Food Archives - Page 2 of 16 - Travels for Taste

Behind the scenes at a free range Happy Eggs Co farm

August 19, 2016 by manjirichitnis 13 Comments

Scrambled, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, in an omelette, in a frittata – whichever way you like your eggs, they are an unbeatable source of protein and unsurprisingly, a much-loved way to kick start the day with a power packed breakfast. I have always loved eggs especially runny scrambled ones like the ones my Baba makes for breakfast. It was hard for me then, to say no to a tempting invitation by Happy Eggs to come visit their farm up in Tring.

Having read so much, about how Happy Eggs Co like to have their girls roam around freely, this was a chance for me to experience things firsthand. So on a perfectly fine summer afternoon, I set out from London to the Hertfordshire. Arriving from London on the day would have been a nightmare, so I decided to stay one night in the village nearby the farm.

After a rather nightmarish re-routing of my otherwise straightforward journey to Luton, I finally managed to get there only about two hours late, thanks to cancelled and delayed trains. Thankfully, after that bit, it was a just quick drive from Luton station into the picturesque countryside.

No better way to recharge my batteries than a quick getaway out of London city limits. After I checked into the Five Bells Vintage Inn, I met lovely Jane who writes at The Hedgecombers for a quick drink and dinner. It was absolutely fabulous catching up with her after months. Jane is just one of the many amazing bloggers I have met at FBC and over the years we all have become really good friends. While Jane went back to her cute camper van for the night, I settled in early to ensure I got to the farm on time.

120 acres of space at the Bulborne Happy Eggs Co. Farm

Breakfast at the B&B with Jane was a quick affair and I even got to ride with her to the farm in that camper van – Woohoo!!! – quite a treat for a city like me! We lost our way a bit and after driving around in circles for a bit we finally made our way to Bulborne farm. We were greeted by a big bunch of bloggers and the Happy Egg co team.

It was a good that we had an early breakfast then, as we missed the morning treats laid out for us. After a quick introduction we all donned fresh blue overalls and sipped into wellies – I have NEVER walked for so many hours in wellies before but it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

Farmer JP of Bulborne farm is one of the many farmers who work with Noble Foods, the company that owns the Happy Egg brand. Bulborne Farm houses 14,000 girls as the hens are known or VIBS – very important birds in a space spread across 120 acres. This farm is a fully organic farm which means it is audited by bodies such as Organic Food Federation or Organic Farmers & Growers. This is in addition, to being certified and audited by the BEIC Lion Code.

All the Free Range, Barn and Organic farms that Noble Foods works with are also certified and audited by the RSPCA Freedom Food Scheme – a scheme to ensure hen welfare giving them not just wide open spaces to roam around freely but also to ensuring that they have access to dush baths and specially designed activity kits.

The focus on hen welfare and production of free-range eggs is given so much importance that they even sponsor research into work that how to create and maintain a stress free environment for the girls and keep them happy. After all Happy Hens produce Happy eggs!

At the hen house we walked to we saw the hens run outside to enjoy the sunshine and all the while they clucked away sounding very happy. As we stood and took in what Farmer JP told us about a typical day in the life of an egg farmer, the hens roamed around freely around our group, not in the least perturbed by our presence.

While one part of our group went inside the hen house to look at how it is designed and what facilities are provided to ensure the hens are healthy and happy and feel safe while laying eggs, we took turns holding these handsome birds. The naughty hen I held tried to peck at my hand and escaped from my hands before I could pose for a decent picture – naughty girl!

Did you know that a hen lays an egg every 26 hours? Or that hens need dust to keep themselves clean and well groomed? Hens are very intelligent beings and quite inquisitive by nature. To ensure that they get to satisfy their natural curiosity, each farm ensures that at least 20% of every range must have trees planted on it.

Farmer JP explained that he understands the difference between a happy clucking and would know of his girls were unhappy instantly. One of the indicators as I already mentioned is that the hens are fearless around humans, also the hens at his farm have a very healthy and shiny set of feathers.

Now that we have established that these eggs truly are free-range, how do we differentiate them in taste. Farmer JP told us that the happier state of mind and healthy living conditions of his Happy hens results in tastier eggs and lesser eggs with defects like a thin shell or wrinkled egg shell – which indicate that the hens are under stress.

As I walked into the hen house, I steeled myself for an assault on my olfactory senses – what with all the pee and poo of hens, but honestly I was quite pleasantly surprised. There was dust flying around as a bunch of excited hens were jumping around in their dust bath and cackling loudly as if exchanging some juicy gossip.JP explained that the feeders, waste management system and egg collection areas are designed to ensure that hens are well-fed, their living space clean and privacy to lay eggs when ready is provided.

On being quizzed about an article in the Daily Mail about hens being caged, we were informed that those hens were being treated for an illness and the article was factually incorrect. A claim that was backed by RSPCA. Sadly, as the article was not fact based, it was followed by an apology later. Unfortunately, bad news spreads like a virus and this affects all the farmers who strive to maintain high standards. I speak from my personal experience of my visit to Bulborne farm which I can assure you are clean and work hard towards hen welfare, contribute to research and perform better than expected during all their audits, yes, even the ones that happen unannounced and when least expected.

We then picked some of the freshly laid eggs and had a look at the area where the eggs are stored before being shipped out. The stamping of the eggs is a manual process and the unique codes help identify exactly which farm they originate from. The eggs are graded by size and packed into the trademark cheery yellow cartons that are so easily recognisable on supermarket shelves.

Famished after all that hard work we headed back to the base where a freshly prepared four course meal awaited. Chefs from Jackson & Rye restaurants in London cooked us a feast of smoked devilled eggs as canapes’ sprinkled with chives and a taste of delicious mayo, creamy avocados and spinach in Eggs Florentine.

This was followed by a massive portion of the classic Mexican treat – Huevos Rancheros – loved the perfectly poached eggs on top oozing golden yolk and the fresh tomatoes and guacamole. Dessert was a Pecan tart which I wolfed down at lightening speed.

To truly understand the meaning of free range and how gold standards are achieved and maintained one must experience at close quarters how a Happy Egg farm is managed. By no means, an easy task, the passion that the whole team here has towards hen welfare is evident from the love they have for these birds.

Why not have a look at what the other bloggers who came along for this farm visit have to say? They made egg-cellent company and we were so egg-cited to meet each other! Alex Ryder writes at The Gingey Bites Heidi Roberts blogs at Kitchen Talk and travels

While I have you here, can I interest in you in some of my egg-tastic recipes? Have a gander and leave me a comment (or two) if you rustle up any of these dishes :

Indian Masala Egg Omlette
Egg curry – Anda curry – easy recipe for Uni students
Turkish Poached Eggs – Cilbir
Eggs baked in pots with smoky chorizo and chives
Soft boiled eggs and asparagus soldiers – one of my Dad’s fav recipes
Vintage Frittata recipe

Visiting Tring? Have a look at my review of the beautiful Five Bells Vintage Inn here.

Disclaimer: With thanks to the Happy Eggs co for having me as a guest at Tring and Bulborne Free Range Happy Egg Co Farm. Many Thanks to Farmer JP and his team for a fabulous day out. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post.

River Cottage – memories of Blog Camp 2015

August 2, 2016 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

Farm visits are a great way to spend a sunny day outdoors exploring, learning and eating al fresco. In preparation for my press trip to Happy Eggs farm at Tring, which I leave for today, I decided it was time to re-live some happy memories of last year’s blog camp at River Cottage HQ. It was by far the best day out and short break of 2015 – A mini staycation in Axminster with some friends and a packed day full of great sessions at blog camp in a farm in the picturesque countryside.

Summer this year has been good so far with the weather really holding up. I do hope the weather is just as glorious for the next two days at least, like it was last year when I went and spent a whole day at River Cottage. I am ignoring the fact that we have had a really gloomy start today with big scary grey clouds looking over London and a rather wet and chilly evening last night – Gaaaahhh!

Visiting River Cottage HQ for a day out, is an excellent idea, especially for fans of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s famous TV cookery show. My blogger friends Heidi, Nayna and Tina decided to make the most of this opportunity Blog Camp by Foodies 100 and booked ourselves into B&B called Millwater House in Axminster. (Sylvia who blogs at Happiness is homemade was busy and couldn’t join in the fun but we missed her dearly!) With plans to not just experience a day out in the gorgeous River Cottage we also made plans to visit the Lyme Regis and drink in the sights and sounds of Devon.

To kickstart our day packed with a kitchen tour, cooking workshop and photography and blogging workshops all of us made our way to the farm in a large tractor. Yes, the said tractor ferried us in groups from the massive car park area which has sweeping views of the countryside, up the hill to the beautiful grounds. They house a charming 17th-century farmhouse, cookery school and a massive kitchen garden ,a yurt and sprawling few acres of grounds housing all manner of farm animals.

Inside the yurt a log – fire welcomed us while we were divided into groups. Settling onto bales of hay we got a chance to mingle while the day’s plan was explained. But before all the ‘hard work’ began we were treated to some freshly made canape’s, pastries and piping hot cups of tea and coffee- after all what use is a hungry soldier ?

Group Cookery Demo at River Cottage

My group started with the cookery demonstration and demo with Chef, Gill Mellor. We made butter and used fresh herbs to flavour and garnish. I used the butter at home for many weeks and it was always great fun because it brought back memories of my mum making ghee at home and sneakily using the by-product into various dishes later.

The process of making butter from cream was fairly simple and I choose not to use any fancy equipment. It does take some effort but its well worth it. The buttermilk which is produced during this process went into the soda bread dough. I went a bit mad with the soda bread and added all sorts of delicious things like honey and berries and herbs into the dough. We left the butter to set in the fridge and the soda bread to cool by the huge windows.

Doesn’t that vase look lovely? The pretty flowers used in vases come from the grounds and you them in vases of all shapes and size, all over the farm – adds a very homely and welcoming touch.

Photography session with Lucy

After the cooking session, it was off to practise our food photography skills with Lucy. Lucy’s blog Capture by Lucy is a visual treat and she shared a wealth of knowledge with us all the while patiently answering our many queries. We practised styling fresh produce with flowers and cutlery and various light settings.

By then we were famished and I was relieved that as we trooped in the large dining hall, we all needed a rest and those gorgeous aromas wafting around had us salivating. So when the mains were served everything went quiet for a while as we hungrily wolfed down our food. It was a great opportunity to catch up with other bloggers between courses and I was glad to see so many familiar faces. It was nice to be finally able to put faces to names of all the bloggers I ‘meet’ almost daily in cyberspace.

Lunch at River Cottage

The beef ravioli was melt in your mouth delicious and was served with summer vegetables. I think we first ate with our eyes – what a pretty plate and the aromas floating around were thanks to the 36-hour slow cooking treatment given to the beef. Naturally, all the produce used came from the farm. Without a doubt, this is the best ever ravioli I have ever eaten – can’t get a better farm to fork plateful, I guess! For sides, we devoured slices of freshly baked bread and generous portions of chilli-garlic corn on the cob slathered with swirls of golden butter dripping off the sides, as it melted over the warm corn. Ummm utterly delightful.

If that didn’t send me into a food induced coma of absolute happiness then maybe it was the gorgeous dessert that followed. Again brilliant plating, for the coffee flavoured ice cream (my absolute fav flavour – yay!) with crunchy salted caramel, served with meringue infused with delicate fennel, topped with juicy and moreish roasted damsons, crumble and finally slathered with runny honey. Passport to food heaven I say!

River Cottage Kitchen Garden Tour

Tummies full, soul satisfied, we walked out, our batteries’s recharged, ready to take on the kitchen garden and grounds tour.

Head Gardener, Will Livingstone explained how the farm is a self-sustaining eco-system in itself . A living model of sustainability and growing and consuming local produce the variety of vegetables and fruits produced here is mind boggling. During this guided tour he gave great tips on growing organic. The best tip he gave which is ingrained into my brain is to plant other plants next to the vegetables so that the bugs can munch on them for example – garlic.

The produce from the farm feeds a mind boggling number of people every year at the various events and cookery classes that are held regularly. Whatever the farm cannot provide is sourced from neighbouring Trill farm and other local producers. No wonder then that they are organic certified as accredited by the Soil Association and are managed under Countryside and Environmental Stewardship; schemes run by Natural England. And this 1.5-acre farmland and the team managing it are also proud to be ambassadors of the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

After the kitchen garden tour, we met the pigs and the hens who became overnight Instagram celebrities thanks to us trigger happy bloggers.

It was then time to say our goodbyes and head back to our quaint B&B but not before a bumpy but fun ride in the massive tractor – an unforgettable experience.

The team at Foodies 100 and the one at River Cottage cannot be faulted on their organisation skills, their generosity and of course their wealth of knowledge. To find out what’s happening now at the River Cottage check out their events calendar. I cannot think of a better day out especially as a corporate team building exercise than going to River Cottage HQ.

Do have a look at how my blogger friends enjoyed the day by visiting their blogs :

Heidi Roberts Kitchen talk by Heidi
Simply Food by Nayna
Tin and Thyme by Choclette
Foodie Quine by Claire Jessiman
The Hedgecombers by Jane Sarchet
Supper in the suburbs by Emma Walton
Jo’s Kitchen by Jo
Rough Measures by Sus Davy
Annes Kitchen by Anne Szadorska
Munchies and munchkins by Rebecca Ann
Veggie Desserts by Kate Hackworthy
Taming Twins by Sarah
Penelope’s pantry by Penelope

*With thanks to Foodies100 for organising such a fabulous blog camp event and the talented team at River Cottage for an unforgettable experience. As always all opinions expressed are as always my own. No incentive was provided for a positive review.

Barbecued lobster tails and haddock fillets

June 16, 2016 by manjirichitnis 13 Comments

Although the past few days have been quite rainy and grey, we did manage to catch some sun on Sunday afternoon. It was a great opportunity to get the BBQ out and enjoy some grilled seafood.

Our back garden has a little area at the back which is perfect to fire up the grills, it has the benefit of being sheltered from the wind thanks to a massive pine cone tree.

I have been eyeing the frozen Luxury Canadian lobster tails in the freezer at Iceland for many weeks now and Sunday presented just the right opportunity to get them out from the freezer and onto te grill. Though I have cheated and used a ready to use tandoori masala mix for my recipe, it is dead easy to create the masala on your own. But when faced with only a 2-3 hour window when the sun is shining down on us, I had to act fast!

We are big fans of seafood in our family and last week I had worked on creating a very easy spice rub for grilled fish. You can use this spice rub for prawns on skewers or for dusting onto whole fish like those frozen sardines that you get at Iceland too.

Now let me warn you that though it may appear that we had the perfect BBQ , it was right after a heavy downpour, which can catch you unawares, so it’s best to not wait for the sun to appear but stock up your freezer with your favourites from the frozen range that Iceland has to offer. I always have frozen kale, green peas and some fish in our freezer. But the sheer variety of vegetables, fish, meat and meat all ready to go on the BBQ will leave you spoilt for choice. From juicy prawns to succulent kebabs there is something for everyone to choose from. And if the weather does play spoil-sport then my recipe will give great results even when made using a pan indoors.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Juicy tandoori lobster tails

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

Savour a taste of India with my easy to make juicy tandoori lobster tails, buttery and spicy all at once.

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: BBQ grilled seafood

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Frozen lobster tails - one pack from Iceland
Melted Butter - two largetablespoons
Ready tandoori masala mix - 1 large heaped tablespoon
Onion - one small to garnish
Lime - ½ to garnish

Instructions

Ideally, allow the lobster tails to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, but with our unpredictable weather try my easy method for an instant defrost - hold the lobster tails under running tap water to remove any ice clinging to the tails.
Then place them into a zip-lock pouch and hold it under running water. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes and then repeat the process twice.
Use a sharp kitchen knife or scissors and cut a u-shaped piece of the hard shell from the back of the lobster shell to reveal the vein. Ensure you remove the entire vein. Alternatively, after the BBQ , the shell comes off more easily and the vein is visible more clearly as it is dark black in colour and comes off very easily. Either way, just ensure you remove the vein before tucking in.
Melt the butter in the microwave and add the tandoori masala powder into it.
Use a brush to apply the spice mix generously to the fleshy bit of the lobster tail.
Allow the marinade to work its magic while the BBQ gets going
Place the lobster tails fleshly bit down first
The tails begin to turn a bright orange colour when turned over, just ensure that you do not overcook as the fleshy bit will taste very dry
Hot off the BBQ pour some melted butter and squeeze half a lime over the tails
Serve with thin rings of sliced red onion and corn on the cob smothered in chilli butter

I would recommend serving grilled seafood like fish, lobster tails or prawns on skewers along with grilled corn on the cob. Iceland freshly frozen mini corn cobs – 625gm for £1 are such a budget friendly delight to have in the freezer.

The Power of Frozen gives you quality and value that is not expected for luxury seafood especially lobster tails. All the natural flavours are sealed in and when you bite into a juicy lobster tail you can rest assured that the nutritional goodness is intact.

To complete our seafood BBQ feast, I choose Iceland’s 4 haddock frozen fillets. It was tough choice compared to the 4 boneless Atlantic salmon steaks but personally, I love haddock and how it takes up Indian spice rub flavours over other fish.

Find the recipe for my spice mix here

5.0 from 4 reviews

BBQ haddock steaks with homemade spice rub

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

6 mins

Total time

16 mins

With results similar to tandoori fish kebabs, this flaky fish lends itself well to hot and fragrant Indian spices.

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: BBQ

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Iceland 4 haddock fillets frozen - one pack
3 large heaped tbsps olive oil
2 level tbsp spice rub
Juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small limes
1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions

Remove the fish fillets from the freezer and hold under running tap water to get any ice clinging to them off
Pat dry with paper towels
Mix the homemade spice rub with olive oil in a small bowl
Slater on the marinade onto the fish generously and place two fillets at a time gently inside a fish grilling wire basket.
Place onto the BBQ and cook on each side fro few minutes.
The fish is cooked when it appears flakey and opaque.
Because these fillets are thin and on direct heat they cook through very quickly, take care not to overcook to avoid dry fillets.
Squeeze a lime generously over the grilled fish and top with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves for truly fresh flavour that compliments the spices in the homemade spice rub.

This post was commissioned by Iceland. As always all opinions are my own.

Homemade Spice Rub

June 16, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Grilled, BBQ’ed, fried, steamed or baked – we love fish in our house and I have created my own recipe for an Indian spice rub. I used this on haddock fillets on the BBQ this Sunday and the result was very satisfying. Even with frozen fish fillets straight out of the freezer onto the hot grill the spice mix hit all the right notes.

It was incredibly to create this spice rub at home using my Optimum G.21 Platinum blender, the panel has six pre-programmed functions which are a real no brainer and one of those functions is ‘Grind’. I try and use my Froothie blender as much as possible and not just for my morning smoothies, it has just made my life that much simpler!

Homemade spice rub for fish steaks and prawns

Save Print

Prep time

2 mins

Total time

2 mins

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Freshly ground spice rub

Ingredients

¼ tsp peppercorns
2 cloves
1 dry Kashmirired chilli
1 badi elaichi or black cardamom
Green cardamom - 3 - without the outer green pod
2 cloves of garlic peeled
Cinnamon stick - roughly the length of the tip of your thumb
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin/ jeera
1 tsp amchoor powder / dried mango powder
1 tbsp kasoori methi
1 heaped tbsp fried onion
1 tbsp coriander seeds lightly roasted on a pan
1 whole round red chilli
½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
a tiny pinch of Asafoetida

Instructions

Add all ingredients into a grinder and blend till you get a grainy consistency.
Don't grind to a very smooth paste because the texture this consistency will lend to the fish, will hit the right spot on your palate. A finer texture I think would work better for meat.
Though this spice rub is suitable for freezing, since it contains garlic and fried onion I would not advise to keep in the freezer for over 10-15 days.
If you make a small batch and very little remains try adding into your curry for a lift in flavour.
If you do not deal well with spicy red chilli flavours then rule out the whole round red chilli completely and instead add a small pinch of paprika just for a hint of flavour.

These quantities yield enough spice mix for 2 medium sized fillets with a little leftover. If you want to use it for 4 or 6 fillets simply double the quantities.

Why not try my recipes for BBQ/ grilled lobster tails and Haddock fillets with this spice rub?

*This post has affiliate links.

Tomato and Coconut Chutney

April 27, 2016 by manjirichitnis 17 Comments

A freshly made coconut chutney served with steaming hot idlis or a crisp dosa hot off the pan, is a thing of delight.

There are many varieties of this coconut chutney, but I prefer the one with tomatoes. It just adds that much more depth of flavour and dimension.

This easy recipe becomes even more fun to create when using a powerful blender like my new Optimum G.21 Platinum blender . Why ? Because the speed and convenience of having a pre-set function to grind means the job is done at the press of a button.

Besides the consistency and texture of the chutney is perfect.

If you are using frozen grated coconut like I do, it will look like this

5.0 from 8 reviews

Tomato and Coconut Chutney

Save Print

Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

4 mins

Freshly made tomato and grated coconut chutney.

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Chutney

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 4-6 serves

Ingredients

For grinding
Grated coconut - ¼ cup - 55 gm
Tomato - ½ a large or 1 small
Kashmiri red chillies dried - 3 - you can increase or decrease the number depending on how hot you want the chutney to be
Green Chilli - ½
1 tsp chana dal or yellow bengal gram split and without skin
Ginger - a small knob about the size of your thumbnail
Gralic - 2 small cloves without skin
Salt as per taste
Water - add according to consistency
For the tadka or tempering
Oil - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 5
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal ½ tsp (split black lentil without skin)

Instructions

Heat a pan on a medium flame and pan roast the chana dal till it turns a dark brown colour, do not allow it to burn, gently keep moving it on the pan with a wooden spatula. Set aside to cool.
Halve the tomato and add into the blender.
Add the freshly grated coconut, I buy a frozen packet from my local Indian store, have a look at the photograph in my post.
Remove the skin of the ginger - this is best done using the back of a spoon if the ginger is fresh - it will come off easily , of not use a knife.
Now add the garlic cloves, kashmiri red chillies and salt.
Add the roasted chana dal which should have cooled down by now
Add about one and half tbsp water and grind to a thick coarse paste like consistency.
The water level depends on how you would like the consistency. I generally add a little more water after the first grind and give it one more pulse in my Froothie to get a better poruing consistency.
Decant the chutney into a bowl
Heat the oil in a kadhai or saucepan and add the mustard seeds in the hot oil.
Once the seeds begin to pop add the urad dal and let it brown, then throw in the fresh curry leaves.
Pour this hot tadka mixture onto the chutney and serve fresh with steaming hot idlis or dosad.

A peek inside the blender ..

If you are not using the Froothie power blender, then chop the chillies roughly into small pieces, repeat with the ginger and garlic too.

This is because the sharp blades of the Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender will be able to easily grind the whole ingredients, a task that a regular mixie will struggle with.

I add the dried red Kashmiri chilli for its colour as well as flavour. In many of my curries I just these chillies whole to add a hint of flavour. But remember once made into a paste these chillies release their hidden potency – it’s a very different beast then and the heat can be really intense. So if you don’t deal with heaty – spicy chillies well then use only a half of a Kashmiri chilli in this chutney. It will still add a dash of colour and flavour without scathing your palate.

And the green chilli gives it necessary flavour which I find very distinctly pungent and traceable when I eat this chutney, if it was missing I would know instantly and would miss it.

The fresh taste of the chutney and the crunch of the curry leaves is simply irresistible, the tomatoes add just the right amount of tang to this beautiful chutney. Typical to the South of India this recipe is something that most families make with variations of their own. Some even prefer to add some onion or roast the coconut before adding to the blender. whichever recipe you use this chutney will never go out of fashion.

Need an easy recipe for steam idlis, check out my recipe here

*I am an ambassador for Froothie and was sent a Froothie Optimum G2,1 Platinum blender for review. This post has affiliate links.

Steamed Idli batter recipe + Froothie Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender review

April 14, 2016 by manjirichitnis 14 Comments

When I first moved to the U.K the one kitchen appliance that I really missed was my ‘mixie’ I relied heavily on my old beat up noisy mixie or mixer as it is popularly known as, especially, when I wanted to make chutneys or grind soaked grains. In the past five years, I have tried several blenders and food processors and never really had satisfying results.

So I ended up buying many different types of blenders, right from a hand held blender worth £15 to an expensive and large, space occupying food processor with several attachments, most which I never use for various reasons. One of them being the pain involved in washing up – yes am lazy that way 😉

Fast forward to 2016 – When I was offered the opportunity to become an ambassador for Froothie UK and sent the new and shiny high-speed Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender to test and review, the very first thing I wanted to try was making an idli batter with a home made coconut chutney.

Perfect kitchen companion for dry and wet grinding

I am delighted to announce that the results are really very satisfying. The 6 blade assembly makes it very easy to grind grains so my soaked rice and urad dal mixture reached the right consistency in no time!

I am so relieved that I do not have to keep blending and adding more water than required to reach the right consistency for my idli and dosa batters. Even bigger relief is in knowing that freshly grated coconut can be turned into a fabulous chutney within seconds. This especially is a blessing, considering that my parents had to lug a heavy mixer all the way from India, just so that I would stop complaining about how difficult it is to grind dals or make coconut chutney. Sorry Baba for all the trouble you had to go through to lugging that device all the way to London!

When you are looking to purchase a high investment appliance like a power blender, comparisons are a part of the process. Froothie has made it easy for you to make that decision with this table comparing the Optimum G 2.1 Platinum blender to a Vitamix – Pro series 500.

Ease of Use, sturdy jug and intelligent overload protectionThe best part about the Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender though is the ease with which the sturdy Eastman Tritan Copolyester BPA Free jug sits on the base – no twisting and turning and waiting to hear a click – just simple fit,plug and play. I recollect the horror I felt when the plastic edge of my food processor chipped while I struggled to fit it into the grooves of the base, only days after spending quite some money buying it, about three years ago. What a nightmare that was.

The Optimum G.21 also comes with intelligent overload protection meaning the built-in sensor automatically switches off the motor in case, over-heating is detected . This prolongs the Optimum’s operating life while pre-empting and avoiding breakdowns. If the blender should ever trip, all you have to do is simply switch it back on.

Hot soups, frozen desserts and healthier smoothies in minutes

The idea of making a soup in minutes is so appealing and especially to a person like me who is trying very hard to loose weight. Not only am I trying to loose weight by eating healthier am also helping my husband throw off excess weight faster by making better food choices. It is a boon to be able to relish fresh homemade soups every single day in less than ten minutes thanks to heat created by friction.

Nothing beats smoothies packed with fiber and that is something you can enjoy daily, fruits go into this beauty with skin and without chopping – yes you read that right. Brilliant, isn’t it? A heavy duty tamper tool has also been provided for improved processing and mixing.

If you need recipe inspiration your blender comes with a recipe book with 80 inspiring ideas for you try at home.

Nut butter, sauces, dips,flours – make everything at home

Throwing a party and need hummus now? I made a large bowl of smoked red pepper hummus over the weekend for a big party we threw for our dearest friends (recipe for humus coming up soon)

I am yet to make any flour in new Optimum G2.1 but that is because I have been so obsessed with soups, smoothies and chutneys! Buckwheat flour is ready in 10 seconds flat – need to see a demo?Watch this video on the Froothie TV channel, they have a whole host of fab videos from recipes to comparisons with other brands and tests too.

The optimum now comes with a free nut milk bag too as part of the package.

Complete control at your fingertips

I am quite smitten with the latest offering from Froothie, and it’s not just the smart good looks but the 6 pre-set programs on a fabulous modern digital panel, pulse and timer settings that allow me to be in total control at the push of a button, that make this vortex blender so very appealing. It truly is the only blender you will ever need. Especially, if like me, you too have spent a lot of money on experimenting with various types of blenders. The 10-year warranty is an added bonus. You can order this fabulously stylish and highly efficient power blender via this link

Why not make the most of a great limited time offer which expires on the 30th of April’2016 and save £170 on your purchase ? Get the Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender for £429 instead of £599. To ensure that the ordering is smooth and delivery process hassle free Froothie U.K uses a next day courier service and you get your blender delivered with 24-48 hours. There’s also a 30 day trial with a money back guarantee which includes return postage costs, but am pretty sure that won’t be necessary!

Ok now for my recipe, I have followed the late master chef Tarla Dalal’s easy to follow recipe, for my Steamed Idli’s recipe but have adjusted the proportions to make approximately 15 idlis – the number will vary based on the size of the moulds.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Steamed Idlis

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

A Quintessential south Indian delicacy which makes for a guilt free meal considering it is steamed and wholesome.

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 15 idlis

Ingredients

½ cup urad dal - split black lentils without skin
2 cups par-boiled rice/ idli rice
½ tsp fenugreek seeds- methi seeds
salt as per taste
water to adjust consistency
low calorie oil spray to grease the idli moulds
coconut chutney to serve with the idlis

Instructions

Soak the rice in water in a bowl and the fenugreek seeds and urad dal in another. Add enough water to allow the dal and rice to absorb the water and then some.
Soak for a minimum of 4 hours.
Drain the excess water from the rice and add in the blender - enough to get a pouring consistency.
Repeat with the urad dal and fenugreek seed mixture - this mixture will get very thick while blending so you may need to add in more water as required. This mixture gets frothy while blending which is perfectly natural.
Mix both batters and set aside in a warm place to ferment - it took my batter 24 hours to ferment. Fermentation slows down when the temperature is low.
Season the batter with salt after it has fermented.
Grease idli moulds and spoon the batter into the moulds.
Steam the idlis in a pressure cooker or idli steamer for about 12 minutes.
Take care while removing the hot idlis from the pressure cooker, to avoid steam burns.Serve the steaming hot idlis with coconut chutney.
Serve as a breakfast dish for a weekend treat, actually this is dish ideal for any meal.

*I am an ambassador for Froothie and was sent a Froothie Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender for review. This post has affiliate links. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and I only endorse products that I love and have experimented with.

Recipe round-up for #CreditCrunchMunch for March 2016

April 1, 2016 by manjirichitnis 7 Comments

March was a whirlwind crazy month where I was swamped with lots of work. I am most happy that I have set in motion something I had planned for years – getting rid of unused and unwanted things from our house on an ongoing basis, key words being ‘ongoing’. Which means I don’t wait to spring clean and do not feed my habit of procrastinating. As both my husband and I, are working together to get into a healthier lifestyle one of the aspects involves yoga,meditation and learning to create and maintain a harmonious home – a zen-like space that is not cluttered and filled with things we will never use. It is almost like a soul-cleansing exercise, that we plan to continue to – clutter you see has a way of building up. It makes managing our space and keeping it clean, easier and we feel so good about donating things that we will never use but will surely help someone in need.

With that motto in mind, spring cleaning was actually an enjoyable experience and not the annual nightmare that we dread. This also meant taking a stock of my kitchen and what followed is a series of activities involving labelling, rearranging and donating things to our local food bank too. I was also able to create some really great meals using ingredients that I had forgotten I possess and ensuring that even the most dreary looking vegetable or fruit is not wasted. That is the reason I find all the recipes shared with #creditcrunchmunch this month, hugely inspiring.

I do hope that you, in turn, are inspired to create delicious meals and inspire others too to eliminate food wastage and work together in creating a more balanced and conscientious society where we respect and value what we have.

Potato and Goats cheese patties by Helen whose blog has a very interesting name ‘Roast chicken and a country walk’ , is a smart recipe idea and quick to mak,e also a great way to use up leftovers. I love goats cheese and these patties are great for a packed lunch too.

Chicken, prawn and mango curry recipe by Sarah who blogs at From plate to pen, is such a warm and inviting dish. Her post screams nostalgia! Frankly, I would never have thought of adding prawns and mango to a chicken curry but now am willing to try.

Slow-cooked chicken thighs with orange, radish and honey by Dom of Belleau Kitchen looks so good that I wanted to make it as soon as I saw that stunning photograph. So many gorgeous flavours in that chicken and kudos to him for making it look so easy to put together!

Reggae potatoes by Kate who blogs at The gluten free alchemist are infused with coconut milk. Tropical tasting, delicious crispy potato skins seem so irresistible and a very entertaining post by Kate where she shares how she came about to creating this recipe – a must read!

5 a day cake – yes you heard that right cake it is by Michelle who blogs at Utterly scrummy and is mum to two teenagers, a tween and an adorable toddler – Michelle how do you do it?! If you are looking to make a sweet treat and use up over ripe bananas and even carrots and courgettes than look no further – try her recipe now!

Cheeseless vegan pizza? Yes, please! Kate from the Veg space has an easy peasy recipe idea which results in a pizza with crunchy toppings that guarantee you won’t miss cheese – great for all those who are watching calories and want to eat light but don’t want to miss out on flavour or for when you want a pizza night in.

Green vegetable galette with flaky pastry using ready prepped frozen vegetables from Iceland made by Choclette of Tin and Thyme is a perfect example of a speedy healthy meal idea when you are running low on fresh veggies.

Mince and veg pies made by Jo of Jo’s Kitchen is a lovely recipe idea for using up leftover mince and vegetables. There is scope for creativity here by combining flavours and adding in other vegetables that need using up too.

I am trying to lose weight and eat healthily, so I do end up stocking up on many ingredients, so that I can easily rustle up a healthy salad, often that means a lot of lovely ingredients left in small quantities that need using up and fast, this Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad recipe by me is an attempt to do just that.

I absolutely love this thrifty and fabulous soup recipe by Hanna who blogs at Arctic Cloudberry, easy to make when you are pressed for time and when faced with an almost empty fridge. Try her chickpea, potato and coconut soup recipe if you are in a similar situation – or not – for a healthy and light weekday meal.

Gorgeous olive and parmesan cob loaf by Camilla looks so tempting I almost want to reach out in the photo and grab some (along with with that chilli red Kitchen-Aid, of course, hehe) .Camilla who blogs at Fabfod4all as you know runs #Creditcrunchmunch along with Helen of Fussfreeflavours.

Stunning GF quiche recipe with roast dinner leftovers by Kate of The gluten free alchemist – a very innovative idea and sure to please even the fussiest diner.

Caramelised Sesame Peanuts by Pro kitchen ware looks so moreish and is for everyone who stores nuts for topping salads and making several jars of nut butter – like I do!

I always have some frozen veggie sausages lurking in my freezer and one lazy weekend afternoon when I was faced with an almost empty fridge tray I had a few minutes of utter panic. Not in a mood to eat anything elaborate my frozen veggie sausages and frozen organic GF pizza bases came to the rescue. I loved making the sauce and I hope you enjoy trying my recipe for Gluten-free pizza with vegetarian sausages

I am a huge fan of savoury muffins as is my hubster, in fact when my parents came over to visit last September we often carried a tiffin box filled with them for those odd times when hunger strikes while sight-seeing! Do try Kate’s thrifty recipe for spinach and cornmeal breakfast muffins over at her blog Veggie Desserts.

As an Indian born and bought up in Mumbai in a Maharashtrian family, I grew up eating dals with chapatis for most of my main meals. It is for me the ultimate healthy meal and very easy to make. That’s why this frugal version by The Veg hog is a recipe that I fell in love with the second I saw it. A different way to cook dhal!

Meringues are irresistible anyway and Kat’s Easter special – chocolate meringue nests make them look oh so very tempting. Check ou the recipe on her blog The baking explorer.

Cooking with lamb is great fun and I have wanted a slow cooker for myself for the longest time now. Both reasons why I love this next recipe so much. Hopefully, I shall be able to get a slow cooker soon for my experiments. Sarah over Tales from the kitchen shed shares an interesting recipe for slow cooked citrus lamb shanks.

Claire from the Foodie Quine has another very delicious slow cooked meal for us to try – slow cooked beef with gnocchi. This frugal peasant meal will definitely have folks licking their plates clean!

Homemade Doritos? Oh yes! Any homemade versions with low or no sugar and less oil are always a fabulous idea and Shaheens green chilli Doritos are just the thing when you are feeling peckish. Check out her easy recipe on her blog Allotment2kitchen

And another great recipe by Shaheen of Allotment2kitchen – this time, it’s jacket potatoes but she has used sweet potatoes in her vegan version called Super loaded sweet potato jackets

I am very excited about the next recipe and not just because it has koftas but because it has been blogged a very dear friend Nisa. We were neighbours and I dearly miss all the time we spent together over cups of chai discussing food!

Next up is a spicy beef and chickpea stew with ras el hanout, orange and dates by Emma of De tout cour limousin blog. What a great way to spice up some leftover beef!

A very refreshing and colourful spring kale salad by Jane of The taste space perfect way to use up any vegetables that are just asking to be used in an innovative dish.

Gorgeous and moreish, these frugal Polish cheese buns by Margot of Coffee and Vanilla blog are such a delicious way to make a tasty snack perfect with a big hot cuppa tea.

Thank you to everyone for linking up this month and happy cooking to all of you. Hope these recipes inspire everyone to cook more frugal meals and do their bit to stop food wastage.

eINDIE Launch of Handmade Chutneys by budding Momtrepreneur Sonal Sher

March 22, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

I have always endeavoured to get the word about for foodie entrepreneurs via my blog. I am passionate about food and love talking to people who share my passion. That’s why I was really happy to be at the launch of eINDIE -Chutneys & Relish and am so glad I can share with all you the story behind the big day and some glimpses from the launch party.

eINDIE was launched at a grand opening last month at Tante Marie located on Woking high street. The launch was attended by some very high profile guests like Lord Dolar Popat (Conservative Peer), a leading businessman and former Minister for Small Businesses & Transport who was the Chief Guest. The other special guest invitees were Mayor of Woking Borough Council and Cllr Derek McCrum while Local MP Jonathan Lord was not able to attend he sent his good wishes in support of eINDIE.

Lord Dolar Popat at the launch of eINDIE

Special guest of honour at the launch of eINDIE

Sonal’s close friend and ardent supporter Lakshmi Kaul, was at hand to introduce the guests of honour and introduce us to the delicious range of chutneys. Lakshmi Kaul, for the uninitiated, is the Founder and executive member of the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society. She recently has also elected as Deputy Chairman (Fundraising) for the Hounslow, Chiswick, Brentford & Isleworth Conservative Association.

Lakshmi Kaul at the launch of eINDIE

These dignitaries were there alongside Sonal’s loyal friends and family to encourage her and share in the joy of her new start up.

Sonal’s friends at the launch of eINDIE

I honestly think that conceptualising a new brand and launching is nothing short of giving birth to a baby. The labour pains being no different to all the hard work, blood and sweat that am sure have gone into getting eINDIE to a larger audience and out in the market.

So how was this product line born? eINDIE is the brainchild of gorgeous ‘Momtrepreneur’ Sonal Sher.

Sonal Sher – creator of eINDIE range of handmade Chutneys and Relishes

To hear it in her own words ‘ The idea for eINDIE came about when my chutneys were appreciated by those who tasted them and this prompted me to think of upscaling the production. I am pleased to say that my chutneys and relish are enjoyed by many households in Surrey. Having informally become the provider of a ‘magic ingredient’, I am now launching this ‘magic ingredient’ to reach out to a wider discerning market.’

What is even more fascinating to me is Sonal’s story of how Woking became her second home after Kashmir, India where she was born. Sonal has lived in the UK for 17 years (in Woking for nearly a decade), which is now home. Originating from a region that celebrates food and boasts of unique flavours, she has experimented with world foods and varying culinary techniques over the last decade.

Delicious nibbles at the launch of eINDIE

Sonal Sher is a trained and qualified chef and believes that her creation eINDIE Chutneys and Relish reflect the variety of food she likes, where different flavours work together in harmony. Designed to make everyday meals exciting by providing a boost of flavours into pretty much all cuisines, eINDIE are guaranteed to be a great accompaniment to any party food. A true reflection of the best of British and Indian flavours brought together.

eINDIE is a great accompaniment with cheese

On the menu at the launch and food tasting were many delightful tasty tidbits prepared by the enthusiastic team at Tante Marie which also has a teaching academy.

eINDIE Hot chilli relish with chicken skewers

eINDIE Hot chilli relish with sauteed paneer and sweet cherry tomatoes

Currently, eINDIE Chutneys and Relish are available to try at a local wine bar at Woking high street called Cellar Magneval and they will soon be sold online. To place orders get in touch with creator Sonal at orders@eindie.co.uk

Why not follow eINDIE Chutneys and Relish on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

*With thanks to Sonal Sher for the invite and samples. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Gluten free pizza with vegetarian sausages paired with organic GF beer

March 15, 2016 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

I am always up for trying out new flavours and combinations. I am currently trying to do a lot of meat replacement meals and that means experimenting with various vegetarian recipe ideas. This recipe is something that happened on a lazy Sunday afternoon with whatever ingredients I could lay my hands on.

Sunday was a very busy day for me and in spite of all my good intentions, to spend the entire day lounging around in my p.j’s, watching the telly with my feet up… I had so much cleaning to do and the week ahead to prepare for, that at the end of the day all I wanted to do was crash and get some shut eye. I did fall asleep on the sofa with my laptop dangling at a dangerous angel, the telly still on and I was probably drooling and maybe even snoring. Not a pretty sight!

So I was thankful that I managed to get lunch on the table in a matter of minutes in spite of so much going on. This was a very mix and match kind of a meal using some store cupboard essentials and a pack of frozen veggie sausages. I was honestly very relieved to find those sausages as they really managed to add bulk to the pizza. I also managed to find two jars of pasta sauces which are near expiry! I hate having to bin things which just live in my cupboard and expire.

CELIA is an organic, craft Czech beer with only 136kcal and brewed from just three locally sourced ingredients, in the heart of the world’s most famous hop region. It has been specially crafted to:

Remove gluten
Is Vegan friendly
Naturally carbonated
Batch brewed

Genius GF pizza bases are great for creating a whole host of toppings for their crispy crusts and chewy centres. They also are great when paired with chilled Celia beer.

CELIA Lager continually seek out partnerships with the top gluten free brands out there to bring you fantastic offers and awesome recipes to accompany them! #brewedforfood

Right now, Celia has teamed up with Genius and and Ocado for a limited time offer until 15th March’16 where you get a lager + pizza/pitta for only £5. Why not buy this delicious GF organic lager and the pizza base or pitta while on offer and stock up? The Genius pizza base and pitta are suitable for home freezing. Perfect for when you want a pizza and beer night in with friends and family and a great way to get creative with your toppings or get little ones to pitch in creating the toppings too.

Here is an easy recipe idea to try:

5.0 from 2 reviews

Gluten free pizza with vegetarian sausages paired with organic GF beer

Save Print

Gluten free pizza with vegetarian sausages - get creative with your toppings!

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Fusion, GF

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

2 Genius pizza bases - Gluten free
6 vegetarian sausages
3 slices of emmental cheese
2 tbsp on ready to use tomato chilli pasta sauce
2 tbsp of sun dried tomato paste
Sea salt as per taste
Smoked paprika powder - ½ tsp
Garlic puree - 1 tsp

Instructions

In a saucepan spritz some oil using a low calorie oil spray
Sautee the garlic puree until it just begins to brown, stir to ensure it does not burn or stick to the saucepan
Add both the sauces and cook for 1 - 2 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, do not allow it to boil or burn
Slather the tomato sauce mix onto the pizza bases
Place 3 vegetarian sausages on each pizza base
Top each pizza with an emmental cheese slice and tear up the third cheese slice and divide amongst both pizzas
Pre heat oven to 180 deg cel
Cook in the oven for apprioximately 10 minutes at 180 deg cel - fan oven
Serve hot with chilled X2 CELIA Organic lager or X2 CELIA dark lager.

Celia organic GF beer with Genius GF pizza base

I personally prefer the light lager while hubster prefers the dark lager but whatever suits your taste the best. And if you wish to swap Emmental for a vegetarian or vegan option feel free to do so, though I do wonder how it would affect the taste. The sausages I used are vegetarian and very delicious and currently my favourite.

The GF pizza base has a distinct flavour of its own, very different from the normal pizza bases we have used in the past but this is a taste that can definitely grow on us and we are not complaining at all.

This recipe idea is perfect for meat-free Mondays so am linking up with Meat Free Mondays hosted by Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes. Also this recipe is also a great way to use up leftovers and create toppings from store cupboard essentials so am linking up with #CreditCrunchMunch which I am guest hosting for this month for Camilla who blogs at Fab Food 4 All and Helen who blogs at Fuss Free Flavours, that makes this recipe also a great fit for #NoWasteFoodChallenge hosted by Elizabeth of Elizabeths Kitchen diary.

*With thanks to Foodies100, Celia Lager and Genius Gluten free for sending me samples to review. The offer at Ocado is for a limited period and ends 15th March’16 – any queries related to offer to be directed to Celia directly. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad

March 10, 2016 by manjirichitnis 8 Comments

I am on a road to discovering and working with various ideas to create and eat lighter, healthier meals and on one afternoon a few days ago I was faced with a dilemma. The kind of dilemma where one has an apparently full vegetable tray in the refrigerator but consisting of a large variety of this and that. So the salad recipe below is my way of utilising all those beautiful ingredients, preventing food waste, making the most of what my store cupboard essentials and coming up with a healthy meal.

I love smoked salmon so always seem to have some in my refrigerator and also had some antipasti ingredients in what remained for a large mix-n-match box from my last visit to Whole Foods.But the best part was finding some good salad leaves which were fresh and the savoy cabbage that would die soon.

Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad

I do hope you can create and enjoy something similar:

5.0 from 3 reviews

Healthy smoked salmon salad for one

Save Print

Prep time

1 min

Total time

1 min

A beautiful medley of flavours to create one gorgeously healthy and filling meal

Author: Manjiri

Recipe type: Healthy Salad

Cuisine: Mixed

Ingredients

Smoked salmon slices - 4 small
Shelled hemp - 1 or 1.5 heaped tbsp
Marinated chopped http://buysoma.net artichoke hearts - 1 tbsp
Roasted marinated mini red peppers stuffed with garlic - 2
Red onion chopped fine - ½ of a small onion
Chocolate balsamic vinegar to drizzle and season
Red chicory leaves - 2 -3
Savoy cabbage leaves - 1 big or 2 small ones
Alfalfa sprouts 1 heaped tbsp
Baby courgettes - 4-5 sliced lengthwise
Black olives - to garnish
Mixed nuts - cashews, walnuts, raisins - 1 tbsp heaped

Instructions

In a bowl add the shelled hemp, chopped onion, salad leaves- red chicory and savoy cabbage, Alfalfa sprouts, Baby courgettes and add a generous slosh of Chocolate balsamic vinegar.
On a bed of salad leaves arrange the help and onion mixture and place the smoked salmon slices.
Arrange the mini red peppers stuffed with cheese, artichoke hearts around the salmon.
Garnish with mixed nuts and enjoy.

And since I am hosting #CreditCrunchMunch for March 2016 I am linking up this recipe made using leftover ingredients and some vegetables that would otherwise have wilted and died like cabbage, or the last bits from my antipasti box – a thrifty recipe idea I say! #CreditCrunchMunch is a fab link up started by Helen of Fuss free flavours and Camilla of Fab food for all. Don’t forget to link up your thrifty ideas with my guest hosting post here.