Chick Pea and Garlic Sauce (v)

This is a sort of houmous but it's not really houmous per se. I had it with moroccan roasted vegetables, cous cous and haloumi tonight. It worked as a sort of wet sauce to balance the dryness of the vegetables and cous cous.

For 2-3 servings you need:
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, crushed
juice 1 lemon
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp light olive oil

Place everything in a blender and blitz till it's the consistency you want (I like mine slightly chunky). Eat as you wish.

Crustless Lime and Lemon Meringue Pie

Crustless cos I couldn't be arsed to make pastry. I mean, it's not the pastry you eat this for is it? And Lemon and Lime cos I only had two lemons and needed three...

For one pie you need:

Base:
Juice and zest of 2 lemons and 2 limes
3 egg yolks
450ml water
6 tbsp cornflour
45g butter
90g caster sugar

For the meringue:
3 egg whites
180g caster sugar

For the base, mix the cornflour with a bit of the water to slacken it and then place the remaining water in a pan with the sugar and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved add the lemon juice, zest and cornflour to the sugar syrup. Return to the heat and stir till thickened. Remove from the heat and add the butter and egg yolks. Leave to cool in the pie dish.

For the meringue whip the whites till really stiff then add the sugar. Mix till glossy.

Once the base is cold, and more solid, cover with the meringue taking care to spread right to the sides. Bake in a moderate (160 degrees) oven for about 45 mins. Leave to cool before eating, however hard that might appear cos it will smell gorgeous. Try not to eat it all on one day.

Coconut Broth with Citrus and Noodles (v)

Yes, another variation on the theme but this was delicate and spicy and sour and hot and basically delicious which is why it deserves being blogged. The addition of frozen kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass helped to lift the flavours more than freeze dried.

For 2-3 portions you need:
1 bundle ramen noodles
1 can coconut milk
1 small can cocomut cream
1 litre vegetable stock
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 red chillies, sliced
small bunch corriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soya sauce
1 onion, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1/2 cup peas
2 pak choi, shredded
1 tbsp frozen kaffir lime leaves
4 pieces frozem lemon grass
juice of 2 limes
6 spring onions, chopped

Place everything apart from the spring onions in a large pan and gently heat. Cook for 1-2 mins and then serve topped with the spring onions.