Punjabi Chicken Curry!

 

Staying in tonight, how about a nice curry?

Try a Punjabi Chicken recipe, it's delicious!

You will need:

500g Chicken pieces bone in

15g ginger chopped

8 cloves of garlic sliced

4 green cardamoms

2 black cardamoms

2" piece of cinnamon

4 cloves

salt to taste

3-4 green chillies whole but pierced

1 large onion sliced

3 tomatoes

1 tbl spoon of ground coriander

1.5 tsps of ground cumin

half tsp turmeric

quarter tsp chili powder

handful of chopped coriander leaves

To Cook:

brown the onions well in 5 tablespoons of veg oil for about 8mins

meanwhile in a blender blitz the tomatoes, garlic and ginger with a little water until smooth

add the cardamoms, green chillies, cinnamon and cloves to the pot and cook for a further 2 mins.

remove skin from the chicken and add to the pot and brown for 5 mins.

add the blended ingredients powdered spices and salt  with half a  cup of water cook for a further 5 mins.

add enough warm water to come half way up the chicken and cook on a low heat for 20 mins or until the chicken is cooked turn off the heat and add the chopped coriander and serve.

Brinjal, Paneer & Spinach Curry

 Brinjal, Paneer & Spinach Curry

I had an Aubergine in the fridge, so I thought I'd try and cook up a new recipe and it turned out really well. Full of flavour, with the added luxurious taste of coconut milk. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Aubergine plus veg oil

2-3 tblsps oil

1tsp Black Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

8-10 Curry leaves

5cm Cassia bark

1 Red Onion finely sliced

4 Garlic cloves chopped

1 thumb size piece of Ginger finely chopped

3-4 mild green Chilli's finely chopped

1tsp ground Cumin

1tsp ground Coriander

1tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric 

1tsp Salt or to taste

3 Tomatoes chopped

100gr Baby Leaf Spinach

150gr Paneer diced

3 tblsps Coconut Milk

1tsp Garam Masala 

Handful chopped Coriander 

METHOD

Aubergine. 

Heat an oven tray in a hot oven 220c

Slice aubergine into 10mm slices, then each slice into 3 batons. 

Toss the Aubergine in some oil in a bowl. 

Tip into the hot tray and roast until browned but not burnt. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 

Masala Sauce. 

Heat the oil over a medium heat

Add the Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves and Cassia bark. Cook until Mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 10mins.

Now add the Garlic Chillies and Ginger. 

Cook for around 2mins, then add the ground spices and salt, stir, cook for a minute, adding a splash of water. 

Throw in the chopped tomatoes and cook on low-medium heat until the tomatoes break down. Add a splash of water if the sauce starts to catch. 

To Finish. 

Stir in the Paneer and 3 tblsps of coconut milk. Cook for 5mins on low, then add all the Spinach. Cover the pan and cook on low until the Spinach has wilted down. 

Now stir in the roasted Aubergine, warm through, add the Garam Masala, stir and remove from the heat. Add the chopped Coriander and serve!! 

My Homemade Wholemeal Loaf.

 

My Homemade Wholemeal Loaf. 

You will need:

2lb Bread tin

Mixing bowl

2 jugs. 

INGREDIENTS

400g Wholemeal Flour

100g Strong Plain Flour

50g Softened Butter

1 Tsp Salt

1Tsp Nigella Seeds

15g Active Yeast

1Tsp Caster Sugar

300ml warm water. 

METHOD

Make up 150ml of warm water in a small jug, sprinkle over the yeast and sugar. 

Whisk well and leave until the top froths to about 5-10mm. 

Place the flour, salt & Nigella Seeds into a large mixing bowl and using a fork, mix well. 

Now add the butter, using your fingers, rub in well, until you almost have a breadcrumb mixture. 

Add the yeast mixture and the rest of the warm water. Bring together to form a dough. 

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. 

Knead for 5 - 10mins until the dough becomes smooth but pliable. 

Return the dough to the bowl,(tip: wipe a little oil around the bowl first) cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. Up to an hour. 

Turn your oven on 200c/180c fan, 

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead again for 5-10mins.

Shape dough and place into your bread tin, cover with lightly oiled cling film or a damp tea towel. Leave to rise, so that it is just above the bread tin. 

Remove the cling film, dust with a little flour and put on the middle oven shelf. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes. 

Turn the bread out onto a wire rack and allow to cool. 

Enjoy! 

Delicious Vegetable Curry!

 Vegetable Curry

This is a very tasty but simple dish that can either be a main or side. 

For this I've used courgette, green beans and carrots, but any leftover veg will do. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsps veg oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

1 dried red chilli

2 cloves

3 green cardamom

1 large onion, sliced

½ tsp turmeric 

½ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin 

1tsp ground coriander

1tsp salt or to taste. 

1 green chilli (optional). 

1 large tomato chopped. 

1 or 2 courgettes sliced

1 carrot sliced

Handful of green beans topped and tailed. 

1-2 teaspoons sugar. 

1 tsp Garam masala. 

METHOD

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the mustard seed, along with all the whole spices. 

Cook until mustard seeds start to pop. 

Now add the onions, lower the heat and cook until golden brown, ( about 10 minutes). Add a splash of water from time to time to avoid burning the onions. 

Now add the ground spices, salt and green chilli. 

Stir and cook for a minute. Now add the tomato and a splash of water and cook on a medium, low heat until the tomato breaks down. 

Add the remaining vegetables and the sugar. Cook on a low heat, with a lid on until the vegetables are cooked. Check frequently to make sure the mixture doesn't stick, adding water if necessary. 

Finally, when the dish is ready, stir in the garam Masala and serve. Delicious!