Travels for Taste

Tales of travel and food with a touch of spice

Tandoori spiced Grilled Lobster Tails

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Tandoori spiced grilled Lobster Tails – Juicy and packed with flavour, try this easy and quick recipe on the BBQ

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.

Iceland Luxury Canadian Lobster Tails

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!

Iceland Luxury Canadian Lobster Tails

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.

Lobster tails on the BBQ

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.

Iceland Lobster tails
Iceland Luxury Canadian Lobster Tails

Tandoori Lobster Tails

Manjiri Chitnis
Savour ataste of India with my easy to make juicy tandoori lobster tails, buttery andspicy all at once
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • BBQ

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pack from Iceland Frozen lobster tails
  • 2 tbsp Melted Butter –
  • 1 tbsp Ready tandoori masala mix
  • 1 Onion for the garnish
  • 1/2 Lime for the 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
Lobster tails
Lobster tails

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.

Tandoori Lobster Tails Recipe by Manjiri of Travelsfortaste
Tandoori Lobster Tails Recipe by Manjiri of Travelsfortaste

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.

Tandoori Lobster Tails Recipe by Manjiri of Travelsfortaste

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.

Iceland haddock fillets
Iceland haddock fillets

Find the recipe for my spice mix here

Tandoori spiced BBQ Haddock recipe by Manjiri of www.travelsfortaste.com
Tandoori spiced BBQ Haddock recipe by Manjiri of www.travelsfortaste.com
BBQ haddock fillets
This post was commissioned by Iceland. As always all opinions are my own.

Homemade Spice Rub

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Spice rub for everything from Vegetables to meat and seafood

Elevate the taste profile of your grilled or roast vegetables ( or seafood or meat) with this delicious homemade spice rub.

Now I have tried this spice mix on broccoli, kale, and roast potatoes and it always works wonders. But we have loved it most with fish. Grilled, BBQ’ed, fried, steamed, or baked – we love eating 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.

Spices - fragrant, warm and fresh

It was incredibly easy 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

Manjiri Chitnis
Homemade spice rub – Versatilespice mix works perfectly well for vegetables like cauliflower, mushrooms,potatoes. Great with chicken chicken , lamb and seafood especially for fishsteaks and prawns
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Total Time 2 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • High-speed blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 tsp Peppercorns
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1 Dry Kashmiri Red Chilli
  • 1 Badi Elaichi or black cardamom
  • 3 Green cardamom – without the outer green pod
  • 2 cloves Garlic peeled
  • Cinnamon stick – roughly the length of the tip of your thumb
  • 1/2 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
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • a tiny pinch of Asafoetida

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients into a grinder and blend till you get a grainy consistency
  • Do not 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 keeping in the freezer for over 10-15 days
  • If you make a small batch and 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
Keyword Spice mix

Homemade spice rub for grilling vegetables, meat, and seafood

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.

Fresh spices

Why not try my recipes for Tandoori spiced grilled Lobster tails and Haddock fillets with this spice rub?

Homemade spice rub

*This post has affiliate links.

Tomato and Coconut Chutney

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Tomato and Coconut Chutney recipe, a perfect little treat to scoop up with your soft idlis and crispy dosas

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.

Ingredients for tomato coconut chutney

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

Frozen ready grated coconut

Tomato and Coconut Chutney

Manjiri Chitnis
Fresh and delicious this tomato and grated coconut chutney adds a pop of colour and vibrancy to your dishes
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Cook Time 2 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Blender/Mixer-Grinder

Ingredients
  

For grinding the chutney

  • 55 gm Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
  • 1/2 large Tomato or 1 small
  • 3 Kashmiri red chillies dried
  • ½ Green Chilli
  • 1 tsp Chana dal or yellow Bengal gram split and without skin
  • Ginger – a small knob about the size of your thumbnail
  • 2 Small cloves Garlic – without skin
  • Salt as per taste
  • Water – add according to consistency

For the tadka or tempering

  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • 5 Curry Leaves
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Urad dal (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. You can increase or decrease the number of Red Chillies depending on how hot you want the chutney to be
  • Add the roasted chana dal which should have cooled down by now
  • Add about one and a half tbsp water and grind to a thick coarse paste-like consistency.
  • The water level depends on how you would like the consistency to be. I generally add a little more water after the first grind and give it one more pulse in my Froothie to get a better pouring 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 dosas
Keyword Chutney

A peek inside the blender ..

Ingredients for tomato coconut chutney

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.

Tomato coconut chutney

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.

Tomato coconut chutney

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

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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 handheld blender worth £15 to an expensive and large, space-occupying food processor with several attachments, most of 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 homemade coconut chutney.

Optimum G2.1 power blender

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!

6 blade assembly

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.

Optimum G.21 vs Vitamix

Ease of Use, sturdy jug, and intelligent overload protection 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.

6 pre-set functions

Hot soups, frozen desserts and healthier smoothies in minutes

The idea of making a bowl of 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 the 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 I 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.

Idli moulds

Steamed Idlis

Manjiri Chitnis
A Quintessential south Indian delicacy which makesfor a guilt free meal considering it is steamed and wholesome
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 15 Idlis

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Urad dal – split black lentils without skin
  • 2 cups Par-boiled rice/ idli rice
  • 1/2 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
Steamed idli recipe by Manjiri of www.travelsfortaste.com
Steamed idli recipe by Manjiri of www.travelsfortaste.com

*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

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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.

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.

Chicken, prawn and mango curry

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!

Reggae Potatoes by Kate - The GF Alchemist

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 overripe bananas and even carrots and courgettes than look no further – try her recipe now!

5 a day cake 2 - Michelle - Utterly scrummy

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.

Broccoli-Kale-Chilli-Hazelnut-Pizza Kate of The Veg Space

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.

Green-Vegetable-Galette- Tin and Thyme

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.

Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad

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.

Chickepea potato coconut soup by Arctic Cloudberry

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.

roast dinner quiche GF by The GF alchemist Kate

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

Caramelised-Sesame-Peanuts-Pro Kitchen ware

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

Celia organic GF beer with Genius GF pizza base

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!

Dhal and chapati by The Veg Hog

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.

slow cooker lamb shanks - Sarah - Talesfromthekitchenshed

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

Homemade green chilli doritos Shaheen 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

Super Loaded Sweet Potato Jackets Shaheen - Allotment2kitchen

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 on her blog Flavour Diary. We were neighbours and I dearly miss all the time we spent together over cups of chai discussing food!

cabbagekoftacurry_flavourdiary_2

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!

beef and chickpea stew -detoutcouerlimousin

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.

spring kale salad by Janet at The taste space

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.

polish-buns-drozdzowki-Coffee and Vanilla

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

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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 range of handmade Chutneys and Relishes

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
Lord Dolar Popat at the launch of eINDIE
Special guest of honour 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
                                                        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
                                                      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
 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
                                                            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
                                                              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 chicken skewers
eINDIE Hot chilli relish with sauteed paneer and sweet cherry tomatoes
                                    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

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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 angle, 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 organic GF beer with Genius GF pizza base

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 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:

Gluten-free pizza with vegetarian sausages

Manjiri Chitnis
Delicioius Gluten-free pizza with vegetarian sausages, why not get creative with your toppings!
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Genius Gluten-free pizza bases
  • 6 vegetarian sausages
  • 3 slices of Emmental cheese
  • 2 tbsp Ready to use tomato chilli pasta sauce
  • 2 tbsp Sun-dried tomato paste
  • Sea salt as per taste
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic puree

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan spritz some oil using an 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
  • Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius
  • Cook in the oven for approximately 10 minutes at 180 degree Celsius 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 my husband 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 gluten-free 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.

Celia organic GF beer with Genius GF pizza base

This recipe idea is a great fit for #NoWasteFoodChallenge hosted by Elizabeth of Elizabeths Kitchen diary.

Celia organic GF beer with Genius GF pizza base

*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

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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 I 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:

Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad

Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad

Manjiri Chitnis
A beautiful medley of flavours tocreate one gorgeously healthy and filling meal
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Total Time 2 mins

Ingredients
  

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

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.

Credit-Crunch-Munch-Just-Pic
Healthy superfood and smoked salmon salad

Save money on these 5 essential ingredients + #CreditCrunchMunch for March 2016

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I cannot believe we are already into March 2016 – time truly does fly past at lightening speed. Of all the firm resolutions and changes for 2016 I am glad I have managed to stay true to my money saving ideas if not the ‘I shall blog 3 times a week’ or ‘ I will exercise at least 3 days every week’ type of resolutions.

One of the many things I have changed about how we manage our monthly budget on a single income is by doing batch cooking and also being mindful of where I buy my groceries from. Apart from the many sensible tips one can find for WHEN and WHERE to shop and how to make good with various supermarket offers, I also have some rules for my top 5 fresh ingredients for Indian cooking. Here they are:

  • Always buy fresh coriander bunches and curry leaves from your local Indian shop or Pakistani/Bangladeshi butcher shop – they sell larger bunches and you can buy two big fresh bunches for £1
  • Ginger – I make fresh ginger tea very often – the famous Indian masala tea or as we call it in Marathi – ‘chaha’ – again I buy a huge chunk of fresh ginger for much less from my Indian grocery and vegetable shop
  • Garlic – most of my Indian curry and vegetable recipes use a lot of ginger, garlic and red onion and this is another item I bulk buy from my local LIDL – they sell cute mini baskets with at least 5-6 big bulbs of garlic – deal!
  • Red onions – most Indian shops or Pakistani/Bangladeshi butcher shops stock sacks of red onion – 5 or 10 kilos at rates much lower than your local supermarket – I generally stock up and though that means having to sort these out and process them quickly, it’s totally worth it. I chop the best ones and store them in my fridge in an air-tight container. The not so fresh ones quickly become puree’ for curries and stews and go into my freezer.
  • Dried lentil packets, Rice – especially Basmati , Chapati Atta – flour to make rotis and chapatis – I hunt for deals on various supermarket websites and at my local stores and only buy the ones that give the best deal. I prefer to go in the afternoon just after noon so I can concentrate on checking out the offers minus having the store flooded with school going kids.

I truly envy those skilled enough to grow their own herbs and that is one of my top TO-DO’s this year – a container garden!  More on this sometime later though and I hope these tips prove useful to all you thrifty shoppers out there. Now, I am guest hosting #CreditCrunchMunch for March 2016

Credit-Crunch-Munch-Just-Pic

For those of you have not heard about  #CreditCrunchMunch (and for the regulars – a re-cap) , here are some cool ideas that you can consider when linking up:

  • Dishes using cheaper ingredients – cheap cuts of meat or vegetarian
  • Meals using leftovers
  • Meals using up the ends of packets
  • Substitutions of cheaper ingredients
  • Packed lunches
  • Meals that use less energy to cook
  • Pressure cooking
  • Slow cooking
  • Faster cooking – less oven time for example
  • Batch cooking for the freezer
  • Sustainable foods
  • Food you have grown yourself
  • Meals from reduced food in the supermarket

How to take part in CREDIT CRUNCH MUNCH:

Simply blog about any money saving idea or recipe that is vaguely food related. We do a full round up so I will be mentioning all the recipes that are submitted.

There are a few very simple rules:

  • Please link to this post, and the Credit Crunch Munch pages on Fab Food 4 All Fuss Free Flavours
  • Please use the Credit Crunch Munch Badge
  • Tweet using #CreditCrunchMunch and tag me @manjirichitnis @FabFood4All & @FussFreeHelen
  • Closing date – last day of the month – 31st March 2016
  • You are welcome to link up one or two old posts, but please republish them
  • By entering you are agreeing to let us use an image from your entry on this site, and to pin to Pinterest
  • If blogging a recipe from elsewhere on the internet or a book please be mindful of copyright
  • But feel free to send to as many other events as you like, let’s help everyone save money!
  • Please visit a few other blogs who take part plus comment and share
  • This is a blog hop so please grab the code and share the linky on your site too.We look forward to seeing your entries!

 

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Flu-fighting Chinese chicken noodle soup

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Last week the flu bug got to me, high temperature, sore throat and runny nose – the works. What followed is an onslaught of medication and most of the week seems like a blur. All I know is that in the fever-induced delirium, I tried every possible home remedy that my mother and grandmother have tried on my sister and I growing up.

Now along with Chinese New Year and Valentines, my husbands birthday and our anniversary follow in quick succession. Imagine spending all these wonderful shivering under a duvet sniffling into a tissue. Tough, eh?

So when Blue Dragon sent me this fabulous bunch of ingredients as part of a Chinese new year challenge, I really could only think of one thing – a grand 3-course home-cooked Chinese meal which is not just ready in 30 minutes flat but incorporates a delicious and healthy flu-fighting soup and healthier options for popular Chinese dishes.

Having had every possible type of mild soup under the sun in the past few days, I am finally starting to get my taste buds back. Some fiery chilli to fire up my wok was definitely in order.

Blue Dragon store cupboard essentials

If you like me are looking to create a healthy 3-course Chinese meal along with a flu-fighting formula using just one wok and some basic kitchen equipment then look no further. Why? Because – The comforting combination of soupy noodle broth and chicken with vegetables is sure to go down a treat – whether you really are fighting the flu or simply looking for a boost to your immunity. This soup will not let you down.

The Egg fried rice with candied salmon chunks is a treat minus the guilt of a greasy takeaway. Stir-fried vegetables in black bean sauce are amongst the most popular items in any menu and serving them with smoked tofu is one of my favourite treats. I make this stir fry very often and having Blue Dragon black bean sauce on hand is very handy as it gives a very authentic taste to this popular dish.

This meal can be prepared in 30 minutes flat if you ensure that all the prep is done beforehand. The best part is if you have trusty good wok then you can literally breeze through this process with thanks to the handy products from Blue Dragon.

Flu-fighting Chinese chicken noodle soup

Manjiri Chitnis
Flu-fightingChinese Lemongrass chicken noodle soup – great as a starter and even better asa main course.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 min
Cook Time 9 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • Blue Dragon light soy sauce – as per taste
  • 2 nests Blue Dragon wheat noodles
  • 500 ml good quality fresh Chicken stock
  • 250 gm Chicken thigh pieces – cut into long thin strips
  • 1/2 Carrot peeled and chopped
  • 2 leaves Cavolo nero
  • 1 handful Baby Spinach leaves
  • 4 large green Pak choi leaves
  • 3 large bulbs of Garlic chopped fine
  • a stub of garlic about half the size of your thumb slit into thin long strips
  • 1/2 Lemongrass stalk separated
  • 4-5 strips of a spicy red chilli
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • some fresh Coriander for seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Boil approximately 2 large mugs full of water in the kettle
  • Place the Blue Dragon wheat noodle nests in a saucepan and pour the boiling water onto it, bring to a boil on a medium flame
  • Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt while the noodles are boiling.
  • Cook until a little more than al dente’
  • Strain and wash under cold water and set aside, use the same saucepan to start boiling the rice for the egg fried rice. This allows you to save time.
  • While the noodles are cooking, fire up the wok
  • When it begins to smoke, lower the heat, and add the sesame oil
  • Sauté the chopped garlic, ginger, and chillies – the holy trinity of Chinese cooking along with the lemongrass just until the fragrance is released.
  • Now add the Cavolo Nero and pak choi and stir for a few seconds allowing the fragrant spices to the greens and the oil to coat them
  • Then add the stock and the chicken strips and carrot. Add some water to allow a proper broth to form for all the ingredients.
  • Add salt to taste
  • Cover and the wok and cook on medium-high until the chicken is cooked through
  • Remove the soup into another saucepan and wipe down the wop using kitchen roll
  • Set wok aside to cool
  • When ready to serve, refresh the noodles by pouring some boiled water onto them
  • Add noodles into each bowl and ladle the steaming hot soup onto the noodles
  • Garnish with sprigs of fresh coriander and serve immediately
Keyword Flu-fighting Chinese Chicken noodle soup
Flu-fighting chicken noodle soup

Black bean tofu and green veggie overload stir fry

Manjiri Chitnis
Black bean tofu and green veggie overload stir fry
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Cook Time 6 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 120 gm Blue Dragon stir fry sauce – 1 pouch
  • 220 gm of mixed green vegetables
  • 3 large bulbs of garlic chopped fine
  • 1/2 Ginger – thumb-sized -slit into thin long strips
  • 1/2 Lemongrass stalk separated
  • 1 Red chilli strips
  • 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
  • 6 – 8 bite-sized chunks of smoked tofu
  • 1/4 tsp white sesame seeds to garnish

Instructions
 

  • After thoroughly wiping down the wok, place on high heat and add the sesame oil
  • Flash fry the ginger, garlic, and chillies
  • Turn the heat down to medium and stir continuously so to not allow the spices to burn
  • Stir fry the smoked tofu pieces for about 2 – 3 minutes and remove the tofu into a bowl
  • The mixed green vegetables I used included- green Pak Choi (5-6 small leaves), Cavolo Nero (2 big leaves), sugar snap peas and green beans -about a handful, 2 large sprigs of broccoli
  • 6.
  • Fold the Cavolo Nero leaves into half and cut into long horizontal strips
  • then add the entire contents of the Blue Dragon black bean sauce pouch
  • Stir in the sugar snap peas, broccoli, and green beans, cook for about two minutes
  • Then add the Pak Choi and Cavolo Nero and stir fry so that the leaves still remain crunchy, do not overcook as the stir fry will loose its essence if you do
  • Transfer from wok to a serving plate, top with the fried smoked tofu
  • Set wok aside to cool
  • Sprinkle some white sesame seeds to garnish
Vegetables and smoked tofu stir fried in black bean sauce

Mirin Soaked Salmon steaks in sweet chilli sauce

Manjiri Chitnis
Mirin Soaked Salmon steaks in sweet chilli sauce
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 mins
Total Time 2 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp Blue Dragon sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 fillet of salmon cut into 4 big chunks – approximately 130 gm

Instructions
 

  • Leave the salmon chunks to soak in a generous amount of mirin before starting out on the soup
  • After the stir fry is done, wipe down the wok with kitchen towels and place it on low heat.
  • Cook the salmon in the hot oil until each side is down, should hardly take 30 seconds each side, given that the wok is already hot and the delicate fresh fish cooks very quickly too
  • Pour Blue Dragon sweet chilli sauce on the fried salmon chunks, the heat of the wok will partly caramelise the sauce of the salmon forming a thin crispy crunchy coating
  • Remove immediately into a clean bowl and set aside until ready to serve with the egg fried rice
  • Set wok aside to cool
Egg fried rice with mirin soaked sweet chilli salmon

Chinese egg fried rice with peas

Manjiri Chitnis
Chineseegg fried rice with peas
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup brown rice and wild rice mix
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1/2 a shallot sliced lengthwise
  • 1 heaped tbsp green peas
  • Water to boil the rice

Instructions
 

  • In the same saucepan used for cooking the noodles, rinse and cook the washed rice. The trick to cooking perfectly fluffy rice each time is to use exactly double the amount of water to the quantity of rice used. That is my thumb rule and it never fails me
  • Once the rice is done set the saucepan aside
  • Wipe down the wok after preparing the fish, you may need to use another wooden spatula to scrape off the sticky bits from the wok before starting out with the fried rice
  • Crack an egg into the wok set on a medium flame
  • Stirring continuously scramble the egg and add the chopped shallot, spritz some oil onto the wok to cook the shallots
  • Ensure you keep stirring so that the egg doesn’t get lumpy and overcooked and the shallot doesn’t burn
  • Add Blue Dragon light soy sauce and stir well
  • Then add the cooked rice, season with some salt and stir and mix well
  • Cook for under a minute on high heat and add in the peas and mix
  • Take the wok off the heat and set aside
Egg fried rice with mirin soaked sweet chilli salmon

After the soup, to assemble the meal, plate the rice and garnish with some spring onion greens, string one large juicy piece of salmon onto a small wooden skewer and place on the rice.

Top with a side of the stir-fried greens and smoked tofu in black bean sauce.

Serve the flu-fighting Chinese Lemongrass chicken noodle soup in generous amounts – piping hot. For me, the noodle soup was a meal on its own. But for my husband, the stir-fry and egg fried rice with a juicy and crunchy chunk of salmon made his day!

I truly believe that to be able to create some magic in your kitchen with the right ingredients and some basic tricks under your hat is not as difficult as it may sound. I am so happy that I was able to create a 3-course delicious meal in 30 minutes flat – but am most proud of my flu-fighting soup recipe. This one is going to appear on my weekly menu throughout winter now. After all, who can deny that warding off the flu bug cannot be done in a more delicious and fun immune boosting way?!

*This post is an entry to the Foodies100 Chinese New Year recipe challenge sponsored by Blue Dragon. The range of Blue Dragon products is available in all major supermarkets at an RRP from £0.69. To find out more, visit www.bluedragon.co.uk

Flu-fighting chicken noodle soup

*With thanks to Blue Dragon for sending me samples for review. No request was made for a positive review. Sponsored post. As usual, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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