300 g split dal, one kind or a mixture, washed and drained

2 tblsp oil or ghee

2 red onions, chopped

1 large knob of fresh ginger, chopped

1 whole head of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 heaped tsp turmeric

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds, roasted and ground

1 heaped tsp coriander seeds, roasted and ground

1 tin tomato

1 tin coconut milk

2 large bayleaves

2 green chilies, halved lengthwise and sliced

2 tsp garam masala

1 tblsp tamarind paste

1 packet green beans from the freezer

Sauté the onions in the oil till they start to soften.

Add ginger and garlic. Stir.

Add spices and sauté a minute or two.

Add the split dal and stir to coat it all with oil and spices.

Add tomato, coconut milk, chilies, garam masala and bay leaves.

Add water if necessary. The liquid should amply cover the dal.

Bring to a simmer and cook till the dal is done, about half an hour.

Add the green beans and cook for another couple of minutes.

Craving Thai flavours but out of Thai curry paste? Fret not. If you have most of the below ingredients, you can improvise.

400 g (I like to have leftovers for the day after) fish fillets – for example cod or heilbutt or both, in bite-sized pieces

2 tblsp oil

2 tblsp tomato paste

3 stalks lemon grass, trimmed and chopped

1 knob galangal, chopped

1 whole head of garlic, peeled, trimmed and chopped

5 medium red onions, peeled and quartered

7 small aubergines – the round ones approx 5 cm diam. (could also have been green beans or sugar snap peas), or a mixture of all three.

10 lime leaves

2 tblsp fish sauce

Chili, in whichever form is available. I used a dollop of this: https://www.hellemoller.eu/2020/10/13/chili-sauce-a-made-with-red-and-orange-chilis-from-the-freezer/

1 tin coconut milk

2 tblsp fish sauce

Sautée tomato paste, lemon grass, galangal and garlic in the oil.

Add red onions and aubergines. Stir and mix well.

Add chili, coconut milk and lime leaves

Bring to a simmer and cook till the aubergines are done, 10-15 minutes.

Season with fish sauce, black pepper, perhaps some lime or lemon juice, and half a tablsp sugar.

Add the fish, largest pieces first, and simmer till the fish is done – this does not take long at all.

300 g flour
200 g sugar (any kind – I used brown “Rohrsucker”)
2 tblsp of the best cocoa powder you can find
175 g whole almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 heaped tsp ground cloves
1/2heaped tsp ground cinnamon
Grated peel of 1 organic (or at least unwaxed) lemon, washed.
3 whole eggs

Preheat oven to 175 C.

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, whole almonds, baking powder, clove and cinnamon thoroughly.

Add lemon peel and eggs and knead to a uniform dough. Add more flour if it is too sticky.

Shape the dough into two approx. 20 cm long rolls. Place on baking paper and flatten them slightly to achieve the classic biscotti shape.

Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. When the rolls are cool enough to handle, using a very sharp knife, cut them into approx. 1 cm slices and bake again for ten minutes.

Let cool completely and keep in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

And remember – biscottis are supposed to be hard. That way, at least those of us with old teeth have an excuse to dip them in our coffee before eating.

NOTE: The recipe that inspired me did not mention neither thyme, rosemary, ginger or garlic, but I think those flavours are required, and go well here. Alternatively at least a couple of bayleaves. There is no reason to make northern European food more bland and boring than it has to be. Perhaps I’ll add garam masala and chili next time.

It did list a dl of cream, but I have never been able to see the point in adding cream to savoury dishes, so I threw in 100 g oats instead (since I am trying to incorporate oats into everything these days).

Cut the chestnuts, potatoes, onions and garlic in large pieces and add, together with the ginger to a pan and sizzle in the butter (or ghee).

Add the stock, thyme and rosemary, salt and pepper and bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Fish out the herbs, and blend the rest. Season and serve garnished with chopped parsley or roasted oats.

650-700 g hokkaido, in 2 cm pieces.

200 g cooked chickpeas

100 g oats, plus some for garnishing, roasted in ghee or oil

250 g broccoli, in pieces

100 g snow peas, trimmed and halved

200 g chopped red onion

3 (or more) finely chopped garlic cloves

20 g finely chopped ginger

3 tblsp coconut oil

2 tblsp sugar (coconut blossom sugar if available)

2 tsp Thai red currypaste, OR fresh lemongrass, lime leaves and chili

400 ml coconut milk

Salt and pepper

Lime or lemon juice

Fresh koriander

NOTE: An ice-cream scooper usually helps to carve away pumpkin seeds and fluff.

Also, Contrary to what many recipes will have you believe, it is not necessary to remove the peel. When cooked, it is eminently edible, and there is nutrition, colour and texture which it is a shame to waste.

Sautée onion, garlic and ginger in the oil.

Add sugar and let it lightly caramelise.

Add currypaste or lemongrass/lime leaves/chili and stir.

Add coconutmilk and bring to a simmer

Add pumpkin and chickpeas and simmer for ten minutes.

Add broccoli and snow peas and simmer for about three minutes.

Season with salt, pepper and lemon or lime juice, and garnish with the chopped fresh coriander and roasted oats.

1 butternut squash

2 cloves garlic

2 red onions

1 tin tomatoes

1 tblsp harissa

1 knob fresh ginger

1 tsp turmeric

2 tblsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper

Bayleaves

1 tblsp honey

1 tsp smoked paprika

100 g feta

Herbs to garnish

Preheat the oven to 200 C

Halve the squash and remove the seeds with a spoon or an ice scooper, depending on the size of the cavity.

Place the squash peel up and cut almost through at about 4 mm intervals. Place a pencil on either side to make sure you do not cut it all the way through.

Slice garlic and onions and mix with the tinned tomato and 1 tblsp olive oil, season with turmeric, chili, salt and pepper, and spread this mixture in a small baking tray.

Place the squash peel up on top of this layer. Place a couple of bayleaves in the slits. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil on the squash halves and bake in oven for 20 minutes.

Paint the squash halves with honey, dust with smoked paprika and bake, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.

Scatter feta cheese over the halves for the last ten minutes in the oven, or just before serving.

Again recently, a lot has been written about the health benefits of oats, so my current obsession is to try to incorporate oats into as many meals as possible.

In this case served with one of my favourite aubergine dishes – an old faithful.

2,5 dl oats

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic and a small knob of fresh ginger, finely chopped

5 dl vegetables, in this case red pepper and zucchini, chopped

1 dl cooked green lentils

1 small tsp turmeric

Salt

Chili to taste, in whichever form you have available

1 tsp garam masala

Dry-roast the oats till they smell good.

Heat the oil and sizzle the cumin seeds. Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté.

Add the vegetables and the rest of the ingredients except the oats, and sauté till the vegetables soften. If it starts to dry up, add water rather than oil.

Add the oats, stir well, and cook through.

Garnish with (preferably) fresh coriander, or any other herb you have available.