Cook in a Curry

One thing I do love about a place like Bombay is that no matter what part of the city you live in, you’re always guaranteed to be able to sample food from most parts of India all in one city! That is just pure joy and I have had the privilege of having a Maharashtrian lunch and then moving onto a Mughlai dinner. A South Indian breakfast of fresh steamed idlis (rice cakes) with sambar or Gujarati snack anytime of the day! I think that’s where my fondness for Indian food stems from. And by ‘Indian’ I do mean a variety of regional goodies that are cooked in households & restaurants everyday but still seem a tad bit special. Ingredients used are simple and fresh, with at least 4-5 different dishes served, including chapattis, rice, and even something to traditional to drink (like a lassi or chaas; yoghurt drinks that are perfect thirst quenchers for the hot weather) which summed up a delectable and flavoursome meal.

Growing up always holds special memories, with friends galore and not a care in the world. It’s when we look back at the years, we realise how our meals defined our eating experiences in every which ways. For me, having south indian, gujarati or bengali friends made the experience even more meaningful and interesting. As a young girl being invited to my friends for lunch or dinner was always a brilliant experience.  Getting to see their way of living, celebrating festivals, traditions and the best part was I got to eat a traditional home cooked fare.

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Thai Mussaman Beef Curry

I love my curries and that goes without saying. But if there was one particular food that really does it for me apart from Indian it would have to be Thai.

I got gifted Thai Food by David Thompson for Christmas, which actually made me fall in love all over again with the food from the region. Apart from the book truly being a collector’s item, it makes you want to cook all the delicious dishes. It gives an insight into flavours, techniques and dishes which I haven’t tried before. Its also covers Thai culture, society and regional cuisine as it has come to evolve today within the country.

When put together typical Thai flavours like lemongrass, palm sugar and the fiery chillies is a combination that is bursting with excitement. The result is delectable dishes that we yearn for- a spiced red curry, green papaya salad, the jungle curry or the moreish pad thai noodles. Thai cuisine gets it perfect with their balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy in each dish.

Mussaman Beef Curry is the Thai version of the Muslim curries from northern India. What make this curry more unique are their use of fish sauce, lemon grass and palm sugar. Using black cardamom really imparted that intense smoky flavour which came through in the curry. The most common versions of this dish use chicken or beef with potatoes and whole shallots.

My choice of Thai curry in this post is actually is a personal favourite. Sometimes we all crave that richness and depth in a curry. It’s the kind I relish during my trips to India from authentic Mughlai street food places like a local greasy spoon. I remember going out with friends for dinner and ordering massive amounts of dishes, not just because it was a cheap eat but more so because we were genuinely hunger and the food was always enjoyable and tasted exactly same every time we visited. Scoffing through all the kebabs, curries and rotis feeling satisfied at the end of it all washed down with something ice cold to drink. Heaven! Chilled Thumbs up usually did it for me!

Note: I know it seems like a longer winded process but I assure it’s a complete labour of love. The end result is lip smacking! Tastes even better if you have any leftover curry the following day to eat with some steamed rice.

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Chicken Shawarma

A whiff of cinnamon, cardamom, clove & nutmeg is in the air at the moment. Spices which are synonymous with Middle Eastern cooking. I can’t get enough of the food in that region, from the lamb, chicken, hummus and even falafels. I had been frequenting the gulf even as a young girl and some of the fondest memories every time I visited were eating at little markets and stalls; the food was rustic, full of flavour and comforting. In the winters on a cold day standing out close to the stall, I could not have asked for more than to eat some of the freshly baked hot Arabic bread seasoned with Zaatar and then bite into a Shawarma roll, all washed down with a glass of warm apple tea.

Last year we visited Dubai after a really long time, and for me it was like having all the various varieties of my favourite food under one roof! Which I think is what Dubai does offer. I came back loaded not just with memories of good eats but recipes and even an Arabic cook book. I have over the last few months tried a few recipes from the book but I think the only thing beckoning my attention all along was the recipe for a Chicken Shawarma. I decided to cook it this week.

The recipe itself has various components which compliment each other. The tahini which I think is a must and adds hugely to the flavour of the Shawarma. A lot places also serve it with a garlic sauce but with the tahini having its share of garlic I thought it worked well just on its own.

I used chicken breast and sliced them as thinly as I could, marinating it in olive oil, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon and cardamom. I did freshly grind the nutmeg, clove, cardamom and cinnamon powders which does make a difference. All wrapped in Khaboos which is like the traditional roti as that’s what they usually serve it in but pitta bread works just as well. Apart from the recipe for the Shawarma, I tweaked about a tad bit with the tahini. I made it less garlicky & used half the amount of the tahini paste along with yoghurt to make it a bit runny.

The result was a moist and succulent Shawarma roll with chicken, the sauce offering that hint of garlic and a creamy texture, pickled gherkins which gave it a tangy flavour topped with some fresh salad. Taking my first bite into the roll was like being back at the market stalls for a visit.

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A very synonymous North Indian curry and I have to say its one of my favourites. I cook this regularly and still cant get enough of it. The preparation is typically like any Indian curry but with ingredients that pack a punch and veryauthentic in flavour and taste. This dish has been made in the north, particularly places like Rajasthan for a long time. As the weather in the north of India is quite warm, curries such as this using pickling spices, enhance the flavour whilst helping to preserve the food for longer. Mustard oil in this dish makes the chicken rich and moist but even vegetable or sunflower oil can be used as an alternative.

The yoghurt makes the gravy thick which helps coat all the chicken pieces evenly. Tailor the heat your requirement by using a little less of the whole red chillies and the chilli powder. Like any other meat dish, if this is made a little in advance the taste develops and is much nicer. But I’m not one for waiting around, so once cooked its good to eat straight away mopped up with warm rotis or even a green peas pulao & some raita to accompany.

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Yes its 2010! Not sure where last year went! Do hope the coming year bring you loads of happiness, joy and pleasure in every which way. Sorry for not blogging for a while. Was just enjoying eating loads, meeting up with friends & family, vegging out watching films and writing recipes. Thats pretty much how the holidays are summed up by me.

But its the New Year and with that there is plenty more to come. As a private home chef, dates are booked up for a good few months, there will be ongoing recipe features and columns, an up an coming feature on kids cooking and how we can encourage healthy Indian alternatives to their daily diet. Also make sure to check out the updates on the radio slot @ BBC Radio Newcastle with Simon Logan on the Afternoon show. But i think the most exciting thing for me over the next few months is that I will be doing a live demo at the Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle. I have always been a huge fan of Terry Laybourne, more so what his establishments stand for. Which is great ambience, top notch service and most importantly food that speaks volumes in quality, taste & presentation. Also a little birdie tells me he loves a curry! Which is a bonus:)

The live demo will be for their Ladies lunch event and I’m equally excited to work with Pierre Rigothier and his team. For more details make sure to check out the website for Jesmond Dene House. Look forward to cooking some fantastic Indian grub over the new year.

I’ve always been a big fan of recipes with the fewest of ingredients. Not that I don’t enjoy a long cooking process for a worthwhile end result! But I think over the Christmas period, we always have friends and family visiting, presents to wrap, along with the regular household duties and also kids to look after. Plus I’m sure from a work point of view for most Christmas is always the busiest time of the year.

So when as easy, simple recipe comes along which I know is a sure shot hit with guests’, it’s well worth a try. This Dark Chocolate fudge is perfect for a hamper of even if you’re having friends around for a coffee, as they will keep for a good few weeks. The fudge needs to be kept cold though so I cut them up into little bite sizes and wrap them in gift bags, leaving them in the fridge until I am ready to give them. I also have some extra on hand which are left in the foil tray to serve.

As most of you know I do a few home made hampers every Christmas for family & friends. Because there are usually 2-3 different goodies in them, it’s always good if there is a variety. My hamper this year included Berry Vodka (recipe below), ginger bread cookies, lime & ginger savoury pickle and something chocolatey which was these little fudge beauties.

There are moreish. The colour looks fab too, with the dark chocolate, deep red sour cherries and little flakes of pistachios mixed through. I love the flavour of the sour cherries which cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate and a soft crunch from the pistachios. I have to say this is my favourite combination. Last year I did biscotti’s in my hampers, with chunks of dark chocolate, pistachio & cherries.

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Berry Meringue Ice cream terrine

I feel like I should be blogging about food but keeping up with the Christmas spirit; I can’t ignore my favourite course – Desserts!

Meringues on their own seem quite lost but add a few other ingredients with them & the dish is pure celebration. My Meringue Ice cream terrine is THE Christmas celebration I have been looking for. I did a few searches and this recipe by far stood out the best. Over the weekend I served it for friends and it went down a storm. The best part is I made it a few days in advance as I had a busy week ahead. It was frozen to set & only needed half an hour to defrost before I served it up.

I tend to favour chocolate based desserts a lot more than fruity/ berry ones. So making this only made me realise what I was missing out on. Plus with the festive season in full swing and every one indulging as much as they are, having something that is fruity, creamy, light and crunchy is a pleasant change.

I think the combination of meringues, crushed raspberries & strawberries, crème fraiche with some berry coulis can’t get any better. It looked amazing when I got it out of the mould and cut the slices up. I served it up with some additional coulis on the side, but to be fair just on its own would have been good enough too. All those rippled hues of the berries, the coulis mixing in with the white crème fraiche, the broken meringue and pieces of plump berries bursting through. That was an absolute delight.

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The best part of the year has to be the festive season. Christmas for us like the Indian festival of Diwali spells joy, excitement, cheer, celebration & time with family. My partner is Anglo Indian and celebrated Christmas as a child, when we met I adopted that into our home and must admit I love every minute of it! Most importantly for me the festivities also mean, entertaining, indulging in my favourite food & drink and offering the same to those visiting us over the next few weeks.

I love doing homemade Christmas hampers for family & friends and fills me with delight to see how what I have made has come together and is looking lovely. This year the hamper will be including a homemade lime pickle, ginger bread cookies which I have made as tree decorations for kids to enjoy, sour cherry & pistachio fudge (I’ll be posting a recipe for that soon as well) and Blackberry vodka.

The vodka has been brewing for the last one month and the colour is now a rich ruby red with a hint of cinnamon & star anise flavour. Discard the anise and cinnamon stick and use the fruit for a boozy crumble or like I did, warmed through in a pan with a tiny bit of icing sugar,  and crushed through slightly in a bowl of cold custard. You can use it as a garnish in drinks or desserts but I have also frozen some as well to use later. This morning I decanted it into small bottles. Labels on and they are ready as a perfect home made present, not just for Christmas but anytime of the year really. Make sure you try it. A small measure topped some lemonade is lush.

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Batata Poha – Flaked Rice with Potatoes sautéed in turmeric, chilli & curry leaves

Poha as it’s commonly known is eaten all over India, though it is a speciality from Maharashtra. I have been eating this dish for breakfast like most people do since I was really young. This is one dish that can be eaten as a snack or amain meal.

When I was little and my family were visiting friends or relatives, the quickest thing that Indian housewives could put together was this dish, served steaming hot with some sweet & savoury pickles to accompany it. Maybe a bit of fresh yoghurt too.I think my fondest memories are of my mum making this for us on weekends and I do always going for seconds.

It is flaked rice, so if there is too much water left while it is soaking, there is a chance the dish might be lumpy. The end result must always be where the poha is light, flaky, with just the right amount of spice (chilli, mustard seeds or curry leaves) and a small amount of potato. Letting the main ingredient stand out. All garnished with fresh coriander and some lime juice. You can also garnish it with some roasted peanuts or freshly grated coconut.

I guess in a way, I do try and emulate that. Poha is a staple favourite every weekend and I make it fresh served exactly how my mother would be proud of me to serve it! Enjoy.
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A plain boiled egg to me is like eating toast with any butter or marmalade. Let me be honest, how many times have any of you ever thought that eating a boiled egg would really make your day? Well this dish will definitely do just that.

I have been eating this curry since I was a little girl. On the menu was usually egg curry, some steamed rice, along with something crispy fried like papad (poppadums) to uplift the meal. Its the perfect dish for anyone whose a veggie and only has eggs or even meat eaters. The taste of the sour tamarind, spicy chilli and thick gravy, all of it coating the egg makes this dish really good. I prefer plan rice as you want the flavour of the curry to stand out. So even if you plan on having any Indian bread with it, a plain chapatti or naan would be ideal. I tend to use the left over eggs in a pulao. Which actually taste even better the following day.

There is something about the dish when you mix the spices with the eggs. The flavours come through perfectly.

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