Kedgeree

Recipe's seem to be taking over on the blog the last few days. Being home with full cupboards and a fabulously filled fridge just makes me want to cook, as does the luxury of having everything here already - you sort of forget about the need to actually shop!! Kedgeree is a traditional Indian dish, with a rice base that is often eaten for breakfast in the Southern states, Kerala in particular. This one has been adapted over the years and I think is a pretty good version! Rice, spices, smoked haddock, tomatoes and boiled eggs - what's not to like? Its also super easy and really filling to eat, and could easily be made with a brown rice alternative.

Ingredients
(serves 2/3)

1 White onion
2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
2/3 free range eggs
Cherry or plum tomatoes
1 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Ground coriander
2 fillets of smoked haddock
Juice of a lemon
Basmati rice
Fresh coriander to serve.

Optional extras: fresh chilli, fennel seeds, cardamon seeds

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Prehat the oven to 200 degrees and place your smoked haddock on a baking tray with a little bit of oil , salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Wash and drain the rice (approximately 1 cup per person) before cooking in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Put another pan on the heat with some boiling water in - we have an egg pan as boiling eggs destroys the coating on most saucepans - and once bubbling carefully pop your eggs in, for about 10 minutes if they're medium sized. You want them to be hardboiled.

Begin by finely chopping your onion, and popping it into a frying pan with a glug of oil. Stir contastly on a medium head until softened and then add the spices to the pan, continuing to stir so they don't burn. Cook the spices for a couple of minutes to allow the flavours to release. Add in chopped garlic and mix with the onion and spices. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, add in the tomatoes and leave on the heat until softened.

By this time the rice will be cooked so drain it off, add it to the frying pan with the juice of the lemon and mix together with a fork to avoid the rice sticking - there is nothing worse than sticky rice!! Season as desired!

Grab the fish from the oven, remove the skin and flake into the pan. Run the eggs under cold water for a couple of minutes until you can hold them, peel off the shells and quarter. Pop them into the pan and serve with a sprinkling of coriander, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze more lemon juice if required. Once you've made it once having three pans on the go will be a doddle and this is another fab recipe that can be thrown together at the last minute and where the flavours speak for themselves!

Cooking… A beetroot love story

Beetroot and I have never been friends. My whole family love it but I just have never been a fan. I'm not sure if its texture or taste or purely the colour that I, and whatever top I'm wearing at the time, turn a gorgeous shade of whenever I attempt to prep it but in my 22 years I've not once enjoyed it!

That was, until mummy decided to add this little dish into her Indian repertoire when cooking a couple of months ago. She is the best cook so it was rude not to try, despite being adamant that I would hate it. All of the ingredients I love, apart from the dreaded beetroot of course, but those big lumps of purply red sure are off putting! So, you can imagine my absolute shock when I discovered that the dish was absolutely delicious!! I'm still certain that this is the only way to eat the stuff and for it to actually taste nice but if you're yet to be converted give this one ago and you may just have to alter your opinions. And if you are a beetroot fan then I have it on good advice that this is near the top of the list of how to eat the stuff! Tangy, spicy and covered in coconut milk, it really is delicious. 

Ingredients:

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp grated/finely chopped fresh root ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

A pack of pre cooked beetroot, cut into wedges

A tin of pure coconut milk

1/s tsp ground cardamon seeds

Grated rind and juice of 1 lime

Handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves

Sea salt and black pepper

One

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and when hot, add the garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander seeds and chilli flakes. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the beetroot and fry, stirring gently for 1 minute before adding the coconut milk, cardamon and lime rind and juice. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes.

Two

Stir in the fresh coriander and season. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature…

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Planet India

Last night was a girly night. After days on end in the libs (writing 7000 just cannot be described as fun) we decided that supper was in order. We pre-empted that a weekend in the library would be tricky so we booked a table mid week for 4 at the renowned Planet India on Richmond Parade in Brighton. The day had been a wet one and having sat with soggy feet all day, and then wished I was my niece having been sent a photo of her all cosy in her pram, we knew that we were on to a winner with an Indian!

Planet India does not look like anything special from the outside but preconceptions really can be deceiving. Garish pink, its hard to miss but when you step inside to warmth, good smells and an array of traditional Southern Indian decoration you will not be disappointed.

We were seated quickly at a table in the window and quickly surveyed the huge choice of beer before getting on with the ordering! This place is always packed but the service cannot be faulted. I think the best thing about this restaurant is that you can split your choices - so two curries on one plate, what's not to like! I went for Tarka Dahl and Potato Curry and we ordered some chapatis and cumin rice for the table. The food isn't particularly pretty but it is completely delicious, full of proper flavours and enough spice to make your lips tingle! The chapatis are made with wholemeal flour which is always a bonus and the cumin rice is one of the best I've had. All of the food on the menu is veggie but don't let this put you off; its good traditional Indian food at really reasonable prices and in a great atmosphere - the owner walks around in bare face and his wife doesn't stop smiling. My only advice is book ahead and truly embrace the unusual menu! 

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