Coriander & Lime Chicken Kebabs

These coriander and lime chicken kebabs went down such a treat for my son's birthday celebrations (last year); I'm actually considering making them again as he turns a spectacular 5 years old on Monday.

You will need:

• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 2 Whole limes, one freshly juiced and zested for the marinade rub and the other, cut into wedges for serving
• A handful of coriander/cilantro, stalks and leaves (retain a few of the leaves for garnishing)
• 2 Spring onions, discard the trimmed ends and roughly chop the stalks
• 1 Tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 Teaspoon of chilli infused olive oil (add an extra teaspoon for extra heat)
• chicken breast, cut into reasonably bitesized cubes
• 1 Red bell pepper, seeds and core removed, cut relatively to the same size as the chicken
• 1 Green bell pepper, seeds and core removed, cut relatively to the same size as the chicken
• 1 Large white onion, skinned and cut relatively to the same size as the chicken

Here's the How-To:

1. Cut and cube your bell peppers, onion and chicken into roughly the same sized chunks and place in to a large dish. Set this aside while you make the marinade.

2. Combine your garlic cloves, lime juice (and zest), coriander and spring onions and compress them down into your blender. It will fit into the small glass attachment used for blending nuts, etc.

3. Add in the fish sauce and the chilli infused olive oil and blend until you get a thick green sauce-like consistency.

It should look like this image above.

4. Pour your marinade over the chicken and the onion/pepper mix and thoroughly rub into all of your ingredients. Arrange you pieces randomly or in a repeating pattern onto skewers. The ingredients used made 6 skewers.

5. You can leave this to set in the fridge for 1 hour or simply cook straight away (as I have done). Yes, that's right. In the oven, preheated at 200C, for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

6. I grilled mine off for 5 minutes at the end to get that authentic charred look. Serve with lime wedges and a sprinkling of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves for that finishing touch.

Someone can't wait to get their hands on those skewers. I didn't add any salt to this recipe but feel free to add a pinch of salt and black pepper to the mix for the extra kick in flavour and heat.

If you enjoyed this recipe, then please feel free to like, credit me when you share and do leave me a comment in the relevant section below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

TS.

Guyanese Style Channa - My Father's Recipe

Okay, so I'm not entirely sure what makes this dish exclusively Guyanese other than the fact that my father was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana (which - for those of you who don't know - is in South America) and taught to cook this dish by his mother (my grandmother, who was a native born Arawak Amerindian). I'm assuming that this dish's exclusivity has something to do with the particular blend of spices that are required for this recipe, but who knows, really. That's why I'm calling this one my Guyanese Channa, in sentimental tribute to my father.

Obviously, there is a strong culinary influence in Guyana (and the West Indies alike) from places like India, China, Holland, France and even England. This is one of those dishes that pulls it's roots from India (hence the name) but transforms itself entirely into something else, in my opinion. So, do not expect something along the lines of the taste of curry at all, as my grandmother's recipe does not fall into the category of curried chickpeas. But, for all sake and purposes, this remains a Caribbean dish.

I normally make this dish using two to three cans of chickpeas but for the sake of simplicity and more reasonable serving sizes I'll moderate my recipe to accommodate just one can of these brilliant little peas, which are a total staple in my house.

You will need:

• 1 400g Can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), water drained away
• 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil (not an absolute necessity as you can easily cook all of this together by adding and evaporating water in gradual amounts)
• 1-2 Cloves of garlic, skins removed and minced
• 1 Red onion, skin removed and diced
• 1 Vegetable stock cube (I'm using the Knorr brand but any other brand will do, Maggi is a good one)
• 1 Level teaspoon of Dunn's River All Purpose Seasoning (a dried blend of salt, coriander, pimento, chillies, onion, paprika, celery and garlic)
• A tiny pinch of ground cumin, optional (I usually forgo the cumin as I'm not too fond of the flavour but most West Indians include it in their cooking; my nod to authenticity)
• 2 Shallots/Spring onions, ends and tips removed and sliced any way you prefer
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper to taste
• A handful of coriander, chopped leaves and stalks for cooking and some top leaves reserved to garnish (my personal influence at work here)
• 1 Red chilli, deseeded and sliced, optional (I haven't added fresh chillies this time out of sympathy for my lightweight kids but I definitely recommend adding for that extra kick)

*Optional: You can include red, yellow and green bell peppers during the initial stages of the cooking process of this recipe for added flavour and colour.

How To

1. Firstly, you will need a non-stick pan or wok (preferably one with a lid). Place the pan on a medium heat and add in the chickpeas, minced garlic, stock cube and the coconut oil (if you are forgoing the oil, add in about four table spoons of water, now). Turn the heat up high and stir until the stock cube dissolves.

2. Now, add in the cumin and the All Purpose Seasoning. Stir again and turn the heat down low (remembering to add water incrementally; use your judgement with the amount as you don't want it too wet but also not too dry or else it can burn). You can now add the diced red onions, shallots, black pepper and the handful of chopped coriander (remember to reserve a few of the leaves for garnishing at the end). Give it a good stir on a high heat for about 2 minutes.

3. Turn the heat down low and cover the pan with a lid and let the chickpeas simmer and soak up all those wonderful flavours for around 5 more minutes. You want the onions to retain a slight crunch.

4. Lift the lid and serve. Garnish with coriander and freshly sliced chillies if you dare.

This recipe calls for very little cooking time and is one of the most fuss-free dishes I've ever thrown together. Whenever I eat chickpeas cooked in this way, I'm overwhelmed by the nostalgic waves of my childhood and the long held memories of me and my father, sneakily sitting down in the dark of night listening to reggae music on the radio, are more profound to me in that moment than ever before.

Taste of Guyana

Sweet Yellow Chicken Curry

I came across this really great recipe by Jamie Oliver over on his website. The recipe was called 'Pukka Yellow Curry'. As it turned out, I had all of the ingredients to hand and figured, why not? And just like that, dinner was sorted. Granted that I never follow a recipe to the letter, I do think that I stuck pretty close to the original... With a few exceptions here and there, of course. I love the sweet warmth this recipe brings and it was a major hit with the kids; I didn't even get any complaints about it being 'chicken, again!'

You will need:

Conservatively serves 5

• 10 Quality chicken drumsticks, skins on
• 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1/2 A teaspoon of salt
• 2 Yellow bell peppers, one half grated/finely sliced; the remaining, roughly others chopped
• 2 White onions, skins peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tablespoon of minced ginger
• 60g Fresh coriander, leaves and stems (save a few of the leaves for garnishing)
• 1 Teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 Tablespoon of medium curry powder
• 1 Chicken stock cube
• 1 Tablespoon of runny honey
• 1 Teaspoon of tomato puree
• 1 400g can of chickpeas, water drained
• A pinch of black pepper
• 500ml of hot water
• Some plain natural yoghurt for serving, optional

How To:

1. Begin by preparing your vegetables and spices and ready them to one side.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large wok and brown the chicken, seasoning with some salt and a pinch of black pepper. Using some tongs, remove the chicken from the wok and let it rest aside on a plate.

3. Add the grated yellow peppers, half of the onions, minced garlic, ginger, finely chopped coriander stems to the juices left in the wok and cook for 5 minutes. Then add in the curry powder, turmeric, tomato puree, chicken stock cube, runny honey and chickpeas. Stir continuously on the heat until you have an even mixture. Add in the rest of the yellow peppers, onions and hot water. Bring to the boil.

4. Add the remaining yellow peppers and onions to the wok and stir. Now, lay your chicken in the wok and give it another good stir, spooning all of the ingredients over the drumsticks. Arrange the chicken so that the pieces fan outward.

5. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the liquids have reduced to a nice, rich and thickened consistency. Scatter the last of the coriander leaves and quickly spoon some yoghurt (in a circular motion) over the curry and you're good to go.

Your 'Sweet Yellow Chicken Curry' is now ready to be plated up or you can can bring it to the table and impress your guests by allowing them to self serve.

We are serving our curry with some white fluffy Basmati rice. Or, for something a little more fragrant, why not try my 'Flavourful Basmati Rice' recipe, which you can find here.

Zing-Tastic Baked Chicken Thighs & Mushrooms

 

I just L.O.V.E quick and easy-to-make recipes! Especially when I'm pushed for time and there are hungry mouths to feed. Well, these zesty chicken thighs are just the the ticket. I know, you're probably thinking 'not another chicken recipe,' right? I can assure you, we don't eat chicken everyday. In fact, we don't even eat all that much meat these days and certainly not on a daily basis. However, chicken -- along with fish -- does seem to be our meat of choice (over things like beef, lamb and pork). I will certainly be posting more vegetarian/vegan friendly articles in the near future especially given the fact that we are becoming far more conscientious of animal welfare/cruelty as a family.

For 9 servings, you will need:

• 9 Quality chicken thighs (skins on and bones in)
• 10 fresh white mushrooms, halved (do not remove the outer skins, simply wipe away any dirt using a kitchen towel)
• 5 Cloves of garlic (skins on)
• 5 Sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 Whole lemon (sliced lengthways into 8 wedges)
• 1-2 Large ripe tomatoes (cut into 8 wedges)
• 1 Level teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 Level teaspoon of salt
• Varying amounts of boiled water from the kettle

How To:

1. Begin by preparing all of your ingredients to save time. Then heat a large wok on a medium- high heat. Lay the chicken thighs skin side down in the wok. Using a skillet/spatula, apply pressure to the thighs by pressing them down. This should help to release the oils from the skin relatively quickly. This will be the only oil you use in this recipe.

2. Add some boiled water from the kettle and let it sizzle for 1 minute. Then quickly throw in your garlic and 2 sprigs of thyme. Sprinkle over the salt and black pepper. Now give the wok a good shake to get the ingredients coated all over the chicken. Add more water as necessary (making sure not to let the wok cook dry) and keep the heat high. Cook skin-down for 5-7 minutes and then turn the thighs, repeating the same procedure. Remember to add hot water incrementally and as needed.

3. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius.

4. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken into a large baking tray (skin side up), retaining the juices in the wok. Leave the chicken to rest. Bring your attention back to the wok. Remember those mushrooms? This is where they come in; add them to the wok and cook for 5 minutes in the chicken juices but do not let the wok run dry. Add in the last 3 sprigs of thyme and give everything a good stir.

5. Add the mushroom and any juices into the tray with the chicken arranging everything neatly flat and side-by-side. Add the tomatoes and lemon wedges to the tray and bake in the oven (reduce heat to 200 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes or until cooked.

Your main dish is ready to be plated or served family-style at the dinner table. Why not try serving alongside some baked baby potatoes and crunchy chunks of bell peppers sautéed in a splash of white wine vinegar and soy sauce.

Breakfast: Delicious Scrambled Eggs, Rice & Bell Peppers

After reading one of Yotam Ottolenghi's foodie articles on the Guardian's website (which you can find here), I was inspired to recreate my own version. Eggs are a staple breakfast in our house but there are only so many ways one can take eggs before they become a little boring. Eggs, boiled hard or soft, scrambled, poached or even an omelette will usually suit me fine but when you have three kids it's not always so easy to please the entire clan. Lightly scrambled, cheesy eggs are my personal, all-time favourite; there truly is something so comforting (childhood nostalgia kicking in here) about scrambled eggs.

If you click on the link in this post, you will find that I have sort of amalgamated two of Ottolenghi's recipes and, having dropped a few ingredients here or there, created one of my own.

You will need:

• 6 medium free range eggs, beaten
• 3 cloves of garlic, skins removed and minced in a garlic press
• 2 medium red onions, skins removed and sliced lengthways
• 1 red bell pepper, cores and seeds removed, sliced lengthways
• 1 orange bell pepper, cores and seeds removed, sliced lengthways
• 1 cup of frozen green peas
• 2 cups of cooked basmati rice
• 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
• 1/2 a teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, plus some extra to scramble the eggs
• A bunch of freshly chopped coriander leaves, stems included
• 1 green chilli, seeds removed and sliced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Serves 5-6

1.  Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk them with a fork until smooth, leave to sit.

2.  Heat the coconut oil in a large non-stick pan/wok and add in the garlic, peppers, peas and onions. Cook them until soft (feel free to leave a bit of crunch if you prefer), add in the sweet paprika, ground coriander and cumin. Stir until the spices have evenly coated your vegetables.

3.  Now you can add in the cooked rice and fresh coriander. On a low heat, stir the ingredients gently to mix well. Add any salt or black pepper.

4.  Make a well in your pan by pushing your vegetable rice aside to line the outskirts of the pan. It should look like a hollow ring. Turn the heat up slightly and add in a little more coconut oil. Once it has melted you can pour in the eggs. Be careful not to burn anything as you will need to scramble your eggs in the well you made.

Once you have the right consistency, you can serve the entire pan at the table for everybody to help themselves. Don't forget to serve it with some fresh orange juice. A great tuck-in weekend breakfast for the whole family to enjoy!

Flavourful Basmati Rice

As promised in my last post, here is the recipe for my perfectly aromatic basmati rice. The perfect complement  to my 'Minty Minced Lamb' dish.

For the rice, you will need:

• 2 cups of white basmati rice
• 5 cardamom pods, cracked to release flavour
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cracked black peppercorns
• 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
• Hot water, boiled

Instructions:

1.  Fill you kettle and put it on to boil.

2.  While your kettle is boiling, wash your rice (in the pot you are going to cook it in) underneath a running tap (for best results I use the hot tap, much faster) until the water runs clear. Apparently, this removes some of the excess starch in the rice. I have personally found that by rinsing rice before cooking, it gives the grains that fluffy, loose and less clumped together texture. It can also be better for digestion (or at least it does in my case).

3.  Place your pot on the hob and add your cardamom pods, whole cloves, cracked black peppercorns and salt into the pot with your rice. Stir.

4.  Turn on the hob and pour in enough hot water from the kettle to cover the rice (about an inch above rice level). Stir again and once the water comes to a boil, cover your pot with a lid and turn the heat down low and simmer until the water has been absorbed and the rice has cooked. This should take around 10 minutes.

If you missed my last post, you can find the link to the perfect accompaniment to this rice dish, here.

Minty Minced Lamb

I first cooked this dish over a decade ago and despite it being so well received by family and friends, I haven't really served this up as often as some would like me to... So sorry. But here it is for you all to try at home yourselves, whether you are entertaining or simply feeding the masses, this dish is filling and full of aromatic flavour. This recipe will generally serve a family of 4-5 and depending on portion sizes, you might be able to stretch that number to 6 people.

For the lamb, you will need:

• 500g of fresh lean minced lamb
• 2 medium sized white onions, skins peeled and diced
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced in a garlic crusher for best results
• 5 cardamom pods, remove shells and keep the seeds
• 1 heaped teaspoon of dijon mustard
• 1 heaped teaspoon of pureed lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon of madras powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of fenugreek, a very important ingredient for your store cupboard (essential for curries).
• 1 red chilli, seeded and diced
• 1 green chilli, seeded and diced
• 2 cups of fresh carrots, cubed small
• 2 cups of frozen green peas
• 1 tablespoon of mint sauce
• Juice of half a lemon
• Juice of half a lime
• Salt and black pepper to taste

NB There is no need for any oil with this recipe. As you will see, plenty of naturals oils will be released from the lamb.

1.  In a non-stick pan, gently begin cooking your minced lamb. You will notice the colour of the meat turning pale brown. You should add in you onions, garlic, cardamom, mustard and lemongrass, now. Allow it to cook for five minutes on a medium heat.

2.  A decent amount of natural oils and juices will be released from the meat. This is fine. At this point you should add in your madras powder, ground cumin, fenugreek, mint sauce and the red and green chillies.

3.  Stir thoroughly and ones the mince has been evenly seasoned, you can add the carrots and peas. Turn the heat down low and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

4.  Drizzle over your lemon and lime juice and season with salt and black pepper.

Serve your minty minced lamb with some flavourful boiled basmati rice. I will be sharing the recipe to my perfectly complimentary style of aromatic rice in my next post, so keep an eye out (by following my page on Instagram) and check-in soon.

My Broad Bean Tomato Salad

Try making this broad bean salad and you won't regret it, I promise. It is so simple and easy to make. As a last resort, I've used frozen broad beans in this recipe. But feel free to use fresh produce whenever possible. I really enjoy the chewy texture of the beans - so much in fact that I could eat them as they are - but they seriously give this salad such an incredibly substantive quality, a leafy green salad alone seems boring.

For the broad beans by themselves, you will need:

• 750g of frozen broad beans
• 1 cup of hot water, from the kettle
• 0.5 teaspoon of salt
• 0.5 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, freshly crushed and then finely chopped

How to:

In a large non-stick wok/pan, add the broad beans and a cup of hot water and cook (for about 10-15 minutes) on a medium heat until the water has reduced and the beans have cooked though.

Lower the heat. You might need to add a little more water at various intervals to ensure they soften.

Season with salt and black pepper and stir until the water has evaporated. Turn the heat down and drizzle with olive oil and add the crushed garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes.

For the salad mix, you will need:

• 3 large vine ripened tomatoes, stems and cores removed and chopped into cubes
• a handful of coriander leaves, chopped (be sure to include those flavourful stems)
• a pinch of sea salt for flavour

How To:

With your freshly cooked broad beans happily set aside, combine your chopped tomatoes with the coriander leaves and fold together, gently season with some sea salt and some extra black pepper if you want that extra kick.

Combine your broad beans and tomatoes well, serve and garnish with a little more coriander.

***

Suggestion

If you're like us and you have guests over for dinner, you can serve your broad bean salad with some freshly pan-fried salmon, it will certainly take your dish that little bit further.

Not to mention, you'll get points for serving up a pretty plate. Enjoy!

My Sweet Mango & Spicy Mustard Turkey Fingers.

Try making these two different types of turkey fingers at home. I created this recipe as a great and healthier alternative to sausages, which are often laden with preservatives and other unsavoury ingredients we wouldn't voluntarily consume. I made these the other day with my daughters; they are a wonderful way to get the kids involved in the cooking process and to keep them informed of the healthier food options available.

Family Feast: Steamed veggies, fresh salad, two different types of turkey fingers and the kids new craze - fusilli.

For the sweet mango fingers, you will need:

• 250g of fresh turkey mince
• 1 tablespoon of good quality mango chutney (I have used Wilkin & Sons Ltd. Tiptree Mango Chutney)
• fresh basil leaves from 2 sprigs
• pinch of sea salt
• pinch on ground black pepper

For the spicy mango fingers, you will need:

• 250g of fresh turkey mince
• 1 teaspoon of Maille's Honey Dijon mustard
• 1 clove of freshly crushed garlic
• fresh thyme leaves from 2 sprigs (stalks discarded)
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped (seeds discarded)
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Mix the appropriate ingredients thoroughly in separate bowls and set aside on baking parchment for ten minutes while the mince absorbs all the wonderful herds and flavours. Place on a tray in the middle of the oven and once you have closed the door turn the heat down to 180 degrees Celsius. Cook for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy with a delicious tomato and rocket leaf side salad on a hot summers day or accompanied by a warm and comforting serving of steamed broccoli and cauliflower. We decided to go for both as the beautiful British weather can never make up it's mind as to whether it wants to be hot or cold... Or drizzling, or all three at the same time.

My girls are currently mad about fusilli pasta, which is easy enough to make - just season it with pepper, salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the end.

Let me know if you try these fingers or if you have any recommendations, leave me a comment below.

Spring Break, Play Dates & Chocolate Cake

I've been so bad with any kind of regular posting on this blog despite having made a promise to keep it updated. But as I always say, "life really does run away with you sometimes" and we've been so preoccupied lately; it's been hard to find time to write anything.

Although, this doesn't mean that I haven't been mentally taking note of numerous ideas to write about, I just have to put it out there into the ether, so to speak. We are currently in the process of wrapping up our Spring Break, which was a much needed two week-long (*happy face*) relief from the various bouts of illness we've all been contracting from school. It is so nice to have decent, quality time with the girls, I'm talking about the kind of time that spans longer than a weekend.

We've had some rather interesting and chuckle-worthy conversations, we've cooked together, gotten homework out of the way (albeit one newspaper report currently being completed), honoured our plans of play-dates at the park, celebrated birthdays and visited friends and family. A lot got done this holiday! The kids couldn't have been happier but it would seem a whole two weeks of fun and games is enough for now as the girls can't wait to go back to school on Monday. I've loved, loved, loved having them home and under my mothering eye.

Play Date: Burning off some energy at Valentines Park.

So, with the usual and somewhat monotonous school-run looming, I have a few recipes in the works, one of which I am sharing with you in this post. I hope your taste buds find it flavourful and fulfilling, no matter what the day. Sometimes, we all just want a little slice of cake.

Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Cake

A friend of mine directed me to this recipe some time ago and this is the second time I have made this cake. It is incredibly calorific and I personally find that it feels heavier than most flour based cakes but it tastes absolutely divine. You can find the link to this recipe here and also another version can be found here. My method is a little more straight forward as I don't separate the egg yolks from the whites and I might vary some ingredients and measurements as these have suited my needs and preferences better. Overall, you end up with a deliciously rich chocolate cake with an almost fudge-like texture.

Gluten Free: Delectable and moist chocolate almond cake.

You will need:

• 150g of ground almonds
• 110g of melted butter
• 100g of dark chocolate (I use Lindt Excellence 90% Cocoa)
• 100g of molasses sugar
• 4 large free range eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 50ml of almond milk

• 9" Baking tin/spring form tin and baking parchment (to line the bottom of the baking tin)

Birthday Cake: The kids can't get enough of this cake; layered with fresh strawberries from the market.

Method

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate in the microwave but do not let it get too hot. The best way to do this is to break the chocolate into small pieces and cube your butter before placing it in a microwaveable bowl and heating. It should only take approximately two minutes. Then add the vanilla extract.

Whisk the eggs well and add the almond milk. Combine the sugar with the butter and chocolate mixture and add into the eggs while blending. Add the ground almonds and combine the entire cake batter evenly.

Pour the batter into the lined baking tin and place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cooked in the middle. Test by inserting a toothpick; if it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Let it cool before you line with (quartered length wise) fresh strawberries.

A Cake Worthy of a Birthday Celebration.