Vegetable dishes are healthy and simple to make, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup
THERE is no denying that vegetables are good for you and that we should eat more of them. In fact, it’s healthier to eat meals that are heavier on the greens instead of carbohydrates like rice and pasta or proteins like meat.
Another aspect of healthy eating is preparing meals from scratch at home which gives you control over the ingredients used for cooking. That said, boiling instant noodles does not count as a home-cooked meal.
I’m not suggesting growing your own beans or making tofu, although you could if you wanted to. But when you cook at home, you know what goes into a dish, how much oil is used as well as how much salt and sugar are added.
Here are some vegetable recipes, including a few that are fully vegetarian. Dishes like the nicoise salad are a classic in French restaurants, and you can try making it yourself.
You can have the French bean pancake for breakfast while the capsicum popiah makes a great snack at teatime. Do try to get the best and freshest ingredients as these tend to be the tastiest with all the beneficial vitamins and nutrients intact.
STUFFED YELLOW CAPSICUM WITH COUSCOUS ULAM AND TOMATO SALSA
Ingredients
6 large yellow capsicum
200g cooked couscous
2 tsp oil
3 whole mackerel, steamed or boiled
5 sq cm salted fish, fried and finely chopped
For ulam (salad)
2 tbsp finely sliced bunga kantan (ginger flower)
1 tbsp finely sliced mint leaves
2½ tbsp finely sliced lemongrass
1½ tbsp finely sliced daun kesum (laksa leaves)
1 tbsp finely sliced kunyit (turmeric) leaves
2 tbsp finely sliced pegaga (pennywort) leaves
1½ tbsp finely sliced selasih (Thai basil) leaves
2 tbsp finely sliced ulam raja (king’s salad)
2½ tbsp finely sliced kaffir lime leaves
3 shallots, finely chopped
3-4 tbsp kerisik (toasted grated coconut)
3-4 tbsp lime juice
¼ tbsp salt
¼ tbsp pepper
1 tbsp sugar
Tomato salsa
1 medium-sized tomato, seeded and diced
¼ cup diced red onion
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. To make the tomato salsa, combine all the ingredients and refrigerate.
2. Cut the top of the capsicum and spoon out the seeds. Roast in pre-heated oven at 180˚C for 10 minutes to slightly soften the flesh.
3. Debone the cooked mackerel and mix with couscous, salted fish and oil.
4. Mix all the ulam ingredients and combine with couscous.
5. Fill capsicum with the couscous mixture and top with tomato salsa. Serve.
GRILLED BEEF WITH CHILLI AND ONION RELISH
Ingredients
250g beef, cut into 1cm slices
and flattened
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
For relish
5 red chilli, seeded and cut into 3
2 red onions, quartered
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1½ tbsp sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Season sliced beef with salt, pepper and oil. Marinade for 2 hours in the fridge. Grill over a griddle pan until cooked.
2. Heat oil in a pan and saute garlic, onions and chilli. Fry until soft and add in sugar, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until onion and chili are soft and moist.
3. Toss in beef slices and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.
TOMATO BRUSCHETTA
Ingredients
1 loaf rye bread, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium sized tomato
Half a lemon, juice only
20g fresh basil leaves, sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Blanch tomato in boiling water to remove the skin. Cut into 1cm cubes.
2. Toss with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.
3. Season with salt and pepper, and add basil leaves.
4. Toast the rye bread. Place the tomato mixture onto the bread and serve immediately.
PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD
Ingredients
2 cucumber, cut into 2cm quarters
750ml distilled vinegar
80g sunflower oil
1 tsp sesame oil
A pinch of salt
150g sugar
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
80g spring onion, cut into julienne
30g chilli flakes
10g sesame seed
1 tsp lime zest
Method
1. Boil vinegar with sugar, add in cucumber and let it cool.
2. Make vinaigrette with sunflower oil, sesame oil, salt and finely chopped garlic.
3. Toss the cooled and strained cucumber in with the vinaigrette.
4. Add the spring onion, chili flakes, sesame seed and lime zest. Serve.
FRENCH BEANS PANCAKE
Ingredients
180ml milk
2 eggs
40g cornflour
20g rice flour
80g plain flour
100g tofu, mashed
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp curry powder
200g French beans, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Method
1. Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Heat cooking oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of the mixture to the pan, pressing down to flatten slightly. Cook each side for two to three minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.
NICOISE SALAD
Ingredients
100g butterhead lettuce
3 cherry tomato
50g baby fennel, thinly sliced
20g olives
30g long beans
60g baby potato
3 quail eggs
60g tuna loin
Salt and pepper for seasoning
For dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1½ tbsp lemon jiuce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
20g fresh sweet basil, sliced
Method
1. Blanch long beans and baby potato in boiling salted water until tender. Boil quail eggs in a separate pot.
2. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and heat up a frying pan. Sear the tuna on each side, cooking it until medium rare. Remove and cool. Cut into thin slices.
3. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients in a bowl.
4. Toss lettuce, tomatoes, fennel and olives as well as the cooked ingredients with the dressing. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
POPIAH WITH TRAFFIC LIGHT CAPSICUM AND PICKLED CUCUMBER
Ingredients
1 green capsicum
1 red capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 pieces popiah skin
½ tsp chicken powder (optional)
Salt, sugar and pepper to taste
Oil for frying
For pickled cucumber
Half a cucumber, thinly sliced
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 bird’s eye chilli, sliced
(optional)
Method
1. Prepare the pickled cucumber by mixing all the ingredients together. Let it sit for at least three hours in the fridge.
2. Cut capsicum into thin strips. Heat oil in a wok and saute garlic until fragrant. Add capsicum and fry until soft. Season with salt, sugar, pepper and chicken powder. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. To make the popiah, place lengthwise two spoonfuls of cooled, cooked capsicums on the popiah skin. Add half a tablespoon of pickled cucumber. Fold the popiah skin and roll it to close. Use some water to seal the edges.
4. Heat oil in frying pan and fry the popiah until golden brown. Serve hot.