Nice 'n Spicy Recipes

Stir-Fried Pak Choi & Beansprouts

2009-01-30T18:08:00.002Z

Intro...

Cooking Time - approx 5 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

fresh Root Ginger, finely sliced
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Pak Shoi, shreded
1 handful Beansprouts
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
75ml Water
1 tsp Seseme Oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the ginger for a few seconds
Throw in the Pak Choi and stir fry for 1 minute
Add the soy and sugar and stir well for 1 minute.
Add remaining ingredients, stir well and cover for 1 minute to steam
Stir well and serve immediately

Chilli Dipping Sauce

2009-01-30T17:45:00.006Z

A quick dipping sauce for chinese dishes. Try this with the Guo Tie. You can vary the heat by adding more or less chilli flakes. Alternatively add some grated ginger and chopped spring onions

Cooking Time - approx 2minutes

Serves4

Ingredients

Generous pinch of Dried Chilli Flakes
1 tbsp Bioling Water
1 tbsp White Wine or Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tsp Seseme Oil

Method

Reconsitute the chilli flakes in with the boiling water in a small serving bowl
Add all remaining ingredients, stir and serve

Guo Tie

2009-01-30T17:12:00.005Z

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!! I've been celebrating the Chinese New Year with a number of new recipes. Gui Tie, or 'Pot Stickers' are dumplings which are both fried and steamed, to provide a superb texture & flavour combination. A traditional dish for New Year celebration, they are often served as appetisers with a soy and chilli dip. I've served them here with stir-fried Pak Choi and Beanspouts for a great main meal.

I've also used the same filling mixture for wantons (this quantity makes loads!), but pass all the mixture through a food processor to make a fine paste.

Cooking Time - approx ## minutes

Makes 16-24, serves 4

Ingredients

280g Plain White Flour
pinch of Salt
250 ml Boiling Water
200g Minced Pork
1/2 Pak Choi, finely chopped
1 Shallot or 2 tbsp Onion, finely chopped
2 Spring Onions, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Grated Ginger
1 tbsp Dry Sherry
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
2 tsp Toasted Seseme Oil
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
100ml Vegetable or Chicken Stock

Method

In a bowl, make the dough by slowly adding the boiling water to the flour and salt. Stir well with a fork then get stuck in (literally...) with your hands. Work into a rough dough and turn out onto a board.
Knead well for 5-10 minutes until you get a smooth dough (very theraputic at the end of a busy day). Add more flour to prevent sticking. Cover or put in a plastic bag, and leave to rest to 20-30 minutes
In another bowl, work together the pork, onion, pak choi, spring onions, soy sauce, ginger, sherry, pepper, seseme oil and sugar well with your hands to get an evenly distributed mixture. Set aside
Take the rested dough out of the bag and roll into an even 'log' - this makes for more even sized dumplings. Cut the log into pieces - you shoud get about 16-24.
Using floured hands and board, flatten and evenly roll each piece of dough into a round, about 10cm across
In the centre of each round, place some of the filling (about 2-3 tsp). Wet the edge of the dough with water and fold the dough over to form a parcel. Seal well with your fingers or crimp. They should resemble little cornish pasties, and the base should be flat. If you don't intend to use them all in one sitting, freeze the raw dumplings now.
Ideally you need a large non-stick pan with a good lid for the next stage.
Add the vegetable oil to the pan and heat. When very hot, add the dumplings in a single layer, flat side down. Fry gently, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes until the bottom of the dumpling has turned golden/mid brown
When the bottoms are sealed and brown, pour the stock into the pan and cover with a lid. Turn the heat down and steam gently for 10 minutes or so. Check during cooking to ensure that the stock hasn't evaporated - if so, add some water.
Uncover and continue cooking for another couple of minutes to evapourate off the remaining liquid. During the cooking, the Guo Tie should not be disturbed, so they'll be sticking to the pan. Loosen with a spatula and serve immediately with a chilli or ginger dipping sauce

Keema Matar

2009-01-25T20:09:00.003Z

Minced lamb or beef can be used to create this great dish. A very concentrated flavour - serve with Parathas

Cooking Time - approx 60 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 Black Cardomon Pods, bruised
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
6 Cloves
6 Black Peppercorns
2 1/2 Onions, diced
6 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 kg Minced Lamb or Beef
4 tsp Coriander Seed, ground
2 tsp Cumin Seed, ground
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1-2 tsp Salt
4 Tomatoes, skinned & chopped
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
4 tbsp Yoghurt
1 tsp Garam Masala
handful of chopped Coariander leaves
250g Frozen Peas
Water

Method

Render the cloves, peppercorns, black cardomon and whole cumin seeds in the oil for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the onions and cook until translucent - about 5 minutes
Add garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds and add mince, coriander and ground cumin. Stir well and brown off for 5 minutes
Add chilli, turmeric, salt and tomatoes. Stir well and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add water as necessary to prevent from drying out.
Stir in yoghurt and garam masala. Cook for a few minutes before adding peas and coriander leaf. Stir well to heat through and serve.

Stuffed Paratha

2009-01-25T19:09:00.005Z

An excellent alternative to rice for your curry, and a great way to use up some left over mash!

The paratha dough can be made with chapati flour, if you have it. I use a half and half mix of white and wholemeal plain flour. Instead of stuffing, this dough can be rolled out and dried-fried to produce great chapatis or roti

Cooking Time - approx ## minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

100g Plain White Flour
100g Plain Wholemeal Flour
Pinch of Salt
150ml Warm Water
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1/2" Ginger, grated
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds, ground
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric
approx 200g Mashed Potato (about 2 potato's worth)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves
Olive Oil for cooking

Method

Sift the flours and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre
Start to add the water a little at a time and mix in with your fingers. Continue to add until all the flour is combined into a stiff dough. You may not need all of the water.
Form the dough into a ball and need on a floured surface. Work well for about 10 minutes to activate the gluten, then cover and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes (or put in a plastic bag in the fridge until required.
Make the stuffing by heating the vegetable oil in a pan and sweating off the onions for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger and stir well before adding the mustard, coriander seeds, chilli and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute.
Add the mashed potato and stirr well. Check seasoning and adjust to taste. Stir in coriander leaf and set aside to cool.
Roll the dough into a 'log' and cut into 6 even sized pieces. For each piece:- On a floured board, flatten into a rough disc and roll out until the circle is about 6" across
Place a portion of the stuffing (about 1 tbsp) in the centre of the circle. Bring the edges together over the top of the stuffing to form a sort of dumpling. Squeeze or twist thoghter to roughly seal.
With the palm of your hand, start to flatten the dumpling. Carefully roll out until about 5" across. Don't worry if the filling punctures the dough
Heat a small frying pan until hot. Add a tsp olive oil and lay the stuffed paratha carefully on top. With a spatuala gently move the paratha around the pan to cover the bottom side in oil. Splash the top of the paratha with another tsp of olive oil. After 20 seconds or so, carefully turn. Continue to turn every 20-30 seconds until evenly cooked (takes about 2 minutes)
Repeat for each piece of dough. Can be made in advance and reheated in the microwave...

Gaeng Kua Sapparod

2009-01-10T20:20:00.004Z

This is a simple Thai Pineapple Curry, but be warned, is VERY HOT! I've used 7 dried red chillies and knocked out lots of the seeds, but next time I'll be cutting this down to just 4.

The pork could be replaced with beef of chicken, or alternatively throw in some prawns towards the en of the cooking. Serve with lots of rice

Cooking Time - approx 20 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

7 Dried Red Chillies, seeds knocked out (or to taste)
1 medium Red Onion, chopped
8-10 cloves Garlic
2 tsp Lemongrass, finely chopped
1 tsp Galangal
1 handful Coriander stalks or roots
Juice and grated zest of 1 Lime
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
300g Pork steak, sliced
1 can Coconut Milk
1 mini Pineapple, peeled, cored & de-eyed then chopped
1 tsp Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Fish Sauce

Method

Blend the chilli, onion, garlic, paprika, galangal, lemongrass, oil, coriander stalks, lime zest and salt in a food processor to form a smooth paste
Heat a pan and fry off the paste for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the pork and stirfry for 1 minute before adding the coconut milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes
Stir in pineapple, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. Heat through for 1-2 minutes and adjust seasoning to taste

Vegetable Daal

2008-12-10T18:19:00.004Z

I was so impressed by my Toor Daal side dish recipe that I was inspired to invent a vegetarian main dish - this is great! Definately one to try out on the Mother-In-Law...
I managed to rupture my dried chilli - this made a much hotter dish, so if you don't want to risk it, remove the chilli before pouring the cooked lentils into the onion mixture. This would be great served with breads.

Cooking Time - approx 45-60 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 mug (250ml) Toor Daal (or other lentils), well rinsed
3 mugs (750ml) Boiling Water
1tbsp Ginger, grated
1 whole Dried Chilli
2 tsp Turmeric
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Mustard Seed
1 large Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, sliced
2 tsp Cumin, roasted & ground
4 tsp Coriander, roasted & ground
6-10 dried Curry Leaves, crumbled
3 medium Tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tin (400ml) Coconut Milk
2 small Potatoes, diced (about 200g)
200g Butterut Squash, Cubed
200g Sweet Potato, Cubed
1 large Green Pepper
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Handful chopped Coriander Leaves

Method

In one pan, boil the lentils with the water, turmeric, dried chilli and grated ginger until soft (about 20 minutes). Stir occassionally - add extra water if they start to dry out too much
In a second pan fry the onions off in the oil for about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute
Stir in the tomatoes, cumin & coriander and cook for another few minutes until the tomatoes have softened and broken down.
Add the vegetables and coconut milk and stir well
Bring to the boil and stir in the cooked lentil mixture
Simmer gently until the vegetables are tender
Srit in the lemon juice & coriander leaves an serve in a bowl

Saag Gosht

2008-12-06T09:38:00.004Z

Continuing the Spinach Curry theme, I came across some great lamb steaks in the supermarket at the weekend and decided that I'd try a Lamb curry for a change. This is quite an interesting recipe - I believe it evolved from one used on a Bradford Curry house which I once frequented, and effectivey casseroles the meat over time rather than sealing in a tarka mixture first and cooking quickly. This recipe would probably benefit from using a poorer quality of meat cooked slowly over a longer period of time. Nevertheless, this is a great lamb curry recipe and very different from the Chicken ones which I usually prefer. What's more, it's even better the following day (often the case with curries..). I cooked this with half the quantity of Green chilli to give a medium dish - this really allowed the aromatic spices in the Garam Masala to stand out.

Cooking Time - approx 90 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 Medium Onions, chopped
6 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2-3 tbsp Ginger, grated
6 cloves Garlic, chopped
250ml Tomato pulp (or 1 tin chopped tomatoes)
250ml Water
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Salt
800g Lamb Steak, cubed
1 tbsp Cumin Seed, roasted & freshly ground
1 tbsp Coriander Seed, rasted & freshly ground
1 tbsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Paprika
200g Spinach leaves
Splash of water
1-3 (to taste) Hot Green Chillies
Handful Coriander Leaves, chopped
1 tsp Garam Masala

Method

Gently fry the onions in the oil for 15-20 minutes until soft and browning
Add the ginger and garlic and cook through for 1 minute
Add the tomato pulp (or tinned tomates) and water. Using a hand blender, blitz until a smooth consistency is achieved. Add extra water if necessary to a sauce with a pouring consistency
Add chilli powder and salt and stir well. Stir in the lamb and bring to the boil.
Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stiring occasionally
Add the turmeric, coriander, paprika and cumin and stir well. Continue to simmer for another 40 minutes
Wilt 2/3 of the spinach in a separate pan with a splash of water and as much of the green chilli as you would like to use. Cover the pan - this should only take 1 minute. Again, using the hand blender, blitz the spinach mixture to form a smooth pouring paste.
Pour the spinach mixture into the lamb and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes before adding the remaining spinach leaves, coriander leaves and garam masala. Cook for 1 minute, adjust the seasoning and serve

Simple Chicken & Spinach Curry

2008-12-06T09:37:00.006Z

This is a simple alternative to the aromatic Chicken Spinach Curry recipe. Spinch adds a great dimension to curry, both for flavour and appearance. The key is not to cook it for too long. This recipe builds on my basic Chicken Curry

Cooking Time - approx 30 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 medium Onions, chopped
6 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
2 tsp Cumin Seeds, roasted & ground
4 tsp Coriander Seeds roasted & ground
400g Chicken Breast, diced
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Hot Chilli Powder
3/4 tsp Turmeric
2 Tomatoes, diced
125ml Water
150g Spinach Leaves, stalks removed
Handful of Coriander Leaves, chopped

Method

Fry the onions in the oil until half-cooked - about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute before adding the coriander, cumin. Cook for another couple of minutes
Add chicken and turn the heat up - fry hard for a couple of minutes and reduce the heat.
Add tomatoes, salt, chilli, turmeric and stir well. Cook for a few minutes before adding the water.
Cover and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the onions have broken down into the sauce
Stir in spinach and coriander leaves, allow the spinach to wilt (about 1 minute) and serve

Toor Daal

2008-12-06T09:37:00.005Z

I've been trying to recreate a great Channa Daal recipe of my favourite Indian Restaurant for some time - this is the closest I've come. It's sweet, mild and creamy in consistency and works as a great accompaniment. This recipe follows a fairly classic tarka daal type of approach. I've used oily Toor Daal, but you could use other lentils. This would also be a great main course vegetarian curry dish.

Cooking Time - approx 30 minutes

Serves 3-6 (main or accompaniment)

Ingredients

250ml Oily Toor Daal, rinsed
900ml Hot Water
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
1 whole dried Red Chilli
1/2 tsp Turmeric
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Black Mustard Seed
1 large Onion, finely chopped
2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp Coriander Seed, roasted & ground
1/2 tsp Cumin Seed, roasted & Ground
1/4 tsp Asapoetida
1 Green Chilli, (seeds removed), finely chopped
6-8 dried Curry Leaves, crumbled
1 tsp Salt
3 Spring Onions, Chopped
Splash of Lemon Juice
Handful chopped Coriander Leaves

Method

Cover the lentils with the hot water, add the turmeric, ginger and dried whole chilli and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until lentils are cooked.
In a separate pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds until they pop. Add onions and fry off for 5 minutes until soft.
Add tomatoes, coriander, cumin, asapoetida, curry leaves, green chilli and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes to form the tarka
Stir the cooked lentil mixture into the tarka and stir well. Add the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add a splash of lemon juice
Check the seasoning and consistency - this should be creamy and not too thick. Stir in the coriander leaves and serve

Aromatic Chicken & Spinach Curry

2008-12-06T09:35:00.003Z

This is based around another one of Atul Kochhar's recipes, and adding the chillied spinach at the end provides an interesting dimension. An great chicken curry if you like lots of aromatic spices!

Cooking Time - approx 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 large Onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 dried whole Red Chilli
3 Cloves
4 Black Cardomon Pods
6 Black Peppercorns
1 stick Cinnamon bark
1 Bay Leaf
4 tsp Coriander Seeds, ground
800g Chicken Breast, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
4 Tomatoes, chopped
125ml Water
200g Spinach Leaves
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
pinch of Dried Chilli Flakes
1/2 tsp Garam Masala

Method

Heat the oil in the pan and fry off the onions until browned
Add the garlic, green chilli, ginger, whole dried chilli, cloves, bay, cinnamon, peppercorns and cardomon and cook gently for 2 minutes
Stir in the ground coriander and cook for 1 minute before adding the chicken, salt and turmeric. Stir well on a high heat for a couple of minutes and turn the heat down
Add tomatoes and water, and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked
In a separate pan, heat oil and fry off the garlic and chilli flakes for a few seconds. Add the spinach leaves and wilt for about 1 minute
Stir spinach leaves into the curry, along with the Garam Masala and serve immediately

Stem Ginger Pudding

2008-12-06T09:34:00.002Z

Yet again, another plunge into the dangerous world of puddings. I don't do this very often because they're just soo bad for me, but Christmas is approaching and I need another alternative to Xmas pudding - I'll definately be using this one!
Serve with Creme Anglaise

Cooking Time - approx ## minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g Butter
100g Castor Sugar
2 Eggs
100g Self Raising Flour
1 Lemon, Zest only
4 cuges (about 60g drained weight) Stem Ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp Syrup from the Stem Ginger
4 tbsp Golden Syrup
Thin slices of Stem Ginger (about 20-30g or 2 cubes)
4 small ramekins to serve

Method

Pre-heat an oven to 180oC
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl before beating in the eggs
Gently stir in the flour, then the lemon zest and chopped ginger
Grease the inside of each ramekin with a little butter before adding a ablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of ginger syrup to each.
In the bottom of each ramekin arrange a layer of the thinly sliced stem ginger
Divide the sponge mixture between the ramekins and cover each with a piece of foil to prevent burning
Place ramekins onto tray and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes
Remove from the oven and run a knife around the inside of each ramekin. Turn out into a warm bowl and serve with cream/ice cream/Creme Angalise

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

2008-12-06T09:33:00.002Z

What a great soup - the balsamic gives a rich,sour effect. You can use fresh chicken and poach this in the stock - obviously you'll need to increase the cooking time.

Cooking Time - approx 30 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

200g Egg Noodles
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
4 Mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
1 Red Chilli, chopped
1 tbsp Cream Sherry
750ml Vegetable Stock
200g Bamboo Shoots, chopped
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 small Red Onion, finely chopped
200g Sweetcorn
200g Beansprouts
1 cooked chicken Breast, shredded
Black Pepper to taste
2 tsp Cornflour, slaked with a little water

Method

Cook the noodles in boiling water, drain and set aside
Heat the oil in a pan and fry off the ginger, garlic, mushrooms and chilli for a couple of minutes
Add the sherry, stock, soy and vinegar and bring to the boil
Add the bamboo shoots, sweetcorn, red onion, beansprouts and shredded chicken and simmer for 2 minutes.
Add black pepper and cornflour and bring to the boil
Put a portion of noodles into the bottom of each serving bowl and spoon over the soup

Creamy Polenta

2008-12-06T09:32:00.002Z

I've been looking for an alternative 'filler' recipe for ages, and was never a big fan of polena before I came across this. It's a great recipe and very versitile - an excellent accompaniment for Italian dishes. If you want a creamy sophisticated filler, give this a go.

Beware - this can be volcanic when the polenta is added. The volume of liquid and cooking time will depend upon the type of polenta that you use. Great with red onions instead of the leeks, and if you want, leave out the chilli.

Cooking Time - approx 20 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1 oz Butter
2 Leeks, finely chopped
4 cloves Garlic, sliced
small bunch of fresh Thyme
1 ltr Vegetable Stock
200g Polenta (1 minute/quick cook)
150g Parmesan, grated
125ml Double Cream
Black Pepper to taste

Method

Saute the leeks, garlic, chilli and thyme in the butter until the leeks are soft
Add the stock & bring to the boil before adding the polenta
Reduce the heat immediately and srit well until thickened
Add cream, cheese & black pepper. Stir well and serve

Chicken Chow Mein with Black Bean Sauce

2008-10-15T18:51:00.002+01:00

I'm blessed with living only 5 minutes away from the best Cantonese restaurant. Their restaurant food is exceptionally good and what's more, it's all available to take away. I thought I'd had great Chinese and Cantonese food before (there are some superb places in Glasgow...), but they pale into insignificance alongside Paddyfields in Haxby. Their Black Bean sauce is second to none - much better that I've expereinced elsewhere, which has tended to be bitter or overpowering.

This inspired me to go out there and find a tin of black beans and a variety of authentic-looking recipes. The outcome was really very good. Unfortunately I'm struggling to determine which bits of the 4 individual recipes I was referring to, so hopefully this is the right hybrid version...

Cooking Time - approx 45 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Dry Sherry
1 tsp Sugar
1 pinch 5 Spice powder
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Cornflour
150g Egg Noodles
another tsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
6 cloves Garlic, sliced
1 Green Chilli, thinly sliced
1 medium Red Onion, finely chopped
1 Red Pepper, sliced
3 tbsp Black Beans, chopped
150g Beansprouts
3 Spring Onions, chopped
150ml Vegetable Stock
1tsp Dark Soy Sauce

Method

In a bowl, mix chicken with light soy, sherry, sugar, 5 spice, sesame oil and cornflour, and leave to marinade for 30 minutes
Boil the noodles in water until cooked. Drain and rinse in cold water. Sprinkle with a little sesame oil and set aside
In a large pan or wok, heat the vegetable oil until smoking. Fry the garlic, ginger and chilli for a few seconds and add the chicken. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add the onion, pepper and black beans and stir fry for a minute before adding the beansprouts and spring onions. Cook for a further minute.
Add the stock, dark soy and noodles. Stir well and serve

Leek & Chard Chutney

2008-09-21T17:31:00.002+01:00

OK. I promise this will be the last pickle of the year. This was really an afterthought. The Traffic Light Pickle generated an excess of bright pink vinegar which tasted just great. Instead of throwing this out, I raided the garden for what on first sight may seem like a really random mix, but I have no doubt will become a classic...

Makes 2 * 1lb jars

Ingredients

400ml spiced & reduced pickling vinegar*
4 tsp sugar
100g Chard Stalks, chopped
1 Leek, finely sliced
75g Green Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
75g ripe Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
1 large Apple, cored & diced
1 1/2 tbsp Thyme leaves
Black Pepper
2 & Sterilised Jars & Lids

Method

Bring the vinegar to the boil & add sugar. Stir well to dissolve
Add all remaining ingredients and stir.
After 2-3 minutes, transfer to sterilised jars, seal and leave to cool
Store in a cool dark place for at least 4 weeks

Traffic Light Pickle

2008-09-21T13:48:00.006+01:00

Well, that's what it looks like now it's been bottled, although I suspect that I'll need a new name in a few weeks time when it turns that pickly shade of brown. But for now, the yellow and green of the courgette and the red from the chilli, red pepper, apple and red onion have generated a very pretty looking jar, topped up with very pink vinegar.

As with the cucumbers, I needed an outlet for a glut of overly large courgettes. Not the best for flavour - I'd normally stuff these as small marrows, but this year I fancied something different. Along with an excellent harvest of 'Cayenne' Chillies, 'HyRed' Red Onions and 'Scrumptious' Apples, another pickle was on the cards.

At the end of this recipe, I had an excess 400ml of spicy pink vinegar. Instead of throwing this out, I used this to create a Leek & Chard Chutney.

Ready to consume in 4 weeks

Makes 10*1lb jars

Ingredients

1 ltr Distilled Pickiling Vinegar
800g Golden Granulated Sugar
1.8 Kg Courgettes, diced
900g cored Apples, diced (skin on)
3 medium Onions, diced
3 Red Onions, finely sliced
4 large chilies. finely sliced into rings (seeds in)
1 1/2 red peppers, diced
12 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Cumin seeds (whole)
2 tbsp Black Mustard Seeds
10+ sterilized 1lb glass jars & lids

Method

In a (very) large pan, heat vinegar & sugar until dissolved and simmering
Add all remaining incredients and bring to the boil
Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring gently
Strain off the vinegar through a colander and return to the pan, bring to the boil and reduce for 10-15 minutes
Fill jars with the solids. When the vinegar has reduced down, top up the jars and seal with sterilised lids
Allow to cool. Store in a cool dark place for around 4 weeks before consuming

Cucumber & Onion Relish

2008-08-25T11:58:00.005+01:00

I was hoping for a 'normal' summer in the garden, but alas, it was not to be. As with last year, the excessive amount of rain and unseasonally cool temperatures are busy ruining my crop of tomatoes, courgettes and squashes. However, I am left with a glut of french beans (which I've yet to resolve) and cucumbers. I say a glut - I actually have 6. But they are more than I can cope with for one weekend, so I fall back on one of my culinary cohorts, the pickle. I haven't used this for a few years, when I was a regular producer of "James's Famous Green Tomato Chutney", (last seen in a special edition 'Chilli' version...), but now I need adapt this for cucumbers.

21 Sept:- Right - I've just cracked open the first jar and can honestly say that this is great. Much more of a 'relish' than a pickle in my mind (hence the recipe name change, if you were wondering). Slightly sweet with a great crunch. Definitely one to try with burgers & sausages...

Prep & Cooking Time - approx 4 hours. Ready to consume in 4 weeks

Makes 3-4 jars

Ingredients

3-4 Cucumbers
3 Large Onions
600 ml Cider Vinegar
450g Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1 tbsp Black Mustard Seeds
Salt

Method

Halve cucumbers lengthwise and slice very thinly. I used a 2mm blade on my food processor. Repeat with onions
With your hands, mix onions and cucumber slices together with a couple of teaspoons of salt on a large colander. Place a bowl inside the colander, weigh down (with scale weights, bag of flour, jar or vinegar, or whatever...) and leave on the draining board for 2-3 hours to leach away.
In a large pan add all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, stirring well to dissolve sugar.
Rinse onion and cucumber mixture well with cold running water and squeeze out excess liquid. Add to pan with vinegar mixture and stir well.
After a couple of minutes, remove cucumber and onions from the pan with a spoon into sterilized jars. Fill close to the top.
Continue to reduce the vinegar liquor down for 15 minutes, then pour into the jars. Seal with lids and leave to cool.
Store in a cool dark cupboard for at least 4 weeks to mature.

To sterilize jars, wash out well with hot soapy water until clean. Rinse and place damp jars in an oven, 140oC, for 10-15 minutes.

To sterilize lids, again wash in hot soapy water until clean. Drop into a pan of water and boil for 5 minutes. Use immediately.

Ginger Beer

2008-08-25T10:19:00.004+01:00

As with years past, the pressures of work, priorities in the garden and the need to improve my golf handicap have taken me away from my recipes in the summer months. However, the Bank Holiday weekend is upon us and as there are no more Olympics to watch on the TV, I'm feeling in an experimental mood. A glut of Cucumbers has forced me down the route of culinary desparation - pickles. But more of that later. First of all, I just fancied dabbling in a little 'home brew' . Good quality Ginger Beer is something I love - A traditionally British drink, although probably the best I've tasted came from a holiday in Corfu. I'll look to more traditional routes in the future, setting up a 'Ginger Beer Plant' for exponential production capability, and dabble in the 'alcoholic' version of the beverage, but for now I wanted something a little more straightforward.

Not a lot of effort, ready to drink in 2 days!

Makes 2 litres

Ingredients

1 Lemon (unwaxed)
275g Granulated Sugar
50g Root Ginger, grated
2 ltr Bottled Water
1/4 tsp Dried Bread Yeast

Method

Grate the zest off the lemon and set aside. Cut off the white pith and slice the remaining flesh into thin slices.
Tip the 2 ltr bottle of water into a pan and bring to the boil.
Add grated ginger, sugar, lemon zest and flesh into a large glass or plastic bowl, and pour the boiling water over the top. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and leave to cool.
When the liquor cools to 'blood temperature', sprinkle the yeast on the surface. Stir briefly and cover with a cloth.
Place in a warm place (an airing cupboard is good, but empty it first!) overnight or for a few hours, until the yeast activates and bubbles are rising to the surface.
Pass the liquid through a muslin or fine sieve before decanting into your plastic bottle (please use a funnel for this...). Leave at least 1" gap at the top.
Loosely put the cap on the bottle, then squeeze the air out. This deforms the bottle and provides a visual indicater that the fermentation is still working. Tighten up the cap and put the bottle somewhere warm for a few hours.
When the bottle is hard, the liquid is suitably carbonated. It's time to stop the fermentation (before the bottle explodes). Put the bottle in the fridge for a few hours to chill, then drink!

Tips & FAQs

Q:- What is the best way to get the juisce out of the Ginger? Could I use a food processor, or just chop it up?
A:- You could blitze the ginger in a food processor with a little liquid. Chopping is less effective. I find that using a coarse Microplane grater is the best way to grate ginger and zest lemons - well worth the investment (but go for the 'professional' or 'gourmet' versions rather than the 'home' versions with the plastic frames, as these are inclined to crack with heavy use)
Q:- Why use bottled water?A:- This is optional. If you have good tap water, this will probably be fine. However, remember that you need an appopriate bottle to put everything back into, and a 2l plastic water bottle will probably be a good bet at withstanding the pressure build up without exploding.
Q:- Can I use any bottles?
A:- Your bottles need to be sterile, and must be able to withstand high pressures. I would recommend reusing carbonated drinks bottles and washing these out with hot soapy water. I wouldn't recommend using glass bottles, just in case...
Q:- Exploding! This sounds dangerous - why is this and how can it be prevented?
A:- Remember that you are following a brewing process, and what's more, unlike say wine, you are bottling up before the yeast is exhausted to generate the Carbon Dioxide in the bottles to make your GB fizzy. As long as the environment is suitable and there are sugars for the yeast to feed on, CO2 will be produced. There will come a point when the pressure buildup will be too great and ... BANG! Sticky Ginger Beer all over the walls, flour, children, dogs.... To prevent this you need to stop the fermentation before the pressure buildup in the bottles is too great. The instructions above provide good guidelines but temperature plays an important role here so timings are only indicative. When the bottle is very firm, put it in the fridge to stop the fermentation process. You can't prevent the bottles from exploding - if there is a weakness or the fermentation happens faster then you tink, then you'll have a problem. I tried to contain any explosion by putting the bottle into a bucket with a lid, just in case.
Q:- Great. So the fermentation has stopped forever?
A:- No. Below around 10oC, the yeast will stop acting. Raise the temperature above this and it will start again. Don't leave your bottles out of the fridge for too long!
Q:- Why use Bread yeast? Can I use brewer's yeast?
A:- Simple answer - I always have bread yeast in. Research seems to show that Bread yeast provides better CO2 production but a stronger 'yeasty' taste. I suppose this indicates that is a little more active or aggressive than brewers yeast. You could use brewers yeast if you prefer.
Q:- Can I use fresh yeast instead of dried?
A:- Yes, try mixing 1-2 tsp fresh yeast with a little liquid instead.
Q:- Can I make it more or less gingery?
A:- Entirely up to you. I like a very gingery ginger beer, so I think 50g is quite strong enough. If you prefer a milder brew, try half this quantity.
Q:- Can I use Ground Ginger (powder) instead of Root Ginger?
A:- Yes, but you'll need to experiment with quantities (please let me know what works)
Q:- Does this have any alcohol content?
A:- This is not a full blown fermentation process and is suppressed after a short period of time, but the yeast will inevitably convert a proportion of the sugar into alcohol. You'll need to invest in a hygrometer to measure the alcohol content, but it is likely to be no more than 0.5% ABV. I'll be looking at a more alcoholic version later - apparently GB can get up to 11% under the right circumstances...
Q:- Can I increase the alcohol content using this method?
A:- Theoretically, yes. HOWEVER, I really wouldn't recommend this. The only way to do this is to ferment for longer, converting more sugar into alcohol. This will lead to a less sweet drink. You could leave the mixture longer before you bottled it, although I'd prefer to use a sealed fermenation environment to stop the mix going off; or you could leave the bottled mixture for longer before you put it in the fridge, and risk them exploding all over the house. As I say - I can't recommend this! Proceed at your own risk...
Q:- Why use lemons? Can I leave these out?
A:- Lemons sem to be quite traditional in Ginger Beer. My favourites always seem to have a high lemon content, and for this recipe I've used zest and flesh to provide extra lemony punch. I wouldn't recommend that you leave the lemon out, but you could just add the juice instead to reduce the impact. Alternatively you could try Lime or other citrus (... let me know how this works!). If you choose to exclude lemon entirely - BEWARE! for the yeast to work effectively, it must be in an acidic enviroment. I would strongly suggest that in this case, you include some Cream of Tartar (Tartaric Acid) - say 1 tsp.
Q:- I didn't see any bubbles forming - what happened?
A:- Could be a number of things. Your yeast may be off. Or if you put your yeast into the mixture when it was too hot (above 40-50oC), you've probably killed the yeast off. There's probably nothing more you can do other than start again. If you put your yeast in when the mixture is too cold (say less than 30oC), it's probably working, but very slowly. Be patient, it may take a little longer. Ensure that the mixture is kept at a reasonable temperature (a warm airing cupboard is good).
Q:- Do you have more accurate timings?
A:- I heven't given timings because these are very dependent on your own envirnmental conditions and the yeast that you use. I'm afraid you'll need to experiment, and remain vigilant for the first couple of attempts, but I'm told that once you've got into a routine, you could have a batch in the fridge within a day of starting...

Beef & Parsnip Casserole

2008-05-04T18:57:00.005+01:00

You'll have noticed that this seems a little out of character for me. "Beef Casserole? Not something that James has cooked for me before. And how does this qualify as spicy?..." you'll be saying. Well, I was inspired by Marcus Wareing yesterday on Saturday Kitchen. He was cooking his Mum's hotpot, which initially seemed rather odd for a chef with 2 Michelin stars, but the comments that came back were unequivocally excellent, so I was quite intrigued. As for the spicy bit, well I cover this off with the use of HP Sauce (Brown Sauce) - that bastion of culinary Britain, made great by Harold Wilson (PM) in the 1960's. The HP and Worcester sauces add a wonderful fruity spiciness, which is nicely offset by the sweetness of the parsnips
I've never been a big fan of Beef Casserole, mainly because I've never been able to cook one that's as goos as my Mothers. However, this time I think I might have cracked it. There's no reason why you need use Rump Steak - I just happened across a great deal at the butchers. Ensure that it is cut into large chunks and well browned in the pan. This would also work well with Lamb. Marcus's Mum's recipe was topped in pastry (as much as I love pastry, this is generally something in which I don't have the time or patience for) but hopefully my personalization is still fairly true to the original. Thanks v much, Marcus's Mum!

I used vegetable stock in this recipe and it worked very well, but any good quality stock could be used.

I served this with freshly picked spinach and rocket, wilted in a little butter, and the rest of the bottle of red wine. As ever, only use a wine that you'd be prepared to drink. My recommendation for this - try the McPherson Family Series Oak Aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Superb!!!

Cooking Time - approx 2 1/2 hrs

Serves 4

Ingredients

Plain Flour (3-4 tbsp), seasoned with Salt & Pepper
500g Rump Steak
2 Onions, chopped
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
250g Mushrooms, thickly sliced
250ml Red Wine
4 tbsp HP Sauce
2 shakes Worcester Sauce
500ml Vegetable Stock
fresh Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
500g New Potatoes (small, salad type)
400g Parsnips
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

Put the seasoned flour into a plastic bag.
Cut the beef into large cubes and add to the bag. Shake well to coat in flour.
In a 5 ltr Casserole, add approximately half the oil and heat through. Add the onions and garlic and sweat until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add a little more oil if necessary and sweat off the mushrooms. When soft, set aside with the onions.
Add the remaining oil and heat through. Throw in half of the meat and seal well on all sides. Ensure that sides are brown before removing from the pan. Repeat with the remaining meat and set aside.
Their will be flour and meat residue stuck on the base of the pan. Add the wine and stir well for a few minutes to lift this off. Add Sauces, Herbs and stock and bring to the boil.
Return onions and meat to the pan, season with a little salt & pepper to taste and bring to the boil before covering and putting the casserole into the oven, pre-heated to 160oC. Cook for 1 hour.
Trim potatoes, halving as necessary so they are of a similar size. Cut parsnips into good sized chunks, removing the cores if woody.
After 1 hr, remove the casserole and stir well. Add the potatoes and parsnips, stir again and return to the over for another hour.
Serve with a fresh green vegetable and a nice chunk of bread.

Like-minded Foodie?

2008-03-25T22:05:00.002Z

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Spicy Lentil Soup

2008-01-27T18:40:00.000Z

Along with my famous Chilli Con Carne (the recipe that finally got my parents eating spicy food), this was a regular spicy staple from my Uni days. It's developed a little over the years - the veg are optional and until recently this was the only surviving recipe where I used shop-bought curry paste instead of the chilli, coriander, cumin and methi.
The veg make this into an interesting yet substantial meal. It's also nice with some cooked chicken thrown in (you may need to reduce the Chilli/Ginger to get the best out of this).
If you want a hotter dish, add more ginger, not chilli.
Real comfort food for those cold winter evenings.

Cooking Time - approx 50 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 medium Onions, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
2-3 tbsp grated Ginger root
1/2 red Chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
2 tsp Cumin, ground
4 tsp Coriander, ground
2 tsp dried Methi (fenugreek leaves), ground
1 Carrot,diced
some Celeriac (or 1-2 sticks Celery), diced
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 ltr Boiling water or salt-free vegetable stock
175g Red Lentils
2 Bay Leaves
Salt or Vegetable Stock Powder to taste
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
Black Pepper to taste
1 handful Coriander Leaves, chopped
2 tsp Lemon Juice

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and fry off the onions until they start to caramelise. Add garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for 1 minute
Stir in ground spices and cook through for 1-2 minutes
Add veg and sweat off gently for 5 minutes, stirring occassionally.
Add lentils, water and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes
Add the salt or stock powder to taste, tomato puree and black pepper. Simmer for another 10 minutes
Stir in coriander leaves and lemon juice. Check seasoning and serve with fresh granary bread

Black Pepper Chicken Curry

2008-01-26T21:46:00.001Z

This has got to be one of the best, and simplest, curry recipes I've cooked. Basic store-cupboard ingredients, and virtually none of the 'standard' curry spices, yet this is amazingly good. This recipe is based on something I saw Atul Kotcher cooking some time ago - my hero!!!

Cooking Time - approx ## minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

Marinade:-

1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Garlic, crushed
2 tsp Ginger, grated
Juice of 1 Lime
1 tsp Turmeric
3 tbsp Greek Yoghurt
1 tsp Black Pepper (ground)
2 large Chicken Breasts, chopped

Sauce :-

3-4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Black Pepper (ground)
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
3 large Onions, finely sliced
handful of Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

Make up the marinade by thoroughly mixing all marinade ingredients together. Leave for at least 3o minutes, but ideally a couple of hours
Heat up the oil and fry the black pepper for a minute before adding the onions and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes or so until lightly brown
Add the chicken & marinade and cook hard for 5 minutes. Turn down the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through (10-15 minutes). Add a little water if necessary.
Stir in the coriander and serve

Masaman Curry Paste

2008-01-26T21:24:00.001Z

Masaman paste is a brown Thai curry paste. Derived from 'Muslim', it is used primarily for beef dishes. The sauce is usually made up with coconut milk and the dish sprinkled or cooked with chopped roasted nuts

Cooking Time - approx 60 minutes

Ingredients

10 tsp Corander Seed
2 tsp Cumin Seed
5 Green Cardomon Pods
5-6 dried Red Chillies
4 Cloves
1 tbsp Galangal
1 stalk Lemon Grass, crushed & finely chopped
zest of 1 Lime (Kaffir Lime is best)
1 - 2 tbsp Coriander stalks or roots
1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
A little Tamarind Pulp (1/2 tsp?), made up with 1 mug of hot water

Method

Grind the cumin, coriander, chilli and cloves until fine.
Pour all ingrdients into a food processor and blend until smooth
Pour into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 30 minutes
Allow to cool and refrigerate or freeze until required. Around 8 tbsp of this mixture will make a dish for 4 people.

Spicy Pork Meatballs in Masaman Sauce

2008-01-26T20:42:00.001Z

This is a nice alternative to spicy beef meatballs. The Masaman sauce has a great creamy but full flavour and works really well - that classic Thai mix of sweet, spice, heat and salt in the sauce really makes this dish a classic. I make my own Masaman curry paste for this dish, but you can buy very acceptable Thai pastes in the supermarkets.

Cooking Time - approx 60 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Red Chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
500g Pork Mince
1 large slice fresh bread, crumbed
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 handful Coriander, chopped
Salt & pepper
1 small Egg, beaten
1 portion of Masaman Curry Paste (or whatever you can get from the supermarket)
1 tbsp Galangal
2-3 Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp soft Brown Sugar
1 tin (about 10 fl oz) Coconut milk
A little hot water or veg stock
juice of 1/2 lime
1 handful of Coriander, chopped

Method

Lightly fry the onions, chilli and garlic in a little oil for a couple of minute. Tip into a large bowl
Add pork, breadcrumbs, garam masala, coriander and plenty of salt & pepper. Mix well with your hands.
Mix in the beaten egg and work well with your hands until an even consistency
Take a tablespoon of the mixture at a time and form into balls no bigger than a golf ball (this is easiest with wet hands). Makes around 24.
Place on an oiled baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven, 210oC, for around 20 minutes (unitl golden brown)
In a large pan, fry off the Masaman paste for a couple of minutes. Add the galangal and fry for another minute before adding the tomatoes, sugar and coconut milk.
Bring the sauce up to the boil and simmer
Add the meatballs to the sauce and baste for 15-20 minutes - add a little water or stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
Stir in the lime juice & coriander before serving with plain rice or noodles