Potato Cumin & Turmeric Fry

A really simple and versatile potato side dish that can be made with pre-cooked, raw or left over potatoes. Great with a meat, fish or vegetable curry or with Indian breads and chutnies.

• Potatoes
• vegetable oil
• 3 whole dried chillis
• pinch asafetida
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp cumin seed
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• salt

Boil potatoes with their skins on for 15 minutes then drain cool, peel and cut into small cubes.  Heat a good glug of vegetable oil in a wide pan add the dried chillis, when they start to swell add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when they start to pop add the garlic and asafetida. Quickly add the potatoes and remaining ingredients and stir to make sure the spices coat the potatoes evenly and fry until the potatoes start to crisp around the edges.

Note

You can use whatever leftover potatoes you have just cut into cubes. This recipe also works using raw potato follow the same method but fry the raw potatoes for longer adding a splash of water every now and again to prevent burning and help the potatoes to steam cook.

Quick Carrot Pickle

Freshly made pickles or achars are a speciality of India and one of my favourite ways of eating raw veg, more of a side salad than a pickle, they are meant to be eaten fresh rather than stored. For this one the raw vegetables are simply tossed in spices and hot oil which transforms the humble carrot into mouth tingling morsel of yumminess that peps up all kinds of food. This one is particularly quick, requiring no standing time at all, and is hot, pungent and delicious. It really brings out the sweet crispness of the raw carrots and is wonderful with rice and a simple dal. You could also add it to a cottage cheese wrap, scatter over a leafy salad or just tuck into a bowlfull of this as a snack.

• 4 carrots 
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp fenugreek seeds 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder 
• 1/4 tsp nigella seeds 
• 1 tsp salt
• pinch of asafoetida 
• mustard oil 

Peel and cut the carrots into small batons about two inches long. Crush the whole spices, a coffee grinder works perfectly or just bash them up in a mortar, add the other spices, sprinkle over the carrots and toss well. Heat the mustard oil in a small pan until it starts to smoke, this mellows the oil, then pour the hot oil over the carrots and toss to make sure all the carrots are coated in the oily spice paste. Serve immediately or it will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Recipe Source I am not clever enough to invent this stuff, this recipe came from Tarla Dalal's fantastic book Achaar aur Parathe. I have kept to her recipe but reduced the spicing a little bit.

Root Soup

Roots are one of the staples of a winter garden and December is the month of roots in the soup. Use as many tasty roots as you can and the flavour will be all the better for it. This is hardly a recipe just a way of making the most delicious winter soup.
Serves 2-4 (2 huge portions or 4 normal size soup bowls).

• knob of butter
• a generous pinch of cracked black pepper
• a generous pinch of sea salt
• 1 small onion
• 1 litre jug full of chopped root vegetables
• stock or water to cover well
• 1/2 tsp paella spice mix or a pinch of saffron
• 1-2 leeks washed and chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2 bayleaves
• Herbs pick a good aromatic herb as the signature flavour I've use fresh fennel but you could use; parsley, dill or tarragon.
• Handful of pasta shapes (optional)
• some creme fraiche to finish (optional)

Sweat an onion, finely chopped, in a little butter season with salt and pepper. While the onion is sweating. Scrub the roots, peel if necessary, and chop into bite size pieces. I used parsnip, carrot, turnip, celeriac, radish and florence fennel but you could also use skirret, salsify, scorzonera, hamburg parsley, jerusalem artichokes or beetroot. When the onion is softened add the root veg, stir to coat and sweat for just a couple of minutes then add the stock, leeks, potatoes, saffron or paella mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes then add the  and herbs and pasta, if using, cover and cook for a further 7 minutes. Serve with a splodge of créme fråche stirred in.

Green Lentil Salad

This tart and surprisingly juicy salad of mediteranean green lentils is dressed with a sour-sweet pomegranate molasses and aromatic cumin. This dish can be served as a side or as part of a mezze or tapas of small dishes.

Prep 10min Cook 30min Serves 4

• 250g green lentils 
• Olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• salt/pepper to taste
• 1 tsp cumin freshly roasted and crushed
• handful chopped parsley or coriander
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• Juice of half a lemon

Wash the lentils and boil in a large pan of water for 20-30minutes until the lentils are just soft but completely intact, drain and set aside. Meanwhile fry the onion in olive oil until translucent, add garlic and cumin and when the aroma rises add the drained lentils and stir to coat. Take off the heat stir in the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. Season with a touch of salt and pepper and serve.

Cook's Tip Pomegranate Molasses can be found in middle eastern shops and good food stores. It is also very easy to make and we are lucky enough to have a mature sour Pomegranate bush and make our own in November when the fruit is ripe.
Recipe Source This recipe was inspired by a plate of vegetarian tapas, I had at Tate Modern London a few years ago, the lentil dish stood out and I wanted to make something similar and this was about right for me.

Chorizo & White Bean Stew

This is Rachel's dads' favourite dish, the one he cooks for himself when he is left to his own devices in the kitchen and I can understand why, it is so easy and so delicious. He usually makes it with a jar of white beans, cooking chorizo and tomato passata. It is a Spanish store cupboard classic, great for camping or cooking on the hoof.

Serves 2-4 (as a starter or main)

• 4 cooking chorizo
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• Large jar white beans or freshly boiled butter beans 
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 250g passata (home made tomato puree) 
• Fresh flat leaf parsley

Slice the sausages and fry in a good slug of fruity olive oil until starting to crisp around the edges, add the garlic and when the aroma rises add the paprika, tomato paste and cooked white beans. Cook for 10 minutes more until the sauce is all glossy and the flavours have infused. Sprinkle with bright green chopped parsley and serve in individual bowls to be mopped up with bread, or as one of a number of Tapas dishes.
Variation An equally good variation is to use potatoes instead of white beans to make another great Spanish dish add a few green peppers and cook until the potatoes are done.

Pork Curry (Vindaloo)

This is one of my favourite meat curries, pungent with mustard oil, hot with chillies and sour with tamarind and vinegar and finally a hint of sweet nutty coconut. It is a remarkably quick and easy to make and really worth trying.  Serve with rice, a yogurt dish and a light vegetable dish or dal.

• 6 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp vindaloo masala powder see Indian Spice Mix Recipes
• 2-3 tsp vinegar
• 450g pork, boned and cubed
• 2 or more green chillis, thinly sliced
• 150ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp tamarind concentrate (depending on concentrate)
• 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut or desiccated

Heat the mustard oil until it starts to smoke then throw in the onion and garlic fry until turning a pale golden colour then add the vindaloo masala powder. Fry and sprinkle with the vinegar. Add the pork and stir well to coat in spices and seal. Add the water and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, tamarind and half the coconut, cook for another 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated then serve on a bed of rice sprinkled with the rest of the coconut or fresh coriander leaves.
Source This recipe is one of my old favourites which I think originally came from an Indian cookery book from the late 70's. I no longer have the original recipe book so I don't know how far I have veered from the original but this is one quick and tasty curry.

Cook's Tip I make up a blend of the Vindaloo spice mixture ready ground in an airtight jar which stays fresh for up to 3 months making this even quicker and easier to prepare. Freeze freshly grated coconut  in small usable batches.

Chicken and Leek Soup

We eat a lot of soup, well made soup can be great; healthy, tasty, seaonal and easy to make. Using leftovers from a roast chicken this soup turned out to be a real winner, delicious and warming with a hint of Spanish luxury. I've also added rice to give it that extra carb power and make a substantial lunch. Perfect for a cold autumn day.

• Chicken leftovers
• olive oil
• 1-2 litres home made chicken stock
• 1-2 tbsp verdurette or 1 tsp of celery salt
• 2-3 large leeks
• 1/2 cup rice
• pinch of saffron and/or paella mix
• flatleaf parsley

Clean and slice the leeks. Pick over the chicken and chop the meat. Put a tiny bit of olive oil in a large soup pot add the sliced leeks with a pinch of cracked black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Sweat the leeks slowly then add the rice, stir to coat, add the stock, verdurette or celery salt saffron or paella spice mix and chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Cooks Note Paella is very popular in the south of France and ready ground spice blends are available everywhere.