Caramelised Onion and Goat's Cheese Tart, and Raspberry and Chocolate Tart

It feels like forever since I've been home. We are having work done to our house and consequently my room has been turned upside down. There’s a hole in both my floor and ceiling; considering we are only meant to be having an extension in the kitchen (yaaay!!!) and lounge, clearly things aren’t exactly going to plan. But, I’ll let my parents worry about that! One of the things I miss the most about not going home at the weekends is Sunday lunch. Admittedly I have never had a traditionally English Sunday roast. But in my home, Sunday is a lazy day and always involves a long, luxurious lunch. It’s a chance to try something a bit special; enter: my gourmet goat’s cheese and caramelised onion tart.

One of my cousins told me about this recipe. For something that sounds so posh, it is really simple to make and looks pretty impressive. Caramelised onions are one of those intriguingly sticky and sweet yet somehow savoury gourmet ingredients. Seen on a menu, they immediately signal posh brassiere. But would you believe it, caramelised onions are made using three very every day ingredients; oil, onions and balsamic vinegar. The caramel flavour comes from the slow cooking process through which the onions release their unctuously sweet juices and ta da, you have caramelised onions!

As for the tart, well, if you’ve got a freezer then you’re sorted! I know shortcrust pastry is easy to make, nothing more than flour, butter and a touch of water. But I know an even easier recipe; your supermarket ready rolled version. I will use the “I am a student and have bigger fish to fry” excuse here. When time, energy and kitchen space are in short supply I think there is nothing wrong in taking a few short cuts with the shortcrust! 

This dish is perfect to try when you’re trying to impress someone and can easily be made for a large quantity. I have to say, my presentation skills are somewhat lacking; I like to call it the shabby chic look. And I have to say my favourite part of any pastry dish is crispy overhanging bits. But if you want the real deal gourmet finish, it just takes a few seconds to trim down any excess pastry.

Caramelised Onion and Goat’s cheese tart (serves 2)

½ a roll of ready rolled shortcrust pastry

1 onion

½ tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

45g soft goat’s cheese

30g frozen spinach (a few cubes of frozen spinach)

Start by lining a greased tray or pie dish with the pastry. You can use whatever tray or dish you like. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (I missed this step out, and as a consequence my pastry bubbled up a bit – however it tasted just as delicious, but as mentioned earlier the final look is more shabby chic than brassiere! If you don’t use the baking beans then prick the pastry with a fork to minimise the extent to which the pastry bubbles.)

Bake the pastry in a pre heated oven for 20 mins at 200ºc.

In the mean time, finely slice the onion. Cook in a pan with the oil on a medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Don’t let them catch or colour, just let them cook slowly until they soften. If they seem to be catching, turn the heat down and add a little pinch of salt (this will draw out the moisture from the onion and should prevent them catching). After about ten minutes they should have shrunk by about half. Add the balsamic vinegar at this point. Cook for a further 5 minutes and they should be done.

Spread the onions over the cooked pastry and dot with the defrosted spinach. Finally top the tart with the cheese and bake for another 5 minutes.

This pastry can be enjoyed hot, warm and cold the next day.

I found when making this tart, the generosity of the super market ready rolled pastry (another reason to buy it readymade!) meant that I had some left over. This gave me the chance to make the perfect decadent and indulgent raspberry and chocolate dessert tart. The perfect ending to a gourmet meal.

Raspberry and Chocolate tart (serves 2 greedy people)

the other 1/2 of the ready rolled shortcrust pastry

170mls double cream

100g dark chocolate (this makes a somewhat bitter tart, if you prefer sweeter desserts, use 50g milk chocolate and 50g dark)

A handful of fresh raspberries

Cook the pastry in the same way as before, except cook for 5 minutes extra until it is golden and cooked all the way through.

(Bake the pastry in a pre heated oven for 20 mins at 200ºc.)

Heat the cream in a pan on a low heat. Wait until the cream is completely heated through, and you see bubbles appearing on the surface. This will take about 7 minutes. Take off the heat. Break up the chocolate into small pieces, and stir into the hot cream. The chocolate should melt before your eyes and the cream turn into a beautiful chocolate ganache.

Once the pastry is cooled, place the raspberries on the base of the tart and pour over the ganache. Put the pastry in the fridge to set for at least two hours. Believe me, it’s worth the wait!

I hope you enjoy  these gourmet treats, and impress those you share them with!

Until next time...

The Cupcake Challenge

This week I took up the cupcake challenge. I entered a competition for a novel cupcake recipe. My first experiences in the kitchen all involved baking. My Mum’s baking skills are unrivalled (and I’m not just saying that for fear of not having fresh rolls and cakes to bring back to university when I visit home – she and my Aunt used to sell birthday cakes for good money, until us little ones came along). So baking feels like home to me.

The first recipe I tried was my Strawberry and Basil cupcake. It sounds weird, and it is! But it works. It bought me at least six friends at university when I brought a batch to my halls of residence, and my friends have some of the most particular palates I have ever come across – to put it politely! The unusually sweet and savoury flavour of basil makes a beautiful vivid green icing which matches perfectly with the fruity strawberry sponge. It is certainly something different, and tastes surprisingly good!

Strawberry and Basil cupcakes (Makes about 12)

For the cupcakes:

250g self raising flour

125g margarine

210mls boiled milk, cooled

150g caster sugar

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g strawberries, chopped finely

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the buttercream icing:

200g unsalted butter, softened

400g icing sugar

25g fresh basil leaves, chopped super fine

Start by making the sponge. Cream the butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy pour in the cooled milk and keep mixing. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the mix. Combine thoroughly. Finally add the chopped strawberries and balsamic vinegar. (It sounds strange, but the savoury tones of the vinegar works really well with the basil, and don’t worry the icing ensures the cakes taste as sweet as any other. If you want to be really daring, try adding a pinch of black pepper.)

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases, filling up to ¾ of the way to ensure the cakes don’t spill over. Cook in a preheated oven at 180ºc, for about 20 minutes. To check the cakes are done, insert a skewer in the centre of the cake, and if it comes out clean, they’re done.   

To make the icing, simply cream the butter and sugar together. It may appear to form a sandy texture at first, but persevere and it will transform into buttercream. Add in the basil and watch it turn a beautiful green.

Once the cakes are cooled, pipe the buttercream in whatever form takes your fancy over the cakes.

I also tried slightly more luxurious flavoured cupcakes containing the most expensive ingredient on the planet: Saffron and Pistachio cupcakes. These take their inspiration from Middle Eastern flavours. The combination is very much tried and tested in many Middle Eastern recipes, so I figured it’s a cupcake winner.

Saffron and Pistachio cupcakes (Makes about 12)

For the cupcakes:

250g self raising flour

125g margarine

210mls boiled milk, cooled

150g caster sugar

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp crushed saffron strands

½ tsp crushed cardamom seeds

¼ nutmeg

For the buttercream icing:

200g unsalted butter, softened

400g icing sugar

1 tsp pistachio essence

Crushed pistachios to decorate

Gold edible glitter (if you want that extra kitsch factor, I mean, why not!)

Make the cake in the same way as before. Cream the butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy pour in the cooled milk and keep mixing. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the mix. Combine thoroughly. Finally add the saffron, cardamom and nutmeg. Mix until well combined.

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases, filling up to ¾ of the way to ensure the cakes don’t spill over. Cook in a preheated oven at 180ºc, for about 20 minutes. To check the cakes are done, insert a skewer in the centre of the cake, and if it comes out clean, they’re done.

To make the icing, simply cream the butter and sugar together. It may appear to form a sandy texture at first, but persevere and it will transform into buttercream. Finally add in the pistachio essence.

Once the cakes are cooled, pipe the buttercream in whatever form takes your fancy over the cakes. Sprinkle liberally with crushed pistachio nuts and gold edible glitter.

I decided to submit the Saffron and Pistachio cupcakes for the competition. Fingers crossed, but there was definitely some stiff competition. Whatever the result these cupcakes are definitely worth a try for a simple and delicious twist on the ordinary cupcake.

Until next time...

Savoury Pancakes

This weekend was great. It was the first time I actually bought my fruit and veg from a farmers market. Great may seem like an over exaggeration because obviously I realise people do this all the time; fresher produce, bargain prices (although you do have to buy in bulk to get the best of these), someone really enthusiastic about carrots and turnips that is extremely high spirited considering they’ve been standing in the cold for hours... Are just some of the reasons people choose to shop at their local farmers market. However, for me it was a new experience, I went to the market on a whim, something to do on a Saturday afternoon (I mean the supermarket is just so much more convenient as a place to shop). And the guarantee of an excellent lunch, thanks to the endless food stands at Borough Market, was also an unashamedly major factor! But the market offered so much more; I was charmed. Who would have thought muddy green tomatoes and freakishly long spring onions could be so inviting? But they were. Maybe it was the abundance appealing to my gluttony, or the array of colours in every direction making me feel like a kid in a sweetshop. Either way, shopping in a farmers market is a hundred times more fun than a supermarket. What’s more I wound up buying things I don’t usually find in my supermarket basket, ingredients that never really appealed to me before. I anticipate a creative week ahead trying new recipes, or old ones with new ingredients. And those of which are successes are sure to end up here on my blog!

A primary feature of any great weekend has to be a great meal and I think savoury pancakes could easily fit the bill. A late Saturday brunch, lunch with friends, a starter or light main course; this dish can be whatever you want to make of it. As an added bonus, should you have any pancakes left over, you have the perfect dessert waiting in the wings!

Savoury Pancakes (serves 4)

For the pancakes:-
I use my Mum's egg-less recipe, and like all Mums she doesn't measure a thing! So I have attempted a conversion into metric terms, but a little adjustment may be required to get the pouring consistency (that is adjusting the flour or milk content).
1 bowl self raising flour (about 450g)
3/4 glass of cold milk (about 350 millilitres)
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the filling:-
250g mushrooms (chestnut are my favourite, but whichever take your fancy are fine), cut into thin slices
100g fresh spinach, roughly chopped with any tough stalks removed
1 medium white onion, cut into thin slices
100g soft goats cheese
1 tsp of fresh thyme

For the bechamel:-
40g butter
20g  plain flour 
425 ml milk 
a pinch of nutmeg

Start by making the pancakes. Combine all the ingredients and whisk well until it forms a liquid mixture without any lumps. If the mixture is too thick add a splash more milk (and  if too runny add more flour). You are looking for the consistency of thick soup. (Admittedly, this is quite vague, but once you get making the pancakes you will know if your mixture is the right consistency by the way the pancakes turn out.)


Let the mixture rest for at least five minutes. Then get going... melt a knob of butter in a flat frying pan. Ladle in some pancake mix, swirl the pan around so you get a decent sized pancake.  It will take about 50 seconds to cook on the first side, check by loosening one side and peaking underneath. Once there's a bit of colour it's ready to flip. It's up to you which flipping method you use (excuse the pun), but just get the pancake cooked on the other side! 
This mixture should make enough pancakes for the recipe (8). If all doesn't go to plan... you can always cheat a little and get some ready made pancakes. Lucky for me, my flatmate is a faultless pancake flipper! 



 Next make the filling. Sauté the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. After about five minutes once the onions are softened add the mushrooms and the thyme. Make sure the pan is on a medium heat so that the moisture from the mushrooms does not collect in your pan. Once the mushrooms have shrunk and are almost cooked, fold in the spinach and cheese. Add a good pinch of pepper, don't add any salt at this point as goats cheese is quite salty. Once the spinach has wilted, switch off the heat and let the mixture cool. Check for seasoning at this point, and add salt accordingly (I find it's usually just fine due to the goats cheese, but I might add a squeeze of lemon).




To make the bechamel, simply melt the butter in a stainless steel pan. Add the flour and whisk until the rue turns a golden colour. Add the milk in one go and keep whisking on a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Once thickened (it will take about 5 to 7 minutes) sprinkle in a good pinch of nutmeg.


To assemble, place an eighth of the mushroom filling down the middle of each pancake. Fold over into a wrap and place side by side in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the pancakes. Sprinkle with some grated cheddar or Gruyère and bake in a pre heated high oven (about 200°C) for 20 minutes.






These pancakes are at their most delicious straight out of the oven, so don't hang about!






Until next time...

Chimichurri Paneer Stuffed Peppers

Firstly, Happy New Year! It always feels a bit weird saying that now we're almost two weeks into the new year, but there you go (and I  know I will be saying it a lot more come Monday when I return to uni!). For most people the new year means new beginnings... And how could I not mention those impossible new year's resolutions! Eat more healthily/ Do more exercise/ Stop swearing/ Be more organised/ Blah blah blah. I stopped making new years resolutions a few years ago, primarily because they were impossible to keep! But I do still like to make changes and new resolutions in my life when I feel like my life is getting too monotonous or heading in the wrong direction.  Sometimes at a low point during the year, sometimes when I'm sat in front of the TV thinking I could definitely be doing something more productive than this. Never anything as ambitious as "eat more healthily", nor as vague.  Something small, which over time can make a significant difference in my life or may just fizzle out having done its work leading me from the woes of monotony. 
It was a small change that led to this blog... and who knows where this will take me!

So in the spirit of ignoring those new year diet fads and January detox salad pickers, here's a recipe inspired by some new techniques and recipes I came across over the holidays (and sorry, it's the antithesis of fat free: CHEESE!): Mediterranean blackened sweet peppers, South American chimichurri marinade and a favourite in any Indian household, paneer (indian cheese)!
The blackened sweet pepper is what excites me the most about this recipe. It feels so wrong to grill a pepper until the skin turns back, I mean it's basically burnt! But peeling off the burnt skin reveals the softest, most intensely sweet pepper tasting flesh you'll ever try. I know you can buy these already done for you in jars, but where's the fun in that!?

This is a brilliant starter dish or a side for a main course. The sweetness of the pepper works especially well with the heat of the chilli. If you haven't tried paneer before, this is a great way to try it. Simple and delicious!

Chimichurri Paneer stuffed Peppers (makes 4):

4 medium to large red/yellow/orange peppers

250g paneer, cut into 1 inch cubes

approx 75g frozen spinach or a large handful of fresh washed spinach

approx 20 cashew nuts (optional, for chimichurri chutney)

For the chimichurri:-
a bunch of coriander

a bunch of parsley

1/2 hot green chillies

3 tbsp rapeseed/vegetable oil

1 tbsp water

4 tbsp lemon juice

Start by blackening your peppers. Simply stick them under a grill turned up to its hottest temperature. Turn as soon as the first side is blackened. Keep turning until all sides are blackened. Alternatively you can achieve the same effect by turning the peppers on an open flame or a really hot pan without any oil. Once the peppers are blackened. Let them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes then, peel off the skin and remove the stem and seeds.

Next, make the chimichurri marinade. Simply whiz the coriander, parsely, chillies (add according to how hot you like things), oil, water, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender until everything is combined into a liquid consistency.




Now, marinade the paneer in the chimichurri. (Hold about 4 to 5 tbsp of chimichurri back.) Coat each cube of paneer then cook in a dry pan for about 5 minutes on a medium heat until the paneer has softened. Add the spinach and keep tossing together until its completely defrosted. (Or if you're using fresh, cook until the spinach has wilted slightly.)

For the final assembly, just split the paneer mixture into four equal parts and stuff each pepper. Don't worry if the pepper splits in places, but try to keep it as intact as possible! These can be put in the fridge and kept for later or cooked immediately. To cook simply bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 190°C.

To serve with the stuffed peppers you can make a chimichurri chutney using the remainder of your chimichurri marinade. Simply add about 20 cashew nuts in the tray with the peppers as they bake. Remove the nuts after about 5 minutes once they've turned slightly golden in the oven. Whiz these up with the remaining chimichurri marinade and you'll have a chutney to serve with your stuffed peppers!

This is definitely a recipe to try, a definite crowd pleaser!


Until next time... 

Festive Filo

I think I've become a bit of a filo fanatic lately (filo pastry that is). There's so much to love about filo; you can fill it, top it, sandwich it. It has a fantastic texture too as it's so thin and crunchy once cooked. The thing I like most about it though is that, due to its versatility,  it's great to experiment with. You can take your favourite flavours and enjoy them together in a filo vehicle of choice ( a filo cup, cigar, boat, layers, dumpling etc).

This past month, it being party season and all, I've encountered quite a few filo recipes, all of which follow a similar structure to put together. I've tried mushrooms in bechamel sauce parcels, mushroom and spinach cups, cheese balls, baklava, strudel and the simplest yet most crowd pleasing, chocolate cigars! Filo is all the rage at parties so I decided to try my hand at a couple of sweet treats, perfect at this time of year.

Admittedly this first recipe is mainly my brothers invention (which is probably why it's so simple!) but it really hits the chocolate indulgence spot. I made them for my flat Christmas party and they disappeared pretty quickly!

Chocolate Cigars:

Filo pastry

nutella (or any chocolate spread you prefer)

melted butter

Simply brush a sheet of filo pastry using a pastry brush. Cut the sheet into strips according to the length you want your cigars to be. Spoon a line of nutella along one short edge of the strip and roll into a cigar shape. 

You can add chopped nuts or dried fruit for a little texture, or a splash of coffee or booze in the nutella for a more grown up version. However, there is nothing wrong with the original plain nutella, I mean it's nutella, you can't really go wrong!

Once rolled up, brush each cigar with a little more butter to ensure a golden finish. Line up the cigars on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C for about ten minutes or until golden brown.

To serve, wait until cooled and dust with icing sugar. The simplest of treats but delicious all the same!

My next recipe involves a little more effort, but includes a generous amount of apples (which in my opinion makes it all the more worth it) and is a simple way to feed lots of people. 

Apple strudel (makes 1 strudel):

6 or7 eating apples of your choice (I used a mix of gala and pink lady apples, crisp and sweet apples are preferable to softer varieties)

a generous handful of dried cranberries

a generous handful of mixed dried fruits (dates, sultanas, apricots - whatever you like)

3 tbsp of chopped nuts (walnuts work well, as do almonds or pistachios . I used a mix of almonds and pistachios)

1 lemon (both it's zest and juice)

2 tsp cinnamon powder

a pinch of nutmeg

3 or 4 tbsp demerara sugar

6 sheets of filo pastry

100g melted butter

Peel and grate the apples. Add the zest and juice of the lemon to the apples (zest it first as this is easier to do with a whole lemon). Set aside. 

Next, brush 1 sheet of filo with butter, layer another on top and brush with butter. Sprinkle over some sugar and cinammon. Continue with another layer of buttered filo, every two sheets of filo add a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon. (Note: you will not need all the sugar and cinnamon, you should have some left over)

Once all six sheets are piled on top of each other, spread the apple over the sheets. Squeeze out any excess liquid in the apples as you go. Now sprinkle over the remaining sugar and cinnamon plus the pinch of nutmeg. Sprinkle over the dried fruit and nuts, try to keep an even distribution of fruit and nuts across the pastry.

Carefully roll up the pastry like a Swiss roll. You do not need to roll it too tightly, but make sure the shape holds. Transfer the roll onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper brushed with butter. Finally, brush the top of the pastry roll with melted butter and sprinkle over some sugar and cinnamon. 

Bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C for at least 50 mins or until golden brown. It should take no longer than 1hr 5 mins. 

Enjoy warm with ice cream or custard, yum!

Until next time..

Easy Chinese Dumplings

Sometimes I just crave foods I've only ever eaten out in a restaurant. It's annoying because this means my craving can only be satisfied by actually going to the restaurant. This can prove problematic when it's summer and I no longer have the convenience of a student loan, the Bank of Dad is wearing thin, and I'm jobless. The worst is when I have a craving for something I am certain I could not even try to replicate at home. So when, earlier this summer, my mind became fixated with those dreamy, delicate, parcels of joy that are Chinese Dumplings, I was doomed. Or so I thought...

However a careful bit of research done in my eternity of spare time led me to discover that making Chinese Dumplings is actually very simple! No less than two store cupboard ingredients to make the pastry, not much kneading involved (something that has often put me off making home made bread and the like), and very little resting time which means these mini morsels of flavour can be ready to eat in no time at all.

Inevitably I endeavoured to try my hand at this tasty piece of Chinese artwork, deliciously satisfying my aching craving, saving myself a penny and being able to show off to family and friends. What's more is that instead of only getting about three or four dumplings of each filling, which is all you get in restaurants per portion (and obviously I'm too embarrassed to order the two or three portions I could easily eat), I can make as many of each filling as I like or more and store it in the freezer waiting for another bout "dumpling-craving-syndrome" to take over.

These were the end products. Slightly bigger and less artistic than anticipated but absolutely delicious all the same.

So here's how it's done.

For the pastry (this makes about 16 dumplings):

140g plain flour
125ml hot water (from the kettle)

Simply combine the water and flour in a bowl. Mix using a fork. Then, turn out on to a clean floured work surface and knead for about 8 minutes. 
Leave to rest covered with a damp teacloth for 20 minutes. (I used this resting time to prepare my filling.)
After the dough has rested, knead again for about 5 minutes. The dough should be easily malleable so the kneading won't strain your arm.
Roll out the dough into a long sausage and cut into 16 evenly sized pieces, again using a well floured work surface. Roll each piece into a round circle, fill with a mixture of your choice (about a teaspoon sized amount) and fold over into a crescent shape using a bit of water to stick the sides shut. Crimp the sides into an attractive fashion the best you can, and they're ready to cook! 

To cook simply steam in a steamer for about 3-5 minutes. To ensure the dumplings don't stick to the bottom of your steamer I advise placing each dumpling either on a piece or greaseproof paper or a lettuce leaf for authenticity. 
Serve with soy sauce topped with crunchy scatterings of spring onion to dip.

As I said, you can fill these dumplings with whatever takes your fancy. However, it is important the filling is not too wet else your dumplings will be hard to handle and end up a sloppy mess. Also, it is important to keep the filling small. Chop your ingredients as finely as you can manage. And lastly the filling must be tasty! After all the pastry is tasteless, you need something inside that will pack a punch.

Here's the filling I used:

1 carrot finely diced
3 spring onions finely chopped
1/2 a red pepper finely diced
7/8 green beans finely chopped
a few mushrooms
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 red chilli finely chopped (you can deseed the chilli to reduce the heat)
soy sauce
shaoxing rice wine vinegar
sesame oil

Heat a little oil in a pan. Get a good heat on the pan before adding the garlic and chilli. Fry for about a minute or so, then add the rest of the vegetables. Allow the vegetables to cook a little but not completely soften. Add about half a table spoon of the vinegar and a good splash soy sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning (the soy acting as salt). Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil for the real Chinese restaurant taste. 
Let the mixture cool before filling the dumplings. If the mixture seems too wet, put it over a sieve and let some of the liquid drain out. 


So, it's as easy as that! And they're as delicious as the ones you buy in a restaurant. Craving = satisfied! 

Until next time...

My Indian Vegetable Curry

I've called this post "My Indian Vegetable Curry" because yes, it is a recipe for vegetable curry, but it's my take on curry. Though they're not hard and fast, there still exist some unwritten rules to curry making in each region of India, rules particular to each region and general rules that apply to all Indian curries. These have mainly come to my knowledge through trying different kinds of curries and (inevitably, considering I come from a proud Gujarati family who think Gujarati cuisine is the supreme of all those in India) a little hear say. The Punjabi's cook with cream and ghee (clarified butter) and tend to flavour their food more heavy handedly than say Gujarati's, who prefer milder, more delicately flavoured curry with thoroughly cooked vegetables (some might say over cooked). Rajasthani cuisine is rich and uses a lot of wheat compared to South Indian food which prefers rice as its carbohydrate and is big on coconut milk. The array of curries available across India is astounding. And of course within each region there are even more variations. For my curry invention, I have taken elements from a variety of curries which I enjoy and probably broke the rules in all regions as a result! 

I started out by ignoring my Gujarati roots, heading straight for the pungent flavours of onion, garlic and ginger. I then indulged myself further in a tablespoon of rich ghee. One thing all curries have in common is the tempering process. This is when the cooking fat is permeated with the flavour of spices; it also takes the harshness away from the spices, bringing them together into a singular, deep and rounded taste. It was at this tempering stage that I decided, this curry was going to be mellow. A slow cooker.

The next step in my curry revolution was the combination of spices I used. With no rule book to constrain me, the spice cupboard was my oyster. Immediately drawn to cinnamon (I think I am in a decidedly Christmas mood these days) my head said warm and rounded, mellow is after all my motto. Nutmeg, star anise and cardamom followed suit. So far, super unconventional... but stick with me! If this was going to be a proper curry it had to involve heat in some way, but fiery heat and mellow do not match. As an alternative to hot heat, black pepper and peppercorns offer a gentle nudge where a chilli would give a karate style kick. And then the usual mix of tumeric, cumin and coriander joined the party. 

This whole process was the basis for my curry sauce, as I like the idea of making a curry sauce separately to the vegetables that will eventually go in it. To finish the sauce all that was needed was some whizzed up tomatoes, and then I whacked the whole lot in a blender. This is a brilliant technique, as now the sauce is ready to douse anything you wish; vegetables, rice, meat, whatever takes your fancy! My goal being a vegetable curry, the sauce was used to coat and enrich a vegetable medley of potato, carrot and courgette which had been steamed gently until cooked.

Though at first glance it might not seem it, this curry recipe really works. The slow cooking technique is what makes this curry mellow, all the flavours mingle slowly and eventually mesh into one rounded taste. The spices I've used are warming and gentle, great for those who don't like heat of chilli but love the layers of flavour in curries. 



Here's the details of this recipe:  

1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp coriander and cumin powder
a pinch of cumin
a pinch of black pepper 
a pinch of cardamom
a pinch of nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole black peppercorns
1 star anise
2 medium white onion, sliced thinly
1 inch ginger piece, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, peeled whole
2 tomatoes, skinned and whizzed into liquid
1 tbsp ghee

Cook the onion, garlic and ginger in the ghee on a low to medium heat, with the cinnamon sticks, star anise and black peppercorns. Let this cook slowly for 15 to 20 minutes with a tbsp of salt until everything is softened but not brown. Add the rest of the dry spices and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Finally add the liquid tomatoes and season with salt again, about 1 tbsp should be enough. Cook gently for a further 10 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, then remove the stare anise and blend in liquidizer. Return to the heat and this is the point to check the seasoning with a quick taste. Add a tbsp of yoghurt to finish off when serving. Delicious!

To make the vegetable curry (feeds about 4 to 6):

2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 courgette, cut into 1 inch pieces
a large handful of spinach

Simply, steam the veg until cooked. The carrots and potato will take about 10 minutes, the courgette 5 and the spinach will only take a minute to wilt down. Once cooked simply mix with the curry sauce.
My carbohydrate of choice comes form the South in the form of rice, but feel free to serve with whatever takes your fancy!



Until next time...