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Royal British Legion Centenary Cookbook – Cooking with Heroes

November 22, 2021 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Cooking with Heroes Cookbook

Cooking with Heros, published in partnership with St James House, is a fitting tribute to the Royal British Legions centenary year.

This is not just a cookbook but an ode to the 100 regions that the legion has been active in over the past century including the commonwealth and beyond. This hardbound beauty is jam-packed with deliciousness and will keep keen home cooks coming back for more. From finding inspiration for your weekday dinners to cooking to impress your guests, this cookbook will not disappoint.

In keeping with the centenary theme, Cooking with Heroes features 100 profiles of military heroines and heroes specific to each region. To honour each local hero or heroine, recipes have been created by a team of highly skilled military chefs who have delved deep into the profiles of the heroes and the regions they represent. Not only this, many celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, Cyrus Todiwala, James Martin, Melissa Hemsley, The Hairy Bikers, Ainsley Harriot, Rick Stein, and Phil Daniels have also contributed their recipes to this amazing cookbook.

The Royal British Legion is the nation’s largest armed forces charity and worked since 1921 to support the armed forces and their families. A portion of the sale from every copy of Cooking with Heroes will help raise funds to ensure that the legion continues doing the amazing work they have been doing successfully for the past century.

Official Book Launch Party

Cooking with Heroes Cookbook’s official launch was hosted over an afternoon tea at Claridge’s in London in October. The event was well attended by military officials as well as members of the media. I was honoured to be invited to this launch event and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea at the beautiful Claridge’s in Mayfair, London.

Image Credit to my lovely pal Niru

I sampled a selection of artisan food and drink brands at the launch party, do check out the details coming soon in my Christmas 2021 Gift Guide here on my blog!


Author Profile and Q&A

I had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with the Author Squadron Leader Jon Pullen (retired). Get to know the Author via some interesting answers he has for my interview questions to him.

Q) How did the idea of ‘Cooking with Heroes’ take root?

A) Cooking with Heroes started with a discussion with Richard Freed of St James’s House (SJH) who asked me whether I wanted to do another book to raise money for the Royal British Legion (RBL).  I’d authored 2 previous books, ‘Food for Heroes’ that raised £50-80k for Help for Heroes and with Richard, the RAF100 Cookbook which raised around £145k for the RAF100 Appeal that raised funds for the RAF Centenary. 

The idea for the book was really a play on the RBL’s Centenary and what this charity that has supported the Military Family for 100 years means to me. So it started with a plan to write 100 entries, one for every year of the Centenary, with a focus surrounding the charity’s qualities… ideas like remembrance, tradition, integrity, strength, valour, courage, and support.  If you turned these ideas into the food they would be home-cooked honest, authentic, traditional food but brought into the 21st Century.  In terms of valour and courage, we worked with the RBL around the UK and Commonwealth to nominate someone who has made a great contribution to Defence to represent them, a ‘Local Hero’. And that’s what we have, 100 Regions across the UK & Commonwealth with a story of valour, endeavour, and often sacrifice alongside traditional, old and forgotten foods from that region. A unique idea that I believe properly captures the spirit of the RBL

Q) Inspirational stories are a great way of holding the attention of the reader what is your experience and how did you go about selecting them?

A) I pulled together a team from the Military Family to engage with the RBL across the UK & Commonwealth… this was a Tri-Service Team of serving, veterans, reserves, friends, families and youth services. These became known as our RBL Ambassadors, a role that saw them engage with the RBL Membership in their region and to work with them to select a local hero or heroine who had ‘made a great contribution to UK Defence’ and that the RBL local Membership wanted to celebrate and represent them.  The list is astonishing and whilst there are many well-known VC and MC winners in the Book, there are others much less well known like Captain John Perkins RN who was born a slave in Jamaica in the 18th Century and rose to Captain a 32 Gun Naval Frigate; Sergeant Alfred Holmes from Gibraltar who looked after the Barbary Apes for 38 years; Sybil Kathagasu from Malaysia who gave her life standing up to the Japanese invaders during WW2 by supporting British SOE Agents and so many more amazing and courageous individuals who have been chosen as outstanding by the members of the UK’s largest Military Charity, so many of whom are veterans themselves… a wonderful mark of respect that I hope does their memory justice.

Q) Food discussions are common ways of coming together to discuss other issues too. So how was this possible to get so many people to tell their stories? How did you reach out to them?

A) We sent members of today’s Military Family to engage with the RBL Membership.  When I started the Project, these were supposed to be sit-down meetings in an RBL club, sharing stories of our service face to face with the Membership and as we say in the Armed Forces, ‘pull up a sandbag and swing a lantern’.  The reality was sadly less engaging and fun with the majority of the engagements being over Zoom or old-fashioned telephones.  Our team then took the chosen candidate and researched the individual before presenting the article to the editorial team.

I’m particularly proud of one region and that was ‘Tyne & Wear’ where we set up a competition with the County Air Training Corps Squadrons to tell a panel, chaired by me but representing the RBL, the Publisher, and the County, who should be in the Book representing their County. I spent the most wonderful evening watching and listening to presentations from young Cadets passionate about their chosen candidate before having the unenviable task of choosing one:  Kate Adie. A superlative choice of a Journalist who spent her career supporting and representing the Armed Forces, always reporting the stories as they really were and never refusing to go anywhere where British Troops were deployed.  A truly inspirational choice.

Q) In your travels which cuisine have you most enjoyed discovering and why?

A) I’m that person who leaves the group to find a back street restaurant and ask the waiter what he or she is having for tea… on occasions, this has been a truly bad idea but mostly it gives an insight into the real food culture of the region. There’s no way I can choose a favourite as there’s no experience like trying a new taste for the first time but if I had to choose one it would be the Proustian moment brought on by Cypriot food.  Having grown up in Cyprus, the memories that the fusion of Greek and Cypriot Food brings back to me is unsurpassed:  Even just a smell of Sheftalia, Dolmades, Stifado, and of course Kleftiko turns me into a sun-tanned 8-year old bare footboy with grazed knees, a voracious appetite and probably guzzling a glass of Kokinelli and Lemonade. Heaven.

Q) In your opinion, what is the single most versatile ingredient?

A) Probably Eggs, I haven’t much to add to the world’s knowledge of the million and one uses of eggs other than to say, even with all of the sweet and savoury uses of Eggs that are out there, nothing beats a properly prepared poached Egg.

Q) What is your signature dish?

A) I think that would be my favourite recipe from the RAF100 Cookbook… the Italian North African (Ethiopia today) Dora Wat. So seldom do we encounter entirely different flavours but that is why the Dora Wat is so amazing.  It starts with slowly melting 1.5Kg of Red Onions (that’s a Bag and a half that need thinly slicing so make sure you have plenty of tissues around… it’s going to get emotional) in a pot (that’s the Wat in the title).  Once they have melted to a gloop, you reconstitute them with Chicken Stock and the beautiful Berebere spice mix (available in the posh supermarkets but we published the recipe anyway) before adding Chicken and finally boiled eggs… it’s an utterly delicious fiery and sweet red chicken stew and like nothing you’ve ever tasted before… unless your Ethiopian!

Q) Breaking bread together is a great way of bonding; can you share any traditions that you have experienced while you served in the armed forces, that you will always hold close to your heart?

A) As Napoleon observed, an Army Marches on its stomach and this is never so true as after an operation when it is often the opportunity to stop and eat that provides that first chance to relax.  The same is when we used to Exercise when I was much younger where the enemy was always an un-named Eastern-Block aggressor and each 3-day scenario became astonishingly similar as the directing staff went through their scripts to check that we were operating as we should.  This was just as true with the exercise food where you could tell how well we were doing by the food that arrived. By the time we received the ‘Egg Banjos’ we knew we were on the home straight, that we could remove our respirators (gas masks), that our fictional foes were finally in retreat (again), and that we could perhaps, for a moment, get warm, dry and eat.  The Egg Banjo is a humble treat being no more than a runny fried egg between 2 pieces of thick(ish) ham held between 2 pieces of bread.  These were brought to us en-masse in hotlocks which were neither hot nor locked, but nonetheless, to this day these eggy treats still brings pangs of nostalgia as perhaps the ultimate comfort food.

But, I hear you ask, why are they called Egg Banjos… in truth it was many years before I worked out why they were so named. I was sat opposite a colleague at the end of one of these exercises, dressed in his NBC suit with dirt and camo across his face as he bit into his Egg Banjo… which subsequently exploded egg-yolk across the front of his jacket. Exasperated but not beaten, he immediately took the Banjo in his left hand, drawing it away from his body so it would drip no more before and with a flourish that any stringed instrument player would recognise as a strum, vigorously wiped the egg off the front of his jacket, looking exactly like an Air-Banjo player. Needless to say, I immediately understood why they are referred to as Egg Banjos.

Cooking with Heroes – The perfect Christmas Gift for all foodies

Why not add this amazing cookbook to your Christmas shopping list? This is bound to make for a fabulous gift for your friends and family alike. A high-quality hardcover book filled with fabulous easy-to-follow recipes and interesting stories of military heroes and heroines with a sprinkling of celebrity spice, what’s not to love?!

Cooking with Heroes is available in all major bookstores including Blackwells, Waterstones, and WH Smith, to purchase RRP £19.95 – with all profits (£5 per sale) going to support The Royal British Legion.

* With thanks to the PR agency and St Jame’s House for the invite and a complimentary copy of the cookbook. With thanks to Author Jon Pullen for taking the time to patiently respond to my questions. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No monetary compensation was offered. Images credit E Jacobs Photography unless stated otherwise

Filed Under: Events, Food

The Instagram Foodie Bag – Must have for all Food Photographers

August 2, 2021 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Let me introduce you to my latest find The Instagram #Foodie Bag. I also have a super exciting Giveaway for this fabulous piece of kit on my Instagram.

The Instagram Foodie Bag – Must have for all Food Photographers

Are you passionate about food photography?

Do you collect food photography props?

Are you an avid food blogger, food writer, Instagram foodie?

Then the Instagram Foodie Bag from Paper Bag Co is just the thing you need to add to your photography kit!

*Disclaimer: I was sent an Instagram Bag for review

A mobile food photography kit for all foodies

As a food writer, blogger, and freelance Marketing and PR manager, I am often at events where I need to carry my DSLR camera and photograph food. This bag is just perfect for carrying not just my camera bag but also a few essentials that will help me take better photographs. Basically, the #FoodieBag is your mobile fully equipped photography studio

So what does the #FoodieBag contain?

The Instagram Bag comes filled with the following Food Photography essentials:

  • A limited-edition, stylish and very large (12 oz i.e. 340 grams, ) cloth bag – with zip closure. The bag has a handy internal pocket and a mesh closure.
  • 4 beautiful photography backgrounds by Black Velvet Styling, they are portable as they come rolled-up in a sturdy carboard case – very handy!
  • 5 in 1 pop-up reflector and diffuser in a portable zip closure case
  • A set of beautiful postcards with stunning food photos and top tips by phone photographer Matt Inwood to inspire even the most seasoned photographers

The #FoodieBag

This bag is a great piece of kit for all food bloggers and foodies. What I like most about this bag is that it looks trendy and is perfect for carrying all the things one could need for clicking really good photo photos. It is an eco-friendly cotton bag in a very large size. You can easily carry a light laptop in its case and a compact camera case in this spacious bag, along with the portable diffuser. The inner zip pocket is perfect to store valuables like your travel tickets, bank card, a small hand sanitiser, and a face mask ( essential everyday items in a post-pandemic world)

If you need inspiration then the 8 postcards that come included have some stunning food photos by renowned phone photographer Matt Inwood and some handy tips too.

The 4 photographic backgrounds are just the right size for food photographs and are designed by stylist Sophie who set up the now popular company Black Velvet Styling.

I am most impressed with the compact, portable reflector and diffuser that comes in a smart zip closure carry case. It is so handy and can be used to adjust the lighting for your food photos.

Instagram Giveaway of The #FoodieBag

I was sent this beautiful limited edition bag to review and now two lucky winners can get their hands on this limited edition kit! Head to my Instagram now and find out how you could be one of the two lucky winners who can win this fantastic piece of kit worth £39.95 for free.

Win The #FoodieBag!

Head to my Instagram account now! My #FoodieBag was shipped out very promptly so the two lucky winners will not have to wait long once my giveaway ends and the lucky winners are announced on my Instagram feed.

*With thanks to Paper Bag Co for sending me a review sample product. All my reviews are always unbiased based on my personal experience.

Filed Under: Food, Product Reviews

Restaurant quality meat – Swaledale Online Butchers – a review

June 30, 2021 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Grass-fed, free-range, heritage breed meat from the Yorkshire Dales – home delivered

Looking for exceptional tasting, restaurant-quality British meat? Let me introduce you to Swaledale Online Butchers. Swaledale Butchers have built their business on the foundation of working only with native rare breed livestock, farmed sustainably and ethically. Their experience of working with some of the leading chefs in the country will ensure that the meat you purchase is not just restaurant quality but premium.

Exciting meat boxes specially for the BBQ season

Swaledale Online Butchers offers a large selection of meat and chicken. For the BBQ season, I would highly recommend their Spring BBQ box. This box will give you a good range of wholesome cuts from their heritage breeds. You can get creative and serve up a meat fiesta to please a crowd!

All you need to do is fire up the BBQ and get cooking!

What is inside the Swaledale Online Butchers BBQ Box?

  • 2 x 180g Denver Steaks
  • 4 x 135g Free Range Herb-fed Chicken Drumsticks
  • 4 x 120g Lamb Chops
  • 2 x 220g Pork Ribeye Steaks
  • 1 x 495g pack of 6 Yorkshire Breakfast Chipolatas
  • 1 x 480g pack of 6 Lamb Merguez Sausages

Priced at £44 this is a tempting deal for premium quality heritage breed meat.

Keep Calm and get your BBQ on!

Summer, sunshine, great weather, BBQ parties, and cocktails – that for me is the essence of these glorious few months. I have just the recipe for you to create a fabulous meal with less fuss and a few ingredients. I used the Swaledale Online Butchers Yorkshire breakfast Chipotlas from their Spring BBQ box for this recipe.

Grilled Masala Sausages served on a bed of puy lentils and enjoyed with a side of greens

So far, I have used the following cuts of meat from my meat box delivery from Swaledale Online Butchers to cook up the following dishes:

  • Free Range Herb-fed Chicken Drumsticks – Juicy Lemon Chicken traybake. Ross chicken, that hand-fed a rich diet of ten varieties of fresh herbs, it was a joy to work with these drumsticks
  • Diced Mutton – Traditional family recipe for a mutton curry – deep, intense flavours that work so well with the beautifully aged mutton. The ewes graze on a variety of wildflowers, herbs and grasses in the Yorkshire Dales. The older age of the animal – 2 years plus – gives it a complex flavour that reflects the diet of the ewes
  • Free-range herb-fed whole chicken – Traditional Sunday Roast dinner – the diet of these slow-grown free-range chickens gives a depth of flavour that is noticeable. The hens enjoy a locally milled, additive-free, cereal-based diet in addition to a mix of at least ten herbs that also come from a local farm. I noticed that meat is darker and takes up more of the flavour from a marinade in a much shorter marination period.
  • Merguez sausage Meat – I cooked up an easy One-pot Merguez sausage casserole using this very flavourful sausagemeat and the flavours were dancing on my palate, so so so good!

Rare, traditional breeds

Based in the stunning Yorkshire dales, Swaledale partners with the local farming community to bring the ultimate and most delicious ingredients directly to your kitchen.

How are they able to do this? By only working with farmers who rear traditional breeds.

Breeds like the Belted Galloway or Highland cow, which graze on the local landscape all year round and the result is beautifully marbled beef. Ross chicken, that are hand-fed a rich diet of ten varieties of fresh herbs – Imagine how this impacts the flavour of your herb-fed whole chicken roast! Delicious pork with a high-fat content that comes from the local Yorkshire bred Middle white pigs

Swaledale Butchers believe that everyone should be able to trace the exact provenance of their meat. As a consumer, to me, this means a lot because I know for a fact that important things like animal welfare, support of the local farming community, and a return of traditional heritage rare breed animals are assured.

Benefits of eating grass-fed, organic, traditional meat

  • Purely grass-fed, free-roaming traditional livestock is bound to produce superior quality meat. Taste that reflects the natural environment where the animals have grazed. So essentially what you cook and plate up has beautiful natural flavours that stand out on their own even when combined with vibrant spices
  • Ethical farming practices that benefit the local farming community means a sustainable system that benefits everyone in the chain
  • Pesticide-free grass and animals that are not pumped up on antibiotics. A perfect example is that Swaledale cattle take 4-6 years to mature whereas commercial animals take up to 14 months or less, I shall leave you to do the math for yoursef!
  • Grass-fed meat is higher in antioxidants, has a higher number of healthy fats, is packed with vitamins, and is, therefore, better for you.
  • Cows, pigs, sheep, and poultry heritage breeds that are suited to survive outdoors and feed on the grass produce the best tasting meat.

Online ordering FAQ’s for Swaledale Online Butchers

  • All the meat comes to you fresh and not frozen. It is suitable for home freezing and needs to be unpacked immediately. Everything reached me in pristine condition.
  • The packaging is recyclable and designed to provide thermal insulation.
Summary

Swaledale Online Butchers have a strong ethos towards traditional rare breeds and their selection is a great example of the perfect field-to-fork experience. Expert butchery, 100% grass-fed, traceable provenance, and ethical practices are the hallmarks of their business. They work with top chefs and highly respected restaurants in London and across the U.K

I have sampled a large variety of their meats and will not hesitate to recommend them. As always my reviews are honest and based on my personal experience. This means that you can go ahead and buy with confidence.

*With thanks to Swaledale Online Butchers. I pride myself on providing unbiased reviews based on my personal experience.

Filed Under: Food, Product Reviews, Uncategorized

Vinegar Roast Chicken

June 23, 2020 by manjirichitnis 18 Comments

This Vinegar Roast Chicken recipe is a Keto-friendly, Low- Carb, delicious, protein-packed meal. Requires minimal prep too.

Who doesn’t love an easy chicken recipe that hardly takes any prep and results in a flavor-packed meal, right? Vinegar Roast Chicken is that recipe which everyone should add to their repertoire. Even a novice will be able to re-create this easy dish and feel a sense of pride and achievement.

Vinegar Roast Chicken by Manjiri of www.travelsfortaste.com

Easy Vinegar Roast Chicken in a Dark, rich and delicious sauce

I love creating recipes that require less prep and where I end up with a dish that really explodes with flavour

Season, place into the oven, sit back and relax

Yes!This recipe really is that easy. You will want to make this over and over again. Take it for pot-luck parties and everyone will be asking you for the recipe – don’t forget to share my blog link with them 🙂

Vinegar is the Star ingredient here, especially if you use fruit flavoured one like I have. I love my cranberry flavoured vinegar. I also have tried this recipe with a coffee flavoured vinegar, balsamic vinegar and truffle flavoured vinegar. I would urge you to invest in really good vinegar, you will thank me later for investing in this wonderfully versatile ingredient

The pomegranate molasses add deep and rich undertones into the stock as it cooks.

Vinegar Roasted Chicken

Manjiri Chitnis
Bursting with flavour, this oven-roast chicken dish is a must-have in everyone's arsenal of recipes. Prefect for when you want a quick but delicious meal – an anytime recipe
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 45 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Oven tray

Ingredients
  

  • 6 chicken legs without skin
  • 2 tbsp fruit flavoured vinegar
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 450 ml Chicken stock – homemade or use 1.5 chicken stock cubes crumbled into hot water
  • 2 cloves of black garlic with skin
  • 1 small red onion finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chilli flakes
  • Pinch of smoked sea salt
  • 1 tsp olive oil spray
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Wash the chicken legs and remove the skin
  • Using a knife make deep cuts on the chicken
  • Roughly chop one medium sized red onion
  • Pre-heat oven to 250°C
  • In a baking tray, lined with foil, place the chicken legs
  • Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, vinegar and pomegranate molasses onto the chicken
  • Rub the vinegar, molasses, and seasoning onto the chicken to coat them thoroughly
  • I always use my homemade chicken stock but if you are using stock cubes then dissolve them into freshly boiled water from the kettle and make a mixture
  • Scatter the chopped onion and garlic around the chicken
  • If using black garlic, squeeze them partly out from their skins so they almost melt into the stock while cooking
  • Pour the chicken stock around the seasoned chicken legs
  • Sprinkle some chilli flakes on top
  • Cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes
  • Once the 45-minute mark is done, remove the tray, oven the foil and using tongs turn the legs
  • Cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes
  • Then remove the top foil and cook at 200-220 °C until the little skin around the bones turns a nice brown
  • Serve with a side salad
  • During summer I like to serve my Vinegar roast chicken with a rainbow salad and a refreshing fresh salad dressing, recipe to follow on my blog soon. Stay Tuned!
Keyword Vinegar roast chicken

Notes

  • The oven time can vary based on how big the chicken pieces are, what cut you plan to use, and the type of oven you have.
  • If using frozen chicken legs, I advise cooking at a low temperature of about 150 deg Celsius in a pre-heated oven for over an hour. The oven dish should be covered with a foil, tightly fitted around the edges.

Looking for more chicken recipes? Have a look at some of my easy to create delicious recipes below:

  • Spicy chicken curry
  • One-pot chicken and noodle recipe
  • Jerk Chicken
  • Pomegranate chicken curry
  • Spicy Mexican Chicken wings
  • Spicy grilled chicken
  • Chicken and red lentil stew ( Recipe can be adapted to a vegetarian version)
  • Chicken Frankie roll
  • Kadhai Chicken Masala
  • Moroccan Chicken one-pot recipe
  • Chicken Tikka Masala – Air-fryer recipe
  • Flu-fighting chicken noodle soup
  • Butter Chicken

Who doesn’t love a good homemade chutney? You will love Heidi’s recipe for Blackberry Chutney – promise not to faint after seeing photos of me in her post 😉

Filed Under: Food, Meat, Recipe Index

Butter chicken

May 18, 2020 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

Incredibly easy Butter Chicken recipe

The very mention of the name of this dish conjures up images of a creamy and buttery gravy with delicious tandoor cooked chunks of chicken just begging to be scooped up with warm buttery naan

Butter Chicken – Travelsfortaste blog

Delicious chicken in a creamy and flavourful yet mild gravy sauce

This version is sort of a cheat’s version, meaning you can be create this much quicker if you follow my handy tips and tricks given below. There are also several adjustments I have made here which allow for alternate ingredients, especially swapping fresh cream for thick Greek yoghurt. Believe me it tastes just as good but it so much lighter on your tummy and your conscience!

Hugely popular North Indian chicken dish

This recipe adapts well to those using an Instant Pot or slow cooker too and is a great way to celebrate a BBQ. It is a very user-friendly recipe so if you do not have an oven you can still crack the code with some smart hacks. Yes, yes, I call my own smart, what can I say, am very humble like that 😉

Usually, I am a very happy bunny creating traditional Maharashtrian curries and especially from my home cuisine – CKP. But because I have lived in Bombay ne Mumbai most of my life in India , I have a palate that appreciates and loves a whole host of varied regional cuisine. And Butter Chicken sits right up there among those much-loved dishes. I don’t make this often enough is the only complaint I hear from the OH!

Butter Chicken

Manjiri Chitnis
Incredibly easy Butter Chicken recipe for a delicious chicken in a creamy and flavourful yet mild gravy sauce
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Marination and resting time 8 hrs
Total Time 8 hrs 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 People

Equipment

  • Mixer / Blender
  • Heavy Bottomed Pan
  • Griddle pan/oven and skewers

Ingredients
  

Round one of margination -Overnight margination of chicken/ or six hours before cooking

  • 450 grams Boneless chicken – personally, I prefer chicken thighs

  • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (check notes below – I make mine fresh)
  • 2 tbsp Freshly ground ginger & garlic paste
  • 1 heaped tbsp Garam masala
  • 1.5 tbsp Freshly squeezed tbsp lime juice
  • Salt as per taste

Mix for round two of marination

  • 2 tbsp Cooking oil – ideally mustard oil

  • 4 heaped tbsp Hung curd (check notes below) – approx 1 cup
  • 1.5 tbsp Lime juice

Ingredients for the curry

  • 2 tbsp Unsalted butter

  • 1 tsp Oil
  • 350 grams Chopped tinned tomato– or 3 to 3.5 medium fresh ripe tomatoes
  • 1 medium-sized Red onion
  • 1 – 2 Green chillies
  • 1-2 Bay leaves
  • 1/2 thumb-sized Stick of Cinnamon (ideally cassia bark)
  • 1/2 thumb-sized Piece of Fresh ginger
  • 6 – 7 Cloves of Garlic with skin on
  • 2 Peppercorns
  • 4 Cloves
  • 1 Badi Elaichi /Black cardamom
  • 4 Elaichi/green cardamoms
  • 6 Cashew nuts
  • 6 Almonds without skin
  • 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • Water as required
  • Salt to taste
  • 1.5 tsp Fresh cream or Thick Greek yoghurt
  • Handful Fresh Coriander leaves finely chopped to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Wash the chicken pieces and set aside in a bowl
  • Make small cuts in the chicken to allow the marinade to penetrate thoroughly
  • I prefer an overnight margination for the first stage as it makes the flavours shine through, you can do it about 6 hours before cooking as there are two stages to marination
  • Mix all the ingredients from the overnight margination list above and coat the chicken pieces thoroughly, place in the refrigerator overnight
  • The reason hung curd is used is to as to ensure that no extra water gets into the gravy and the gravy has a beautifully creamy consistency
  • Use a muslin cloth to hand the curd for about 2 hours
  • Place the dahi /curd/ Indian set yoghurt in a fine muslin cloth and twist the ends to close the muslin and made a big potli/ parcel
  • Once all the water from the yoghurt collects in the vessel below, it isokay to remove it from the muslin *Check notes
  • Beat the hung yoghurt with a fork and then pour onto the chicken, add the lime juice and mix well, then add the oil
  • Now put the chicken back into the refrigerator for at least four hours
  • About 4 hours before making the chicken remove from the refrigerator and let is sit outside for about 45 minutes (during winter, during summer – depending upon the room temperature let it sit out for at least 20 minutes)
  • Let the chicken rest outside at room temperature while you make the gravy
  • Soak the almonds in lukewarm water for 10 minutes, the skin will come off easily
  • In a heavy bottomed pan heat the oil and then add the butter , follow this up with the green chillies, crushed ginger , crushed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom pods opened
  • Sauté well till all the whole spices are lightly fried , releasing all their gorgeous aromatic flavours
  • Now add in the whole cashews and whole almonds, stir and sauté
  • Then add the finely chopped onion and cook until they turn a light brown colour
  • Follow this up with the chopped tomato from a tin or concentrated tomato puree. Dilute the concentrated paste before adding. Read my notes below for tips.
  • Let this simmer for under 2 minutes, then transfer to a ceramic bowl and cool
  • String the chicken pieces through a skewer, spray some oil and cook them in a pre-heated oven at 200 degree Celsius until almost done. Turn the pieces so both sides get grilled equally
  • Alternatively, use a heavy bottom griddle pan and cook on either side till you see juices releasing
  • The best way to cook the chicken is over hot coal on a BBQ, which imparts a beautiful smoky flavour note to the chicken
  • Remove the chicken from the skewers and using a scissor cut them down to smaller chunks
  • Now blend the gravy using a blender – blend until you get a smooth consistency. Read my pro-tipbelow for this step – it can make or break your dish
  • In the same pan used to sauté the gravy, add the smooth gravy from the blender, if you want you can add an additional dollop of butter before adding the gravy
  • Now stir in the chicken pieces and mix well
  • Then add in the kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves, sugar and salt as per taste and cook on a very low heat setting until done. Cover and cook
  • When the chicken has cooked through transfer to a serving bowl
  • Garnish with fresh cream, some chopped coriander leaves, some kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves and serve hot
  • Serve with a side of buttery garlic naans, or plain tandoor roti’s or steamed basmati rice or simply plain naan
  • Whatever you choose to pair it with remember to add a blob of butter on top for that added decadence
Keyword Butter Chicken

Smart Swaps:

  • Unsalted butter over regular salted
  • Few soaked dry fenugreek seeds can be used if you cannot find Kasuri methi. Dried fenugreek leaves
  • Thick Greek yoghurt over fresh cream
Butter Chicken – Recipe by www.travelsfortaste.com

Tips:

  • Chopped tomates in a tin and concentrated tomato puree in a tube are store cupboard essentials, also they have the right kind of acidity that you need. Fresh tomatoes tend to be sweet which may change the balance of flavours we are after here
  • Before blending the gravy sauce, you may want to remove the bay leaves and the badi elaichi. I do this both my husband and I believe that the sauce tastes better without blending this. Later just add these back with the chicken pieces.
  • Frozen onion and tomato gravy is very handy
  • Frozen ginger garlic paste is another time saver
  • Pressed for time? Skip the overnight marination and go for only one marination for 4 hours
  • Making a large batch of Butter Chicken? You will need more hung curd. I hang the muslin cloth from my kitchen sink tap so the excess water simply drips into a bowl waiting in the sink. Do not throw this water away! It is loaded with flavour and nutrients. It is great for mixing into chapati/Indian flatbread dough and a base for salad dressings (Yes!)
  • Batch cook – this curry freezes very well; I make 4 times the amount and stash my freezer when I have a packed schedule. It is amazing to come home late from work to this beautiful curry (I cheat and get store-bought naan when am unable to make any fresh!)
  • Skip the green chillies entirely if you cannot handle the pungent undertones

Notes:

  • Kashmiri dry red chillies are easily available in most Indian grocery stores/ Online as is the bright red ready to use powder. The powder is what gives this recipe it is trademark bright red colour. Do not fret if you can’t find the powder, just blitz a handful of the dried Kashmiri chillies in a spice grinder – dry blitz and make your own powder! If you want, you could also add water and all the other ingredients of round one of margination and make a paste. Saves time too!
  • Using an Instant pot? I will be sharing a version of this recipe in the coming days – will update a link here

Did you follow my recipe? Please let me know in comments, I love reading your comments and feedback

Snap a picture of your creations and use the hashtag #travelsfortasteblogrecipe and share it to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and I will re-post it.

Butter Chicken – Recipe by www.travelsfortaste.com

Filed Under: Curry - Meat, Seafood, Food, Indian, Recipe Index

Quick Red Lentil curry

May 9, 2020 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

Easy basic Indian daal recipe

Dried Lentils – versatile, flavourful, and absolutely brilliant to cook with not to mention pocket-friendly, are an omnipresent part of my kitchen pantry. Every region of India has its own versions of lentil curries or daal’s as we refer to even the cooked version.

Made using storecupboard essentials

The skinless masoor daal or the split red lentil cooks very quickly and is a great choice for a quick dish that can be rustled up in next to no time. Perfect for busy evenings, steamed rice will cook alongside this curry and you will have a hearty and delicious meal all ready under 20 minutes.

Traditional Roots

My recipe is something I have been making for a while now and even Aai approves – which is high praise indeed. Ideally, Aai would have me cooked akkhe masoor or the whole masoor – brown with skin and whole. The recipe involves using some of our trademark ingredients like tamarind and freshly grated coconut and the result is a creamy, delicious and moreish daal that warms my soul.

Basic Indian Curry recipe for beginners

My recipe is a perfect for those getting familiar with Indian cuisine . This is one daal recipe you want in your repertoire. Adaptable and highly versatile, you can bulk up this recipe with veggies if you are cooking for fussy little ones. Everything about this recipe is user-friendly. This curry freezes well, make in batches and freeze for busy days.

Quick Split Red Lentil Curry

Manjiri Chinis
Delicious Red lentil curry, easy to prepare, vegan friendly recipe
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Red lentil washed
  • 1.5 tbsp Sunflower Oil
  • 1 small pinch Hing/Asafoetida
  • 2-3 Kadipatta/Curry leaves
  •  ½ Hirvi Mirchi/ Green Chilli
  • ½ tsp Mohri/ Black Mustard seeds
  •  ½ tsp Jeere/ cumin
  • 2 cloves Lasun / Garlic with skin on
  • A small piece of fresh ginger washed and roughlysliced  – keep mortar pestel handy
  • ½ Laal Kanda/ Large Red Onion chopped fine
  •  2 tsp Garam Masala
  • ½ tsp Halad/ Turmeric Powder
  • 1 heaped tsp Laal Mirchi/ Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 heaped tsp Dhane/Coriander Powder
  • 1 small tomato chopped fine or ½ heaped tbsp canned chopped tomatoes
  • Salt as per taste
  • Water as per the quantity of lentils used
  • Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Wash the red lentils, drain and set aside
  • Finely chop the red onion
  • Heat oil in a pan
  • Leave the skin on the garlic cloves and smash the cloves using a pestle, remove the skin from the ginger and use a mortar pestle to crush it to release all the juices.
  • When the oil is hot add a pinch of asafoetida, mustard seeds and cumin, once the mustard seeds and cumin begin to pop and crackle, add the garlic, green chilli, curry leaves and the ginger. Remember to use a spoon to scoop all the juice from the crushed ginger into the pan, you don't want to waste all that goregous juicy flavour
  • Tip in the chopped onion, add the corinader powder, garam masala and saute until the onion turns a soft brown colour, keep stirring to ensure the onion does not burn
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well, then reduce the flame and add the washed red lentil
  • Add enough water, cover and cook until done
  • Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves just before turning off the gas
  • Serve with steamed pressure cooked rice, always top with a nice blop of puree ghee, a nice cucumber raita will complete the meal

Learn how to make Indian food from scratch with my easy to follow recipes

  • Fresh dill and yellow moong daal recipe
  • Goda sheera/ sooji ka halwa/ Indian dessert
  • CKP Surmai curry
  • Pompfret fry
  • Konbichi khichadi – Prawn khichadi
  • Vaangayche Bharit/ Smoked stuffed Aubergine ( Eggplant/Brinjal) in a thick gravy/ Baingan ka bharta
  • Valache Birdhe – (वालाचे बिरडे) – MADE IN A TYPICAL C.K.P WAY
  • Kairi Panhe/ Aam ka panha – Raw mango summer drink
  • Cauliflower- vatana bhaji – cauliflower and green peas vegetarian side dish
  • Podhnichi khichadi
  • Akkha masoor aamti CKP style / Whole red lentils with skin curry recipe
  • Achari Mutton curry
  • Spicy Chicken curry
  • Egg curry
  • Kadhi – fusion of Punjabi and Gujrati kadhi recipes with vadi’s
  • Upma
  • Gujrati Kadhi
  • Shahi Khichadi
  • Sweetcorn and paneer bhaji/sabzi (vegetable side dish)
  • Tomato and coconut chutney
  • Steamed Idli batter
  • Ragi (Finger Millet) and blueberry pancakes
  • Masala egg omlette
  • Chicken tikka masala
  • Tikka masala curry paste
  • Tawa chicken Frankie roll
  • Chai concentrate
  • Grated carrot salad
  • Strawberry flavoured shrikhand

As part of our #LockdownRecipes, I cooked this live on Instagram and have it saved on my IGTV – do go and have a look, please let me know in comments if you enjoyed watching my very first IGTV video!

My friend and fellow food-blogger Heidi cooked along with me on live from her home kitchen in St.Albans and I was so happy that some of my followers cooked along too. Check out my album Lockdown recipes in my Instagram highlights to see photos of their creations.

And if you do cook to my recipe do snap a picture of your creations and use the hashtag #travelsfortasteblogrecipe and share it to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and I will re-post it.

Filed Under: Curry - Vegetarian, Food, Indian, Recipe Index

Dill and yellow moong daal recipe

April 14, 2020 by manjirichitnis 12 Comments

Shepu ani moogachi chi Bhaji

My very first memory of eating this dish goes back to when I was in primary school. Back home from a busy day at school , I barely used to manage to wash my hands before running into the kitchen demanding a snack. Aai had cooked up this then strange looking green leafy vegetable with an aroma that was new to me, but it was served with a freshly made Jowar Bhakri, which I absolutely love. I guess it was love at first bite.

Simple, homely, delicious

This bhaji (Marathi for sabzi) is a very traditional dish, part of the Maharashtrian cuisine. Shepu (Marathi for Dill) leaves are known for the string flavour and certain foods, this leafy vegetable can evoke strong emotions. I belong to the camp of people that love this dish.

Traditional cuisine from Maharashtra

Dill and Yellow Moong Dal bhaji – (Shepu ani moogachi Bhaji)

Traditional Maharashtrain recipe using fresh Dill leaves and Yellow Moong daal, tastes great with a Bhakri
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 I bunch Shepu / Dill leaves
  • 3/4 cup Split Yellow Moong daal without skin
  • 1 tbsp Sunflower Oil
  • 1 small pinch Hing/Asafoetida)
  • ½ tsp Mohri/Mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp Jeere/ Cumin
  • 3 – 4 Kadipatta/ Curry leaves
  • 3 cloves Lasun / Garlic with skin on
  • 1 Thumb sized piece Fresh Ale/ Ginger – smashed with a khalbatta – Mortar Pestle
  • ½ Kanda/Red onion finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Hirvi Mirchi/ Green Chilli and Kothimbi/ Coriander leaves paste
  • 1 tsp Laal Tikhat/ Red Chilli Powder
  • ½ tsp Halad/ Turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp Goda Masala
  • 1.5 heaped tsp freshly grated khobra /Coconut

Instructions
 

  • Wash the moong daal and soak it in hot water for a while – until you find the daal begins to soften , ensure it doesn’t totally get soft
  • Meanwhile wash and roughly chop the shepu/Dill leaves and tender stalks – and drain onto a tea towel
  • In a pan gently roast half the chopped onion and the grated coconut, do not allow the mix to to burn – remove from pan and set aside on a ceramic plate to cool
  • In the same pan heat the oil and prepare the phodni/tadka – when the oil heats add the mustard seeds and cumin, when they start to sputter add the garlic cloves and ginger , stir till the garlic begins caramelise
  • Meanwhile remove the daal from the water , drain the water through a colander and pat dry
  • Then add the remaining onion and the moong daal, allow the daal to almost fry but not quite
  • Add the goda masala and cook for about a minute , allowing the goda masala to coat the onion and daal thoroughly
  • Add the green masala, red chilli powder, turmeric, then add the shepu and stir for a while
  • Add the roasted onion and grated coconut mixture, and allow to cook on a low flame.
  • The shepu shouldn’t totally go soft and limp, that means it has overcooked. The daal should be cooked like pasta – al-dente – that means you have got the texture just right. Serve hot with a freshly made Jowar or Bajra Bhakri and some chopped onion.
Keyword Dill, Moong, Shepu

Memories of going to small villages in the interior of Maharashtra years ago, enjoying a hot bhakri made over a stove with a spicy bhaji like this in dim lighting and really enjoying everything that the place has to offer. These and other memories come rushing back to me when I make such recipes. After all, what is cooking traditional dishes, if not a journey to some part of our life, even if it may seem like a whole lifetime away?

Explore more recipes from Maharashtra, India:

  • CKP King Fish curry – सुरमाई चे कालवण 
  • Valache Birdhe – C.K.P style recipe -वालाचे बिरडे
  • Konkani Pompfret Fish Curry पापलेटचं कलवण
  • Prawn Khichadi – कोळंबीची खिचडी

Have you tried any of my recipes? Do let me know in comments, share your photos on social media with me with the hashtag:

I love reading your comments and seeing your photos! Stay Safe and Stay home during this lockdown.

Filed Under: C.K.P recipes, Food, Indian

Creamy Celeriac and smoked Red Pepper Soup

February 24, 2020 by manjirichitnis 18 Comments

A perfect winter warmer

Winter might be on its way, what with milder weather already here but chilly evenings definitely call for a hearty and delicious soup. This time though I had a few red peppers at home and I knew I wanted to smoke them and add them either into a soup or stew instead of my regular dips. So this humble, often ignored root vegetable found its way into my kitchen. Though I have cooked with celeriac in the past, this particular recipe has turned out so well I will be making it over and over again.

Creamy Celeriac soup with fiery spices and smoked red pepper

This soup is a fusion recipe where I use some common methods used in Indian recipes. I choose celeriac because I often walk past in when am shopping for vegetables at our local supermarket or the farmers market but never really bring it home.

Definitely one to save, why not bookmark or print and save this easy to recreate the recipe and you add something new to your weeknight meal plan?

Creamy and moreish Celeriac soup

Flavour Notes

The smoked red pepper and the mild red chilli really packs a punch while the herbs work hard in the background to add delicate undertones which hold their own even with the smoky pepper and healing garlic.

This soup is a brilliant winter warmer and is packed with flavour and healing properties thanks to the turmeric

Suitable for both vegans and vegetarians this soup is really versatile and a meal in itself.

Creamy Celeriac and Smoked Red Pepper Soup

Deliciouslythick and creamy celeriac soup with added flavours from smoked Red Pepper androasted garlic
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe
Course Soup
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Any Blender, I use my Froothie Optimum Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Medium sized Celeriac
  • 1 Medium Red Onion
  • 1 Long sweet Red Pepper
  • 5 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 Mild Red Chilli
  • 1 Sprig of Rosemary
  • 1 Sprig of Thyme
  • 2 Sage leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 small stick of Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • Mixed Seeds for Garnish
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • Salt as per taste
  • Freshly CrackedBlack Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Wash theceleriac thoroughly, using a sharp knife carefully remove the hard-outer skinand chop into cubes
  • Pre-heatoven to 190 °C
  • Roughly chop the red onion and red chilli 
  • Line abaking tray with foil and place the celeriac chunks, Scatter the thyme androsemary and drizzle some olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Roast in thepre-hea ted oven for around 40 minutes
  • In the last 20 minutes ofthe roasting process, add the chopped red onion, garlic and chilli. If you donot have an oven, simply roast the chopped red onion and garlic in a heavybottomed pan over a medium flame with some olive oil, add the herbs and the cubedceleriac, sauté,add minimal water and cook with a lid on, until the celeriacis soft.
  • While the celeriac cooksin the oven, wash and pat dry the red pepper. Using tongs place on an openflame, turning frequently to char the outside skin. This will impart a deepsmoky flavour to the sweet red pepper. (I love doing this over charcoal on aBBQ during summer!)
  • Let the red pepper cool, then use the back of a spoon to gently peel off the charred skin
  • Once theceleriac is cooked, set aside and allow to cool enough to add in the blender
  • Blend the roasted celeriac,red onion, garlic and the smoked red pepper. Remove the rosemary and thymebefore adding into the blender. Add just enough water to form a thick grainy mixture.I don’t like to blend too fine, this way the soup has a nice thick texture
  • Heat the remaining Oliveoil In a heavy bottomed pot, sautee the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Thensputter some cumin and then pour the vegetable mixture from the blender. Addthe red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well. Simmer on a low flamefor a few minutes with lid on
  • Seasonwith salt, freshly cracked black pepper
  • Garnish withthe mixed seeds and one sage leaf per bowl. I like to sautee the sage leaf in adrop of olive oil before garnishing – it renders the sage leaf crisp and allits fabulous flavours release into the little oil
  • Serve hotwith crusty bread slathered with lashings of butter or vegan butter

Definitely one of the many recipes that I will be making as part of my batch cooking, this soup makes a tasty lunch box treat. You can get really creative with toppings and to add some more oomph why not try drizzled with some coconut cream on top(vegan option) or if you a dollop of thick set creamy yoghurt.

While you are here, browse through my other Soup Recipes

  • Clear Vegetable soup – Fusion recipe with an Indian twist
  • Red Lentil Soup
  • Tomato and Lentil soupy broth
  • Butternut Squash and lentil soup
  • Chinese chicken noodle soup
  • BBQ Pulled Pork and aromatic noodle soup

I love reading recipes created by my fellow bloggers, so here are some easy to create recipes, do check them out:

  • Cauliflower and sweet potato soup by Mina Joshi of Give me some spice
  • Chickpea and Okra provision soup by Mirelle of Global Kitchen Travels
  • Middle eastern lentil soup by Sandhya of My cooking journey
  • Minestrone Soup by Jyoti of Living smart and healthy
  • Vegan Greek chickpea soup by Priya of I camp in my kitchen
  • Vegan butternut squash and tomato soup by Nayna of Simply sensational food
  • Easy broccoli soup by Heidi of Kitchen talks and travels
  • Thukpa / Veg noodle soup by Renu of Cook with Renu
  • Carrot soup by Mayuri of Mayuri’s Jikoni
  • Thenthuk/ Hand-pulled noodle soup by Shobha of Shobha’s food mazaa
  • Vegan black bean soup by Vandana of Green bowl to soul

Filed Under: Food, Healthy, Recipe Index

Chocolate Afternoon Tea at The Landmark Hotel

November 22, 2019 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

Afternoon Tea – it is all about the experience and not just about perfectly made sandwiches or warm scones. It is all about the setting, the atmosphere – don’t you think?

I love sampling the afternoon tea at various places around London and I couldn’t turn down an invite from Fiona to accompany her to The Landmark.

Winter Garden at The Landmark, Marylebone

Through a grand stone arch up a flight of stairs, when one enters into the soaring Winter Garden, it is quite a breathtaking experience.

The massive central courtyard is a beautiful space flooded with natural light. The glass roof that covers the atrium sits at a massive height, creating a huge dome surrounded by the rooms on all sides. Tall palm trees add to the grandeur of the Winter Garden.

Rich Victorian Heritage of The Landmark Hotel, London

The Landmark Hotel at Marylebone is built around a huge central courtyard. When it was first opened in 1899 it was called the Great Central Hotel. Sir Edward Watkin has envisioned the creation of the Great Central Railway, Marylebone Station and a Grand Hotel for its elite passengers.

When his health failed him, the project was taken over by Edward Montagu, the Earl of Wharncliffe. At this time the site was bought by the famous furniture store chain of the times Maples. To match the grandeur of luxury hotels of the time, the hotel was designed around a vast courtyard that delivered guests directly into the courtyard by horse and carriage offering them privacy. The glass roof and airy interior made for a very dramatic entrance and ensured all rooms got adequate light and air.

The hotel changed hands once again in 1988 when the new roof to the atrium was raised and the winter garden was designed. Windsor Hotel was the name proposed at this time, but it reopened as the Regent in 1993 under new management. Two years later it was renamed The Landmark Hotel.

Award-winning Afternoon Tea

Our welcome glass of bubbly was the Champagne de Castelnau Brut Reserve. Then we picked our teas and picked a theme for our pastries. I choose to have the chocolate afternoon tea while my companion picked the classic afternoon tea.

Picking a tea to pair with my chocolate tea was quite easy as the Smooth Caramel sounded like it was made to pair with the chocolatey delights on my afternoon tea menu.

Our afternoon tea came laid out on elegant trays on shiny silver trays. The steaming hot teas came in beautiful silver teapots.

We thoroughly enjoyed our sandwich selection which consisted of deliciously fresh cucumber sandwiches (which I loved and couldn’t get enough of), coronation chicken on walnut bread, Lapsang Souchong tea-smoked Scottish salmon sandwiches which were a hit with my companion, and organic egg mayonnaise with mustard and cress. The sandwiches were so fresh and delicious that we asked for more.

My chocolate-themed pastries included a decadent blood orange and white chocolate mousse which was also my absolute favourite. The other chocolatey delights were a milk chocolate dacquoise sponge with hazelnut Chantilly cream, a beautiful banana, pecan nut, and milk chocolate cake and a perfectly formed large coconut and chocolate macaroon topped with a tiny dollop of delicate edible gold foil.

My companion picked the Earl Grey tea which was a bit too strong for her liking. She loved her pastry selection from the classic afternoon tea though. It included a rhubarb and lemon meringue tartlet which looked very tempting, a pretty looking simnel cake with dried fruits spices and marzipan, a delicious dark and white chocolate sphere which was my companion’s favourite pick from the lot and last but not the least a salted caramel macaroon. 

The scones we were served also offered a selection depending on our choice of afternoon tea. So while I enjoyed a selection of plain and chocolate scones, Fiona was served plain and fruit scones. I loved that we could pick two jams from a really good selection of jams. This was for me was a big plus point in favour of this whole afternoon tea experience. The other positives, of course, include the fabulously fresh sandwiches, the lovely selection of premium teas and the exquisite selection of chocolate pastries.

I picked a gooseberry and elderflower jam to go with my scones and clotted cream which I thought went really well with the warm scones, especially the chocolate scones. An unexpected but very pleasant combination of flavours. My companion picked apricot jam which she thought paired really well with the fruity scones, as expected. We had plenty of clotted cream to smother our scones with and am sure we would have managed to eat a few more scones if we hadn’t done round two of the sandwiches.

I would rate this experience amongst my Top 5 afternoon teas in London and I have tried quite a few. I love the location for this hotel too and that definitely adds to the score. With Marylebone station right around the corner, this grand venue has loads of offer. So you not only enjoy a delicious afternoon tea served in pretty silver wear by very attentive and polite staff but you always experience being inside a larger than life Winter Garden, sitting in a quiet seating area surrounded by tall Palm trees looking up at glass roof atrium and enjoy the soft music thanks to a harpist playing in the background.

To book this luxurious afternoon tea experience at The Landmark Hotel check out their menu and other details on their website here: The Landmark Hotel, Marylebone, London.

Curious to explore more options for Afternoon Tea in London? Why not browse through my blog and read about my experiences in various places:

  • Boyds Brasserie, Charing Cross
  • The Wallace Collection – Afternoon Tea amidst Art, Westminster
  • Honey Afternoon Tea at St. Ermin’s, Westminster
  • Moroccan Afternoon Tea at Leila, Ealing

Looking for more options for places to eat at while in Marylebone, why not read Fiona’s review about Twist Kitchen, an independent local restaurant in the area.

* With thanks to Fiona who blogs at London Unattached and The Landmark Hotel for the invite. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No monetary compensation was offered.

Filed Under: Events, Food, Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews

Greek Cookery Class with Jet2

September 11, 2019 by manjirichitnis 18 Comments

Celebrating Greek cuisine

Greek cuisine has always fascinated me and though I haven’t yet been to Greece (I know!) I do, very often dream of visiting this stunningly beautiful destination. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Greek cuisine is moussaka and tzatziki. This popular cuisine has some much to offer with dishes made using fresh fish, delicious meat, cheese and of course plenty of vegetables.

Jet2.com invited me to a Greek cookery class a few weeks ago to celebrate the launch of two new destinations in Greece for 2020. The azure waters of the coast at Lefkas and the quieter beach town of Parga can go onto your travel itinerary for 2020 with Jet2

#JetMe2theGreek event with Jet2

To celebrate the two new destinations for 2020, Jet2 came up with the wonderful idea of celebrating Greek cuisine with a cookery class.

Jenius social kitchen organised a very enjoyable group cooking class for us. A very talented chef and her team patiently taught a large group of us how to quickly rustle up a five-course Greek feast.

We cooked a very simple but beautiful summery greek salad, stuffed peppers and stuffed juicy tomatoes, delicate filo pastry parcels stuffed with two different fillings, skewers, and my absolute favourite tzatziki.

All of us were divided into groups and each group made generous portions of each dish. There was great attention given to all guests, ensuring that everyone’s dietary requirements were met.

I personally loved making the filo pastry parcels because they were so delicate to handle and it was great to pick up some pro tips on how to create the perfect triangular shape and not overdo the stuffing.

It was an incredibly warm and humid summer evening and the salad proved to be a crowd favourite. The recipe created by the chef at Jenius social Kitchen, we followed is very easy to re-create at home and can complement any main dish very nicely. Why not create this dish at home and enjoy it while you plan your Greek adventure for 2020?

Greek Salad
Ingredients:
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red onion
• Handful of Kalamata olives
• 80g feta cheese
• Glug of Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

  1. Cut the tomatoes into 2cm wedges.
  2. Quarter the cucumber and cut into chunks.
  3. Peel and thinly slice the red onion.
  4. Halve the Kalamata olives.
  5. Roll the mint leaves up and thinly slice into ribbons, place these into a small bowl with the
    oregano, salt and pepper, and mix.
  6. Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl, along with the seasoning and some extra virgin olive
    oil and mix.
  7. Chop or crumble the feta on top of the salad to serve.

After all that hard work, we enjoyed a proper Greek feast at the huge and neatly set table. The menu was perfect for a summer evening and the stuffed filo parcels and skewers dipped into the cooling dip went down a treat. The wine kept flowing thanks to the fab team at Jenius social kitchen.

Ready to fly to Greece for a relaxing holiday soon? Well why not consider Lefkas and Parga where you can fly straight into with Jet2.com.

Lefkas and Parga

Lefkas – home to spectacular scenery and stunning sandy beaches. The turquoise waters, wild olive groves, and breathtaking hills are the stuff dream holidays are made of.

Lefkas, Greece

Parga – Sitting on the slope, this picture-postcard perfect town has the best of both worlds. Cobalt sea and rugged hillside dotted with traditional terracotta-topped houses. This beach town is home to unspoilt white sand beaches and a promenade that will coax even the most camera-shy out of their shell to proudly pose for pictures.

Parga,Greece

*With thanks to Jet2 Holidays for an invite.

Filed Under: Events, Food

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Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
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