I say cilantro, you say coriander!

Waves of relief cascade through me. I just scanned the Mail and Guardian headlines, and phew (!), nothing horrible has happened in South Africa as the World Cup goes into its final week. After three weeks of tension and obsessively visiting the M&G website, I think I can relax now. When those millions of tourists return to their homes, instead of badmouthing SA, they are going to rave about the "gawe mense" and the lekker braais and amazing service and the stunning beauty, etc., etc. Ja-nee, for a month South Africans get to experience how it could be if they didn't have to design their lives around crime prevention.

Btw the funniest story I read in the M&G was about the convoy of Dutch supporters who had driven all the way from Holland, through the African continent to South Africa to support their team, but because they hadn't expected the Netherlands to reach the finals, they scheduled an early departure. They have left already!!!

I'm loving my carefree days at home. I go to the pool every morning for a swim, and then I relax in the jacuzzi, chitchatting with strangers, and wishing summer would never end. It's so wonderful to have time to read the paper and have lunch with friends and to work in the garden and to make lovely meals.

As you know, I like cooking with the seasons. In winter lentils and dried legumes feature prominently in my dishes, which are mainly complex stews, curries, and soups. But in summer, I go crazy at the farmer's markets and my refrigerator always has way too many vegetables. My repertoire isn't exactly huge, I have to say. Mainly because there are some things I am extremely fond of and can have them again and again. Basil pesto, heirloom tomatoes, grilled asparagus, tender green beans - steamed and tossed in butter, mustard, and toasted almond flakes.

Last week I broke from my tradition and made a rice dish that Daryl loved. This dish materialized because my refrigerator was unusually empty. All I could see were a bunch of cilantro (fresh coriander), a big carrot, and a couple broccoli heads. I opened the freezer and found a box of soy chicken strips. My brain went to work trying to figure out how to put this all together into a yummy dish. This is what I came up with:

I boiled 2 cups of brown rice.
Then I made a cilantro pesto. I got out my food processor and put in the following ingredients: the bunch of cilantro, 2 green chilis (from my garden), 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, juice of a lemon, 1/2 cup canola oil, some salt. Blend until you get a paste.

I peeled and cubed the carrot and steamed it. The broccoli went into the steamer after a bit. I sauteed the soy chicken strips. When the rice was ready I stirred in the pesto and added the veggies, which were still a little crunchy, and soy chicken.
And that's it! A simple, healthy, but delicious dish, which is also vegan.