Soya Mince Chili

There is nothing like a bowl of hot Mexican tantalizing chili on a Winter’s day, when your mood is low as it is soo dark outside! All you want to do is hibernate in your home.

This dish has definitely lifted my spirits and I’m about to get a second serving.

It is super easy to make it doesn’t take much time and at the end you will be one happy bunny!

Ingredients

300g Quorn Soya Mince frozen

2 medium onions diced

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin kidney beans

4 garlic cloves crushed

2 dried red chili

1 veg stock cube

Salt to taste

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Fresh lime juice to taste

Method

🌟Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat sprinkle in the cumin seeds, drop in the chili, onion and crushed garlic. Stir until onion looks translucent

🌟Toss in the tin of crushed tomatoes along with the paprika, crumble in the veg cube and season with salt, bring them to the boil gently.  Put in the soya mince into the tomato sauce and mix well.  Throw in the Kidney beans with the brine

Lower the heat and cook the chili for 30 minutes stirring occasionally, squeeze in a little fresh lime

🌟Serve piping hot with tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche

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Quick Tangy Masala Chips

I crave carbs like all the time and the one thing on a hot day that would hit the spot are these chips!! Not too unhealthy as they chips were baked and the sauce cooked with very little oil How …

Spinach, Pea and Paneer Curry

So today I decided to put two famous paneer curries into one.

Palak and matar paneer reinvented and super tasty. Using fresh spinach adds such a rich flavour. I can’t wait to delve in!

INGREDIENTS 

1 red onion chopped

1 tin tomatoes crushed 

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp ginger

1 tbsp oil

Pinch of asofoetida

Pinch of Mustard seeds

Pinch of Cumin seeds 

Little dried chilli flakes

1 star anise 

1 tsp cumin & coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste 

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp dried mango powder

I block paneer cubed 

1 bag fresh baby spinach pureed 

1 cup frozen peas

METHOD 

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan with the mustard, cumin, chilli flakes, asofoetida and star anise. Once the seeds start to sizzle stir in the chopped onion, garlic and ginger

Reduce the heat to slow.  Add the tomatoes with the rest of the spices 

Combine and cook for 5 minutes. Place the paneer into the tomato base, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally 

Last thing is to add the pureed spinach and peas. Cook off for a further 10 minutes and your curry is ready to eat!

Kerala Style Okra Curry

My taste buds fancied something different today I aim to make different dishes at least once or twice a week to mix it up a little and have a bit of variety in our usual day-to-day lives

I found this recipe online by the amazing Tarla Dalal.  I’ve never combined vegetables in a South Indian based curry and I’m extremely happy that this was my first one.

So moreish, healthy and luxuriously coconuty plus the sourness of the yoghurt and spices to cut through the sweetness

The recipe can be found @ http://m.tarladalal.com/Dahi-Bhindi-(–Kerala-Style-)-267r

I’m very sure you all will enjoy it as much as I did!

I have an easy and versatile potato curry coming up soon! Keep watching!

Until then, much love, D x

Spicy Peppered Cassava

Last week my parents popped round to my home. With lots of food as always but my Dad had an ominous looking small stainless steel container which was warm to the touch.

I took it over to my kitchen, took a spoon, opened the lid and delved in…
Ummm spicy cassava and now I’m sharing this wonderful recipe with you!

Dad, you never cease to amaze me!

Thank you, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

1 frozen packet cassava steamed until tender. (Slice into small chunks)
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 tsp ginger puree
1/2 tsp minced fresh green chilli
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Black pepper and salt to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Freshly chopped coriander to garnish

METHOD

In a large shallow saucepan, heat up the oil on low. 

After a couple of minutes, gently add the steamed cassava along with the garlic, ginger and chilli

Stir fry for a few minutes making sure the cassava is coated in the oil and ingredients

Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Combine well

Eat straight away as a starter or a side. Enjoy!

Paneer In Urad Daal

Paneer and black gram split lentils, I was yet to combine in a dish, so yesterday was the day. I was extremely pleased with the result as I managed to get a mushy daal with bags of flavour. It tasted very similar to a daal makhani, as the paneer provided the wonderful creamy feel and flavour

Ummm…I was in heaven! I’m sure you all will love it too, guaranteed!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cubed paneer
1 cup split urad, white split gram lentils
½ tsp soda bicarbonate
¼ tsp turmeric
Boiling water
1 tbsp sunflower oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 onion diced finely
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp dried cumin & coriander powder
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
½ cup tomato passata/crushed tomato
Fresh coriander optional

METHOD

Boil the urad daal with the bicarbonate of soda and turmeric until soft and mushy. Once cooked leave aside

In a large non stick saucepan, heat the oil and mustard seeds on a medium heat.  Fry off the onion and fresh tomato

Add all the spices and stir fry for a couple of minutes

Pour in this tomato passata, along with the cooked daal and its water.  Gently place in the cubed paneer into the saucepan

Simmer through on a low heat for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with freshly made hot chapatis

Friday Flavour!

Curry and rice…I could eat this all day!
Have a vibrant weekend!..
Much love, D x

The Indian Onion Soup

Forget the french onion soup! For a second.  Take it to the next level, spice it up, masalafy it and transform it into the Indian curried onion soup.  You are bound to have these ingredients in your pantry , so no extra shopping!   A quick fix with some fresh crusty buttered bread or even some khichdi (rice and split mung bean dish)

I had a large sweet white onion and in contrast a red onion to use for this soup.  However I will never really understand why a red onion is a RED onion ? It is very much purple/magenta in colour?…any how…I love onions, I eat them raw in salads, find them delicious paired with a mature cheddar cheese sandwich!  I just love them!  Most of my cooking will involve onions in some way or another but today we are focusing solely on the onion.

This soup can be cooked in under 20 to 25 minutes.  Is very tasty, slightly sweet because the onions are caramelized in the spices and then you get a hint of heat on your palette at the very end from the red dried chilli flakes.

I know all onion lovers will adore this and it may even convert non onion lovers to loving them.  Hope you have a wonderful day…I’ll see you soon! Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

1 large white onion sliced
1 large red onion sliced
1 tsp sunflower oil
Pinch of cumin seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp cumin/coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp garam masala
1 tin finely chopped tomato
Salt to taste
1 cup water

METHOD

In a large saucepan, heat up the oil on a medium heat with the cumin seeds. Once the oil starts to sizzle are the onions and mix well

Add all the seasoning and spices making sure all the onion is coated. Cover, reduce to a low heat and cook for 5 minutes

Pour in the tin of chopped tomatoes with the cup of water, stir well, bring to a boil and gently simmer for 15 minutes

Serve up with a dollop of natural yoghurt and fresh bread

Fuss Free Vegetarian Biryani

Sometimes I do wonder if I can invest more time in photography because of all the wonderful pictures I see my fellow food bloggers post. I do feel strongly however that it is all about the food and recipes so I like to share the recipe as soon as possible and as many recipes as I can.

I do hold my fellow food bloggers in very high esteem that take skilled food photographic pictures. I hope one day to be as half as good as them!

This fuss free biryani, I made a few days back. It went down really well with the in laws and we especially enjoyed the crisped rice that baked to perfection.

Hope you enjoy this dish and are having a wonderful weekend. Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots grated
1 courgette grated
1 red onion diced
1 red bell pepper diced
¾ tsp ginger paste
1 large cup frozen peas
1 tin sweetcorn rinsed
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Pinch of cumin & mustard seeds
Pinch of red dried chilli seeds
2 cloves
2 tbsp Biryani masala to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground coriander and cumin powder
1- 2 level tsp salt or to taste
300g tomato crushed passata
2 tsp tamarind sauce
½ tsp brown sugar
Water

A whole large pot of pre cooked boiled rice

METHOD

In a large pot, heat the oil on a medium heat, throw in the mustard and cumin seeds.  Once they sizzle away, sprinkle in the red chilli seeds.  Sauté the red onion and pepper until soft

Mix in the grated carrot and courgette with all the seasoning and spices.  Combine well, reduce to a low heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes

 

Add the sweetcorn, peas and tomato passata. Stir well and simmer for a further 10 minutes.  Meanwhile pre heat the oven to 200°c

Once the biryani veg is prepared.  Layer a large rectangular oven dish with the boiled rice (2cm depth)  pour over all the prepared curry and spread evenly.
Cover with the remaining rice

Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top rice layer is nice and crispy.  Serve with a cooling raita or kadhi

Quorn Protein & Peas Curry

If you want something healthy, tasty and low fat, don’t go anywhere! I have created my non guilty version of the classic Indian matar paneer dish without the guilt! And the paneer?!
Fully packed with protein, which will keep you going for longer and stop you from snacking, especially if you have this curry for lunch. But don’t worry I know this maybe to healthy for some of you so my apple crumble recipe is coming up soon…

Enjoy, hope you’re all well…I am sooo excited as I have a lot more creative vegetarian dishes on the way!..until then, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

300g Quorn chicken style pieces or soya chunks
2 cups frozen peas
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic crushed
½ tsp minced ginger
250g crushed tomato passata
Pinch of mustard seeds
Pinch of cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground cumin & coriander
Salt to taste
½ tbsp sunflower oil
Water for sauce

METHOD

In a large nonstick saucepan,  heat the oil on a medium heat with the mustard and cumin seeds.  Once they start to sizzle,  add the onion, ginger and garlic into the pan.  Sauté until translucent

Sprinkle in the garam masala, cook through for a minute or so. Stir in the tomato passata along with all the seasoning.  Let the sauce bubble then place the chunks of quorn into the saucepan.  Mix well, you may need a little water to help the tomato coat the quorn

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the curry for 10 minutes.  Add the peas, stir and simmer for a further 7 to 10 minutes

Serve up with some rice or chapati