Ingredients

500g of trimmed fresh asparagus, white and green

Preparation

• Rinsed prepared asparagus.
• Arrange spears in a large casserole dish with feathery ends facing towards the centre.
• Sprinkle with a tablespoon of water, cover and microwave on HIGH (100%) for 3-4 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 500g green beans
• 1 small onion
• 60g ghee
• 1 tsp turmeric
• half tsp chilli powder
• half tsp garam masala

Serves 4

Preparation

• Wash and cut beans in 2 cm pieces.
• Grate onion.
• In the base of Pyrex pie plate heat ghee on HIGH for 30 seconds then sauté the onion for1and a half minutes.
• Toss through the beans, turmeric and chilli powder.
• Sprinkle over garam masala.
• Pour over a quarter of a cup of water, cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook on HIGH (100%) for 6- 8 minutes until the beans are soft.
• Serve as an accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, 225g red lentils
• 2 cups warm chicken stock or water
• salt to taste
• 2 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves

Serves 4

Preparation

• Rinse lentils in cold running water. Drain and place in a plastic microwave safe  casserole dish.
• Pour in the stock, add salt and cook uncovered on HIGH (100%) for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the lemon juice.
• Cover and cook on HIGH (100%) for 5 minutes.
• Stir through spinach leaves and stand for 5 minutes before serving with curry.

Ingredients

• 4 medium sized  globe artichokes rinsed, trimmed and prepared for cooking,
  ensuring all cut surfaces are rubbed with lemon to prevent discolouration
• 120 g unsalted butter
• juice 2 lemons
• freshly ground pepper

Preparation

• Place each artichoke in a microwave safe plastic bag & secure  tightly.
• Place chokes around the rim of  the turntable.
• Cook on High (100%) for 10 minutes then set aside to stand for 5 minutes.
• Melt butter in a small Pyrex jug on Medium (70 – 80%) for 1 and a half to 2 minutes, pour in lemon juice, stir to combine.
• Prick plastic bags to release steam, remove chokes to serving plates, season and serve with butter mixture on the side.
• Peel off leaves and dip in sauce.

NB:  have some finger bowls ready!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 carrot very finely sliced on the diagonal
• 100g button mushrooms sliced length wise
• 100g shitake mushrooms sliced lengthwise
• 100 g oyster mushrooms
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 3 spring onions, diagonally sliced

Serves 2-3

Preparation

• Heat a wok or fry pan until hot.
• Add the oil and heat until hot then add onion, garlic and carrot and stir fry 2 minutes.
• Add the button and shitake mushrooms, season with pepper and toss vigorously over a medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Add they oyster mushrooms, stir another minute.
• Pour in the oyster sauce, rice wine and cold water then stir fry a further 3 minutes.
• Garnish with spring onions and serve over cooked noodles