Goan sausage curry

The first time I had Goan sausage curry was in India, many years ago, at a friend's place and I absolutely loved it. She had added just a few things to the curry, the main flavour of the curry being from the sausage, and I loved how simple yet effective it was! Fast forward to a few months ago, when at a Goan festival here in London, I picked up some goan sausages. :) 

These sausages, like the chorizo, have a long shelf life so we have been devouring these last few months but now we are down to our last pack! I will have to  find how to get these regularly as my stomach wouldn't let me wait until next year's Goan festival!

Ingredients

150 gm goan sausage, chopped into small pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp of oil
1/4 cup of water (or as required)
Salt 

Method

Add the sausage pieces to the pan and cook on medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes.

Once the sausage has cooked, remove and keep aside. The sausage oozes out oil and you probably wouldn't need to add more to the pan. But if required, add about a tbsp of oil. Fry the onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add in the chopped tomato and cook down for about 3-4 minutes. Now put the sausage back in the pan. Add the chilli powder and water. The kashmiri chilli powder gives it a fabulous colour and a bit of spice but you could use regular chilli powder or paprika instead if you don't have kashmiri chilli powder.

Season with salt. Combine well and cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

Dunk in the pieces of pav and gobble down! :) 

Potato curry

Like most kids, I hated eating vegetables. Although my mom would usually make me eat them, she always had to keep potatoes on standby, if, despite all her efforts, I refused to eat. I have now started eating my vegetables regularly but the potato still remains my favourite and is my go to thing when I just cannot think of what to make. I like making a potato curry because it is simple, can be eaten with bread and you don't have to go through the hassle of making chapati or rice. This curry is similar to how my mom makes it and is an absolute favourite.

Ingredients

2 boiled potatoes, diced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 onion, roughly diced

2 green chillies, chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

2-3 curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Pinch of aesofoetida

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

Water (as required)

Coriander for garnish

Method

Heat the oil on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them sputter.  Then add in the curry leaves and green chillies. Reduce the heat and add the ginger, turmeric powder and aesofoetida. Add the onion, mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add a tbsp of water if it gets dry.

Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the coriander powder and around 1/2 cup of water or as required and bring to a boil. Add in the potato and garam masala powder and cover and cook for 5 minutes. Mash some of the potato with the back of the spoon to thicken the curry a bit. Add the salt and mix. 

Garnish with chopped coriander. 

Eggless scones

I have usually been disappointed by the scones I have bought from supermarkets. I have found them to be dry, too flaky and often with a bit of an aftertaste. So I tired making them at home once and since have never bought them from a supermarket again. And as it is anything that is freshly baked tastes so much better! Scones are really simple to make and make it to the table in about 20 minutes! There are so many different scone recipes - I have tried different ways and I like my scones made this way. Although I use self raising flour, I still add some baking powder to help them rise a little more. If you are using plain flour, make sure to add some extra baking powder to the mixture.

Served with some clotted cream and jam, these are an absolute delight!

Makes about 8 scones

Ingredients

300g Self raising flour
Some extra flour for dusting

1/2 tsp baking powder

75g butter, cut into small cubes

1 tbsp caster sugar

150 ml milk 

1/4 tsp salt

Serve with

Clotted cream
Jam

Method

Line the baking tray with some greaseproof paper. Lightly grease the paper with some oil. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C

Sift the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add salt and mix with the flour. Rub in the butter with the flour till it is nicely mixed to make a fine crumb. 

Warm the milk in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Make sure it isn't hot. Add sugar to the flour. Gradually add the milk to the flour and knead, until it forms a soft dough.

Flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to 2 cm thickness. Using a 2 inch cutter cut out shapes.

Place the scones on the baking tray and lightly brush them with milk.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until they have risen and are lightly golden. Leave them to cool on a cooling rack.

Serve with clotted cream and jam :).

Chocolate and raspberry porridge

I've never been a fan of porridge but I must admit that the few times I have had it, not only have I felt really full until lunch time, but also energised and ready to face busy work days. On the other hand, a few other other quick breakfast options, like cereals, have left me with hunger pangs much before it's time for lunch and sometimes as early as an hour after breakfast! So I have decided to bring the good old porridge back into my life and have been trying out some ways of making it appealing to me. One such experiment led to this recipe - chocolate porridge! I added a banana and some raspberries to the porridge but you could experiment with any fruits or stick to just chocolate.

Ingredients

1/2 cup porridge oats

1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)

1/2 cup water

1 small banana, chopped

1 tsp cocoa powder (I've used 100% cocoa powder)

1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Handful of raspberries, some roughly chopped, the rest for garnish

Method

In a saucepan add the oats, milk and water. Turn on the heat and stir. Keep stirring so the porridge doesn't stick to the pan.

After around 2-3 minutes, when it starts to thicken, add the maple syrup, cocoa powder, half of the chopped banana and the chopped raspberries. Stir till it all comes together.

Once the porridge is cooked and has thickened, which should be after a total of around 7-8 minutes, turn off the heat.

Serve topped with the rest of the chopped banana and the raspberries. Drizzle over some maple syrup and dig in!

Spinach masoor dal (red lentils)

Split masoor dal or red lentils cook very quickly, which makes them perfect for a quick fix simple meal. On days when I have a little more time on my hands, I make tarka dal (sliced onion and tomato, sautéed in oil or ghee along with a mix of spices and then added to the dal) or my favorite, spinach dal.

Ingredients

1 cup split red lentils (masoor dal)

2 handfuls of spinach, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 green chillies, slit

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)

Pinch of asafoetida

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

2  tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Water

Method

I cooked the dal in a pressure cooker as it is much quicker. If cooking in a pot, it would be a good idea to soak the lentils in water for around 30 minutes. Cook the soaked lentils in 2 cups of water, on a low heat, for about 20 minutes or until soft and mushy. 

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them sputter. Reduce the heat, add the green chillies and fry for 30 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute. Add in the chopped onions, add some salt and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Once the onion is cooked, add the turmeric, asafoetida, red chilli powder, tomato and the chopped coriander and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. 

Add about 1 cup of water (or as required) to the spinach mix. Once the water starts to boil, add the cooked dal, add salt (as required) and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Serve. I personally love to have the dal with some rice. You could also have it with Roti , Chapati  or Naan.

Tagliatelle in Avocado Sauce

I love such recipes - you have to put very minimal effort and yet the outcome is super delicious.  The sauce for the pasta, as you might have guessed, is made from avocados, blended in with some garlic, basil, lime and olive oil to form a rich and creamy sauce. 

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

200 gms Tagliatelle or any pasta of your choice

2 ripe Avocados, peeled and de-seeded

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Juice of half a lime

1/4 tsp paprika or red chilli powder (optional)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Some dried parsley and Parmesan for garnish

Method

Boil the pasta in some salted water for 10 minutes or as per packet instructions.

In a food processor, add the avocados, crushed garlic, lime juice, paprika and basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. While the food processor is on, pour in the extra virgin olive oil. Blend until it all comes together.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and put back in the pot on very low heat. Add the avocado sauce and toss gently. Throw in the cherry tomatoes and give it a final toss.

Garnish with some dried parsley and serve with some grated Parmesan. 

Quinoa with grilled aubergine (Encona Peruvian Amarillo sauce review)

Since both Salil and I love spicy food, we always have a hot sauce in our fridge. Our old favourite is the Encona hot pepper sauce, so when I was sent the Peruvian Amarillo sauce , a new addition to the Encona range of sauces, to sample, I was really excited and couldn't wait to try it out.

The Peruvian Amarillo Sauce is a blend of Peruvian Amarillo chillies, roasted onion, spices and herbs. It is subtly spicy with a hint of garlic and has a slightly sweet taste. It is also vegan friendly and gluten-free. 

What I liked about the sauce is that it has pretty distinct flavours and so works really well not just as a dip but even as a marinade or to drizzle over salads. I decided to use the sauce in a quick fix meal and was really pleased with the outcome. I brushed some sauce on aubergine slices, grilled them and served them alongside some quinoa.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (I have used red and white quinoa with Bulgar wheat)
2 cups vegetable stock

1 tbsp Peruvian Amarillo sauce

1 tsp olive oil

1 aubergine (eggplant), cut in thick slices

Dried parsley for garnish

Method

Rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add it to a saucepan with the vegetable stock and cook for 10-12 minutes (or as per packet instructions), or until cooked. You could also cook the quinoa in water but I just feel the stock gives it a nicer taste.

Mix the Peruvian sauce with the olive oil and brush both sides of the aubergine slices with this mixture.

Heat a grill pan on medium. Place the aubergine slices and grill on both sides until tender and lightly crisp. 

Once the quinoa is cooked, fluff it up with a fork. Check for seasoning.

Drizzle over some of the Amarillo sauce and garnish with parsley.

I was also sent the Mexican Smokey Jalapeño sauce which I used as a dip with some sweet potato chips. This sauce has quite a smokey flavour and a slightly fruity taste to it. This one is gluten-free too. 

I am waiting for a good day to get my barbecue on - this sauce will be just the thing I need.

Both the Smokey Jalapeño and the Peruvian Amarillo sauce are going to be staples in my kitchen!

Dairyfree strawberry smoothie

The other day, on my way back from work, I spotted some beautiful strawberries at our local grocer and couldn't resist buying them. I might have gotten a bit carried away and bought a lot more than I should have. So, for the last two days, strawberries have taken over. Today at work, I am snacking on strawberries with almond butter (which tastes amazing by the way, if you haven't tried it before) and we also made strawberry smoothie for breakfast with almond milk and a frozen banana. The strawberries were quite sweet and so didn't really need to add any sweetener to the smoothie but I've added just a little bit of maple syrup for taste.

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries, roughly chopped
1 cup almond milk
1 banana, chopped and frozen (for 4-5 hours)
1 tsp maple syrup

Method

Add all the ingredients to a powerful blender and blend. Pour into glass and top with some strawberries to make it look pretty :)

Baked sweet potato fries

Sweet potatoes are said to be very nutritious as they contain some essential vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin C among others. In the last few years, sweet potato fries have become quite trendy and popular as they are a healthy alternative to normal potato fries. I think sweet potato fries are much tastier anyway and even if I hadn't known they were healthier, I would still choose them over normal fries any day (that rhymed! :) ). In restaurants, however, these are mostly fried, making them not so healthy. So at home I bake them and, trust me, they taste better than the greasy ones!

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chilli powder (as per taste)

1 tsp dried parsley

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, tossing well so that the sweet potato pieces are well coated with the oil and seasoning.

Spread onto a baking tray in a single layer and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. 

Cooking time may vary from oven to oven so check on the fries after around 15 minutes and keep an eye on them so they don't burn. 

Mushroom stroganoff

Lately we've been planning our weekly meals in advance, which has been very helpful because then I know exactly what prep I need to do on getting home from work and get dinner sorted quickly. But this week we have been a bit lazy and haven't gotten around to planning so it was back to looking in the fridge to figure dinner out again. I had a packet of mushrooms and thought of making a stir-fry but was craving something more comforting. I don't know why but for some reason a mushroom stroganoff fit the bill perfectly.

This is a pretty simple recipe and you would probably already have most of the ingredients in your food cupboard. Most places where I have eaten stroganoff have wine in the sauce, so I too have added some red wine, but you could skip it if you wish (add some lemon juice instead). Also the sour cream could be substituted with some yoghurt for a lighter and healthier version. We had the dish with some brown rice - a nice comforting and healthy dinner :)

Ingredients

500 gms mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp of mustard powder (or about a tsp of mustard)

1/2 tsp paprika or chilli powder

200 ml vegetable stock , made from a stock cube

30 ml red wine

3 tbsp sour cream

1/4 tsp pepper

Salt

Dried parsley for garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry until soft, then add the garlic and fry for another minute or 2. Add the mushrooms and the wine and cook for 5-6 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Add the mustard powder, paprika and pepper and mix well. Stir in the vegetable stock. Leave to simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Check for seasoning and then remove from heat. Slowly stir in the cream. Garnish with parsley.

Avocado, courgette and tomato salad

We wanted to have a light dinner last night so we decided on a quick grilled salmon. While Salil got started on the salmon, I decided to make a side salad to go with it. I wasn't really a salad eater growing up but over the last few years I have been experimenting with different flavour combinations and pretty much eating salad with every meal. Not sure if this is because of me blogging about food or the farmers markets which arrange the fresh fruits and veg in the most tempting and alluring ways. Whatever it is, I know my mom must be very pleased. :)

Ingredients

1 Avocado
1 Courgette, peeled (optional) and chopped.
2 small tomatoes, chopped or a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small onion, sliced
A handful of coriander, chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt and pepper

Method

Preparing the Avocado - halve and stone the avocado. Using a knife, make square incisions and then scoop it out of the shell, using a spoon, to get pieces of avocado.

Add all the ingredients to a bowl. Squeeze in the lime juice, season with salt and pepper and toss.

This salad shouts summer in every bite! :)  

Vegetarian Pho ( Vietnamese Noodle Soup )

For those who aren't familiar with Pho, it is a Vietnamese dish which consists of a broth topped with rice noodles, vegetables and/or meat. It is perfect for those chilly nights or rainy  days.  I could, however, pretty much eat this every day. It is so comforting... almost feels like a warm hug :).
This is a vegetarian Pho recipe. I've used some of my favourite toppings but the choice is endless - you could add any vegetables you like. You could also make this with a meat broth and top it with some sautéed meat along with the vegetables.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the broth

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, lightly crushed

1 star anise 

2-3 cloves

6 cups of vegetable stock

Oil

A few coriander stems

For the toppings

100 gms dried rice noodles, cooked as per packet instructions

125 gms fresh shiitake mushrooms

200 gms tofu

2 spring onions, chopped

1 red and 1 green chilli de-seeded and thinly sliced 
Ginger cut into matchsticks 
Coriander and basil for garnish

Method

In a large pot, heat a tbsp of oil. Add the onion and fry till lightly brown. Add the ginger, star anise, cloves and fry for another minute. 

Pour in the vegetable stock, add the coriander stems and cover and cook on low heat for about 25 - 30 minutes. 

In the meantime....

Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions and drain.

Sauté the mushrooms and white part of the spring onions for 3-4 minutes. 

Lightly fry the tofu in oil. 

Prep the other toppings such as the chillies, ginger etc.

Strain the stock and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Divide the noodles between the bowls. Pour the broth over the noodles and add the toppings - mushrooms, tofu, spring onions and garnish with the green part of the spring onions, chillies, coriander, basil and ginger matchsticks.

Enjoy warm!

Red chilli chutney (Laal mirchi techa)

You already know how much Indians love chillies but do you know to what extent? In Maharashtrian (Maharashtra is a state in western Indian) cuisine, there is a dip / chutney which is literally just crushed chillies with some garlic! It might sound crazy but believe me, it tastes really, really good. It is usually eaten with Jowar (Sorghum) or Bajra (Pearl millet) roti and is also served alongside main meals. Traditionally this chutney (thecha) is made by crushing the chillies and garlic with a mortar and pestle but you can make it in a food processor too.

Usually when my mom visits, she gets me a jar of this chutney but the contents of the last one are long gone. So when I saw these beautiful red chillies at the grocers, I couldn't resist buying them.

In this recipe, I have removed the seeds as these chillies were super spicy but you can keep them in if you wish. 

Ingredients

12 red chillies

6-7 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly  

Salt to taste

1 tbsp olive oil (you can use vegetable oil)

1 tsp black mustard seeds

Method

Wash the chillies and pat them dry. De-seed them and chop them roughly.

In a small pan, heat the oil and add the black mustard seeds. Let them sputter then turn the flame off and keep aside.

Coarsely grind the chillies and garlic in a mixer or food processor. Add this mixture to the oil,  season with some salt and mix well. 

If the thought of eating this raw scares you, you could saute the garlic and chillies in some oil before grinding. Also add some lemon if you want to bring the spice levels down further.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Frozen banana, spinach and flaxseed smoothie (vegan)

If frozen bananas were a brand, they would definitely make me their brand ambassador! Every time someone starts talking about having to throw away bananas because they were going black, I jump in and say "Have you tried freezing them?". If you look in my freezer, you'll always find freezer bags with some chopped bananas. I find them very convenient to use in smoothies, especially in the mornings - just add some coconut water and you have a lovely chilled banana shake. You don't need to add any sugar as the bananas provide a natural sweetness. Also since the bananas are frozen, you don't even need to add any ice.

Here's another favorite smoothie recipe, which is healthy and a great way to get those greens in you!

Ingredients

1 banana, chopped and frozen

1 cup coconut water

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

2 handfuls of spinach

Method

Add the ingredients to a powerful blender and blend until it all comes together.

p.s. You can also make ice-cream from frozen bananas! Have a look at my guilt free ice-cream recipe if you haven't already :) 

Chilli garlic pasta

After a crazy week at work, my colleagues decided to go out for a drink but all I wanted to do was to come home to some comforting food and to curl up on the sofa, watching TV. Unfortunately I knew I had to make dinner myself as Salil had to attend a work dinner and obviously there wasn't a fairy who was going to cook the meal for me. I was also in no mood for a greasy takeaway. We'd had dal and rice (which is one of my favourite comfort foods of all time)  just yesterday and I didn't want to have it again, so I decided to make a quick pasta. I kept the pasta for boiling but still wasn't sure what I was making. I started chopping the garlic and the parsley and the rest of the recipe just flowed. Before I knew it, I was savouring this delicious pasta, sitting on the sofa, catching up on my favourite shows - just as I had planned! :)

This is one of the simplest and probably the yummiest pasta recipes ever! With just a few ingredients but loads of flavour, this will definitely be one of my favourite go to weekday recipes to make. You have got to try this out!

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

100 gms dry spaghetti 

4 - 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp dry chilli flakes (adjust as per taste)

1 tbsp good quality olive oil

A handful of parsley, choppped

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Salt to taste

Method

Cook the pasta in some salted water until cooked, drain and keep aside.

On a low flame, heat the olive oil (you can also add in some butter) and add the garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for a minute.

Add the parsley, throw in the pasta, season with some salt and give it a toss. 

Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil when serving. yum! :) 

Quinoa salad with beetroot and feta

I learned something new about quinoa - it is not a grain but is actually a seed! When cooked, quinoa seeds become soft and fluffy, with a slight crunch and a nutty taste, making it great for salads or as a side. Cooking quinoa is quite simple -rinse it and for every 1 cup of quinoa, add 2 cups of water. Cook it for about 15 minutes until soft. Whenever I make quinoa, I add whatever vegetables or fruits I have, along with toppings like cheese, nuts, etc. You can basically add whatever you fancy. 

Quinoa is a very good source of protein and also several B vitamins, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium and calcium. With a low gluten count, it is a great alternative for a grain-free diet and also fabulous for a lot of vegan recipes. Quinoa serves as a great packed lunch or even as a light dinner or as a side dish.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp red chilli flakes
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup corn (I used frozen corn - microwave with a tsp of water for a couple of minutes)
1/4 cup cooked beetroot, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup orange juice
Handful of parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil

Method

Put the quinoa in a saucepan with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover and let it cook for 15 minutes or until it's cooked and all the liquid has been soaked.

In another pan, heat the oil on a low heat.  Add the cumin seeds and once they start to sputter, add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for a minute. Toss in the white part of the spring onion and cook for another minute or two. Add the corn and lightly stir.

Turn the heat off. Add the cooked quinoa, beetroot pieces, orange juice, parlsey and spring onion greens. Season with salt and pepper  and toss. Top with the feta cheese. 

Cauliflower egg fried "rice"

Cauliflower rice has gained a lot of popularity and for good reason. This low carb, paleo friendly, gluten free substitute is a great way to get some vegetables in your body. It also goes well with pretty much everything. I don't really mind cauliflower but Salil, who hates it, loves cauliflower rice and wipes his plate clean, which means it has cleared the acid test! So I am quite certain you can get your kids to eat it and love it too ;)

The basic idea is to pulse the cauliflower florets and cook for a couple of minutes - that's how easy it is. You can even microwave it. My favourite way of cooking it is making it into an egg fried "rice".

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 a head of cauliflower

2 eggs

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp soya sauce (or tamari for a gluten free version / fish sauce for a whole30 and paleo version)

Salt and pepper

Oil

Coriander for garnish

Method

Whisk the eggs. Add the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix and keep aside.

In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower florets to form a rice-like consistency. If you do end up over blending it, just call it cauliflower "couscous" ;)

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok. Add the eggs, scramble and cook for a minute or two or until cooked. Remove and keep aside.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the wok, add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the cauliflower rice, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the soya sauce and toss together. Add the scrambled eggs. 

Sprinkle over the coriander for garnish. Serve!