Category Archives: Hot & Spicy

Chilli (fast good and will feed a crowd)

Beef, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses

  • For 8 portions or more if you are not as greedy as us!
  • 1lb extra lean beef mince(yes it is healthy too!)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 sachet schwartz chilli mix
  • 1 sachet schwartz hot chilli mix
  • 2 400gm tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 400gm tins red kidney beans drained
  • 1 oxo cube

Put a little oil in a large non stick pan with a lid and saute mince and onion until mince is brown and broken up. Add both sachets of chilli mix and tins tomatoes. stir and add one canful of waterCrumble in the oxo cube. Bring to a simmer, put on lid and place in fan oven at 150 for 1 hour.
Serve with boiled rice and grated cheddar if liked.

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

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