Category Archives: Hot & Spicy

Lentil and Avocado Salsa

Holidays, Hot & Spicy, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

  • For Two as a side dish
  • 1 cup puy lentils
  • diced cucumber
  • diced avocado
  • diced red onion
  • chopped coriander
  • chopped flat leaf parsley
  • finely diced red chilli
  • olive oil
  • juice of a lime

Cook lentils in boiling water until tender. salt after cooking and add oil to drained lentils.
Add all other ingredients. Quantities are very variable depending on amount needed.
Chill until required

Spicy Chickpea & Squash Soup

Hot & Spicy, Soups

  • Olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 4 celery sticks finely sliced
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
  • 1 level teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 level teaspoon ground coriander
  • pinch of saffron
  • 1 or two fresh red chillies (depends how hot they are and how big) or you could use 1 level teaspoon dried chilli flakes
  • 2 butternut squash about 1.5 kg in all peeled and chopped into chunks
  • 1.2 litres chicken stock(cubes will do)
  • seasoning
  • 1 x400gm tin chickpeas or equivalent drained and rinsed
  • 150gm baby spinach leaves coarsly chopped

Heat a little oil in a large pan and fry onion and celery gently for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic, spices, chilli and squash to the pan and stir about in the hot oil for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes, stock and seasoning and simmer for 20 minutes or so. use a pototo masher to squash the squash in the pan. On no account be tempted to liquidise as the texture will be ruined! Stir in the chickpeas and the spinach and simmer for a few minutes longer. Check seasoning and serve.

Fish Curry

Fish, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses

  • FOR TWO
  • 1inch piece fresh ginger peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 medium onion peeled halved and sliced
  • 1 red chilli finely chopped
  • 1 heaped teasp ground cumin
  • 1/2 teasp turmeric
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 12 oz asstd fish-choose from monk, raw prawns, scallops, halibut-you choose but firm fish is best
  • Large handful baby spinach
  • A squeeze of lemon juice

Put 75ml water into a blender and add garlic and ginger.Blend to a paste
Heat the oil in a saute pan big enough to hold the finished dish, add the onions and cook gently until soft and starting to colour.Stir in the chilli and the spices and cook for a minute. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook, stirring until all the liquid is evaporated.Add the coconut milk and simmer until reduced by half.
Add the fish and simmer until cooked. Stir in the spinach and stir until wilted. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with boiled rice

Moroccan Hot Pot

Hot & Spicy, Lamb, Main Courses

  • SERVES 8
  • Rolled shoulder of lamb 2k
  • Green & black olives, pitted 150g
  • Dates or prunes, pitted 10
  • Anchoives, drained & rinsted, 1 tin
  • Juniper berries, crushed 6
  • Cumin seeds, 15ml
  • Black peppercorns 15ml
  • Bay leaves 3
  • Thyme, a bunch
  • Rosemary, small bunch
  • Flour for dough

Heat oven to 140C/fan. Put all ingredients into a casserole dish into which they fit snugly. Make a flour and water soft dough to seal the lid to the casserole. Put in oven for 3 hours.