min/100°C/Reverse Spin/speed (Stir Ladle).
3. Add coconut cream and heat 3 min/80°C/Reverse Spin/speed (Stir Ladle). Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Clean mixing bowl.
4. Place oil in mixing bowl and heat 1 min/Varoma/speed 1.
5. Remove measuring cup and heat again 1 min/Varoma/speed 1, while adding mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds through hole in mixing bowl lid.
6. Add onion, garlic and chillies then chop 4 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
7. Add curry leaves and sauté 2 min/Varoma/Reverse Spin/speed 2.
8. Add tomato and cook 2 min/Varoma/Reverse Spin/speed 2. Pour mixture over cooked dahl and stir to combine. Serve warm.