100 And Counting.

The other day, I was fannying about in my blogger dashboard, reading others' posts, when I noticed that my own blog listing had "99 posts" next to it.

WHAT?

I've only been blogging since the beginning of Feb, but like many other things I do, I have become a little obsessed. I was posting daily, sometimes more at the beginning, and had thrown myself into my new blog with the same gusto I have for every new creative adventure.
As I don't make an absolutely new dish every day, the posts are less frequent now, as I don't think anyone wants to read four different ragu alla bolgnese or roast chicken posts and frankly, I just couldn't keep up that kind of pace.

Since realizing that my next post was to be my 100th, I've been thinking a lot about what I should write about, as well as whether or not I have arrived here too quickly. I keep hearing "less is more! " and "Quality over quantity!" ringing in my head and wondering if perhaps my excitement about sharing my culinary life and gastronomical endeavours has sacrificed the quality of my posts.
I suffer daily from blog envy, camera jealousy and frustration with my lack of photography skills and the struggle to find new ways to make yet another chicken dish sound so delectable that you simply have to drop what you're doing and go make it.

Before I launch into today's recipe, which is one of my favourite dishes, I want to give a shout out to some of the bloggers who have helped me so much along the way, both directly and by just being inspirational.

These guys make me want to be a better blogger, both by being incredibly inspirational in their own writing, recipes and photography and also by being pillars of a fantastic network of foodie writers who prop each other up and cheer each other on. In finding these people, I have got so much more out of keeping this blog than I ever could have imagined. Thanks guys!
In no particular order:

Stella at The Witchy Kitchen
Liam at My So Called Knife 
Alex at Just Cook It
Monet at Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Ali at Three Baking Sheets to the Wind
Ms. Humble at Not So Humble Pie
Susan at Food Blogga
Robin at A Chow Life
Cassie at Chow Bella
Monica at Floating Cloudberries
Natasha at Five Star Foodie
Wendy at Upstart Kitchen
and Angie at Angie's Recipes

All of these people inspire me to try harder at all this, and if I can learn to take a decent photo and be more conscientious in general, I hope that the next 100 posts will be much better than the first.

In other good news, Olive magazine is publishing my chipotle-rubbed pork shoulder tacos in their September issue, so if you fancy a flip through my favourite cookery mag, check it out! I'll be on the Over to You page, as Reader Recipe of the Month. (Finally, a decent photo of one of my dishes!)

And now onto the food.

I had one of my favourite childhood friends Lillah and her delightful 8-month old daughter Daisy for a sleep over last Thursday. Stepson had requested his favourite Indian dish for dinner and so I turned it into a bit of a feast befitting the occasion.
Chicken korma is not one of the most authentic, nor one of the most adventurous of curries but what it lacks in fire and sizzle, it more than makes up with fragrance and luscious creaminess. I made cauliflower and red onion pakoras to the same recipe as my asparagus pakoras and served the whole lot with a selection of chutneys and riata, saffron rice and some cumin puppadoms.

My Favourite Chicken Korma
serves 6, takes 24 hours, including marinading. 90 minutes work tops.

1 whole free-range chicken, boned and skinned, cut into 3 1/2cm (1 1/2") chunks (or equivalent in boneless thighs.)
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground tumeric
2 tsp ground fenugreek
2 tsp ground red chilli
5cm (2") ginger root, grated
5 cloves garlic, grated
300ml (13 oz) plain yogurt
150g (5.25oz) coconut cream
100g (3.5oz) ground almonds
3 tbsp ghee or veg oil
150 ml double cream (heavy whipping)
sea salt to taste

Mix the yoghurt, ginger and garlic together well and stir in the pieces of chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to let the flavours really permeate the meat.

In a food processor, puree the onion with a little bit of water and the red chillies into a smooth paste.
Heat the ghee or oil over a medium heat in a large sautee pan, then sweat the onions for 10-12 minutes until they're translucent and very fragrant. Stir in the coriander, turmeric and fenugreek, stir-frying for several minutes until the flavours have developed well and the oil is brightly coloured. Add the chicken, along with all of the yoghurty marinade and stir into the spicy onions.
Add the coconut cream and the ground almonds, then enough water to almost cover the chicken. Bring to a low simmer and allow it all to cook for 40 minutes.
Check periodically to make sure it doesn't get too dry and catch on the bottom.

When the sauce has reduced and is very thick, add as much of the cream as you need to to loosen it a little and turn it into something unctuous and silky. Season to taste.

Serve with basmati rice boiled with green cardamom pods and cloves, stirred through with saffron soaked in 1tbsp of milk right before serving.


Cucumber and Radish Raita:
300ml plain yoghurt
5" de-seeded cucumber, finely diced
6 French breakfast radishes, thinly sliced
1 tbsp mint sauce
sea salt

Mix all the ingredients together well and chill for 30 mins before serving


Coriander, Green Chilli and Mint Chutney:
2 tbsp mint sauce
handful coriander, leaves picked and very finely chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
juice of half a lime

Mix all the ingredients together and serve at room temperature.

The mango chutney was from Waitrose. What? I didn't make the puppadoms either, Sharwoods did!
pinch of sea salt.

One-Pot Wonderful

As much as love a day spent in the kitchen or with a big hunk of pork slowly roasting away in the oven, sometimes the thought of a house filled for a whole day with the smell of hot meat just isn't appetizing. Especially with the weather warming up, it's far nicer to be able to whip something tasty up that can be done in one pot so you don't have to spend an hour washing up afterward.

This is a pretty simple chicken biryani dish made with lots of fragrant but not too hot spices and takes less than an hour from start to finish. I have made a simple fresh shallot and cucumber relish to add a little fresh lift and texture contrast.

I have used the dark meat of the chicken, as I usually do with curry dishes, but you could use breast meat instead, just cook it for a shorter time before adding the rice as it will overcook and become dry and stringy otherwise.

Chicken Biryani with Shallot and Cucumber Relish
serves 4, takes less than one hour

2 each chicken thighs, wings and drumsticks, skinned and boned (leave the wings on the bone)
1 large onion, sliced
500ml plain yoghurt
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
3cm piece ginger
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
1/2 tsp ground chilli (or to taste)
4 cardomom pods
2 bay leaves
pinch, saffron
salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil

Cut the chicken into large bite size chunks, then mix together the yoghurt and half each of the garlic and ginger and stir in the chicken well. Set aside at room temp for 30 minutes while you do the onions. *you could also do the marinade the day before and refrigerate it over night for an even fuller flavour.

Slice the onions thinly and fry with 1 tbsp of the ghee in a large sautee pan on a med-high heat until dark golden brown-chestnut, then remove them and allow them to drain on some paper towel.

After the chicken has marinated for half an hour, heat the rest of the ghee/oil in the same pan that you cooked the onions in and tip in the rest of the ginger, garlic and the spices. Fry for a minute or so until very fragrant but not burnt or browned, then tip in the chicken pieces, including and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked away and you have a thick, fragrant sauce and the oil is starting to separate.

Stir in the rice well, season with some salt and add the water, then bring to the boil and immediately lower the temperature to a low simmer, cover and leave to cook for 10-12 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed by the rice. Try not to stir the rice once the water is boiling, as it will break up the starch in the raice and make the dish sticky, instead of fluffy and loose.

While the rice is cooking, you can make a small side dish of shallot and cucumber relish:

2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
6cm (2 1/2") cucumber (English) seeds removed and chopped into a small dice
1 green chilli, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped
7-8 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
a few coriander (cilantro) leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
pinch, red chilli flakes
2 2tbsp white wine vinegar

Put the sliced shallots into a small bowl of ice water to crisp them up and take the edge off a little, drain when ready to mix the relish, right before serving

Mix the sugar, chilli flakes and salt with a couple of tbsp of boiling water and stir to dissolve then add the vinegar.
When ready to serve, mix the shallots, cucumber, mint, coriander and dressing.

When the rice is cooked, spoon directly onto serving plates and scatter with the fried onions. Serve with the relish and some plain or spiced poppadums.

Chicken Biryani

Indian 101

Tandoori chicken is probably the first Indian dish that most English kids try, as it's quite mild yet still packed with fragrant flavour. It was definitely the dish I would cook for my American friends as a gentle introduction to my favourite kind of food. If I'm honest, it was also a bit of a test for potential suitors, as if they couldn't appreciate basic Indian, I knew they just weren't for me.It's a very simple dish to make, taking very little effort or expertise but producing a gorgeous result, which can be served simply with rice and some raitas or as part of a larger feast.

When made with skinless chicken wings or small drumsticks this recipe makes a fantastic party finger food.
Usually, when I'm making a curry, I like to make my own blend of spices tailored to suit the main ingredients or my mood but in this case, I use a pre-made blend which is available at most good grocery stores or online. This produces the tandoori flavour I loved as a child and is something I can never quite replicate by myself, so why fuss?

I heard an Indian chef once say "If Tandoori Chicken is a fine car, then limes are the key to start the engine"
Before that I always served mine with lemon, but since trying with lime, I never do it any other way.

Tandoori Chicken
Serves 2, takes 24 hours, including marinading time. 30 minutes actual working time.

2 each skinless free-range chicken thighs, wings(optional) and drumsticks
1 cup natural yoghurt
2 tbsp tandoori masala (I use Rajah brand)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cm ginger root, finely grated
2 tbsp mustard oil (optional)
salt to taste


Mix together all of the ingredients except the chicken in a medium-sized bowl.

Cut deep slits into the flesh of the thighs and drumsticks about 1cm (1/2") apart to allow the marinade to penetrate well. Add to the yoghurt marinade and mix really well, being sure to get the masalas well into all the nooks and crannies. Cover the bowl with cling film and pop n the fridge overnight. You can even get this marinating a couple of days before you plan to cook it, the longer the better.
Remove the chicken from the fridge at least one hour before you plan to cook it so that it cooks quickly.

Turn your grill/broiler on as high as it will go and put a grill pan with a wire rack under the grill high enough that when the chicken is on top it's only an inch or so from the heat.

Once the grill and pan are searing hot, quickly put the chicken pieces on the rack and slip it back under the broiler, cooking for 5-7 minutes before turning over and finishing the second side for another 5 minutes. You want the meat to be cooked all the way through and for the edges to begin to blacken slightly.

Serve immediately with basmati rice, poppadums, raitas and wedges of lime.
Easy Chicken Tandoori

Spring's First Asparagus

One of the things that's great about having a veggie garden is that come spring, you get to start collecting the fruits (and veg) of your labour, after a long winter of garden inactivity.
Sometimes, I haven't made room in my menu for veggies that seem to suddenly be ready to harvest and I find that I have to quickly find something to do with a crop of peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes and so on. Of course much can be blanched and frozen or preserved in other ways, but I prefer to eat things right away, as having freshly picked veggies was part of the reason for growing our own in the first place.
Yesterday, I realized that we had quite a bit of asparagus that needed to be harvested before it got too big and tough and I wanted to try to incorporate them into the Indian meal I had planned for our supper.

I decided to make some pakoras, a popular Indian snack or starter, which are made with chick pea (garbanzo bean) flour and some subtle spices.

Served with a dip of cucumber mint raita, they're a lovely accompaniment to a curry or as a starter. Other veggies like cauliflower, potato and onion are common ingredients in traditional pakoras. If you're in need of ideas for party nibbles, these are brilliant made bite-sized, you just need to cut the veggies a little smaller.

Asparagus Pakoras with Cucumber Riata
Makes 4 (serves 2) takes 25 minutes

6-7 stalks of asparagus
1/2 a medium onion
6 tbsp gram flour*
6tbsp cold water
a couple of pinches of salt
1/2 tsp ajwan seeds (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp baking powder
Veg Oil for frying

For the Raita:
1 cup natural yoghurt
2 tsp mint sauce
salt to taste
1/2 a cucumber, (English/hothouse) grated
handful fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, rouhgly chopped
1 sprig fresh mint, chopped

Mix together the gram flour, baking powder, water, salt and spices so that you have a mixture about the consistency of pancake batter.
Slice the onion half into thin half-moon slices and add them to the batter. Trim the woody bottoms off the asparagus and slice about 1/4" thick on a sharp diagonal then add the pieces to the batter, mixing the whole lot well to coat well.

Add oil to a skillet to fill about 1/4" deep and heat over a medium heat to 160C (320F) which will drop slightly when you add the pakora mixture.

Use a large spoon to scoop loose piles of the veggie/batter mixture into the hot oil and allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom before carefully turning over and cooking for a further 2-3 minutes on the second side. Remove the pakoras to a plate with some paper towel to absorb any excess oil.

If you make a large number and are cooking in batches, keep them hot in a warm oven while you finish subsequent pieces.

For the raita, simply mix all the ingredients together well in a bowl. Serve on the side of the pakoras.

A Veritable Veggie Indian FEAST!

We've been so veggie this week, I can practically smell the patchouli oil coming out of our pores.
I'm seriously considering growing out my armpit and leg hair and have traded in my Fit flops for Birkenstocks.
Of course I kid. I no more think that all vegetarians are hairy legged hippies (not that there's anything wrong with that.) than do I think that all meat eaters are blood-thirsty heart attacks waiting to happen.
Tonight was another meatless night for us though, and as much as I do love my meat dishes, this week has been rather a fun (and gaseous!) adventure. As I have mentioned before, my guys are not particularly excited about the idea of meat-free food, but rather than always trying to trick them into thinking that there's meat in their supper, I usually just aim to fill their plates with lively flavour and a good variety of colours and textures.
Tonight's Indian dishes are a simple combination of some basic veggies cooked with a variety of spices that compliment them best. The result was well received by both Drew and Christian who admitted that they haven't missed meat at all this week. I'm not going to push my luck next week though, the meat is making its way back in.

By the way, I always make extra of the Bombay aloo (Potatoes) just as I do with dhal, as they're amazing with eggs for breakfast the next day.

Bombay Aloo, Gobi Masala and Kumbi Bhaji

Serves 4, takes 50 minutes

For the Bombay Aloo (potatoes):

750g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, peeled and cut into 4 cm (1 1/2") chunks

1 large onion, sliced

1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cm piece ginger, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
1/1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp fenugreek
2 tbsp ghee or veg oil
1 tsp salt

For the Kumbi Bhaji (mushrooms):
250g button mushroooms, halved or larger mushrooms cut into smaller chunks.
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled* and diced
1/2 onion, diced small
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cm ginger, grated
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil

For the Gobi Masala (cauliflower):
1 head, cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 onion, small diced
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ajwan seeds (optional, they can be hard to find), crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1 green chilli, de-seeded, sliced
1 tbsp oil

To serve: juice of 1 lemon, handful fresh coriander (cilantro)

Listen to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or Punjabi MC while cooking this lot.

Blanch the cauliflower in salted boiling water in a medium saucepan for three minutes, then drain and set aside.
In the same saucepan, heat the ghee or oil and tip in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Sizzle for about thirty seconds until they start to crackle. Add the ginger, garlic, onions, green pepper, salt and the rest of the spices and continue to fry for a few minutes until the onions are going golden and soft. Add the potatoes to the pan and stir well to coat completely in the masalas, then pour half a cup of water over, lower the heat to med-low, cover and leave to cook for 20 minutes while you get on with the rest of the meal.

In a small frying pan, heat one tbsp of oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic for the mushrooms. When beginning to soften and colour, add the spices and stir-fry for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook for a few minutes, until the smell of raw tomato has gone and the liquid is beginning to cook out. Stir the mushrooms into the mixture and sprinkle over the salt. Lower the heat and continue to cook for a ten or so minutes, when the mushrooms are well cooked and there is little moisture left in the pan.

For the Cauliflower: In a small frying pan, heat one tbsp of oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic. When beginning to soften and colour, add the spices and stir-fry for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the chilli to the pan and stir fry for a couple of minutes to release some of the flavour. Stir the blanched cauli into the spiced oil and cook for a couple of minutes until warmed through and just cooked. you don't want to it to be too soft and mushy. Squeeze the lemon juice over after you turn the heat off.

Serve together on a big plate with chapatis or naan bread and pickles or chutneys.
Scatter with fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Love the way your house smells

*Cook's Note: to peel the tomatoes, cut and X with a sharp knife just through the skin. Put in a small bowl and pour enough boiling water over them to cover. Leave for 15 seconds, the remove from the water and allow to cool for a minute before peeling.

Don't refrigerate your tomatoes if you can help it. The cold spoils the flavour and turns the texture mealy.

Don't wash mushrooms. Just wipe with a clean, damp kitchen towel or cloth.

Curried Potatoes

Cauliflower Bhaaji

Mushroom Bhaji

Lamb Samosa Love

I love making party foods. Not that I ever really throw parties anymore, as most of our friends live thousands of miles away, (pause to feel sorry for me) but I still really enjoy making the finger foods I used to make to soak up the booze. Samosas were one of my favourite things to make because they're spicy, which is just what you want when you're a three (or seven) sheets to the wind. They're a little different from your normal chips and dips party fare, and you can vary the filling to suit the guests' or your tastes. They're deceptively easy to make, and once you get the first couple out of the way, you'll be done in no time.
These are a meat version, but they can easily be made vegetarian by substituting potato for the minced lamb.
As with a lot of production line type stuff, like making dim sum or frosting cupcakes, I like to take everything to the dining table and do it there, but I'm probably a lot lazier than you...

Lamb Samosas With Fresh Chutney
Makes 24, takes 90 mins including dough resting time.

500g minced lamb
large handful frozen peas
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 cm ginger root, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1tsp salt

For the pastry:
250g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp plus 1 2 tsp veg oil
100ml warm water
1/2 tsp ajwan or onion seeds

1 egg, beaten

500ml veg oil for frying

For the chutney:
2 tsp caster sugar dissolved in
2 tbsp hot water
juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch salt
large handful each fresh coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves, very finely chopped
1 large fresh green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

First, make the dough. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and spices then make a well in the centre of this mixture and pour in the warm water and oil. Use a knife to blend well together, then knead for a few minutes on a clean work surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and rest at room temp while you make the filling.

Heat a frying pan over a high heat, and add the lamb and spices. You wont need oil, as most minced lamb has enough fat to fry without it. Fry the minced lamb for several minutes until dry and well browned, then add the onions, ginger and garlic. Lower the heat and cook for 5-7 minutes longer, until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir through the frozen peas, remove from the heat and set the pan aside for a few minutes to cool a little while you sort out the pastry

Weigh the ball of pastry and divide into 12 equal balls (approx 35 grams) and keep them in an air tight container to prevent them drying out. Roll out a ball of dough without flour (the oil in the dough will prevent it from sticking too much.) to a circle about 12 cm/5" about 2mm thick.
Cut the circle in half and carefully lift one half into the palm of your hand and brush a thin line of egg halfway along the straight edge. Fold into a cone shape and press the two straight edges together firmly to seal well. Use a tablespoon to fill the pocket most of the way with the lamb mixture. Brush more egg along one half of the inside of the top edge and carefully press together to form a seal. Take care to try to press any air out so that it doesn't expand and burst during frying. Repeat 23 times until you have 24 pretty little triangles, then go back through and double check the seals along the edges.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet until 190C or hot enough to quickly sizzle a small piece of left over dough when dropped in. Cook 3-4 in batches, depending on the size of your pan by carefully lowering each samosa into the hot oil. When golden brown and blistered on one side, turn and repeat on the other, then remove to drain on paper towels.

You can prepare the samosas ahead of time and reheat in a hot oven for a few minutes before serving. They even freeze well if in an air tight container.

For the fresh chutney, make sure all the sugar and salt have properly dissolved and mix together well. This is actually a fabulous sauce for all manner of tasty nibbles, so feel free to make lots, as it stores well for a few days in the fridge.

Ground Lamb

Indian Samosas

Curry Night On A Budget

Last week, I blew my grocery budget. Like blew it BIG. So big, Hubby got all high pitched when he saw the receipt. The truth was, the store cupboard was running low, so there was a lot of basics stocking up to do and we also ate a lot of meat last week, which adds up quickly.
So I knew that this week I would have to be good and try to be super budget girl. I spent less than half of what I spent last week, so I can stop having to listen to Mr. Naggy-Pants and bathe in the glow of my own smugness.
Tonight I made a Goa-style chicken curry made with dark meat chicken and I served it over a mushroom pilao rice. For the three of us it cost approximately £6.00 total but my two guys eat STUPID-big portions, so this really would serve 4. It's nice and spicy, slightly sour and quite quick to make, so a good one for an evening when your time is limited.
Goan-Stylie Chicken And Cashew Curry With Mushroom Pilao Rice
Serves 4, Takes 45 mins
2 free range chicken thighs, drumsticks and wings.
Large handful raw whole cashew nuts
2 large yellow onions, sliced
100ml white malt vinegar
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground fenugreek
2cm piece ginger root, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp gram flour (chick pea/garbanzo bean flour)

For the rice:
300ml (by volume) basmati rice
1 large red onion, chopped
6-7 large white mushrooms, unwashed chopped
1 tsp garam masala
4 whole green cardamom
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp veg oil
450 ml water

To serve:
coriander leaves
small salad of sliced tomatoes and cucumber, dressed in lemon juice, salt and a pinch of sugar.

For the curry, skin and bone the chicken thighs and drumsticks, cut the meat into 3cm chunks. Cut the tips off the wings, separate into two halves each and remove the skin. You don't need to bother with removing the meat from the wings.*
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry all of the spices for a minute until fragrant and starting to brown a little. Add the onions and stir-fry through the spices for 5-7 minutes until beginning to go golden.
Bring the chicken to the pan and stir through the onion/spice mix for a few minutes until browning nicely all over. Pour the vinegar and 200ml water over, add the cashews, ginger and garlic, bring to a low simmer, cover and cook for approx 20 minutes until onion is very soft and the chicken is well-cooked through.
Stir through the gram flour and leave to cook uncovered for a further ten minutes so that the sauce can reduce and thicken while you make the rice.

For the rice, heat the oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan and fry the onion with the cardamom pods and garam masala for several minutes until the onions are a nice, golden brown.
Stir through the chopped mushrooms and cook for a further few minutes, stirring often until the mushrooms are soft and browning.
Add the rice and salt to the pan and fry for a minute or so until the rice is mixed well in and starting to go fragrant. Add the water to the pan, bring it to the boil, lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 7-10 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
Try not to stir it, as you don't want to break up the starch on the surface of the rice and make it sticky.

Serve the curry with the rice and the cucumber salad. Scatter with coriander leaves.
Bathe in your own smug satisfaction!

*Don't throw away the chicken bones, wing tips and skin, use them when you make stock. Mmmmm. Alternatively, you can leave the chicken on the bone if you don't have a family who whines about having to do the work themselves with a knife and fork. (Boo hoo hooo!) This is a more authentic way of doing it, but you should still remove the skin because the texture will not be nice.

Chicken Curry

Saag Aloo (Indian Potatoes with Spinach)

When I was little and we'd go to our local Indian, my parents would invariably order saag aloo and tarka dhal as side dishes to accompany our various menu selections. Unless I'm cooking for more than our little family, I usually just make a curry and rice, but tend to leave the various side dishes for when we've got guests. I realize that this is a bit of a shame, because no other country than India has such a wealth of incredible vegetarian dishes which are fragrant, nourishing and simple to create.
Tonight, I was serving some lamb curry that I made last week and frozen the leftovers, and so I decided to make this simple potato and spinach dish to accompany it. I'm not sure if it would stand up to scrutiny from the authenticity police, but to me, it tastes every bit as good as any saag aloo I've eaten in a restaurant. With this in mind, feel free to adjust the various spices to taste and let me know what you think.

My Saag Aloo
serves 4, takes approx 30 minutes
5-6 medium-sized floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward) Cut into large bite-size pieces
1 large onion, finely diced
150g spinach leaves, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cm ginger root, finely grated
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground fenugreek
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp ghee or veg oil
1 red chilli sliced thinly

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil over a med-high heat until shimmery. Add the brown mustard and cumin seeds and stir in the oil for a minute or two until the mustard seeds start popping. Stir the onions through and continue to cook until beginning to brown and soften-about 3-4 mins. Add the potatoes, the remaining spices, salt, 300ml water and the chopped spinach. Stir through to combine, lower the heat to low then cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Check the potatoes with the tip of a knife and if necessary allow to cook for a further few minutes, uncovered until most of the moisture has cooked away and the potatoes are tender all the way through.
Serve by scattering with the sliced chilli and some fresh coriander leaves and lovely with naan bread and mushroom pilao rice.

Aloo Saag

My Best Ever Lamb Curry

This is my favorite lamb curry recipe ever. It's fairly simple and has the most gorgeous, velvety sauce which is made by the onions melting completely with yogurt and spices. If you're in a place where you can't get a hold of lamb shoulder, or if it's too expensive, skinned, bone-in chicken thighs would make a lovely alternative, but don't use breasts, as they will go stringy and tough during the cooking process. You can buy diced stewing lamb, but if you buy a whole shoulder, you'll pay quite a bit less AND you'll have the bones for stock. This recipe makes a fairly hot curry, so if you're making it for kids or people who like their food a little milder, I'd suggest using less of the chili powder and when slicing the green chilies, make sure that you trim all of the membrane out first, as that's where the heat is, not the seeds. (The membrane is the pale strips of spongy tissue that the seeds are attached to)
Authenticity is usually my aim when making Indian, so I welcome correction or comments.
I served this tonight with onion dhal (recipe to follow) and saffron rice.



Spicy Lamb in Curry Sauce
shown served with onion dhal and saffron rice
Serves 6 takes approx 1 hour, 45mins

1kg lamb shoulder, cut into 4cm chunks (discard any large bands of fat)
4 medium onions, sliced very thinly into half moons
3 tbsp ghee* or sunflower oil
2 ripe tomatoes, quartered
4 green chillies, sliced lengthwise
5 cloved garlic, minced,
2" piece ginger root, peeled and grated
250ml plain yoghurt
1 1/2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp dessicated (not sweetened) coconut
1 1/2 tbsp brown mustard seeds
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp hot chili powder (or to taste)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
handful fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
3 tsp salt

In a dry pan on a medium heat, toast the coriander, cumin, coconut, mustard seeds, sesame seeds and fenugreek, moving the mixture around in the pan to prevent scorching. after a couple of minutes, when the spices are fragrant and darker in colour, tip them into a pestle and mortar and grind until fairly fine. Add the salt and chili powder to this mix and with the ginger, garlic and yoghurt. Add the meat to the spice/yoghurt mixture and stir to completely cover all the meat, then set aside for half an hour or so while you do the rest of the prep for the meal.
In a medium pan, heat the ghee (or oil) and add all those sliced onions, stirring to coat in the oil and then from time to time to ensure even cooking. Once soft and golden, add the meat and spice mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring time to time to start all the meat cooking nicely. Add 400ml water and bring to a low simmer, then cover loosely and lower the heat and let it gently tick away for an hour. Check the pot every so often to make sure that the bottom isn't catching. If the moisture isn't evaporating quickly enough, leave the pot uncovered until the meat is cooked through and tender and the onions have completely fallen apart. Stir in the garam masala, lemon juice, sliced chilies and tomatoes and allow to cook for five more minutes.

Garnish with plenty of fresh coriander and serve with either plain boiled basmati rice or pilao rice and a lentil dish like the onion dhal below.

*Ghee is clarified butter. Khanum brand is the most widely available in the UK and has a slightly cheesy (rancid?) quality that I think adds to the authenticity of most curries but it's not essential.


Onion Dhal

200g urid dhal
1 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
600ml water
1 bunch spring onions (scallions) chopped
2 cm fresh ginger root, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cm fresh turmeric root, finely grated (or 1 tsp dried, ground turmeric)**
1 tsp salt
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

Rinse the dhal well and set aside. Fry the onion, ginger and garlic for a few minutes until fragrant, then add the turmeric. stir to combine and add the dhal and the water. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat, allowing the lentils to cook gently fo about 20-25 minutes until tender and all the water has evaporated, then stir in the salt. Adding the salt before the lentils have cooked through can make them hard and bullet-like instead of tender. This is also true for other lentils and dried beans. always add the salt at the end.
Sprinkle over the green chili (if using) and serve immediately. I always make extra and have it with eggs for breakfast the next day.

**Turmeric is known to have phenomenal medicinal properties. It's brilliant on cuts and grazes, as it is a natural antiseptic, but it is also used to treat everything from liver diseases, digestive disorders, arthritis and even cancer. Careful though, it stains like a bugger.
Lamb Curry