Sweet & Sour from Southampton

Quick and easy Sweet and Sour Sauce

4 Tblsp of brown sugar
1 Tblsp of Tomato Ketchup
1 Dsrtsp of Soy Sauce
Splash of white wine vinegar

Mix  Tsp of Cornflour with a little water

Method
Put first 4 ingredients in saucepan and heat through until sugar is melted stirring constantly
Add Cornflour and stir to thicken, take off heat and serve.

Easy Peasy!

Stepping Stone

I'm off to Bitterne this morning, got a few things to sort out.
I remember when Bitterne had a road going through it. It was one of the main arterial routes into Southampton, you took your life in your hands trying to cross the road, but i tell you what, it was always a bustling shopping centre. If you go there now and walk along the precinct, there are kids hanging about with nothing to do, except leave there chewing gum on benches and litter on the ground. Most of the time it is fairly empty, apart from a Wednesday when there is a market.
I must say, I did prefer it before the precinct, somehow, it seemed a more special place to go. It was to me, as a child, a stepping stone to the city of Southampton.

KEEMA CURRY NIGHT!

It's time for another curry.

KEEMA MATTAR  (Lamb Mince with Garden Peas).

Ingredients:
1 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Cardomoms
4 Cloves
2 Kashmiri dried red chilis
1 tsp ground turmeric
Salt to taste
Tsp of sugar

3 Large Tomatoes
5 Cloves Garlic
15g Ginger peeled weight

8 Curry Leaves
50cm Cinamon stick
1 Green chili whole but pierced

1 Onion
500g Lamb Mince

Half tsp Garam masala
Mug of Frozen garden peas


To Cook:

In a spice grinder, grind the red chillis, cloves, cardomoms, cumin seeds and coriander seeds.
Set aside.
In a blender, Blend the garlic, Ginger and tomatoes with a splash of water.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan until hot, then add the curry leaves, cinamom and green chilli, sizzle for 10 seconds and add the onion. Cook until well browned.
Add the blended paste and cook with the onions for about five minutes on a moderate heast.
Now add the mince and all the ground spices and sugar along with the turmeric and salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook for twenty minutes, adding a little water if the mixture becomes too dry.
Add the frozen peas and cook on low until the peas are cooked. Stir in th Garam Masala and serve.

Good with rice or Chapatis.

Lamb Keema with Spinach

Lamb Keema with Spinach

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic crushed

10g ginger peeled weight

1 tsp each of coriander, cumin and turmeric.

Half tsp chilli powder

Salt to taste

Small tin chopped tomatoes

3 tblsps veg oil

400g minced lamb

200g frozen or fresh spinach

To Cook:

Heat the oil in a saucepan, on a moderate heat, add the onion, ginger and garlic

Fry until golden. Add the lamb and spices and brown the meat

Add the tinned tomatoes and salt to taste, stir  and cook on a simmer for twenty minutes.

Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to dry out.

Finally stir in the Spinach and cook until it has wilted down.

Turn off the heat and leave for five minutes.  Serve with boiled rice or Chapattis

SOUTHAMPTONS FLOATING BRIDGES

Not so many years ago, if you needed to get from Woolston to Southampton you had either to travel about 4 miles by road or cross the river Itchen by chain link ferry. As a young boy my dad would take me down to the slipway at Woolston and watch the Floating Bridge come in, drop it's landing platform and see the cars, pushbikes and people getting off. On one occasion i saw a young chap, who was obviously late, riding his bike for all his worth down the slipway, getting off and throwing his bike on the departing ferry, only to see it fall short and into the water. Although it only took four minutes to cross, as a young boy it was an exciting experience!
Now, sadly the days of the chainlink ferry are long gone and in it's place is the 'New Itchen Bridge'.
If you want to board one of the original Chainlink Ferries you can. It is now a restaurant called The Ferry Restaurant  The food is very good, it's only a small restaurant so you will probably need to book.

COME ON YOU REDS

Another shining light in this great city is Southampton Football Club.
Under the guidance of Nicolas Cortese and  manager Nigel Adkins The Saints are currently riding high at the top of the Championship.
And to be fair, they fully deserve it, after watching them thump a resilient Brighton team 3-0 today.
Quite simply they are the best team by far, on the South Coast!

http://www.my-travel.me.uk/

Prawn & Coconut Curry

Prawn Curry with coconut

I cooked this curry a while ago, but if you like a rich tasting curry, you can't go wrong with this mouthwatering dish! 

Simple to cook, but full of flavour. If you like it hot, just up the chilli content. 

30g ginger cut into thin juliennes

1 medium onion

1 Tomato chopped

300g peeled raw prawns

Salt to taste

2 tblsps veg oil

1 tsp Cumin seeds

6 Curry leaves

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½  tsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric 

1 green chilli sliced lengthways seeds removed

400g tin coconut milk

1 tsp Garam Masala

Small handful toasted Almond flakes

Some chopped coriander

To Cook:

Heat oil in shallow pan

Add ginger, cumin seeds, Curry leaves

And fry for 15 secs or until sizzling

Add the onion and cook until soft about 10 mins adding a splash of water to avoid sticking or burning

Add chopped tomato

Add the rest of spices and chillies

Continue to cook on moderate to low heat until the tomato breaks down with the onion and spice to form a masala

Stir in the coconut milk and carry on cooking until the sauce thickens, add the prawns, cook until prawns are done, turn off the heat, stir in a little Garam Masala, top with Almond Flakes and coriander leaves. 

Serve with rice.