Spiced steak salad

This is such an easy meal to put together, and meets Mr X's requirement of a low carb dinner. I cheated using a curry paste, but you could easily make your own. A homemade curry paste will make it even better.


Serves 2.


Ingredients:
400g steak of your choice
1 1/2 tbsp curry paste (I used massaman)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, + extra
1/2 long red chilli, finely diced (optional)
1/2 a red onion, chopped


Salad
3 cups mixed salad leaves
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
1 cup cucumber
1 carrot, finely chopped into small matchsticks
Handful of snow peas, ends removed
1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
Cheese (optional - Mr X likes cheese on everything...) or corriander, to taste.

Method:
Mix the curry paste, chilli and lime in a bowl, and add steak to it. Place in fridge for 30 minutes, or overnight to marinate.

Cut up the salad ingredients (minus the cheese or corriander) and divide onto plates.

Heat a pan over medium heat, lightly spray with oil and add onion, stirring, ensuring they don't burn, until cooked. Sprinkle over salads. Turn heat up to medium high, lightly spray pan with oil and add the steak. Cook as desired (I cooked ours medium rare), then slice and place on top of salad. Sprinkle with cheese or corriander. Enjoy!

Eggplant and mushroom curry

I love spiced eggplant. My Mum makes a great baked eggplant dish, which she refers to as a "Moussaka". I don't think it is a moussaka in the traditional sense - over time, she has made it hot and spicy, it really is a fabulous dish. It's like comfort food for me - I find myself disappointed if I go to my parents house for dinner and it is not on the menu. The below recipe is different altogether to Mum's eggplant dish, but incorporates the same main ingredients - eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes and chilli.

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants 

8 button mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium red chili, finely chopped (seeds in or removed, depending on taste - I kept mine in)
1 400g can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1-2 tablesoons garam masala or curry powder (to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tsp grated ginger
1 heaped tbs crushed garlic (I roasted mine first)
Large handful of spinach
salt to taste
Corriander, finely chopped, to taste (1 used 3-4 tablespoons)

Method:
Preheat oven to 220 degrees C.
Prick the skin of the eggplants all over. Place on a lined baking tray and pop in the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the eggplants have collapsed. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin and chop up the flesh. Set aside. Discard the skin and stems. 
Heat oil in a medium-sized heat proof casserole dish over medium heat and sautee onions until golden, before adding the chilli and mushrooms, continuing to cook for another minute or two. 

Add the diced tomatoes and spices. Stir for another minute before adding the eggplant.
Reduce oven to 200 degrees C. Place casserole dish in oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. With about 5 minutes to go, stir in spinach leaves. When ready, remove from oven, sprinkle with corriander before serving.

Serve with another curry dish, such as Saag Lamb or on its own as a vegetarian meal with rice or quinoa.

Shoeboxgirl