Coconut Raita

Burma - a gourmet getaway?

2012-05-11T05:00:00.003+01:00

Mark Twain once said “Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. ”. I used this as my philosophy for choosing where to eat on a recent trip to Burma; as long as there were local people eating there and the smell was making my mouth water then I indulged without consideration of hygiene and unwanted side effects.

My first stop was Nilar’s Biryani, situated on a bustling side street in the centre of Yangon. A small army of waiters surrounded my table to take my order and within minutes I was presented with a plate of fragrant rice and a crisp chicken leg served with a motley collection of side dishes: whole green chillies, tangy lime pickle, Thai style dried shrimp flakes and (bizarrely) a bowl of fish stock. The biryani itself was both satisfying and authentic (the flavours were almost identical to my mum’s version) but the accompaniments were oddly South East Asian in their influence and didn’t entirely complement the dish. For $5 a person, however, this was definitely worth a visit and the fresh pineapple juice was a revitalizing palate cleanser.

Nearby, next to Chinatown is 19^th street. Every evening the road is pedestrianized and the restaurants that line the street expand onto the road to create a festival atmosphere. Each stall offers a different selection of meat, fish, seafood and vegetables; you simply choose what you would like to eat and then it is cooked and served with cold draught beer. The cuts of meat were Chinese in style; pork balls and ribs, chicken skin (the rest of the chicken was nowhere to be found) and mutton kebabs but the seasoning was unfamiliar. There was an abundance of spice and a generous dollop of fish sauce but curiously no chilli. As interesting as the meaty tidbits were it was the vegetables that I really enjoyed; skewers of okra, garlic, asparagus, broccoli and mushrooms all coated in a garlicky spice mix and then char-grilled. My taste buds were stumped; it looked like Chinese food but tasted like… what? Thai? Indian? Korean? I gave up trying to work it out and concentrated on eating. If people served vegetables like this at barbecues in the UK I would never have fallen off the vegan bandwagon.

Sightseeing in Yangon requires a certain amount of concentration given the deep holes in the pavements, the busy roads and the need to avoid the ubiquitous betel nut spittle on the pavement. Ignoring my mum’s warnings about likely stomach upsets, I kept both my hydration and blood glucose levels high with regular stops for sugar cane juice. At $0.50 a glass it is a bargain and the vendors can be found on street corners throughout the city. It was a shame that they didn’t add ginger and lime as they would in India but still the sweet nectar was a refreshing treat. For the same price, other stalls sold bags of pre-prepared pineapples and unripe sour mangos served with paprika. I had been hoping for Indian style seasoning of chilli and salt but nonetheless my taste buds were tickled.

On arrival in Mandalay I came across a street vendor selling mont linmayar - mini rice flour pancakes cooked with a variety of optional fillings such as quail egg, yellow peas, tomatoes and spring onions. The name translates to “husband and wife” as just before serving, two of the mini pancakes are placed together to become one just like a loving couple. They were served in bags of 10 pairs with a shovel full of sesame powder for $1 and created a fabulous gooey taste explosion as we bit into the crisp shells.

Possibly the most interesting dish I tasted was lahpet thoke; a salad of pickled green tea leaves served with roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, garlic, chopped green chillies, tomatoes and a lime and fish sauce dressing. The combination of intense, sour flavours and the caffeine hit make this a popular student dish but resulted in a night of lost sleep for me.

A popular Burmese saying translates to “Of all the fruit, the mango’s the best; of all the meat, the pork’s the best; and of all the leaves lahpet’s the best”. After my brief visit I have to concede that as far as Burmese food goes the expression is probably accurate. With Burma’s location between China, India and Thailand I had been hoping for a synergistic fusion of the three cuisines. The lack of chilli and the excessive oiliness of much of the food meant that it didn’t live up to my high expectations. That said, if you want the excitement of sampling a completely alien cuisine then Burma is a great destination.

Allergy friendly spiced chicken

2012-05-04T05:00:00.003+01:00

For the last year I have been suffering with various health issues and, ironically for a food blogger, I have now been diagnosed with fairly wide-ranging food allergies. Without turning this into a pity party (although there have been tears along the way) it turns out that I may be allergic to a total of 27 items including garlic, wheat, corn and sugar.   What’s particularly frustrating is that I am actually allergic to one of the components used in testing allergies and so the results aren't at all conclusive – I may, in fact, not be allergic to many of the foods that have been flagged by the tests.   The result of all of this is that I have to cut these items out of my diet and in a month or so I can start reintroducing them one at a time to see if they bring on any symptoms. In this way I should be able to isolate the main culprits and then work out a plan going forward.

On the positive side my health is significantly better as a result of my new diet (hurray!).   The downside is that I miss being able to eat freely and I am now persona non grata where dinner invitations are concerned (although last weekend some friends managed to navigate the minefield and produced a wonderful meal for me).    Giving up sugar has been particularly problematic as I’m addicted to the stuff – a by-product of growing up in a sweet shop and obtaining all nutrition until the age of ten from chocolate mice and Wham bars!   Avoiding garlic is also tricky as it turns up in pretty much everything (including almost all of my recipes).

And so, in solidarity with those of you with allergy issues and to keep myself well-fed, I intend to start posting recipes that fit in with my new diet but don't compromise on taste. This is the first of these recipes and I hope you enjoy it.   Steve (previously supportive husband who has drawn the line at following my new diet) declared it delicious as he wolfed it down in a tasty-looking wheat roll and dipped it into my favourite garlic sauce. Humpf!

List of potential allergens

wheat	oats	sugar	yeast
garlic	peanut	hazelnut	brazil nut
almond	coconut	sesame seeds	orange
apple	banana	peach	kiwi
mango	pineapple	parsley	broccoli
brussel sprouts	cabbage	pea	haricot beans
corn	buckwheat	celery

Serves 2

Preparation: 20 minutes plus minimum of 2 hours marinading time

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 star anise
1 dried red chilli
4 peppercorns
2 cloves
3cm long cinnamon stick
0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
0.5 teaspoon salt
100 millilitres yogurt
2 skinless chicken breast fillets

Method

Heat a completely clean and dry pan for several minutes until it is so hot that a drop of water evaporates immediately.
Now add the the star anise and toss until it starts releasing its aroma. Be careful not to dry roast it for too long as it will burn.
Remove the star anise from the heat and crush finely using a pestle and mortar.
Repeat steps 1 - 3 with the dried red chilli, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds.
Put the freshly ground star anise, dried red chilli, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds into a bowl along with the salt and yoghurt. Stir well.
Wash the chicken breasts and cut into one inch pieces. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture and ensure each piece of chicken is thoroughly coated with the mixture.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge to marinade for at least two hours.
When you are ready to cook the chicken put the pieces on a baking tray and grill on a medium-high heat for approximately 7 minutes or until cooked. Turn the chicken regularly and try not to overcook it as with care it will be tender and moist.
Serve immediately with salad and rice.

Interview with Vandana Verma - food editor for Time Out Delhi

2012-04-25T18:24:00.000+01:00

I recently interviewed Vandana Verma, food and drink editor at Time Out Delhi magazine and I took the opportunity to ask her for her recommendations for eating out in Delhi. For those of you visiting Mumbai in the near future, check out the short film above where Vandana takes us to the best street food stalls in Mumbai and introduces the mad world of tiffin boxes and Mumbai lunches.

Reena: How did your love for food start?

Vandana: Like most people’s love for food – at home. My family have always been all about food, and eating together, on the dinner table, was a big part of my childhood (and continues to be a big part of mealtimes with the clan. My sister’s enthusiasm for food puts mine to shame – but she’s also a fantastic cook. I think we’ve both got our parents to thank for our preoccupation with food!

Reena: Indian cuisine varies wildly by region. Which region's food is your favourite and why?

Vandana: There’s no contest (for me): it’s got to be southern coastal cuisine. Despite being from the North myself, it’s the simplicity of the culinary traditions of the south that I find so appealing. I could eat those coconut and tamarind-based curries forever, mixed in with steaming mounds of rice.

Reena: Do you tend to cook more or eat out more?

Vandana: I eat out a fair bit. More than I’d like, really. Increasingly I hanker for home-cooked meals over meals out, but Delhi’s restaurant scene is exploding in a manner that makes it very hard to stay in consistently. I do wish I cooked more, but even at home, we have a wonderful cook (named Jeevan) who renders me entirely redundant in the kitchen.

Reena: How is Indian cooking evolving and what are the latest trends in Delhi?

Vandana: It’s hard to say how Indian cooking is evolving – as a cuisine it’s so varied, and as recipes are handed down through generations, as with anywhere else in the world, there’s a natural evolution. Or a devolution really: recipes are simplified to suit lifestyles. When you change the context food’s prepared in, then you change the manner in which the food is prepared. But I think this is true of community foods all over the world. My mum’s actually trying to get her mother to write down all the old, family recipes that she remembers from her childhood in the hope that she’ll be able to pass those on to my sister and me as well.

Reena: Heston Blumenthal’s theory is that we start to enjoy foods that we have historically disliked after 20 tastings. What food do you dislike most and do you think you’d get past it with 20 servings?

Vandana: Had I been asked this very question three years ago I’d have rattled off a list: karela (bitter gourd), lauki (white summer squash), tinda (Indian apple gourd)… mostly these seasonal summer veggies. But I can’t honestly identify a single food that I’m truly averse to anymore. Perhaps duck or chicken feet? I remember seeing these at a breakfast buffet in South East Asia and physically recoiling. I can’t say that I’d get past it, because it’s the texture that I object to. Still, never say never.

Reena: Which is your favourite non-Indian cuisine?

Vandana: South-East Asian everything. From giant bowls of Vietnamese pho to bibimbap from Korea, creamy Thai curries and Indonesian sambals to sushi and donburi from Japan, I am crazy for Asian flavours.

Reena: Where are your top three places to eat in Delhi?

Vandana:

Indian Accent at The Manor hotel – this lovely restaurant serves internationally inflected Indian food on the grounds of a boutique hotel. Their foie gras-stuffed galawat kababs (discs of minced meat with a foie centre) are incredible, as is their panko-crusted bharwan mirch (supersized green chilli stuffed with goats cheese mousse and fried in panko crumb).

Grey Garden – I’ll admit that I’m biased; the Grey Garden is owned by friends, but even if it weren’t, I’d keep going back for glasses of wine under its ceiling festooned with white cotton trimmings, tables that double up as display cabinets and effortlessly soulful vibe.

Gunpowder – This cosy restaurant has a great view of the Hauz Khas reservoir, only topped by the South Indian cuisine its kitchen sends out. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the Coorg pork is tender and flavoursome. Mop up every last bit with Gunpowder’s flaky Kerala porottas.

Palak paneer with coconut - paneer spinach with coconut

2012-03-08T07:06:00.000Z

I've mentioned in a previous post that for Hindus fasting can mean abstaining from specific food types or limiting oneself to eating only certain foods. In this vein, my mum would only eat spinach curry on Thursdays for years throughout my childhood. I actually quite like spinach but in the winter months (pre air freighting of fruit and vegetables) she would resort to frozen spinach which would turn the dish into a gloopy, water-logged green mush. It was not pleasant and I would rummage in the fridge for leftovers to fill my belly.

I have never quite overcome my aversion to frozen spinach but fresh spinach, cooked well is delicious. This dish is very different to my previous recipe in that the spinach is finely chopped and cooked for some time to produce a rich green sauce. The addition of coconut cream follows a conversation with my miraculous acupuncturist, Maureen, about a dish of palak paneer with coconut that she orders regularly from her local Indian restaurant.

If you do try it please let me know what you think.

Serves 2-3 people

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil
1 small onion - very finely chopped
1 green chilli - very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
5 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
1 small tomato - finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander-cumin powder
130 grams paneer - chopped into 1cm cubes
100 grams spinach - very finely chopped
3 tablespoons coconut cream

Method

Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan.
Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent and soft.
Now add the chilli, garlic and ginger to the pan. Stir and cook for another minute or so.
Add the chopped tomato, salt, garam masala and coriander-cumin powder to the mixture. Stir well.
Add the cubes of paneer and stir again. Cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped spinach and coconut cream to the pan and stir well. Place a lid on the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes or until the curry is hot.
Serve hot with chapatis.

Video recipe: Fresh hot chapatis

2012-02-18T16:46:00.001Z

Click here for the high definition video

Fresh chapatis (also known as rotis or rotlis) are the staple carbohydrate of every Gujarati household. They are a type of unleavened flat bread made of wholewheat flour.

As you are probably aware, Indians eat with their right hand. They break off a piece of the chapati (using the right hand only) and then form the torn off piece into a cone shape using their thumb and forefingers. This cone is then used to scoop up the curry before being placed in the mouth. The theory behind this is that you should use all of your senses when eating food - the smell, sight and taste of the food but also, the sound of the food being prepared and by eating with your hands, you are involving your sense of touch. This approach also saves on the washing up!

When I was young my mum used to make fresh chapatis every day. I didn't appreciate it at the time as it was such a chore but it was the equivalent of having fresh bread straight out of the oven with our dinner. I used to refuse to make the chapatis on the grounds that in my opinion the taste didn't justify the effort (and my mum insisted that they couldn't be in the shape of elephants...) and so I would never need the skill. My mum would ask me what I was going to feed my future husband and I would respond that one of my criteria for marriage was going to be a preference for fresh bread over chapatis. Luckily for me Steve does prefer fresh bread although I imagine that again this is more because of convenience than taste or texture. This, however, is the only one of the marriage criteria from my childhood that Steve fulfills. My future husband was going to be tall, athletic and have a British private school accent (I think he was based on Roger Moore's James Bond). Steve is on the short side, mildly asthmatic and has an odd accent that was originally from the North-East of England but now no one can place. It's definitely love!

Tips for making good chapatis

Practise - it will take a few attempts to perfect the art of chapati making
The dough should be firm and dry. If it is tacky, add a little more flour and knead again
Cook each chapati as it is rolled and then butter immediately as a pile of raw chapatis tend to stick together
The open flame approach in the video is a little easier with tongs if you are worried about burning your fingers.

Makes around 15 chapatis

Ingredients

250g chapati flour
30g guar flour
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
A little extra flour for the work surface
Approximately 200ml of hot water
Butter or ghee to serve (optional)

Shallots in a tamarind sauce

2012-02-17T05:00:00.051Z

Winter is shallot season in the UK and this recipe is a great way to use up any surplus from your organic vegetable box. Shallots have a more subtle flavour than onions and when they are cooked they are almost sweet. The tamarind paste* provides sour elements that are balanced by the garlic, ginger and red chilli. We have been eating this dish with baked potatoes and large knobs of butter for a hearty winter meal.

That's shallot for now.**

* I have used tamarind paste in this recipe rather than dried tamarind as it is easier to find in supermarkets. If you are using dried tamarind make the paste as follows:
Place 15 grams dried tamarind in a small bowl. Add 50 millilitres of boiling water and leave to steep for 10 - 15 minutes. Then, using a nylon sieve, strain the mixture into a bowl. Use the back of a wooden spoon to push the pulp through the sieve. Extract as much of the tamarind as possible, periodically removing the pulp from the back of the sieve into the mixing bowl. The resulting paste can then be used in the recipe.

** Do you see what I did there? :-)

Wine suggestions from Kevin at halfwine.com

"The sweet, sour and spicy flavours call for an equally alive wine. I love New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with chilli and the 'over the top' Marlborough Sauvignons are the really lively tasting ones; a Kim Crawford will do well here."

Serves 2
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil
0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds
15 fenugreek seeds
10 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
2 cloves garlic - crushed
10 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
1 red chilli - finely chopped
15 shallots - peeled
1.5 tablespoons tamarind paste
375 millilitres boiling water
0.5 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander-cumin powder
0.25 teaspoon salt
7 grams jaggery or brown sugar
Small handful chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat the oil in a pan.
Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and fry for a minute or two.
Add the curry leaves, crushed garlic, ginger and red chilli and stir.
Now add the shallots and let them fry on a low heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Take care not to let any of the ingredients burn.
Meanwhile mix together in a bowl the tamarind paste, boiling water, chilli powder, coriander-cumin powder, salt and jaggery or sugar.
When the shallots have fried for 10 minutes, add the tamarind mixture to the pan. Mix well and bring to the boil.
Place a lid on the pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the shallots are tender but have not lost their shape.
Add the coriander leaves for a final few minutes of cooking.
Serve hot with flat bread, rice or jacket potatoes.

Perfect soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies

2012-02-10T05:00:00.021Z

My niece Jennifer is a fantastic baker. She regularly wakes up early to take her classmates warm muffins for breakfast and so it will come as no surprise to hear that she is very popular at school. We visited her and her (very cute) sister Daria in Poland last summer and were spoiled with Jen's culinary delights. Probably my favourite recipe were the cookies below - they were soft, sweet and chewy with just the right amount of chocolate; In essence they are my idea of the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

Makes 20 cookies
Preparation: 30 minutes plus 24 hours resting time
Cooking time: 10 minutes plus cooling time

Ingredients

140 grams unsalted butter - at room temperature
110 grams light brown sugar
130 grams caster sugar
1 large egg - at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
260 grams plain flour
0.5 teaspoon baking soda
0.75 teaspoon baking powder
0.75 teaspoon coarse salt
200 grams dark chocolate chips

Method

In a bowl cream together the butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat the egg in a small bowl.
Add a little of the egg to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, Mix well until it is combined. Repeat until all of the egg has been added.
Now add the vanilla extract and stir again.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the mixture.
Mix until the ingredients have combined.
Add the chocolate chips and mix again.
Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 175 degrees Centigrade.
Line your baking trays with baking parchment.
Using a spoon, scoop ping pong sized balls of dough. Reshape them gently with your hands as required and place them onto the baking parchment. Leave plenty of space to allow them to spread.
Bake the cookies until they are golden brown but still soft - in the region of 10 minutes. They will be slightly puffy when you remove them from the oven but will flatten as they cool.
Cool the cookies on a baking rack.

Indian spiced lamb shanks

2012-02-04T05:00:00.021Z

I have a love-hate relationship with winter; I love crisp winter days when the sky is clear blue and I can tromp around the village in my mittens and ear muffs but I hate the fact that I can't seem to get warm again afterwards. I find myself actually sitting against a piping hot radiator and still coming away with cold hands; My DNA was obviously not designed with this climate in mind!

This incredibly easy lamb shank recipe is the perfect comfort food for the cold weather that has descended on us this week. The lamb is slow-cooked until it is falling off the bone while the spices, tomatoes and shallots combine to create a rich, dark sauce. The shanks are really good served with creamy mashed potato and crisp green beans to contrast with the stickiness of the lamb.

Wine suggestions from Kevin at halfwine.com

"Really ripe tomatoes and shallots should add a touch of sweetness to this dish. In addition to the old stalwarts mentioned in previous recipes, I think that a Merlot which goes well with lamb in other cuisines would broaden your experience in matching wine and curries. The Merlot needs to be well ripened though to bring out its sweetness so it has to be from the 'New World'. In our range the New Zealand Craggy Range Merlot would fit the bill nicely."

Serves 2
Preparation: 30 minutes
Approximate cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil
2 lamb shanks - washed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 shallots - peeled
4 cloves garlic - crushed
1 green chilli - finely chopped
1 small cinnamon stick (approximately 4cm in length)
4 cloves
1 star anise
400 grams canned tomatoes - chopped
0.25 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander cumin powder
500 millilitres chicken stock

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Centigrade.
Heat the oil over a high heat in a large ovenproof dish (choose one that has a lid).
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
When the oil is hot, add the lamb shanks and brown on all sides.
Remove the shanks and leave to one side.
Add the shallots to the oil and brown them.
Now turn down the heat and add the garlic, green chilli, cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, garam masala. coriander-cumin powder and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Stir well and leave the mixture to cook for 5 minutes.
Now add the chicken stock and stir again.
Put the lamb shanks back in the pot. Place a lid on the pot and bring the contents to the boil.
Place the pot (with the lid still on) in the oven for 50 minutes.
Turn the lamb shanks over, put the lid back on the pot and return to the oven for another 50 minutes.
Now turn the lamb again. Reduce the heat to 150 degrees centigrade and leaving the lid off cook for a further 20 minutes or until the lamb is falling away from the bone.
Serve immediately with mashed potato.

Video recipe: Serial killer chicken curry

2012-01-31T18:17:00.007Z

Click here for the high definition video

A new chapter begins for CoconutRaita with my first video recipe: an old (but extremely popular) dish - Serial Killer Chicken Curry. Hopefully you can see how easy it is to cook and will be encouraged to give it a go.

Ingredients below (in case you don't manage to pause the video quickly enough!).

Please let me know whether you like the video format and if there is a particular recipe you would like to see me cook.

Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients

2 large floury potatoes – peeled and cut into large wedges
1 large onion (chopped finely)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
10 grams root ginger (peeled and grated)
1 green chilli (finely chopped)
3 teaspoons coriander-cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons salt (less if you prefer)
3 tablespoons tomato puree
15 grams coriander - chopped
3 tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil
2 large skinned chicken breast fillets - washed and cut into large chunks
250 ml water
25g butter

Fennel and honey roasted peanuts

2012-01-15T13:25:00.001Z

Now that the festive season is over I am on a mission to get back into shape. Steve and I have consequently banished all chocolate, cheese and red meat and are back to exercising regularly. The problem is that I'm a grazer - I nibble constantly and if I can't find anything to eat, I pace. So I've bought fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts. However I don't really like eating nuts. Don't get me wrong, I love them if they are covered in salt or a crispy coating, I just don't want to eat them raw.

This recipe makes peanuts much tastier while not adding any salt or resorting to fried coatings. Yes, yes, you're right, peanuts are high in calories but they are also an excellent source of protein, vitamin E and fibre. Now you can't say that about a bar of Dairy Milk can you?

Serves 2 as a snack

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light runny honey
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
100 grams raw peanuts
1.5 teaspoons granulated sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade.
Place the honey and fennel seeds in a small mixing bowl and mix well.
Now add the peanuts and ensure they are fully coated in the honey and fennel seed mixture.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Spread the peanuts on the parchment paper.
Place in the oven and cook for 5 minutes or until the peanuts are just turning a golden brown colour.
Now sprinkle the sugar over the peanuts and stir.
Return the peanuts to the oven for a further 2-5 minutes until they are a mid brown colour. Take care not to burn them.
Once cooked, stir the nuts. Make sure that are separated and allow the nuts to cool.
Store in an airtight container.

Cherry and ginger fizz

2011-12-30T05:00:00.019Z

When going to parties Steve and I take it in turns to drive so that the other one can drink. At first glance this appears very democratic. However whenever it is Steve's turn to drive this is what usually happens:

We arrive at our host's home, thirsty after a long drive in London traffic
We both request a glass of water to quench our thirst
A short while later our (invariably attentive) host will ask us if we would like another drink
Before I can respond, Steve will ask if I mind driving tonight as there is a particularly tasty beer/ whisky/ homebrew he would like to try
I, being a people pleaser (AKA mug) will agree to drive and so spend the rest of the evening drinking orange juice or water. Yawn.

So whenever we host a party or meal I try to offer interesting drinks to the non-drinkers. This non-alcoholic cocktail is fruity and sparkling but the ginger beer gives it a grown up edge. I thought I would share it with you so that you can ensure that your tee-total guests feel festive and loved.

Wishing you all a very happy, peaceful and healthy 2012.

Serves 1

Ingredients

15 millilitres lime juice
150 millilitres cold cherry juice
100 millilitres cold ginger beer

To garnish

A slice of lime

Method

Place all the ingredients in a tall glass and stir well.
Garnish with a slice of lime.
Serve immediately.

Tandoori chicken - without food colouring

2011-12-23T05:00:00.011Z

My mum first cooked tandoori chicken when I was seven years old. She had just bought a Madhur Jaffrey recipe book and it was the first recipe she tried. Bizarrely the recipe called for a few drops of red and yellow food colouring which resulted in the chicken being a salmon pink colour. It tasted okay but looked very strange. I kept trying to convince my mum to omit the yellow food colouring so that our chicken would at least have a nice red colour (even if it was fake) as I had seen in our local Indian restaurant. But we continued to eat bright pink chicken through my childhood.

I recently decided to try and make my own tandoori chicken recipe but without using any food colouring. Below is the result and I'm very pleased with it - not least because it isn't pink.

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas.

Wine suggestions from Kevin at halfwine.com

"The hot, spicy, complex flavours of this delicious dish require an equally complex wine that is great as starter; the perfect opportunity for a gewürztraminer such as the 2008 Domaine Mittnacht. This wine is off dry with complex flavours of lychee, star anise and rose coupled with some bottle aging that should handle the tanginess of the yogurt marinade and counterbalance the darker flavours from the star anise, garlic and cloves."

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 star anise
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 cloves
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 red chilli - finely chopped
7 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons fresh natural yoghurt
2 skinless chicken breast fillets (around 300 grams)

Method

Heat a completely clean and dry pan for several minutes until it is so hot that a drop of water evaporates immediately.
Now add the the star anise and toss until it starts releasing its aroma. Be careful not to dry roast it for too long as it will burn.
Remove the star anise from the heat and crush finely using a pestle and mortar.
Repeat steps 1 - 3 with the mustard seeds and the cloves.
Put the freshly ground star anise, mustard seeds and cloves into a bowl along with the garlic, red chilli, ginger, tomato puree, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and yoghurt. Stir well to create a paste.
Wash the chicken breasts and cut into one inch pieces. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture and ensure each piece of chicken is thoroughly coated with the mixture.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put in the fridge to marinade for at least an hour.
When you are ready to cook the chicken put the pieces on a baking tray and grill on a medium high heat for approximately 7 minutes or until cooked. Turn the chicken regularly and try not to overcook it as with care it will be tender and moist.
Serve immediately as a starter with yogurt and mint sauce or in a wrap with salad, your favourite pickle, mint and yoghurt sauce and fresh tomatoes.

Cow Nation

2011-12-16T05:00:00.079Z

When I first started this blog (135 posts ago!) I was a vegan. I commenced this short-lived experiment as I felt strongly about the way that dairy cattle are intensively farmed. Increasingly they are:

being permanently kept in indoor environments to reduce costs and maximise yields
culled at around 5 years old when their normal life expectancy should be 18 or 19 years
removed from their mothers at birth and if they are male they are either shot immediately or raised for veal*.

A number of the vegetable curry dishes I cook are actually vegan and so I didn't find it too difficult to omit dairy products other than when I left our apartment. At that point it was almost impossible to find anything to eat and I resorted to carrying dried fruit and nuts with me at all times. In addition I really missed cheese, cakes, biscuits - all the good stuff and I couldn't reconcile my love of food with my abhorrence of our farming techniques. So what drives intensive farming?

Partly it is our own greed for supermarket loss-leaders resulting in each dairy farmer in the UK being subsidised by an average of £32,300 a year**. Isn't this crazy? Shouldn't the supermarkets (and ergo the consumer) pay the true cost of food to the source rather than the government making up losses through consumer's taxes? People argue that cheap food is a right but when 50% of the population is expected to be obese by 2030 (The Lancet, 2011), surely food is too cheap? Malnutrition in this country isn't due to a lack of food it is due to eating the wrong food.

Last month a new brand was launched called Cow Nation which allows the cows to "own their own produce" with profit going to give the animals an income, and funding their retirement. Cow Nation does not kill any calves but reduces the number of male calves by using gender selected semen. Any male calves that are born are allowed to live their full lives with the herd in beautiful pastures in Suffolk. In addition, each cow will produce only 3,000 litres of milk per ten-month lactating cycle, a significant reduction on the average of 7,400 litres (Defra, May 2011). This reduces both the strain on the cow and the threat of disease.

To me this is the no-brainer solution to my dairy concerns however I am not expecting to convert the masses, I'm just letting people know that there is an alternative. Steve and I drink on average two pints of milk a week and we can afford to pay £1.99 a litre as opposed to £0.45 (the average price in supermarkets resulting in a loss to the farmer of £0.04 per litre)***. Yes it is comparably expensive but it is the true cost of sustainable, ethical farming and now with the launch of Cow Nation I really can have my (cheese)cake and eat it.

*According to Farmers Weekly (April 2011), 2,000 Holstein male dairy calves are shot each week. Don't make the mistake of thinking that they grow up to become a tasty burger; consumers prefer a less fatty meat resulting in male dairy calves becoming a by-product of the dairy industry.

**Figures for the twelve months ending February 2010 (Farm Business Survey 2011).

*** The eagle-eyed readers in the audience will note that incredibly milk is cheaper than water which currently retails at £0.88 per litre.

Chocolate orange Christmas pudding

2011-12-09T05:00:00.030Z

This recipe is my attempt to satisfy my sweet tooth and pay homage to that great British institution - Terry's Chocolate Orange.

Those of you that think it is too late to make a Christmas pudding for this year - think again; the fabulous thing about this recipe is that you can make it right at the last moment (well, two days before serving) - it isn't designed to mature and can be eaten straight after steaming.

This pudding is incredibly moist and has been a huge success in our household with our friends David and Rachel declaring it delicious. I hope you give it a go.

Wine suggestions from Kevin at halfwine.com

"Chocolate is often paired with red wine but this is a dessert so a Sauternes will work well, but what about the impact of the orange? I think the Chateau Sainte Helène, 2007, Sauternes has the weight and the unctuousness to pair well. If you want something over-the-top-sweet a Pedro Ximenez, a sweet sherry from Spain will also do nicely."

Makes: 1.5 litres of pudding

Ingredients

130 grams glace cherries - chopped

100 grams dried apricots - chopped

100 grams sultanas

1 tablespoons Grand Marnier

4 tablespoons crème de cacao

The zest and juice of two oranges

200 grams good quality dark chocolate chips

75 grams fresh white breadcrumbs

75 grams plain flour

2 teaspoons mixed spice

50 grams chopped almonds

200 grams light brown sugar

100 grams butter - at room temperature

2 large eggs - beaten

Method

Place the cherries, apricots, sultanas, Grand Marnier, creme de cacao, orange zest and orange juice in a large bowl and stir well. Cover and leave to steep overnight.

The next day, mix together the chocolate chips, breadcrumbs, flour, spice, almonds, sugar, butter and eggs.

Combine the mixture with the steeped fruit and mix well.

Place the mixture in a 1.5 litre pudding basin (or a 1 litre basin and 0.5 litre basin). Take a piece of greaseproof paper and place a single pleat in the middle of it so that it has room to expand while the pudding cooks. Cover the pudding with the greaseproof paper and then place the lid on the basin. I use a plastic basin so that I can put it in the microwave to reheat it on Christmas day - much less hassle than steaming it.

Place the pudding basin on a trivet in a large pan. Fill with boiling water so that the water covers two-thirds of the basin. Steam for eight hours, checking the water level regularly and topping up as required to prevent it from boiling dry. If you have split the mixture into 2 puddings, they will need less time: In the region of 5 hours for a 0.5 litre pudding and 7 hours for a 1 litre pudding.

The longest that we have kept the pudding is two weeks. It will probably keep for longer but why keep it when you can eat it? Take care when you reheat it in the microwave as the high sugar content means that it is easy to burn it. I heat it for 2 minutes at a time on a medium setting until it looks piping hot. The other option is to steam the pudding again. I suggest 2-3 hours but again check that it is piping hot before serving.

Serve with cream, ice cream or custard. Personally I prefer it as it comes.

Winter mushroom curry

2011-12-02T05:00:00.023Z

This is an unusual vegetable curry recipe for me as it does not contain onions and, as a result, has a smoother texture than some of my other dishes. The combination of cloves, star anise and garam masala gives it a warm, wintery flavour that is perfect for the dark and rainy nights in the run up to Christmas. This is not a heavy dish, and so is good served either as a light meal with bread or as a side dish.

Wine suggestions from Kevin at halfwine.com

"The strong dark flavours of this recipe require a fruity wine with plenty of acid so it calls for the old stand-bys; a Cote du Rhone such as Domaine de l'Espigouette or a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo such as the one from Jasci Donatello."

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil
5 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
1 star anise
7 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
1 green chilli - chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons natural yogurt
300 grams cup mushrooms - washed and sliced
Small handful coriander - chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a small saucepan on a lowish heat.
When the oil is hot add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, bay leaf, cloves and star anise and let them cook for a minute or so.
Now add the ginger, chilli and garlic. Stir and allow them to fry for a minute.
Add the tomato puree, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Stir well.
Now add the yogurt and stir again.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir well. Place a lid on the pan and cook on a low heat until the mushrooms are tender - in the region of ten minutes. Stir occasionally.
Switch off the heat, stir in the chopped coriander and serve with bread or rice.

Methi chicken - chicken with fenugreek

2011-11-25T05:00:00.036Z

It is Steve's birthday tomorrow and to celebrate I thought I would post one of his
favourite recipes - chicken with fenugreek or “methi* chicken”. The fenugreek imparts a slightly smoky, bitter flavour that cuts through the tomato making this an unusual but exceedingly good chicken dish.

In Indian cooking, fenugreek (see illustration, right) is used as both a herb (the leaves) and a spice (the seeds). This recipe uses the leaves and, although your local supermarket is unlikely to stock them, they are easy to find in Indian grocery stores and cheap to buy - I picked up 4 large bunches for £1!

You may also notice that I have used slightly more fat in making this dish than I typically do in my other recipes. For some reason this dish needs a little extra richness and my attempts at making a healthier version have produced dry and unappetising results. As such, I strongly encourage you to avoid any urges you may have to reduce the oil/butter. Trust me, your curry won't be swimming in fat and the taste will justify the handful of extra calories.

* Silent ‘h’ – so pronounced ‘Mett-y’

Wine suggestions from Kevin at halfwine.com

	"This is a medium weight, intensely flavoured dish; the primary taste sensations being acidity from the tomatoes and bitterness from the chopped methi leaves. So what wines match these flavours? An intense sauvignon blanc from New Zealand such as a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc . If you prefer a red wine, a young Pinot Noir from Burgundy such as the Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Rouge 2010 would be an interesting choice; it probably has the right weight and acidity and a tart cherries taste to handle this. On balance, at halfwine.com we would go for the Sauvignon Blanc."

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil
25 grams butter
3 cloves
4 black peppercorns
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick (approximately 3 grams)
1 large onion - chopped
4 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
20 grams ginger - peeled and grated
400 grams canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 green chillies - finely chopped
1.5 teaspoons turmeric powder
3 teaspoons coriander powder
4 chicken breast fillets - skinned, washed and cut into 2 cm pieces
125 millilitres hot water
1.5 teaspoons garam masala
250 grams fresh methi - washed and chopped (NB Use any of the stalks that are thin and crisp as well as the leaves. Discard any weeds, thick, rubbery stalks and brown leaves.)

Method

Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan on a lowish heat.
When hot, add the cloves, peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon. Let the flavours infuse into the oil for a minute or so.
Now add the chopped onion and cook on a low heat until very soft. Stir occasionally to prevent the onion from colouring.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir well. Let the mixture cook for two minutes.
In the meantime blitz the canned tomatoes in a processor until smooth.
Add the processed canned tomatoes to the pan along with the tomato puree. Stir well and then let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes.
Now add the salt, chilli powder, green chillies, turmeric powder and coriander powder to the pan and stir well.
Let the mixture cook uncovered on a low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Now add the chicken pieces and stir well. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Now add the hot water and stir again. Cover the pan and let it cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the garam masala, stir and then cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
Now taste the dish for seasoning and check a piece of chicken to confirm that it is cooked.
At this point the curry is almost ready. If you are not planning on serving this dish immediately stop here otherwise continue. The steps below assume that you are cooking the curry from a hot temperature. If you have prepared the dish in advance, heat the curry thoroughly before continuing with step 14.
Add the chopped methi leaves and stir well. Cook for a further 5 minutes on a low heat.
Serve with rice or naan bread.

Palak paneer - spinach and paneer

2011-11-18T05:00:00.035Z

My mum doesn't eat this dish as she hates cheese. I find this perplexing as I can eat cheese until it comes out of my ears - the smellier and runnier the better. There have been occasions when I've bought a variety of artisanal cheeses and my mum has turned up her nose and said that she would just eat her extra mild cheddar from Marks and Spencer. Surely at that point you might as well eat a piece of rubber?

Anyway I hope you give it a go - it is delicious and quick to prepare.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 dried red chilli
1 small green pepper
225 grams canned tomatoes
150 grams plain, natural yogurt
2 teaspoons coriander-cumin powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
0.5 teaspoon salt
100 grams baby leaf spinach
225 grams paneer - cut into 1 cm cubes

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a lowish heat.
When the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and dried red chilli. Let them cook for a minute or two.
In the meantime remove the stalk, seeds and membrane from the pepper and chop it into 0.5 centimetre cubes. Add the cubes of pepper to the oil and let them soften for 2-3 minutes.
While the pepper is cooking blitz the canned tomatoes to make a smooth liquid. Add it to the oil along with the yogurt. Stir well.
Now add the coriander-cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Stir well and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile puree the spinach leaves and then add them to the saucepan. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
Now add the cubes of paneer. Stir again and cook for 2 minutes.
Serve hot with chapatis.

Virgin bombalada

2011-10-21T05:00:00.001+01:00

Dishoom is a relatively new Indian cafe in London serving Bombay street food. Steve and I love it and particularly recommend the vada pau and the virgin bombalada - a spicy remake of the classic cocktail the virgin pina colada. For those of you that can't get to Dishoom this is my version of the drink - enjoy!

NB If you prefer your drinks slightly less virtuous simply add 50 millilitres of light white rum.

Serves 1
Ingredients

4 ice cubes
4 mint leaves - shredded
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
40 millilitres coconut milk
300 grams fresh ripe pineapple - cut into chunks

To garnish

5-8 fennel seeds
A small sprig of mint

Method

Place the ice cubes, mint leaves, crushed fennel and cumin, salt, coconut milk and pineapple in a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Pour into a large wine glass.
Garnish with the fennel seeds and mint
Serve immediately with a straw.

Khichri made with toor dahl (rice with lentils)

2011-10-14T05:00:00.017+01:00

Khichri (also known as khichdi or khitchri) is a popular Gujarati comfort food. It is a generic term for a number of dishes made from rice and lentils and was the inspiration for the British colonial dish kedgeree.

This version is made using toor dahl and is a favourite with my mum's family. On it's own it is a bland dish (often served to sick people as it is easy to digest) and so it is traditionally served with kadhi, mango pickle and potato curry or stuffed aubergines.

Serves 4

Ingredients

50 grams toor dahl
100 grams rice
1 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil
2 cloves
Small stick cinnamon
3 black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic - crushed
7 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
500 millilitres boiling water

Method

Place the toor dahl in a bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Place the rice in a separate bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak until step 9.
Strain the dahl through a colander and leave to dry a little.
In the meantime heat the oil in a saucepan.
Once hot, add the cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns and leave to cook for a minutes or so.
Now add the garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric and dahl to the pan. Take care when adding the dahl as the hot oil may spit.
Stir the contents of the pan and then add the boiling water.
Stir again and let the dahl cook on a low heat for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, return to the bowl of rice. You will notice that the water has turned a cloudy white colour. This is the starch from the rice. Drain away the water. Cover the rice with water again. Stir the rice and watch as the water turns white again. Drain immediately and then repeat this step a further two times ending with the rice being drained. The water will still be turning cloudy as there is still starch in the rice but you will have removed a large amount of it. You do need some starch in the rice to stop it disintegrating.
After the dahl has been cooking for 15 minutes add the rice to the pan. Stir well.
The contents of the pan should be covered with approximately 1 cm of water. If there is not enough, add more.
Leave the mixture to cook for a further 8- 10 minutes.
After this time, use a spoon to squash a lentil. If the lentil is soft, check that the rice is cooked.
Once the lentils and rice are cooked, stir the rice gently and note how much water is in the pan. If you push the rice to one side of the pan, there should be a reservoir of 1-2 tablespoons of water at the bottom. If there is more than this, drain it away. If there is less, add a little water.
Serve hot with kadhi and potato curry.

Potato curry

2011-10-07T05:00:00.017+01:00

This is a super tasty store cupboard recipe that will make you look like a domestic god/ goddess when your partner whines at you that all there is to eat in the house are two uninspiring potatoes. You can whip this dish up in around 40 minutes and then let them clear up the kitchen while you settle down with a well deserved glass of wine

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2 large potatoes - peeled and diced into 2 centimetre cubes
1 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion - diced
1 large clove garlic - crushed
5 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
1 small green chilli - finely chopped
300 grams canned chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon coriander-cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
100 millilitres water
A small handful of chopped coriander

Method

Par boil the potatoes for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan.
Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a minute or two.
Add the onions and let them cook on a lowish heat until they are soft and transparent.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli. Mix well and let it cook for a minute.
Now add the potatoes, tomatoes, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and water. Stir well.
Put the lid on the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
Sprinkle coriander over the top of the dish and serve.

Coriander and tomato salad

2011-09-30T05:00:00.013+01:00

This is the perfect Indian salad for the Indian summer* that we are enjoying this week. The lemon juice removes the bite from the red onions making it a zesty crunchy salad ideal with barbequed meat.

* Apparently this isn't really an "Indian summer"; the definition of a true Indian summer is an unseasonably warm, dry and calm weather, following the first frost. Given that we haven't had any frost yet, this is just odd weather. Regardless - I'm happy!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

1 small red onion - peeled and finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tomato
A small handful of coriander - chopped
Salt

Method

Place the red onion and lemon juice in a bowl.
Stir well and then leave for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, dice the tomato, discarding any excess juices.
After the ten minutes, add the diced tomato and coriander to the onions and stir well.
Add salt to taste.
Serve.

Ginger, garlic and green chilli paste

2011-09-23T05:00:00.007+01:00

Two weeks ago I shared my mum's time-saving recipe for garlic and ginger paste. In a similar vein, this week's recipe is for ginger, garlic and green chilli paste which is the time saving equivalent for when the recipe requires fresh green chillies as well.

Conversion

As with the ginger and garlic paste, I will continue to use fresh ingredients in all of my recipes but if you do decide to make this paste you can easily substitute; Generally half a teaspoon equates to one small green chilli but feel free to amend the amount of chilli you use in the recipes to suit your own palate. The garlic and ginger contained in this paste adds a little extra flavour to the dish but won't dramatically alter it. Generally when my mum wants garlic and ginger flavours she will add the garlic and ginger paste as well.

The paste should keep for up to ten days in the fridge or two months in the freezer.

Ingredients

35 grams green finger chillies
10 grams root ginger - peeled
2 cloves garlic - peeled
3/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons light tasting vegetable oil

Method

Wash the chillies and remove the stalks. Pat the chillies dry using a tea towel.
Place all of the ingredients in the blender and blend until it makes a smoothish paste. Use more oil if it is not blending easily.
Store the paste in a clean, dry, air tight container in the fridge.

Minced lamb curry (keema)

2011-09-16T05:00:00.004+01:00

My mum's family are vegetarians however my dad's family are carnivores through and through. As such this traditional Gujarati recipe for minced lamb curry (keema or kheema) is from my dad's side. It's a very warm, comforting dish perfect for cold Autumn nights such as those that we are experiencing prematurely in London this week!

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

3 tablespoons light tasting vegetable oil
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
4 black peppercorns
1 large onion - finely chopped
275 grams tinned tomatoes - chopped
5 grams root ginger - peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic - crushed
1.5 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
200 grams lean minced lamb - rinsed
2 large floury potatoes
1 teaspoon garam masala
Handful of coriander - chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan.
Once hot, add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. Let them sizzle in the hot oil for a minute or so to let the flavours infuse.
Now add the chopped onion to the pan. Stir and then let the onion cook until soft. They are ready just before they start to turn brown.
Now add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chilli, turmeric and salt to the pan.
Stir well and let the mixture cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the minced lamb to the pan and stir again. Use your spoon to make sure the mince is separated and not forming lumps.
Put a lid on the pan and let the mixture cook on a low heat for 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into large wedges.
Add the potatoes to the pan along with 250 millilitres water. Stir.
Put the lid back on the pan and continue cooking on a low heat until the potatoes are cooked. This will take in the region of 25 - 30 minutes.
Just before serving add the garam masala and coriander.
Serve hot with bread, chappatis or naan bread.

Ginger and garlic paste

2011-09-09T05:00:00.001+01:00

Many Indian recipes call for "ginger and garlic paste" - a blend of ginger and garlic which can be kept in the fridge in order to remove the need for crushing/grating with each recipe. While my mum uses the paste regularly, I took the decision to keep things simple by using the raw ingredients for the recipes on this blog. Personally I'm quickly put off recipe books that use pastes that must be made in bulk; fine if I'm going to be cooking from the book on a weekly basis but otherwise just annoying and wasteful.

That said, there may be some of you who are cooking Indian food regularly and could save a small amount of time and washing up if you had a jar of ginger and garlic paste in the fridge. The recipe below produces a paste that is much fresher tasting than the shop-bought variety and quick and easy to make.

Conversion
I will continue to use fresh ginger and garlic in all of my recipes but if you do decide to make this paste you can easily substitute. Generally 1/2 teaspoon equates to 1 clove of garlic and 3 grams of ginger. Don't worry too much about getting an exact conversion - as long as you aren't too heavy handed you should obtain a good flavour in your curry.

The paste should keep for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Ingredients

20 grams ginger - peeled
1 bulb garlic - peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil

Method

Place all of the ingredients in a small blender.
Blend until you obtain a smooth paste.
Place in a clean, dry jar and store in the fridge.
Use in any recipe calling for ginger-garlic paste.

Masala omelette

2011-09-02T05:00:00.026+01:00

I'm sure that every culture in the world has it's own take on the humble omelette and within every culture, every family has it's own special recipe. The recipe below is how my mum used to cook omelettes - packed wtih more filling than egg - just how I like it! Occasionally I like to add a handful of grated mature cheddar into the mix as well but:

that's definitely not an "Indian" addition
I'm currently trying to get into shape and so cheese has been banned from the flat.

I say "trying" as we have only just finished a whole Camembert hand-delivered from France by my mother-in-law and her husband - a great service that I highly recommend. They even told us the exact moment that the cheese would be ripe and so, at precisely 8pm on Saturday night we cut through the rind and the Camembert ran all over the plate. Phenomenal.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coriander- cumin powder
1/2 tablespoon light tasting vegetable oil
1/2 small onion - chopped
1 spring onion - sliced (including the green stalks)
1/2 small green chilli - finely chopped
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 small tomato - chopped
A small handful coriander - coarsely chopped
A small handful of basil - coarsely chopped

Method

Crack the eggs into a small bowl.
Add the salt, pepper, turmeric and coriander-cumin powder and beat well with a fork. Leave the beaten eggs to one side.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat.
Fry the onions, spring onions, chilli and garlic until soft.
Add the tomatoes and fry for another minute or so, stirring occasionally.
Add the beaten eggs to the pan and let them cook.
When the omelette has begun to form but there is still a little raw egg on top, sprinkle over the basil and coriander on one half of the omelette.
Now carefully fold the other half of the omelette over the first half to form a half moon shape.
Let the omelette cook for a minute or two or until no raw egg oozes out when you press down using a spatula.
Serve immediately with salad or if you are a carbohydrate addict with bread and chilli sauce (I recommend Encona) to make a sandwich.