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LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE BE THY FOOD

My wish for you is to Live Better, Strive Harder, Be Bolder, Dream Bigger, Climb Higher and Seek Greater.
My vision is to help people create food that is delicious, easy to make and high in nutrition,
so that food once more becomes a vehicle to fuel your body, mind and soul.

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart (No-Bake, Gluten Free, No-added Sugar, Dairy Free )

By , September 26, 2016

 

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Everybody needs a treat now and then, something indulgent, something so good it is bad…or in the case of this recipe, something sooo good and not bad at all!

I found this recipe in Vegan Life. A guilt free chocolate, salted caramel tart, with a healthier combination of ingredients than most cereal bars. The tart is 80% nuts and dates and doesn’t take much time or method, with the trusty blender back in action.

The caramel combination is tasty enough to make and eat on its own, and can be served with my banana pancakes or as a simple energy pot. Mr. B licked several spoons and bowls in the making of this recipe and felt like it gave him an energy boost for a number of hours afterwards, provoking him into going for a run so he could come back and eat some more.

You can make this vegan/dairy free by using vegan chocolate, or use milk chocolate if you prefer.

Ingredients

Base:

  • 150g (1 cup) hazelnuts
  • 150g (1 cup) almonds
  • 100g (1/2 cup) pitted dates
  • 1 tbsp. organic vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil

Caramel layer

  • 300g (1.5 cups) pitted dates
  • 150g (1/2 cup) cashew butter
  • 10-12 tbsp. water
  • 10 tbsp. coconut oil
  • ½ tsp. sea salt

Chocolate layer

  • 300g (2 cups) good quality vegan dark chocolate

Optional:

  • You can use walnuts instead of hazelnuts
  • You can use milk chocolate if you are not vegan
  • You can use a flavored chocolate if you want to add a different dimension, e.g. mint chocolate

Method

  • Line the base of a 24cm round non-stick cake tin with baking paper
  • To make the base, blend the nuts to a flour-like consistency in a blender. Add the dates, vanilla extract and coconut oil and blend again till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Press it firmly into the base of the tin, making sure it is evenly spread
  • Put all the ingredients for the caramel layer into the same blender (it should be reasonably clean) and blend till super-smooth and caramel-like. This may take 5-10 minutes depending on how powerful your blender is. You may need to add water if it is a bit clumpy rather than smooth
  • Spread evenly on the top of the base layer in the tin, doing your best to smooth the caramel layer. Place in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate
  • Gently melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Remove from the heat and pour over the caramel layer
  • Put into the fridge and leave to set until the chocolate is solid. Use a hot knife to cut this tart, it will help to cut through the chocolate without it cracking

Broccoli, pea and rice noodle stir-fry with a fried egg

By , September 18, 2016

broccoli-and-pea-stir-fry

This is a sumptuous week day dinner that is light and refreshing and full of vitamins, super foods and protein. It takes 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook, so is easy when you need to eat something comforting with substance but not stodge.

Its gluten, lactose, soya, nut and meat free and the use of ginger and garlic adds not only to the health benefits but also to the aroma coming from the kitchen.

The dish is vegetarian, but can be made vegan by substituting the egg for tempeh or cooked firm tofu. Alternatively if you prefer to add meat or fish, pre-cooked prawns or chicken would do the trick.

As you know by now, I am a big fan of adding an egg to a noodle or rice dish, poached or fried but with a running yoke, as it gives a little extra richness to the dish.

A little digression therefore on eggs, since I have been doing some extra research to make sure the eggs I buy are ethical and by that I mean clean and humane. As you know, I was vegetarian in my youth for over 15 years due to the lack of humane certified meat available.

Today we do have a choice as consumers, and therefore I have personally reintroduced sustainable fish and some meat alongside the practice of mindful eating. (I just heard a few of you audibly yawn; yes I can hear you through the Internet!!)

Don’t dismiss mindful eating out of hand just yet, it is not a diet or about giving up anything (now you are intrigued…), it is about experiencing food, whatever it may be, more intensely and pleasurably. Harvard and Cornell University recently have published some papers and blog articles on how mindful eating could be the costless solution in the fight against obesity and a mindful lunch hour has recently become part of the schedule at Google. Not so happy-clappy-hippy-dippy now hey!!

Here is a quality article, with a nice snappy title, from the New York Times if you would like to read more;

In moving to the USA I found I was frequently baffled by the amount of choice, but also what the different labels mean. Some of the labels in the USA on egg cartons are; Organic, Non-GMO, Vegetarian Feed, Free-range, Pasture raised, Natural, No-added hormones, Animal Welfare Approved and Humane.

You can see where the confusion comes, and to be honest that is because there is less regulation in food and agriculture than you would think. Humane for example is not regulated by the USDA and No-added Hormones makes no sense as hormones and steroids are not allowed in poultry so you actually want to look for a label that indicates no antibiotics.

I won’t go into too much detail, but needless to say, it is worth some investigation to understand what you are actually buying and eating. I myself use Vital Farm eggs in the USA and Clarence Court eggs in the UK. Both of which make their practices abundantly clear on their packaging and respective websites.

Here are some links if you would like to know more;

http://goop.com/decoding-the-carton-how-to-buy-clean-humane-eggs/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkadvice/11411975/What-are-the-most-ethical-eggs-you-can-buy.html

This recipe was taken and adapted from vegetarian living. I made double portions, one for lunch and one for dinner the next day and Mr. B ate both (and so did I), needless to say therefore that the below recipe should serve 4.

Ingredients

  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 200g frozen peas
  • 2-3 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 10g ginger, peeled and julienned
  • 300g, cooked rice noodles
  • 4 free range eggs
  • 1 tbsp. black or white sesame seeds
  • 1 red chili, finely chopped

For the sauce

  • 30g ginger, finely grated
  • 3 tbsp. tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp. mirin
  • ½ tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil

Method

  • Cover the broccoli and peas with boiling water, leave for 5 minutes to simmer, drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside.
  • Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside
  • Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan or wok, when smoking hot, stir-fry the spring onions, garlic, ginger for 60 seconds. Now add the broccoli, peas and noodles. Stir in the sauce and allow to bubble for a few minutes.
  • Place another frying pan on to high heat with a little oil and fry the eggs to your liking.
  • Serve the noodles topped with a fried egg and garnish with the sesame seeds and chopped chili.
  • Delish!

7-Minute Gluten Free Pizza

By , August 30, 2016

Gluten free pizza

I love this recipe, for its simplicity.

It’s a healthy version of pizza, with the wrap only 90kcal and takes less than 10 minutes. It’s so easy you can make individual ones for the family and your guests with their favorite toppings, before the wine has even been poured.

Its great for a mid week dinner, when you are time deficient and craving something naughty, allowing for indulgence without the indulgence!

We always have cheese and salami around being a good Italian family household, but any combination works well, with some of Mr. B’s favorites being blue cheese, fig and prosciutto and goats cheese, rocket and balsamic glaze, both being sans tomato. (Who said you couldn’t change a man, or at least a mans palate?!…)

Ingredients

  • 1 gluten free wrap (I use Joseph’s – USA brand)
  • 1 tbsp. tomato puree
  • 2 ounces hard goats cheese
  • 4 thin slices salami or other vegetarian or meat topping

Method

  • Heat oven to 180C/ 350F
  • Spread tomato puree evenly onto the gluten free wrap
  • Sprinkle cheese on top, try to leave ½ inch around the edges (makes it easier not to spill the cheese in the oven)
  • Add your preference of topping
  • Pre-heat the oven for 3 minutes while you are preparing the pizza
  • Place the wrap directly in the oven (this allows for the bottom of the wrap to become crispy)
  • Take the wrap out when the cheese has melted and the bottom is crispy. This shouldn’t take longer than 4 minutes.
  • It will take you longer to cook than to eat!

Courgette (Zucchini), Feta and Brown Rice Torta (Pastry-less quiche)

By , August 26, 2016

 

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Quiche without pastry, whatever next?!

I found this recipe in my favorite magazine from the UK, (Grazia) that my mum is kind enough to send over with friends and relatives in amazing care packages, which also include delights such as earl grey tea, Waitrose chef ingredients and M&S underwear.

The magazine always includes a new and ‘up and coming’ healthy food blog and a few of the featured recipes. This recipe caught my eye as it looks like a quiche but has no pastry and so is good for those who are gluten free. It also uses sheep cheese, so good for those who are lactose/cow milk sensitivity.

The blog is a feel good life style blog; http://calgaryavansino.com

The only adaption I made was to substitute wild rice for brown rice, as I personally prefer the taste and texture.

Ingredients

  • 300g brown rice/wild rice, cooked and cooled
  • 130g feta sheep cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
  • 400g (4-6) courgettes, cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Small bunch fresh basil leaves (picked, washed and finely chopped)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Method

  • Heat oven to 180C/ 350F
  • Coat a casserole or quiche dish with the coconut oil
  • Combine the cooled rice and half of the feta cheese in a bowl and then press firmly into the dish
  • Steam the courgette slices until al dente (5 minutes or so). Then press the corgette slices between paper towels to remove excess water and combine it in a bowl together with the other half of the feta cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper, place this mixture evenly over the rice.
  • Using the same mixing bowl, add in the eggs and basil, stir well and then pour the mixture over the courgette layer
  • Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden and the eggs have cooked through
  • Leave for 5 minutes to cool down before serving

Almond and Orange Cake (Gluten and Dairy Free)

By , August 22, 2016

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Moist and mouth watering 

I featured a recipe using PAN flour (white corn maize), at the end of last year, using it to make some Arepa’s for Mr. B. https://tasha.kitchen/2015/12/06/arepas-corn-cakes/

PAN is most often used for Mexican food, for tortillas, tamales, arepa’s and empanadas. It can also be used for gluten free pancakes, pizza, cakes and flatbread. It is pretty versatile and I plan to feature it a lot more.

I found this recipe on http://veggiedesserts.co.uk as I was looking for a gluten free cake for a friend of mine. The blog is beautifully written, with some really interesting and healthy dishes. I followed the recipe for the cake and then substituted the coconut cardamom icing, with my avocado chocolate pudding. I have to say it went down a treat and I’ll be making it for future events. One of its nicest features is its lightness and that it stays moist for days due to the lack of dairy and the use of orange juice and oil.

Ingredients

  • 150ml (⅔ cup) vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. coconut oil
  • 100g (½ cup) brown sugar
  • 3 organic free-range eggs
  • 100g (1/2 cup) Gluten-Free (Harina PAN) corn flour
  • 200g (2 cups) ground almonds
  • 1½ tsp. gluten free baking powder
  • Juice of 2 oranges
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Method

  • Heat oven to 180C/ 350F
  • Grease a 9 inch baking pan with coconut oil
  • In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and sugar together for a few minutes
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the remaining cake ingredients and combine well.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
  • Cook for 40-45 minutes until the surface is lightly brown and the cake comes away slightly from the sides of the tin.
  • Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before carefully turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. This can served on its own or topped with one of my dairy free chocolate recipes (try my coco loco, avocado chocolate pudding or home made Nutella recipes).

Moong Dal (a.k.a. Mug/Wednesday Dal)

By , July 31, 2016

Food is everything we are; it’s an extension of identity, your personal history, your childhood, your development, your family tree and your grandma’s love.

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Life is short: Eat healthy, breath deeply, love limitlessly.

We used to call this dish Mug growing up and as a kid I used to make a lot of fuss when I was served it. The Moong Dal when cooked is a yellow green due to the green of the moong bean and the yellow of the turmeric added. I didn’t like the color much and so used to whine. As I got older I missed the wholesome qualities of this warming dish, with the deep notes of garlic and ginger and just that hint of fragrant spices and would ask my grandma to make it for me so I could freeze it and eat it once a week. As I cooked this dish, the memories of my grandma cooking it every Wednesday came back, those amazing aromas that I now miss so much.

Thank you Mama for your open arms, your listening ears and your unconditional love. You loved me from when I was born, but I loved you all my life; always on my mind, forever in my heart.

I decided to make this recipe as it takes less process that most lentil dishes and can be done in less than 30 minutes.

I am also working in collaboration with my mum on the Indian dishes and she is kindly trying them out so she is able to help me recreate them accurately. This as you can imagine takes time and I’ll therefore be switching back and fourth from the Indian to other tasha.kitchen healthy recipes.

I adapted a recipe from http://vegetarian.about.com, with a few edits from my memory and my mum’s tips.

Moong Dal is naturally low in fat and high in fiber and protein. A 1-cup serving of cooked moong dal has less than 1 gram of fat, over 14 grams of protein, 16g of dietary fiber and around 212kcal, according to (www.livestrong.com). Of course it depends how you cook it, but those stats are pretty impressive. Lentils are also counted as the top 10 healthiest foods on earth (www.goodnet.org).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup moong dal
  • 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp. turmeric (Haldi)
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (or chili powder)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil/ghee/water (optional)
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds (Jira)
  • 2 whole cloves
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp. Finely chopped ginger (2cm x 2cm)
  • 1 tbsp. Crushed garlic (2 cloves)

Optional

  • You can sweat the onion mixture in water rather than sautéing it with olive oil/ghee and this makes a healthier version.

Method

  • In a large soup or stock pan, combine the moong dal, vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne/chili and salt.
  • Bring to a slow simmer. Cover partially with a lid and allow to cook for at least 20 minutes, and up to 30-40 minutes if you prefer a smoother dal. You can add a bit more liquid if needed.
  • In a separate skillet, sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds and cloves in ghee/olive oil or water for just a few minutes, until onions are soft.
  • Add the onions and spices to the dal and allow to simmer for a few more minutes, stirring well to combine. Sprinkle with a dash of black pepper and add extra salt to taste, if needed.
  • Serve plain, as soup, or over rice.
  • Dal tends to thicken up a bit as it cools, so you may want to add a bit more water if you are planning on having leftovers, but there’s also a bit of personal preference involved with just how thin or how thick you prefer it to be.

Toor Dal (a.k.a. Monday/Thin Dal)

By , July 23, 2016

‘Those we love don’t walk away, they stay beside us everyday’

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Indian Chicken Soup

This is another of our family favorite dishes. We used to eat it every Monday growing up and my grandma used to break her Monday fast with it. It is an Indian version chicken soup, nourishing for the tummy and soul, with many medicinal properties in the ingredients, especially the spice mix (see below). All of the spices used are in the top 100 of the healthiest ingredients in the world and are still used in modern medicine today. It is another reason why we need to pass these recipes down, because when your grandma tells you something is good for you, it doesn’t come from an advert, it comes from thousands of years of passed down knowledge.

There are lots of interpretations to this recipe, some use tamarind to add a sour element and some use sugar to add a sweet element. This recipe is as close to my Grandma’s as I could get.

Before learning this recipe, I have to admit, I thought the process for cooking this dish was add water and spice and boil. I had no idea about the processes of softening the lentils and layering of flavor with the spice mix and tomatoes.

Thank you Bigmama, for taking the time and effort to keep us healthy and nourished. I am sorry I didn’t realize how much time and effort your dishes took, if I had known, I would have eaten the third bowl every time.

Hing – From the giant fennel plant – aids with digestion

Turmeric – Widely known for its anti-inflammatory properties

Cumin – Aids with digestion

Ginger – Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory

Ingredients

  • 1 cup toor dal
  • 3cups water
  • 2 tbsp. canola (rapeseed oil)
  • Small tin of tomatoes (puree)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. Turmeric (Haldi)
  • 1 tbsp. Finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds (Jira)
  • 2 chopped chilies
  • 2 dried chilies
  • 4 bay leaves

Optional

  • If you can get hold of it, add ½ tsp. Asafetida (Hing) to the spice mixture

Method

  • Soak 1 cup of lentils overnight, in the morning rinse them until the water goes clear (if you don’t have the time leave overnight, you can just rinse them, leaving them overnight will soften the lentils)IMG_1745
  • Place lentils in a pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water and two dried chilies. Seal the pressure cooker and turn up the heat, when it whistles then turn down to a low/medium heat and cook for 20minutesIMG_1747
  • Whilst the lentils are in the pressure cooker, in a separate heavy set pot heat the oil on a medium flame and add the cumin seeds, hing, turmeric and ginger, until they splutter, then add the tomatoes.
  • Add the bay leaves and let cook for 10 minutes
  • Toss in the chopped fresh chilies and salt, mix well
  • Now back to the lentils.
  • After 20 minutes switch the pressure cooker off and allow to cool
  • Once cooled, open the pressure cooker and strain the lentils through a sieveIMG_1748
  • Add them to the tomato and spice and mix well
  • Add 4 cups of water and allow this to come to a boilIMG_1750
  • Lower flame and cook adding salt and chili to your taste and water to thin to preferred consistency
  • Serve with basmati rice (my brothers favorite), bread (my mums favorite) or eat on its own (my favorite)

Coriander Chutney (Chatni)

By , July 16, 2016

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Indian dipping sauce

This recipe was a request from my beautiful cousin Melanie-Jane who was born in Africa, Zambia and spent the early days of her childhood with my Grandma.

She remembered this as a dip that my grandma would serve with Samosa’s and Pakora’s.

Samosa’s are little parcels of joy and my grandma’s version were practically famous as they were the best example of this Indian starter, with a thin and crispy outside and flavorful filling of onion, peas and potatoes. She must have made tens of thousands in her lifetime.

Pakora’s get their name from two Sanskrit words translating to ‘cooked lump’. This may sound like an odd description, but with such a variety of different types, it is an apt description. My grandma was famed for her potato; bread and chili pakoras but I saw her make a lot of variations. My grandma’s generation lived through much harder times then we did and consequently were less wasteful. My grandma used the pakora batter to make new dishes out of leftovers and so she would make salad pakoras, spinach pakoras, onion pakoras, carrot pakoras and the list continues. Due to her clever flavoring of the batter, these were all incredibly tasty and made sure that no wilting vegetable was ever wasted.

Back to the chutney! I use this chutney for steak and chicken, as an alternative to chimichurri and Mr. B likes it with Tortilla Chips. It is really tasty and you can be used in a variety of ways. This is another quick blender recipe and takes less than 5 minutes including the preparation.

These recipes were taken from: www.vegrecipesofindia.com an amazing website for traditional vegetarian Indian recipes.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup/250ml chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
  • ½ inch ginger, chopped
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 or 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. cumin powder (jeera powder)
  • Sea salt as required
  • Add water as needed to thin the mixture

Optional

  • Add one cup/250ml of fresh mint chopped, to brighten and lighten the chutney

Method

  • To make the dip, blend all ingredients until smooth, taste and add lemon juice and salt to your liking

Loli

By , July 3, 2016

This is a really easy, relatively healthy and very sentimental recipe for me.

Loli is a Sindhi* breakfast dish. In all honesty it is much more than this as it is the quintessential Indian ‘on the go’ travel food and because of this it plays a prominent role in family life and memories.

It is a flavorful flat bread to give it a more universal description, but you won’t find it in any Indian restaurant.

It is an item that keeps well and therefore travels well. It is used for breakfast, picnics, for taking food with you for a plane or car journey. My grandma used to carry them in her pockets, handbag, suitcase and in fact after she had passed we found 30 Loli’s packed up and ready for the various Loli fans she fed every week, including 4 wrapped up in foil and newspaper and packed in her suitcase for Mr. B.

Everyone loves Loli’s, and my grans kitchen always had a stash in her kitchen. Family would come in and give her a hug and then move over to the silver tin she had to the right of the stove and dip their hands in, like a cookie jar, to find what treat was in store.

She was always in the kitchen, making us our favorite foods (of which there are many family members and many favorites). The only video I can find of my grandma, which I must have watched over 1000 times in the last few weeks, was of her making Loli’s so I’d like to think she was next to me when trying out this recipe. She would have laughed however, as I used a wine bottle instead of a rolling pin and struggled to get my Loli round instead of oval.

It is easy to vary the spice levels of a Loli as Chili is added to the dough mixture and so can easily be added or subtracted. My grandma made a variety therefore, just like in everything she did, to make sure everyone was happy.

Thank you Bigmama, for always putting us first. Miss you everyday, xoxo

*Sindhi cuisine refers to cuisine from Sindh, formally of India, now part of Pakistan. There is a lot of intense history and culture wrapped up in Sindhi cooking, but it is best known for its variety and simplicity.

This recipe was adapted from simplysindhirecipes.com

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (healthy version)
  • 1 medium Onion finely chopped
  • 1 green Chili finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. Coriander leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. Mint leaves finely chopped
  • ½ tsp. Red Chili powder
  • 2½ tbsp. Oil
  • ½-1 cup of water
  • ½ tsp. Cumin seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for rubbing on Loli

Optional

  • The original recipe asks for just wheat flour, which just means use any flour with gluten. My mum noted you could use chapatti flour, which is also called ‘Atta’. This is made of durum wheat and has high gluten content that helps with the elasticity and therefore can be rolled out very thin. Using whole wheat flour as I did, makes for a healthier but more dry and dense version.

Method

  • Chop onions and green chilies, you want pieces no bigger than 2/3mm
  • Chop coriander leaves and mint leaves, small dice
  • Sieve flour and add salt, cumin seeds, red chili powder, onions, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves and oil
  • Mix well and add very little water, knead into stiff dough.
  • Divide the dough into 6 even sized balls.
  • Roll each one with a rolling pin, you want a round shape and for the Loli to be not more than 1cm thick
  • Prick the Loli with a fork. This will ensure cooking of the Loli from the inside.
  • Heat a frying pan, and oil
  • Place Loli on the frying pan and cook on a medium heat on each side adding a little oil from sides, until small brown dots appear on surface (this will take a couple mins).
  • Use a flat spatula to press Loli as this will help in cooking the inside as well as to get a crisp texture on the outside.
  • Cook till both sides are done with spots all over and nicely browned.

Kedgeree

By , June 26, 2016

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Wholesome and protein dense

This is an old colonial dish, said to have been created as a mix of kitcherie, a classic Indian dish of rice and legumes and a Scottish addition through smoked haddock.

This recipe is an adaptation of Jamie Oliver’s recipe. I prefer to make things a little easier and quicker, and so I use pre-cooked, smoked haddock. I also prefer to use poached eggs rather than the boiled eggs used in the classic version of the recipe. This is due to my South East Asian influence, where poached eggs are used to add extra richness to the dish.

This may sound like a strange list of ingredients to put together, but it is an amazing cacophony of taste.

The dish is also protein rich, allergen free and is good served any time of day.

You might think it odd that I am cooking an Indian influenced dish, but you should expect to see more of this.

As most of you will know, my best friend and grandma passed recently. It was very sudden and the day she was admitted to hospital was the day she was due to fly out to visit me in the states. She had packed her suitcase full of ingredients as this was going to be the start of her passing down her recipes to me. I had recently moved to the USA and was missing her dishes so much, that we hatched this plan for when she was over.

My grandma’s food was nourishing and fulfilling but not just to the body, to the soul also. Everything she cooked was so tasty and good for you. She even cooked meat without tasting it, due to being vegan for over 30 years. I was her official taster but nothing ever needed adding to. I can’t even begin to imagine how you do that.

I miss my grandma everyday and hope that in cooking her dishes I can be closure to her and bring some comfort to my family.

Please bare with me as practically the only Indian food I ate and liked was my grandmas, so this will be a new adventure for me and you (and poor Mr. B, who is my official taster).

I hope you are happy to travel it with me!

MYandBigM

Ingredients

  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 2 smoked haddock fillets, from sustainable sources, cooked and smoked already
  • 170 g wild rice
  • Sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon pure ghee
  • 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 medium onion 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 heaped tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
  • 2 lemons, juice of
  • 2 good handfuls fresh coriander, leaves picked and chopped
  • 1 fresh red chili, finely chopped

Optional

  • Natural yogurt, if you are not dairy free and need to cool the spice from the chili down

Method

  • Poach two eggs for 5-7 minutes and put aside
  • Remove the skin from the fish, flake into chunks and set aside
  • Cook the rice in salted water for 30 minutes and drain. Refresh in cold water, drain again, and leave in the fridge until needed.
  • Melt the ghee in a pan over a low heat.
  • Add the ginger, onion and garlic. Soften for about 5 minutes and add the curry powder. Cook for a further few minutes, and add the chopped tomatoes and lemon juice.
  • Add the fish and rice to a pan and gently heat through
  • Add the coriander and the chili and stir gently.
  • Place in a warm serving dish and add the poached egg and the rest of the coriander before serving