a commonsense approach to eating well, living well and travelling
INGREDIENTS
750 grams asparagus
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
20 snow peas
200 grams broad beans, frozen
450 grams shelled edamame beans, frozen
2 ripe avocados
1 garlic clove
5-6 small table radishes, cut in half lengthwise
Continue reading “SPRING VEGETABLES ON EDAMAME &AVOCADO MASH”
Cambodia has awe inspiring temples, a kingdom where the ancient and modern amalgamate well to give you a truly wondrous experience. For more than 2,000 years, what was to become present day Cambodia absorbed influences from India, passing them on to other Southeast Asian civilisations that are now Thailand and Laos.
Contemporary Cambodia is more than its temples, and returning to this country after nearly 8 years, I was pleasantly surprised by all the development and progress. Chaotic yet charismatic is how I would describe the capital Phnom Penh. Totally revitalised as a city and the promenade area with its myriad dining options is a vast improvement. Second city Siem Reap, with cosmopolitan cafes and a diverse nightlife, is as much a destination as the nearby iconic temples. And up-and-coming Battambang, reminiscent of Siem Reap before the advent of mass tourism, charms with graceful French architecture and a thriving contemporary art scene.
Here are my top 5 reasons why you should plan a trip to Cambodia:
Most non Spaniards consider paella as a national dish but Spaniards attribute this to Valencia. Moors in Muslim Spain started rice cultivation since 10th century. Rice has been made into casseroles using fish and spices since then and it really symbolizes the union of two cultures – Roman and Arabic.
To make a good paella, you need to use Bomba rice, saffron and really good full bodied stock. I feel your paella is only as good as your stock. If you don’t have a paella pan, use a stainless steel pan but do not use cast iron or non-stick pans. If you use a heavy bottomed pan, you will not get the very desirable soccarat. Soccarat is the rice that gets crunchy and forms a crust at the bottom of the pan.
INGREDIENTS
200 grams monk fish fillets, cut into 5cm pieces
200 grams mussels, remove beards and scrub the shells
300 grams large prawns with their tails intact
250 grams bomba or calasparra rice
This is not a curry per se, at best it is Indian flavours matched with French cookery.
INGREDIENTS
350 grams brown onions, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon of finely chopped coriander stems
1 large red chilli, chopped (remove seeds if you wish)
3 centimetre piece of ginger, finely chopped
Continue reading “DECONSTRUCTED FISH CURRY WITH PAN ROASTED EGGPLANT”
Deep in the Indian Ocean, there is an emerald shaped island. Just 30kms off Kanyakumari at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula, and having been connected terrestrially for almost half a million years until just 10,000 years ago, one would think that Sri Lanka would be an extension of South India. Coming from South India, I disagree partially. The roots are there but the country evolved her own identity and I feel it is an easier to navigate version of Southern India.
I didn’t know what to expect, so was pleasantly surprised when we arrived at quite a modern Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. The airport is named after Sirimavao Bandaranike who became the world’s first non-hereditary female head of government in modern history, when she was elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 1960.
Sometimes spelt Gong Bao, this is a spicy stir fried chicken dish with its origins in Sichuan province of south west China. The Sichuan peppercorns are a bit numbing but the combination of crunchy peanuts and juicy spring onions, complement the juicy chicken. I have adapted this recipe from Fuchsia Dunlop’s version in Every Grain of Rice.
INGREDIENTS
400 grams chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1 cm cubes
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 thumb ginger, finely sliced
Beans are used in a number of ways in Italy and I have taken inspiration from the flavours of Mediterranean when creating this recipe. It is hearty enough to serve on its own with crusty bread but it is also an excellent accompaniment to fish.
INGREDIENTS
250 grams dried small lima beans or 2 x 450 grams tin of any white beans, drained (save the liquid) and rinsed
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and finely chopped
This pasta is great for lunch. You can even make it a weekday office lunch too but be sure to pack the chick peas separately and sprinkle them on top.
INGREDIENTS
1 broccoli, cut into medium sized florets
250 grams gnocchette
25 grams butter
3 shallots, sliced thinly
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Continue reading “GNOCHETTE WITH BROCCOLI & PUFFED CHICKPEAS”
There are a lot of flavours in common when it comes to Mexican and Indian cuisine. Yes the extensive use of cumin, coriander, chilli and tomato come to mind but there are some lesser known ones like tamarind that feature regularly in both the cuisines. I was fascinated and looked into this and learnt that when the Spanish colonized Mexico, they introduced flavours like tamarind, sesame through the Moorish / African influence.
INGREDIENTS
For the filling
400 grams paneer, grated
1 x 400 grams tin of black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed lightly
In South India, several variations of dosas (savoury pancakes) are served anytime in the day. They really are a complete meal and are low GI (glycaemic index) making it perfect for a light dinner. Bonus they are vegan and gluten free as well.
INGREDIENTS
Mung Dhal (yellow) – 250 grams
Split chick peas (channa dhal) – 125 grams
2 tablespoons rice
2 dried red chillies, deseeded, cut and soaked in warm water for half an hour