Journey of flavours - Island Curries

The only thing I thought when I received this parcel was curry flavours Authentic to India- Made in Australia- Enjoyed in UK!! Truly a journey of flavours!!

                                            

When I opened the pack the aroma of the spices were so enticing and the texture of the mixture was so similar to the fresh ground spices that were made back home. 

Being mid week, it had to  be the vegetable curry that I had to try first!  I followed the instructions on the pack and the vegetables that I went for was green gawar. 

 (Gawar or Mattikayalu, the beautiful pale green colored beans, they may not be as popular as regular green beans, but they have a serious following among Indians. Nutty, delicate, mellow ruchi (flavor) of gawar beans has an addictive quality and when seasoned with Indian ingredients, they literally shine and become quite irresistible). 

So here I go to prepare my vegetable curry. Add the onions and fry them in 1 tsp of oil --> add the Island Vegetable Curry Paste & fry the paste --> followed by the vegetables (potato & gawar bean). Perfect when you need a quick 15 minute meal. Before I knew ...the food was cooking away.

Wholaa and that was my curry made!! 

I decided to enjoy the curry with wheat chapati (Indian flat breads) ...took me longer to roll them round then it took to make the curry ;-) But there is nothing like enjoying a home made curry (not really home made, made at a place which is home away from home) with hot puffed chapati!!

Dinner served...Lets eat 

I could capture the steam out of the curry in this snap...this spread the aroma in the whole kitchen...wish I could share that aroma virtually!!

The first bite reminded me of the Bengali restaurant I used to visit in India with my parents to enjoy fish and their sides. The vegetable side always made my mother wonder what went in that Simple Vegetable Curry....she used to say 'These kids eat vegetable here with so much interest and at home if you make they run away from it'...hehehehe Mom this is so close to that taste!

In all a great taste and sure as Rob had said, the spices were coarse and had the distinct flavour due the freshly ground spices. The only thing I would say is that the curry paste is richly flavoured and add the curry paste as per your taste.

Luv

Amzu x

Island Curries -Sneak Peak

I had vegetable curry last night made with Island Curries - Taste the Difference...you sure can taste the difference!! :)

Review soon to follow, but a sneak peak on the virtual aroma that have been captured in this snap!! Hope the aroma reaches you all ;)

Closest it could get to the authentic flavours of Bengal.


Authentic to India- Made in Australia- Enjoyed in UK!! Truly a journey of flavours!!

Chicken Potato Stuffed Sandwich- Indian Style Naan Tikya

I have to first share a good news ....I am now a registered Dietitian in UK also. So that means I am now registered in India and UK. It took  almost a year for all of this to happen. A long wait ...phew...

Now back to some good food...that is Tasty, Healthy & on the top Quick!! 

Naan Tikya is a street food that I used to enjoy especially during Ramdan- holy month of fasting. They are like sandwiches...but made in a special bread called Naan....So Naanwiches we call!  Naan bread is different from tandoori naan, more like Turkish bread. 

I am going to share with you all a recipe that can be enjoyed in any bread and the spread can be made in advance and serves as good lunch ready in jiffy especially when you craving for something with curry flavours!

So here is the my version of the Naanwich recipe with chicken & potato stuffing. Not wasting any more time...here is the recipe that I had promised to share. 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cooking oil

Few pieces of chicken, boiled and shredded (I had mine from the chicken soup I had prepared) 

4 medium potato, boiled and mashed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 green chilly, chopped

1 teaspoons whole cumin

1  teaspoon of red chilly powder
1 teaspoon cumin-coriander powder

1/2  teaspoon turmeric powder

About 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cooking Method

Heat the oil in a wide pot over a medium flame. When hot, add whole cumin and green chillies.

Then add onions and cook for 5-7 minutes or so until they’re starting to turn brown.
















Add chopped tomatoes and fry for a couple of minutes with some juiciness left.

Add the spices (chilly powder, cumin-coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt).

Now add the boiled potato mash and shredded chicken. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes for the flavours to marry well. 

 Add lemon juice after removing from the heat. That is the stuffing ready! I normally store it in the container and heat and use as and when required. A quick fix for a hungry stomach craving for something hot. 

I couldn't resist the temptation to have one just when I prepared it. So one for each of us.

Stuffed my sandwich breads and grilled. Yummy Naanwiches ready!! A saviour when u craving curry flavours but not a curry...confusing me!!

Here they are ready to go in my tummy!! As they say 'Yummy for my Tummy'

P.S: This stuffing is great to make on a weekend and store in the refrigerator for a week. It really serves as a tasty, filling food for days when you just need that extra help! This is strongly recommended recipe...You have to try this to believe how amazing this simple stuffing taste. Hope you enjoy!!

Catch up soon with my review on Island Curries. I received a lovely parcel, a great gesture from across the continent! 

It is Island Curries - Taste the Difference from Australia ....from the Tasmania island.

They are not just any curries ...but they are preservative free, additive free and Gluten free curries! They use freshly ground seeded spices like coriander, fenugreek, fennel which is so authentic to Indian flavours and also unique to other products. 

Thinking what to start with... Fish, Chicken, Vindaloo or Vegetable curry...Excited to have a curry night soon!

Luv 

Amzu xx

Hot Chicken Soup to keep warm on a winter evening!

I had flu last week and all my throat needed was something warm and soothing. The flu season is here and what better than Clear Chicken Soup with the goodness of ginger, garlic, peppercorns and onions to soothe the throat.

So here is the recipe for this simple soup. Not much of preparation required, ideal when you are not keeping too well. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cooking oil

1 medium potato, chopped

A few pieces (I used 3 pieces) of Chicken  

2.5 liters of Water

1 medium size, roughly sliced Onions

2 teaspoon Ginger- Garlic paste

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Cooking Method

Add all ingredients in a cooking pot and mix together.

Cook on high heat until it comes to a boil and then continue to simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.

Take out the chicken pieces, remove any skin and bones. Shred and serve with hot soup. I do not strain the soup as I like the soft sweet onions which are so rich in flavours.

I like only a few shredded pieces of chicken in my soup. I save the rest of boiled chicken for my sandwich spread with curry spices. It is nice to prepare the spread on the same day as the chicken is moist. The boiled chicken on storing may dry up. The spread makes fast and serves as a lovely lunch in a jiffy on the next day. I will soon share the recipe with you all.

Soup for Thought: This clear chicken soup is typically served up when your stomach cannot tolerate anything acidic or you just need some clear fluids to sooth your throat and body – that is why there are no tomatoes or spicy ingredients in here. But if you are feeling fine and you are just looking for warm soup then add some tomatoes, chillies and other vegetables (carrot, peas, etc) as you would like.  

With the winter here, surely give this soup a try! Its always on my must have list during winter. This is the first winter I am experiencing in UK and my body is getting regulated to this low temperature.

 Keep warm this winter!

Luv
Amzu x

Dinner with Tilda British Curry Rice

I had a really nice Diwali dinner which was not only quick to disappear from the plate but quicker for me to stir up! Courtesy Tilda British Curry Rice. 

Firstly, I had intended to share this experience much earlier but was down with flu and all I could think of this last week was to drink hot soups to keep me warm.  So now here it is finally...

I was very excited right from the time Tilda asked me to try the Limited Edition British Curry Rice - After all  Basmati rice from Tilda that I love and over that the recipe has been created by Dhruv Baker! Cheered for him in Masterchef 2010....who thought then that I would be eating one of his dishes sitting in a different country! 

Dhruv Baker is known to have a "Palate of an Angel"...thus no wonder the packet spells out all the delicate flavours...coconut, sweet apricot, spice of curry powder, ginger and fragrant star anise. 

I decided to try the rice with a simple heat blasted chicken to compliment the delicate flavours of the rice.  

Marinated the boneless chicken strips in ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder and salt. 

Sealed in all the flavours and cooked on high heat girdle.

Chicken sorted and then comes the star of the evening...

Heated in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Hot steaming rice ready to eat.....

Chicken strips on the bed of British Curry Rice & salad for the veggie quota.

But that is not all for dinner tonight....Diwali calls for sweets and I have cashew nut sweets (Kaju Katri) sent by my MIL from India! Thank you to all who made my Diwali! xxx

Now the verdict: How did I like my rice today??

Frankly I am not a coconut fan in my food, but I have to say even after having that pre conceived notion.....I ENJOYED the British Curry Rice. The rice was melt in the mouth with each bite exploding with flavours that were complex but light on the palate. 

My husband and me enjoyed this together (one pack serves two), and one portion is a decent 165 calories....fair enough to spare on a tasty portion of rice. My share of two strips of chicken was 100 calories. 

A must try...especially being a limited edition do not miss a chance to try it soon! 

I am excited to try out the recipes suggested by Dhruv with the British Curry Rice.....will surely get on the cooking trip soon!

Here are the lovely recipes by Dhruv that may tickle your taste buds: 

Dhruv's Paneer Arancinis can be found here 

                                              Dhruv's Salmon Kedgeree can be found here

Dhruv's Coronation Chicken can be found here

& 

Finally the best and the classic 

Dhruv's Biryani can be found here

It will be lovely to know if you have tried the Tilda British Curry rice and have you whipped up one of these recipes or being the Master chef of our Kitchen that we are ....have made one of your own recipe! Share with us here your recipe. 

Luv 

Amzu xx

Cauliflower and Peas Curry- Enjoying Veggies as a part of a healthy diet

Movember is a World Vegan Month, so lets pledge to include more veggies in our diet! After all we all know vegetables are a great way of adding colour and fibre to the diet. The non-starchy vegetables (does that mean potato is not included in this group....hmmm....yes...as it is starchy ;-)) are low calorie, low fat and cholesterol free....great way to fill you up. And if we get to eat a curry made of vegetables than it is a right combo...taste and health!!

I am sharing the recipe I promised of a simple Indian vegetable curry that is made so often at home. It is the humble cauliflower and peas curry. 

Ingredients

Serves 3

1 teaspoon cooking oil

1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite size florets

1/2 cup of frozen green peas

1 can of tomato purée 

1 teaspoon of whole cumin

1  teaspoon of red chilly powder

1 teaspoon coriander and cumin powder 

1/2  teaspoon turmeric powder
About 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

 

Cooking Method

Heat the oil  and add whole cumin.
Fry the cauliflower florets in it. 

Add the spices (chilly powder, coriander-cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt) 

 Then add green peas and cook for 5 minutes. 

Add the tomato purée next. Cook for 5 minutes more.


Add a little water and cover the pan to cook the florets thoroughly.

Here is the cauliflower and peas curry all ready. It is perfect with chapati (Indian flat bread made of wheat flour).

P.S: Don't be surprised if next time your husband may just get you this sweet cauliflower bouquet ....it is just is way of saying what he wants to eat tonight!

Or may be this anthocyanin rich purple cauliflower to add colour to life ;-) xx

Luv

Amzu x

Tilda British Curry Rice

Received samples from Tilda Legendary Rice today!! 

It is British Curry Rice - Limited Edition developed my Masterchef Winner 2010 Dhruv Baker! Looking forward to trying them soon.

A lovely handwritten letter that accompanied the samples!! xx

Coriander & Mint Chutney- Good on its own and great when used to prepare dips, starters, mains & sides!!

This basic chutney is perfect for use as a dipping sauce with Kebabs, grilled foods, as a marinate, as curry base (I have shared Coriander & Mint Chicken Curry before), sandwich spreads, Bhel Puri (a quick snack with puffed rice; recipe to follow soon) and Raita....made my raita with Chobani yoghurt and enjoyed it with my lunch . 

It is a versatile combination of herbs that can be used to prepare a number of dishes. 
Here is the recipe for the Coriander & Mint chutney! 

Coriander & Mint Chutney: 

 2 green chillies

1 medium bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), cleaned

5 leaves of mint

1/4th teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Cooking Method 

Grind Mint, coriander, green chillies using water to make a fine paste. Add salt and lemon juice at the end and give it a good stir. That is the chutney ready. 

You can store this chutney in the refrigerator for a week. I can however not resist the smell of freshly prepared chutney. The aroma is so tempting to add a zing to your meal. 

 I added  2 teaspoon of it to Chobani fat free greek style yoghurt and stirred it in. Here was a lovely raita ready to accompany my lunch!

 I had cauliflower and green peas curry with Indian flat bread (chapati) for lunch.

The recipe is going to follow soon. This is a part of the vegetarian recipes I am preparing as a part of the World Vegan Month! November is a World Vegan Month and as we all know that vegetables are an integral part of a diet even if one is a meat eater. I really enjoy vegetable curries and cauliflower is one of them.

I will share the recipe in my coming post with you all...till then eat healthy and tasty!!

Luv

Amzu

P.S: The different flavours of Chobani fat free Greek style yoghurt are many to please the palate...but the plain is certainly versatile!

 O gm fat and 17 gm of protein per serving of 170 gms of plain yoghurt. A good way of adding protein to my vegetarian lunch!!