Cook in a Curry

This March the beautiful setting of No19 Close House will play host to my Indian Ladies Lunch at Close House Hotel. I will be introducing Indian food, spices, flavours and aromas with a 3 course Indian meal. I have devised a mouth watering menu and will be cooking all the curries, chutneys, kebabs and desserts alongside the hugely talented head chef Simon Walsh and his team at No19 Close House.

No19 Close House is renowed for state of the art facilities and also offering top quality food. The views of the Tyne valley from the resturant are second to none.

The Ladies Lunch is on Wednesday 21st March from 10.30am onwards. It will commence with an Indian cookery demo where I will showcase easy Indian homecooked recipes, share my curry secrets and answer cookery queries from the audience. This will be followed by a leisurely lunch and wine afternoon.

Tickets are £35/- per person. You can reserve your space by calling 01661 85 22 55 or you can email events@closehouse.co.uk

Looking forward to meeting you there!

A lovely surprise to get a mention in the Daily Mail Weekend Magazine. So excited to see it!

Carruthers & Kent in Newcastle upon Tyne are excited to announce their first Indian cookery demo & tasting session with private chef & writer Maunika Gowardhan. Maunika will be sharing her recipes, curry secrets and cookery tips. You will get to sample all the scrumptious regional Indian curries, fresh chutneys and spice infused desserts she will be cooking along with a glass of wine.

It’s a chance to find out more about home cooked Indian meals, get your curry questions answered, sample the wines to compliment the dishes and have a peak at all the gorgeous goodies stocked at their wine store and in-house delicatessen Delifina.

Dates for the tasting session are as follows:

• 1^st March Thursday 7pm onwards
• 15^th March Thursday 7pm onwards

The tasting session is £25/- per person to include a cookery demo with Maunika showcasing easy Indian curries, vegetarian dishes and desserts. The session includes tasters for freshly cooked curries, indian bread, chutneys and Indian inspired desserts with a glass of wine. You will have easy to follow recipe cards to take away. Delifina is also offering a 10% discount off their stock in store for the day.

For bookings please ring the team at Carruthers & Kent on 01912131818 or get in touch via email at info@cookinacurry.co.uk 

You can also follow Maunika on Twitter @cookinacurry for more Indian food chat.

I have huge admiration for a lot of the Indian chefs who have trained in India and are now serving some stunning food in their restaurants across the UK. There are a very talented bunch of chefs putting together beautiful Indian meals showcasing permutations with their own spin on dishes. It’s almost like there is a slice of the Indian subcontinent right on your dinner plate.

Indian food now isn’t just about a bog standard curry but a heady mix of regional influences which is what it should be. And something that I champion working as a private chef myself. It is exciting, delectable, enticing and judging by the response I get via this blog, my cookery classes, radio slot and cheffing events it’s something a lot of people are vying to find out more about.

I have been eagerly waiting to announce that Benares; the modern Michelin starred Indian restaurant have decided to giveaway a copy of Chef Atul Kochhar’s cookbook ‘Indian Essence’ to one lucky reader of Cook in a Curry!

Benares is famed for serving top notch Indian food. I always believe the ethos of the restaurant stems from the person at the helm of it all. Atul Kochhar speaks of seasonality, regional Indian cooking and making it modern to suit our taste. Reinventing Indian cuisine with his unique style changing the way people perceive and experience Indian food.

And experience I have; a few times at Benares. Most recently I visited the restaurant to sample their new menu which in itself speaks volumes about all that is seasonal and showcases some of the varied regional cuisine on offer in India at its best. I couldn’t praise the dishes enough and undoubtedly  it was one of the dining highlights for me this year. Tip – Definitely start your meal with the passion fruit chutney martini and do leave space for dessert!

To sample some gorgeous Indian food Benares will also be at the Taste of London starting this Friday the 2nd of December 2011.

So if you’re an Indian food fanatic keen to cook up a delicious Indian meal at home here’s a chance to win a copy of the cookbook & make your Christmas extra special!

All you need to do is make sure to leave a comment below telling me what your all time favourite spice is (whole or powdered). Or you can retweet the competition details from my Twitter page. A winner will be selected at random.

Details – The competition will close on Thursday the 8^th of December 2011. The prize is one cookbook. The prize is non transferable and cannot be exchanged for alternatives or cash.

Good luck!

I am so excited to be part of this event primarily to cook some wonderful Indian food alongside the very talented chef Abdul Yaseen from Cinnamon Kitchen. Award winning chef Abdul showcases some of his culinary creations at Cinnamon Kitchen in London. Having worked alongside Vivek Singh for nearly a decade at Cinnamon Club; Chef Abdul brings along a modern take on Indian food.

I will be doing a cookery demo on the 17th of November at 12pm showing you a truly delicious home cooked curry with historic influences from the Indian subcontinent; using aromatic herbs & spices. Chef Abdul will also be cooking for a select group of foodies as well. The demo will be followed by a canapé & drinks event at the alfresco terrace where we’ll be discussing all things curry and sharing tips, advice and recipe ideas.

To win an invitation to this Tweet Meet & Eat Party share your food tips, stories and ideas joining the Twitter chat using #CKrestaurantTME

Competition closes on the 14^th of November so get tweeting!

For more information make sure to check the Cinnamon Kitchen Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=269656019744113 or my Twitter feed on the right side bar of this blog.

Looking forward to meeting you all at the event!

Stanger’s Cookshop in Jesmond will be hosting their ever popular Indian cookery Master classes with Maunika Gowardhan in Newcastle upon Tyne. The cookery sessions over the last few months have been hugely well received leaving a lot of foodie folk vying for a space.

Food writer and private chef Maunika Gowardhan; will be sharing her recipes, cooking secrets and ideas on regional fresh Indian cooking with delectable diners. You also get to sample all the starters, curries and desserts along with a glass of wine.

It’s a chance to learn more about home cooked Indian meals and also to have a peak at all the gorgeous goodies Stanger’s Cookshop has including Le Creuset cookware, kitchen/ baking equipment, spices and chutneys. All the workshop details are listed below:

Dates for the workshop are as follows

• 2^nd February Thursday at 6pm *FULLY BOOKED*
• 23^rd February Thursday at 6pm *FULLY BOOKED*
• 8th March Tursday at 6pm *FULLY BOOKED*

The two hour workshop is £40/- per person inclusive of

• A Master class with Maunika showcasing easy Indian street food snacks, curries and desserts
• A 3 course Indian meal comprising of delicious curries, freshly made breads, chutneys and a pudding with a glass of wine
• A goody bag to include jar of Maunika’s homemade Indian chutney and a jar of spice rub
• Easy to follow recipe cards to take away. Stanger’s Cookshop is also offering a 10% discount off their stock in store for the day.

Spaces this time are limited so please book early.

For bookings please ring Stanger’s Cookshop on 01912818563 or get in touch via email at info@cookinacurry.co.uk

Please note Stanger’s Cookshop is closed on Sundays and Bank holidays http://www.stangerscookshop.co.uk/

From Orange and Cardamom Martinis to Masala Chai and everything in between. I recently cooked an Indian meal and co-hosted the Diwali Supper Club alongside Tilda Basmati and The London Foodie

The menu was planned well in advance and I wanted to make sure that all those invited got a flavour of what home cooked celebratory Indian meals were all about. We had Keralan Fish Curry, Smoked masala  Aubergines & Yakhni Pulao using Tilda basmati as part of the meal.

Nothing gives me more joy & pleasure than seeing the gleaming faces of guests’ as they tuck into a feast and more importantly enjoy eating it. Happy bellies, late night finish & doggy bags tell me it was a good night. Sharing a few photos with you and also some of the blog posts from those invited. Enjoy!

What they are saying about the Diwali Supper Club:

The Skinny Bib

Nutmegsseven

Rice and Pickle

Kavey Eats

Hot & Chilli

It’s now part of my yearly cookery demo calendar and almost makes that whole Christmas spirit come alive. Apart from doing an Indian cookery demo for all the foodie folk; it is exciting and even better when they get to sample some of the delights. Though once I’m done with cooking its shopping at the stalls that takes my undivided attention.  And there is lots to choose from – food, craft, Christmas decorations, gifts and interiors. It’s all under one roof.

So help you indulge that tad bit this Christmas; I’m giving away 4 free tickets to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment & tell me what your favourite Indian dish is. Simple as that!

You can use the tickets for any day of the fair. Make sure to say hello & come along to watch my cookery demo on Sunday the 6^th of November at 2pm as I rustle up some winter warming curries and offer ideas for Christmas entertaining with Indian recipes.

For more details about the Living North Christmas Fair please check their website. Look forward to seeing you there and sharing in the Christmas festivities!

Details – The competition will close on Sunday 30^th of October 2011. The prize is 4 free entry tickets to visit the Living North Christmas Fair; usable only for one visit. The prize is non transferable and cannot be exchanged for alternatives or cash. Deliveries in the UK only.

There are quite a few classes and events currently that I’m involved in and its looking to be a busy run up to Christmas as well. So here’s what to look out for:

TILDA RICE DIWALI SUPPER CLUB – 12th October (By Invitation Only)

Co hosted by yours truly and The London Foodie aka Luiz Hara. I am looking forward to showcasing an exciting Indian menu to reflect regional Indian fare. The evening promises fabulous food, fantastic company amidst brightly lit Diwali celebrations.

DURHAM FOOD FESTIVAL – 23rd October 1pm, Durham

In the run up to Christmas its always a packed diary of cookery demos and this is the first of many that I am very much looking forward to. The finest produce and culinary fayre from the region all in one place. The chefs demos are being held at the Gourmet Food Marquee, Palace Green.

I will be doing an Indian cookery demo on the 23rd of October for 1pm and looking forward to rustling up two of my favourite curries. Make sure to put the date in you diaries. Come along to watch the demo and also to sample the freshly cooked curries. For further information make sure to check Durham Food Festival Looking foward to seeing you all there!