It's amazing what curry powder can do to a leg of chicken and a couple of parsnips. All you need is a few tablespoons of this magic dust, rubbed on and under the skin of the chicken, which then goes into the oven for 45 minutes alongside some parsnips.
Serve it alongside some steamed frozen green beans and you've got a great weeknight twist on meat and two veg.
Showing posts with label curry recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label curry recipes. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
winter foods: turkey
Gobble gobble. This bird must spend the second half of the year dreading his fate. Poultry is often dry, and turkey suffers the worst of this. But there’s lots that can be done with turkey, before or after the big day.
Mexican turkey soup
Shredded turkey with salsa, black beans and soft tortillas, topped with a bit of cheese, avocado and fresh coriander.
Turkey curry
Every time I hear of this dish I think of Bridget Jones' mum Una and her "turkey curry buffet". Sounds positively awful. But it doesn't have to be - this turkey and parsnip curry sounds quite nice (but make your own curry paste). Or this turkey, lemon and coconut curry.
Cold turkey with potatoes and anchovies
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe for leftover roast turkey sounds lovely - I definitely want to make it on the 26th or 27th of December this year.
Turkey sandwiches
In an ideal world, we'd eat our sandwiches with loads of brie, stuffing and cranberry sauce alongside the turkey. But there are plenty of other, healthier ideas, such as turkey, beetroot and avocado or turkey, feta and green olive tapenade.
Mexican turkey soup
Shredded turkey with salsa, black beans and soft tortillas, topped with a bit of cheese, avocado and fresh coriander.
Turkey curry
Every time I hear of this dish I think of Bridget Jones' mum Una and her "turkey curry buffet". Sounds positively awful. But it doesn't have to be - this turkey and parsnip curry sounds quite nice (but make your own curry paste). Or this turkey, lemon and coconut curry.
Cold turkey with potatoes and anchovies
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe for leftover roast turkey sounds lovely - I definitely want to make it on the 26th or 27th of December this year.
Turkey sandwiches
In an ideal world, we'd eat our sandwiches with loads of brie, stuffing and cranberry sauce alongside the turkey. But there are plenty of other, healthier ideas, such as turkey, beetroot and avocado or turkey, feta and green olive tapenade.
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
get your freeze on
As you may have noticed, I’ve been having trouble keeping up at the moment, as evidenced by my almost month-long absence from the site. With work, husband’s work, budgetary concerns, and other matters, my creative spark seems to have eluded me.
But that might not be it. Instead, my creative spark eludes me after I get off of the bus at 6:30pm every weekday. What I had imagined cooking when I made my shopping list the week before just sounds like a chore. I’m too tired.
I imagine I’m not the only one to whom this happens. But after a month of it, I’m bored with not cooking, either. So what do I do?
After getting some good advice and having a spare Saturday afternoon, I finally come to a good solution: make it ahead, and freeze it.
Now of course this isn’t always a good option. Freezing pasta would just be silly. (Or at least I think it would be.) But sauces, soups and curries – now that’s a whole other story. So a couple of Saturdays ago, I concocted a lovely aubergine and red lentil curry, but didn’t have it until just this past Saturday, after a long day out. Whilst we paraded around London, our little curry sat at home, defrosting, waiting for us to come home and love it.
Love it we did, too. It was gorgeous! I think that week in the freezer did wonders for it.
So for the time being, I’m on the lookout for great meals I can make and freeze ahead of time. Any ideas? Try this one while you ponder.
Aubergine and red lentil curry
(serves 2 medium-sized portion or 1 large, 1 small portion)
1 aubergine, sliced lengthways
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of water
100 g carrots, julienned
1 large onion, quartered
2 tbsp groundnut oil
75g red lentils, dried
50 g creamed coconut
3 tbsp lime juice
3 spring onions
1 chilli, seeds removed
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp fennel seeds, ground
1 tsp cayenne
150 g wholegrain rice
3 tbsp fat-free natural yogurt (optional)
2 tbsp lime pickle (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Spray a foil-lined roasting tin with a couple sprays of olive oil. Salt the halves of aubergine and place face-down on the tin. Roast for 45 minutes.
In a food processor, chop up the spring onions, lime juice, chilli, and garlic.
To prepare the curry, heat the spices in a large pot over med-high heat. Add the onion and stir to coat the onion with the spices. Add the oil and saute for about 3 minutes. Then add in half of the food-processed mixture.
Add the chopped tomatoes in slowly, so that the tomatoes bubble over the high heat. Add the water too. Once it’s all in, mix and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the red lentils as per the packet instructions (Generally, this just involves bringing to a boil and reducing to a simmer for about 25 minutes.)
When the lentils are ready, drain them. Add the coconut to the food processed mixture, and chop/combine again. Then add this mixture to the red lentils. Set this to the side.
When the aubergines are ready, remove from the oven and use a fork to scrap out the flesh. Chop up if necessary, and then add to the curry. Then add in the coconut lentil mixture and stir through. Check the seasoning, and add any as required.
If you’re freezing for later, stop here, allow the curry to cool, and then transfer to a freezable container.
When eating, just bring back to a simmer and allow to heat through. Serve with rice, with bits of yogurt and lime pickle on the side. (To ensure that everyone’s properly full, consider serving naan bread as an extra.)
Calories: 1 small serving (1/3 of the curry, 50g rice (dry weight), 1 tbsp yogurt and 1 tbsp lime pickle): 680
Let me tell you, this made my Saturday night. I ate happily, knowing I’d created a fabulous, wholesome meal, but barely had to lift a finger.
But that might not be it. Instead, my creative spark eludes me after I get off of the bus at 6:30pm every weekday. What I had imagined cooking when I made my shopping list the week before just sounds like a chore. I’m too tired.
I imagine I’m not the only one to whom this happens. But after a month of it, I’m bored with not cooking, either. So what do I do?
After getting some good advice and having a spare Saturday afternoon, I finally come to a good solution: make it ahead, and freeze it.
Now of course this isn’t always a good option. Freezing pasta would just be silly. (Or at least I think it would be.) But sauces, soups and curries – now that’s a whole other story. So a couple of Saturdays ago, I concocted a lovely aubergine and red lentil curry, but didn’t have it until just this past Saturday, after a long day out. Whilst we paraded around London, our little curry sat at home, defrosting, waiting for us to come home and love it.
Love it we did, too. It was gorgeous! I think that week in the freezer did wonders for it.
So for the time being, I’m on the lookout for great meals I can make and freeze ahead of time. Any ideas? Try this one while you ponder.
Aubergine and red lentil curry
(serves 2 medium-sized portion or 1 large, 1 small portion)
1 aubergine, sliced lengthways
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of water
100 g carrots, julienned
1 large onion, quartered
2 tbsp groundnut oil
75g red lentils, dried
50 g creamed coconut
3 tbsp lime juice
3 spring onions
1 chilli, seeds removed
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp fennel seeds, ground
1 tsp cayenne
150 g wholegrain rice
3 tbsp fat-free natural yogurt (optional)
2 tbsp lime pickle (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Spray a foil-lined roasting tin with a couple sprays of olive oil. Salt the halves of aubergine and place face-down on the tin. Roast for 45 minutes.
In a food processor, chop up the spring onions, lime juice, chilli, and garlic.
To prepare the curry, heat the spices in a large pot over med-high heat. Add the onion and stir to coat the onion with the spices. Add the oil and saute for about 3 minutes. Then add in half of the food-processed mixture.
Add the chopped tomatoes in slowly, so that the tomatoes bubble over the high heat. Add the water too. Once it’s all in, mix and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the red lentils as per the packet instructions (Generally, this just involves bringing to a boil and reducing to a simmer for about 25 minutes.)
When the lentils are ready, drain them. Add the coconut to the food processed mixture, and chop/combine again. Then add this mixture to the red lentils. Set this to the side.
When the aubergines are ready, remove from the oven and use a fork to scrap out the flesh. Chop up if necessary, and then add to the curry. Then add in the coconut lentil mixture and stir through. Check the seasoning, and add any as required.
If you’re freezing for later, stop here, allow the curry to cool, and then transfer to a freezable container.
When eating, just bring back to a simmer and allow to heat through. Serve with rice, with bits of yogurt and lime pickle on the side. (To ensure that everyone’s properly full, consider serving naan bread as an extra.)
Calories: 1 small serving (1/3 of the curry, 50g rice (dry weight), 1 tbsp yogurt and 1 tbsp lime pickle): 680
Let me tell you, this made my Saturday night. I ate happily, knowing I’d created a fabulous, wholesome meal, but barely had to lift a finger.
Monday, 24 March 2008
five ways with…broccoli and chilli
A fellow book-clubber has been struggling. She loves the combo of broccoli and chilli, but can’t quite convince her other half of its merits. She’s tried a pasta dish with the duo, plus another pasta dish that also includes ham (usually the way to any man’s heart!) As yet, no luck.
So I’ve been brainstorming. What are tasty – healthy – ways to use broccoli and chilli? It should be a piece of cake – it’s a classic Italian combination. But personal tastes always come into it (as do genetics, actually – researchers have found that some of us have a genetic marker which predisposes us to certain bitter tastes such as broccoli, watercress and horseradish… so we may be fighting a losing battle.) But I’ll proceed as if we’re simply in search of that elusive perfect recipe.
1. frittata
Just yesterday, for Easter breakfast, I made an excellent broccoli and mushroom frittata – very easy, very healthy. You may have seen some of my other frittatas here… or here. They’re surprisingly quick to make, and extremely versatile too – broccoli and ham work, as does asparagus and smoked salmon – really any combination you like. So why not broccoli and chilli?
Or, if you’re not comfortable with chilli actually IN the frittata, make a lovely tomato-chilli relish to serve with the frittata. One downside to frittatas is that they can be quite dry, so salsa on the side would be a fabulous addition. Standard or purple-sprouting would both work well, though I would prefer purple-sprouting if given the choice.
broccoli-mushroom frittata with cheddar
(serves 2)
1 pack purple-sprouting broccoli, rinsed, trimmed, and halved for ease
1 pack (250 g) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
3 spring onions, chopped
4 medium eggs
a splash of skim milk
salt and pepper
10 sprays olive oil
60 g reduced-fat cheddar, grated
First, braise the broccoli in 2-cm deep water for 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli and keep to the side.
Spray the olive oil to a large shallow pan and heat to high. Add the mushrooms and sautee for about 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan gets way too dry.
Preheat the grill/broiler to medium.
Add the broccoli to the pan and sauté for a few minutes more. While that’s happening, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper with a fork in a bowl or Pyrex jug. Add the spring onions to the jug.
Reduce the heat to medium and pour the egg mixture slowly into the pan so that all of the nooks and crannies between the broccoli and mushrooms are filled. Cook over moderate heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is cooked but the top is still moist.
Scatter the cheddar evenly over the eggs and then place the pan under the grill for about 4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Be careful not to overcook.
Use the spatula to divide the frittata into four pieces and lift out carefully.
Serving options: a small side salad, a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, or a tomato-chilli salsa (see below)
3-4 tomatoes, chopped finely
juice of half a lemon
2 shallots (or 1/2 an onion), chopped finely
1 large red chilli, chopped finely (seeds removed if desired)
Chop and mix together in a bowl and spoon onto the plate with the frittata (or combine all these into a bowl and pulse with a hand blender)
2. stir-fry
Here’s a great Chinese-inspired recipe. It’s almost too simple, which is why it’s often overlooked. But like the frittata, a stir-fry happily accepts any vegetable you throw at it.
If using broccoli and chilli, I’d also recommend throwing in some carrot, and perhaps some mushrooms too. (Ginger would work great too.) Stir fry with just a few sprays of olive oil, a glug or two of soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon or lime and as many splashes of water that you need to keep the stir-fry moist.
Serve with noodles or rice, whichever you prefer. Sprinkle over some toasted sesame seeds.
Or, if protein is a must – the world is your oyster with this dish – or your prawn, chicken, smoked salmon or even thinly-sliced lean beef.
3. italian style
I tried this pasta dish a few weeks back and loved it. It passed the boy test recently too. Inspired by a great Italian recipe in a cookery book I recently bought, it’s got anchovies, but I used chicken to bulk it up. It’s so tasty.
I thought I blogged about it, but looking back it appears I haven't. I recall cracking open a bottle of red wine that night, actually...
Here's Orecchiette ai broccoli (out of Tessa Kiros' cookery book Twelve), modified to suit my own ends:
broccoli-chicken pasta with chilli and anchovy
(serves 2 generously)
500 g broccoli, trimmed and chopped (if using purple-sprouting broccoli, trim and halve lengthwise)
250 g diced chicken breast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 chillis, chopped, reserving half of the seeds
100 g tinned salted anchovy fillets
250 g dry pasta of your choice (I used wholewheat fusilli, but anything will work)
75 g freshly-grated parmesan
salt and pepper
Cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon, leaving the cooking water in the pot.
Saute the chicken, for about 10 minutes, in a frying pan with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Transfer the chicken to a side plate.
Bring the reserved cooking water to a boil and add the pasta, cooking as per instructions.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in the pan and add the garlic, chilli and anchovies. Mash the anchovies into the oil with a wooden spoon. After about 4 minutes, add the broccoli and coat in the flavoured oil. Add the chicken too.
When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving about 250 ml of the water. Toss the pasta, broccoli, reserved water together. Stir through half of the parmesan and divide into bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and serve.
This dish (as you may have guessed) goes fabulously with a bottle of red wine.
4. curry-fy it
A simple curry at home is always a winner. And there’s no reason it can’t include broccoli. I’ve done with aubergine, with sweet potato, so why not broccoli? Keep the bites small, and make sure you add plenty of onions, chopped tomatoes, and chilli (along with all those other lovely Indian spices). Use any other veggies you like in addition to the broccoli and chilli. (I'd recommend using two big chillis, but perhaps only 1/2 of the seeds.)
See here for an example of a curry-at-home.
5. if all else fails…
Serve it as a side dish (sautéed) with a fat, juicy steak. You can’t lose. Just pick a lean cut.
So I’ve been brainstorming. What are tasty – healthy – ways to use broccoli and chilli? It should be a piece of cake – it’s a classic Italian combination. But personal tastes always come into it (as do genetics, actually – researchers have found that some of us have a genetic marker which predisposes us to certain bitter tastes such as broccoli, watercress and horseradish… so we may be fighting a losing battle.) But I’ll proceed as if we’re simply in search of that elusive perfect recipe.
1. frittata
Just yesterday, for Easter breakfast, I made an excellent broccoli and mushroom frittata – very easy, very healthy. You may have seen some of my other frittatas here… or here. They’re surprisingly quick to make, and extremely versatile too – broccoli and ham work, as does asparagus and smoked salmon – really any combination you like. So why not broccoli and chilli?
Or, if you’re not comfortable with chilli actually IN the frittata, make a lovely tomato-chilli relish to serve with the frittata. One downside to frittatas is that they can be quite dry, so salsa on the side would be a fabulous addition. Standard or purple-sprouting would both work well, though I would prefer purple-sprouting if given the choice.
broccoli-mushroom frittata with cheddar
(serves 2)
1 pack purple-sprouting broccoli, rinsed, trimmed, and halved for ease
1 pack (250 g) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
3 spring onions, chopped
4 medium eggs
a splash of skim milk
salt and pepper
10 sprays olive oil
60 g reduced-fat cheddar, grated
First, braise the broccoli in 2-cm deep water for 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli and keep to the side.
Spray the olive oil to a large shallow pan and heat to high. Add the mushrooms and sautee for about 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan gets way too dry.
Preheat the grill/broiler to medium.
Add the broccoli to the pan and sauté for a few minutes more. While that’s happening, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper with a fork in a bowl or Pyrex jug. Add the spring onions to the jug.
Reduce the heat to medium and pour the egg mixture slowly into the pan so that all of the nooks and crannies between the broccoli and mushrooms are filled. Cook over moderate heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is cooked but the top is still moist.
Scatter the cheddar evenly over the eggs and then place the pan under the grill for about 4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling. Be careful not to overcook.
Use the spatula to divide the frittata into four pieces and lift out carefully.
Serving options: a small side salad, a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, or a tomato-chilli salsa (see below)
3-4 tomatoes, chopped finely
juice of half a lemon
2 shallots (or 1/2 an onion), chopped finely
1 large red chilli, chopped finely (seeds removed if desired)
Chop and mix together in a bowl and spoon onto the plate with the frittata (or combine all these into a bowl and pulse with a hand blender)
2. stir-fry
Here’s a great Chinese-inspired recipe. It’s almost too simple, which is why it’s often overlooked. But like the frittata, a stir-fry happily accepts any vegetable you throw at it.
If using broccoli and chilli, I’d also recommend throwing in some carrot, and perhaps some mushrooms too. (Ginger would work great too.) Stir fry with just a few sprays of olive oil, a glug or two of soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon or lime and as many splashes of water that you need to keep the stir-fry moist.
Serve with noodles or rice, whichever you prefer. Sprinkle over some toasted sesame seeds.
Or, if protein is a must – the world is your oyster with this dish – or your prawn, chicken, smoked salmon or even thinly-sliced lean beef.
3. italian style
I tried this pasta dish a few weeks back and loved it. It passed the boy test recently too. Inspired by a great Italian recipe in a cookery book I recently bought, it’s got anchovies, but I used chicken to bulk it up. It’s so tasty.
I thought I blogged about it, but looking back it appears I haven't. I recall cracking open a bottle of red wine that night, actually...
Here's Orecchiette ai broccoli (out of Tessa Kiros' cookery book Twelve), modified to suit my own ends:
broccoli-chicken pasta with chilli and anchovy
(serves 2 generously)
500 g broccoli, trimmed and chopped (if using purple-sprouting broccoli, trim and halve lengthwise)
250 g diced chicken breast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 chillis, chopped, reserving half of the seeds
100 g tinned salted anchovy fillets
250 g dry pasta of your choice (I used wholewheat fusilli, but anything will work)
75 g freshly-grated parmesan
salt and pepper
Cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon, leaving the cooking water in the pot.
Saute the chicken, for about 10 minutes, in a frying pan with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Transfer the chicken to a side plate.
Bring the reserved cooking water to a boil and add the pasta, cooking as per instructions.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in the pan and add the garlic, chilli and anchovies. Mash the anchovies into the oil with a wooden spoon. After about 4 minutes, add the broccoli and coat in the flavoured oil. Add the chicken too.
When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving about 250 ml of the water. Toss the pasta, broccoli, reserved water together. Stir through half of the parmesan and divide into bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and serve.
This dish (as you may have guessed) goes fabulously with a bottle of red wine.
4. curry-fy it
A simple curry at home is always a winner. And there’s no reason it can’t include broccoli. I’ve done with aubergine, with sweet potato, so why not broccoli? Keep the bites small, and make sure you add plenty of onions, chopped tomatoes, and chilli (along with all those other lovely Indian spices). Use any other veggies you like in addition to the broccoli and chilli. (I'd recommend using two big chillis, but perhaps only 1/2 of the seeds.)
See here for an example of a curry-at-home.
5. if all else fails…
Serve it as a side dish (sautéed) with a fat, juicy steak. You can’t lose. Just pick a lean cut.
Thursday, 17 January 2008
the perfect winter curry
I don’t normally like to list the number of calories first in a list of virtues about a particular food, but it’s worth a mention when it comes to swede. Per 100 g, there are only 23 calories! Add that to the fact that swede is filling, tasty, and, quite importantly, cheap, and it’s obvious that this is a vegetable not to be ignored.
The history of the humble swede (also called rutabaga) is such that many people avoid it like the plague. In wartimes and famine, the vegetable continued to be cultivated, so that it was an everyday meal. I can understand how that might get a bit boring.
Here’s the fun part – coming up with exciting and different ways to use swede. Try this one – I did last night, with excellent results.
Swede, lentil and spinach curry
(serves 2)
1 medium onion, chopped roughly
1 clove of garlic, chopped
50 g lentilles vertes, rinsed
1 swede (about 500 g), peeled and chopped into 2-3 cm cubes
1 can of chopped tomatoes
water
10-20 sprays of olive oil
3 large handfuls of spinach, rinsed
150 g brown rice, rinsed
spices, to taste (feel free to add your own mixture), including:
curry powder (or garam masala),
cinnamon,
ground ginger,
ground coriander,
turmeric,
mustard seeds,
cumin seeds and/or ground,
ground cardamom,
cloves
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Add the swede to a saucepan with cold water and parboil for approximately five minutes. Drain and add to a foil-lined roasting tin with a few sprays of olive oil and plenty of curry powder. Roast for 30 minutes.
Add the lentils to a small saucepan with plenty of water and boil for 10 minutes, then reducing to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the rice to boiling water. Bring back to the boil and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 30 minutes.
When 10 minutes are left until the swede is done, heat the olive oil spray in a wok. Once hot, add the onion and all of the spices and stir quickly to toast the spices while making sure they don’t burn. Add the garlic. Stirfry quickly for a couple of minutes, then adding the chopped tomatoes. Fill the can with water (or stock, if preferred) add add to the mixture. Bring to a bubble and then reduce the heat to medium. Check the sauce for taste, adding spices as desired.
Add the lentils, first draining excess liquid if necessary. Remove the swede from the roasting tin, mixing well to ensure the swede is covered by the sauce. Allow to bubble for at least another 10 minutes, though you can leave it longer if you like to allow the flavours to really soak in.
Add the spinach and mix through until wilted.
Drain the rice and transfer to large bowls. Spoon the curry over the rice and serve immediately.
Half of the curry + a 50g serving (dry) of brown rice = 425 calories.
I gave my husband 100 g worth of rice, partly to fill him up so he won’t snack on a lot of rubbish later in the evening! He absolutely loved it, and I got the official seal of approval: “We can have this again.”
The history of the humble swede (also called rutabaga) is such that many people avoid it like the plague. In wartimes and famine, the vegetable continued to be cultivated, so that it was an everyday meal. I can understand how that might get a bit boring.
Here’s the fun part – coming up with exciting and different ways to use swede. Try this one – I did last night, with excellent results.
Swede, lentil and spinach curry
(serves 2)
1 medium onion, chopped roughly
1 clove of garlic, chopped
50 g lentilles vertes, rinsed
1 swede (about 500 g), peeled and chopped into 2-3 cm cubes
1 can of chopped tomatoes
water
10-20 sprays of olive oil
3 large handfuls of spinach, rinsed
150 g brown rice, rinsed
spices, to taste (feel free to add your own mixture), including:
curry powder (or garam masala),
cinnamon,
ground ginger,
ground coriander,
turmeric,
mustard seeds,
cumin seeds and/or ground,
ground cardamom,
cloves
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Add the swede to a saucepan with cold water and parboil for approximately five minutes. Drain and add to a foil-lined roasting tin with a few sprays of olive oil and plenty of curry powder. Roast for 30 minutes.
Add the lentils to a small saucepan with plenty of water and boil for 10 minutes, then reducing to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the rice to boiling water. Bring back to the boil and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 30 minutes.
When 10 minutes are left until the swede is done, heat the olive oil spray in a wok. Once hot, add the onion and all of the spices and stir quickly to toast the spices while making sure they don’t burn. Add the garlic. Stirfry quickly for a couple of minutes, then adding the chopped tomatoes. Fill the can with water (or stock, if preferred) add add to the mixture. Bring to a bubble and then reduce the heat to medium. Check the sauce for taste, adding spices as desired.
Add the lentils, first draining excess liquid if necessary. Remove the swede from the roasting tin, mixing well to ensure the swede is covered by the sauce. Allow to bubble for at least another 10 minutes, though you can leave it longer if you like to allow the flavours to really soak in.
Add the spinach and mix through until wilted.
Drain the rice and transfer to large bowls. Spoon the curry over the rice and serve immediately.
Half of the curry + a 50g serving (dry) of brown rice = 425 calories.
I gave my husband 100 g worth of rice, partly to fill him up so he won’t snack on a lot of rubbish later in the evening! He absolutely loved it, and I got the official seal of approval: “We can have this again.”
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
cooking for three
Last night we had a friend over for dinner. Often, inviting friends and family over for dinner is so much nicer than meeting them for drinks in a pub. The only difficulty I encounter centres around the fact that I cook in the kitchen, while my guests relax in the living room. Luckily, in a semi-open plan kitchen/living room, these problems can be overcome.
It's often best to make something you're comfortable with that's relatively easy to make. It may not have a short cooking time, but rather, short 'attention time'.
My roasted aubergine curry works perfectly in these situations. The aubergines take time to roast – maybe 30, 40 minutes depending on the size – but the oven works away whilst I enjoy a glass of wine and a chat. The wholegrain rice bubbles away whilst I scrape the aubergine out with a fork and allow the curry (chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a mix of favourite Indian seasonings and spices) to simmer.
Planning for three is not much more difficult than cooking for two. As our guest is a man with a similar appetite to my husband's, I knew to double the serving I normally give him.
Aubergine curry for three
3 smallish aubergines, halved and roasted
2 onions, quartered
½ a chilli
1 clove of garlic
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
About 20 sprays of olive oil
Favourite Indian spices (I use a mix of cumin seeds, chilli powder, cinnamon, ginger, garam masala, or madras curry powder)
250 g rice (50 for a small serving, 100 g each for a double-sized serving)
I've cooked this curry before (back in mid-July), so see the cooking instructions here.
As for healthy credentials, aubergine curry is fairly unbeatable: not too much oil, and no cream or coconut milk necessary, but it's absolutely packed with amazing flavours. The soft, sweet-sour flesh of the aubergine absorbs the Indian-spiced onion and tomato flavours of the curry so well. As always, the longer the curry can simmer for, the better!
Sunday, 22 July 2007
roasted aubergine curry
I'm on a curry binge. Since having Marsh Ruby's curry earlier this week (see last post), I can't get curry off the brain. I think I've read somewhere that the spices are addictive - but actually, I think it boils down to the fact that the spice mixture is so unique. There just isn't anything like it.
I love taking the time to grind my own spices, but that's not always possible. (Though you can do this and freeze the extra). On Friday night, I was tired after a long week at work and simply felt like relaxing, but I craved another curry.
Ta-da! Roasted aubergine curry. I almost always have an aubergine in my kitchen - and everything else you need is generally in the cupboards - chopped tomatoes, onions, dried spices.
roasted aubergine curry
(serves 2)
1 very large aubergine, halved or two smaller ones
olive oil spray
salt and pepper
1 tin chopped tomatoes or peeled plum tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and quartered
spices - turmeric, a garam masala blend, mustard seeds, ground coriander (essential), cayenne pepper, cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Spray a foil-lined roasting tin with about 10 sprays of olive oil, and placed the halved aubergines face down. Season with Maldon salt. Spray the tops of the aubergine too. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes.
When the aubergines are done, shred the insides with a fork and pile onto a plate. You can get rid of the skins (or eat them if you like, but they can be a little bitter).
Spray a wok with 10 sprays of olive oil and heat the pan to a relatively high heat. Toss in the onions and all the spices and let them almost dry-roast for a minute or two. Add some of the tomato juice if it seems like the spices are going to burn.
Once the pan's hot enough - pour the rest of the tomatoes in, adding a little water if necessary, and all of the shredded roast aubergine (which looks absolutely divine). Let it simmer for as long as you like (obviously, the longer the better, though this can be eaten after letting it simmer for about 15 minutes). Taste and season as necessary - I needed a bit of extra ground coriander - but it's all down to your individual taste.
Serve equal portions of the curry with brown rice - or, as I did on Friday - quinoa. It was my first time with this perplexing grain. More on that later.
Calories: curry with 50 g quinoa or rice - 300, with 100 g quinoa or rice - 475.
I loved this - it was healthy, filling, easy and tasty. But there's not just me to consider here - what about the man who doesn't need/want/have to watch what he eats? "We can have this again," he stated, with his brilliant Doncastrian no-fuss accent, before diving back in for another mouthful. Job done, I suppose.
I love taking the time to grind my own spices, but that's not always possible. (Though you can do this and freeze the extra). On Friday night, I was tired after a long week at work and simply felt like relaxing, but I craved another curry.
Ta-da! Roasted aubergine curry. I almost always have an aubergine in my kitchen - and everything else you need is generally in the cupboards - chopped tomatoes, onions, dried spices.
roasted aubergine curry
(serves 2)
1 very large aubergine, halved or two smaller ones
olive oil spray
salt and pepper
1 tin chopped tomatoes or peeled plum tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and quartered
spices - turmeric, a garam masala blend, mustard seeds, ground coriander (essential), cayenne pepper, cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Spray a foil-lined roasting tin with about 10 sprays of olive oil, and placed the halved aubergines face down. Season with Maldon salt. Spray the tops of the aubergine too. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes.
When the aubergines are done, shred the insides with a fork and pile onto a plate. You can get rid of the skins (or eat them if you like, but they can be a little bitter).
Spray a wok with 10 sprays of olive oil and heat the pan to a relatively high heat. Toss in the onions and all the spices and let them almost dry-roast for a minute or two. Add some of the tomato juice if it seems like the spices are going to burn.
Once the pan's hot enough - pour the rest of the tomatoes in, adding a little water if necessary, and all of the shredded roast aubergine (which looks absolutely divine). Let it simmer for as long as you like (obviously, the longer the better, though this can be eaten after letting it simmer for about 15 minutes). Taste and season as necessary - I needed a bit of extra ground coriander - but it's all down to your individual taste.
Serve equal portions of the curry with brown rice - or, as I did on Friday - quinoa. It was my first time with this perplexing grain. More on that later.
Calories: curry with 50 g quinoa or rice - 300, with 100 g quinoa or rice - 475.
I loved this - it was healthy, filling, easy and tasty. But there's not just me to consider here - what about the man who doesn't need/want/have to watch what he eats? "We can have this again," he stated, with his brilliant Doncastrian no-fuss accent, before diving back in for another mouthful. Job done, I suppose.
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