South African Apricot Curry

 Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seed, crushed
1-1/2 cup stock
chicken chunks

Cook the onions and garlic in the oil and add the mushrooms. When most of the liquid is evaporated, add the curry powder and flour and stir for a minute and add the brown sugar, black pepper, jam, vinegar, and mustard. Stir well and when it simmers add the stock and chicken chunks. Season with salt.

Serve with rice.

Butternut Squash Risotto

 Ingredients:

1/2 lb butternut squash, diced
4 cups stock
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup arborio
1 tablespoon oil
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1/2 lb mixed wild mushrooms
1/4 parmesan shreds

Steam or boil the squash and mash. Set aside.

Roast the mushrooms and set aside.

Cook the celery and onion in some oil. Add the garlic and thyme. When it is aromatic, add the rice and stock. Cover and allow to cook for a few minutes. Stir in the squash and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until rice is tender.  Stir in parmesan and mushrooms or serve them on top.

Vardabit

 Ingredients:

pide, diced and allowed to dry
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup aquafaba
1 teaspoon yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt, to taste
1-1/4 cup white beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
isot pepper
parsley, chopped

Toss the pide with some oil and toast it. Set aside.

Combine tahini, aquafaba, yogurt, lemon, cumin, garlic, and salt. 

Mash a few spoonfuls of the beans and add them along with the rest of the beans to the tahini mixture.

Heat the olive oil and isot pepper to infuse flavor. Set aside.

Assemble by placing pide on a platter, topping with the bean mixture, and drizzle with the oil. Garnish with parsley.