Cardamom and Orange Muffins

Serves 12 

Ingredients
4 green cardamom pods
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
225ml milk
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
75g butter, melted
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190c. Line 12 muffin cups.
2. Split open the cardamom pods and using a pestle and mortar, crush the seeds from the cardamom pods to a powder. Using a fine sieve, sift them with the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, discarding any large bits of spice left in the sieve. Stir in the caster sugar. 
3. In a separate bowl or jug, mix together the egg, milk, orange zest and juice and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and mix briefly until just combined. 
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly then scatter the tops with granulated sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the tin, for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack. 

Taken from Muffins Galore

Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

Makes 12

Ingredients
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
110g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
225ml milk
85g butter, melted
For Cinnamon Sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
75g soft light brown sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 190c. Line 12 muffin cups. For the cinnamon sugar, mix together the cinnamon sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. For the muffins, mix the flour, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or jug, mix together the egg, milk and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingerdients and mix briefly until just combined.
3. Put a tablespoon of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle each muffin with a heaped teaspoon of cinnamon sugar, then spoon some more batter and cinnamon sugar into the muffin cups. Finish with a layer of batter, dividing it evenly. Use a skewer to swirl the mixture in each muffin cup. 
4. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until risen and golden. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack. 

Taken from Muffins Galore

Chicken Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes, drained of juice (keep juice)
4 tbsp oil
8 chicken thigh fillets, cut in to chunks
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
4 cloves
6 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
handful curry leaves
150g plain yoghurt

Instructions
1. Put 1 of the chopped onions in a blender with the garlic, ginger and tomatoes and blend to a purée – add some of the tomato juice if it's too thick. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large deep frying pan and add the chicken and ground spices. Stir everything around until it is browned and aromatic then remove from the pan. 
2. Add the remaining oil, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, curry leaves and the remaining onion and stir and fry until the onion is golden. Add the tomato mixture and fry for 5 minutes. Season with salt and add the chicken, then bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the yogurt, bring slowly to a simmer, then cook for a further 30 minutes with a lid on, or until a red oil starts to separate out of the sauce. Stir occasionally to stop anything sticking to the bottom and if the sauce looks too thin at the end, simmer until it thickens. 

Taken from Olive Magazine October 2010 

Turkey Burgers with Sweet Potato Chips

Serves 4

Ingredients
500g turkey thigh mince
2 spring onions, finely chopped
85g cheddar, grated
1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in to chips
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cucumber to serve
ketchup, to serve

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 180c. Put the turkey mince in a large bowl, with the spring onions, cheddar and some seasoning. Mix well, then shape in to 4 even-sized burgers. Chill for 15 minutes. 
2. Put the sweet potato chips on a large non-stick baking tray, and toss in 2 tbsp of oil and salt. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, turning half way through.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the burgers for 10 minutes until golden. Turn over and repeat for the other side until they are cooked through. 

Taken from BBC Good Food September 2013 

Baked Red Lentil Dhal

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, peeled and finely choped
2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
2 tsp cumin seeds, ground
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp grated root ginger
1/2-1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
pinch of ground cinnamon
4 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and crushed
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp tomato puree
250g red lentils
700ml chicken stock
salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp chopped coriander
Squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions 
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Heat the sunflower oil in an oven proof saucepan or casserole over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover and cook for 10 minutes until soft.
2. Increase the heat to medium high, add the spices and cook for 1 minutes to toast. Add the tomato puree and red lentils, stir for 1 minute then add the stock. Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the lentils are cooked and soaked up the liquid. 
3. Add the chopped coriander and season to taste. Add a little citrus juice if necessary. 

Taken from Rachel Allen, Bake

Baked Chicken with Lemon and Garlic and Pilaf Rice

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper
125ml white wine
20 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, and the juice of 1 lemon
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
300ml chicken stock
Pilaf Rice
25g butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
300g basmati rice
750ml chicken stock

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 170c. Heat a large casserole or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and chicken pieces, skin side down. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Pour off and discard any fat. 
2. Add the wine and garlic cloves and boil for 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, the herbs and the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until cooked. 
3. To cook the rice, melt the butter in a casserole dish or saucepan, add the onion and season. Cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes until it crackles. Add the stock and some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then transfer to the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
4. Serve the chicken with the rice in shallow bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley. Squeeze the soft garlic out of the skin on to toasted baguettes.

Taken from Rachel Allen, Bake

Spinach and Chickpea Koftas

Serves about 20

Ingredients
200g spinach
Olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 x 420g tins chickpeas, drained
1 tsp paprika 
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp chickpea (Gram) flour

Instructions
1. Wash the spinach, then place in a medium hot oiled pan and stir until wilted. Drain thoroughly, squeezing out any excess water, then finely chop.
2. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry hot pan for about 1 minute until aromatic and golden, then grind in a mortar with a pestle.
3. Place the chickpeas, cumin and spices, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper, in a blender and blitz to a fine paste (add 2-3 tbsp of water as needed). Add the spinach, sprinkle in the flour and mix well to combine.
4. Dust your hands with flour, then take a tablespoon of the mixture and mould in to an egg shape (or roll into a ball). Repeat with all the mixture, then place on a plate dusted with flour. Chill for at least an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 120c. Heat some oil in a pan and shallow fry the koftas in batches over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Drain after frying, and keep them warm in the oven.

Taken from Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course