Kalpna cooks

My adventures with food, eating and travel

[kalpnacooks]

Made new friends, ate kebabs and then caught a super duper express train from Samarkand to Tashkent with breakfast included! Wow Uzbekistan you’ve been an amazing experience #uzbekistan🇺🇿 #nofilterneeded https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx6eqSGHR-B/?igshid=p4v7xa31nw75

[kalpnacooks]

The sites of Samarkand with beautiful architecture and some mouthwatering food. The original version of Samosas which are baked on the side of a tandoor and breads made using a sour dough starter. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx4keQJniLO/?igshid=ou5puxwkxvbi

[scienceandfood]

Farm Towers & Fish Farms

In 50 years, the human population will reach 8.6 billion, which means we’d need land “roughly the size of Brazil” just for growing crops to sustain the human population. Rather than expanding out, some are suggesting we grow upwards, via vertical farming. Out in the oceans, fish farms sometimes have fishbreaks, when farmed salmon, cod, and trout break free from defective cages and escape into the open ocean. Not only is this millions of dollars of lost revenue for fish farmers, the freed fish could also wreck the surrounding ecosystem.  Read more…

[scienceandfood]

From: Flavor of the Month: Cotton Candy

[kalpnacooks]

So many childhood memories...love the science

[kalpnacooks]

Lemon polenta cake with pistachios, cardamom and pink peppercorns.

Cakes are one of those comforts in life. I have always enjoyed baking. The idea of mixing some ingredients together putting them in the oven and ending up with something delicious - it's seemed like magic. It's not an Indian tradition so I felt I was embracing my Britishness by teaching myself how to bake. It seems to me sometimes that I'm the family expert when it comes to baking, whether it's cakes, biscuits or bread. Often getting phone calls asking advice on how to make certain cakes etc. I love lemon based cakes, their lemony tang cuts through any rich meal and makes a perfect desert. This cake reminds me of many Indian sweets and Middle Eastern deserts. I've made this cake many a time using Nigella's recipe from her Domestic Goddess cook book. However, this version is a vamped up version. You could substitute the lemon for oranges and replace the cardamom for ground cloves. Prep time: 15mins Cook time: 30 to 40mins Serves about 12 Ingredients: 200g soft butter 200g caster sugar 200g ground almonds 100g fine polenta or fine cornmeal 11/2tsp baking powder 3 large eggs Zest of 3 whole lemons Syrup 125g icing sugar Juice of 3 lemons 8 cardamoms 50g pistachios roughly chopped 1 tsp of pink pepper corns crushed Equipment: Springform cake tin 23cm diameter Freestanding mixer with a paddle attachment Small pan Lemon juicer Pestle and mortar Kitchen scale Method: 1: Cream butter and sugar in a freestanding with a paddle attachment until it is light and fluffy. 2: In a separate bowl mix together ground almonds, polenta and baking powder. Break eggs into a another small bowl. 3: With the paddle still turning pour 1 egg into the creamed butter, sugar mixture and then a large spoonful of the ground almond, polenta mixture, allow these to combine and repeat for each egg and then continue adding the rest of the almond and polenta mixture and continue mixing until all is combined together. 4: Grease the cake tin with butter and pour the cake batter into it and bake for 30 to 35minutes. 5: Meanwhile make the lemon syrup; put the icing sugar and lemon juice in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, allow the mixture to bubble for 5 mins until it becomes slightly syrupy. 6: Use a pestle and mortar to crush the cardamom pods, remove the green pods and continue to crush seeds until fairly fine and put them into the syrup and continue to cook for another the 3 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat. 7: When the cake is cooked (test with a cake tester - should be coming out fairly clean) allow to cool slightly and remove from tin. 8: While cake is cooling chop the pistachios and crush pink pepper corns sprinkle over the cake and then pour the syrup over the cake and allow it to soak in. Serve.

[kalpnacooks]

Fafra - a spiced chickpea flour fried snack

This is a snack that is an inherited recipe from my maternal Grandmother. She was an expert at snacks and sweets. According to my mum, she use to go to a local indian sweet maker where she was taught as many types of indian sweets and snacks as possible. As a result during the approach to Diwali ( the Hindu festival of light) she was called upon by many in the local community to help them make these sweets and snacks - so I guess cooking is definitely in my blood! My only regret is that she died before I had a chance to talk to her about my adventures in food. I love this snack as it’s a cross between Garthia and the well known snack Doritos. Spicy yet mild, full of fragrance from the Ajwain seeds. Although these are traditional and were invented way before Doritos. However, I don't know anyone else in my immediate family that makes anything similar. So it is a truly unique to my mums family. They are a great store cupboard snack, ready for when ever you need a cup of tea and a snack or they are brilliant with a glass of chilled beer or a sneaky gin and tonic! Fafra are a great alternative to crisps and peanuts for a drinks party.

Prep time: 10mins Resting time: 30mins Frying time: 30-50mins

Ingredients:

200g chickpea/ gram/ Besan flour 200g plain flour 2.5tsp salt 2tsp chilli powder 1/2tsp turmeric powder 1tsp Ajwain seeds 2tsp sesame seeds 2tsp sugar 3tbsp flavourless oil such as sunflower or mild olive oil Approx. 250ml of luke warm water - although you may need a little more depending on how much your flour absorbs. Extra plain flour for dusting 1L of sunflower or other oil for deep frying.

Method:

1: Sift the two flours into a large bowl and add all the dry ingredients and mix together.

2: Add the oil and mix through thoroughly with your hands.

3: Add most of the water mix through and knead the dough, if you need more water add some more. You should end up with smooth dough that isn’t too hard or too soft and sticky…so you can roll it out without too much effort. Rest the dough for about half an hour, no need to put in the fridge.

4: Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Take one piece and make a ball and flatten slightly, roll in the dusting flour and roll out until it’s about 2-3mm thin - about the as thin as pasta. Place the rolled out dough onto a floured surface and dust some more flour over the surface then set aside. Repeat this for the other pieces of dough and stack the rolled out dough on top of each other making sure each layer is dusted with flour or the rolled out dough will stick together!

5: Heat about 1L of oil in a deep pan or a wok for frying.

6: Take one piece of rolled out onto a cutting board and using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the dough into stripes - see picture.

7: Once the oil is heated - drop a small piece of dough into the oil, it should sizzle straight away but shouldn’t turn golden very quickly. Now fry the pieces in batches until they turn a light golden brown. The Fafra will still be slightly soft when warm but will crisp up on cooling. Each batch will take about 3 to 4 mins to fry depending on how crowded your pan is…try not to over crowd or the Fafra will be greasy!

8: Once cooled completely then store in an air tight container. The Fafra will keep for a long time in an air tight container, that is as long as they are crispy.

[kalpnacooks]

Home - style chicken curry

After having many requests for a simple chicken curry I have relented. So here it is! Chicken curry is an iconic Indian dish. However, it has so many interpretations and methods, with or without cream or yogurt, brown onions, brown chicken etc. 

I learned to make chicken curry with my Mum. She taught me Gujarati style chicken curry but, over the years I've tweaked it slightly having seen how other communities make it. However, I've still kept some of the Gujarati ingredients such as potatoes, no ghee, no yogurt or cream.

I hope that many of you that are curry novices will have a go at this simple curry. Don't be frightened of the length of the spice list...remember buy in small quantities and use up. One tip I would give you is that make the curry the day before you want it so the spices have time to mellow and really flavour the chicken, so its a perfect dinner party dish and you only need make rice, naan or chapatis.

Serves 3 to 4

Prep and cooking time 1hr 30min

Ingredients:

3 - 4 tbsp oil

1 star anise

1 or 2 inch pieces of cinnamon or cassia bark

3 cloves

3 or 4 cardamom pods split (press pod with flat part of knife)

1 bay leaf

2 finely chopped medium onions

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp grated garlic

1 heaped tsp chilli powder or more if like it hot

1 level tsp turmeric powder

1 level tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 diced vine tomatoes or half a can of chopped tomatoes

1 medium skinless chicken jointed into approx. 16 pieces

2/3 medium potatoes halved

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp garam masala - to garnish

1 tbsp chopped coriander - to garnish

Method:

Heat oil in a heavy based pan add the whole spices ( star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves) allow them to sizzle for a minute.

Now add chopped onions and brown at a medium heat stirring occasionally, so the onions don't catch at the bottom. This will take a good 10 to 15 mins so be patient. 

To the browned onions add the ginger and the garlic; stir and cook for about a minute.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl place the powdered spices, add half a cup of water and mix thoroughly.

Add the spice, water mix to the onions and cook on low heat until all the water has evaporated and the oil begins to separate from the onions and spices...this will take  at least 5 to 10 mins...add a little more water if the spices begin to stick and oil hasn't separated.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 mins  (add a little more water if the tomato starts to stick).

To the tomatoes add the chicken, stir bring up to boil, turn heat down to medium low put a lid on cook for 10mins then add potatoes; stir. Season with salt. Cook for a further 30 mins with a lid on or until chicken and potatoes are tender. If the there isn't enough sauce add a little water.

Garnish with garam masala and coriander. Serve with a squeeze of lemon, rice, naan or chapatis and a pickled onion salad.

[kalpnacooks]

Spiced dry sprouted Mung beans (Suku Vadhu)- a suggestion for sprouted Mung beans

Sprouted beans are a very traditional ingredients in Gujarat. Often a mixture of different beans. You find this ingredient in its various form in almost every Gujarati household. Usually the sprouted beans are made in bulk by the matriarch of the household and shared out amongst the rest of the family. She will be the expert at the sprouting technique and more often than not an expert at cooking it. In certain areas around the UK you can buy pre-sprouted beans but, I can't so I've had to learn to do it myself with the guidance of the matriarch of our family - my Mother-in-Law.

My recipe for using sprouted Mung beans; a spiced dry sprouted Mung bean dish known in Gujarati as Suku Vadu, that I would traditionally make at home for my family. It is served here with Sorghum roti or as we call them rotla, roti is usually wheat based but, rotla are another grain such as cornmeal or millet. Here I've served it with a rice flour poppadum known as Papdi and a spoonful of yogurt on top - also traditional.

Serves 4 as a main

Time taken: 1hr 20mins to 1hr 30 mins

Ingredients:

4tbsp olive oil

2 dried red chillies

1/2tsp black mustard seeds

A pinch of asafoetida

3 medium onions finely chopped

1tbsp grated garlic

1/2tbsp grated ginger

3 or 4 green chilies finely chopped

1tbsp grated fresh turmeric or 1tsp turmeric powder

1/2tsp chilli powder (optional if your chillies aren't hot enough)

2tsp salt

1tsp sugar

500g Sprouted Mung beans or a mixture of sprouted beans of your choice.

Method:

1: Heat oil in a large wide based pan e.g. a shallow casserole pan

2: Add the dried chillies, then black mustard seeds - you may need to put a lid on as these will pop and sizzle, they must do this to release the flavour.

3: To this add the pinch of asafoetida and then onions. Gently cook these down - there should be no colour on these, just soften them down.

4: Once the onions are softened add all the other ingredients except for the sprouted Mung beans. Cook all of this for a good 10 mins - if the mixture feels as though its sticking add a little water add keep cooking down.

5: Add the sprouted Mung beans and stir carefully using a spatula, cook this  for about 10 mins - try not to stir too much or too vigorously as you will break up the shoots and it will just look like a Mung bean curry! 

6: To the Mung beans add enough water from a recently boiled kettle to just cover the Mung beans, turn the heat down and put a lid on and cook at a gentle simmer for 30mins - try not to stir it too much just swirl the pan gently. Once the 30mins is up the beans should be soft. If there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, take off the lid and continue to cook gently until the liquid has evaporated and you have a fairly dry dish (there will still be a little sauce in the dish so you can eat it with your Rotla.

You can make this ahead of time and reheat it in a microwave oven!

[kalpnacooks]

How to sprout Mung beans - an excellent make ahead ingredient

Sprouted beans of any description are a great way to use and make a unique ingredient. They can be blanched for a few minutes and then used for salads or like me make a spicy sprouted bean dish called Vadhu (in Gujarati) - not sure what it is called in Hindi. The method I'm going to describe can be used for any bean such as chickpeas, aduki beans etc. However, an important thing to remember is that, the larger the bean the longer it will take to sprout. In Gujarat the traditional way to make this dish is with a mixture of different sprouted beans, I have only used Mung beans here to demonstrate an easy method of sprouting beans. I will also be posting a recipe for a spiced sprouted Mung bean dish later.

Although people look at the time it takes to prepare and think they've not got time, its not intensive...total actual hands on time is 10mins at the most. So its a bit like bread...few minutes to prep but a long time proving. Don't be afraid of trying this especially you vegetarians - it really doesn't take long and you'll have a fantastic ingredient that is very versatile. You can make a large batch and freeze them and use them like you would frozen peas!

Prep time approx 48hrs for Mung beans - longer if you use larger beans.

Approx. 500g of Mung beans

1: Rinse the Mung beans in cold water several times. This gets rid of dust etc from the outside the beans.

2: Cover the beans with cold water in a large bowl with a lid on. Place in a cold oven or somewhere dark and leave overnight so that the beans will absorb water and swell up and almost double in size - so remember to use a large bowl!

4: The beans will look like the picture below once soaked overnight.

5: Drain the water and rinse in clean cold water. Then place into clean tea towel and put the bundle back into the bowl that the beans were soaked in - don't worry about drying it as a little moisture is good. Heat the oven on a low temperature approx. 100C for 10mins and SWITCH OFF. Place your bowl of soaked beans, with a lid on, into the oven and leave overnight. 

6: Check the beans in the morning and toss them round gently - they should have started to sprout. Then leave in the oven for another night or till the end of the day depending on how long you want the shoots to be. They should look like the picture below once sprouted:

They now can be frozen or kept in the fridge ready to use - you can leave in the fridge for a day or so. The beans should be dry and not slimy - if they turn black or smell - they've gone off so throw them away! But don't give up try again - its brilliant once you get the hang of it.

[kalpnacooks]

Dhaal - simple, delicious and healthy

These days of so called health fads, low fat this, sugar-free that. I say we go back to eating natural food that hasn’t been heavily processed. Why buy ready-meals when spending 10 to 15 mins extra you’ve got a simple, healthy and filling meal. Homemade food from scratch is irreplaceable. However, most of us do lead hectic lives and often get in late or leave early. But, a little planning ahead will go a long way.

Dhaal for example, some need soaking for at least 8 hrs, not practical for most of us. If you just plan ahead a little you’ll find a delicious healthy meals quicker than trying to defrost a microwave meal. You can use a pressure cooker which makes things even quicker! This is a simple recipe that require few ingredients and can be incorporated into your own repertoire of dishes and meals. All you need is a good quality bread/ pitta/ naan to dunk into it and maybe some pickled veg or just onions! Notice I’ve not recommend rice with dhaal…..as I find this combination plays havoc with my digestive system but, if you like to have rice please feel free. Dhaal is healthy but, it fills you up and makes you feel as though you’ve not missed out on anything.

There are a lot of different ways in which Dhaal can be made - mine is more like a hearty soup but, you can add a little less water to give a thicker consistency, you can add vegetables such as carrots, peas, sweetcorn or even any member of the squash family. This lightens the Dhaal and makes it into a casserole - delicious both ways!

Prep. time 45mins

Serves 4

Ingredients

300g Dhaal eg channa dhaal or mixture of red lentils, urid dhaal, mung dhaal and channa dhaal.

1 bay leaf

1 medium onion finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic finely chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

2tsp cumin seeds

1tsp toasted ground cumin

1/2tsp turmeric

salt and pepper to taste

2/3 tsp lemon juice

Large pinch of chopped coriander for garnish

Methods

1: Rinse Dhaal and cover with cold water in a large pan, add the bay leaf half the onion and a quarter of the garlic. Bring to boil and simmer, skimming off any scum that comes up, until the Dhaal is cooked through and soft - this may take up to 20 to 25 mins you may need to add more water as the Dhaal is cooking or 10 mins in a pressure cooker.

2: In separate pan heat the oil then add the cumin seeds and allow them to fry for a few seconds, add onions, garlic and soften. Now add ground cumin, turmeric cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes adding a little water to prevent the spices burning.

3: Add the boiled Dhaal to the onion and spice mixture, add a little water if too thick, stir and simmer for a further 10mins, season with salt and pepper and squeeze a little lemon juice to finish - garnish with chopped coriander and serve with fresh pickled red onion. 

Enjoy with bread, pitta or naan or rice if you must!

[kalpnacooks]

Marrakech - a very Moroccan experience

Marrakech evokes a romantic, exotic image of hippies, heat, long flowing robes and nomadic Arabs. None of which are true, apart from the heat! Morocco is made up mainly Berber people, they have a different language and writing. However, they have now adopted Arabic as their language and practice a very moderate form of Islam. Marrakech itself is a modern busy city which is geared up for tourism and its inhabitants are hard working and entrepreneurial.

I've always wanted to go to Morocco as I've always been fascinated by the food ideas from there. And as a foodie it had to be on my bucket list. So I went with great expectations of beautifully slow cooked food and unusual ingredients. Being a food show junky I did have a good idea of what to expect, and I wasn't disappointed with the display - Tagines and Tangiers everywhere. Little local cafes having rows of them slowly cooking on charcoal burners and enticing smells flowing from them. Even here modernity encroaches as you look beyond the the Tagines and Tangiers you see a pressure cooker in the background. I guess that in order to meet demand short cuts have to be taken, and I'm cool with this idea, as I too often speed up cooking dishes with a pressure cooker. 

The Moroccan diet appears to mainly consist of red meat; mutton, goat or beef, there appear to be butchers shops everywhere. So not much you would think for a vegetarian, however, they do make lots of lentil and bean dishes as well as a vegetable Tagine, made using courgettes, carrots, potatoes, other squashes, onions and tomatoes. 

One of the must do experiences for a carnivore is to eat mutton that has been slow roasted in a pit oven in the ground. The people who sell this are known as the Merchoui sellers. They are found just off Jumaa El Fna square in the centre of old Marrakech within the walled city. The meat is ready between 11:30am and midday. The Merchoui sell the roasted mutton by the kilo (approx. £12/kilo) and, because they cook the whole sheep (minus wool and skin) you can also try the head, eyes and all - which my husband did for the complete Anthony Bourdain experience however, I declined! The meat however, was tender and succulent and served with cumin salt and local bread.

I loved the cinnamon sprinkled sliced oranges served for desert, these were a complete revelation to me; the warming cinnamon with the citrus tang of the Maroc orange - absolutely wonderful and simple. The dish I was most taken with was the Pastilles, which are pies made with Filo pastry and filled traditionally with pigeon, but I only had a chicken one (as I think tourist are a bit funny about pigeon, although having said that there were a lot of French so I don't think they would mind). The Pastille was topped with icing sugar and cinnamon. The flavours were ones I could totally relate to as it was a combination of sweet, savoury and sour with the preserved lemons - totally Gujarati! However, there was something uniquely Moroccan about the flavours. I know Morocco is a large country and the food I had was probably more for the taste of tourists and home cooking is probably completely different and regions probably differ too. Another flavour I discovered was Argan oil, although I had heard of it before and seen it used both in recipes and cosmetics, I had never tasted it before. What a revelation! Although its not used for cooking it is used as a dressing, leaving its medicinal properties aside, its flavour is incredible. Its nutty and savoury, rich and smoky and works well with salads as a dressing and to drizzle over a roast meat, fish or vegetable - amazing. However, at nearly £15 for 500ml it isn't cheap. Its also protected and only produced in cooperatives of Berber women and only in Morocco - hence the price but, I feel, well worth it if used sparingly.

The highlight of my trip was going into The Atlas Mountains and having mint tea made by a Berber family. He started by warming the pot with hot water, then filling the pot with fresh mint leaves, a large palmful of gunpowder tea and sugar to which he added a little hot water and then pouring it out into a glass and set it aside. He added some more hot water swirled and discarded this water. Finally he filled the pot up with hot water and poured it out into a glass and then poured that back into the pot together with the glass he had set aside, after repeating this a couple of times we were served tea, from a great height of course, and I must say it was the best mint tea I have ever tasted.

The tea was served with a traditional Berber leavened barley bread, which tasted very similar to Indian barley roti's (rotla's), the Indian version is unleavened. I definitely need to try and recreate those. I also discovered that traditionally couscous is made with barley and not semolina as we get. This is another product I must try to hunt down.

In conclusion; I do like the Moroccan flavours, a combination of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and African. However, I was disappointed with the level of spicing. I don't know if the places we ate were mainly catering for the tourist, especially the French, but I thought I would be able to taste the cumin, cinnamon, oregano more. Especially as many of the local shops seemed to sell an abundance of spice and market stalls were laden with fresh mint, oregano, marjoram and parsley. I expect that home cooked food would be a little more spicier. It is a real shame that countries seem to have to dilute their flavours to suit the tourist, and it happens in many countries from Spain to Greece to India to Thailand. I really think that we travellers and tourist do miss out on the authentic flavours. Why do we travel to these countries if we aren't able to experience the fullness of their culture and cuisine, we might as well stay at home! I hope these things will improve some day. I am also aware that food is regional, so one Tagine will be very different to another and will vary from village to village and family to family, as it does with all good cuisines.

As for my trip I think I'll have to hunt down some authentic Moroccan cook books to try and get the real flavours of Morocco. I did come back with rather a lovely tan and 2 Tangier pots!

[kalpnacooks]

Pea and sweetcorn rolls (puff pastry kachori)

Imagine a spicy filling wrapped in pastry and deep fried, dipped in tangy date and tamarind sauce - whats not to like? You may think that I am talking about a Samosa, not in this case. Kachori is a ball of pastry filled with a spicy, sour, sweet lentil filling. This is deep fried and eaten hot with afore mentioned sauce or dare I say it ketchup! They are absolutely delicious, however, there is the issue of having to stand frying lots (and yes, you will make lots) while everyone else enjoys them pipping hot while the poor cook is often left with the slightly warm ones. So a solution was required, to make them easy and less time consuming as well as an equally delicious (some think less fatty but, I could debate that point). A solution was found - not by me I hasten to add, use puff pastry and bake them! This is how these pea and sweetcorn rolls were invented. My sister-in-law gave me the recipe but, only used frozen peas (original kachori is made from either lentils or pigeon peas (toor)). I have made this recipe my own as every time I've made these rolls I have changed the recipe slightly, adding sweetcorn, freshly grated coconut, altering the ratio of peas to sweetcorn etc. I think I've finally settled on this recipe. This, in all intents and purposes, is a vegetarian sausage roll - which is what it looks like, but not made with pretend 'meat' just a vegetable that most people love. Perhaps I should have made this in the 'classic' dish challenge on Channel 4's The Taste...oh well never mind. 

These rolls can be enjoyed hot or cold - or out of the fridge as I've often eaten them - either with or without sauce. They are an excellent make ahead dish for a drinks party as an amuse bouche. They can be frozen before baking, so you can have a stash in the freezer ready for an unexpected guest or just for you.

Prep. time 1 hour plus cooling time

makes approx. 16 rolls

Ingredients:

400g frozen garden peas and sweetcorn kernels (50:50)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp Ajwain seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3 or 4 curry leaves (fresh or frozen)

1 tbsp grated ginger

3 or 4 green chillies finely chopped

1 tsp fennel seeds

Juice of 1 lime

2 or 3 tsp sugar

1 tbsp fresh coconut grated (optional)

salt to taste

1 500g pack of ready made puff pastry

1 egg or milk to brush over rolls

Method:

1: Mix the frozen peas and sweetcorn and thaw them by placing them in a colander and running cold water through until they have all softened. Drain these thoroughly and blitz in a processor until all is finely chopped and set aside.

2: In a large frying pan or wok heat the oil on medium. Once hot add Ajwain, cumin, and fennel seeds, allow them to sizzle for a few seconds and then add the curry leaves. Stir.

3: Now add the ginger and green chillies to the wok turn the heat down, so as not to burn the ginger and chillies. After about 30 seconds you should get the aroma of ginger, at this point add the pea and sweetcorn mixture, stir. Allow this mixture to cook for about 10 mins stirring occasionally. 

4: Once the mixture is bubbling slightly and beginning to dry out add the lime juice, sugar and coconut if using. Season with salt and taste the mixture. It should be hot and sour and sweet with a subtle taste of fennel in the background. If too sour add a little more sugar, if too sweet add more lime juice, if not hot enough add more chilli either more green chilli or red chilli powder will do. Cook this mixture for a further 10 to 15mins - you want the mixture to be slightly dry almost the texture of minced lamb/ pork. Now set aside to cool down thoroughly. Can also be left in the fridge overnight.

5: Preheat oven 180C and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper or baking parchment or just lightly grease it with butter.

6: On a large board roll out the pastry into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm. Using a sharp knife cut the pastry in half length ways so you have 2 identical rectangular halves approx. 15 x 40 cm.

7: Using one rectangle of pastry, spoon half of the cooled pea and sweetcorn mixture along the middle of the rectangle forming a long sausage. Brush the edge furthest away from you with a little water, then fold the edge nearest to you over the pea and sweetcorn mixture and roll again, you should end up with a very long sausage roll shape. The seam should be underneath.

8: Cut the roll into 8 pieces (approx 5cm width), you can make them thinner its up to you - you'll have more! But try not to make them smaller than 2cm wide. Place each on the baking sheet with seam facing down. Repeat this with other half of the pastry and pea, sweetcorn filling.

9: Brush with beaten egg or milk and bake for 30 to 40 mins or until golden brown and crispy.

Serve either warm or cold with date and tamarind sauce or ketchup.

[f525252-blog]

The only flowers we want.

Read more: Roasted, Spiced, Almond-y Cauliflower on Food52.

[kalpnacooks]

Rabbit Biryani...Hydrabadi style

Biryani is different things to different people. The word Biryani is derived from the Persian word Birian - meaning "fry or roasting before cooking". This is not to be confused with Pullaou (Pillau). Pullaou is made by cooking the meat or vegetables in spices first until tender and then uncooked rice is added stirred and cooked together. Whereas a Biryani is made with cooked or parboiled rice and is layered and then cooked either in the oven or on a low heat until all are cooked. 

The two places in India that are famous for Biryani are Lucknow (North East India) and Hydrabad (central India). So what is the difference...I hear you ask...in Lucknow the meat or vegetables are cooked in ghee and spices and the rice (which is parboiled) is cooked separately, then is layered in alternate layers (rather like a lasagne), sealed and finished off in the oven. The Hydrabadi Biryani however, meat or vegetables are marinaded in spices and yogurt and form a single layer at the bottom of the pan and partially cooked rice is layered on top, the whole thing is sealed and cooked on the stove top at a low heat. Either way Biryani is never served with a spicy sauce (as in some so called 'Indian' restaurants). The usual accompaniment with Biryani is a pickled vegetable salad and a whipped yogurt Raita.

My recipe is a Hydrabadi style Biryani but, made with rabbit (as it was Easter!). A friend of ours goes shooting rabbits in season. This year he gave us a couple, hence this dish.

I've used rabbits here but, you can easily substitute it with chicken pieces - making sure it's skinless and on the bone, and the pieces are large i.e. 1 small to medium chicken jointed into 8 pieces. 

Traditional Persian Biryani uses dried fruit and nuts such as pistachios, almonds and cashews - you can add these if you wish for added texture and sweetness. Whether you choose to do this or not remember this Biryani is to my taste and you may wish to adjust yours to your own preferences.

Serves 4 to 6

Cooking time: approx. 1hour 30 mins

Time for marination: overnight or 3 to 4 hours minimum

Ingredients:

3/4 medium sized onions sliced into half moons and separated

Enough oil for deep frying

2 rabbits cut into approximately 16 pieces or 2 small to medium skinless chickens jointed into 16 pieces altogether

2 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp garlic paste

2 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp tumeric

3 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tsp whole cloves

2/3 bay leaves

Half a bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

Half a bunch of mint leaves finely chopped

5/6 fresh green chillies finely chopped

3/4 tsp salt

Juice of 1 lime

12 fistfuls of basmati rice

2 bay leaves

1 tsp caraway seeds

2 or 3 tbsp ghee

1/2 cup of milk

Pinch of saffron

2 or 3 tsp rose water

2 or 3 tsp Kewra water

Method:

1: In a large bowl mix together rabbit or chicken pieces, all spices, ginger. garlic, yogurt, lime juice.green chillies, salt, coriander and mint. Leave to marinade overnight or at least 3 to 4 hours. Take the marinaded meat out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking.

2: Rinse rice in cold water 2 or 3 times at least until the water runs fairly clear. Leave the rice soaking in water for at least 2 hours.

3: Heat oil for frying onions in a pan. Meanwhile slice up onions into half moons and separate. Once oil is heated carefully sprinkle in the onions and fry until golden. Drain onto kitchen paper and set aside.

4: Using a large heavy based pan (known as a Handi in India) with a tight fitting lid, it has to be able to fit the rabbit in a single layer. Place the rabbit/ chicken in single layer together with any liquid marinade, sprinkle on half of the fried onions on top.

5: Switch on the heat to a medium high and cover. Allow the rabbit to cook for 20 to 30 mins (miss this step out if using chicken). Turn off the heat.

6: In another pan bring about 1.5L of water to boil add 2tbsp salt, bay leaves and caraway seeds. Drain the rice from its soaking water and carefully pour into the boiling water, cook until rice is 70% cooked (approx. 10 -15mins) turn off heat, then with a large slotted spoon to drain away the water, working quickly, layer all the rice over the rabbit, one spoon at a time - do not drain all the water away at once from the rice, as the rice that you layer on top will need to be a little more cooked then the rice you place directly on the rabbit or chicken.

7: Heat the milk and add the saffron strands, turn off heat and allow to infuse for a few minutes. Then pour over the rice. 

8: Pour the ghee over the rice and sprinkle over the remaining fried onions as well as the rose and Kewra water.

9: The Biryani needs to be sealed in one of 2 ways; either with tight fitting lid or the lid should be sealed with a dough mixture (plain flour and water made into a firm dough. Then shaped into a long sausage and placed around the lip of the pan and then the lid placed on top forming a tight seal).

10: Turn the heat on to high for 10 mins then set the heat to the lowest setting or use a heat diffuser and allow to cook for at least 30 to 40 mins. Once the time is up turn off the heat and allow to stand for at least 15 to 20 mins.

Then crack open and serve with Raita and a pickled vegetable salad (remember no spicy sauce!)

[kalpnacooks]

Masala tea - my family way

Using my tea masala recipe this tea is both warming and refreshing. It's a perfect drink for a cold winters morning drink and perfect as a small cup early morning during the summer.

I've used both fresh ginger and mint, both of which can be left out if you don't have them. You can add extra whole cardamom pods if you like.

To make 2 cups - size is up to you, I would recommend that you use the cups you are going to drink from to measure water and milk quantities, you will need: 1 1/2 cup of water 2/3 tsp sugar 2 heaped tsp loose tea or 2 tea bags - good quality ones Half a tsp of tea masala 2 thin slices of fresh ginger (optional) 4/5 fresh mint leaves (optional) 3 or 4 cardamom pods (optional) Half a cup of milk In a milk pan place water, sugar, loose tea or tea bags, tea masala, fresh ginger, fresh mint leaves and cardamom if using. Bring this mixture to boil and simmer while stirring for 2mins, then add 1/2 cup of milk and bring back to boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 2/3 mins, strain through a tea strainer, whether using a tea bag or not into your cup…and enjoy.

[kalpnacooks]

Tea Masala...my version

Tea masala is a mix of spices that are used in India to spice up your morning brew. However, it’s mix of spices is usually up for much debate and argument. The reason being is that no two regions have the same recipe for this mix. In researching a tea masala recipe, for rough quantities as my recipe was from my mother-in-law and didn’t have any, I found no two recipes were the same. However, tea masala recipes seem to be regional and even more diverse than garam masala recipes! So this recipe is my family version, as I’ve taken some tips from my Mother and Mother-in-law (helps keep the peace). Having said this I’ve found most recipes have a few things in common, such as cardamom and ground ginger. I’ve even seen recipes with dried orange peel and star anise…sounds more of a Chinese red stock mix than tea masala! My recipe includes Ganthoda also known as long pepper root, although it can be left out if you can’t get it. Ganthoda is said to have calming effects on your stomach and helps promote sleep. I think it probably counteracts the effect of the caffeine in the tea, clever really. Ground ginger, also known as Soonth, is also a help for digestion and is often used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating stomach ulcers. Masala tea is usually drunk with sugar, this seems to enhance the spices and gives a much better kick to it. My recipe has both white pepper corns and black pepper corns, both adding a different warming note to the masala. Tea masala is only used in small quantities, that is, 1 scant teaspoon to make 2 large mugs. In India masala tea is served almost in espresso cups- highly sweet and highly spiced - a bit like Arabic coffee. Ingredients 1 cup white pepper corns 1/4 cup black pepper corns 2 5cm pieces of cassia bark or cinnamon sticks broken up into small pieces 1/4 cup of whole green cardamom 1tbsp ground ginger 1 tbsp Ganthorda (long pepper root) - optiona *its important to know that these are approximate quantities and you may want to adjust the quantity of spices according to your taste and preference* Method: Mix all spices together and dry them by placing on a baking tray in a single layer in a low oven, 30mins at 150C stirring half way through. Allow the spices to cool completely and grind in spice grinder to a fine powder. You may wish to pass the powder through a sieve to remove slightly larger bits from the cardamom, but isn’t necessary. Store in a airtight glass container. Do not put it into a plastic container as it seems to reduce the taste of the masala.

[kalpnacooks]

Salt and black pepper Cashews

This is a snack that’s inspired by my 85 year old Aunt. She gave me a bag of fragmented raw cashews, these are often cheaper than whole cashews. So having this rather large bag of cashews I wondered what she did with them- so here’s her recipe for salt and black pepper cashews…they are a delicious alternative to peanuts as a snack with a cold glass of beer...... or in the case of most Indians - whiskey!

Prep time: 15-20mins Serves 3/4 or 1 very greedy person!

Ingredients: 300g raw cashews - fragments preferably 1tsp ghee or clarified butter Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1: Put the cashews into a large wok or frying pan. Switch the heat on on low and stir. Continue to do this until the cashews start to turn golden. 2: Take the wok off the heat and drop in the teaspoon of ghee and stir until all the ghee has melted. 3: Place the wok back on the heat (still on low) add salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Stir for a further 5 minutes until all the cashews are lightly toasted and golden brown. 4: Allow to cool completely and store in an air tight container until required…try to stop the temptation to eat them all…I bet you can’t! Enjoy with a cold glass of beer!