Short recipe - BBQ Glaze (ready in a couple of minutes!)
Combine the juice of 1/2 lime, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce and 2 generous tbsp of lime chutney (or any chilli/fruit chutney or jam). Paint over meat or vegetable skewers with a pastry brush before BBQ'ing.
Sprinkle finished food with thinly sliced fresh chilli, dried chilli flakes and lime zest to serve. Done!
Also good when grilling or roasting. The quantities above will make enough to cover the equivalent of a whole chicken.
Top tip: I slice and freeze chillis when I buy them. It means my supply is kept super fresh!
Recipe adapted from an old magazine cutting, I think from Fit and Well magazine.
Top tip: I slice and freeze chillis when I buy them. It means my supply is kept super fresh!
Recipe adapted from an old magazine cutting, I think from Fit and Well magazine.
Longer recipe - Lamb Biryani (serves 4)
A hearty, comforting dish, packed with glorious layers of rice, lamb, sauce and onions. A lot of the recipes I researched took several hours (and I expect would be delicious as a result). I've adapted things and reduced total cooking time to 2 hours; hopefully making it feel more achievable, whilst still retaining all the fantastic flavours. You can use any cut of lamb you wish - I used lamb chops.
Start with your meat: Cut the meat off the bones of 500g lamb chops and cut into small pieces (save the bones for the next step). Brown the meat all over quickly in a pan with a dollop of oil, then remove and set aside.
Prep your onion layer: Add 2 white onions (finely sliced), lamb bones and another dollop of oil to the pan and cook slowly on low heat for 30 minutes until soft and golden (monitor and stir regularly so they don't catch). Remove and set aside.
Whilst the onions are cooking, boil 250g of basmati rice with a few cardamon pods for 5 minutes, then drain. Soak a pinch of saffron in 70ml hot water, then pour onto the rice and stir through to colour.
Start with your meat: Cut the meat off the bones of 500g lamb chops and cut into small pieces (save the bones for the next step). Brown the meat all over quickly in a pan with a dollop of oil, then remove and set aside.
Prep your onion layer: Add 2 white onions (finely sliced), lamb bones and another dollop of oil to the pan and cook slowly on low heat for 30 minutes until soft and golden (monitor and stir regularly so they don't catch). Remove and set aside.
Whilst the onions are cooking, boil 250g of basmati rice with a few cardamon pods for 5 minutes, then drain. Soak a pinch of saffron in 70ml hot water, then pour onto the rice and stir through to colour.
Make your sauce: Add to the pan 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped), thumb sized piece of fresh ginger (peeled and grated) 1 green chilli (finely chopped, I remove the seeds), 4 cardamon pods, cinammon stick (cracked slightly), 3/4 tsp. turmeric, 1 1/2 tsp. garam masala and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, before adding 2 handfuls of tomatoes (roughly chopped) and cook on a high heat for 5-8 minutes (keep stirring throughout) to make a pulp like consistency. Stir in 160g of goats yoghurt. Remove from heat and add the lamb.
Take a deep dish with a lid, melt 25g butter in it, then pour in 100ml water so it all sits in the bottom of the pan. Now layer up: 1/3 rice, 1/2 lamb mix, 1/3 onions, 1/3 rice, 1/2 lamb mix, 1/3 onions, then remaining 1/3 rice (you will have 1/3 onions left, keep for topping later). Drizzle over another 25g melted butter in a swirl pattern on the top of the rice. Cover with lid, heat until steaming and then turn heat to low and cook for at least 30 mins.
Leave to stand before serving, Serve dressed with toasted almonds, the remaining onions, raisins (soaked in hot water for a few minutes first to soften) and some chopped green herbs.
Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping
Pitta Breads (makes 6)
My favourite - these look and taste impressive, and are easier to make than you might think.
Add to a large bowl strong white bread flour 250g , salt 5g, instant yeast 5g, cubed unsalted butter 15g and 80ml warm water. Mix together with hands and add up to a further 20ml water to ensure no flour on the sides of the bowl remains.
Knead for 10 minutes on a floured surface until smooth (put a couple of your favourite songs on to pass the time!). Lightly grease the bowl and put the dough back in it, cover with a dry tea towel and leave to rise for at least 1 hour until at least doubled in size.
Punch the dough in the middle to deflate it, then remove from bowl and fold for a few minutes to remove the air. Break into 6 pieces and roll into balls. Roll each ball into a flat oval shape using a rolling pin, and put onto baking paper lined tray and leave for a further 30 minutes.
Brush each side of the pittas with vegetable oil, and fry on a hot heat in an oiled frying pan for up to 4 minutes each side (the breads should go golden and charred in some areas but be careful not to burn). Set aside until your biryani is ready to serve. Best eaten on the day of cooking (as if you will be able to resist not finishing them all!). They can be kept for a day or two in a bread bin, or can be frozen, but this can result in a stale texture.
Tuck in!
Recipe based on Paul Hollywood's in How to Bake cookbook
Leave to stand before serving, Serve dressed with toasted almonds, the remaining onions, raisins (soaked in hot water for a few minutes first to soften) and some chopped green herbs.
Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping
Pitta Breads (makes 6)
My favourite - these look and taste impressive, and are easier to make than you might think.
Add to a large bowl strong white bread flour 250g , salt 5g, instant yeast 5g, cubed unsalted butter 15g and 80ml warm water. Mix together with hands and add up to a further 20ml water to ensure no flour on the sides of the bowl remains.
Knead for 10 minutes on a floured surface until smooth (put a couple of your favourite songs on to pass the time!). Lightly grease the bowl and put the dough back in it, cover with a dry tea towel and leave to rise for at least 1 hour until at least doubled in size.
Punch the dough in the middle to deflate it, then remove from bowl and fold for a few minutes to remove the air. Break into 6 pieces and roll into balls. Roll each ball into a flat oval shape using a rolling pin, and put onto baking paper lined tray and leave for a further 30 minutes.
Brush each side of the pittas with vegetable oil, and fry on a hot heat in an oiled frying pan for up to 4 minutes each side (the breads should go golden and charred in some areas but be careful not to burn). Set aside until your biryani is ready to serve. Best eaten on the day of cooking (as if you will be able to resist not finishing them all!). They can be kept for a day or two in a bread bin, or can be frozen, but this can result in a stale texture.
Tuck in!
Recipe based on Paul Hollywood's in How to Bake cookbook
