tempting food

Chilli Lettuce Parcels

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:47:25 +0100

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course.
If you prefer, you can just use minced beef, though the combination of pork and beef works best.
Thanks to Liz for passing on the recipe :)

Ingredients

200g minced beef
200g minced pork
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5cm ginger, finely chopped
2 mild red chillies, chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
zest of 1 lime, juice of ½ lime (save the rest for the dressing)
2 scallions, chopped
2 little gem lettuces, separated into leaves

For the dressing:

1 tbsp soy sauce
juice of ½ lime
1 tsp sesame oil
1 mild red chilli, thinly sliced
2 tsp fish sauce
½ tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a light main

Directions

Heat a large frying pan and add a little oil. Mix the minced beef and pork in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Fry the mince in hot pan for approx 10 mins until the liquid evaporates and the meat starts to brown and crisp. Depending on the size of your pan, you might want to do this in batches. Doing too much at a time will cause the meat to simmer rather than fry, and it wont go crispy. Set aside in a sieve over a bowl to drain
Wipe out the pan and add 1tbsp sesame oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli. Fry with a pinch of salt and the sugar for 2 mins. Add back in the drained mince and stir together
Add the fish sauce, lime zest and juice, mixing well. Throw in the scallions and cook for a further minute before turning off the heat
Add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl and stir well to combine
To serve, top the lettuce leaves with a spoon or two of the meat mixture and top with a drizzle of dressing

Malteser Squares

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:13:56 +0100

Malteser Squares. There’s no calories in charity cakes, right?
In aid of The Great Irish Bake for Temple Street Childrens hospital

Ingredients

250g chocolate chip cookies
250g maltesers
100g unsalted butter
125ml (½ cup) sweetened condensed milk
400g milk chocolate
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Makes 35-40

Directions

Grease a 20cm x 30cm rectangular tin. Line with greaseproof paper, allowing it to extend a little over the longer sides of the pan so its easier to remove the squares
Process 200g of the biscuits until fine, chop the remaining 50g coursely
Reserve 40 maltesers and roughly chop the rest. Halves or quarters is fine
Melt the butter and over a low heat stir in the condensed milk until thoroughly mixed. Combine with the prepared biscuits and maltesers and stir together. Press the mixture into a pan and regrigerate for 30 minutes
Chop the chocolate coarsely and melt with the oil in a heatproof boil over a pan of hot water
Spread evenly over the refrigerated base and top with maltesers

Coddle

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:56:00 +0100

Molly Malone would probably have tutted at the addition of cider to this recipe but, apart from that, it’s a pretty authentic coddle. Even the ingredients were bought on Moore St, you can’t get more Dublin than that!

Ingredients

450g (1lb) of pork sausages, left whole
225g (½lb) smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
6 good-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
500ml chicken stock
200ml cider
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
knob of butter

Serves 6

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pan. Stir in the leeks, turn down the heat and put the lid back on. Sweat gently for 10 mins or so, until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside
Lightly brown the bacon, remove and set aside with the leeks. Next throw in the sausages and fry for a couple of minutes to give them some colour. You don’t want them to go too brown, in fact most recipes boil them from raw. But I think they taste and look a bit better when they’ve been briefly fried
Add back in the leek and bacon, along with the potatoes, cider and enough stock to reach halfway up coddle. Depending on your saucepan you might need a little more or less
Simmer gently for around 45 mins, or until the potatoes are cooked but still holding their shape. Stir through some parsley to serve

Armadillo Roasties!

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 20:23:20 +0100

Armadillo Roasties!

Kale crisps

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 22:29:40 +0100

I hadn’t planned on doing two posts tonight, but I was in a cooking mood and had half a bag of kale in the fridge so decided to try Kale Crisps! Oh My God they are delicious!!
They’re so light and delicate, they almost melt in your mouth. And somehow taste like potato crisps, though more bitter. Will definitely be making these again … maybe with a bit more salt and some sesame seeds sprinkled over them next time!
I’ve written below that they take 10-20 mins to cook. In my oven they took 10 mins, but every other recipe I found said 20 mins. So check them after ten mins and decide if they need to go back in or not. If they’re not yet crisp, don’t panic. Turn them over, pop them back in and check again in another 10 mins

Ingredients

100g curly kale (or other kale)

2 tsp olive oil

pinch sea salt

Serves 2 as a snack

Directions

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Wash the kale well and remove the tough stem. Tear the leaves into your preferred size. They will shrink considerably so go a little bigger than you think. Mine were around 5cm. Dry the leaves well

Spread out in a single layer on a baking tray (or two). Don’t overcrowd them or they won’t crisp up. Sprinkle with sea salt

Bake for 10-20 mins, checking after 10. They’re done when they’re dry & crisp but before they’re too brown

Apparently once cool they can be kept in an airtight container for a few days. If they last that long…

Butter Chicken

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:39:57 +0100

Butter Chicken thankfully isn’t nearly as fattening as the name suggests.
Its often made with a mix of cream and yoghurt, but I’ve just used low-fat natural yoghurt here. It still tastes rich and creamy but without the guilt.
It’s quite a saucy curry, and unusually mild for me, but you can always garnish with some chopped chillies for an extra kick.

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
4 chicken legs, divided into thigh and drumstick (Use thigh fillets or breasts if you prefer and reduce the cooking time accordingly)
2 tbsp ghee or butter
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
¼ tsp chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods, bruised
400g tin whole plum tomatoes, puréed (or 400g passata)
1-2 tsp sugar
¾ cup plain low-fat yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
toasted almonds, to serve (optional)

Serves 4

Directions

Heat the oil in a large flame-proof casserole or saucepan. Add the chicken pieces and turn until browned all over. Remove and set aside
Reduce the heat and melt the ghee/butter. Add the garam masala, paprika, coriander, ginger, chilli powder, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Mix with the butter and continue stirring for a minute or two until fragrant. Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the spices
Add the tomato and 1 tsp sugar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes (15 mins if using diced meat) or until chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened
Add the yoghurt and lemon. Simmer for a further 5 mins. Taste and add salt or more sugar to taste
Top with toasted almonds (if using) and serve with rice, naan or poppadums

Dhal Bat

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:47:59 +0000

Inspired by an article in the Guardian last week on meals that cost less than a fiver
Absolutely delicious, the nicest dhal I’ve ever had!

Ingredients

250g lentils or dhal (I used a mix of moong and urid dhal)
3 tbsp oil
1 whole dried chilli
1 tsp (heaped) cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
½ small garlic bulb, cloves peeled & thinly sliced
½ onion, finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
thumb-size piece of ginger, grated
2 green chillies, finely chopped (seeds in or out, according to taste)
2 tsp (heaped) ground coriander
1 tsp (heaped) ground cumin
bunch scallions, green parts only. sliced
2 tbsp tomato puree, or a couple of tomatoes roughly chopped
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp garam masala
fresh coriander or sliced chillies to serve (optional)

Serves 4

Directions

Boil the lentils or dhal in a pan with 1.5 litres water. Simmer until they’re cooked to your liking (see packet instructions for guidelines on the type you’re using, mine took about 10 mins). If there is an excessive amount of liquid left, pour some out. though you don’t want to drain them completely
Pour the oil into another saucepan and set on a medium/high heat. Once hot (test by dropping in a cumin seed), add in the dried chilli and the cumin seeds. Next add the asafoetida and half the garlic. Allow the garlic to brown a little before adding the onion. Again, give the onion a minute or two to brown
Add the turmeric, salt, ginger, green chilli, ground coriander and ground cumin. If you get hit by a burst of steam, pop on a lid to hold it all in and continue once it’s calmed down again. Allow to cook until the oil seperates from the mixture. If your spices are too dry and starting to stick to the pan, add a small bit of water and deglaze the pan by scraping with a wooden spoon to form a paste again.
Add the tomato (or purée) and sugar. Mix well and stir to dissolve the sugar
Stir the whole lot into the cooked dhal (or vice versa) and mix thoroughly. Add the remaining garlic, scallions and garam masala. Simmer for another 5 minutes on a low heat. Serve garnished with coriander or sliced chillies. Or eat straight from the pot as I did :)

Courgette pickle

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 14:49:32 +0000

This pickle is very vinegary! If you like piccalilli, you’ll love it. It goes great with cheese, but would be equally good in a burger.
Also pictured is my wholemeal spelt and seed bread which I’ll blog seperately soon!

Ingredients

500g courgettes (2 or 3 courgettes, depending on size)
5 shallots, finely chopped
2 tbsp sea salt
500ml cider vinegar
140g golden caster sugar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
a good handful of fresh dill, chopped
1-2 dried chillies, crumbled
1 tsp ground turmeric

Makes 2 x 500ml jars

Directions

Thinly slice the courgettes using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler or mandolin. Mix with the salt and shallots and cover with ice-cold water. Stir to dissolve the salt and set aside for at least an hour. Drain thoroughly and pat dry
Meanwhile, add the vinegar and all other remaining ingredients to a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 mins until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly. Add the courgettes and stir
While still warm scoop the mixture into 2 x 500ml sterilised jars. Seal and leave for a few days in the fridge. Refrigerated, the pickle will keep for a few months

Macaroni Cheese

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 14:26:36 +0000

It’s not something I’d make very often, but macaroni cheese is such great comfort food and a brilliant way of using up any random bits of cheese leftover from Christmas. Served in a small ramekin with a side of salad, there’s also less calories than you’d imagine. Each portion is only around 400 kcals. No excuse to say no now :)

Ingredients

2 cups (~230g) dried macaroni
60g butter
150g grated or crumbled cheese (hard, semi-hard, blue or a mix)
50g grated parmesan, or other hard cheese
2 tbsp plain flour
600ml low-fat milk (just to pretend you’re being healthy)
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Serves 4-6

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium-high. In the meantime, cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and set aside
Make a roux by melting the butter over a low heat in a medium-sized pan. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour to make a paste (The flour will cook in the residual heat without burning). Add in a little milk and whisk until smooth. Put it back on a medium heat and gradually whisk in the rest of the milk. Bring the the boil, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Add a little more milk if necessary. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Season generously with black pepper and nutmeg.
Tip in the macaroni and mix it all together. Spoon into a small casserole dish or 6 individual ramekins. Top with remaining parmesan and grill for 5 mins, until golden and bubbling. Leave to cool for a further 5 mins before sprinkling with a little cayenne. Serve with a green salad

Salted Caramel Truffles

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:14:33 +0000

Christmas truffles! I’ve just made a batch of these to bring over to Catherine & Patricks this evening. Having had one for breakfast, I can confirm they are delicious! Happy Christmas/Nollaig Shona Daoibh/Wesołych Świąt!!! xx Anne-Marie

Ingredients

75g caster sugar
2 tbsp water
160ml single cream
200g dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa)
250g milk chocolate
1 tsp sea salt flakes

Makes 25 truffles

Directions

In a small saucepan, stir the sugar and water over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer - resist stirring! - until golden brown. Add the cream. It’ll bubble and form toffee pieces, but keep stirring until they melt again
Meanwhile, chop the dark chocolate finely. Remove the toffee mixture from the heat and stir through the chocolate until smooth. Add in half the salt. Refrigerate overnight
Line a baking tray with foil and make space in your freezer. Using a melon baller (or two teaspoons), roll balls of the mixture. You’ll need to work quite quickly before the chocolate melts. Dipping the spoons into hot water between balls will help the process go smoothly and quickly. Freeze until firm
Break the milk chocolate into pieces and melt in a small bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Using two forks, dip each ball in the melted chocolate. Return to tray. Sprinkle with sea salt before the chocolate hardens. Refrigerate again until firm

Jamaican Curry Goat

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:29:59 +0100

I’ve promised a few people that I’d blog this one - so here it is at last! I’ll come back and add a photo next time I make it

Its really worth using goat if you can find some - which isn’t as easy as it should be. I buy it in FXBs on Moore St, but it sells out almost instantly when they manage to get some in. Any tougher cuts of lamb, or mutton, would also work well

The recipe will make more curry powder than you need, but it will keep for a few months. You can also substitute shop-bought Jamaican Curry Powder instead of making your own, though for some reason that’s almost as hard to find as goat…

Ingredients

for the curry powder

4 tsp coriander seeds
3 tsp fenugreek seeds
3 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
5cm piece of cinnamon stick
2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp ground turmeric
4 green cardamom pods
4 tsp black peppercorns
2 star anise
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice

For the curry

1kg goat meat, on the bone if possible
2 potatoes, peeled & quartered
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 scotch bonnet, deseeded and finely chopped (wear gloves doing this!)
4 tbsp curry powder (this makes a hot curry, adjust to taste)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
juice of 1 lime

Serves 6

Directions

Dry-fry the seeds until lightly browned and fragrant. Mix with the rest of the dry spices and grind to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
In a large bowl, mix together the goat, scallions, half the onions, chillies, 2 tbsp of curry powder and 2 tbsp oil. Rub the mixture into the meat, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight
Remove from the fridge an hour before using to bring back up to room temperature. Scrape as much marinade as you can from the meat and save it for later
Heat a little oil in an overproof casserole and brown the meat in batches. Remove and set aside
Deglaze the pan with a little water if needed and add the remaining onions. Cook until translucent. Tip the meat back in along with 2 tbsp of curry powder and stir until everything is well coated. Add the garlic, tomato and any marinade reserved from earlier. Toss to combine and cook for a further 5 mins
Add the coconut milk, lime juice and 1 cup of water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat is very tender. Add in the potatoes after about 2 hours and top up with water if needed. Alternatively you can pop it into a low oven (140°C) , and go off an enjoy yourself for a couple of hours before coming back to a delicious curry!

Roast Pork with Spinach and Pine nuts

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 19:47:00 +0100

Ingredients

1 pork steak fillet, approx 600g
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
100g mushrooms, chopped
200g baby spinach
50g pine nuts
6 slices prosciutto

Serves 4

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°
Sweat the onion and garlic in a large frying pan until soft. Add the mushrooms and pine nuts. Continue frying until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Tip in the spinach and cook until it has wilted and no water remains. Season with salt and pepper and set aside
Trim any excess fat off the pork. Make an incision along the full length of the fillet, but don’t cut all the way through. Open it out. Cover with clingfilm and bash with a rolling pin until flat
Lay the slices of prosciutto out side by side, and place the pork on top. Spoon the stuffing along the length of the pork and fold up the sides. Secure with cocktail sticks
Place into a large roasting tray, join side up, and bake for 40 mins. Rest for 10 mins before serving

Tom Yum Goong soup

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 19:31:25 +0100

… or as me and Liz call it, “coughy soup”. So spicy it makes you cough uncontrollably. Of course, you could tone it down, but that’d defeat the point entirely :)

Ingredients

250g raw prawns, shell on
950ml water
4 peppercorns
small piece of bay leaf
half a celery stick, roughly chopped
2 lemongrass
4 kaffir lime leaves
4 slices galangal
2 birds eye chillies, sliced
100g button mushrooms, halved
8-10 cherry tomatoes
3 scallions, sliced
20ml fish sauce
1.5 limes, juiced
1.5 tbsp tom yum paste

Serves 4

Directions

Peel and devein the prawns. Set aside. Add the heads and shells to a saucepan with the water, celery, bay leaf and peppercorn
Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins, removing any scum that forms on the surface
Turn the heat off and set aside for another 20 mins
Peel the outer layers off the lemongrass. You dont’ want any woody bits, keep peeling until you what you have left is bendy and tender. Slice thinly
Strain the stock and add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chillies, fish sauce, lime juice and tom yum paste to a pot and bring to a boil. After boiling for 5 minutes, add tomatoes and mushrooms. After another 5, add the prawns. Cook for around 5 mins until they are fully pink. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve

Nut & Seed Granola

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 10:14:42 +0100

The measurements here aren’t very important. Substitute your favourite nuts or seeds but maintain the ratio of oil to other ingredients.
Its delicious warm from the oven as a snack (couldn’t resist!) or with natural yoghurt for a healthy, wheat-free breakfast.

Ingredients

1 cup linseeds/flaxseed
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup brazil nuts, roughly chopped
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp honey
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

In a large roasting pan, mix together the dry ingredients. Drizzle with the oil and honey. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla
Then, toast in the oven at 160 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Frittata

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:09:14 +0100

Frittata is great for using up some leftover veg and makes a quick and delicious midweek dinner. Use whatever you have in your fridge

Ingredients

3 small potatoes, peeled and sliced
a few handfuls of fresh spinach
100g of smoked salmon, roughly chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
a few blobs of ricotta (optional)
3 organic eggs

Serves 3-4

Directions

Preheat the grill
Cover the sliced potatoes with cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few mins until almost tender. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for few minutes
Throw the spinach into a deep frying pan and stir until wilted. Add in the potatoes and salmon and mix well
Whisk the eggs lightly and add cayenne and black pepper
Pour the egg over the veg, mix briefly and dot with a few blobs of ricotta. Cook on a medium heat until the bottom has set
Transfer to the grill to finish off the top
Serve straight from the pan with a side salad, or at room temperature for a packed lunch

Roasted Tomato, Halloumi and Bulgur Salad

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 23:22:00 +0100

Ingredients

1 cup of bulgur wheat (substitute couscous or quinoa if you prefer)
1 and a bit cups of stock - chicken or vegetable
8-10 slices of halloumi
5 tomatoes, quartered
½ red onion, thinly sliced
handful of parsley, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1.5 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin

2 main-course size portions

Directions

You’ll need roughly 1.25 measures of stock to 1 measure of bulgur. Bring the stock to the boil and pour into a bowl over the bulgur. Cover and set aside until the water has been absorbed and the bulgur cools down
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Drizzle olive oil over the quartered tomatoes, season and bake for around 30 mins until soft and starting to char at the edges
Meanwhile griddle (or grill) the halloumi for a few mins each side until golden brown
Whisk the oil, vinegar and cumin together. Season to taste and combine with all the other ingredients

Peppercorn Sauce

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 22:03:52 +0100

Best served with a good juicy steak …

Ingredients

2 tbsp black peppercorns, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
½ glass red wine
100ml beef stock
4 tbsp cream
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cornflour, mixed with a little water

Serves 3-4

Directions

If cooking steak, brush both sides with olive oil, season with salt and ½ tsp of the crushed pepper. Place the steaks on a hot pan and cook to desired doneness. Set aside to rest, leaving any juices in the pan
Add the red wine and deglaze the pan by scraping loose any meaty bits. Simmer for a few seconds to allow the alcohol to evaporate
Add remaining crushed black pepper, beef stock, cream and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for few minutes. Thicken the sauce with the the cornflour mix

Lentil, feta and sprouts salad with Tahini Dressing

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:05:00 +0100

The citrus and tahini dressing from River Cottage Veg really livens up the earthy flavours of the lentils and pulses. The salad became a mix of what was left in the press, so its more of a suggestion than a recipe. A handful of this, a cupful of that - whatever you fancy yourself!

Ingredients

For the Dressing

2 tbsp tahini, from a well-stirred jar
1 small garlic clove, crushed
zest and juice of ½ lemon
juice of ½ orange
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey

For the Salad
1 400g tin of lentils, drained and rinsed

2 handfuls of mixed sprouting beans

1 cup of buckwheat, cooked as per packet instructions

a couple of heads of pak choi, blanched for 3 mins and roughly chopped

½ red onion, chopped

½ cucumber, diced

cup of frozen soya beans, boiled for a couple of mins

a handful of young rocket

½ pack of feta, roughly crumbled

Serves 4

Directions

Cool the buckwheat, soya beans and pak choi by refreshing under cold water. Drain and mix in with all the other salad ingredients

For the dressing, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon zest & juice, orange juice and honey. If it goes grainy, whisk in a tablespoon of water until you have a smooth paste. Gradually add the oil, whisking all the time. Season to taste and drizzle over the salad

Chickpea & Spinach Curry (Chole Palak)

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 13:06:00 +0100

It’s been a while since my last post as we were over in Poland supporting the Boys in Green (and the local Boys in White and Red).
I’ll have to do some Polish-inspired posts one of these days, but in the meantime here’s one for a delicious veggie curry that I made last night … and again this morning it was so good! Thanks Nelius for passing on the recipe

Ingredients

1 400g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
100g fresh spinach, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, quartered
½ inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
1 small hot red chilli (use a milder one if you prefer)
3 tbsp oil
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garam masala

Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

Directions

Blend the tomatoes, ginger and chilli to a purée
Heat the oil in a saucepan, and when hot add the cumin seeds and asafoetida
Stir for a minute until the seeds pop, and then add the tomato mix, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder
Simmer for 3-4 mins until the sauce reduces and starts to seperate from the oil
Tip in the chopped spinach, half a cup of water and the salt. Simmer for another few mins
Add the chickpeas and roughly crush them, leaving a good few whole. Leave to bubble for 5 mins, stir through the garam masala and serve

Mutter Paneer (Paneer & Pea Curry)

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 17:01:08 +0100

It’s not a very summery dish but, given the weather this June Bank Holiday weekend, I was craving something spicy and comforting!

Ingredients

250g of paneer, cubed
¼ head of cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups of frozen peas, defrosted
1 tin of whole plum tomatoes
1 onion, roughly chopped
5cm ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
3 mild green chillies, chopped
100g crème fraiche
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp red chilli powder

Serves 4

Directions

Soak the paneer in hot salted water for 20 mins or so, while you prepare the rest of the curry.
Blend the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies in a food processor to form a paste. Fry in a little ghee or oil until beginning to colour
Add the cumin, chilli powder and turmeric. Fry for a minute or two before adding the tomatoes and caulfllower florets. Simmer gently until the cauliflower is almost cooked, but still has a bit of bite
Drain the paneer and fry in a seperate pan until golden brown. Add to the rest of the curry along with the crème fraiche and peas. Season to taste
Simmer for 5 minutes, and stir through the garam masala before serving