Currying Favour

Just over a week ago the film Victoria and Abdul was released. This is a true story set around 1887 when Queen Victoria, Empress of India, was given two Indian servants to cook for her. She became very fond of Abdul Karim and also of a good curry!

People have always wanted to emulate royalty so many food writers of the time included Indian dishes in their recipe books. Curry powder was used with cold meats and substitutes for authentic Indian cuisine so that the British made "curry" their own.

After World War II there was a lot of immigration from India to Britain and our love for our own version of curry grew. Chicken tikka masala has been adopted as one of the UKs favourite "national" dishes.

For we vegetarians, our local Indian restaurant or take-away probably has more dishes on its menu than any other establishment. It is the one place we can go with our meat-eating friends and know we will have the same amount of choice as they do.

One of my favourites to cook quickly at home is Chick Pea Cauliflower and Spinach Curry:-

- cook onion, garlic and fresh ginger until soft

- add chosen curry paste (ie Pataks tikka masala), tinned tomatoes, tinned chick peas, pre-cooked or frozen cauliflower and simmer for 10 mins

- add shredded spinach simmering for a further 2 mins.

- stir in natural/Greek yogurt

- serve and add chopped coriander/lemon wedges etc

- serve with rice or a naan bread

I, for one, am hoping for an Indian Summer this Autumn.

Crumble and fall

Lyrics from many a song but what I really mean is crumble in the Fall. Frankly I could eat that satisfying stodgy pud at any time of the year but autumn's fruits lend themselves particularly well to a marriage with flour, butter and sugar rubbed together into small pieces and baked in the oven.

My favourites are the late summer plums stewed with a drop of orange juice and zest. Bramley apple crumble is always a favourite, especially with my husband who is a bit of a plain Jane when it comes to fruit. I prefer to pair my apples (excuse the pun) with blackberries and a smidge of vanilla.

Accompaniments can be swathes of hot custard; ice cream sliding into a melting puddle; cool fresh cream or, one of my guilty pleasures, Carnation tinned cream!

I shall be preserving some of autumn's harvest to eat throughout the colder months. When they run out there's always Spring/Summer and rhubarb crumble to look forward to.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

A spot of Sunday shopping, a classic Mojito and tapas and cicchetti at Riccis in Leeds. Feeling blissfully buntered!*

I've eaten the most delicious sweet potato wedges served with figs, chilli, goats cheese and honey. Yum scrum! Also spiced cauliflower fritters with a tomato and lemon chutney and honey miso roasted aubergines with coriander pesto and a walnut, sesame and Szechuan pepper crumb. All so tasty.

I can't even write any more tonight - my belly is obstructing the use of my lap top!

* buntered = as full and fat as the fictional cartoon character Billy Bunter.

Knocked-up Gnocchi

Just back from soaking up some late summer rays with a taste of Tuscany. In a restaurant in Lucca I was served homemade gnocchi with a Gorgonzola sauce and mint. Genius! The fresh mint cut through the richness of gnocchi and cheese.

When cooking gnocchi at home I find it clumps together in a rather unattractive mush. My trusted remedy is now to dry pan fry the gnocchi until it resembles miniature roast potatoes. These are delicious as an accompaniment or added to other ingredients to form a tasty meal.

My favourite recipe was taken from the Waitrose magazine but instead of boiling the gnocchi I use the above method. You can switch ingredients slightly, using whatever might be lurking in your cupboard or fridge and can vary the amount of garlic and chilli to taste. 

- Sauté garlic (2 cloves) and fresh chilli (1) before adding fresh cherry tomatoes (200g).

- Boil or microwave tender-stem brocolli (220g) for a minute or two before rinsing in cold water. Chop and add to tomato mixture.

- Cook the gnocchi  (500g) (boil or pan-fry or both) and add to tomato mixture

- Serve in preheated bowls with chopped, toasted hazelnuts, lemon zest and Gran Moravia cheese

The Waitrose recipe says it will serve 4 but I've found it serves 2 with hearty appetites.