COLUMNIST: DINA WATT
This is a great way to get children involved in harvesting and cooking with homegrown or foraged berries. It would also be a great recipe to use at Halloween, so try it out this month as a test run.
First step: Make the berry jam/filling. This is very easy. In a pot, add all berries with sugar, castor sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set stove to medium low. As the jam and sugar cooks together, the berries will begin to break down. Smash the berries with a wooden spoon as they cook to help them break down further. This will take around 15 minutes.
A foam will form on the top of the jam as it cooks. Switch off the stove and keep it simmering. The berries have natural pectin in them that thickens the jam after it cooks and cools, so do not worry if the jam is a bit runny, just wait and see.
Note: If you think the berries are sweet enough then you can always put less sugar, but if they are a bit tart then add more sugar into the pot.
Second step: Cut out the zombie hands. Please refer to pictures below as a guide.
Third step: Add the berry jam in between your moulded dough shapes.
Fourth step: Put them in the oven at a temperature of 180C/160C for about 25-30 minutes. Take them out, brush with egg wash, then put back in for another 5-10 minutes.
This is a vegetarian recipe which everybody can enjoy.
What to do:
In a wok/pan, set stove to medium/high and add vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, throw in chopped garlic and onion. Cook for about 2-3 minutes then add the sliced runner beans and carrots. Season well with vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Let it cook for about 3 minutes as we want the beans and carrots to retain their crunch.
Now, add the rice/glass noodles into the wok. Splash in some soya sauce, oyster sauce and mix well. Put the stove on low to prevent burning at the bottom of the wok, this might take about 5 minutes. Make sure all sauces are integrated into the noodles and taste to assess seasoning.
For that finishing touch, splash on some sesame oil. You can always garnish it with some chopped coriander leaves or chopped spring onions. I am not a vegetarian so I usually eat this with a sunnyside egg on the side and prawn crackers, yum!
Many are often left at the end of the season with the dilemma of green tomatoes. As an Indonesian, we actually cherish these tomatoes as they are perfect for some of our recipes: still so green, crunchy and sour, a flavour we look forward to!
This is a special Indonesian inspired recipe. You can pair it with fried fish, fresh vegetables such as lettuce and cucumbers, or even add some to your soup this season to bring out a bit of heat.
In a pot, add vegetable oil and all ingredients: garlic, onion, green tomatoes, and green chilli. Season with a bit of salt and crushed stock cube.
Set stove to medium. Put the lid on, simmer occasionally to prevent burning at the base. This process will take around 10-15 minutes until all green tomatoes and green chillies have softened. Turn the stove off. Splash in the fish sauce, salt, and sugar.
Finally, using a pestle and mortar or blender, blend everything into a paste. I personally prefer to use a pestle and mortar as I enjoy the sambal with rough texture (not so smooth). It is more authentic both on the eyes and to taste.
Dina Watt, an Indonesian, now living in Aberdeenshire, is known as the Indonesian Cook. Dina’s love of nature and gardening fuels her passion for cooking using home-grown ingredients. She appeared on BBC's 'Beechgrove' in 4 episodes in 2021.
In her column, Dina shares her own adventurous recipes for delicious home-cooked meals that are easy to make using home-grown, seasonal fruits and vegetables from her own kitchen garden. She is passionate about using every bit of the plant in order to practice zero-waste principles.
