What better way to ease us into a chilly January than a little bit of extra spice in our cooking!
Spicy Vegetable Rice
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 curry leaves
1 red onion, finely chopped
50g cashew nuts (optional)
1 red pepper, seeded, cored and very finely diced
1 green chilli, very finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
Small tin 198g sweetcorn, drained and rinsed in cold water
Small tin 215g chick peas, drained
3 tbsp frozen peas
100g cooked basmati rice
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan or wok, add the cumin and mustard seeds and as soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop add all the remaining spices, onions, cashews, pepper, chilli and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add all the remaining ingredients except the rice and coriander and stir fry for a further 3 minutes.
- Finally add the rice, mixing together all the flavours and heat through until piping hot.
- Garnish with coriander and season to taste before serving.
Serves 6
Nb Left-over shredded turkey may also be added to this recipe.
Spicy Dhal
Ingredients
200g split mung beans, huskless
2-3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
30ml vegetable oil
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp grounded cumin
½ tsp salt
1 green or red chilli, chopped into tiny dice
3 fresh tomatoes, skinned and diced
For garnish
Fresh coriander
Method
- Rinse the mung beans well in cold water through a sieve and then place in a pan, cover with cold water, bring up to boil and cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any froth that forms during cooking and once cooked drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions, garlic and salt and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the spices, fry for ½ minute and then add the chilli to the pan with the diced tomatoes and mix well.
- Add the reserved cooked dahl to the spices with 70 mls water and cover and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has been absorbed.
- Sprinkle with chopped coriander before serving.
Cucumber & Mint Raita
Ingredients
250g Greek or natural yogurt
1 tbsp mint sauce
½ tsp caster sugar
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
½ cucumber, coarsely grated
Salt and black pepper
Method
Place the yogurt, mint, sugar, lemon and coriander into a bowl and mix together.
Add the grated cucumber, season and serve.
Mango & Pineapple Raita
Mix together a little chopped fresh mango, chopped pineapple and chopped red chilli, add 1 tbsp lemon juice, natural yoghurt and season to taste. Good with a turkey curry.
Spicy Naan
Cooks Tip – Make a shop bought naan a little more interesting by adding chopped peppers and onion on the top before warming them in your oven or microwave.
Finely dice a small pepper (and chilli if you like a spicy finish). Mix with a very finely chopped red or white onion and some dried or freshly chopped coriander and microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle a little butter or oil over the top of the Naan and sprinkle the mixture over the top and warm through in the oven as per packet instructions.
Air-Fryer Chicken Tikka Skewer
Ingredients
4-5 chicken thighs, cut into cubes or strips
3 tbsp Tikka curry powder
4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Juice of ½ lemon or lime
To serve
Naan breads, raita, and mango chutney
Method
- Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Thread the chicken onto 4 small wooden skewers. Place into the air fryer and cook for 18-20 minutes at 180ºC. Turn them over half way through cooking – no preheating required.
- Alternatively place them under a pre-heated grill, turning the skewer once or twice during cooking.
Makes 4 skewers
Nb Make sure the skewers fit into your air fryer drawer. Wooden skewers are best soaked in water before using. Result is especially moist chicken in an airfryer.
Cooks Tips – to make your own Tikka Spice - mix together 1 tbsp chilli powder, ½ tbsp paprika and 1tbsp garam masala or curry powder.
Slow Cooked Lamb & Spinach Curry
Ingredients
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
800g shoulder of lamb, cubed
1 tbsp plain flour
Salt and pepper
2 large onions
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 inch grated ginger
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp roasted garam masala
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1x 400g can tomatoes
100g creamed coconut
1 chicken or lamb stock cube
125g spinach leaves
To serve
Natural yoghurt
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan.
- Place the lamb cubes, flour salt and pepper into a polythene bag and shake the bag to coat the meat in the flour.
- Fry in 2 batches in the frying pan and transfer the meat into the slow cooker.
- Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and spices in the remaining oil for 2 minutes and add to the meat.
- Place the creamed coconut and stock cube into a jug and add 400mls hot water and stir well. Add to the slow cooker with the tinned tomatoes. Stir well and cook on high for 4 hours. Stir the spinach into the hot curry for 5 minutes just before serving.
- Add a spoonful yogurt to each serving.
Serves 4
Thai Coconut Curry Sauce
Ingredients
200mls coconut milk
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp pureed lemon grass
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp demerera sugar
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
Pinch of turmeric
350g cooked turkey, chicken or prawns
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
Method
- Place all the ingredients into a pan and boil gently for 2 minutes to thicken, add leftover cooked chicken and prawn and simmer gently until heated through.
- Serve with Thai rice or noodles.
Serves 2-3
Cooks Tip – For a speedier store cupboard version. Add an Oxo Aromatic Asian Stock Cube to a can of coconut milk. Just add peanut butter, sugar, lime juice and red chilli. Heat through, add chosen cooked ingredients and serve.
Exotic Fruits Platter
Arrange a selection of exotic fruits on a board or platter. Use fruits such as kiwi, persimmon, mango, pomegranate, physalis, fresh or tinned lychee, fresh pineapple and serve with coconut yoghurt and either lime, pineapple or mango jelly. Deliciously refreshing after a spicy curry. It is also a great way to introduce children to the more exotic fruits which are in season this time of year.
Find more of Teresa's wonderful recipes in the Autumn/Winter cook book available online on:
www.madeinn.co.uk/shop
www.teresabovey.co.uk
Teresa's Cook Book is out now and available on Amazon, Etsy and Madeinn.co.uk/shop
