My Child-Friendly Chicken Saag (Saagwala)

Traditionally a South Asian recipe eaten in the Pakistani and Indian regions of Punjab, saag (or saagwala) is a green leafy based dish, usually made from spinach (the preferred option in this recipe), collard greens, mustard leaves, etcetera. It can be eaten on its own or made with various meats (gosht) of choice, potatoes (aloo), or cheese (paneer). I have used chicken in this recipe and to make it that little bit more filling we are eating our chicken saag in accompaniment with a choice of plain boiled basmati rice or boiled baby potatoes.

For the chicken saag, you will need:

• 3 filleted chicken breasts (without skin), diced into small child-friendly pieces
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 cardamom pods, cracked to release flavour
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground fenugreek
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons of garam masala
• a thumb sized piece of freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 a cup of plain yoghurt
• 700g of fresh spinach leaves, chopped (or 1kg of frozen spinach can also work just fine)
• 330g of baby plum tomatoes, halved as in this recipe or 2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered lengthwise and core removed
• 2 medium sized white onions, roughly chopped into large chunks
• sea salt (to taste), for seasoning
• pinch of black pepper for seasoning
• coriander and sliced lemon for garnishing

*Remember, You will want to pick out the four cloves and cardamom pods at the end. There is nothing pleasant in biting into one of those, trust me.

This recipe is not made the 'traditional' way as I do not use oil for frying/browning the meat. The fun in cooking and creating your own takes on various cuisines is that you get to experiment and discover your own takes on different dishes. Often, you will find that you've created something far superior to the 'traditional' original. I prefer my variation as it feels lighter whilst filling and not greasy.

Here's how to make my chicken saag:

Once you have your ingredients and portions prepared to one side, begin by placing you diced chicken into a non-stick wok along with the yoghurt, garlic, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, fenugreek,cumin, ginger and garam masala. Mix these together well with a wooden spoon, making sure to coat the chicken well.

Turn on the heat and cook the chicken until the the yoghurt starts to cook off; it will leave behind enough liquid to help wilt the spinach, which you should add to the pan at this point. Mix well on a generous heat for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and onions. Stir, lower the heat and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes, checking halfway through cooking.

Your chicken saag should be ready to serve with basmati rice, potatoes, roti or even eaten on its own. Either way, it won't last long.

Shepherd’s Pie - A Great British Classic & All-Time Children's Favourite

I have been away for a really long time! I mean we've seen birthdays come and go, milestones reached and surpassed. My husband and I have even converged ranks and started up our own family business, but more about all of that another time, perhaps. The thing is, we have been super busy as a family these last eight months while soldiering on through the thick of some serious family illnesses. My dear mother recently underwent major surgery and while, at present, she is recovering well, her journey back to full health will be a long and arduous one.

So, in the spirit of getting back in the saddle of this whole blogging thing, I wanted to share with you an awesome recipe, which I often make for my kids. Eden is at the age where she really loves to help out with the cooking, so getting her to smooth out the mashed potato topping is real fun.

Every once in a while I just love to cook up a great British classic of Shepherd's Pie; a dish that will likely always be a national favourite. Not only do my girls love it, but it makes for a good wholesome staple meal for a family dinner.

This is probably one of the simplest recipes of all time, as it only requires a few ingredients. The base consists of the wonderfully aromatic minced lamb and depending on your preferences, feel free to substitute with beef. Both variations turn out beautifully.

Great British Classic: Shepherd's Pie; a national favourite.

You will need:

• Minced lamb
• 1 Red onion, skin removed and finely diced
• 2 Cloves of garlic, skins removed and minced
• 1 Celery stalk, grated
• 2 Medium sized carrots, grated
• 1 Sprig each of rosemary and thyme, leaves reomoved from stems and chopped
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• 1 Tablespoon of worcester sauce
• Stock of choice

• 4-5 Medium sized potatoes (with the skins on), chopped, boiled and mashed
• 2 Free range eggs, beaten
• 1 Handful of grated mature cheddar cheese
• Parmigiano Reggiano for topping

*There are no strict measurements here, as I say go with the flow and taste the food along the way. That way you are not adding in excess of anything. Let taste be the best judge.

The How To

1. Get started by lightly browning the minced lamb in a pan to cook off some of the excess fat. If you want really tender meat, the trick is the less browning, the better. I learnt this neat little method from all the years of practice I have had cooking for my three little ones. When you are constantly trying out new ways to get your kids onto solids and eating more grown up foods, you make new discoveries. Sometimes, I even skip the browning and put all of the ingredients into one pot and let it cook on a low heat for about 40 minutes. This results in such a juicy and tender dish, which the kids love.

2. Add in the red onion, garlic, celery, carrots, rosemary, thyme and season with black pepper. Add in the Worcester sauce and stock. If, at this point, you'd like to add some red wine this would be the moment but it's strictly optional. Some people think it adds depth to the flavour of this dish but in my honest opinion, it doesn't need wine and I prefer it without. Just be sure to cook off the alcohol, then add salt if needed and then transfer to an oven proof dish. If you want more of a chunky texture, you should chop your vegetables as opposed to going for the grater. I just like to keep it friendly for the little ones.

3. Boil your potatoes as per your usual method and prepare the mash, keeping a nice smooth consistency, combine with the cheddar cheese, salt and two eggs. Add a little black pepper to the mash as this gives it a nice kick.

4. Spread the mashed potato over the mince and top with some grated parmigiano and a little more black pepper. Place in the oven for around 20 minutes.

Serve with two types of steamed vegetables of your choice and dinner is ready.

Enjoy!