Success!

So the Valentine's feast was a success. Here are the recipes if you want to try your hand at some Cuban cuisine:

Crispy plantain:
2 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced finely like a banana
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp rock salt
1 tbsp olive oil or sunflower oil

Boil the plantain for around 5 minutes in lightly salted water. Remove using a slatted spoon. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the plantain. Sprinkle with paprika and rock salt. Cook over a high heat until crispy and golden brown, turning regularly.

Black bean stew:
1 tin black beans
1 onion
4 garlic cloves – 2 chopped, 2 whole
1 green pepper
1tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
½ veg stock cube
½ chopped red chilli
Pinch of salt
Black pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp white wine
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato puree
It looks like loads of ingredients but literally just throw them all in together and cook for about 30 minutes! You could pick and choose which ingredients to keep or miss.  Taste as you go along!

Coconutty prawns
 
450g frozen or fresh, peeled, jumbo prawns
1 medium onion, sliced

1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tbsp butter/olive oil
2 tsps ground coriander
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsps vinegar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 - 1 tin of coconut milk (depends how creamy you want it!)
1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes.

Fry the onion and garlic paste in a pan with the butter/oil. Mix spices, vinegar and ketchup in a bowl. Add to the pan and cook for around 3 mins. Then add the coconut milk and tomatoes. Cook for around 10 minutes then add the prawns and cook for a further 3 minutes. Serve with brown rice.