All posts by Heather

Chickpeas with Chilli and Tomatoes

Hot & Spicy, Main Courses, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For Four
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red onion finely sliced-or normal if that is what uou have
  • 3 cloves garlic finely sliced
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 green chillies finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2x400gm tins chickpeas drained or the equivelant in fresh cooked
  • 1 teasp ground cumin
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 500gm small tomatoes sliced in half
  • 200gm baby spinach leaves
  • Plain yoghurt (I like Greek) to serve

Heat a large deep pan and add the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and salt. Cook stirring for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the ckickpeas, 80ml water, cumin and pepper andd cook for five more minutes until most of the water evaporates. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes to soften. Taste for seasoning then stir in the spinach so it wilts. Serve with yoghurt and boiled rice or nan

Lemon Curd

Family Favourites

  • Makes one 14oz jar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 4oz butter
  • 6oz caster sugar
  • finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons

Beat the whole eggs and 1 yolk together. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a LOW heat. Add sugar, zest and juice then the beaten eggs. Stir over a gentle heat until the mixture thickens. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. CARE or you will end up with lemony scrambled eggs!
Pour into a jar and seal.
this should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge-as if!

Aubergine Dhal

Hot & Spicy, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For two people
  • Splash oil-not olive
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 teasp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teasp cumin seeds
  • 1 teasp nigella seeds
  • 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
  • 3oz red split lentils
  • 1 small or half a med aubergine cut in bite size pieces
  • 1 large or several small tomatoes cut in chunks
  • 1 handful fresh coriander-chopped

Heat the oil and saute the onions for a few minutes until soft and lightly brown
Stir in garlic, ginger,seeds and curry powder
Add lentils with tomatoes and 300ml water
Add aubergine and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes
Add coriander and serve

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Chicken, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses, Starters

  • For four as a main course or eight as a starter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 teasp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 chillies one finely chopped and one finely sliced
  • 500gm chicken or turkey mince
  • finely grated zest of one lime
  • juice of half a lime
  • 3 tbsp thai fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp kechap manis
  • 1 tbsp soft brown sugar (or any sugar)
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 25gm thai basil(v important-not ordinary basil) Chinese supermarcket usually has this,especially at weekends
  • 2tbsps salted peanuts chopped
  • 4 spring onions finely sliced into long strips
  • 2 little gem lettuces, separeted into leaves to serve

Heat the oil in a large deep frrying pan
Stir fry the chopped chilli, garlic and ginger for a minute
Add the mince and continue to cook for five minutes until cooked through. Stir in the lime zest,juice,fish and oyster sauces,ketchap manis,sugar and stock. Simmer for another two to three minutes.
Add the basil and spring onions and give another quick stir.
Spoon the mixture into lettuce leaves and garnish with finely sliced chilli

Tropical Salad with Chilli Dressing

Hot & Spicy, Main Courses, Salads

  • For four servings
  • 1 bag ready prepared salad leaves of your choice
  • 1 med avocado peeled and chopped
  • 1 mango peeled and chopped
  • 4 spring onions sliced finely
  • small handful walnuts or pecans chopped coarsly
  • 6 cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cucumber peeled deseeded and chopped into chunks
  • Poached salmon enough for four-depends how hungry you are. Can also use cooked chicken
  • Dressing
  • 2 tbsps sweet chilli sauce
  • 2tbsp mayo
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 teasp of toasted sesame oil

Arrange the ingredients in the order given on a large flat platter.
Place dressing ingredients in a blender and blitz for a few seconds.
Drizzle over salad and serve at once with crusty bread if wanted