Egg Curry

I love eggs!!  This curry is delicious. Fantastic on cold wintry days when one is enjoying beside the fire watching East Enders - my idea of heaven :-)

 

4 Eggs (hard boiled)
1 onion
1/2 tomato (pureed)
3-4 flakes of garlic
1/2-inch piece of ginger
1-2 green chilies
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Salt To Taste
Red chili powder to taste
3/4th tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp garam masala
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil / ghee
1 cup green peas or 250 gms paneer/ or sauted peppers

Preparation:

• Remove the shell of boiled eggs & keep aside. If using Paneer  cut into cubes and fry till golden & set aside for later use.
• Make a paste of onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies in a  mixer or chopper.
• Heat oil in a kadhi or wok  and add onion-garlic paste and fry till golden brown.
• Add all the spices (salt, turmeric, coriander & chili powder) except garam masala and fry for a minute and add tomato puree. Fry  till it starts leaving oil.
• Add a cup of water and cook till it dry's.
• Now add the fried paneer cubes or green peas/ sauted peppers and boiled eggs.
• Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil and reduce the flame.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Garnish egg curry with garam masala and coriander leaves and serve hot with paratha, roti or rice.

 

Potato dauphinoise

This is one of Gordon Ramsay's recipe and I love it - Was a perfect treat for me last night after the horrendous fall :-)

For this creamy potato dauphinoise gratin, you need to buy a waxy variety that will retain its texture as it absorbs liquid. A traditional gratin is cooked entirely in the oven, but I prefer to simmer the potatoes first in milk on the hob, then finish the dish in the oven. This method cuts the cooking time and gives you a more dependable result. The potatoes should be of a similar size.

600g waxy potatoes (such as Maris Piper)
350ml milk
350ml double cream
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
90g Gruyère cheese, grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 200C, Gas 6. Peel the potatoes thinly, then slice evenly into 1cm slices. Bring the milk and cream to the boil in a large saucepan and add the garlic, herbs and seasoning. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
2 Slide the potatoes into the pan and stir gently. Simmer for about 7 minutes until the potato slices are only just tender; they should hold their shape and retain a bite. Drain the par-cooked potatoes in a colander over a bowl to catch the milk.
3 Layer the potatoes in a shallow ovenproof dish, sprinkling two thirds of the cheese and seasoning in between the layers. Trickle a little of the saved milk over each layer too.
4 Pour a little more of the milk around the sides, but not too much - just enough to moisten. Sprinkle over the last of the cheese.
5 Place the dish in a shallow roasting tin and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to bubble and turn golden brown. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Ayush's Banoffe Pie

Banoffe Pie - I am not very keen on fruits but bananas are manageable (only in a pie). I had found this recipe on the internet ages ago but had never had a chance to try it - so yesterday to cheer myself up after being miserable in the snow for the last few days I gave it a shot and my my it was delicious. I have already scoffed off more than half of it!!!

• 300g oaty biscuits (Hob Nobs are good)
• 60g butter , melted
• 397g tined Caramel
• 3 large bananas, sliced
• 350ml double cream
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 100g dark chocolate

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Crush the biscuits in a food processor then add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the mixture into a 24cm tart tin, with a removable base, in an even layer. Transfer the tin to a baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes, until lightly toasted and set. Leave to cool then gently release from the tin and put on a serving plate.
2. Spread the caramel over the biscuit base and chill for 1 hour. Arrange the banana slices over the toffee. Whip the cream and sugar together to form soft peaks and spread over the bananas. Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water. Allow to cool slightly, before drizzling over the cream.

Baked Okra with Cheese

Well this is for all my friends who have been asking for more vegetarian recipes. Well I love okra and this recipe is very easy to prepare and does not take very long  I always eat this as a starter and it is absolutely delicious, Try it and let me know how you get on!!

 

 

2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen whole okra, partially thawed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp. butter
1 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

 

Place okra in a single layer in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dot with butter.cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil. Place under broiler until brown. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes

Greek Roasted Vegetables with Halloumi

Halloumi - a delicious cheese from Cyprus goes fantastically with roasted vegetables. I call this recipe Greek, but it is kind of my idea of Greek - it is also based on Nigella Lawson's Potato and Halloumi bake.

 large chunks and wedges:

• 1 x large white onion
• 1 x red onion
• 1 x large bulb of fennel
• 1 x large red pepper
• 2 x large baby aubergines
• 1 x large courgette

• about six whole cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
• a handful of fresh mint
• lots of black pepper

generous glug of olive oil and mixed it all up to coat the veg.
No salt because it turns the veg mushy and the Halloumi is already salty.
put it in an oven preheated to 200C and leave it there for about 45 mins to an hour.
When it comes out  squeeze some lemon juice over it, finely slice the
Halloumi and put a layer all over the veg and then put it under a very
hot grill. Add a bit more mint as well and serve it with brown
pittas.
The left overs will probably make a nice salad for tomorrow.

Watercress Soup

Now this may should weird but I find nothing more relaxing than coming back from work and making a nice delicious meal for myself. It may sound weird but that is my idea of perfect bliss. Last few days the weather has been horrible here in Glasgow - it has been raining constantly and the wind has broken my brand new umbrella :-). Last night I decided to make this delicious watercress soup and baked my home made carrot and chilli bread. I will post the carrot and chilli bread later in the mean time try this!!

1 Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
25g butter
250g potatoes, peeled and diced
600ml chicken stock
2 x 85g bags of watercress, roughly chopped
50ml cream
a little milk if needed
salt and black pepper

In a large pan, cook the onion in the butter until soft but not browned.

Add the potatoes and stock and cook until the potatoes are soft (approx 15-20 minutes). When potatoes are almost cooked, add the watercress (try to allow not longer than 5 minutes cooking time for the watercress). Liquidise, add the cream. Use a little extra milk if the soup seems too thick. Season with salt and black pepper and serve hot.

Chocolate Ricotta Muffins

This is one more recipe I tried from the book from the library and absolutely loved it !!! Ricotta is a sweet, moist and grainy soft textured cheese that gives these Chocolate Ricotta Muffins a cheesecake-like taste and texture. They provide a double dose of chocolate; one from cocoa powder and the other from chocolate chips. 
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cup (320 ml) milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (60 grams) Dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees ). Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 16 muffin pans with paper liners or spray with a non stick vegetable spray.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and cooled and melted butter, mixing well. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined and then fold in the chocolate chips. Do not over mix this batter or the muffins will be tough when baked.  
Divide the batter amongst the 16 muffin cups using two spoons or an ice cream scoop.
Place in the oven and bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.