IF you’re looking for light yet filling recipes to start your day as well break your fast during Ramadan, here are a some that are packed with nutritious mushrooms. Nourishing and delicious, these meal ideas will not only help you stay energised they will fill you up without filling you out.
SPINACH & MUSHROOM BAKED EGGS
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 5 medium leeks, sliced
- 500g portabellini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 400g baby spinach
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 350ml milk
- 2 tsp mustard
- Pinch nutmeg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 4 large free-range eggs
- Salt & pink peppercorns
- Olive oil
Method
- Preheat oven to 200˚C and prepare 4 ramekins on a baking tray.
- Blanch the spinach quickly by placing it in a colander in the sink. Pour over a freshly boiled kettle of water and then immediately rinse with cold water. Squeeze all the water out and set aside.
- In a large frying pan over high heat, sauté the mushrooms in a drizzle of olive oil until golden brown. Set mushrooms aside.
- In the same pan add in the butter, the leeks and garlic and cook until the leeks are tender and the garlic is fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stirring constantly cook the flour for a few minutes.
- Pour in the milk and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt, pepper, mustard and nutmeg.
- Once the mixture is thick, remove from the heat. Stir in the mushrooms, spinach and Parmesan.
- Divide mixture between ramekins and create a well in the centre of each one. Crack an egg into each well and bake for 10-15 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with some crushed pink peppercorns and serve.
CREAMY CASHEW NUT & MUSHROOM CURRY
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup raw cashew nuts
- 2 Tbsp ghee
- 400g portabellini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tsp curry powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
- To serve: Rice, fresh coriander, toasted cashew nuts and finely sliced red onion
Method
- In a large pot over medium heat, fry the onion, garlic and ginger in ghee along with all the spices. Cook until the spices become fragrant and the onion is tender.
- Add in the tin of tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir through the cashew nuts and remove from the heat.
- Add about 1 cup of cold water to the sauce and then carefully transfer to a blender or use a stick blender. Blend until smooth and set aside. Taste for seasoning.
- Fry sliced mushrooms in the remaining ghee.
- Season with curry powder, salt and pepper.
- Add the blended sauce to the cooked mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Add the peas and cook for a minute.
- Spoon curry onto a bed of rice and top with fresh coriander and toasted cashew nuts.
