Warm Noodle Salad with Soy Beans

The sauce for this is absolutely deeeeeelicious! Almost creamy, but with a fresh bite from the ginger and the chilli, yum!

Warm Noodle Salad with Soy Beans
(Serves 2)

For the sauce:
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp peanut butter + 1 tsp sesame oil OR 2 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp SWEET tamarind paste (I think the unsweetened one is a little too risky, but you can use 1 tsp of the latter along with 1 tbsp brown sugar or agave)
2 tbsp soy sauce

100g noodles (they used rice noodles in the recipe)

1 tbsp sunflower- or vegetable oil
1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
150g soy beans or green beans
2 Spring onions,chopped
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (red if you like it hot!)
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (or 1/2 tsp dried)
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (or 1/2 tso dried)
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted for garnish (optional, I skipped it)
Salt to taste (optional, there's soy sauce in the sauce)


- Make the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Then, boil up water for the noodles and cook as instructed.

- Heat oil in pan and fry the garlic for a minute until fragrant. Drain the noodles and add to the garlic along with the sauce. Turn the heat down to low. Add the chilli, herbs, Spring onions, and beans and heat through.

- Garnish with the sesame seeds, and it is ready to serve!

I love how with a few extra ingredients, you can turn noodles into a lively bowl of goodness!

PS.I wish I was better at eating noodles with chopsticks, I had to use a fork for this! Next time, I might attempt it though. Practise makes perfect....

Yesterday, I enjoyed my day off, I took a trip to Krispy Kreme (a little tooo sweet for my taste, but that is not to say I wont go there again *cough*) and then - I got my Scandi on! Went to Ikea and bought a few bits and bobs for the flat, and got some snacks from the little food shop.

Today I had about half a bag of Gifflar at work..... *hangs head in shame*

.... back home in Norway, mum would always hunt down a bag of these, and they would last approximately five minutes.... It happens!

Today is the leap day year... The first ever for this blog actually, which is pretty cool! I had work, but I walked home, enjoying the crisp air, and then cooking up a hearty dinner *smiles* I hope you have had a lovely leap year day!


Original source:
Plenty, p. 198

- Jules

Soba Noodles with Aubergine & Mango

Hello! And happy new years to those of you who celebrated it!

I hope you had a good one and that 2016 has treated you well so far. I on my part have had a bit of a turbulent start, but I know that it will have a whole lot of good things in stock as well! I have managed to fit in attending a gig (Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers - they are magic! and a little crazy), as well as having gone to the first Loud Poets Slam in Glasgow! They are a spoken word group from Edinburgh, and I got to catch up with a friend I had not seen in two years!

If anything, I will keep nourishing my sociable side, I find it quite important so as to not forget who you are, as it can get a little hectic and tiresome when you work full time.

New years resolution - go to more gigs! (along with more local travelling, walks in the mountains, saving money, and getting back on track with exercising, the cold I had, and still kind of have is still lingering, and I really took a blow when it hit me!)

Anywhoooo, enough about me, let's talk food! I rattled this up tonight after I had been to work and the gym! I was snacking on other things in the mean time, cause I get borderline hangry when food is not ready and I have been running.... Y'know the feeling, I'm sure.

This lovely little noodle salad is freshly garnished with exotic mango, and you know what? It goes darn well with the rest of the ingredients!

This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi's "Plenty", which my cousin gave me for christmas last year. I have only started diving into it, and so far all the recipes are fantastic!

Soba Noodles with Aubergine & Mango
(Serves 2)

For the sauce:
6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar or agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced or finely chopped
1/3 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime

2 tbsp oil
1 large aubergine, diced
Large white or green beans (optional, I had some that needed used up!)

120g uncooked soba noodles (I used capellini, as that what was lived in my cupboard)

Garnish:
Mango, diced or sliced
Red onion, finely chopped
Fresh basil and coriander leaves, chopped

- Start by making the sauce in a small bowl, still well to combine and set aside.

- Heat oil in a large casserole and chuck the diced aubergine in along with a shuggle of salt. Stir every few minutes, for about 10-15 minutes until the aubergine is golden and soft. Stir through the beans if you're using them, and heat up. Turn off the heat and set aside.

- Whilst the aubergine is doing it's thing, simply cook soba noodles or whatever you are using for your base as instructed. If you are serving the salad warm, simply drain, and add in with the aubergine immediately, swirling through the sauce and topping with garnish. If not, allow for the noodles and aubergine to cool before combining, then pour over the sauce and garnish when you serve it.

I served this warm the first time, and it worked a treat! Tomorrow I will enjoy it as a cold noodle salad, makes no difference at all! One of the things I love about this recipe!


Original source:
Plenty, p. 112

- Jules

Matar Paneer

So I had Matar Paneer at my first trip to Mother India a couple of weeks ago - and it was fantastic!

I found a recipe for it in my big book of Indian cuisine (I think I am missing the food from the kitchen I used to work in a little, the trip to the restaurant made sure to remind me about it!), and decided to lighten it up a little and make it a healthier meal for any day of the week. And the best of all? It comes together in 15-20 minutes!

I bought some 10-minute brown rice, if you just stir a little butter or oil and a pinch of salt through, it tastes really good, not to mention the fact that you save time and energy, perfect *smiles*.

Matar Paneer
(Serves 1)

2 tbsp oil or ghee
100g paneer, diced
1 small bay leaf
Water (4 tbsp + 1/2 cup)
A good pinch of each: cloves, cardamom and cinnamon
Also 1/3 tsp of each cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, and Garam Masala
Small pinch chilli powder
1-2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
Salt to taste
100g peas, drained and rinsed
Rice to serve

- Cook rice as instructed on the package.

- Now, in a medium frying pan, heat the oil and fry the diced paneer until golden, for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.

- Now, take out the paneer with a slotted spoon and transfer to kitchen paper. In the same frying pan, add the bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, along with 4tbsp water over low heat, for for a minute until fragrant.

- Now, add the remaining spices, as well as the salt, ginger and 1/2 cup of water. Stir well, before adding the peas and paneer and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it is all heated through properly.

- Serve the Matar Paneer over a bed of rice, and enjoy!

Other than that, some friends and I tried our hands at the pub quiz at Cafê Rio last night! It was a lot of fun, and I particularly liked the part where we were given a pot of Playdoh and told to recreate a scene from a horror movie, we picked Scream! And I must say it was pretty detailed and impressvie (I was watching in awe more than helping, not very good with Playdoh and haven't watched the movie!). Today I am going to work, and then have a quiet evening, should be good! Do you have any plans for the coming days?


Original Source:
India, p. 315

- Jules

Tangy Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms

Today I thought: Thursday should be a "Treat-yourself-day", and what better than to zing it up with some quick and tasty noodles? Beats the take-away places any day!

You can change the shiitake mushrooms for normal mushrooms or chestnuts mushrooms, it is up to you!

Tangy Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms
(Serves 2)

2 noodle nests (rice noodles for vegan)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp oil
3 Spring onions, or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
200g shiitake, sliced
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 handfuls of greens (I used peashoots, this is optional)
100g bamboo shoots (I had some leftover, so decided to chuck them in)

- Start by boiling noodles as instructed, I boiled mine for about 4 minutes. Drain off all the water and pour in sesame oil, stir well and set aside.

- In a large frying pan, or wok, heat up the oil and soften the onion and . Then, tip in the chilli, (bamboo shoots - if using,) shiitake mushrooms, and a splash of water along with the sweet chilli sauce and soy.

- At the end, squeeze in the lime juice, mix in greens if you are adding some, and swirls through the noodles to heat them through.

Serve them like they are, or topped with roughly chopped peanuts, on a bed of sliced Chinese cabbage and finely chopped coriander.

Did you treat yourself today? If not, the weekend is just around the corner! Have a good one ^ ^


Original source:
Den Lille Kokebokserien - Thai, p. 132

- Jules

Coconut Pancakes

Hello and good morning!

It is Sunday, and the first day of a new month, and what better to serve on such a day than....

Little thick but fluffy pancakes with notes of deliciously exotic coconut? Fresh from the pan, mmmmm - it was one of my days off and this is how I wanted to start my morning, will you?

Coconut Pancakes
(Makes 4)

1/2 cup semolina or rice flour
1 egg
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp xylitol/sukrin gold/brown sugar
2 tbsp dessicated coconut
Pinch of salt

Oil for frying: I used coconut, but sunflower or any other more neutral oil will work just fine!

Toppings such as:
Yogurt, vanilla extract, dessicated coconut, maple syrup, melted butter, chocolate sauce, sliced mango or banana etc.

- Simply mix together the batter, whisking until slightly fluffy.

- Heat oil in pan and take half a ladle-ful of the batter and frying it covered for a minute or two before flipping and frying it uncovered on the other side for 30 seconds to a minute until golden.

- Serve warm with your favourite toppings and enjoy!

I mixed together three tablespoons of alpro yogurt, a bit of vanilla extract and drizzled it over, followed by more dessicated coconut!

Also, as I was having these, I was thinking of traditional Norwegian pancakes that are almost like crêpes and how they are "better" when I eat them with my hands. Then, with American pancakes, I prefer stacking them up and eating them with knife and fork. I started out with cutlery, but ended up just eating them with my hands. What is your preference?


Original source:
Den Lille Kokebokserie - Thai, p. 260

- Jules

20-Minute-Dreamy Satay

This is one of the tastiest shortcuts I have EVER taken! I literally wolfed this down, and you know when you have the last bit of something and it almost makes you sad you have to part with it? Happened with this stuff!

Got some leftover rice from earlier on or yesterday that you can steam? Or perhaps that ingenious fast-cook wholegrain rice? Spiffing! You'll have yourself a lovely little satay in about 20 minutes *smiles*

I had one and a half cup of cooked amaranth that I heated up to serve with it, but yuo know what? Just get a big bad naan for dipping, because it's all in the peanutbuttery sauce, that I lightened up a little bit. I hope you like it!

20-Minute-Dreamy Satay
(Serves 2)

200-300g Quorn "chicken-style pieces" (from frozen works just fine ^ ^ )
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cm fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp brown sugar/sukrin gold/xylitol
2 tbsp soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp dried coriander leaves (optional)
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
A good pinch of turmeric
2 heaped tbsp peanut butter
1/2 onion, grated (I used the cheese grater)
1 cup Alpro coconut milk (carton coconut milk or light from a can)
Cooked rice to serve
Matchstick cucumber to garnish (optional)

- Start by having the quorn pieces in a large casserole together with everything except from the coconut milk, rice and cucumber. Fry for a few minutes so that the onion gets softened and the garlic and herbs become fragrant. Add the coconut milk and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- In the meantime, prepare your rice/naan/accompaniment of preference, and cut the cucumber into matchsticks.

- Simply serve the Satay with your sides of choice and a little bit of garnish, aaaaand let it sweep you off of your feet! ..or...something like that.

I know what I'll be making in the very near future again..... *sneaky grin* Do you like Satay sauce? And do you have a favourite "shortcut" recipe?

Also, we need your help! My friend and I, as I mentioned a couple of days ago, are having a little competition against each other, and need your vote! So pop by here and let's hear who you reckon deserves to win! So far it is a tie - the tension!


Original source:
Den Lille Kokebokserie - Thai, p. 68

- Jules

Sugar-Free Mango Chutney & Easy Wholemeal Chapati

Hello and merry Monday!

After a certain appointment the other week, I felt really inspired and so I thought I would make some chutney, as I hadn't since...almost two years ago! I went to the shops and got me som mangoes, and home I went cookalooking away, and this is how it turned out, a lovely fruity mix with a bit of a kick to it, but don't worry it's not too spicy.
I swapped the sugar for xylitol, and it worked a treat!

So, what to make when you have a whole lotta chutney? Well, as I am quite the novice when it comes to Indian cooking, I thought I would start with something as simple and tasty as chapati. Four ingredients all in - guess what? It worked! I got six small chapatis out of the recipe I halved, and they were really lovely with just the chutney, but I can imagine some salad would also compliment it!

Oh oh oh, and before I forget - A friend and I had a barbecue in the park last week, and we had some Mexican flavoured burgers that I used the chutney as a relish for, and it was - amazing! The Mexican spices, and beans worked a treat with the slightly spicy and sweet chutney, SO good *smiles*

Sugar Free Mango Chutney
(Makes about 2 small jars + a bit extra for testing!)

1 medium large mango
200ml vinegar
150g xylitol
2-3 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder or cayenne
2 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
50g sultanas or raisins

- In a pot, have the vinegar and xylitol, cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- In the meantime, prepare the mango, cut off the two sides just a little off the piy in the middle so you have two halved and the full edge with the pit. Now, s'time to make some mango hedgehogs as I like to call them. Use a knife to cut it criss-cross juuust down before you reach the mango-skin. Turn it inside out, et voila! Makes it much easier to scrape the mango off. Chop the garlic and ginger.

- Once the xylitol has dissolved and the mixture has had the chance to dissolve, add the ginger and garlic and stir for about ten minutes. Then, add the mango along with the rest of the ingredients and boil over a low heat for about 25 minutes until the chutney starts to thicken and the mango goes soft.

- Stir occasionally over that period, and if you want, you can mash the mango lightly if you want.

- Now, once the chutney is done, transfer into sterilised jars, and twist the lid on tight, this will allow for the jar to create a vacuum and seal. Stor in a cool place and eat within a few weeks, about 4-5 days once opened, but you might not even last that long! This stuff is delicious!

Have you ever tried to make chutney before?

And now for the super-simple wholemeal chapatis! (Use half white half wholemeal if you want the best of both worlds, but I prefer mines a little grainy).

Mango-hedgehog!

Mini Wholemeal Chapati
(Makes 6, serves two with a main or sides)

120-150g wholemeal flour (start with 120 first!)
100ml water
1/2 tsp salt
A tsp ghee or oil for frying

- Start by mixing the flour and salt in a medium baking bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the water. Work with your hand until a dough forms and add a bit of flour if it's sticky. It supposed to juuust be dry enough so it "let's go" of your hand as you're working it.

- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surfare and work it for at least 5 minutes, preferably ten. Cover and place in the fridge for about half an hour.

- Half an hour later, work the dough firmly, and then roll into a sausage. Divide it into six pieces, or four bigger ones if you want to make them slightly bigger. I had to "feed" the dough a little more flour as I went along, and I simply used a glass for rolling the chapatis out, who needs a rolling pin anyway?

- Now, heat oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, once hot - add the first chapati and cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to "blister", press down with a spatula and cook on the other side until golden. Repeat with the remaining chapatis without adding more oil.

Once you've run out of chapatis to fry, guess what? S'all done! I cannot believe it's taken me this long to get around to making. I will most certainly be doing this next time chapatis are required!

From left to right: Dough divided into pieces, chapati rolle out and ready for frying, fried chapati with aforementioned chutney!

What's your favourite things to put on chapatis, or serve them with?

Today I got some good news, but I miiight just save that for tomorrow's post. I hope the new week is treating you well so far and that you have a lovely evening!


Original source:
Hamlyn All Colour Indian Cookbook, No 207 and 186

- Jules

Chow Mein in Minutes

Hello and happy Sunday! I have just been out on walking and walking for hours, taking in the Summer sun and the lovely vibes that come with it. So what better when you get home than to rattle up a tasty and simple dinner?

Pot Noodles and Super Noodles step aside, because this is so much tastier!

Originally, this was Damn Delicious' copycat take on Panda Express' chow mein, it also featured a bit of shredded cabbage, but I didn't have that at hand and wanted noodles as soon as! (Check out her blog for plenty of food inspiration, that girl knows her stuff!) However, it didn't matter, as it was delicious, totally hit the noodle-spot (yes, there is such a spot, usually when craving delicious Asian cuisine!). Want dinner in 10-15 minutes? Look no further, and for extra protein, you can always add strips of steak, chicken or diced marinated fried firm tofu. ^ ^

Chow Mein in Minutes
(Serves 1 as a main, 2 as lunch)

1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 celery stalk, trimmed and finely chopped
1 noodle nest (I used spinach noodles)
1 cup shredded cabbage (optional)

For the sauce:
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1/3 tsp ground (white) pepper
1 levelled tsp ground ginger, or 2 cm fresh, grated
1 tbsp xylitol or brown sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

- Start by heating the oil in a large frying pan or wok, and boil up water for the noodles. Have the onion and celery in the pan with the oil and soften for about five minutes. Cook up the noodles, drain and set aside once done.

- As the noodles are cooking and the vegetables are softening, mix the ingredients for the sauce together.

- Now, toss the noodles into the pan with the vegetables and pour over the sauce. Heat up for a minute or two, making sure the noodles are coated all over. Serve up, and enjoy! Easy, right?

What's your favourite Asian dish?


Original source:
http://damndelicious.net/2014/07/02/panda-express-chow-mein-copycat/

- Jules

Wannabe Congee with Poached Egg & Peanuts

From sweet rice - to savoury rice!

Now, congee to me - after having googled a little - looks like a dish that is basically made from a base of "overcooked" rice, kind of the way you would with a risotto to make it lovely and creamy.
Basically, I have called it "wannabe" because I used 10 minute rice to speed up the process a little, and I never had any Spring onions, so I had to use a little chopped red onion instead. Also, in the other recipe, they used about twice as much water as I did.

I was a bit sceptical I must say, only boiling the rice with no salt or anything, but you know what? The sauce you serve with it has a lovely sweet and spicyness to it that makes it very easy to like!

Wannabe Congee with Poached Egg & Peanuts
(Serves 2)

I am definitely going to poach an egg the proper way next time the recipe calls for one!

For the rice:
50g rice (I used bornw 10-minute rice)
1 1/2 cup boiling water

For the sauce:
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sriracha
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp honey

Topping:
1 chopped Spring onion
A poached egg
1 tbsp roughly chopped peanuts )or you can use some leftover pulled pork if serving carnivores)

- Start by boiling up the rice. In the original recipe, a rice-steamer was used and it was boiling for one and a half hours! I however, decided to just cook it for 20 minutes, allowing the rice to puff up properly and almost breaking apart.

- 10 minutes in, make the sauce, simply by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Five minutes later, get some water boiled and poach the egg! I didn't want it to fail as I haven't practised my poaching skills enough, so I used a poach-mould. My egg got a little overdone as I only found out on a late stage that covering with a lid hurried up the process big time and allowed for the egg to cook more evenly from top to bottom - go figure!

- Once the rice is done (make sure there is a little water left), top with the sauce, Spring onion, chopped peanuts/pulled pork and finally the poached egg!

To end this post, I will add a photo of how I decided that the egg-poach-pouch should be used, aftraid that if I let it float on it's own, the egg would end up drowning...

Have you ever tried congee, or something similar before?


Original source:
http://www.with-an-open-mind.com/2013/04/22/congee-2-ways-asian-comfort-food-at-its-best/

- Jules

Masoor Dhal

Another way to funk up your lentils Indian style! Add a little bit more chilli for an extra bit of a kick - and don't forget the lemon juice!

Most of this is store cupboard ingredients, and so you're most likely to have most of it at hand. If not - it's fairly cheap ingredients *smiles*

Masoor Dhal
(Serves 2 as a main with rice or naan, or as a side)

1 tbsp oil
3 whole cloves
3 whole cardamom pods
1 small cinnamon stick
Knob of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped (or 1 tsp ground)
1-2 onion, chopped
1/2 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
1/2-1 tsp Garam Masala
100g orange lentils (masoor dhal)
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

- Start by heating up the oil in a small pan, before adding the cloves and cardamom pods, as well as the cinnamon and chopped onion. Fry for a few minutes until the spices start to swell a little and the onion has softened.

- Now, add ginger, chilli, garlic, Garam Masala, lentils and a bit of salt and cover with boiling water about 3cm above the mixture. Stir well every five minutes or so and let it cook altogether for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add more water should you need to.

- Season to taste and squeeze in lemon juice right before serving with rice or naan, or as a light snack!


Original source:
All Colour Indian Cookbook, No. 141

- Jules

Lentil Curry

Simple and delicious! I am still surprised how in Indian cooking the dishes get so much flavour using spices and no stock.
I made this for a more dinnery lunch, when I had a bit of spare time. It only takes a little more than half an hour. Or perhaps have it as a "Meatfree Monday" dinner!

Lentil Curry
(Serves 2)

20g light butter (good knob)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground ginger, or a thumb-sized fresh ginger, grated
Splash of water
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp tomato purée
100g red lentils, dry
200ml tinned, chopped tomatoes
300 ml water
Fresh coriander to garnish
Rice and naan to serve

- Start by melting the butter in a medium pan. Soften the garlic and onion along with the ginger for a few minutes.

- Add all the spices and a splash of water, all the spices and let the flavours blend for a couple of minutes. Stir in tomato purée, followed by lentils. Stir until well-incorporated and then add 300ml boiling water to the mix as well as the chopped tomatoes. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.

Serve with rice and naan!

I tried to make some experimental bread, but it became a little too dense. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty, but naan would have been better methinks. Now I know until next time!

What is your favourite lentil recipe?


Original source:
All Colour Indian Cookbook, No. 169

- Jules

Ekuri

Scrambled egg Indian style.

It doesn't differ much from the normal scrambled eggs, but it is tasty all the same. I love the name of it "Ekuri". In Norwegian, "ekorn" means squirrel, so when I read the name, I sort of went "awww...". It turns out though, that the name itself is simple scrambled egg with the added onion and spices - so now we know!

Ekuri
(Serves 1, about 240 calories)

10g light butter
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1/3 small chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten + 2 tsp water
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
A good pinch of salt

- Melt the butter on medium high heat, add the onion, chilli and spices and fry until the onion turns golden (I used two Spring onions that were begging for mercy), for about 5-10 minutes.

- Now, tip in the eggs, water, coriander and salt and stir continously, until the egg is scrambled and fluffed up.

Serve with naan bread or toast, and enjoy!

I like mine a little under-scrambled, mmmm!


Original source:
All Colour Indian Cookbook, No. 16

- Jules

Palak Aloo

...The first recipe I've tried out from my new Indian cookbook!

As part of a meal, this is a lovely little number that reminds me quite a lot of saag, I would suggest doubling the amount for a potential main course though! Or serve on the side of something Indian inspired for something different from the usual rice.

Palak Aloo
(Serves 1, about 210 calories - without butter to serve)

10g light butter + splash of water
150g potatoes, (peeled) and finely diced
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/3 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
100-200g spinach, washed and roughly torn
A small handful fresh and finely chopped coriander (or 1 tsp dry)
Salt to taste
Melted butter to serve

- Start by melting the butter in a non-stick frying pan along with a splash of water. Add the potatoes and fry for about 5 minutes.

- Then, add your garlic and ginger paste along with chilli, and fry for a further minute or two, before tossing in the coriander, a little salt, and spinach. Pour over a little more water, and let it simmer in the pan for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the water has evaporated. Remember to stir occasionally!

Serve this with a side of naan bread, or perhaps on a bed of rice? It's a great way of using up leftover spinach and potatoes for sure, and so simple as well!


Original source:
All Colour Indian Cookbook, no. 126

- Jules

Spiced Currant Bulgur

Happy Saturday! Have you had a good weekend so far?

Fed up with having rice, pasta or bread with your dinner? Why not spice it up a little and make this fancy but oh so simple side instead? It takes no more than 15 minutes!

It's perfect with more Eastern dishes like a good curry, yum! Or use it as part of a nice salad with hummous, red peppers and the like!
Originally the recipe called for couscous, but I only had bulgur wheat and it worked a treat!

Spiced Currant Bulgur
(Serves 2, about 220 calories each)

10g light butter
3 spring onions, or half a medium onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup boiling water (200-250ml) water
100g dry bulgur wheat or couscous
40g dried currants
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper, or perhaps a little soy sauce!

- Start by melting the butter in a small pot along with the onion. Soften for a few minutes before adding the spices. Give it a good swirl, before tipping in the bulgur (or couscous) and water. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring it a bit half-way through so it doesn't catch the bottom of the pan!

- Now, it should be cooked. Turn off the heat and leave with the lid on for another 5 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork and stir through the currants and lemon zest - and it's ready to serve!

A liiiiittle bit more colourful than your standard rice or couscous!


Original source:
Low-Fat Meals in Minutes, p. 74

- Jules

Curried Lentil & Lime Soup

You can never get enough soup when it's cold, it makes the perfect change from a cup of coffee or tea, as well as providing you with at least one of your five a day!

This lowly lightly spiced soup is delicious! It was recommended to use curry paste instead of powder, but I only had powder so I used that instead. You can top this with a dollop of natural yogurt or sour cream if you like, and make sure to have some lovely bread, naan, flatbread or chapattis to serve with it. I hope you like it *smiles*. This is easy to make vegan, as you can just use vegetable stock instead of chicken. Oh, and if you want a thicker soup, use 100g lentils instead of 60, I was just running short on my lentilage!

When I brought the second portion with me to work, one of my colleagues could smell it and asked me for the recipe! Quite a compliment I'd say *smiles*

Curried Lentil & Lime Soup
(Serves 2, about 220 calories each, 245 calories each with 100g lentils)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cm grated fresh ginger, or 1 tsp ground
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
60/100g lentils
600-700ml chicken or vegetable stock (I used a cube of each)
25g sultanas or currants
1 tsp dry mint, or 2tbsp chopped fresh mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime for serving

- Start by heating up a medium pan, along with a little water, add the onion, garlic and spices. Stir for a few minutes until fragrant.

- Add the lentils, and stock and simmer on medium low heat for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Pour in the currants and boil for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste, and it's ready to serve!

- Ladle the soup into bowl or cups and top with a squeeze of lemon juice, swirl it around and top with a little lime zest, and the optional dollop of sour cream or yogurt. Serve with bread, and dip in!

Also, earlier this week, I decided to take on all the different spices in the cupboard and sort them. Some there were two of, aaand another we had three of! (...cinnamon, my bad - I love that stuff and though we'd run out!)

I found 40 spice jars, and I think I at least managed to get it down to...35? Not bad! If you have spices at hand, you usually need less ingredients to create simple but delicious dishes! And speaking of delicious dishes... This morning I decided to try Pumpernickel bread for the first time!

Ever tried it before? It has more of a sweetness to it than ordinary bread and it is really quite dense in comparison, but I love it! Especially toasted, mmm! It's pretty much the same as rye bread.

I served it up with some cream cheese and a little bit of smoked salmon that had to be used, this, a cup of nettle tea and a banana on the side and I am ready to take on the Sunday!
Do you sometimes treat yourself to better breakfasts or experiment in the kitchen in the weekend?


Original source:
Delicious Low-Fat Recipes, p. 32

- Jules

Indian Chickpea & Vegetable Soup

Happy Saturday!
Today, I'll present you with a mighty simple, but deliciously fragrant soup. It's vegetarian, has a good bit of protein in it and tastes way better than it looks...Trust me, I will make this again *smiles*

This can be made using mainly store cupboard ingredients and most leftover vegetables that needs used. Originally it had green beans in it, but I didn't have that, so I just made it without. Any root vegetables and potatoes will do nicely in this, as well as different types of onions. I hope you enjoy!

Indian Chickpea & Vegetable Soup
(Serves 2, about 190 calories each, excluding whatever you serve it with)

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger, or ground
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Garam Masala
400-450g vegetable stock (1 cube or 1 1/2 tbsp powder)
2 large carrots, chopped
200g can chickpeas (130g drained)
Naan, or good crusty bread to serve (optional, of course)

- Start by heating the oil in a medium-sized pan over a fairly high heat. Tip in the onion, ginger and garlic and soften for a few minutes.

- Turn the heat down a little and add the Garam Masala, carrots and vegetable stock (plus additional vegetables if using). Simmer on medium heat for about ten minutes until the carrots have gone tender.

- Swirl through the chickpeas, and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes until the chickpeas are heated through. Serve on its own, or with naan, bread or perhaps a dollop of natural yogurt? Either way, I hope it'll be a hit!

The first portion I made, I got to enjoy in full however, the second portion I took with me to work exploded in the microwave when I tried to heat it up *growls* I suppose that's what I get for trying to heat it up in a thin and tall container... At least I've learnt my lesson!

Oh, and the list! Remember the list I posted a picture up of the other day? Well I have managed to make nine things out of it, and that's with not going to the shop for any of the ingredients! The only "exception" dinner I had, was when I had a couple of friends over for "Forest Kebabs" and wine on Wednesday, we had a board of chopped up dark chocolate, smarties and biscuits for desert, which worked a treat!

Hope you have a lovely weekend! Any plans?


Original source:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9044/indian-chickpea-and-vegetable-soup

- Jules

Tofu & Mushroom Teriyaki Spring Rolls

I survived the dentist! *relieved* After my appointment there, I went to "A Play, a Pie & a Pint" at Oran Mor, which was really good! I have been meaning to do that for ages now! On my way home, I bumped into a friend, and so I joined her for a bit in Tchai Ovna - House of tea, along with some other friends. In the evening, Sleazy's pub quiz was on, and our team came second - not bad I'd say!
But now to something compleeetely different! Spring rolls!

Rice Spring rolls does hardly ever come out nice in photos, but they always deliver as a great little dish! Serve with sauces for dipping, and you're good to go!

Tofu & Mushroom Teriyaki Spring Rolls
(Makes about 4 rolls, around 500 calories for all together)

2 cm fresh ginger, feeled and finely grated
1 tsp sesame oil
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
175g extra firm tofu, sliced
100g mushrooms, sliced
1 cup lettuce, cut into strips
4 normal-sized rice wrappers
Sauces for dipping, such as soy, sweet chilli etc.

- Start by making ginger paste by combining the ginger, sesame oil and a pinch of salt in a small cup or bowl.

- Boil up water and tip into a large frying pan (this is what I use for the rice papers). Set aside

- Then, heat the teriyaki sauce in another pan, and fry the tofu a couple of minutes on each side. Add the mushrooms and cook for another minute or so.

- Time to assemble it all! Quickly dip both sides of a rice paper into the warm water, the, on a wooden surface of cutting board (wood prevents it from sticking!), brush over a little ginger paste in the middle, before putting a little bit the lettuce across the middle, leave a centimentre or two of the sides free in the middle, like you would with a burrito. Top the lettuce with a quarter of the mushroom and tofu mix, before folding over the two sides and rolling the spring roll. Press down the edge of the roll a little bit, to make sure it sticks.

- Serve on a wodden board, with dipping sauce on the side, and enjoy!

Original source:
http://www.simplylifeblog.com/2013/04/tofu-and-mushroom-spring-rolls-confessions/

- Jules

Chana Saag

When I went to an Indian restaurant about two years ago, I was accompanied with three others, we decided to pick on main dish each so that we could all try different things. The lads went for the obviously tasty dishes, like korma, tikka masala, and curry, but IIIII decided to be a little "untraditional" with my choice and settled for a chicken saag! I am sure I posted the recipe for chicken saag some time ago, yup! It should be on my blog somewhere!

Saag is a dish that is made with a rich spinach sauce as a base, infused with ginger and garlic. It might look a little weird when you have it served, but it oozes of Indian-style spices and herbs, and it tastes delicious! Serve it over a bed of rice, or perhaps with some pita bread for mopping like I did (mop, mop!)

Chana Saag
(Serves 2, about 265 calories each without pita bread/naan/rice)

For the paste:
160g spinach, washed and roughly torn
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 fat garlic clove, chopped or sliced
1 jalapeño, chopped (optionally deseeded)
1/2 cup water (about 125ml)

1 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 onion, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp Garam Masala (can use curry powder)
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp natural fat-free yogurt
1 can of chickpeas à 180g drained

Extra yogurt, rice, pita bread or naan to serve!

- Firstly, add all the ingredients for the paste in a bowl or a food processor and whizz until smooth. Set aside, you'll need it soon!

- Heat the oil in a pot on medium high heat, and tip in the onion, bay leaves and peppercorns. Leave this to simmer for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, if serving with rice, you'd probably get them on the boil!

- Now add the tomatoes, Garam Masala, chilli powder and salt. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the tomatoes start to break up (mine didn't, but it's really not important!)

- Then pour in the spinach paste, yogurt and chickpeas. Cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring every now and again.

- Toast or grill the bread if you're serving that with the dish, and you're done! Top with extra yogurt if you want!


Original source:
http://www.healthy-delicious.com/2010/11/chana-saag-chickpeas-with-spinach/

- Jules

Zingy Avocado Humous

Humous, what so many of us love, is so simple to put together, yet for some reason we don't find the time to do it. We've got to do something about that! Here's a zingy version, packed with good fats and proteins, and boy does it taste good too!

Zingy Avocado Humous
(Serves 4, about 135 calories each)

300g tin chickpeas (180g drained)
1 fat garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 ripe medium-sized avocado, a 175g flesh, roughtly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt & black pepper to taste

- Simply prepare all your ingredients and toss them into a tall bowl or measuring jug.

- Use a stick blender to whizz smooth until it has the texture you prefer. Season to taste and serve with whatever you want! I had run out of pita bread, and so I added it to my steak dinner!

Don't forget to pop the avocado stone back into the humous! That will prevent the avocado from going that brownish colour!


Original source:
Delicious Low-Fat Recipes, p. 21

- Jules

Marinated Ginger Tofu with Soba Noodles

The first time I ever tried to make a tofu dish, I ended up with a random pile of scrambled something, this time, I decided to try again, and it turned out a whole lot better! I would suggest adding green onion or perhaps some spring onions to this as well for an extra bit of crunch!
I bought a packet of soba noodles a while ago, because they looked so fancy. It turns out they're really nice! Noodles made from buckwheat flour isn't bad at all *smiles*

Yesterday I had a herbivore Friday, and I might instate that into every week, we'll see. Over the last few years I've definitely gotten my eyes up for both vegetarian and vegan food!

Marinated Ginger Tofu with Soba Noodles
(Serves 2, about 420-425 calories each)

400g tofu (As firm as you can find)
150-300g pak choi (1 or 2), leaves cut lengthwise and the across
1 cm fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp rice wine or mirin
A pinch of chilli flakes
A good pinch of Chinese 5-spice (optional)

For the marinade:
2 tbsp grated ginger
2 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp light brown sugar

75g soba noodles to serve (Should be one fancy wrapped up bundle!)

- First of all, mix the ingredients for the marinade together. Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces and poke them with a fork of barbecue skewer so the marinade will seep through more easily.

- Have the tofu in a bowl along with the marinade and leave it for 10-15 minutes whilse you prepare the rest of the dish.

- Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the ginger, cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes, before adding the pak choi and the chilli flakes. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the pak choi is a little tender. Divide between two bowls and place in the oven on the lowest heat possible, so it stays warm.

- In the same pan, pour in the rice vinegar and the rince wine/mirin, followed by the tofu and excess marinade. Gently turn the pieces occasionally. When it's about 5-7 minutes to go, cook the soba noodles as instructed. I found mine took a little longer than the noodles I'm used to cook, and you're better of leaving the tofu on low heat than serving undercooked noodles!

- Assemble the dish by swirling noodles through with the pak choi and top it with bit of tofu, mixing carefully. Serve with some extra soy sauce on the side, and enjoy!

Pretty soba noodles!

I hope you have a fantasmic weekend!

Original source:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/412629/ginger-sweet-tofu-with-pak-choi

- Jules