Kashmiri Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients

50g ghee or veg oil

3 large onions, finely sliced

10 peppercorns

10 cardamoms

5cm/2in piece of cinnamon stick

5cm/2in piece of fresh root ginger, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp paprika

1.5kg chicken pieces, skinned

250ml natural yoghurt

salt

Instructions

1. Heat the ghee/veg oil in a deep, lidded pan. Add the onions, peppercorns, cardamoms and cinnamon and fry until the onions are golden.

2. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, paprika and salt to taste and fry for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the chicken pieces and fry until browned. Gradually add the yoghurt, stirring constantly. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. 

Taken from Complete Indian Cooking

Scalloped Hasselback Baked Potatoes

Ingredients
2 large whole potatoes
100g butter
100g parmesan cheese
veg oil
2oz (60ml) heavy cream
2oz (60g) cheese, grated
salt
garlic powder
sour cream

Instructions
1.Preheat the oven to 200c. Scrub the potatoes clean.
2. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato, stopping before you reach the bottom
3. Slice the butter and parmesan. Next, open the potato's crevices and pop in the Parmesan and butter, alternating between the two.
4. Transfer the potatoes to an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
5. Season with salt and garlic powder, bake for about 60 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes).
6. After about 45 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle cream over the top and top with grated cheese. Return to the oven for the last 15 minutes.
7. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and spring onions.

Tips: We didn't use heavy cream, just sour cream instead and returned to the oven (just to make it a little healthier!)

Adapted from Zoomyummy.com (found via Facebook)

Pork, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, diced
500g pork mince
2 tbsp flour
200ml chicken stock
250ml semi-skimmed milk
100g spinach
1 lemon, zested
15g chopped parsley
150g ricotta
50g half-fat mature white cheese, grated
250g lasagne sheets

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and courgettes for 5-10 minutes, until just golden. Stir in the mince, and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute more, then pour in the stock and milk Bring to a simmer then bubble for 5 minutes before stirring in the spinach until wilted. Add the lemon zest and parseley, then season.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the ricotta with the grated cheese until combined
4. To assemble to lasagne, place two sheets of the pasta in the bottom of a 1.5 litre baking dish then pour over half of the mince mix. Follow with 2 more of the pasta sheets and the remaining turkey mix. Top with the remaining two pasta sheets, the spread over the ricotta mixture.
5. Cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.

Adapted from Tesco Magazine (recipe for turkey, spinach and ricotta lasagne), January 2013

Pork Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb lean pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons tomato puree
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons coconut cream
1 green chili, seeded and sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Heat a pot and melt the butter.
2. Fry the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
3. Add the cinnamon, chili powder,coriander, cumin and turmeric, stir and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the pork and cook for 3 minutes stirring to coat the meat with the spices.
5. Add the chopped tomato and puree with the water, mix well and add the chopped chili coconut cream and paprika.
6. Cover pot and cook on low heat till the meat is tender, approx 30 minutes.
7. Season with salt to taste.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry

Ingredients
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp mild curry paste
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in to bite size pieces
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in to bite size pieces
4 tbsp red split lentils
300 ml chicken stock
400ml can coconut milk
175g frozen peas

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, stir in the curry paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the chicken, sweet potatoes and lentils and stir to coat in the paste.
2. Pour in the stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Tip in the peas, bring back to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Taken from BBC Good Food

Mango Chicken, Bean and Rice Bake

Serves 2

Ingredients

small bunch spring onions, chopped

thumb sized piece ginger, chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 red chilli, seeds removed if you don't like it too hot

small handful coriander, stalks roughly chopped and leaves picked

1 tbsp thyme leaves

zest and juice 1 lime

1 ½ tsp ground all spice

2 tbsp sunflower oil

8 chicken drumsticks

300g long grain rice

400g can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

500ml chicken stock

1 ripe mango, peeled, stoned and cut in to bite sized chunks

200g mango chutney, plus extra to serve

Instructions

1. Put the spring onions, ginger, garlic, chilli, coriander stalks, thyme, lime zest and juice, all spice and oil in a food processor, then blend to a paste. Pour over the chicken drumsticks and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour, or preferably up to a 1 day.

2. Heat oven to 160c. Tip the rice and beans in to a large roasting tin with deep sides. Remove the chicken from the marinade and set aside. Mix the stock into the marinade into the bowl and stir well. Pour the stock over the rice and beans, then put the chicken drumsticks and the mago pieces on top. Cover the tray tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

3. Take the tray out of the oven and remove the foil. Increase the temperature to 200c. Spoon the mango chutney over the drumsticks and return to the oven, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, to brown the chicken pieces. Fluff up the rice a little with a fork to serve.

Taken From BBC Good Food (February 2013)

Gluten Free Fudge Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

200g milk chocolate
200g dark chocolate
1 (400g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 9 x 9-inch pan with baking spray. Place chocolate chips in a double boiler and melt until smooth. 2. Combine beans and eggs in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients to food processor until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the baking pan and sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. 3. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Cool in pan. These are best if they've had time to sit overnight (if you can wait).

Taken (Adapted) from: Taste & See blog (Maryanna)

Notes: Original recipe used 1 1/2 tsp coffee, would try this on second attempt.