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.

M.A.C Viva Glam I Lipstick and Brick Lip Pencil

I love lipsticks by MAC Cosmetics, if not solely, for their vanilla scent. They smell seriously delicious. I recently picked up MAC's 'Viva Glam I' lipstick and on their websites recommendation, a lip pencil in the shade 'Brick'.

Viva Glam is a rich, medium-dark, old Hollywood kind of red with some subtle hues of brown, which gives it a muted cool feel. I love this shade so much that I've worn it on multiple occasions already (including the school run with the kids).

Classic Black: Sleek MAC packaging at its finest.

Little Bullet

I've wore this lipstick practically the entire day. Between running errands, coffee breaks, lunch, work and a school run, I only had to reapply once! The light matte feel was reassuring in the sense that I wasn't constantly topping up. Only negative is that, despite its staying power, it can smudge a little if you're not careful. Give me a dark lipstick that doesn't smudge and I'd be eternally happy. Currently on the market for a burgundy lip.

I liked the liner, although I don't know if I'd use it with every application as I think the lipstick lasts well enough on its own. But Brick does compliment Viva Glam I perfectly and they blend well together, so if you were conflicted over what lip liner to choose then, I'd say, Brick is definitely the one.

Viva Glam I is the right shade of 'sultry vamp' meets 'red carpet glamour'. I like the fact that this lipstick gives my look a darker edge than, say, a strikingly bright red. I can wear it during the day with neutral eyes or at night with a more smoky look. It's flexible and allows for you to dress it up or down. Viva Glam I gets a definite recommendation.

My complexion is fair with a slight undertone of yellow and this lipstick suits me just fine. Combined with my long dark hair and some minimal eye make-up, you really can't go wrong.

Old Hollywood Glamour

M.A.C's Viva Glam I Lipstick

The Storm Chronicles Verdict:

Glamorous | Old Hollywood | Vamp | Statement Lips | Day-to-Night Look

A Stormy Halloween!

We had a relatively low-key Halloween this year despite the holiday falling on a weekend AND during our half-term break - so, while we didn't get all vamped up, we did manage to hang a few decorations and bake a few cupcakes (more on those in another post) for the kids. I threw together a few party snacks and just sat back with a nice cup of tea and let our little minions have at the table.

Last year was way more productive; we went all out with the Snazaroo face paints. I wanted to create a more serious and authentic looking skull rather than the cuter sugar skull counterparts. That meant using the classic black and white paints, which were great to use on the kids' delicate skin. The husband opted for a more timely and applicable black metal look, which he pulls off smoulderingly effortlessly.

The Storms' Halloween Portraits

The Axe King

Obviously, I couldn't resist sharing some of our 'Family Halloween Portraits' from last year (2014). I really enjoyed painting everyone's faces, my own included. It was the first time I tried my hand at this, so I was pleasantly surprised.

The Storm Matriarch

The Divergent Duo

The Berserker

~ Happy Halloween ~

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!