One type of food that I have really come to adore since moving over here to the UK is Indian Food.  It is a type of food which I had had a very limited experience with prior to that.  Back when I was a much younger woman I had a British friend who had cooked a curry for us one night and I thought it was gorgeous, but that had been my only experience.  I was of the opinion that it was complicated and much to difficult, and in all truth it sometimes can be, often using ingredients that are unknown and very difficult to find.

Over the past sixteen years I have become very fond of Indian food.  My mouth waters at the thought of some gorgeous Onion Bahji's I had at an Indian friend's home one day . . .  and I have made a few very delicious curries here in The English Kitchen as well.  That's why I was really excited when I was given the opportunity to review this new cookery book, Indian Made Easy, by Amandip Uppal.




This collection of over 140 recipes presents a fresh approach to cooking Indian food, taking you on an amazing spice journey that fits a fast-paced lifestyle. You'll find quick, uncomplicated recipes for Butter Chicken and Prawn Curry, tempting vegetarian dishes, as well as Lamb Kofta with Saffron Creme Fraiche and slowly simmered Beef and Potato Curry. Complete your meal with homemade chutneys, pickles and infused rice, then finish off with a decadent dessert or spiced chai. Special features guide you through making paneer, yoghurt and flatbreads, plus there's a fabulous menu planner and information on pantry staples, must-have spices and alternative ingredients. Indian Made Easy has what you need to create everything from a simple, sumptuous dish to an opulent feast - all filled with the wonderful flavours of India.



I found the very indepth information on spices and other ingredients to be very informative.  I like knowing about the ingredients I am going to use.  Knowledge is power, and knowing how to use and store things is really important to me.  I hate waste.



Blendingtraditional and contemporary Indian cuisine, Amandip's recipes breathe a new lease of life into well-known dishes whilst holding true to tradition at the same time.  Broken into tasty chapters entitled Light Bites; Vegetables and Lentils; Fish, Meat and Poultry; Breads and Rice; Salads; Pickles and Chutneys; abd Desserts and Drinks, Indian Made Easy contains quick uncomplicated recipes for every occasion, as well as information on pantry staples, basics, and must-have spices, as well as a fabulous menu planner to help you put together opulent feasts and wonderful combinations of tastes, textures and flavours.



Cook up Lamb Kofta with saffron creme fraiche and Tamarind rice with onion; learn how to make coriander (cilantro) stuffed naan and sesame and ginger chicken skewers; please the veggies with dishes like Aubergine with Chilli Pomegranate Dressing (see above photo) and a cheat's Dhal Makhani; ad sate your sweet tooth with a pistachio kulfi or a Pomegranate and rosewater granita.

 

Everything is photographed beautifully and in all honesty I cannot wait to get stuck in and start cooking with it!  Indian Made Easy is a beautiful and delicious cookbook that brings Indian cookery up to date for the modern and busy cook.



UK based author Amandip Uppal is a former stylist and writer. She  worked for many years at The Times, and later became Deputy Fashion Editor of Conde Naste Traveler.  Drawing on her life-long love of design and food, she created ChilliHotChocolate.com . . .  an online kitchen and dining emporium.

Indian Made Easy, by Amandip Uppal
Photography by Lisa Linder
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Murdoch Books (8 Sept. 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1743368585
ISBN-13: 978-1743368589

Many thanks to Murdoch Books for sending me a copy for review.  Although I was sent a free copy I was not oblidged to write a positive review.  Any opinions are entirely my own.

I am a person that really loves vegetables. I always have done, and none more so than those in the brassica family . . . cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower . . .

I think of them all cauliflower is my absolute favourite. All white and tasty, I love it raw and I love it cooked, on it's own, or in a soup. Anyway you cut it, or cook it, I just love cauliflower.



It's not a vegetable that I ever had when I was growing up. We never had broccoli either. I was an adult before I had either one, and I think my first taste of broccoli was in a Chinese stir fry, and it was absolute love at first bite.

When I saw this recipe for a One Pan Farmers Market Pasta on The View from The Great Island, I knew it was something I wanted to make.  It looked so fresh, delicious and healthy.  Just one problem.  Hubby loathes pasta and isn't overly fond of a lot of vegetables either.  He was brought up on School Dinners and rationing and our modern vegetables/combinations/pasta dishes don't excite him in the least.

Its now Great British Bake Off Season here in the UK, and in honor of that each week Betty's will be sharing a delicious recipe, plus a video and their baking tips to go with each recipe. The kind of thing you won't find in any cookery book! Here is week five of their delicious hints and tips, and week four on how to create a delicious Croquembouche.

NOTES IN THE MARGINS

Sparkling Spun Sugar, The Betty's Way 

 

Make a Mess

Create Spun Sugar in a friend's kitchen.
Why?  It's messy

Golden Syrup 

Temperature is important

It mix is too cold, the strands will be too thick.  If too hot, they will be too thin.

The ideal consistency is like warm Golden Syrup.

 

Stand Up Tall 

You'll need a little height to work with the sugar. (In the film, Lisa is stood on a kick stool!)

Don't make it too early, it will only last for an hour or so.

Cleaning Up 

Cleaning up can be tricky, but not if you do this:  Fill the pan with water, bring it to the boil, then tip it away.

Sparkling!

If only washing up was so easy.



This is the final part of our series about how to create a Croquembouche. Find out how to create spun sugar to decorate your masterpiece in next week's episode of Betty's Baking Secrets.

www.bettys.co.uk/bettysbakingsecrets

Yesterday I promised to show you something today that you can use up some of the leftover roast turkey in and here it is, a delicious Hot Turkey Taco Salad.  It should be noted that you can also use freshly ground turkey as well, so you don't have to have leftover cooked turkey for this, but if you do, this is a really tasty way to use some of it up!

The Canadian Thanksgiving is coming up in just a few weeks now and the American about a month or so later and then of course Christmas is on top of that.  If you are a small family that don't want to cook a whole turkey, or a larger family that wants a bit extra on top of the family turkey, or even if you just want to cook some turkey to have for the week ahead to use in sandwiches or casseroles, I have a real winning recipe for you here today.  This always results in a moist and well flavoured roast, which is perfect sized for all of those needs!

One of the things I love most about this time of year is PLUMS!  Yes the plus are ripe and for a change this year we have had a bumper crop of them.  Although Todd for the life of him can't figure out what he did that was any different than any other year.  Last year we had two plums, exactly.  No more, no less, but at least we each got to enjoy one.

Every cook who loves to entertain should have an easy little dessert recipe up their sleeve, that's, not only easy to execute, but also pretty failproof, delicious and impressive. I used to bake a lot of these when I worked at the Manor.   They entertained a lot , and everything always had to be done to a high standard. This was one of their favourite desserts that I made for dinner parties and ladie's luncheons.  They were very popular.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret this morning. A family secret. A secret recipe that I have been hoarding, baking and enjoying for about 35 yeara now . . . or maybe even longer if you count the years my ex husband and I dated before we actually got married . . .

I love chicken and I love sweet potatoes and I love the two of them put together.  Often when I roast poultry I will bake some sweet potatoes on the side, so it seemed a really natural thing for me to put them together into a casserole.  A very delicious casserole, I hasten to add.

Renshaw (a leading UK baking company) has launched The Great Renshaw Bake Off, a full nine weeks of fun competitions.

The Great Renshaw Bake Off is your chance to join in a series of nine fun weekly challenges and win some fantastic prizes. You don’t have to be a baker extraordinaire to take part. That’s because they will be testing you with games and quizzes as well as asking to see your best - and worst! - culinary creations.

Sounds like fun!

#RenshawBakeOff

Its now Great British Bake Off Season here in the UK, and in honor of that each week Betty's will be sharing a delicious recipe, plus a video and their baking tips to go with each recipe. The kind of thing you won't find in any cookery book! Here is week four of their delicious hints and tips, and week three on how to create a delicious Croquembouche.
 
Cracking Caramel, the Bettys way

INGREDIENTS (makes approximately 300ml)
75ml water
145g caster sugar
60g glucose syrup

METHOD
1. Place the ingredients in a small, heavy base saucepan and set over a medium heat.

2. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved and then increase the heat to bring up to the boil. Do not stir anymore.

3. Brush the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush to prevent grains of sugar getting stuck to the side of the pan. The grains of sugar may crystallize the syrup.

4. Boil until the syrup turns a light golden colour and stop the cooking process by briefly plunging the pan into a bowl of very cold water. Do take care as this is a dangerous process. The caramel is ready to use. If the caramel cools down and sets, place over a gentle heat to melt. 




Notes in the Margins

Cracking Caramel

WET SAND
Your heavy base pan must be immaculately clean.
Keep some hanging water in the pan so the caramel doesn’t burn.
Use your finger to stir the sugar – create the texture of ‘wet sand’.

SWIRL
The glucose is a vital ingredient.
It keeps the spun sugar flexible later on.
 Pick up the glucose with a wet hand so it doesn’t stick. Do this off the heat.
Once you introduce the caramel to the heat, don’t stir it - swirl.

GOLDEN BLONDE
You’ll see it go to a blonde caramel with a hint of colour.
Watch for it turning to a honeycomb, golden blonde – then remove from the heat.
Be careful – caramel is red hot! Let the choux touch the sugar – not your finger.

This is part three of our series about how to create a Croquembouche. Find out how to create spun sugar to decorate your masterpiece in next week’s episode of Bettys Baking Secrets. www.bettys.co.uk/bettysbakingsecrets 


For nearly 100 years, people have been flocking to Yorkshire for a taste of Bettys. Bettys was founded by Frederick Belmont, a Swiss baker and confectioner who came to England in search of opportunities to develop his craft skills. He opened his first Café Tea Rooms in Harrogate in 1919 and named it 'Bettys'. The reason why remains a mystery to this day.

We do eat a lot of chicken in this house.  You've probably noticed.  That's because it is pretty economical and very versatile.  Especially chicken breasts.  They are a virtual canvas for many flavours and textures.  I love to play with them and come up with delicious ways of preparing them.  This turned out to be one of our favourites!   Chicken with Cheesy Leeks and Spinach!