Traditional Fish & Chips
You don’t have to go to the “chippie” to get traditional fish & chips. Serve with salt and malt vinegar.
INGREDIENTS
4 Large Pieces of Either Cod or Haddock
2 ½ Pounds Potatoes
Sunflower Seed Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Batter
7 Ounces Unbleached Flour
1 Large Egg
2 ½ Ounces Milk
2 ½ Ounces Water
2 Tablespoons Dark Beer
Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips. You should cook them after you start cooking the fish. Place them covered in water to stop them going brown. Set aside. Make the batter mixture by putting the flour into a large bowl. Whisk the egg and add the 2 tablespoons of dark beer in a separate bowl. Now pour the whisked egg into the flour adding the milk and water. Beat until smooth. Leave batter stand for an hour.
Heat a deep and heavy pan filled with enough oil to cover the chips. Make sure that the oil gets hot. If you drop in a tiny piece of potato and it immediately starts to sizzle then the oil is hot enough.
Heat another pan of oil just deep enough to cover the fish. Individually put each fish fillet into the batter. Slide the fish pieces back and forth to cover with the batter. Lift out the fish pieces and allow to drip for a moment and then repeat. This makes certain that the fish is completely covered in batter. Lower the battered fish into the hot oil skin side to the bottom of the pan to stop the fillet from curling as it heats. Now cook one fillet at a time. After 5 minutes turn the fish over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the second fillet, keeping the first cooked fillet warm in the oven. Now it is time to put the chips in the pan to cook. Take care as the oil might froth as the wet chips go in. This is normal, but be careful not to burn yourself. Carry on cooking the other two fillets and put them in the oven to keep warm. Lift out the chips when they reach a nice golden brown color and are cooked through. Use a mesh spoon to lift the chips out and let the oil drip back into the pan. Serve on plates or newspapers with the fish nestling on a bed of chips. Malt vinegar, salt & ketchup, YUM! Serves 4
Lamb Vindaloo
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Cubed Lamb
1 Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 Teaspoons Mustard Seeds
5 Black Peppercorns
5 Cloves
5 Dried Red Chilies
1 Cinnamon Stick
½ Teaspoon Cardamom Seeds
½ Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
6 Chopped Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Chopped Ginger
1 Cup Wine Vinegar
5 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
16 Ounces Canned Tomatoes
1 Cup Water
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and fry the whole spices until browned. Grind them to a fine powder. Stir in the turmeric and salt. Blend the powder with the garlic, ginger and 4 tablespoons of wine vinegar to a smooth paste in a food processor. Rub the paste into the meat and leave to marinate overnight.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the onions over a medium heat until golden brown. Add the lamb and fry for 15 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the tomatoes and fry until all the liquid has been absorbed and the oil appears on the surface. Add the remaining wine vinegar and water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 40 minutes until the meat is tender. Serves 4
Vegetable Samosa
INGREDIENTS
1 Finely Chopped Potato
1 Cup Lentils
1 Cup Peas
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Finely Chopped Onion
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Wheat Flour
3 Cups Maida Flour
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1 Crushed Garlic Clove
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Warm Water
¼ Cup Water
Deep Fryer
In a large skillet heat oil. When oil is hot add the onion, garlic, curry powder, cumin seeds and chili powder. Cook for 1 minute. Next add the lentils and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, peas and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Blend 1 teaspoon flour with ¼ cup of water and add to the boiling mixture. As the mixture thickens, remove from the heat and let it cool. To make the dough, mix 3 tablespoons oil with the maida flour, add the cumin and gradually stir in the warm water with the salt to form a fairly stiff dough. Cover and let it stand for half an hour. Divide the dough in half. Roll out each to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into rounds by using a 3 ½ inch cutter. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each round. Brush edges lightly with water and fold in half or in the form of a triangle. Press edges with your thumb and finger. Deep fry the samosas to a golden brown. Drain the excel oil by putting samosas on paper towels. Serve with Pudina (Mint) Chutney. Makes approximately 12 samosas
Lamb Korma
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Cubed Lamb
4 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt
3 Chopped Onions
3 Chopped Garlic Cloves
2 Inches Ginger
3 Tablespoons Ghee
8 Crushed Black Peppercorns
4 Coarsely Crushed Green Cardamom Pods
2 Crushed Cloves
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
2 Cups Water
¼ Teaspoon Salt
Fresh Chopped Coriander
Place 2 of the onions, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Heat the ghee in a large skillet and add the remaining roughly chopped onion. Stir frequently and fry to a pale golden color. Add the crushed spices, salt and lamb. Stir constantly and fry the meat for 5 to 8 minutes to a rich brown color. The ghee will start to separate at this stage. Add the ground onion paste. Continue to stir for another 10 minutes until the mixture is well browned. Add the chili powder and ground coriander. Stir well. Add the yogurt 1 tablespoon at a time stirring continuously. Fry until the ghee again starts to separate. Soon the sauce (masala) will start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the water at this stage and mix well. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce the heat. Simmer for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh coriander. Serves 4
Tandoori Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Boneless Chicken
2 Sliced Onions
2 Lemons
5 Whole Green Chilies
3 Tablespoons Onion Paste
½ Teaspoon Ginger Paste
½ Teaspoon Garlic Paste
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Tablespoon Cinnamon Powder
¼ Tablespoon Clove Powder
2 Tablespoons Oil
Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Mix onion paste, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander, cumin, yogurt, salt, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon oil and clove powder into a medium sized bowl. Mix well. In a large bowl place all of the chicken pieces and pour the spice mixture over the chicken. I like to use the zip lock bags for marinating. Make certain that all of the chicken pieces are covered with the marinade. Chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours. When ready to cook preheat the oven to 450° F. Oil a large flat baking sheet. Place the chicken on prepared baking sheet one by one in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with sliced onions and sliced lemons. Serves 4
Butter Chicken
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
2 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
2 Teaspoons Grated Fresh Ginger
2 Crushed Garlic Cloves
4 Chopped Chicken Breasts
4 Ounces Roasted Cashews
2 Ounces Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Sunflower Oil
1 Finely Chopped Medium Sized Onion
1 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Bay Leaf
2 Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
14 Ounces Canned Crushed Tomatoes
5 Ounces Chicken Stock
1 Cup Thickened Cream
Combine yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, chili, cumin, ginger and garlic in a medium sized bowl. Add chicken and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Reserve half of the roasted cashews and place remaining cashews in a food processor. Process until finely ground.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Reduce heat to low and then add chicken and marinade, paprika, tomato puree, cashew powder and chicken stock. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in cream and cook for another 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining cashews, chopped coriander and serve with rice. Serves 4
Lamb Kebabs
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Boneless Lamb
1 Cup Yogurt
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
¼ Teaspoon Salt
To Be Ground Into Paste:
1 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 Cup Mint Leaves
3 Green Chilies
1 ½ Inches Ginger Piece
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Cup Raw Papaya
Grind the coriander leave, mint leaves, chilies, ginger, garlic and papaya into a paste either in a food processor or blender. Combine paste, yogurt, lemon juice and salt. Coat the lamb pieces with the sauce and marinate overnight or at least five hours. I like to marinate in a large zip lock bag. When you are ready to cook the lamb, remove from marinade and skewer these pieces through a kebab rod and grill over a fire such that they are evenly reddish brown. Serve with onion pieces, lemon wedges and naan. Serves 4
Chicken Curry
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breasts
3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Ginger
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Finely Chopped Onion
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Finely Chopped Green Chili
2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
3 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
Heat olive oil in a medium size pan. Dice chicken breasts and sauté until golden brown. Remove and drain. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté until golden brown as well. Add all of the spices and sauté for another minute. Add chicken broth and water and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces and cover the pan and let it cook for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes add the coconut milk and cook for another 1 minute. Serve over basmati rice. Serves 4
Deviled Ham Tea Sandwiches
My childhood consisted of deviled ham sandwiches and Ball Park franks (“they plump when you cook em’). I loved opening up a tin of Underwood Deviled Ham and spreading it all over Wonder Bread. Talk about salt! This homemade deviled ham recipe is creamy and just a bit spicy. Serve it scooped onto lettuce leaves as a light lunch, too.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Finely Chopped Smoked Ham
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Teaspoon Hot Sauce of Your Choice
12 Slices Thinly Sliced Sandwich Bread
In a medium bowl mix together ham, mayonnaise, parsley, green onions, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cover and chill deviled ham for at least 2 hours. Divide deviled ham between 6 slices of bread and spread out evenly with a knife. Top with remaining slices of bread and press each sandwich down lightly. Remove crusts and cut in halves or quarters. Transfer to platter and serve immediately or cover platter with a slightly dampened paper towel and plastic wrap – then refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 6
Tilapia Ceviche
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Diced Tilapia Fillets
1 Cup Lime Juice
½ Cup Seeded Chopped Tomato
½ Peeled/Seeded & Finely Diced Cucumber
½ Cup Finely Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro Leaves
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
1 Serrano Chile
6 Grilled Tostadas
1 Halved/Pitted/Peeled & Thinly Sliced Avocado
1 Lime Cut Into Wedges
Put the tilapia in a medium sized bowl. Pour the lime juice (about 8 limes) over the fish and mix gently to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until the fish is white throughout. This should take about 20 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and drain off the lime juice. Gently squeeze the fish with your hands and discard the lime juice. Add the tomato, cucumber, onion and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the hot sauce and chile.
To grill the tortillas heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Put the tortillas on the grill or grill pan and let them dry out until they are crunchy. If you would rather used readymade tostadas you can do that as well.
Top the tostadas generously with the ceviche. Arrange the avocado slices on top of the ceviche and serve immediately with the lime wedges alongside. Serves 6
