Our Kitchen Table - City of Melton



Our Kitchen Table A collection of recipes from the families of Taylors Hill Primary SchoolOur Kitchen Table has been developed by Melton City Council in partnership with Taylors Hill Primary School. Students were invited to submit a recipe that celebrated their family, traditions and culture. The result is this special cookbook that can be shared across our community. Melton City Council celebrates diversity, health and wellbeing and this cookbook aims to showcase just that. As you look through Our Kitchen Table, you’ll see the amazingly diverse cultures we have in our community and the pride students have in their backgrounds. These recipes are aimed at getting families to cook and create together. Keep an eye out for Broc, our healthy eating mascot, who appears throughout the cookbook to provide some great food facts. Thank you to Taylors Hill Primary School and the students who shared recipes and stories to bring their kitchen table to yours. Cr Kathy Majdlik Mayor of the City of MeltonHarira SoupCooks: Zakariya, Grade 4. Zayne, Grade 1. Layla, Grade 1. Number of Servings: 4- 6 Preparation Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight for chickpeas) Cooking Time: 2 hours “This soup is traditionally eaten during the month of Ramadan. It is also served on special occasions such as the morning after a wedding. We love eating it all the time!”TIP: Chickpeas and green lentils are a great source of fibre, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins which help promote optimal health and wellbeing. As a bonus this soup also contains turmeric, a natural anti-inflammatory. To increase your vegetable intake carrots would be a great addition to this soup. Ingredients500g lamb shoulder, cut into 1cm pieces 2 eggs 40g butter 2 onions, chopped roughly 2 celery stalks, chopped 1.2kg truss tomatoes, peeled, seeded and pureed ? cup of dried chickpeas ? cup dried green lentils, rinsed and drained 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus extra to serve) 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ? teaspoon ground ginger A pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon hot water ? cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley ? cup finely chopped coriander leaves ? lemon, juiced, plus lemon wedges for serving Method1. Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight. 2. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the lamb, onion, celery, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and saffron (with soaking liquid). Cook until lamb is browned. 3. Add the pureed tomatoes to the pan and stir occasionally, until the mixture has slightly thickened. 4. Transfer all the ingredients from the pan into a large pot. 5. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. 6. To the pot, add the chickpeas, half the parsley and 1.25 litres of water and bring to the boil. 7. Once boiled, reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes. 8. Add the lentils and cook for a further 45 minutes or until the lentils and chickpeas are tender. 9. Just before serving whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. Add the egg mixture and remaining parsley to the pot and stir. Once the eggs have formed small white strands remove the soup from the heat. 10. Once the soup is in its serving bowl top with coriander, a pinch of cinnamon to taste and a wedge of lemon to squeeze over. Injera (Ethiopian Flat Bread)Cook: Naomi, Grade 5 (featuring brother Jacob & mother Aster) Number of Servings: 10 Preparation Time: 10 minutes (plus 1-2 days preparation of mixture) Cooking Time: 10 minutes“Injera is traditionally eaten from a shared platter with your hands. We eat it with different vegetable and meat stews. You tear off pieces of the Injera and use it to pick up the stews. It is custom to feed each other pieces of the Injera as an expression of love and friendship”.?TIP: Teff flour is a grain rich in protein which is important for growth and development, especially for kids. Plus it’s gluten free so great for people with coeliac disease (this recipe does include gluten). Ingredients2 cups of warm water2 cups of teff flour1 cup of self raising flour1 cup of sorghum flourMethod1. As you will be using your hands to mix the ingredients, make sure you give them a good wash to start off. 2. In a big bowl mix together with your hands the warm water, teff flour, self raising flour and sorghum flour until the mixture combines and becomes soft. 3. Cover the mixture with a tea towel and set aside at room temperature until it ferments and bubbles. The mixture should be the consistency of a very thin pancake batter. This process can take one to two days depending on the weather. 4. To cook the Injera you will need a pan with a lid. 5. Just before cooking, stir a cup of warm water through the mixture and leave for ten minutes. 6. When the mixture is ready for cooking, lightly oil the pan and on a stove top, bring the pan to a medium heat. 7. Pour mixture into the pan so it covers the bottom of the pan (like a pancake or crepe). 8. Place lid on the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Holes should form in the Injera and the edges should lift from the pan. Do not flip the Injera; it is only cooked on one side. 9. Remove from the pan and place on a plate ready to eat. Fluffy Cheese RollsCook: Madison, Grade 6 Number of Servings: 48 Preparation Time: 1.5 hours Cooking Time: 20 minutes“This is a Macedonian recipe and is special to me as it has been in my family for many years; it was passed down by my great grandmother. We all love eating it!”TIP: Feta and cottage cheese are a great source of dairy and calcium which is essential for growing bones. Full fat feta and ricotta cheese can be substituted for lower fat options.Ingredients For Dough 1 ? cups warm water2 teaspoons dried yeast (1x7g sachet)Pinch of caster sugar4 cups plain flour1 teaspoon of salt? cup of olive oil plus extra for brushing For Cheese Filling200g feta cheese, crumbled250g cottage cheese at room temperature1 organic or free range egg, lightly beaten for brushingSesame seeds (optional)MethodCombine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Place the dough in the prepared bowl and turn to coat it in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size. When the dough has risen, divide it into six groups and one at a time roll out the dough to a thickness of 1cm each. Cut the dough into triangles and add a teaspoon of the cheese filling to each piece of the dough. Fold the corners of the dough into the centre and shape into a crescent. Brush on the eggs and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes or until golden brown in an oven at 180°c Cypriot Meat Balls (Kofte)Cook: Enver, Grade 3. Arda, grade Prep (featuring their mother Sadiye and grandmother Hatice) Number of Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 60 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes“This is an easy dish that we all enjoy making and eating. We love that we can eat the kofte with our hands. The kofte goes great with a salad and cacik dip. TIP: Beef mince is a rich source of iron. Iron helps support good brain function and energy levels and can even help fight infection. To ensure this meal is extra healthy choose lean beef mince, which contains less saturated fat. Ingredients4 large potatoes1 large onion1 kg beef mince2 slices of stale bread or 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs1 tablespoon salt1 tablespoon black pepper? bunch parsley, finely chopped1 egg1 tablespoon tomato pureeSunflower oil (for frying)Method1. Peel and grate the potatoes. Drain all the juices and place in a bowl. 2. Grate the onions and add to the bowl with the potatoes. 3. Finely chop the parsley and add to the bowl. 4. Beat the egg and add to the bowl. 5. Add the beef mince, stale bread or breadcrumbs, salt and black pepper and tomato puree. 6. With your hands knead all the ingredients together well. 7. Take a small piece of the mixture and in your hands or on a bench top roll into a finger shape. 8. Fry the meatballs in the sunflower oil until cooked through. 9. Place meatballs on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil, then serve. Chicken, Leek and Mushroom PastryCook: Sienna, Grade 6 Number of Servings: 5 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes“My grandma and mum use vegetables from the garden whenever they make this pastry. It’s one of our favourite family meals as everyone can be part of the cooking by filling their own pastries.”TIP: Mushrooms and spinach contain vital minerals and vitamins that are essential for promoting bone health, boosting immune function, improving energy levels and supporting muscle strength. Use low fat milk, cream and mozzarella cheese to promote heart health. Ingredients500g chicken thighs diced1 leek, washed and diced250g mushrooms, cut into quarters1 large onion, diced1 cup spinach, chopped100g butter? cup plain flour250ml milk250ml cream100g grated mozzarella cheese 1 packet of puff pastryMethod1. Preheat the oven to 180°c. 2. In a hot saucepan seal the chicken thighs and cook through. Set aside to drain. 3. Reheat the same saucepan and add leeks, onion and mushrooms and cook until onion is clear and mushrooms and leek are soft. Set aside with the chicken to drain. 4. In the same saucepan melt the butter. Stir in plain flour. 5. Add juices drained from other ingredients to the butter/ flour mixture and stir well. 6. Gradually add milk and cream, stirring well over low heat until the sauce thickens. 7. Stir through the drained ingredients. 8. Add mozzarella cheese and set aside to cool slightly. 9. Place some of the mixture in the centre of a sheet of puff pastry. Fold up the sides and roll them together to seal. You can make either large pastries or smaller pastries by cutting to size the puff pastry squares. 10. Place pastries on a lined baking tray and cook in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown Nehmat’s Special Red Kidney Beans Cook: Nehmat, Grade 2 Number of Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight for kidney beans) Cooking Time: 30 minutes“This is a very popular Indian vegetarian dish. It is loved in our house and we enjoy eating it as a family at least once a week. We serve the beans with rice or roti. We are sure if you try it you’ll love it too!”TIP: This dish will keep you healthy right through the colder months. It contains garlic and chillies, which contain powerful properties to fight infection and boost immunity. Ingredients1 cup of kidney beans2 onions, diced2 tomatoes, diced1 bay leaf3-4 green cardamom pods12-15 cumin seeds4-5 cloves2 tablespoons salt1 tablespoon turmeric powder1 tablespoon red chilli powder2 tablespoons ginger- garlic pasteCoriander (for garnish)1 tablespoon garam masala powder1 inch piece of cinnamon2 green chillies, finely chopped2 tablespoons of oil? tablespoon asfoetidaMethod1. Place kidney beans in a bowl, cover with water and soak overnight. 2. Once soaked, place kidney beans in a pressure cooker and cook until soft. 3. Add to a pan the oil, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, asafoetida, ginger-garlic paste, cloves and onions. 4. Sauté onions until golden brown. Add tomatoes and salt and sauté further. 5. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and boiled kidney beans and sauté well. 6. Garnish with coriander. Shish Kebabs with Cacik (Yoghurt Dip) Cooks: Canan, Grade 6. Memo, Grade 3 and Mustafa, Grade Prep. Number of Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 20 minutes (plus 2 hours marinating) Cooking Time: 15 minutes“This is a traditional Turkish cuisine which we love to cook all together as a family. Shish Kebabs are traditionally cooked on a coal barbecue and you can make them using chicken, lamb, beef or vegetables”. TIP: This recipe features yoghurt which contains important nutrients, such as; protein for muscle growth, vitamin B12 for energy production, calcium for strong bones and probiotics for a healthy stomach. Choose lean cuts of meat for the kebabs. IngredientsFor Shish KebabsPre-soaked bamboo skewers or metal skewers500g chosen meat, diced (beef, lamb or chicken) , diced? cup olive oilJuice of ?1 to 1 ? lemons, to taste1 to 2 cloves garlic, mincedFreshly ground pepper to tasteVegetables - You can use whatever vegetables you like but we suggest trying the following: onions, capsicums, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms. For Cacik1 cup of plain yoghurt 1 medium cucumber, peeled and grated1 clove of garlic, crushedPinch of salt1 tablespoon of olive oil1 teaspoon of dried mintFresh mint leaves to garnishMethod1. To make the marinade combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper in a bowl. 2. Add meat and coat with the marinade. Marinate in the fridge 2 hours or overnight. 3. Once marinated, thread meat onto the bamboo skewers with vegetables of your choosing. Repeat until all ingredients are skewered. 4. Preheat a barbecue or grill pan to high heat, and lightly oil the grate. 5. Cook skewers on the preheated grill, turning frequently until nicely browned on all sides and meat is no longer pink in the centre. 6. To make the dip, place the yoghurt in a bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly. 7. Cover and refrigerate until required. Add fresh mint leaves for garnish when serving. Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fresh Tomato SauceCook: Isabella, Grade 3 (featuring mother Lucia, sister Julia and nonna Gaye) Number of Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 1.5 hours Cooking Time: 35 minutes“This recipe was passed down from my great grandmother. She taught my Nonno, he then taught my Nonna when they got married 45 years ago. My Nonna then taught my mum and now she’s teaching me. Nonna switched to sweet potatoes a few years ago to be healthier for everyone.”TIP: Sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamin A. Not only does vitamin A promote good vision, it is important for maintaining healthy skin, teeth and bones. For a healthy serving stick to one cup of cooked Gnocchi. IngredientsFor the Gnocchi1.5kg medium sweet potatoes3 cups plain flourFor the Fresh Tomato Sauce2kg very ripe tomatoes5-6 fresh basil leaves2 cloves garlic, diced2 tablespoons olive oilSalt and pepper to taste1 teaspoon sugarFresh parmesan cheeseMethod1. Wash the sweet potatoes and with a knife make a slit in each one. 2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking tray and put into fan forced oven at 200°c for approx 40 minutes or until soft and tender. Alternatively you can boil whole, unpeeled potatoes in water until soft and tender. 3. While the potatoes are cooking you can start making the sauce. Wash and put tomatoes in a pot. Cover with boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove one tomato at a time and peel off the skin. 4. Roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in a clean pot. Simmer on low heat until half the juices evaporate (about 15 minutes). Then mash roughly with a potato masher.5. In a large frying pan, add olive oil and garlic. Fry for a minute then add the tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. 6. Allow the sauce to simmer, uncovered, on low heat for at least 30 minutes (until sauce is thick). 7. When sweet potatoes are cooked, let them cool (until nearly cold) then peel off the skin. 8. Mash the sweet potatoes then press through a sieve, using a spoon, into a large bowl. 9. Keep one cup of flour and add remaining two cups of flour to sweet potatoes and knead. 10. Sprinkle ? cup of the kept flour over a clean surface and turn the sweet potato dough mixture onto it. 11. Add another ? cup of the kept flour on top and knead until the dough is soft and not sticky.12. Use the remaining ? cup flour as needed when rolling the gnocchi to prevent sticking. 13. Break off sections of the dough and roll it into 30cm long sausages about 1.5cm thick. 14. Cut the dough sausage into 2cm pieces. Roll each piece down the sides of a fork, pressing lightly with your thumb (there should be a thumb indent on one side and fork lines on the other). You can wet the fork in the flour if sticky.15. Use some of the kept flour to sprinkle on plates you are placing the gnocchi on for resting. 16. Allow gnocchi to rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking. 17. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Drop gnocchi into the water. Once the pot returns to the boil and gnocchi all rises to the top, remove the pot from the heat and strain. 18. Toss cooked gnocchi into freshly made sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. 19. Remove from heat and serve with fresh parmesan grated over the top.Caramel Pudding Cook: Buthmini, Grade 2 Number of Servings: 15 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour“This is a very popular Sri Lankan dessert. It is easy to make and delicious, my family love it!”TIP: This recipe contains eggs which are a highly nutritious food. They are a natural source of at least 11 different vitamins and minerals as well as high quality protein, omega-3 fats and antioxidants. To lower the sugar content of this recipe try swapping condensed milk with evaporated milk. Stevia, a natural sweetener, can be added for sweetness if needed.Ingredients For Custard1 tin condensed milk (300g) 2 tins water (600g)5 eggs1 tablespoon vanilla essencePinch of salt For Caramel? cup sugarMethod 1. Start by making the caramel. 2. Put the sugar into a pan/ pot and cook over medium heat until it has melted. 3. Once it has turned a brown colour, take off the heat and pour the caramel into a baking tray. Spread evenly and set aside. 4. Pre heat the oven to 170°c. 5. To make the custard, beat the eggs well until thick. 6. Pour the condensed milk and water into the eggs and beat well. 7. Add vanilla, a pinch of salt and mix well. 8. Pour the mixture into the baking tray, covering the caramel. 9. Fill an empty large baking tray with 2 inches of water (this tray needs to be big enough to fit the pudding tray within it). 10. Place the pudding tray in the water filled tray. 11. Place both trays in the oven and bake for 1 hour (do not cover) 12. Once baked, let the pudding cool down in the tray. 13. Once cool turn the pudding tray upside down on to your serving plate. 14. Cut to serve. Nan’s Passionfruit SpongeCook: Danielle, Principal Taylors Hill Primary School Number of Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes “My Nan was a great cook and my favourite memories of her are in her kitchen making delicious food for our family to share. Everyone in our family always looked forward to celebrating their birthday with one of Nan’s passionfruit sponges. She passed this recipe down to my mum who continues the tradition with my sisters and I and now we enjoy this delicious recipe with the next generation of our family. My Nan left her cake tins to me and I think of her every time I make cake.”TIP: Passionfruit is not only sweet and tasty but a powerhouse of essential nutrients, such as; vitamin C to fight off colds, dietary fibre for healthy bowels and vitamin A for good eyesight. This recipe can be modified to reduce the fat by using a light cream and reducing the sugar content by only using ? cup of caster sugar.Ingredients For Cake4 eggs1 cup caster sugar1 cup self raising flour? teaspoon of vanilla essence1 tablespoon of hot waterFor Cream FillingThickened Cream1 teaspoon caster sugarVanilla essenceFor Icing1 cup icing sugar2 passionfruitMethod 1. Preheat the oven to 180c. 2. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins. 3. Separate eggs and beat egg whites and sugar in a large bowl. 4. Gradually sift in flour and fold it into the egg mixture. 5. Add vanilla and water and gently mix into the mixture. 6. Divide mixture into the cake tins and gently spin tins on the kitchen bench to level out the mixture. 7. Bake for 20 minutes until the cake slightly springs back when gently touched. 8. Turn cakes out of tin onto a cooling rack and allow to cool. 9. Add the teaspoon of caster sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence to the cream and beat. 10. Carefully cut the cakes into two even layers and add the cream between each of the layers. 11. Add passionfruit pulp to the icing sugar and mix until smooth and then spread evenly over top of the cake. Edible GardensCooking is a great family activity, so why not consider growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs at home to use in your cooking? Creating your own edible garden at home has many benefits: Fresh, nutritious food. Food found on the supermarket shelves are grown for longer shelf life and are picked when unripe and firm so that they travel well. This doesn’t allow plants time to undergo natural processes that develop colour, flavour and nutrition. You can taste, smell and feel the difference with home grown! Physical health. Preparing and looking after an edible garden involves movement and activities that promote physical fitness and health, plus it encourages you to spend time outside. Mental health. Gardening provides an opportunity for busy people to slow down. It is a therapeutic activity that can ground people and awaken their senses. Learning to grow healthy edibles is mentally stimulating and knowledge growing. Educational. Edible gardening can provide a fun and hands on learning environment for kids. It provides opportunity for discovery and experimentation and can support the introduction of a variety of fruit and vegetables into your child’s/ families diet. Caring for our planet. Edible gardening is a great way to learn about waste minimisation and the recycling of wastes through composting and mulching. You can even start your own worm farm! If you’re not confident with starting your own garden or don’t have the space then why not visit your local community garden at Taylors Hill Youth & Community Centre. The garden is managed by a group of volunteers, Edible Harvest Out West (EHOW), who are passionate about encouraging home grown, edible gardening, educating the community on how to grow healthy edibles, and providing a space for people to meet and share their knowledge and develop friendships. You can learn more about edible gardening in your local community by subscribing to EHOW’s free monthly e-newsletter: Email: ehowgarden@ Facebook: EdibleHarvestOutWestEHOW Mobile: 0403 915 798“The community garden is a place where everyone is welcome. EHOW hosts monthly workshops on topics such as composting, worm farms, crop rotation, beekeeping, keeping healthy fruit trees, soil health and much more. EHOW also produces a free monthly newsletter that features a local seasonal sowing guide, garden tips, recipes and lists of upcoming events.” Susan, President of EHOW My Favourite RecipeThis book was compiled and published in 2016 by Taylors Hill Neighbourhood House. Special thanks to: The students and families of Taylors Hill Primary School who contributed to the book Melanie Bouras, Accredited Practicing Dietician Susan Mangion, President, Edible Harvest Out West Sarah Bowen, Photography and Design Coleman Studios, Graphic Design Solution Melton City Council Health Promotion Team. ................
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