Stuffed Capsicums

Try to choose red capsicums with flat bottoms, so they stand up in the baking dish.

Serves four to six.

One half red capsicum for each person
100 grams of ricotta for each person
A small bunch of fresh basil
Two eggs

Cut the capsicums in half, wash them and remove seeds.
Wash and dry the basil, then gently strip the leaves into three or four parts.
Separate egg yolks from egg whites.  Place egg whites in a bowl and gently whip.
Place ricotta in a large bowl and drain fluid.  Place the gently whipped egg whites in the same bowl
   and blend with the ricotta.
Blend the basil leaves with the ricotta and egg whites.
Place the blended ricotta into the capsicum halves, filling to the brim.
Place the filled capsicum halves into a baking dish and put in the oven at 140 Celsius degrees. Bake for 30 35 minutes.  Keep an eye on the process.  When the ricotta browns a little the cooking is complete.

Sambal Terasi

There a lot of chillies in this dish, but don't be put off.  Those large red chillies you buy in the supermarket or at the grocer's are fairly mild.  You don't even need to deseed them, and the lime juice will soften the heat anyway. Blachan and shrimp paste can be purchased from an Asian supermarket or grocery store.


12 large red and green chillies
2.5 x 2.5 cm slice blachan or 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste or more if desired, roasted in foil and then crumbled
pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice

In a food processor grind everything to a paste.  Moisten with lime juice. Place on a small serving dish with a spoon to serve and put on the table with rice and main dishes.

Chilli Ginger Sambal

This is an Indonesian sambal, delicious with most South East Asian dishes. There are a lot of chillies in this recipe, but don't be put off.  Those fat red chillies you buy in the supermarket or at the grocer's (or grow in your garden like I do), are mild.  You don't even need to deseed them. And the vinegar (or lime juice) dampens the heat further anyway.

3 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
10 fresh large red chillies, or to taste
a good dash of white vinegar or lime juice
chicken stock to moisten

In a mortar or a food processor, grind the ginger and chillies into a rough paste.  Add a little lime juice or vinegar and salt to taste, and moisten with chicken stock.