The calm weather and early sunsets make winter evenings perfect for soirees and cosy gatherings. No wonder we see a rise in the number of playful occasions during this time of the year! And no celebration is complete without good food, especially when winter brings with it a fresh haul of special produce.

Here are some easy recipes to make using winter produce to keep your guests entertained and winter gatherings fun! 

LETTUCE WRAPS

Ingredients

For the stuffing –

1 lettuce head

500g mince beef

1 bell pepper

4 – 5 green chillies

1 thumb ginger

2 spring onions

4 cloves garlic

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

1 lime

For the dip –

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp fish sauce

1 sliced fresh red chilli

1 tbsp lime juice

A handful of chopped coriander

Method

Season the minced beef with salt and pepper and cook over hot oil in a pan. While cooking, break it into small chunks so that you have crispy bits. Remove mince from the pan and strain the oil. In a fresh pan, add in chopped onions, ginger, garlic, bell pepper, and chillies in sesame oil. Then add in brown sugar and fish sauce, and add the mince back in. Add in zest of a fresh lime and lime juice, stir and remove from heat.

For the dip, mix all the ingredients together and stir. Lay the lettuce and fill them in with the mince; pour in a teaspoon of the dip and enjoy!

Photo: Fariha Amber

SPICY GRILLED CORN

Ingredients

2 large corns

2/3 cup button mushrooms

2 sausage sticks

1 onion

1 tomato

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp oregano

2 tsp oil

1 lime

Method

Slice the sausages and the mushrooms and heat oil in a pan. Throw in diced tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and garlic powder; cook until the tomatoes are soft and add in sausages as well. Cook this until everything is tender and remove from heat.

To cook the mushrooms, add in sliced onions to hot oil and cook along with mushrooms and season with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and oregano. Sauté everything until tender and set aside. Oil the corns and grill them over direct heat rotating once in a while; once the kernels are charred, layer on the sausage or mushroom mixture. You can cut the corn into smaller manageable pieces and squeeze in fresh lime juice before serving.

Photo: Fariha Amber

BELL PEPPER BOATS

Ingredients

1 dozen baby bell peppers

500g ground beef

2 onions

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

5-6 sliced dried red chillies

½ cup beef stock

1 tbsp oil

Method

Add oil to a pan and add in chopped onions and garlic along with ground beef and cook for five minutes until fragrant. Then, add in tomato paste, salt, black pepper, cumin, and sliced red chillies. Mix everything and add in the beef stock. Stir and cover with a lid for 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

Meanwhile, slice the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the membranes and seeds from inside. Lightly brush all sides with oil and grill them over a griddle pan. Once slightly cooked and charred, remove from heat. These should not be soft and still have the crunch. 

Remove the beef from heat as well and fill in the cavity of the bell pepper by the spoonful, and serve warm.     

Food: Fariha Amber