Healthy Eating 

I would like to let you all know about this exciting Healthy Eating course 'Fighting Cardio Vascular Disease' within the Asian community which started Last Thursday. Our first session was a great sucess. we were joined by various people from different government bodies giving help and advice to our ladies. It also was a good opportunity for the ladies to voice out their concerns and challenges which they face at home when trying to intoduce healthy food.

The atmosphere was very relaxing and everyone felt at ease to mingle with each other. The session ended with a wonderful healthy lunch which I prepared for all which I think was the icing on the cake for everyone.

If you feel that you could benefit from such classe then why not join us at Mushkil Aasaan in Tooting on Thursday at 11.30 - 2.30 pm. It's FREE and there will be live cooking demo by myself.

For more info contact: Aysha Daud 07946522892

 

 

 

 

Veg Jalfrezi

•  
• sunflower oil
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• ½ 350g jar jalfrezi curry paste
• ½ butternut squash, cut into chunks
• 1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• bunch coriander leaves, picked and stalks finely chopped
• 500ml passata
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 100g natural yogurt
• 1 fresh green chilli, sliced
• boiled rice, to serve
• naan bread, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook over a low heat for about 8-10 mins until soft, stirring them often and adding a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the paste and mix well, then add the squash, cauliflower, stock cube, coriander stalks, passata and 500ml water. Simmer for 20 mins, adding some more water if it gets too thick.
2. Add the peppers and chickpeas, and cook for 15-20 mins more, until all the veg is tender. Stir in the yogurt and most of the coriander leaves. Serve scattered with the rest of the coriander and the sliced chilli, with rice and naan bread on the side.

 

Spiced paneer

• vegetable oil, for frying
• 400g paneer, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• knob of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp fenugreek seed
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp clear honey

To finish

• small handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• small knob of ginger, peeled and shredded into matchsticks
• 1 small red and 1 small green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, finely shredded

1. Heat 1cm oil in a large frying pan and fry the paneer in batches until golden brown – watch out as the oil spits. Scoop it on to kitchen paper.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and gently fry the coriander seeds, ginger, chilli and onion for about 8- 10 minutes until golden. Tip in the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the other spices and honey, stir and simmer for a few minutes.
3. Tip the paneer into the sauce and stir. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the chopped coriander and shredded ginger. Serve sprinkled with peppers and spring onions.

Pasta with pesto and crushed peanuts

2 fresh tomatoes cut in half

1 red onion sliced

mixed peppers sliced

1 small tub fresh button mushrooms

1 tsp crushed garlic

pinch of chilli flakes

mix herbs

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp pesto sauce

half pack pasta (any kind)

small packet of salted peanuts crushed roughly

olive oil

In a oven dish drizzle oil and all the above into the dish except the pesto and pasta and roast in the oven. Boil the pasta, once done in a large serving bowl place the pasta and add the pesto sauce, add the roasted veg and toss. Add more seasoning if required.

Veggie Puffs

Small bag of frozen mix veg (small cut veg)

1 large onion chopped finely 

2 med potato cut small

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

1 tsp crushed ginger

1 tsp crushed garlic

few dashes of lemon juice

1/4 tsp gharam malsala

1 tsp cumin powder

1 block puff pastry

1 beaten egg

Heart oil and fry onions until lightly brown then add potato and all the spices, toss the potatoes and then add veg, cook for 5 min (make sure potatoes are cooked) then set aside to cool.

Take the pastry and cut out 4 strips and then cut the strips into 4 cubes so you should have 16 cubes. Roll out the cubes into square shape and fill with the mixture, seal the pastry using a fork to press down, You can either fold the pastry into a triangle or a rectangle shape. Brush with egg and bake for 20 min gas mark 5/200.

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Chicken Pie

1 chicken with skin in four pieces

5 med onions

5 large carrots

8 peppercorns

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 med tubs of fresh double cream

1 tbsp corn flour

2 tbsp oil

1 beaten egg

1 tin sliced mushrooms or fresh button mushrooms

puff pastry about 2 packs enough to cover your dish

In a large pot fill about 2 pints water and add the chicken, peppercorns, 2 carrots cut in half, 1 tsp salt and 2 whole onions and bring to boil until chicken is cooked, this will be your stock. Once this is cooked drain the stock and keep aside, shred the chicken off the bone so it becomes boneless now.

In a separate pan fry the remaining onions sliced in the oil until light brown. Add the chicken, sliced carrots, mushrooms, black pepper and cook for a few min then add the fresh cream. Only using half the stock add the corn flour to one of the halves and add to the chicken and mix well and cook, if you think the mixture is too thick then ad some more stock, it's up to you. Pour the mixture into your oven dish.

|Roll out your pastry if not already rolled, cut four 1 cm strips and press it down onto the rim of the dish then cover the dish with the remaining pastry, brush with egg and bake in the oven for 1 hour and enjoy with chips.

Sorry the picture is not perfect but i wanted you to see the mixture inside.

Mexican chicken Wraps

Pack of Mexican wraps

1 lb boneless chicken cut into strips

1 Med sliced onion

1/4 sliced green pepper

1/4 sliced red pepper

1 pack mexican seasoning 

2 tbsp olive oil

In a bowl add the seasoning to the chicken and leave aside for about 10 min, meanwhile a non stick frying pan heat oil and lightly fry the onions, add the chicken and cook for a while then add the peppers and cook until chicken is fully cooked.

Lightly heat the wrap in a non stick pan, this makes the wrapping part easy. Once all your wraps are warm you can start putting them together. You can add cheese, salad any any sauces you like to  your wraps. Once filling is in roll them up and hold them together with a tooth pick.

Honey Glazed Chops

Marinate 12 chops in:

3 tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 pinch rock salt or normal salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried parsley

2 tbsp honey

Leave to marinate for about half an hour or longer if possible. In a non stick frying pan over a high heat place each chop in and then pour the marination over the chops and let it cook on low to med heat turning occasionally.  Serve with rice or chips.

Eastern Lamb

1 lb boneless lamb chunks

4 whole garlic cloves with skin on

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

Place all of the above ingredients into an oven proof dish and cook on low heat about gas mark 3 or 4 depending on your oven and cook until really tender.  Enjoy with Homous and naan.

 

Quick Black Bean Noodles

1 jar of sharwoods black bean sauce

1 lb Boneless chicken cut into strips

1 large onions or 2 med sliced

1/2 red pepper chopped into chunks

1/2 green pepper chopped into chunks

1 pack sharwoods noodles boiled

sesame oil 

Prepare noodles and leave aside. the best way to do noodles so they don't become over cooked is the place the slabs of noodles into a pot of cold water and leave for about 10 min so they separate then heat the pot on the cooker until the water becomes hot but don't bring to boil, then drain. In a wok or frying pan heat some sesame oil and soy sauce and toss the noodles in it but don't cook it. The pan and the oil together will be hot enough to heat the noodles.

In a wok drizzle some sesame oil and cook the onions and peppers together so they are lightly cooked, once done take it out and leave aside, drizzle more oil and cook the chicken until it is nearly done, add the sauce and the onions and cook for a further few mins. Serve with the noodles.

Pasta bake

Boiled pasta

1 jar pasta sauce

1 jar white sauce

1 lb boneless chicken cubed

frozen mix veg

2 sliced onion

salt ans pepper to taste

1/2 tsp dried parsley

a hand full of mixed chopped peppers

1 cup milk

3 tbsp oil

a hand full of grated cheese

Fry 1 onion in 1 tbsp oil until light brown add chicken and season with salt, pepper,  and parsley. Cook for a while then add then add the pasta sauce and cook until chicken is well done then pour into an oven dish and layer the boiled pasta over it.

Using 1 tbsp oil toss the veg seasoning it with salt and pepper, layer this over the pasta.

Heat the white sauce in a pan add the milk and pour over the veg.

In a frying pan fry the remaining onion and peppers until brown and scatter over the white sauce, grate some cheese and sprinkle the mix herbs and bake for 1/2 an hour.