I’ve two great meals today to feed hungry children. The satay chicken is very influenced by Thai cooking and that is a part of the world I enjoy eating in – they have fantastic food.
There are peanuts in this recipe so do be careful in case anyone has a nut allergy. If so, the recipe works fine without the peanut butter, or you could substitute sweet chilli sauce. To vary the meal, you could use turkey or ham instead of the chicken.
I’ve found that lots of children don’t like food to be covered in sauce, so having it in a little bowl on the side is a great way for them to try a little and still enjoy their dinner.
The falafel burger recipe has a Middle Eastern feel to it. Again, they have marvellous cuisine and I love adapting familiar recipes. Chickpeas are handy to keep in your cupboard. They are so versatile and you can make your own hummus by blending them with a little roasted red pepper, garlic and some herbs.
Happy cooking.
Healthy Home Chef with Neven Maguire is on RTÉ One on Wednesdays at 7.30pm.
Falafel Burgers with
Sweet Chilli Yoghurt
Serves four
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
Handful fresh parsley leaves
2 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter
4 tbsp Donegal rapeseed oil
4 ciabatta buns, split in half
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp natural yoghurt
25g (1oz) crisp lettuce leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Carrot and cucumber batons, to serve
1 Tip the chickpeas on to kitchen paper and dry them well, then put into a food processor. Pulse until lightly broken up into coarse crumbs. Add the onion, garlic, spices, parsley, peanut butter and season with salt and pepper.
2 Continue to pulse until just combined. Using your hands, gently form the mixture into four patties about 10cm (4in) in diameter and 2cm (3/4in) thick.
3 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the falafel burgers for two to three minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
4 Meanwhile, lightly griddle the burger buns and mix the tomato ketchup with the sweet chilli sauce and yoghurt. Spread one side of each bun with some of the sweet chilli yoghurt and then put the lettuce on top, followed by a falafel burger.
5 Spread the tops of the buns with the rest of the sweet chilli yoghurt and then use to top the burgers. Serve with the carrot and cucumber batons.
Satay Chicken & Mango Wraps
Serves four
5 tbsp smooth peanut butter
160ml can coconut cream
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mango chutney
Finely grated rind of 1 lime, plus wedges to serve
4 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into chunky pieces
2 firm ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks (stones discarded)
2 large carrots, julienned
Good handful fresh coriander leaves
4 wraps
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Put the peanut butter in a large bowl with the coconut cream, soy sauce, mango chutney and lime rind. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon half into a serving bowl and set aside. Add the chicken pieces to the remainder and toss to coat. This can then be covered with cling film and left in the fridge to marinate for up to two days.
2 When ready to cook, preheat the grill to high. Thread the chicken on to four bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for half an hour to prevent them from catching and burning, alternating with pieces of the mango.
3 Arrange the skewers on a sturdy baking sheet lined with foil. Cook under the grill for about five minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through and is starting to char around the edges.
4 Serve the skewers in warm wraps with bowls of carrot, coriander, extra satay sauce and lime wedges.




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