Prawn Bhuna Curry

Bhuna is a Bengali dish, traditionally a slow cooked 'dry' (not much sauce) medium hot curry, heavy on mustard oil.  I made a quicker and wetter curry, which is more to our taste.

Serves 4

Prawns:

500g frozen cooked prawns

1/4-1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp mustard oil (optional)

Bhuna Sauce:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp mustard oil (another tbsp of vegetable oil can be used instead)

1 tsp brown mustard seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

4 cardamon pods

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4-1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 medium onions

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 cm root ginger 

500ml passata

1/4 tsp salt

Toss the frozen prawns with the spices listed whilst you get on with the sauce.

Roughly chop the onion, garlic, and ginger and liquidise with 75ml water to make a paste.

Get all the dried sauce spices ready in a ramekin/small pot.

Heat the vegetable and mustard oil in a sauce pan over a medium high heat.  When hot, stir in the dried sauce spices, and then quickly add the onion paste, taking care as this will spit in the hot oil.

Stir the onion paste regularly until it starts to dry out.  Add the passata, salt, and a little water to make a thick but pourable sauce.  Bring to the boil, cover, and turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the prawns.  Don't worry if they are still frozen, just turn up the heat and bring them back to the boil.  The prawns will release a lot of liquid into the sauce so boil the sauce hard for a further 5 minutes to reduce the sauce a little and thoroughly defrost and heat the prawns through.

Serve with basmati rice.

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Egg Foo Yung/Chow Mein

Egg Fu Yung is a Chinese style omelette, popular in American and British Chinese restaurants, usually served with a soy based gravy. 

Chow mein is a Chinese dish of stir-fried noodles with leftover vegetables, meat or tofu, also popular in America and the UK.

I thought I'd combine both Egg Fu Yung and Chow Mein to use up some leftover cooked chicken, and some eggs that needed using.  This recipe would work well with leftover turkey after Christmas.

Serves 4

3 layers medium egg noodles

4 eggs

300g cooked chicken, turkey, pork, beef, or prawns

1 onion, peeled & thickly sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled & sliced

100g frozen peas

1 chicken stock cube

500ml recently boiled water

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)

1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp cornflour

Vegetable oil for frying 

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.  Leave to cool in a pan of cold water.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok over a medium high heat.  

Beat the eggs, and fry in the wok like a omelette for a few minutes so you have a side plate sized disk of cooked egg. Flip the egg over carefully to ensure the egg is cooked through.  Slide the egg onto a plate, chop into bite sized pieces, and wipe the wok out with a piece of kitchen paper.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the wok over a medium high heat.

Stir fry the onion for 1-2 minutes until it starts to soften or go golden brown.  Add the peas and garlic.

Crumble in the stock cube and melt in the oil and heat.  Add 500ml of hot water, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, turmeric and paprika.  Stir well.

Mix the cornflour with two tablespoons of cold water.  When the 'gravy' is boiling, pour in the cornflour mixture whilst stirring to thicken it.

Drain the noodles and add to the gravy together with the meat or prawns, and chopped egg.  Mix well and serve.

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Sesame Prawn Toast

I resisted the urge to buy some half price raw prawns in Aldi last week, and then saw a recipe online for Sesame Prawn Toasts. So when Aldi had some more half price prawns yesterday (and three tuna steaks - straight in the freezer), I grabbed them for my protein obsessed 17 year old son.

Makes 12

3 slices of bread

175g raw prawns

1 medium free range egg

1cm root ginger, finely gated

1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 spring onion, chopped into 1cm rounds

Sesame seeds

Sesame oil

Light olive or vegetable oil for frying

Whizz the prawns, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and spring onion together in a mini food processor.

Drizzle sesame oil on each side of the slices of bread.

Divide the prawn paste between the slices of bread and spread smoothly right to the edges.  The two recipes I looked at said to cut the crusts off, and to use white bread, but I left the crusts off and used light wholemeal bread.  Sprinkle the prawn paste with sesame seeds.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.  If you have a larger non-stick frying pan that will fit more than one slice of bread, add 1 tsp oil per slice.

Fry topping side up for 1.5-2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.  Lift the slice of bread up with a fish slice and pour in another 1 tsp of oil, then carefully flip it prawn paste side down into the hot oil.  Cover the pan with a lid or plate and fry for 1-5-2 minutes until prawn paste is golden brown.

Cut each slice of bread into quarters.  If the prawn paste looks slightly undercooked (grey rather than pale pink) when you cut up the toast, just fry again for another minute or microwave all four quarters for 1 minute.

Sesame Prawn Toasts can be cooked in an air fryer.  Drizzle the bread with sesame oil as above then toast  in the air-fryer for 3 minutes at 200°C until one side is golden. Spread the prawn paste on the untoasted side of the bread followed by the sesame seeds.  Cut into quarters and arrange as many as you can in the air fryer basket. Cook for 12 minutes at 180°C until golden brown.

Serve warm with sweet chilli sauce and/or soy sauce for dipping.

Can be reheated in the air fryer - 5 minutes at 180C. And can be frozen and reheated in the air fryer from frozen - 10 minutes at 180C.

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Tofu in Black Bean Sauce

My partner bought a jar of Yeo's Black Bean Sauce last weekend to make Beef in Black Bean Sauce.  He used half the jar, so I used the rest to make Tofu in Black Bean Sauce.

Serves 4

400g firm tofu

300g colourful chopped veggies (carrot, red pepper, green beans)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1cm grated ginger root

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 250ml jar black bean sauce

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or sherry

1 tbsp sesame oil

Take the tofu out of it's packet and place it in a colander with a plate and a few cans on top of that to squeeze as much liquid out.

Chop the veggies into bite sized pieces, and prepare the garlic and ginger.

Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat.  

Crumble in the tofu, but beware, if it is still quite damp it will spit a lot.

Stir fry the tofu for a few minutes then add the ginger, garlic, and vegetables.  Keep stir frying the vegetables for a few more minutes.

Turn the heat down and add the black bean sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil.  Mix the sauce in well and serve when the sauce is piping hot over cooked rice or noodles.

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Viral Smashed Kofta Wraps

I've seen a lot of reels of mince being squished onto wraps and fried.  My teens love kofta so I thought I'd give it a go.  The benefit of squishing the mince onto wraps means they don't take much cooking, and kids can cook their own without fear of serving themselves raw meat.  The only problem with feeding a family is that you can only cook one tortilla at a time, unless you have an array of frying pans.

Serves 4

500g lamb or beef mince

1 small onion, peeled and grated

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp ras el hanout or harissa

30g fresh coriander or parsley, finely chopped

4 medium flour tortillas

Sunflower oil for frying

4 tbsp greek yoghurt 

1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)

1 tbsp tahini paste (optional)

1/8th wedge of red or green cabbage, thinly sliced 

1/2 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp apple cider or white wine vinegar

Chilli sauce to serve

Mix the mince, grated onion, 2 of the crushed garlic cloves, chosen spices, and the herbs together.  Cover and chill for 1-24 hours.

When ready to cook, scrunch the cabbage and onion together with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of vinegar and leave to one side.

Mix the last remaining crushed clove of garlic into the yoghurt together with the tahini and lemon juice if using, and leave to one side with the cabbage salad.

Weigh the flavoured mince and divide into 4.  Squish one quarter of the mince onto one side of a tortilla.

Preheat a pancake pan or shallow frying pan over a medium heat and brush with oil.  

Place the tortilla meat side down onto the hot pan.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until the mince is browned.

Flip over with a fish slice and slide onto a plate.  Add a quarter of the garlic yoghurt and cabbage, and chilli sauce to taste. Roll up and tuck in.

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Spicy Chana Masala

Chana Masala is surprisingly easy to make.  You could even get away with just garam masala (and chill obvs) if you don't have all the dried spices.

Serves 4-6

2 cans chickpeas including liquid (or 200g dried, soaked overnight then cooked in fresh water until tender)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 
1 tbsp grated root ginger
30g fresh coriander, finely chopped
2-4 green chillies, finely chopped, seeds and all
1-2 tsp chilli powder to taste
500g passata 

1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Fry the onion in the vegetable oil in a saucepan over a medium low heat until they start to turn golden brown.

Stir in the cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, grated ginger, and garlic. When you can smell the warm spices, add the rest of the ingredients including the liquid from the canned chickpeas or enough of the cooking water to cover the chickpeas with about 1cm of liquid.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice or naan.

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Sourdough Discard Pizza

I saw couple of reels making sourdough discard pizzas and thought I'd give it a go.  As I don't discard any starter, so I fed my starter more so that I had enough.  This makes a moist, crumpet like pizza base. And for once, no-one left any crusts!

Makes 3 pizzas

150g active sourdough starter

1 cup bread flour

1 cup water

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Toppings

Premade tomato sauce

Sliced mozzarella

Other toppings of choice; chorizo, ham, anchovies, olives, capers, pineapple...

Leave your starter out overnight to wake it up.

In the morning, mix in the bread flour and water, cover and leave to ferment for as long as you can.

At dinner time, turn the oven on to 220C to preheat and heat an ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole dish on the stove.  

When the pan is piping hot add the olive oil and a US cup measurement of sourdough starter.

When bubbles start to burst on the surface of the pizza base spread on the tomato sauce and toppings of your choice.

Place the pan and bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes until the topping is bubbling.

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Samosa Potato Salad

Digging up over a kilo of salad potatoes, and having a vegetable samosa for lunch from a family butcher, gave me the idea of a samosa potato salad. OH thought it a bit dry to have for lunch at work, so I added a cashew and tamarind cream. It is ideal for a packed lunch as nothing in it needs to be kept cold.  And for those following Zoe Health, the plant count is over 20, with 10 in the garam masala alone!

Serves 4

Samosa Potato Salad

1kg cooked salad potatoes

1 tbsp light olive oil

1 large onion

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 medium carrots, grated

200g frozen peas

100ml recently boiled water

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp mixed seeds (optional)

Cashew & Tamarind Cream

50g cashews

100ml recently boiled water

1 tbsp tamarind sauce or lemon juice

1 small garlic clove

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Boil the salad potatoes whole for 10-20 minutes, drain, and leave to cool.

Fry the onion in the light olive oil a large saute pan over a medium heat until golden brown.

Stir in the garlic and grated carrot and fry for a few minutes.  

Add the peas and hot water.

Simmer gently whilst you cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces into the pan.  Sprinkle over the seeds if using and mix well.

If making cashew cream, soak the cashews In 100ml boiling water. Once cool enough to handle, place all the cashew cream ingredients into liquidiser cup and blend until smooth and pourable like single cream.

Serve hot or cold.

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Singapore Chow Mein Noodles

I ordered Singapore Vermicelli last time we had a birthday Chinese takeaway. So the next time I made a stir fry, I thought I'd try Singapore Noodles.  I prefer rice noodles, but I find them hard to stir fry without going sticky, so this was made with egg noodles

Serves 4

4 layers of noodles

1 tbsp mild curry powder

¼ tsp turmeric

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp low-salt soy sauce

2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

600g sliced stir fry vegetables (if slicing your own vegetables include an onion, and then a rainbow of colourful vegetables - red pepper, carrot, pak choi/cabbage, mushroom, sweetcorn, beansprouts)

250g protein (optional), choose from 200g firm tofu, 2 free range eggs, or 250g cooked prawns

1 red chilli, sliced (optional)

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet.  Leave in cold water once cooked until ready to use.

Mix curry powder, turmeric, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl.

If using egg, beat the eggs in a mug.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in the wok/large frying pan over a medium high heat. Swirl the oil around when hot, and pour in the egg, cooking it like an omelette.  Turn the egg over after a couple of minutes and cook the other side.  Take out when cooked, chop into bite sized pieces, and leave to one side.

If using tofu or prawns, heat 1 tbsp of oil in the wok. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the wok over a medium high heat. Grate the tofu if using.  When the oil is hot, stir fry the grated tofu or prawns for a few minutes until slightly brown. 

Add another tbsp of oil after you've removed the egg, or when the tofu/prawns have been stir fried.  When hot again, add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry for 3-4 minutes until softened and starting to brown in places. 

Drain the noodles and add to the wok, along with the sauce mixture and egg. Stir-fry for a further 3-4 mins, mixing thoroughly and reheating the noodles.  

Serve with sliced chilli if you like some spice!

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Suzie Lee's Beef Fried Rice

Stumbled across Suzie Lee's (winner of BBC’s Best Home Cook 2020) recipes on iplayer on a quiet Friday night in.  Last night I made her Beef Fried Rice recipe, which went down a treat with my teens. Below is the recipe copy & pasted from the BBC website

Serves 4

4 eggs
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
40g of ginger
2 carrots
1 courgette (pak choi, peas, or edamame beans)
500g lean beef mince
500g cold cooked basmati rice
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 Spring onions to garnish
Pinch of white pepper
Vegetable oil

Start by chopping the onion. Peel ginger and mince garlic cloves. Peel the carrots and take the ends off the courgette. Slice spring onions for garnish and set to the side.

Heat a large deep pan or wok and fry off beef mince without adding any oil. Break the mince up in the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula so that it breaks into smaller pieces and cooks evenly. Add a tbsp of soy sauce and white pepper to the mince to season. When the mince is cooked, remove from the pan and place to one side.

In the same pan add some vegetable oil. Beat the eggs together in a bowl or jug. Add the eggs to the pan and cook them like an omelette, until you have a cooked ‘disc’ of egg. Be careful not to overcook the egg, slightly under is better than over. When the egg is cooked take it out of the pan and put to one side.

Add enough oil to the pan to coat it. Grate in the peeled ginger and add minced garlic. When you can smell the aromatics, add the onion and grate in carrots and courgette. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring them round until they soften and the liquid evaporates

Make sure the pan is on a high heat and make room in the pan for the cold rice. Add the rice to the pan and stir through. Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce and add the mince back to the pan. Pour the sesame oil in, making sure it hits the metal of the pan to release the flavour. Season with white pepper. Add the oyster sauce and stir through before returning cooked egg to the pan. Mix everything through thoroughly, breaking up the egg as you go. 

Garnish with spring onions.

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Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

In an attempt to cut down my teenage son's dependance on ultra processed foods to assist him bulking up at the gym, I have been trying to make more homemade condiments.

A bottle of this Teriyaki Sauce now sits in the fridge for him to pour over noodles when he needs a quick snack. The recipe is from BBC Good Food

350ml water

85g light brown soft sugar

70ml light soy sauce

1 large garlic clove, crushed

4cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Heat the water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan. I put roughly chopped garlic and (unpeeled) ginger into a liquidiser first, hence the 'bits' in my final sauce. 

Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bubble gently for 5 minutes until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened. 

Combine the cornflour with 1 tbsp water and quickly whisk through the boiling sauce whilst still on the heat. 

Whisk through the rice wine vinegar, adding a splash of water if too thick. 

Pour into a clean jar and leave to cool at room temperature.  This sauce keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

My son pours it over stir fried beef, pak choi, and noodles. We pour it over pan fried salmon with noodles or rice.

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Foolproof Peri Peri Mayonnaise

My daughter has become addicted to Peri Peri Mayonnaise.  The list of ingredients on shop bought is long, so I decided to make some with half the ingredients. This mayonnaise is foolproof with a stick blender.

1 free range egg

1 heaped tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp white wine or cider vinegar

1 clove of garlic, peeled & crushed

1 tsp hot chilli flakes

1 tsp paprika

1 large pinch of salt

200ml light olive oil or vegetable oil

Place all the ingredients into a stick blender beaker.  

Put the blender stick right down to the bottom of the beaker.  On the fastest speed, start blending slowing pulling the stick up through the mixture. By the time you get to the top of the mixture, the mayonnaise should be well blended and thick.  

Check for seasoning. You might want a little more vinegar or salt.  Blend again, pushing the stick down and up again slowly, and your Peri Peri Mayonnaise is done.  

Ours all went into a Tuna & Sweetcorn Mayonnaise Pasta, but it will last 1 week in the fridge.

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Calzone Pizza, Italian Pasties

I've begun making Calzone as one of my options for my son's packed lunch. I can batch bake them (baked with Baked Chocolate Oats this week), and then not have to flap around getting him something nutritious every morning. 

I've been filling them with chorizo and mozzarella, but you could use any of your favourite pizza toppings. I may even try using a samosa style filling.

Makes 2 large or 4 small calzone

225g white bread flour

130ml water

30ml olive oil

1 tsp quick yeast

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 ball of mozzarella, cubed

100g diced chorizo or ham

My calzone recipe comes from our Bread Machine book, given to us with our first bread machine 19 years ago, so mixes and kneads the dough on a bread machine dough cycle. But it can be done by hand.

Mix and knead the dough on a dough setting. Ours mixes/kneads for 10 minutes, rests for 10 minutes, kneads for another 5 minutes before resting again for a final 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220C.

When the dough cycle has finished, tip the bread dough out on to a lightly floured surface. Knock it back and divide into 2 or 4 equal sized pieces.  Roll each piece of dough into a flat circle. This is easier than it sounds, as I find yeasted dough springs back.  My solution is to roll the all circles out then go back to the first one and roll/stretch them back out again before filling, and then on to the next.

Divide the filling between the dough circles, placing it on one half of of the circle, and leaving a 1.5cm border at the edge. 

Dampen the border with water. Fold the circle in half over the filling and twist or crimp the edges to seal.

Place on a lined baking sheet, brush with olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes until golden and well risen.

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Madhur Jaffrey's Lamb Dalcha (Red Lentil Dal with Roast Lamb)

Use your leftover lamb roast in this healthy Indian lentil dal, Madhur Jaffrey's Lamb Dalcha. 

Serves 6

225g red lentils
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cm cinnamon stick
6 whole cardamom pods
1 medium-sized onion, peeled, cut in half length-wise then sliced into half moons
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
225g boneless cooked lamb
1 tsp finely grated garlic
¾ tsp red chilli powder (or cayenne pepper)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp tamarind pulp or about 2tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil)
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
1-2 dried whole hot red chillies
8-10 fresh or dried curry leaves
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthways

Put the lentils in a heavy-based pan with 900ml of water and the tumeric. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are soft and mushy.

In a wide based pan, heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon and cardamom. Stir for a few seconds, or until the cardamom begins to darken. Add the onions and fry until slightly browned. Add the ginger, garlic, and ¼ tsp red chilli powder. Stir for 1 minute to allow the spices to brown then add the cooked lamb and 175ml of water and bring to a simmer.  Turn the heat off until the lentils are ready.

When the lentils are tender, stir them vigorously into a purée. Add the tamarind, salt and chilli powder. Either add the lentils to the lamb, or the lamb to the lentils, whichever is the bigger pan! Simmer with the lid off whilst you prepare the tarka/tadka (spiced oil).

Heat the last 2 tbsp of vegetable oil a small frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, whole red chilli and the curry leaves. Stir. As soon as the chilli darkens a bit, add the sliced garlic. Stir until the garlic turns a light brown in colour then pour over the lentils and lamb and serve.

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Indonesian Egg Fried Rice with Smoked Mackerel

A quick midweek Omega 3 rich family friendly fried rice, based on BBC Good Food's Indonesian Fried Rice with Mackerel.

For a fish dish, this went down really well with the kids.

Serves 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tbsp red curry paste

800g cooked basmati rice (about 250g-300g uncooked)

4 fat spring onions, sliced

140g frozen peas, edamame beans, or sliced cabbage

4 smoked mackerel fillets, flaked

4 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce),  or 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1 tsp sugar

Sriracha Chilli Sauce, to serve

Cook the rice if you don't have any ready cooked, and leave to cool.

Heat the oil in a wok.  If using cabbage, stir fry this for a couple of minutes, then add the curry paste and fry breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

Pour in the egg and swirl around as if making an omelette, then break up with the wooden spoon and push to one side.  Add the mackerel to the side of the wok you've just cleared, then add the spring onion and peas or edamame.  Stir and mix well then add the rice and stir everything through well.  

Once the rice is well mixed, cover and turn the heat down low for a few minutes to heat the rice through thoroughly.

Serve with a tablespoon of kecap manis per person, and Sriracha chilli sauce to taste.

I would have made this with brown rice had we had some, and possibly would substitute the red curry paste for garlic in ginger as in Nasi Goreng, Indonesian Fried Rice with Chicken & Pork I was taught years ago by someone who lived in Singapore.

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Salmon Tikka Masala Curry

 

Healthy, Omega 3 rich, salmon works really well in a curry.  

Serves 4

2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil

1 large onion, peeled and finely diced

1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger

5-6 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp brown mustard seeds or English mustard powder

1 tbsp ground coriander

¾ tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

1 carton passata 

500g side of salmon, skinned and cubed

400g greens, green beans, or squash (optional)

300ml double cream,  or a can of thick coconut milk

1 tsp salt

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and fry for 10-15 minutes until brown.

Add the all the dried spices, stir around, then add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute or so then add the passata, 400ml recently boiled water, and coconut milk and vegetables if using.

Bring the boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes whilst you put some basmati rice on to cook.  

After 20 minutes stir the cubed salmon in gently then cover again for 5 minutes until the salmon is just cooked.

Remove the lid and simmer to reduce if you've already added coconut milk.  If using cream, add it at the end then heat gently but do not boil.

Serve with basmati rice.

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Protein Packed Noodles

These protein packed noodles are my son's lunch today whilst out at a drama workshop

Serves 1

1 bundle soba noodles

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1/4 cucumber, grated

50g smoked salmon trimmings

1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp miso paste

1tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/8 tsp hot chilli flakes

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and leave in cold water.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then stir in the cucumber, smoked salmon, spring onion and cold noodles.

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Homemade Vegetable Gyoza & Miso Soup

Finally got round to making homemade gyoza. A lot cheaper than buying them ready made, but fiddly, even with a gyoza press off ebay! Might try rolling the dough through the pasta bike next time, or buying wrappers.

Serves 2

250g plain flour

150ml boiling water

1tsp salt

Cornflour, for dusting

For the filling

200g white cabbage (might try 100-150g next time as I have about half the filling left over)

4 chestnut mushrooms

1 carrot

4 water chestnuts (optional)

thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

3 spring onions, finely sliced

2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp saké, Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

For the dipping sauce

6 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

crispy chilli oil (optional)

Miso Soup

500ml boiling water

1 vegetable stock cube, crushed

1 tbsp miso paste

2 small sheets dried seaweed, snipped into small strips

100g tofu, cubed

Mix the flour and salt and stir in the boiling water. When cool enough to handle, knead for 10 minutes (I put it in the bread machine on the dough cycle), then dust with cornflour, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Whilst the dough is chilling finely grate/chop/mince the filling ingredients.  Heat the oil in a wok and stir fry the chopped vegetables for a couple of minutes until soft.  Drizzle over the soy and saké and cook for a couple more minutes until the liquid has evaporated.  Turn off the heat and leave to cool.

When the dough has rested for an hour, dust a clean surface in cornflour and divide the dough in two. Roll the first ball of dough out until paper thin. Cut out 10cm circles of dough with a pastry cutter or glass. Repeat with the trimmings, and the second ball of dough, until you have about 25 circles. I have to say I found the dough tended to spring back and found it hard to get paper thin dough, but I did rush things placing my dough in the freezer for 30 minutes as all the time I had.

To make the gyoza, hold a circle of dough in the palm of one hand and put a teaspoon of the filling in the centre. Dip your finger in a handy bowl of cold water and wipe around the inside edge of the skin. Bring the edges of the skin together, pinching it closed. There are videos of gyozas being beautifully pleated closed but I couldn't be bothered.

Dissolve the stock cube and miso in the water in a small pan. Snip in the seaweed.  Once boiling turn off the heat and add the tofu cubes and cover.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick frying pan with a lid. Fry the gyoza, flat-side down, for 2 mins until golden. Add 100ml water to the pan and cover. Cook over a medium heat for 3-5 mins until the water has evaporated and the gyoza is cooked through. Remove the lid and leave the gyoza to sizzle on the bottom for a minute. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together and pour into little bowls/ramekin dishes.  Pour the miso soup into bowls, and serve with the gyoza.

NB. Gyoza can be prepared in advance and frozen.  After making them, space them out on a baking tray dusted with cornflour and freeze.  When frozen tip into a bag and put back in the freezer. Will keep for three months. Can be cooked from frozen.

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Pilau Rice

Thought I'd try a pilau rice for the first time with last night's Sweet Potato & Chickpea Jalfrezi. Providing you have the spices, it's pretty straightforward.

Serves 4-6

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

½ tsp ground coriander
6 cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seeds
8 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp black mustard seeds
300g basmati rice
500ml vegetable or chicken stock, fresh or made from 1 stock cube

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.  When hot add the onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Stir in all the spices and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the rice and stir it around in the buttery spices before adding the stock. Stir well, cover with a tight fitting lid, and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, turn off the heat. DO NOT lift the lid, but leave to steam with the residual heat for another 10 minutes.

Fluff gently with a fork and serve, warning diners about the whole spices.

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Vegan, Vegetarian, or Meat Jalfrezi Curry

I generally cook vegetarian curries, having enjoyed these in Rajasthan many years ago, and having a part time vegetarian son. But the vegetables could be easily switched for meat, or half meat half vegetables...

Serves 4

4 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil 

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric


1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes


4 cloves garlic – smashed and finely chopped


1 inch piece of ginger – grated


1 large onion, finely sliced


1 carrot cut into 2mm thick pieces


1 green pepper cut into strips


700g vegetables and/or meat (chickpeas, sweet potato, cauliflower, beans, diced chicken, diced lamb)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 bunch coriander leaves finely chopped


1 tbsp garam masala


Juice of 1 limes
s

1 tsp salt

Heat the oiI in a large pan. When hot add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they begin to pop, add the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and sizzle for about 20 seconds. Add the onion and fry for about 2 minutes until slightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, carrots,  green pepper and stir fry for about 2 more minutes.

Add your vegetable and/or meat.  Stir around in the spiced onions then add the chopped tomatoes and a can of recently boiled water to just cover the vegetables/meat. Jalfrezi is typically a 'dry' curry without much sauce, but I personally like a curry with a bit of sauce, and also think you enough to cook the meat or vegetables.

Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil then simmer gently with a lid on for 30 minutes whilst you cook some basmati rice.

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