Chicken, Daal II

Normal services resume…

Services were temporarily suspended as the Teen left the Attic. It is only temporary. Since her return, normal cooking has now resumed!

As her return beckoned, I went into cooking overdrive. While she told me not to overdo it, I couldn’t resist. I so enjoy cooking but more than anything, I love cooking for her!

I put together some of her favourite dishes to welcome her home. Chicken curry, Daal and chocolate cake – not exactly a traditional ending to a spicy but it’s her favourite bake.

The Chicken Curry? It’s a tweaked version of Roopa Gulati’s recipe on the BBC Good Food website. The spicing is perfect for us and it’s a really tasty dish.

The Daal? I have no idea where it came from (another recipe scribbled on the back of a page) but whoever created the original, we thank you as its one of the best we’ve tasted.

And the chocolate cake? It’s the Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe on this blog but with a twist. Instead of the chocolate butter cream filling, I used whipped cream mixed with crushed Malteesers. It was surprisingly light and not too sweet as I’d feared. A really nice alternative.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped roughly
50g ginger, chopped roughly
6 garlic cloves
Water
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
5cm cinnamon stick
1 chilli, chopped finely with seeds removed
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp castor sugar
1 tsp caster sugar
10-12 chicken thighs, skinned and boneless
250ml hot chicken stock

Method
1. Place the onion in a small food process with three tablespoons of water. Process until a paste
2. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan
3. Fry the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and cinnamon stick for about 30 seconds
4. Add in the onion paste and fry for about 10 minutes until golden brown
5. Place the garlic and ginger in the food processor with 4 tablespoons water and blend into a paste
6. Add this to the onion mix with the chilli and cook for for another 2 minutes
7. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, sugar and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes darken and reduce
8. Add in the chicken and coat with the paste.
9. Cook for about 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the masala lightly thickened. The stock can be added if the sauce is becoming too thick
10. Serve with rice or naan bread

Daal

Ingredients
Stage 1
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
8-10 fresh curry leaves
1 chilli, deseeded and chopped very finely

Stage 2
3 tbsp butter or ghee
1 onion, chopped finally
1-2 chillis, deseeded and chopped finely
1 tbsp minced garlic
8 ounces red lentils
1½ pints water
3 tbsp roasted garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
7 ounces tomatoes, skinned and chopped
A dash of lemon juice
Salt and black pepper

Stage 1
1. Heat the oil. Add the cumin and mustard seeds, cooking for about 30 seconds
2. Fry the onion until crispy.
3. Add the garlic and chilli. Cook for a further 2 minutes until the garlic softens
4. Add the curry leaves and cook for another 2 minutes
5. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave aside

Stage 2
1. Heat the butter or ghee in the same saucepan. Add the onions, ginger and chilli and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown
2. Add the lentils and cover with the onion mix
3. Mix in the water, bring to the boil and leave to cook for about 50 minutes
4. Add the garam masala and coriander
5. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground pepper
6. Cook for another 10 minutes
7. Remove about one third of the mix and blend into a smooth paste
8. Return to the pan and mix in
9. Mix in the onion and garlic mix from the first stage
10. Serve as a main dish with naan bread or as a side dish

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Here is the link to the recipe on this blog
https://teeninattic.com/category/baking-and-stuff/chocolate-fudge-cake

Nollaig na mBan, Spinach and Cream Cheese Lasagne, Vegetarian

Celebrating Nollaig na mBan, 2015

Being a proud Kerry woman, my mother insisted on celebrating Nollaig na mBan. I never questioned it. I took it for granted that all homes in Ireland were the same. I have since discovered the day is only celebrated by pockets throughout Ireland rather than widespread. I read up about this and while many suggest it’s fading out, I can tell you that’s utter nonsense; if anything, it’s on the rise! Where it is celebrated, it is done so with great gusto!

So what is it? Translated into English, Nollaig na mBan means ‘Women’s Christmas’. I couldn’t find out where the tradition comes from but it was generally assumed that, after all the energy and work put into the family Christmas, this was the day the lady of the house had free. Not only that, men took over household duties and child minding while the ladies celebrated with their gal pals and/or other female family members.

Nollaig na mBan was, and is, strictly observed in our home. While the male members of the family didn’t take over the housework, it was the one day in the year my mother did not cook (or more accurately, point blank refused to cook!). For Dad, this was the day my mother went ‘On Strike’! In the days before widespread availability of take-outs and convenience food, my father took us out for dinner. It was that or starve! Not only were we all thankful for the treat but delighted he didn’t cook any of his ‘culinary delights.’ Any day without boiled grey mutton and watery vegetables was a great day!

In more modern times, Nollaig na mBan is celebrated in a number of ways – by dinning out in restaurants with pals or going to the pub. There is something quite cheerful, and yet bizarre, going into a bar which is full of women with the only males found behind the bar working! Alternatively, friends gather at home for a meal or drinks.

The Teen and I always celebrate the day. This year was quiet for us – I simply cooked a nice meal at home. It took a little time but was well worth it as the end result was wolfed down.

And ladies, if you don’t already celebrate Nollaig na mBan – it really is time to start!

Spinach and Cream Cheese Lasagne
(Serves 4)

Tomato sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon, dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon sugar
Tin chopped tomatoes
Olive oil for frying

9-12 Lasagne sheets (no-cook)

Spinach filling
400g baby spinach, washed and chopped roughly
¼ lb mushrooms, chopped finely
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
Freshly grated nutmeg – about ½ teaspoon
½ cup finely grated Parmesan
1 Mozzarella cheese ball – slice one half thinly and cut the other half into small pieces
3 generous tablespoons, cream cheese
Olive oil for frying
Salt and Pepper

Method
Pre-heat oven at 170C

Tomato sauce
1. In a saucepan, heat the oil and fry the onion until soft (about 5 minutes)
2. Add in the garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes
3. Add in the herbs, tomatoes and sugar
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Put in blender and whisk until smooth but still textured

Spinach filling
1. In a saucepan, heat the oil and fry the onion until soft (about 5 minutes)
2. Add in the garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes
3. Add in the mushrooms and cook until soft
4. Add in the spinach and wilt in the heat
5. Add 2-3 teaspoons of Parmesan, the nutmeg and the cream cheese and stir until combined
6. Season with salt and pepper

Putting the lasagne together
1. Place a few tablespoons of tomato sauce at the bottom of the pan
2. Cover with sheets of lasagne and then spread a third of the spinach filling over the pasta before dotting with small pieces of mozzarella
3. Repeat until finished
4. Cover with sheets of lasagne, pour over the tomato sauce, sprinkle with parmesan and add the sliced mozzarella
5. Cover loosely with foil – sealed at the edges but loose on top to avoid contact with the topping
6. Cook for 35 minutes
7. Remove the foil and cook for a further 5-10 minutes
8. Allow stand for 5 minutes
9. Serve with a dressed green salad

Ratatouille, Ratatouille, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ratatouille – not exactly traditional but we love it!

Once every few weeks, I make Ratatouille. The choice can be for any or all of three reasons – we really like it, what’s in the fridge and its versatility. This rustic mix of vegetables is a firm favourite in this house where it is eaten alone, with roast chicken and steamed new potatoes, with steak and roast potatoes, with fish, with pasta, with rice…

There’s a fierce amount of chopping involved but it is so worth it. While I generally stick to the traditional ingredients, I have changed my cooking method. Instead of using the stove, I now prepare and cook it in a heavy casserole dish (lid on). I think the flavour is a tad deeper while the Teen thinks the cooking method has no effect on the flavour; she believes they taste the exact same. What I particularly like is the fact that I can pop it in the oven and not have to watch it!

French traditionalists will probably baulk at my approach and recipe. I invite them to my home any time if they want to cook the dish for me! 🙂

Ratatouille

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large aubergines, cubed
2 large courgettes, cubed
2 red peppers (or yellow peppers), chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, skinned and chopped (or a tin of chopped tomatoes)
1 tablespoon tomato puree (a second can be added mid cooking if a more intense flavour is preferred)
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
Salt and ground black pepper
A heaped teaspoon of sugar (optional)

Method
1. Slice the aubergines lengthways, score and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave aside for about 30 minutes. Wash and then pat try. Chop into chunks
2. Preheat oven to 180C degrees
3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole dish. Add the onion, cover and sweat for about 5 minutes
4. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes
5. Add the aubergines, peppers and courgettes. Cover and sweat for about 5 minutes
6. Stir in the tomato puree followed by the fresh or tinned tomatoes
7. Add the herbs
8. Season with salt and pepper
9. Cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes
10. Take out of the oven, stir and return for another 20 minutes. At this point, a second tablespoon of tomato puree can be added. Sugar may also be added if the tomatoes seem to make the mix a little bitter
11. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Soups, Vegan, Vegetable Soup with Barley, Vegetable Soup with Barley, Vegetable with Barley

‘Baby teeth’ optional

We’re all about soups this month. I make them, the Teen guzzles them – win-win situation. Sometimes, however, I tire of clever soups and simply want something warm and comforting. And quick to make and cheap!

This vegetable soup I make is one of the Teen’s favourites. Not only does she like the flavour, she adores the fact that it is a one pot soup with no blender etc. to wash up. There’s another reason we like this soup – it contains a good dollop of nostalgia. I usually cook up a pot on ‘St Stephens Day’ or ‘Wren’s Day’ as called at home. Turkey and ham sandwiches and homemade vegetable soup – a feast fit for kings!

This is a soup with bits. Rather than spend countless hours chopping vegetables neatly, this involves chopping them any which way, throwing them into the pot, cooking the soup and then using a potato masher to break it all down. Simple!

Removing the chicken stock makes it vegetarian and then using only sunflower oil will make it vegan. Removing the butter also makes it dairy free. I am unsure how well it freezes – there are never any leftovers.

Barley can be added too. About half a cup, soaked for half an hour and cooked with the soup makes it more of a meal than a snack. I like barley now – I refused to eat it when little as I was convinced they were ‘baby teeth’. No amount of effort on my mother’s part could convince me otherwise!

Vegetable Soup with Barley

Ingredients
1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 ounce butter and one tablespoon sunflower oil (or two tablespoons sunflower oil)
2 pints of chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or a good sprinkling of dried herbs
1 level teaspoon, dried mix herbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Half cup of barley

Method
1. Melt the butter and/or oil
2. Fry the onions for a few minutes until translucent
3. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for a few minutes
4. Add the stock, herbs and ground pepper (the amount of salt added will depend on the stock used and personal preference)
5. When the vegetables are soft, used the potato masher to break them down
6. Serve hot with crusty bread or brown bread.

Spiced Cauliflower, Spiced Cauliflower Soup, Spiced Cauliflower Soup

Spiced Cauliflower Soup

So the Teen likes soup. Well, not just any soup. She doesn’t like ‘the creamy stuff’ as she calls it, dismissing it as ‘a bit cloying.’ I face a conundrum – she’d like cauliflower soup but with no milk, cream or coconut milk in it. All the recipes I have add some form of creaminess to the mixture.

After looking through a few, well-thumbed, cookbooks, I conjured up the following recipe to tickle the taste buds of my attic-dwelling teen. I wanted to combine what seemed like the best aspects of a few and then to give it a try-out. A culinary experiment, as it were.

And she loved it and so did I (which is strange as I am not a great fan of soup or anything which is a measure of ‘sameness’ in a bowl!).

I used butter as it gave a richness to the soup but that’s a personal preference. This recipe can be made to suit vegans by changing the butter to two tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil and not using chicken stock (eh…obviously!). Removing the butter will also make the recipe dairy-free.

We liked the addition of cayenne pepper as it gave it a little kick but again, that is simply our preference. The soup will be tasty without it too. As I used a commercial stock, I left out salt as there was already plenty. We didn’t feel the need to add more. And it also freezes perfectly.

What can I say? R-e-s-u-l-t!

Spiced Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, washed and cut into chunks with the stem and greens removed
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 ounces butter or 1 ounce of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil or two tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 pint chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to season

Method
1. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion until soft
2. Add garlic and fry for a couple of minutes
3. Add the spices and fry for another couple of minutes
4. Add the cauliflower and coat with the spiced onion mix
5. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer
6. In about 15 minutes, when the cauliflower is cooked, place it in a blender and blitz until smooth
7. Return to the pan
8. Heat through
9. Season with salt and pepper.

Soups, Spiced Butternut Squash, Spiced Butternut Squash Soup, Spiced Butternut Squash Soup, Spiced Cauliflower, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Winter dawned yesterday when I was reduced to wearing the dreaded tights! URGH! I hate them but needs must and all that.

And with the cold comes the greater need for soup. Technically, a slow release food, soup is great. Spiced Butternut Squash Soup is one of the teen’s favourites. I like it because it is so easy to make and it fills the house with the really warm and comforting aroma of spices. She likes it because it is tasty and smooth enough in texture to fit in her flask for college. A winner all round methinks!

Here’s the recipe.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
(Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, chopped into large chunks with the skin left on but seeds removed
1 large onion, skin removed and halved
1 dessert spoon, coriander seeds
1 teaspoon, mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt and ground pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil
1 pint vegetable

Method
1. Preheat the oven at 180c
2. Place the chunks of butternut squash on a baking tray, skin down
3. Add the halved onion
4. Sprinkle with spices
5. Season with sea salt and ground pepper
6. Cook in the oven until the flesh is soft (about 30 minutes)
7. Allow to cool
8. Scoop the spiced flesh off the skin and put in a liquidiser
9. Add the stock
10. Liquidise until the texture is smooth and all ingredients are blended
11. Pour into saucepan to heat and season to taste
12. Serve on its own or with a swirl of cream.

Carrot and Ginger, Carrot and Ginger Soup, Carrot and Ginger Soup

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Recently, I enjoyed a lovely evening with my pal, Nuala. Good food, laughs, memories and wine – always a winning combination.

She was raving about the Carrot and Ginger Soup she had eaten earlier. I’d made Carrot Soup before but the addition of ginger was new. As the teen is a major fan of soup, I decided to give it a go. The verdict? ‘Best. Soup. Ever!’

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil
1½ lbs carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium sized onion, chopped
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 pint good quality vegetable stock
Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to season.

Method
1. Heat oil
2. Fry onion for 2 minutes
3. Add ginger and fry for another 3 minutes until the onion pieces are soft and translucent
4. Add in the carrots and mix until coated with the onion and ginger
5. Cook for a few minutes
6. Add the nutmeg
7. Add the stock and orange juice
8. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the carrots are cooked and soft
9. Season with salt and pepper
10. Place in an electric blender and blend until a smooth liquid
11. Return to the heat and serve immediately.

Daal, Vegetarian

Falling back in love with cooking…

I haven’t been ‘round these parts lately. I could say it was because I had a technical problem with my Blog (true but not the reason). I could say it was because I was swamped with work (true but not the reason). The real truth is – I fell a little out of love with cooking.

I love cooking – reading recipes, designing my own, building up my spice and herb collection in anticipation of a new dish. I am a cooking nerd. While I often listened empathetically to women who say they hate cooking or would happily live on a diet of dried food and vitamin pills, I simply couldn’t get it.

Now I do.

With all the work, planning meals became a burden. I began to resent cooking. It became a necessity rather than an activity. I like to make everything from scratch but those days, reaching for a menu for what we affectionately refer to as ‘The Man with the Van’ became all too tempting. You order, it’s delivered, you eat, you feel guilty – what a pattern! The freezer was stocked and the veg drawer was laden with goodies but the notion of cooking made me feel so ‘meh!’

In the midst of this culinary downturn, I invited the girlies to my home for a long overdue lunch. When I set about thinking of cooking for others, I fell back in love with food all over again. For me, that notion of sharing with others remains at the heart of all my cooking. After seeing cooking as a temporary burden, I am even more appreciative of what motivates me now.

As there was a mix of vegetarians and meat eaters, I opted for Indian food which they all love. I made my list of dishes but the Teen swapped them around! Instead of chicken, she replaced it with a beef curry dish she loves and she added her all time comfort food to the list – Daal. The other dishes were Saag Aloo and Aloo Ghobi. The girlies happily feasted on all the dishes, drank some wine and chatted. Happy days!

The Daal I make is a mix of a number of recipes I’ve tried over the years – keeping the nicest bits from each. The Teen has declared this to be the winner!

Daal

Ingredients
1 chilli, deseeded and chopped finely
Handful of ripe cherry tomatoes
1 cup finely chopped red onion
5 ounces split pea lentils, washed
5 ounces red lentils, washed
1 ounce unsalted butter (omit if vegan)
2 tablespoons sunflower oil (increase to 3 tablespoons if omitting the butter)
Piece of ginger (about the size of an adult thumb), peeled and chopped finely
3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped finely
1 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
1½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper
Cayenne pepper, optional
Fresh coriander, chopped
Natural yoghurt, optional

Method
1. Cover the lentils with water and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on (may need to add water as they cook)
2. Melt the butter with the oil (or heat only oil) and fry the cumin seeds for about a minute
3. Add onion, chopped chilli and ginger cooking until onion is soft
4. Add the rest of the spices and cook for about a minute
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and garlic
6. Cook this mixture for about 10 minutes
7. Add to the cooked lentils
8. Add salt and pepper
9. If prefer a spicier taste, add a pinch of Cayenne Pepper
10. This can be served immediately with some freshly chopped coriander

We prefer to let it sit for a while so the spices settle in the lentils and then reheat before serving, adding water as necessary

This can be served as a side dish or in a bowl. Or it can be eaten with a dollop of natural yoghurt and a naan bread which is just how I like it!

The Teen in the Attic

Enticing the Teen to the table and other matters

Category Archives: Vegetarian