Baigan Bhurtha

Baigan Bhurtha

Ingrediants (Serves four)

2 large aubergines (250-300g each)
3-4 large tomatoes, chopped (approx. 400g)
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large onion, grated/finely chopped
1 cup green peas, boiled
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder








1+ teaspoons anise seeds
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste
1 tablespoon coriander leaves, finely chopped (to garnish)

Method:

Burn the aubergines over a direct flame or barbecue mesh. Rotate and cook until evenly soft all over. Scrape off burnt skin. Mash softened aubergines; set aside. Heat oil, add anise seeds; cook until they splutter. Add garlic and onions; stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until onions become golden. Add tomatoes, green chillies, and spices. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Add mashed aubergines and boiled peas, stir and cook covered until the oil separates. Serve with chopped coriander and chapattis or parathas.

Preparation time: 30 Minutes

Macaroni Cheese With Butternut Squash

Macaroni Cheese With Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

300g Dreamfields low-carb macaroni

200g butternut squash

125ml chicken stock

1tbsp olive oil spread

1tsp anchovy paste

Put a large pot of water on to boil over a medium high heat. Give the water a good salting. Once it’s hot enough to create big, fat, moving bubbles, add the macaroni. Stir immediately after adding the pasta and occasionally during the cooking process to ensure it doesn’t stick or catch. Boil the macaroni for 7 minutes; you want it ever so slightly underdone as it will cook further when it goes in the oven with the sauce. While the macaroni is cooking get on with the sauce - it will only take about 7 minutes to make if you get a move on.

Peel the butternut squash and remove the seeds. Cut it into quarters (you’ll need about half a squash).Cut the quarters into slices about as thick as a pound coin, otherwise it will take too long to cook. Boil for 7 minutes in lightly salted water.

Melt the margarine in a frying pan, sprinkle in the flour and whisk. Let the flour cook for a minute - this is crucial to cook off its gluten-y flavour. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, then add the milk and mustard powder. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the sauce reduce until it’s the consistency of heavy cream, which should take about 3 minutes. Whisk constantly. Once the squash is soft, drain it and mash or blend until it is pureed and lump free. Add the squash to the sauce and stir well.

Preheat the oven to 180 C/gas mark 4. Grate the cheddar cheese over the large holes on a box grater. Stir the cheese into the sauce.

Drain the macaroni in a sieve: give it a good shake to get all the water out and then pour into the sauce. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish that has been given a squirt of non-stick cooking spray.

Pop the casseole in the oven for 5 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Mushroom and Bacon Pie

Chicken Mushroom and Bacon Pie

       

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson, 2007

       

Even the word pie is comforting. But then, it would be hard to deny the very real lure of pastry, especially when - as here - you know you're going to dunk it in gravied juices till its gorgeous lightness is deliciously, soggily heavy. I concede, however, that making and rolling out your own pastry is not necessarily the speediest option, so I use bought, all-butter-, ready-rolled puff pastry and feel fine about it. I make the pie even easier, by browning the chicken and making the sauce all in one go. And a gold-crusted, welcoming pie for 2 in half an hour is not bad going.

   

       

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:20 min       

Level:Easy   

Serves:2 servings

Ingredients       

   

               

• 3 rashers streaky bacon, cut or scissored into 1-inch strips
• 1 teaspoon garlic infused oil
• 2 cups chestnut mushrooms, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 8 ounces chicken thigh fillets cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/4 cups hot chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Marsala
• 1 (13-ounce) 9 by 16-inch sheet all-butter ready-rolled puff pastry

               

Directions

           

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fry the bacon strips in the oil until beginning to crisp, then add the sliced mushrooms and soften them in the pan with the bacon.

       

Turn the chicken strips in the flour and thyme (you could toss them about in a freezer bag), and then melt the butter in the pan before adding the floury chicken and all the flour left in the bag. Stir around with the bacon and mushrooms until the chicken begins to color.

       

Pour in the hot stock and Marsala, stirring to form a sauce and let this bubble away for about 5 minutes.

       

Make a pastry rim for each of your pots for the pies, by this I mean an approximately 1/2-inch strip curled around the top of the pots. Dampen the edges to make them stick.

       

Cut a circle bigger than the top of each pie-pot for the lid, and then divide the chicken filling between the two.

       

Dampen the edges again and then pop on the top of each pie sealing the edges with your fingers or the underneath of the prongs of a fork.

       

Cook the pies for about 20 minutes turning them around half way through cooking. Once cooked, they should puff up magnificently.

South Indian Vegetable Curry

       

       

       

Prep Time:25 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:30 min

       

Level:Easy

       

Serves:4 servings

   

                   

Ingredients

               

• 2 tablespoons garlic oil
• 1 onion, peeled, halved and cut into half moons
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 green chile seeded and finely chopped
• 3/4-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and cut into fine strips
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed chiii flakes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 12 ounces cauliflower, broken into florets (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 12 ounces broccoli, broken into florets (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 2 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved (large handful)
• 4 ounces baby corn, halved (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 6 ounces sugar snap peas (about 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill or coriander, or mixture of both

               

Directions

   

       

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole or pan over low heat and fry the sliced onion sprinkled with some salt until it begins to soften. Add the chile and ginger strips and stir every now and again while cooking for about 1 minute.

       

Add the chili flakes, the turmeric, cumin, coriander and ginger. Stir well and let cook for about 1 minute or so. Pour in the coconut milk, stock, sugar and tamarind paste. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and add the cauliflower first, then the broccoli. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the green beans and baby corn. Check the vegetables after about 5 minutes or so to see if they are tender, letting them cook for longer if needed.

       

Once they are tender add the sugar snaps and season to taste, to taste. When the sugar snap peas are hot, serve generously sprinkled with the herbs of your choice. Transfer the curry to a serving bowl. Serve with some plain rice or some warmed Indian flatbread on the side for dunking.

   

Alaskan Salmon Burgers

Alaskan Salmon Burgers

Ingredients

2x212g or 1x418g can pink or red Alaska salmon

1 medium egg, beaten

4 salad onions, finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped green pepper

125g (4oz) fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 heaped tsp horseradish sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp sunflower oil

salt and black pepper

To serve:

4 burger buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, onion and gherkins, tartare sauce or ketchup

1 Drain salmon and flake. Mix with remaining ingredients and form into 4 patties using wet hands.

2. Lightly brush with oil and place on a greased baking tray. Grill for 3-4 minutes each side until lightly browned. Serve with toppings in a toasted bun.

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Per Serving: 342 calories, 14g fat