Quick and Easy Archives - Travels for Taste

Lamb Tasting Press event, London

August 20, 2016 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

September first week will ring in the second year for British Lamb Week. A campaign that has been launched to popularise the versatile and tasty meat, especially to make it appealing to a younger audience.

Last year I was invited to the launch of this campaign which was hosted at Chef Cyrus Todiwala’s restaurant Cafe’ Spice Namaste’. As the new Lambassador for ‘ Tasty Easy Lamb’ Cyrus very passionately demonstrated some quick and delicious ways to cook lamb. Lamb is perfect for the summer season as it can be barbecued or grilled and enjoyed al-fresco. Amongst other dishes, we tried a fabulously juicy Blue cheese stuffed lamb burger. The recipe for this by Chef Cyrus is too good not to share with all of you.

As expected the incredible spice man has incorporated the use of many wonderful spices in this recipe.

Blue cheese stuffed lamb burger recipe by Chef Cyrus Todiwala

Print Recipe

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

675 gms lamb mince
1 finely chopped medium onion
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 x 2inch piece minced fresh ginger
1 slender minced green chilli seeds included
1 tbsp ground cumin powder
1.5 tbsp ground coriander powder
2 tbsp tomato purée
3 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed black pepper

Forthe Stuffing

150 gms Blue cheese, crumbled
2 Finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp Finely chopped fresh coriander
2 Finely chopped cloves of Garlic
Rolls or bread, to serve

Instructions

In a large bowl gently mix all the burger ingredients together. Divide into 6 evenly sized burgers
In a small bowl blend the stuffing ingredients together and shape into equal-sized balls to stuff the burgers
Make an indentation in the centre of each burger with your thumb and fill with a ball of the cheese. Make sure the cheese is completely encased when you form the burger
Cook on a prepared grill or barbecue for 6-8 minutes on each side or until any meat juices run clear
Serve with your favourite bread or rolls with some sliced tomatoes, onion and lettuce and some relish

We must appreciate that the demand for meat consumption is ever increasing in spite of the many pressures on limited resources of our planet. But as a meat lover myself, I must say, that it is great to know that it is possible to love your planet while continuing to consume meat. One of the ways to do that is to choose to add locally produced lamb to your diet. It is not only easy to cook but also, lamb raised in the English countryside is among the most sustainable in the world.

Sheep and lambs graze on naturally occurring grass which is good for the environment. It helps permanent grasslands to pull in carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil. In addition, it preserves water quality and overall helps farms reduce their energy consumption. Along with being sustainable, sheep farming aids employment thereby building communities and supporting the economy.

Here is an easy kitchen cheat sheet to get you started with which cuts of lamb are best for what you want to cook, with handy tips on freezer storage and cooking techniques.

So won’t you be doing to your bit to help protect the lambscape? The results of your kitchen experiments are bound to be lambtastic! Excuse the puns, I couldn’t resist 😉

Disclaimer: With thanks to AHDB Beef & Lamb and Cyrus Todiwala for having me as a guest. 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. Kitchen cheat sheet chart and images provided by AHDB Beef & Lamb.

Flu-fighting Chinese chicken noodle soup

February 20, 2016 by manjirichitnis 17 Comments

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.

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

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

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

*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.

Ragi Pancakes with blueberries (Finger Millet)

April 11, 2015 by manjirichitnis 22 Comments

Healthy Ragi Pancakes, Finger Millet Pancakes

I am obsessed with this healthy millet! I have been cooking a variety of dishes with Nachni (Marathi) / Ragi (Hindi) or Finger Millet as it is popularly known in the past few days. From savoury pancakes to porridge and using them in other recipes, I have been experimenting with them for a while now. I wanted to try using them as an alternative to regular pancakes so thought I would rustle up some sweet Ragi pancakes. But had to keep them healthy so opted for Soya Yoghurt instead of eggs which makes these vegan-friendly and then I added in oats so that makes them gluten-free too.

Nachni chya god polya

I really wanted to come up with some name for the Marathi alternative to this recipe and ‘Nachni chya god polya’ sounded like fun 😉

Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes / Ragi Pancakes

Light and puffy these are just perfect when you are craving pancakes but a healthier version is what you really want!

Ragi and Blueberry Pancakes , Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes, Nachni chya god polya

Ragi is known to have a whole host of health benefits:

Popular amongst diabetics due to it’s low GI
High is dietary fiber
Rich in calcium, iron and thiamine
It is an aid to healthy weight loss due to it’s very low fat content
It is a good source of GF protien
Popular as a baby food too

Nutritional value of finger millet per 100g

Protein 7.6g
Fat 1.5g
Carbohydrate 88g
Calcium 370mg
Vitamins – A: 0.48mg
Thiamine (B1): 0.33mg
Riboflavin (B2): 0.11mg
Niacin: (B3) 1.2mg
Fiber 3g

Beautiful fields of Ragi

Image Credit: Mikael Häggström

Why you should make these Ragi pancakes!

As if you need any excuses for making blueberry pancakes!!! But anyway, here are some major health benefits.

Low GI due to the finger millet flour so ideal for diabetics as it keeps blood sugar levels steady avoiding any sudden spikes and crashes.
Gluten-free
Ideal for vegans
Dairy-Free
Egg Free
Refined sugar-free as Natvia is a great sugar substitute
The oats ensure that this pancake keeps you fuller longer

Ragi and Blueberry Pancakes/ Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes

Manjiri Chitnis

Healthy Ragi/ Finger millet recipe, low- GI, Vegan, Gluten -free, easy to follow, quick recipe

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Fusion Indian

Servings 1 person

Ingredients

6 tbsp heaped – Gluten-free Oats
4 tbsp heaped Ragi flour / Finger Millet Flour
3 tbsp Soya yoghurt – I used Alpro – it’s approved by the Vegan society
Handful Fresh Blueberries
As reqd Water
4 tsp Natvia or any sweetener – adjust quantity as per taste
1 tsp unsalted plant spread or low calorie cooking oil spray

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl add the oats and finger millet and then the yoghurt
Mix well and a thick mixture will form
Heat about 2 cups of water in a kettle and let it cool down a bit
Slowly pour into the mixture and set aside for about 5-7 minutes
Then mix well to form a batter ensuring that it is not runny but has a good consistency, then add the Natvia and stir well till it all dissolves, adjust as per taste
On a non-stick pan on medium heat melt one heaped tbsp unsalted butter or if your using the 1 cal sunflower oil spray then about 6 – 8 sprays are enough
Ladle enough of the batter in the centre of the pan enough for a mini pancake, do not spread it like a dosa as the batter will disintegrate
Cook on each side for about one minute with a lid
Use a wooden spatula to loosen the side done first and flip over carefully, the more the blueberries in each pancake that you ladle into the pan the more the water content as the heat will make the fruit pop and melt into gooey fruity goodness Don’t fret if the first few pancakes break especially where the fruit is at the edge

Keyword Ragi Pancakes

My pancake stack collapsed just as I was about to photograph it – humfph! But it was a very satisfying, delicious, and healthy breakfast which even my husband loved – win-win! Woohoo 🙂

A word of caution though excessive consumption may lead to kidney trouble so don’t over do the consumption.

Fun-Fact about Ragi

Lastly a fun fact! Did you know that the grains are fermented to make a beer in some parts in Nepal? Cool or what?!

LEARN HOW TO MAKE INDIAN FOOD FROM SCRATCH WITH MY EASY TO FOLLOW RECIPES

References:

Wiki
Supra Organics
Veg Weight Loss Diets

Easy Moroccan Chicken one pot meal

February 20, 2015 by manjirichitnis 22 Comments

The chill in the air is just right for warming one-pot meals. Make them healthy, quick, and easy to put together and you have a winner on your hands. Last year at the Cake and Bake show which I attended with a dear friend and fellow blogger, I ended up spending a bomb (£££!!!!) on four different sized pots – non – stick being one of their biggest virtues. One of them is a huge wok which I intend to use to make a stir fry over the weekend. The coating is said to last for years and each vessel comes with a glass lid. I can apparently also shove them directly into the oven but haven’t tried that yet. The big and rather saucepan is what I use as my crockpot for making one-pot meals in. In fact, there is something very comforting watching a warming curry or gorgeously tasty and nutritious one-pot meals!

heaven in a saucepan - healthy , happy meals begin here!

Ok so coming back to my one pot recipe. I had a bag of baby spinach leaves in my fridge and was craving a wholesome soupy stew with lots of vegetables. So managed to gather a few things that I think would taste great together and then added in Knorr onion gravy pots and Knorr mixed chilli pot for flavour and the result was so very satisfying. But the best part was adding in Ras El Hanout a delicious and fiery moroccan and North African fragrant spice mix. The delicate dried rose petals look so pretty , that’s why I decided to name my dish Moroccan Chicken one pot.I also devoured it for lunch today – umm.

Make this in a large quantity and it will freeze well. Batch cooking is highly recommended as it saves you time and ensures that you do not eat things that you will end up regretting when you are hard pressed for time and simply cannot cook.The freezer is a wonderful boon, use it!

I purchased a beautiful Red Leicester and Pumpkin seed batard to go with my meal – it is soul-satisfying to mop up the thick gravy with the bread while sitting on the couch watching my fav crime show on the telly, feeling all warm and happy.

The best part of this recipe is I haven’t added in potatoes or extra sugar to taste and yet the flavours are so well balanced. (Though both gravy pots do contain sugar) I love stocking up on these tiny Knorr flavour pots they are life-savers!

A recipe with enough spinach to make Popeye jump with joy! Spinach has several health benefits and is known to be a great source of folic acid and several essential vitamins and great levels of iron too. Best part is a big bag of spinach can be consumed in no time as the leaves are high in water content and it reduces in size when cooked.

Easy Moroccan Chicken one pot

Serves:4 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking time: approx 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Olive oil 2 tbsp
1 large red onion
2 cloves of garlic
Mixed bag of broccoli, carrot and cauliflower – 270 gm
Chicken thighs – 500 gm – appox 3 big pieces
Trimmed green beans – 75 gm
Chestnut Mushrooms – 4 – 5
1.5 Knorr onion gravy flavour pot
1 Knorr mixed chillies flavour pot
4 handfulls of spinach leaves
Red lentils – without skin and halved 3/4th cup
1/2 tsp of Ras El Hanout
1/2 tsp of roasted cumin powder
Water

Method:

Remove the skin from the chicken thighs after washing thoroughly under running water.
Chop the chicken thighs to make strips of the flesh leaving just enough on the bone.
Wash and cut the broccoli, carrots,cauliflower, green beans and chestnut mushrooms bits into bite sized pieces.
Slice an onion lengthwise into fine strips.
Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and chop into tiny bits.
In a large saucepan or stock pot heat olive oil on a medium flame, when the oil becomes to heat up add the finely chopped garlic and saute’ until they turn a golden brown then add in the sliced onion.
Stirring occasionally allow the onion to sweat and just when it begins to brown add in the chopped vegetables and saute for half a minute.
Then add in the chicken thighs and saute for another minute.
Then wash and add the red lentils , add enough water to create a thick gravy – enough to allow the lentils to cook and not soak up all the water. Then add in the Knorr flavour pots and mix well.

Big, beautiful pot of healthy goodness - absolutely irresistible!

Then add the washed spinach leaves, cumin powder and cover and cook on a medium flame for 15 minutes.

Gorgeous Bowl of goodness with immunity boosting spinach and delicious veggies

By now the lentils will have cooked and the chicken will almost be done too.
Then taste the soupy water and if it is too spicy add just a very tiny pinch the Ras El Hanout , I added 1/2 a tsp as the taste reminded me of garam masala. Ras El Hanout is a moroccan mixture of fragrant spices with rose petals and gives the stock pot a gorgeous full bodied flavour.
Cook for a further 10-15 minutes on a gentle low flame.
Serve in large bowls with a big portion of the pumpkin batard bread.

Easy Ham and cheese tart recipe

February 17, 2015 by manjirichitnis 12 Comments

Hello Everyone!

I have been away on a long holiday in Indian for almost four weeks. I got back last week and it has taken my system a few days to throw off the jet-lag completely and my internal thermostat to acclimatise to the massive difference in the weather.But am back now all refreshed and raring to go! So expect a lot of new and fun recipes, LOTS of travel posts and many photographs from my foodie and travel adventures – oh yes not to mention more exciting competitions, fabulous restaurant reviews and events that I will be going to soon – woohoo!

While I was in India I did a fair bit of travelling to Chennai, Pondicherry and shuttling between Mumbai and Pune. So all the resulting fatigue has taken it’s toll too.

Besides have discovered that I do have a fair amount of catching up to do with my blogging as well. hummm

So dinner the day after I landed had had to be a simple affair, because my body clock was still following IST. We decided to make a quick and super easy yet delicious Turkey, Ham and cheese tart using my own recipe. Hubster and me are both big fans of Jus-Rol as it really can save the day when things are crazy busy or plain lazy 😉

I have made a few minor tweaks to the original recipe but other than that it was smooth sailing. Here is my version:

Prep. Time: Less than 10 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

Total Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

320 gm Jus-Rol™ puff pastry ready rolled sheet
2 medium onion peeled & chopped fine
100 gm cooked ham diced
1-2 tbsp oil
3 heaped tbsp Gran Luchito smoked chilli honey
250 gm cooked turkey diced
Salt & black pepper
75 gm grated Parmesan Cheese

Method:

Heat oil in a large pan, gently sauté the onion until it is translucent, then add the diced ham and cook on a low flame for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile remove the Jus-Rol™ puff pastry ready rolled sheet and allow it to rest while the filling is being prepared.
Add the turkey,season to taste and then add the smoked chilli honey. Stir continuously to ensure the chilli honey does not burn and cook on a gentle, low flame for a further 2 minutes.
Prepare a baking tray by lining with a baking sheet and carefully place the Jus-Rol™ puff pastry ready rolled sheet onto the baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 220°C/(200°C for fan assisted ovens)/Gas 7.
Spoon out the turkey and ham mixture onto the baking sheet and sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the mixture.
Bake in the preheated for 20 minutes and serve hot.

I remember going to buy Jus- Rol at a supermarket two years ago post Christmas and it simply wasn’t available anywhere. Clearly people had been smart and stocked up on this lifesaving fridge fav for all those leftover meals after the big day. And have since then made a mental note to stock up well in advance for future occasions. There have been numerous dinners and surprise tea time treats for unannounced but welcome visitors who have been fed piping hot treats with several hot cuppas thanks to that pastry roll lying in my fridge! So like many of my store cupboard essentials this is one of my life savers and will almost always be found living in my refrigerator.

I loved this recipe and now am looking forward to more experiments with Jus-Rol .

If you need more inspiration to get creative with Jus-Rol why not check out these gorgeous recipes on the Jus-Rol website ?

*With thanks to Jus-Rol and the PR team for sending vouchers to buy some samples of Jus-Rol for review . No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Beetroot and Chickpea salad

February 6, 2015 by manjirichitnis 19 Comments

Who doesn’t love a salad that you can put together in no time? This easy to make and super quick to put together Beetroot and Chickpea salad recipe is just the thing when you want to eat healthy and not compromise on taste at the same time. I have added in amchoor powder which is a tangy dried mango powder which will give this salad a fabulous twist when combined with balsamic vinegar.

If possible try and buy baby beetroot cooked in vinegar as these would be the perfect size and also have the right amount of vinegar. If you are not sure of how much balsamic vinegar you can handle, add 1?2 tbsp first and then if you feel brave add another half. I have a whole collection of flavoured vinegar and if you can get your hands on cranberry infused vinegar, I highly recommend adding that in as it will totally elevate the flavour of your salad.

Serves: 4 as a side and 2 as a main

Ingredients:

1?2 a can of boiled and cooked chickpeas
4 small beetroot cooked and peeled – roughly 250 gm
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 small red onion sliced length wise
2 tsp amchoor powder
2 heaped tsp pomegranate seeds

Method:

In a large mixing bowl add the chickpeas
Chop the cooked and peeled beetroot into bite size chunks. Add them into the chickpeas. Add the chopped onion and pomegranate seeds.
Add the vinegar and the amchoor powder and mix well.
Serve and sprinkle with more pomegranate seeds if desired.

I have found the perfect linky to add my virtuous yet superbly delicious salad to. It’s this month’s Spice Trail with the theme ‘ Temple Food‘ hosted by the lovely Vanesther on her blog called ‘Bangers and Mash’. The whole concept of respecting your body by treating it like a temple is really apt for the way I have recently begun to think about food. I have to re-think and re-align what I feed my system and actually begin to ‘listen’ to what my body is speaking to me. It’s important that after years of neglect I FINALLY pay attention to what is entirely my own – my body.

By linking to this challenge I take heart in knowing that I am not ALONE . There are other like-minded foodies who are re-thinking their ways of eating. I do hope my recipe is one of the many delicious , innovative and beautiful ones that will help my readers on their journey to eating healthy and feeling more energetic.

Reblochon Cheese, Onion, Swiss Chard and Mushrooms Tart

November 30, 2014 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

I had been eyeing this beautiful red Swiss Chard at the Chapel market on a street vegetable vendors stall for days and today I finally managed to buy myself a bunch of these beauties.

I also purchased a gorgeous beefsteak tomato, chestnut mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, sweet baby carrots, 2 avocados,and guess what ?All this booty came at £6.50 only ,woohoo! Totally amazing right, beautiful fresh ingredients purchased from a very friendly lady from a bustling vibrant market over lunch hour – I mean what more could I ask for ?

Since it was Thanksgiving on Thursday, a treat was in order and with my beautiful vegetable bounty a vegetable tart smothered in cheese was what I would be making! I was sent a lovely french cheese to sample a few days back and it was begging to be used , perfect!

I was sent Reblochon de Savoie AOC, which is an artisanal cheese from the Haute-Savoie and Val d’Arly region. Reblochon was the first of the 46 AOC cheeses in France to receive that stamp of quality in 1958. It contains only 22% fat which makes it as light or lighter than other cooked pressed cheeses including Gruyère or Emmental. Reblochon is packaged individually by the producer, it is placed onto a thin spruce-wood board, thus regulating its moisture content and allowing it to mature.

Autumnal swiss chard which I have used in my recipe is rich in vitamins A,K and C and is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber, and protein. All parts of the chard plant contain oxalic acid. Packed with good stuff this tart is!

Preparation Time:10 minutes

Cooking Time: 35-40minutes

Serves:6

Ingredients:

1/2 of the Reblochon Cheese
320g Puff Pastry 1 sheet from a pack of ready made pastry
4 small Happy Eggs
5 big leaves of red Swiss Chard
8 chestnut mushrooms
3 stalks of spring onions
1 medium sized red onion
2 heaped tsp of Luchito chilli honey
15- 6 large slices of beefsteak tomato
2 small potatoes
Red chilli flakes 1.5 tsp
1 .5 tsp garlic puree or 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Peel the potatoes, slice them wafer-thin.
Heat 2 tsp of olive oil on a pan and place the potato slices of the pan, brown on each side till they are really crisp.
Chop the red onion fine and cut the spring onion as fine as possible.
Roughly cut the mushrooms into chunks,
In a small saucepan add 1 tsp of olive oil , when the oil is hot add the chopped red onion & spring onions and when they begin to sweat add in the mushrooms.
Cook on a medium flame till the onions turns a nice light brown colour and add in the chilli honey.
The heat from the pan will create the perfect environment for the honey to melt just enough to coat the onion and the mushroom and impart a fabulously warming sweet and hot flavour.
Place the puff pastry on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
Add the onion and mushroom mixture on the puff pastry.

Then add the roughly chopped swiss chard leaves, season with some sea salt.
Place the slices of beefsteak tomato on the top.
Scoop out the nutty and delicious cheese from the rind with a spoon and scatter it onto the chard and tomato slices.

Beat the eggs in a bowl and add some sea salt and red chilli powder as per taste.
Whisk the eggs with a fork till they foam so as to aerate them.
Pour the egg mixture onto the chard and tomatoes.
Pre-heat the oven to 200° C.
Place the baking tray into the pre-heated oven.
Bake the savoury tart for 35 minutes, for the first 15 minutes at 150° C and then at 180° C – 200° C.
The egg and cheese mix will cook and release a beautiful aroma which will just rush through when you get the tart out of the oven.
Place the crispy potato slices on top and if you wish scatter a few chopped nuts on the top for added crunch.

I really liked the texture of the cheese and the floral, nutty and herbal flavours it imparts to this gorgeous vegetable laden tart which reflect its Alpine provenance.

Serve the tart with fruity red wines such as those made with Gamay or Pinot Noir grapes, or a lively and refreshing white such as Chasselas which complement the cheese.

*With thanks to Reblochon for sending me a sample of their delicious artisanal cheese for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Stuffed Marrow Bake

September 28, 2014 by manjirichitnis 6 Comments

It was on a sunny summer Sunday morning that I finally went to the local car boot sale to look for any treasures that I may find to use as food props and found this beauty.

But it wasn’t just this beauty that we came home with. We found a beautiful marrow and I instantly knew what we would be having for dinner. sometimes things just come to you by some sort of divine alignment of separate incidents to become one. I had some Lactofree mature cheddar cheese which I was looking to experiment with and this was the perfect chance to use it in a bake. Had a packet of smoked bacon cubes and yes had some cute, tiny bottles of olive oil which had been sent to me. I normally would infuse my own oils and always have a big bottle of olive oil into which I stuff a few cloves of crushed garlic, some chill flakes and fresh herbs – the oil adds beautiful depths of flavour in whatever I use it for and because it is a lovely bottle, it looks pretty on my kitchen counter too – which reminds me I need to get around to doing this again soon – hummm

Also, I had these bright and colourful mini chilli plants now sitting on my window sill, looking all pretty and waiting to be used – yellow and deep aubergine coloured chillies – this was going to be one colourful bake!

So this beautiful marrow came home with us and just like that became part of our dinner plans…..

Stuffed Marrow Bake

Ingredients

1 beautiful marrow
3 heaped tbsp grated Lactofree mature cheddar
3 flakes of garlic chopped fine
500 gm smoked bacon cubes
4 tbsp sweet corn
2 medium-sized red onions
2 tbsp chilli infused Terra Rossa Olive Oil
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Sea salt to taste

Method

Chop the red onions lengthwise, set aside.
Cut the marrow into half and scoop out the insides and discard, I know I should have saved them for making something else …

In a saucepan heat 1 tbsp chilli Terra Rossa Olive Oil.

Sauté the chopped garlic first and when it begins to brown and the aroma explodes into the kitchen its time to add in the chopped red onions and toss them around till they begin to change colour. Then add the smoked bacon cubes and cook on a medium flame stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes.
Then add in the sweet corn and mix well for about a minute, season with sea salt and chilli flakes.

Remove the saucepan with this onion, bacon and sweet corn mixture off the flame and set aside.
Line a baking tray with parchment and brush some olive oil on the marrow inside out so that it has a bang of flavour when you bite into it.
Stuff both halves of the marrow with the mixture.

Wrap the stuffed marrow halves in foil and bake for half an hour at about 180°C – I have a fan oven, please adjust time accordingly to suit your oven.
Remove from foil and add the grated Lactofree mature cheddar cheese on the top.
Then bake again without foil till the cheese browns or for 10 minutes approximately.
Serve with a warm fresh baguette or a cheesy bread – simply so that you can scoop every single bit of juicy goodness as you eat

The Terra Rossa oils, I received a pack of 3 exquisite Jordanian infused extra virgin olive oils – chilli and lemon infused oils and an unfiltered, cold dripped Sinolea extra virgin olive oil. Not only is it good to have in the store cupboard, I think it makes for a lovely gift idea too! Yes, it isn’t too early to start planning your Xmas gift list is it?

It is incredible how much flavour this humble marrow packs in. I cannot wait to use it again in soups and stews. Yes, it’s autumn and we are going towards colder weather. So along with getting those woollies out we also need to get started with beautiful soups and stews hummm – the seasons they are a-changing! This easy recipe is perfect for busy weekend evenings ( or for a lazy Sunday evening when you want to spend some time watching telly sipping a glass of wine and chilling out rather than slaving in the kitchen!) when you do not want to compromise on flavour and want a wholesome meal too. For a meat-free option replace the bacon with a spicy potato and cauliflower mix. Whatever you choose to add as the stuffing, the result will always be satisfactory – that’s the nature of this beautiful marrow ….

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

Vegetarian Sausage Satay

September 1, 2014 by manjirichitnis 14 Comments

Wait a bit ? Did you read that right? Absolutely yes ! Vegetarian Sausages are exactly what I have used in this fab recipe sent by my sister who turned vegetarian a few years ago. She doesn’t even consume eggs. I am far from becoming a vegetarian but love to experiment with lighter options and so was delighted to receive some samples from Secret Sausages which I had sampled first at FBC 2014 a few months ago and I recollect really liking the the flavours.

I was sent 3 different flavours to experiment with:

Rosemary & Garlic – Garlic , Green Beans,Mixed Peppers and Rosemary
Honey Bee – Sweet Corn , carrots, peas and honey
Chilli and Coriander – Chillies , coriander , onion , sweet corn and carrots

This recipe can be used with the sausages chopped and served as a starter or else as a main with sides like potato or sweet potato mash and green peas .

Serves: 2 as a main with a side of mash and peas

Ingredients – enough for 2 packets with 6 sausages each

groundnut powder – 5 heaped tbsp
Garlic purée
Green Chillies – 3
A small bunch of fresh coriander or one large packet from the supermarket
Oil 3 tbsp
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste
Red onions – 2 large
Tomato – 1 medium sized

Method

In a dry sauce on a low flame heat 1 tbsp oil and add the chopped green chillies and garlic purée.
Then add the the groundnuts powder and roast this mixture for about 2 minutes , stirring continuously ensuring it does not burn.
Turn off the flame and add freshly ,finely chopped coriander leaves, salt , sugar and lemon juice.

Allow this mixture to cool down and then coat the sausage with skin with the mixture thoroughly.

Refrigerate the marinated sausages for an hour.
Before you remove the marinated sausages from the refrigerator make the onion and tomato mixture.
Chop the onion into long thinstrips.
Heat 2 heaped tbsp oil in the same saucepan and sauté till they caramelise.
Add the chopped tomato and sauté for another minute.
Then remove the marinated sausages from the refrigerator and saute on a griddle pan with very little oil sprinkled onto it.

Mix the sausages in the onion – tomato mixture.
Serve with mashed potatoes and green peas as sides.

Why not try my recipe for a fabulous Meatless Monday meal ?

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

Smoked Spanish Peppers and Zingy Mushrooms in a creamy sauce

June 24, 2014 by manjirichitnis 12 Comments

My love for using smoked sweet red peppers is taking over my recipes for now , I made these zingy mushrooms for a friend who popped in for brunch about 2 months ago but I have been very lazy and this recipe is finally seeing daylight. I guess the electric atmosphere of the yellow jersey clad stadium full of Brazil fans and the super tight match going on with Camroon is giving me a much needed rush of happy hormones ,add to that the frenzy of the Wimbledon matches , the air in Wimbledon is heavy with anticipation, huge posters , fluorescent tennis ball props in all windows , the traditional colours of the Wimbledon ribbons and balloons galore, the bus service from the station to the venue with hyperexcited people , everything is screaming tennis here!

Lamuyo Peppers are great for roasting as they are bigger and sweeter than their cousins the hot variety. They are juicy and crunchy and go well with garlic,basil,oregano,taste fab with cheese , think stuffed peppers grilled , just perfect for summer !

The recipe was given to me by P aunty , shes a fab cook as I have mentioned in my past posts too and her recipes are innovative, delicious and easy to make, I love pestering her to keep sending me more recipes everytime we talk 😉 .So I decided to amp up this recipe with some madness my style and use up the handsome red pepper staring at me from my fridge 😉

Ingredients:

1 large pack Chestnut Mushrooms sliced
1 large red Lamuyo sweet pepper
8 cloves Garlic- bash and chop fine
1/2 red onionchopped very fine
2 chillies- (more or less acc to your taste) – chop fine
3 heaped tbs flavoured soft cheese, I love using the herby Philadelphia
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt to taste
Parsley- a handful -chopped finely

Method:

Roast the pepper on gas flame till the skin chars and begins to peel off, I use tongs to hold it by the stem so it can char even at the top.
While the pepper cools just enough to allow you to peel and reveal the smoked juicy flesh, you can use the time to wash and slice the chestnut mushrooms
While taking off the charred skin off the smoked pepper remember to place a dish below as it will release lots of juice which we don’t want to loose as it is one powerhouse of smoky peppery sweet flavour!
Heat oil in a sauce pan and saute the garlic till it turns brown and the familiar aroma of fabulous garlic begins to waft and assault your nostrils.
Then add the very finely chopped red onion and cook on a low flame stirring regularly till the onion is thoroughly crispy and reduces in quantity, do not let it burn.
Then toss in the mushrooms and the chopped smoked pepper and cook for about 2 minutes on a low flame ,stirring and making sure it does not stick to the pan or overcook
Then add the soft cheese ,sea salt and finely chopped parsley,mix well and cook with lid for about 1 to 1 1/2 minute.
Serve with garlic bread smothered in butter – eat guilt free;)

What I love about this dish , its creamy , its a bit sweet a bit more zingy and has an underlying deep smoked flavour that is robust without being overpowering ,I’d say its a new comfort food for me , what with all the moorish soft cheese in there!