This dish brings back lots of childhood memories for me. My
parents were good friends with a couple from Kerala who were closer to my
grandparent’s age. We would all go to their place occasionally for the odd
treat. On one such occasion, we were treated to homemade idiyappam and this
potato istew. My mother got the recipe and made it a few times. This recipe is
based from that memory. The idiyappam requires special equipment to make so I
have just used store bought rice vermicelli making this fairly simple and easy
to prepare.
In several parts of the Indian subcontinent, the word ‘stew’
has been adopted in to the mainstream vernacular as istew or ishtu. In Kerala
and Tamil Nadu, the istew is served with appam (rice pancakes) or idiyappam (rice
noodles or string hoppers). My version is adapted from Camellia Panjabi’s 50
Great Curries of India book.
Malabari chicken istew
INGREDIENTS
800g boneless thigh fillets, cut into bite size pieces
These fritters are so yummy and a huge bonus is that they are gluten free and vegan! I made them a few weekends back and it was a big hit with the family.
A kati roll is a street-food dish originating from Kolkata,
West Bengal. In its original form, it is a skewer-roasted kebab wrapped in a
paratha bread, although over the years many variants have evolved all of which
now go under the generic name of kati roll. There are other names for this like
roti wrap or frankie or even a Bombay Burrito.
My recipe uses amaranth flour for the rotis making it gluten
free and protein rich. The filling is spicy and the combination of mashed chick
peas makes this a complete vegan and gluten free meal.
Hyderabad is an epitome of India’s unity in diversity culture. Very few cities in India have the privilege of having a distinctive cuisine. The Nizams governed this city for over two hundred years until 1948 and one of their princely legacies was establishing a Hyderabadi cuisine. This is a famous Hyderabadi vegetarian dish, the combination of spices representative of both Northern and Southern regions of India.
We love gnocchi in our household and this recipe is my take on Gordon Ramsay’s home-made gnocchi recipe. It is a little time consuming baking the potatoes first and then making the gnocchi, but I assure you that the end result is satisfying and so delicious. Make it for a special occasion to show how much you care for a loved one.
Did you know that the cultivation of millet dates back to
6000 years? The tiny golden grain has nearly 15% protein, B- complex vitamins,
minerals like iron and magnesium. Interestingly millet used to be referred to
as the grain of happiness and it contains tryptophan – an amino acid that
affects appetite, mood and sleep! It is gluten free, alkaline, easily digestible
and rich in fibre. Super food really!
I substitute millet in all recipes that call for couscous, because millet is packed with nutrients. Great for weekday lunch and if you use dairy free yoghurt for the sauce it will be completely plant based. In this recipe I use the florets only but please retain the tender leaves and stems for use in a stir fry.
INGREDIENTS
1 large broccoli, washed and cut into 2cm florets
1 x 400g tin of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup of hulled millet cooked as per instructions on packet
A generous handful of fresh coriander finely chopped
Steam or microwave the broccoli for 2 to 3 minutes depending
on the doneness required. Set aside to cool.
Once you cook the millet, remove to a large plate and allow
to cool. If you leave in a bowl or saucepan to cool, the millet may all stick
together and get clumpy.
Place millet in serving bowl. Mix in the broccoli and chick
peas, the red chilli, the lemon rind, salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper
along with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Taste for seasoning, toss
the coriander leaves and serve with yoghurt sauce.
This is a bean to the power of 2 or bean squared salad. Both names are a bit cheesy, hence bean and bean salad. This is a great working day lunch option and a power house of nutrients – my version is vegan and I love it this way but feel free to add a tin of tuna if you must.
INGREDIENTS
2 x 400 g tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
thoroughly
400 grams of French beans or round beans cut into 5
centimetre pieces (I used frozen)
Make this in summer when zucchinis are in plenty supply. I made mine in a pie dish but you can in a rectangle slice pan. Serve it with a fresh green salad and my tomato chilli relish on the side for lunch. This is gluten free and the fennel adds a nice touch.
