Recipe : Cambodian Chicken Samla Curry

I got this recipe from Gousto Cooking as part of a box that I had ordered.

Whenever I know I don’t have the time to plan menus and do a proper shop of fresh groceries (meat/fish/veggies), I order a box from them and it works out quite well. I opt for the quick to cook ones and a meal is normally ready in about 30 minutes. Fresh, healthy, balanced, tasty. Although, I wish they gave the option to change all rice to brown rice.

This Cambodian Chicken Samla Curry is definitely one for the recipe books. The Gousto recipe can be viewed here. I have made a few minor changes and this recipe includes my changes.

Their quantities are just enough for a meal for two without second helpings, I have adjusted the recipe below for a little more. You can make the gousto quantities, but then I would recommend adding on an extra salad or dessert or something else to your meal.

Ingredients :
150 gms basmati rice (about 2 katori)
500 gms boneless chicken (I prefer thighs, but for this recipe, breast will also work) cut in strips
1 tin 400ml coconut milk
2-3 cloves of garlic or 1.5 tsp garlic paste
20 gms ginger or 2 tbsp ginger paste
4-5 green chillies (you can skip this or adjust heat to taste)
1.5 tsp turmeric powder
1 fresh lemon grass stalk
1.5 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
3-4 dried kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp vegetable or olive oil
30 gms roasted peanuts
1 romano pepper (or red capsicum / bell pepper)
100 gms mangetout or snow peas or beans
salt to taste


Method :
Boil a kettle or a pot of water.

Gently bash the lemongrass with a rolling pin, cut it down the middle lengthways (you won't be able to cut through the hard end near the root, so just chop that off)
Remove the tough outer layers and root end, but keep them for later. Try to keep these parts as whole as possible.

Chop the softer inner stem[s] finely
Peel and finely chop (or grate) the ginger.
Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic
Finely chop the green chilli.
If you have a mortar and pestle or food processor, just quickly grind them all together, its faster and results in a much smoother curry.

Rinse out the rice, but don't soak it.
Choose a pan with a lid.
Put the rice in this pan.
Put the tough lemon grass leaves and root on top (don't put them at the bottom, they become more difficult to discard before serving)
Add 300 ml hot water.
Add a pinch of salt.
Bring to the boil (without covering the pan) over a high heat
Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked
Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving

Open the tin of coconut milk, if it isn't full to the brim, you can add the following ingredients to the tin, else mix them in a large bowl.
Add the kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar – this is your coconut stock.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat
Once hot, add the chicken strips and cook for 3-4 min
Add the turmeric powder and cook for 1 min further or until fragrant

Slice the Romano pepper into rings or julienne the bell pepper, discarding the stalk and any seeds
Once chicken is fragrant, add the sliced pepper, ground/chopped chilli, garlic, ginger and lemongrass and cook for 2-3 min further

Add the coconut stock and mange tout/snow peas/beans and cook for 6-8 min or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a curry-like consistency.

Chop the coriander leaves, Add the stem ends to the curry in the finals stage, but reserve the leaves for garnish.

Crush the roasted peanuts with a rolling pin (keep them in a bag so you don't lose them) or a quick whir in a food processor. You want it crushed, not ground.

Discard the lemon grass stems from the rice.

Serve the Cambodian Chicken Samla Curry with the lemongrass rice to the side

Tip: for fancy presentation, press the rice into small bowls and turn out

Garnish with the crushed peanuts and coriander leaves

Recipe : Nana Maggie's Mangalorean Pork Salad / Dohkhleih

Most Manglorean pork dishes are heavy with masalas and long cooking processes. This is one of the few lighter pork dishes which works especially well in summer, when we wanted pork, but in a lighter form.

Ingredients:

About 1 kg pork with a good balance of fat and meat - no bones.

Salt to taste

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1-2 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar

2-3 green chillies chopped

1 medium red onion chopped

2 tbsp chopped corriander

Method:

Boil the pork with salt, chopped ginger and lemon juice / vinegar to taste without any water.

Once it is cooked, remove the excess water (reserve for use later - for heating up the dish or as a stock) and let the meat fry a little bit.

Mix with chopped green chillies, onions and corriander.

Serve warm when freshly mixed or at room temperature.

This dish is not meant to be reheated.

This is one of the lightest pork dishes that is made in Mangalore and surprisingly I ate something very similar in Shillong where it is called dohkhleih.

Recipe : Rice Kheer / Payasam - Happy Diwali

This Diwali we really didn't have the time to make a major celebration out of it. I've started another course (with Oxford this time), signed up for some other commitments and he had to work late on the 19th. I had signed up for a lecture at the Royal College of Nursing on Food and Culture.

Also, we are still eating light, so no snacks or deep fried or store bought sweets this year. But Ganesh needs something sweet to be offered as prasad, hence this light kheer with most of the sweetness coming from raisins.

While this time I made it really light on sugar, the recipe I give below is my normal recipe with a full tin of condensed milk. You can halve that and increase the raisins, or ignore the condensed milk and use sugar or only raisins / dates (but then you have to cook it for longer)

Ingredients :
100 gms / 1 katori basmati rice rinsed and soaked.
1-2 tbsp ghee
1 handful broken cashewnuts
1 handful raisins (rinse and remove the stalks if any)
1 liter milk preferably at room temperature or warmer
1 cardamom (if you want stronger flavour crush before using)
1 tin condensed milk - carnation / milk maid
pinch of saffron or cardamom powder (optional)

Method :
Take a large pan, preferably non-stick.
Heat the ghee.
Fry the cashewnuts till light brown, remove from pan with a slotted spoon.
Saute the raisins lightly and remove with a slotted spoon.

Now drain the rice and add it to the pan. Fry for 1-2 minutes
Lower the heat to medium and add the milk and cardamom.
Let the rice cook completely in the milk.
If it is a non stick pan, it won't need to be stirred, but you can keep stirring gently if you like.
Keep an eye on it, so it doesn't bubble over when the milk boils.
Stir or lower the heat, if it is on the verge of bubbling over.

Once the milk is cooked, add the condensed milk and most of the raisins.
Keep cooking on medium heat, until the kheer is nice and thick.
Sprinkle the saffron or cardamom powder on top if using.

The kheer can be served hot immediately, at room temperature or chilled.

Garnish with fried cashewnuts and raisins.


Tip :
Cold milk has a higher chance of splitting, so better to bring the milk to room temperature.

If you like the flavour of cardamom, you can use more, crush it and add it when frying the rice  instead of waiting to add it with the milk.

I prefer to leave the cardamom whole and add it with the milk. This imparts the flavour of cardamom, without the bits exploding in my mouth when eating (its too strong a spice for me to bite into)

Recipe : Nandini style Andhra Chilli Chicken

For our entire friend circle, Nandini in Bangalore is iconic for its Andhra Chilli Chicken served with Andhra Chicken Biryani. The biryani itself is quite mild, but the chilli chicken is absolute dynamite.

Thanks to a friend on one of the many facebook groups that I follow, I finally found a recipe that works brilliantly. All thanks to Rashmi Shenoy who shared her recipe on Konkani Amchi Food.
When I told my sister that I had found a recipe that was perfect, her first reaction was "Oh, so you won't be needing my courier services anymore!" Yes! That is how much we love this combination! When we lived anywhere else in India, this was what we would ask friends and family who were visiting from Bangalore to bring for us. The chilli chicken freezes well and can be reheated as you like.

I have made a few changes to Rashmi's recipe to adjust for flavours that I don't like (I don't use ajinomoto). She doesn't have a blog of her own, but you can see the original recipe from her, here.

This is a super spicy  recipe, so do not attempt unless you have a high spice tolerance.

Warning :
Better if you can keep your kitchen windows open and kitchen door closed.

Keep a box of tissues on hand. I think I used up about 20 before I was done cooking.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT TOUCH your eyes while cooking!

I don't think, I've ever posted a warning before posting a recipe before.

Ingredients :
1kg Chicken with bones (curry cut is best, I found the legs and thighs too large for the flavours to permeate)
30-40 Green chillies - grind into coarse paste (yes, thirty to forty)
10-12 Green chillies slit or whole
2 tbsp Vinegar
1 tsp Soya sauce
1 tbsp lemon
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsp Cornflour
3-4 tbsp Water to make the cornflour paste.
2 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Ghee

Tip : you can use garlic (10 cloves)& ginger 1" pieces while grinding green chillies.
I did it and enjoyed the flavour

Method:
Marinate the chicken with soya sauce, lemon juice & 1/2 tsp salt for 30 minutes.
Coarsely grind the green chillies (and ginger and garlic if using)

Heat a deep pan (for 1kg chicken, take a pan that can hold 2 kgs).
Add oil& ghee.
Once the ghee melts, add the whole / slit green chillies and fry for a minute till it turns white on the outside.
Now add the green chilli paste & fry well.
Protect your nose and eyes.

Once the oil separates from the sides, add the marinated chicken & fry for sometime.
Add a little water and let it cook for 20 minutes on low heat.
Adjust salt to taste.

Add the cornflour paste & vinegar.

The Andhra Chilli chicken is ready to be served with Nandini style Andhra chicken Biryani and Onion Raita

Recipe : Nandini style Andhra Chicken Biryani

For our entire friend circle, Nandini in Bangalore is iconic for its Andhra Chilli Chicken served with Andhra Chicken Biryani. The biryani itself is quite mild, but the chilli chicken is absolute dynamite.

For those of us who moved away from the city, this was the holy grail of recipes that we have been searching for. We have all tried many versions and failed dismally, with spouses shaking their heads and saying "it just isn't there".

Well, it finally "is there" Thanks to a friend on one of the many facebook groups that I follow, I finally found a recipe that works brilliantly. All thanks to Rashmi Shenoy who shared her recipe on Konkani Amchi Food.

When I told my sister that I had found a recipe that was perfect, her first reaction was "Oh, so you won't be needing my courier services anymore!" Yes! That is how much we love this combination! When we lived anywhere else in India, this was what we would ask friends and family who were visiting from Bangalore to bring for us.

I have made a few changes to Rashmi's recipe to adjust for flavours that I don't like (star anise instead of mace, a little less ghee and I added eggs). She doesn't have a blog of her own, but you can see the original recipe from her, here.

The biryani itself is quite mild, so no worries on spice levels in this half of the recipe.

Ingredients :
1/2 kg chicken (smaller pieces better - curry cut)
1/2 cup Yogurt
3 small Onions sliced
6-7 Green chillies
4 Cloves
2" Cinnamon stick 2 x 1"
4 Cardamom 4
1 star anise / biryani flower
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 cup Coriander leaves
1/2 cup Mint leaves (no stalks)
4 -5 cups Basmati rice (washed & soaked in water)
3-4 eggs hard boiled and skinned.
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp Ghee

Method:
Heat ghee in presssure cooker, add the whole spices.
When they sputter, add sliced onions and let it turn golden brown .
Then add green chillies, coriander & mint leaves and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add chicken pieces to this and cook for 5-6 minutes till chicken changes colour on the outside to white.

Add yogurt now with a little salt and mix well.
Use a wooden spoon, so you aren't breaking things up.

Drain & add the soaked rice, mix well and fry for a minute or two.
Add the boiled eggs.

Add hot water to the rice. (Rashmi advises using 1:1.5 ratio of rice: water, I eyeball it)
Check seasoning salt and pepper.

I cooked it in the pressure cooker, same as I would for any biryani. (this is a trick & measure of time and heat dependent on each pressure cooker and the kind of heating that you use.)

Rashmi says :
Trick here is to close the pressure cooker lid and not to put the whistle. Once the steam is out, place a steel glass on the nozzle and simmer the flame and cook for 15 minutes.

If you are using normal (not boiling water, same process but cook for 20 minutes.

Once done, carefully open the lid and mix the rice slowly.

This goes perfectly well with Andhra chilli chicken recipe

Optional garnish with coriander leaves and crisply fried sliced onions. As you can see in the first picture, I also served an onion raita on the side with the Andhra Chilli Chicken.

Recipe : Baked Corn on the Cob

Now, this may seem like a really easy recipe, so why have I turned it into a blog post?

Well, I absolutely love corn that is grilled on coals or a flame that is served all round India on the streets during the rainy season. When I had a gas stove in India, it was easy to roast corn on the flames. But that's not the case with the induction counter tops here. Also in our tiny London apartment, I don't have the option of Barbecueing it either and pressure cooker or boiling it, just doesn't give it the same flavour and texture as grilling or roasting it. So I thought that if I can char brinjal/aubergine in the oven, why not try it with the corn?

This is what worked for me.

Some freshly grilled corn on the cob (in the oven) even on a rainy day.

These went into a pre heated fan oven at 180C (for regular ovens 190C) for 30 minutes with the skins on.

If you just pop it in a regular oven with everything on, its much easier to clean after it's cooked and keeps all the moisture trapped inside. It doesn't give you the charred effect though.

If you want a charred effect, then you need to clean it up after baking and pop it under the grill for a few minutes after cooking.

Peeled and drizzled with a lemon juice + chilli powder + salt dressing. So, so good!

Recipe : Purple Sprouting Broccoli Salad

A couple of weeks ago, I was at a book launch for Thomasina Miers latest cookbook - "Home Cook", where she served us a lovely sprouting broccoli on sourdough toast.

When we visited Osterley Park, I found some fresh purple sprouting broccoli at the farmers stand and I had to buy them and cook them immediately.

This salad is inspired by Thomasina Miers recipe from her cookbook, with my own twist on it.

Ingredients:
1 bunch purple sprouting broccoli (will work with regular broccoli too)
1 handful shelled & halved walnuts
1-6 cloves of garlic finely sliced (depending on how much you like garlic, I used 6)
1/2 tsp olive oil (to fry, not extra virgin)
lemon juice to taste
pomegranate molasses to taste (balsamic vinegar will work as a substitute)
chilli oil to taste (or any other flavoured oil)
cheese to garnish (optional) - goats cheese or anything creamy combines beautifully


Method:
Lightly roast the walnuts in a pan and keep aside.
Warm the olive oil in the pan, and add the sliced garlic.
As the garlic begins to brown, add the broccoli.
When cooked to your satisfaction (I like it crunchy without the raw smell), take it off the heat.
Toss with the toasted walnuts.

Put it in a serving bowl.
Drizzle lightly with lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and chilli oil.
Garnish with cheese if you like.

Eat as is or on toasted bread.

Tip:
If the broccoli isn't tender, halve the mature stems away from the heads and cook those first before adding the broccoli heads, so that everything is evenly cooked.

Thomasina Miers at the Book Discussion:

The Broccoli on Sourdough Bread that she served (pardon the terrible picture, but it was difficult to get a good shot in the crowd)

Recipe : Indian Style Spicy Scotch Eggs - Nargisi Kofta

Scotch Eggs are a great way of using up leftover mince and they are very yummy too. I don't have any post-frying pictures, as they disappeared so quickly!

These ones were made with leftover low fat pork mince

I made this minced meat recipe of mine without the tomatoes or the peas. But you can use any recipe you like.

Take the leftover mince and potatoes and grind it in the food processor (add water if it isn't grinding & then later slow cook on a low flame to dry it out to the right consistency)

Add fresh coriander leaves and fresh chilli chopped.

You can fry these as it is for cutlets.
Deep fry them as meat balls and use in your favourite pasta sauce or Indian curry.

But to make Nargisi Koftas:

Boil eggs, cool, peel and dry completely before encasing it in the mince.

I sliced the eggs in half before covering with mince, but you can make them whole and slice before serving if you prefer

Dip in beaten egg & coat with rawa/semolina (optional - makes it crispy) and fry on a low flame with a little oil (they can also be deep fried)

I make this with beef, chicken or lean pork mince.

They get gobbled up so quickly.

You can even stuff them in burger buns or pita breads for a more filling meal.

Recipe : Chinese Chicken Sweet Corn Soup

Chicken, pork & sweet corn soup kind of day, today.

The basic recipe is from Gousto Cooking, but I added some chillies, extra ginger & garlic, lemon juice and leftover pork stock & some pork pate that was a little too chunky & gamey to use on toast.

The recipe below, builds on Gousto's recipe with the additions that I would use for myself.

For a vegan/vegetarian version, drop the chicken or substitute it with mushrooms/tofu and replace the chicken stock cube with a vegetarian stock cube.

The noodles make this a one pot meal. If you just want a plain light soup without the carbs, drop the noodles

This recipe makes 2 bowls of soup.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast or 2 thighs - boneless

4 cloves garlic - peel and finely chop (or grate)

15g or 2" ginger - peel and finely chop (or grate)

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
1 tbsp soy sauce (2 sachets)
1 chicken stock cube
2 wheat noodle nests
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tin (150g) of sweetcorn or frozen

good squeeze of lemon juice

10g (3.5 tsp) sesame seeds toasted
2 spring onions finely sliced
10g (3-4 stalks + leaves) fresh coriander chopped

2 - 5 green chillies chopped fine

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 

vegetable oil - sunflower/canola

salt to taste

a kettle on the boil

Method:

Dissolve the chicken stock cube in 600ml boiled water – this is your chicken stock

Put the cornflour in a bowl and gradually stir in 100ml boiled water, then whisk to a smooth paste
Tip: the cornflour and water paste will help thicken your soup!

Put the wheat noodle nests with a pinch of salt in a pot and cover them with boiled water until they're fully submerged
Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 5-7 min until tender with a slight bite
Once done, drain and return to the pot with a drizzle of vegetable oil (this stops them sticking together)

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a matching lid, with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the chicken breast and cook on both sides for 3 min or until lightly browned (don't worry it won't be fully cooked yet!)

Add both the chopped garlic and chopped ginger to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 min

Add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and chicken stock, cover with a lid, and cook for 12-15 min until the chicken is cooked

Once done, transfer the cooked chicken from the broth to a clean board and shred it apart, using two forks – this technique is known as ‘pulling’

Drain the sweetcorn

Keep the pan of broth over a high heat and gradually whisk the cornflour paste into the broth until it's silky smooth and thickened

Add the shredded chicken back to the broth along with the sweetcorn and cook for 2 min or until hot – this is your chicken & sweetcorn soup

Divide the drained noodles among large bowls and ladle over the chicken & sweetcorn soup

Give a good squeeze of lemon juice over each bowl

Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds, sliced spring onion, chopped green chillies, coriander leaves and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil

Recipe : Salmon Gochujang

Gochujang is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment made from chili powder, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt from Korea. It is easily available in Asian Grocery stores in London.

However, Gochujang is also quite a thick paste, so it needs to be thinned out a bit before using it as a marinade.

In this dish, I used an Italian wine vinegar and since this batch of Gochujang didn't have much sweetness, I also added a bit of honey which helped with caramelisation.

This is not a traditional Korean dish, I have just used a well known Korean ingredient in the marinade.

Ingredients :

4 slices salmon cleaned (skin on or off is your chocie)

2 tbsp gochujang

1/2 tsp honey

1 tbsp Italian wine vinegar (use any non synthetic vinegar of your choice)

Salt

Oil

Mix together the gochujang, honey and  Italian wine vinegar to form a marinade.

Add salt if and only if needed.

Marinate the fish in this paste for 20 minutes - 1 hour

Pan fry the marinated fish on medium flame for a few minutes turning once half way through.

Transfer to a plate.

Add the marinade juices to the pan and thicken, use this to top the fish.

I also added charred padron peppers to this dish and they paired well together.

If you want to do that, rub a little oil on the washed and dried padron peppers and char them in the pan, before you start to fry the fish. Keep aside when done.

Layer the fish, the thickened marinade sauce and the padron peppers.

Sprinkle a little salt on top of the peppers. Personally, I'm loving the Maldon smoked salt.

Recipe : Super Spicy Roast Leg of Lamb with Mushrooms

This is one of those recipes I eyeballed it for.

Clean and dry the meat.

Pierce the meat, so the marinade can penetrate well.

First marinade is lemon juice and salt for 10-15 minutes.

Main Marinade is

yoghurt, / curd / dahi

chilli powder

jeera powder

coriander powder

amchur

garam masala powder

ginger paste

garlic paste.

Marinate in the fridge overnight or longer.

Take out the meat from the fridge and bring it to room temperature.

Put just the meat in a preheated oven and roast at 160C fan oven/ 180C regular oven for 30 mins per half kilo.

Take out the meat from the oven, add the rest of the marinade and pop in the oven for another half hour.

If you feel that it's burning on the thinner end, cover that with foil.

Rest for 10-15 minutes in a warm location before slicing.

I added the mushrooms in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

If you want to make this with potatoes, you will need to add them earlier.

Recipe : Chicken Caesar Salad - Vegetarian Option Included

Since I've been busy studying, these Gousto meals are a God send. I don't have to plan a menu or shop for ingredients with a menu in mind. I just go online, check what recipes for the week appeal and order the pack from Gousto.

They come home well packaged, even if I'm not home when the package arrives, its well packed in a woolen mat to maintain temperature for a couple of hours, which the cat adores (I think she looks forward to the opening of the Gousto box with much more enthusiasm than I do)

If you want to make this a vegetarian salad, just drop the chicken.

If you want you can add crisp croutons or grilled halloumi to make the dish more filling.

While potatoes aren't traditional in a Caesar Salad, Gousto added it to this box as the carb component.

Most caesar salad dressings also include anchovies, but this recipe did not.

Ingredients:

400 gms potatoes - peeled and cubed

4 cloves garlic - peel and chop fine

4 boneless chicken thighs with skin (if you can't find boneless thighs with skin, Make sure you oil the chicken breasts well before baking to prevent drying out.)

1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

4 tbsp mayonnaise

10g fresh chives finely chopped (or 1 spring onion)

40g Italian Hard cheese like Parmesan

1 small gem lettuce

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / 400F / Gas 6

Take a large baking tray, spread the potato and garlic on it.

Place the chicken thighs skin side up on top of the potato mix.

Drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt & pepper

Put in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken skins are crisp.

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, mayonnaise and 1-2 tbsp olive oil.

Add the chopped chives, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Shave a few shavings off the cheese with a veg peeler and keep aside for garnish.

Grate the rest of the cheese and mix into the dressing.

Separate the gem lettuce leaves from the base and discard the root. Tear the leaves roughly and add to the bowl. Mix well.

When the chicken is done, transfer the crispy chicken thighs to a chopping board and slice in strips.

Let the potatoes cool slightly.

Add, potatoes, garlic and half the chicken into the bowl and mix well.

Serve the salad topped with the remaining chicken and the cheese shavings.

Recipe : Chicken Mole, Coriander Rice & Onion Raita.

I was always curious as to what a Mole (stew cooked with chocolate) would taste like, so when Gousto had this on the weekly menu, I quickly added it to my list.

Ingredients:

1 red onion
2 chicken breast fillets
a knob of butter (1-2 tbsp)
2/3 cup fragrant basmati rice (150gms)
1 chicken stock cube
15g 70% dark chocolate coarsely chopped
3 tsp creamy peanut butter
1 tsp jeera / cumin powder
1 tbsp rich tomato paste (tomato sauce is a passable substitute)
2 tbsp smokey chipotle paste
1 tomato diced
1 lime
150g yoghurt/curd
10g fresh coriander finely chopped
Salt
Sugar
Vegetable oil

Method :

Peel the onion and slice a few rings off it (as finely as you can)

Separate the onion rings, place them in a bowl of cold water and set aside for garnish

Gousto Tip: the cold water removes some of the harsh flavour from the raw onion

Dice the remaining onion

Kim's tip : If you do not like the taste of raw onion, make onion raita. Dice the whole onion. Mix half the onion into the yoghurt with a pinch of salt and set aside for serving

Boil a kettle of water

Rice :
Add the rice, 350ml hot water to a pot with a lid over a high heat and bring to the boil

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving.


Chicken :
Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, add the chicken with a pinch of salt and cook for 3 min on each side until golden and slightly undercooked.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside.


Mole Sauce :
Return the pan to a low heat, add a knob of butter and the diced onion with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar and cook until soft.

Dissolve the stock cube in 300ml hot water, add the chopped chocolate and peanut butter and whisk to combine - this is your chocolate stock.

Add the cumin and tomato paste to the softened onion and cook for 1 min

Add the chipotle paste, diced tomato and chocolate stock

Whisk to combine and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat - this is your mole sauce

 
Assembly :
Transfer the chicken into the mole sauce and cook, covered, for 5 min or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened

Shred the cooked chicken while in the pan (use a knife and fork or 2 forks)

Fluff the cooked rice and squeeze the juice of half the lime into it and mix in the coriander

Cut the remaining lime into wedges

Serve the chicken mole over the rice

Garnish with the drained onion rings, a big dollop of Greek yoghurt (or onion raita) and the lime wedges

Recipe : Mexican Pork Chilli, Bulgur Wheat & Apple Salsa

This meal from Gousto came with Bulghur Wheat, but you can also substitute it with a nutty rice like brown rice or serve it with corn bread.

Ingredients :

1 medium red onion - peeled and finely diced
30ml red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground allspice
250g pork (or beef) mince
130g bulgur wheat
1 beef stock cube
1 chipotle paste sachet (40g)
1 tomato paste sachet (32g)
1 apple diced - skin on
40g cheddar cheese grated
Olive oil
Pepper
Salt
Vegetable oil

Method:

In a medium-sized bowl take 1/4 of the diced onion, add a pinch of salt and the red wine vinegar and set aside to pickle.

Add the bulgur wheat to a pot with plenty of boiled water (the same as you would for pasta) and a pinch of salt and cook over a high heat for 7-9 min or until tender with a slight bite, then drain and return to the pot

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-low heat

Once hot, add 3/4 of the diced onion and a big pinch of salt

Cook for 5 min or until softened and starting to caramelise

Stir the ground allspice into the softened onion and cook for 1 min

Add the pork mince and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go

Stir the tomato paste and chipotle paste into the browned mince and cook for 1 min

Dissolve the beef stock cube in 350ml boiled water

Add the beef stock to the mince and reduce the heat to medium-low

Cook for 10-15 min or until thick and reduced to a chilli-like consistency – this is your Mexican pork chilli

Add the diced apple to the pickled onion with 2 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper – this is your apple salsa

Fluff the cooked bulgur with a fork and season with a pinch of salt and pepper

Serve the Mexican pork chilli over the cooked bulgur with the apple salsa to the side

Top with the grated cheese

I also served it with grilled corn on the cob to add more veggies to this meal.

Recipe : Chicken Lazone with Chestnut Mushrooms and Creamy Vermicelli

Chicken Lazone with Chestnut Mushrooms and Creamy Vermicelli is another recipe from Gousto Cooking, that we have loved so much, that I have made it on multiple occassions.

It looks and tastes quite decadent, but it easy to put together. Seasoned, pan-fried chicken and mushrooms served over creamy vermicelli noodles.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs (or 1/2 kg boneless chicken)
1-3 garlic cloves - peel and finely chop (or grate)
1/2 - 2 tsp spicy cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Italian dried oregano
1 chicken stock cube
150g chestnut mushrooms finely sliced
120g rice vermicelli or rice noodles
1 pot (227ml) of organic double cream
Butter
Pepper
Salt
Vegetable oil

Kettle on the boil

Method:

Marinate the chicken with garlic, cayenne, oregano, 1 tbsp vegetable oil and crumbled chicken stock cube
Season with a big pinch of pepper
Mix thoroughly
Set  aside for 15 minutes or marinate in the fridge overnight if you want to prep ahead, but bring back to room temperature before cooking.

Heat a wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a matching lid over a high heat with 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Once hot, add the chicken spreading each piece flat

Cook, covered, for 5 min

Remove the lid from the pan and flip each piece of chicken

Add the sliced mushrooms around the chicken

Cook, covered, for a further 5 min or until the chicken is cooked through

Stir the mushrooms occasionally

Meanwhile, place the vermicelli / noodles in a dish and cover completely with boiling water

Set aside for 3 min, then drain

Add a big knob of butter to the chicken pan

Once cooked, transfer the chicken with half the mushrooms to a plate and set aside to rest until serving

Return the pan to a low heat

Add the drained noodles and cream to the pan and cook for 1 min or until warmed through, then remove from the heat

Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed,

Divide the noodles between serving plates and top with the chicken and mushrooms


Kim's Tip: cut the noodles up while in the pan for easy eating!

Recipe : Lime Rice, Grilled Broccoli, Minute Steak and Peanut Sauce

This recipe also came to me via one of Gousto's Boxes. We loved it and I'll definitely cook it again.

If you drop rice as an accompaniment, this recipe is keto friendly. Peanuts in small quantities are allowed on the keto diet.

This recipe is for 2 people.

Ingredients:

1 lime
1 sachet coconut cream (50g - 2.5 tbsp) or 5 tbsp coconut milk
2/3 cup  basmati rice (150g)
1 medium sized broccoli
2 minute steaks
6-7 tsp creamy peanut butter (52g - 2 pots)
1 tbsp soy sauce (2 sachets - 16ml) 
1.5 tsp brown sugar (or regular if you don't have brown sugar)
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil
1 spring onion

Method :

Prep :
Zest the lime taking care not to include any white pith (which is very bitter)

Preheat the grill to high

Boil a kettle

If using coconut cream, place the sachet in a mug of hot water (this softens the naturally hard cream). If using coconut milk, skip this step.
 
Lime Rice :
Choose a pot with a lid - add the rice, lime zest, 350ml hot water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-15 min or until all the water has absorbed

Once done, remove from the heat and keep covered until later
 

Grilled Broccoli :
Cut the broccoli into quarters, lengthways

Cut each quarter again, so you end up with broccoli wedges

Add the wedges to a baking tray (use foil to avoid mess)

Drizzle with vegetable oil and season generously with salt and pepper

Put the tray directly under the grill and cook for 12-15 min or until nicely charred


Seared Steak :
Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with kitchen towel

Rub them with a little vegetable oil and season generously with salt on both sides

Heat a dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium-high heat until very hot

Add the steaks to the hot pan and cook for 1 min on each side (for medium-rare)

Transfer the cooked steaks to a plate and leave to rest while you prepare the Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce :
Take the pan you used to cook the steaks.

Add the peanut butter, warmed coconut cream / coconut milk, soy sauce and brown sugar with 200ml hot water

Whisk together (off the heat) until smooth

Once smooth, return the pan to a low heat and whisk until a sauce forms (approx. 3-4 min) then remove from the heat and set aside (it will thicken a little as it cools)

Assembly :
Halve the zested lime

Slice the spring onion finely, discarding the root end

Slice the steak as finely as you can (against the grain)

Gousto Tip: Cutting against the grain means identifying the natural lines in the steak and cutting in the opposite direction!

Fluff the cooked rice, add the juice of half the lime and season with salt and pepper

Spoon a pool of peanut sauce on to your plates and top with the sliced steak, serving the lime rice and charred broccoli to the side

Garnish with spring onion and the remaining 1/2 lime cut into wedges

Recipe : Tandoori Salmon with Indian Spiced Salad & Almonds

Tandoori Salmon with Indian Spiced Salad & Almonds is not a dish you would find on a restaurant menu per se, its something I've been fiddling with for awhile and I'm finally really happy with the results, so I'm sharing it with you.

You can make this in small portions as an appetiser (with or without the salad) or turn it into a main course. It does not need any carb on the side, so this works well for anyone on a no-carb / low-carb / keto diet too

Salmon or trout works best for this recipe, the masalas are too strong for delicate fish.

Tandoori Salmon

4 boneless slices of salmon (see picture for reference)

1-2 pinch of salt

2 tbsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp tandoori masala

red chilli powder to taste (optional, if your tandoori masala isn't spicy enough)

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

4 tbsp yoghurt/thick curd

Method:

Clean fish well and descale.

Coat in lemon juice and salt for at least 15 minutes and throw away all the water that comes out.

Marinate in a mix of tandoori masala, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and yoghurt/curd.

Keep in fridge as long as you need. I left it marinating for 3 days I think.

Preheat oven to 220C (200C for fan)

I like to line the pan with foil when making fish, so the fishy smell doesn't remain in the pan - I use the same pan for baking biscuits and scones.

Lightly coat the pan or foil with oil and place the fish skin side down.

You need 4-6 minutes of baking time per half inch thickness of your fish slice on the middle rack.

Keep an eye on it. You don't want it overcooked.

If you keep it on the top rack and turn the grill on for the last few minutes, you will get a nice brownish crust.

Kim's Tip:

If you can't be bothered with turning on the oven, or you don't have an oven, just pan fry it in a little oil.

Salad:

The salad here is a simple mix of rocket, watercress and baby spinach leaves with very thinly sliced onions.

250 gms salad leaves

1/2 medium onion sliced and marinated in a tsp of lemon juice. (while you are getting the other ingredients ready)

Dressing:

The dressing is hazelnut (you can use olive) oil, lemon juice, salt, freshly crushed black pepper and 1-2 drops of balsamic vinegar - because I like the sweetness it gives.

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper

1-2 drops of balsamic vinegar

You can add chaat masala or black salt to the dressing if you want a stronger Indian flavour in the dressing, but remember to adjust for salt.

Assembly :

Mix the salad leaves and onions in a bowl.

Shake or whip the dressing till it emulsifies and mix into the leaves.

Portion out into individual plates.

Lay the hot salmon on top.

Sprinkle with sliced almonds

This is another version of the same dish, plated in a large bowl rather than individually. the dressing here was an onion raita and I used roasted pine nuts in the garnish

Recipe : Pan Seared Scallops with Chipotle Butter

This is a very quick and easy recipe, that takes less than 10 minutes to put together.

Ingredients :

200 gms cleaned fresh scallops.

2 tbsp butter + few drops oil

2 tbsp garlic chopped fine.

1 tbsp chipotle flakes (substitute - red chilli flakes)

Method:

Rinse scallops and pat them dry with paper towels before cooking. They won't brown if they have too much moisture on the outside.

Heat a little butter in a pan with a few drops of oil (to prevent the butter burning)

Fry some finely chopped garlic in the butter.

Once it crisps up, add some chipotle flakes (chilli flakes can be used, but the chipotle has a sweet smoky flavour, not just heat)

The flakes burn quickly and scallops cook quickly, so you need to move fast.

On high heat, sear the scallops on both sides (a few seconds), then lower the heat and cook gently till they are done (2-4 minutes depending on thickness).

Look for the scallops to  just about turn opaque. If you overcook them, they will become tough.

Take the scallops out of the pan, cook the remaining liquid in the pan until it thickens to a sauce like consistency and pour it over the scallops.

Serve fresh and hot.

Options:

You can make this recipe with fresh prawns or any light fish

Recipe : Baingan Pitika/ Bharta - Aubergine / Eggplant/ Brinjal Dip

Baingan Pitika or Baingan Bharta is a common side dish in the North and North East of India. Each household has its own way of making it, this is mine.

Clean & dry a whole brinjal/ aubergine/eggplant.

Big ones work best for this recipe.

Rub some oil on the outside of the brinjal/ aubergine.

Either roast it on an open flame / on coals / or in an oven until the skin chars.

To roast it in an oven, prick the skin a bit with a fork or a skewer (to allow the steam to escape).

Preheat oven to 450F/230C/210C-Fan oven.

Roast for 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your brinjal.

You want the skin charred for a smoky flavour, but the flesh inside should turn nice and soft and mushy.

Peel off the skin (discard) and mash the brinjal with a fork - you want a rough texture, not a smooth paste.

Mix with chopped onion, fresh coriander, green chilli, salt and mustard oil.

Now this is a recipe that comes completely down to personal taste, but for an idea:

1 medium brinjal/ aubergine/eggplant

1/2 medium onion chopped fine

1-3 green chillies (depending on how spicy you like it and how spicy the chillies you are using are)

2 tbsp chopped corriander

1/2 tsp mustard oil - this really gives it a good flavour, if you don't have mustard oil, don't use any other oil, just omit the oil.

a pinch or 2 of salt

Serve as a side or a dip with breads or crudites

Recipe : Potato & Comte Savoury Tart / Pie

Tesco has a range called #TescoFinest in which they package some of the best food under their own brand name. I had a chance to #TryForLess, some of their cheese from the Tesco Finest Range and I decided to go for a Comte Cheese.

Comte is a French full fat hard cooked cheese made with unpasteurised cow's milk, traditionally made and matured in the Jura region. Since I had never tasted it before, I though this would be a wonderful opportunity.

But once it arrived home, I was stumped - "What should I cook with it?" Fortunately Tesco on Twitter came to the rescue and directed me towards a Potato and comté savoury tart recipe.

The recipe looked interesting enough, but I wanted to add more flavour and a bit of meat to it, so I made a few changes. The original recipe is vegetarian. I added some pancetta for flavour and meatiness, but this recipe can be made without it.

There's a bit of an eggwash used to seal the pastry, but there isn't much liquid in this recipe, so you can skip the egg if you want to turn it completely vegetarian.

Ingredients :
200g Tesco Lighter ready rolled shortcrust pastry (or make at home)
a little plain flour (maida), for dusting
1 egg yolk, beaten (I added the white while cooking the onions)
500g salad potatoes
100g pancetta
5 ml olive oil
5g butter
6 cloves garlic chopped
2 medium onions, finely sliced
75g Comte, grated
50g Chives or other fresh herb chopped
salt
pepper

Method:
Line a 7 inch springform fluted tart tin with nonstick baking paper.
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thickness and use it to line tart tin pressing in well all over.
Prick the base all over and chill.

Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until tender, usually 15-20 minutes.
Drain and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 190°C.

Heat a pan and fry the Pancetta in it until it begins to crisp up.
Remove the pancetta and keep aside, but leave the oil in the pan.
Melt the butter and olive oil in the same pan over a moderate heat and add the garlic.
When they begin to crisp/brown a bit, add the onions, sweating with a little salt until soft; 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat and let the onions slowly caramelise, stirring occasionally.
Quickly stir in the egg white from the separated egg.
Take the pan off the flame.
Mix in half the chopped chives/herbs

Remove the pastry from the fridge as the onions caramelise and line it with nonstick baking paper and baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes until the edges just start to colour.
Remove from the oven and discard the paper and baking beans.
Then return to the oven for 5 minutes to brown the base a little.
Remove from the oven and brush all over with the beaten egg yolk to create a seal.
Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Reduce the oven to 170°C.

Slice the potatoes into even sized discs.

Arrange the onion mixture across the base of the pastry, then arrange the potato discs in concentric, overlapping circles so that they cover the entire surface.

Sprinkle the comté cheese and remaining chives/herbs on top and season well with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes have browned a little and the cheese has melted.
Remove and allow to cool in the tin before serving.

Serve slices as is, for a snack or with a side salad for a complete balanced meal.

What I would do differently - When I added the grated cheese pre-baking (I used only about 50 gms) it looked like a lot, but once it melted down, the cheese flavour was very subtle.  I would use a lot more cheese when I try this recipe again. The cheese combines well with the potato.

Disclosure : I received the Comte Cheese through the Tesco Orchard program in exchange for a review