Recipes 7-SPICE - 7-VEG BROTH
7-SPICE - 7-VEG BROTH
Fresh, fast and incredibly healthy – these are not words we necessarily associate with the food we love to eat in winter. Because let’s face it, when it’s cold out, flaky pies, rich stews and stodgy steamed puds are just so comforting. Of course there’s nothing wrong with the occasional bit of winter naughtiness. The emphasis just needs to be on ‘occasional’ and ‘bit’.
That doesn’t necessarily mean soul-destroying denial the rest of the time though because it’s so easy to pack winter meals with plenty of nutrients, loads of fibre plus bright zingy taste. The secret is in the spice – in this case our incredibly versatile Cape Herb & Spice Thai 7-Spice. It contains (you guessed it) seven of the spices most associated with fragrant Thai cooking. Spices like warming chilli, perfumed lime leaves and basil, and earthy ginger and galangal. We used this spice blend as the base for a headily intense coconut broth and served it with large bowls of colourful veg.
- WHAT YOU WILL NEED -
- 1 tsp mild red/ green chilli, sliced
- Fresh coriander and basil, for garnish
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Green stems of spring onions, finely sliced on diagonal
- Baby pak choi/ baby spinach
- Exotic mushroom mix
- Carrots
- Baby corn
- Sugar snap peas/ mange tout
- Tenderstem broccoli
- 4 lrg spring onions (white parts only), finely sliced
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 stalk lemongrass, sliced lengthways and bashed a bit
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 500ml good quality chicken stock
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- 1 1/2 Tbsp THAI 7-SPICE
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- METHOD -
To make the broth, fry the spring onions over low heat for a minute or two until they just start softening. Add the Thai 7-spice and fry for a few seconds more. Then add the rest of the broth ingredients and boil over low heat with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove the ginger slices and lemon grass and add a squeeze of lime. Taste for salt and adjust if need be. Stir fry the vegetables with the fresh aromatics over high heat until done to your liking. Plate up the veggies in deep bowls, garnish with coriander and basil and serve with the warm broth in individual serving jugs or even a Chinese teapot.
This recipe makes enough broth to serve 3-4 people.
Recipe concept & photography by Lizet Hartley.
Lizet Hartley is a freelance stills and reel food stylist, food photographer and recipe developer. In her spare time she – rather predictably – cooks. Get more of her recipes on her blog at http://www.melkkos-merlot.co.za
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