April 2014 Favourites List

April has been lovely here in the UK. We've had wonderful mild weather and a good amount of sunshine. There have been chilly days, but it's always lovely to see blue skies. And you can always put on a cardi or wrap up with a modern and funky scarf. So I can't say the cooler days have been much of a hardship. No, I didn't get my wish from last month of being able to put my coats away, but I know it won't be long until I do.

In terms of cooking and eating, these are days when you are a little caught between a Summer and a Winter mindset. On fine days, light and fresh dishes are what come to mind, but just as I find I can't quite put my coats away, I am also holding on to the comforting and heavy dishes of Winter. Recently we have had casseroles alternate with salad, Summery grilled meats giving way to slow cooker stews and perennial Snig's Kitchen favourite, homemade meatballs.

This month's pictures are, like last month's pictures, from my recent trip to Kerala, South India. It was hot, sunny and steamy during our trip last month. It will be even more humid and hot now. It's a glorious, tropical place, full of gorgeous scenery, kind and lovely people and amazing food and produce. 

Blogs Worth Following:

Inspired vegetarian cooking from Aruna Panangipally:  http://aahaaram.wordpress.com/

If you love afternoon tea, you will love this site with many reviews and a guide to afternoon tea etiquette: http://katieandchelsie.blogspot.co.uk/

Recipes:

Big beans with fennel, a flexible dish for Springtime: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/giant-lemon-fennel-beans-recipe.html

Single dish oven supper, Mark Hix's butter beans with smoked ham hock and tomato gratin:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/mark-hix-recipe-baked-butter-beans-with-smoked-ham-hock-9190585.html

A new way of cooking Little Gem lettuce, giving them a life beyond the salad bowl: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/braised-little-gems

Pot barley (or Scotch barley) still has some husk on it, giving it more flavour and texture than pearl barley. Here are some interesting recipe ideas, http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/07/pot-barley-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi

Hate diets but want to either lose weight or maintain your weight? Recipe from three-Michelin-starred chef Michel Guérard and book review from Fuss Free Flavour's Helen: http://fussfreeflavours.com/2014/03/eat-well-stay-slim-recipe-steamed-brill-en-papillote/

One to impress at a dinner party. A classic dessert, Cherry Clafoutis, as made by Raymond Blanc's own Maman. Requires making the batter the night before: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10711051/Raymond-Blancs-clafoutis-recipe.html

Lemon & tarragon roast chicken for Sunday lunch or relaxed weekend cooking: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/roast-lemony-tarragon-chicken-with-juicy-new-potatoes

Love ceviche or carpaccio? Serve with pickled radish for crunch and colour: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/pickled-radishes-

Pesto made with peas and beans - safe for people with nut allergies. By wannabe lawyer, guitar player and food blogger, Dewi: http://boycancook.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/spaghetti-with-pea-and-bean-pesto/

A classy little starter of prawns, mussels, clams/cockles and Spring asparagus by Mark Hix: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/mark-hix-recipe-asparagus-with-shellfish-9207382.html

Weekday supper saviour, Warm beef, beetroot and rocket salad recipe: http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/warm-beef-beetroot-and-rocket-salad

29 Avocado recipes. Varied, tasty and super cool: http://www.buzzfeed.com/tashweenali/super-easy-avocado-recipes

Chicken with anchovies, lemon and rosemary recipe (roast chicken thighs in a shallot and lemon sauce with a touch of anchovy):   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10600126/Chicken-with-anchovies-lemon-and-rosemary-recipe.html

Cabbage leaf "dolma" with rice and mince: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/feb/26/jack-monroe-stuffed-cabbage-leaves-dolmades-recipe

Roast cauliflower, garlic and fennel soup. Thrifty supper, from Jack Monroe: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/feb/19/jack-monroe-cauliflower-garlic-fennel-soup-recipe

Baked aubergine pasta with garlic and fresh tomatoes (vegetarian): http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/25/baked-aubergine-pasta-vegetarian-recipe-nigel-slater

Slow cooker Mushroom Stroganoff: http://supperinthesuburbs.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/slow-cooker-mushroom-stroganoff-v/

Mark Hix's Moroccan lentil soup with brown or puy lentils for those occasional chilly Spring days, needs 1 hours soaking in advance: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/mark-hix-recipe-moroccan-lentil-soup-9190588.html

Articles/Know How:

Astute advice for the cash conscious; lists, working out which shops to visit, supermarket shelving tricks and "hero" ingredients: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/feb/05/jack-monroe-how-to-save-money-food-shopping-budget

10 kitchen tips. Interesting and useful - I'm sure everyone, even the seasoned cook will learn something: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/26/ten-kitchen-tips-every-cook-should-know-felicity-cloake

Bargain wines for £6. Thank goodness! http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/foodanddrink/cheers-weve-found-the-6-wine-bottles-worth-drinking-9253717.html

TV:

House Of Cards (US version, made for Netflix), Season 1

Music:

Bibio - The Green EP

Band of Skulls - Himalayan

The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.

March 2014 Favourites List

March has been a quiet month on my blog. My sister just got married in Kerala, in south India, so I’ve been away. The wedding was beautiful, touching, emotional, colourful and joyful. My congratulations go to her and her new husband.

Kerala is a stunningly beautiful place, and very different from northern India. When people commonly visit India, they go to the architectural and historic sites up in the north west; Delhi, Agra (for the Taj Mahal), Jaipur, and Udaipur. The north west is dry and hot, the food has Mughal and Muslim influences with wheaten handbreads and rich yoghurt and ghee based sauces.

Chinese fishing nets, Fort Cochi, Kerala

 

Kerala in the south has a cuisine shaped by the prevalence of ingredients; rice is plentiful and is cooked as it is or ground. The flour is used to make noodles, idli or is fermented to make a batter used to make appams (curved pancakes). The rice native to the area has fat rounded grains with a red skin which has to be milled away. Coconut oil is the frying agent and coconut milk is frequently used in sauces. Fish is plentiful and is often cooked in banana leaves to lock in the moisture and prevent overcooking. The many fruits and vegetables are used in curries and rapidly stir fried salads called thorans.

Kerala’s moist and tropical climate means spices grow readily and banana trees and palm trees are everywhere. The beaches and backwaters are green, lush and a tonic to the jaded senses of people who have faced the long English Winter.

So naturally, my pictures this month are from my trip. Spring has finally sprung in the UK, and I am lucky enough to write this in my kitchen with the sun on my back as I type. The sky is blue and birds are singing by my back door. I’m looking forward to soon putting my coats away.

Kerala's tranquil backwaters

Blogs Worth Following:

http://talesofpiglingbland.com/ Gill describes her blog as "Tales of triumph and disaster in the kitchen", but it's triumph all the way - varied recipes from baking to dinners

http://linsfood.com/ Cookery tutor and all round culinary expert Lin's lovely blog

The backwaters at Kumarakom Lake Resort

Recipes:

Vegetarian recipe by Deena Kakaya, a Roast potato, mung bean, tomato and feta cheese salad with herbs and spices: http://www.deenakakaya.com/2014/02/24/roasted-potato-mung-bean-tomato-feta-salad-indian-spice-zaatar/

Worknight supper dish of Cod, Chorizo and potatoes. Kavey works her magic again. http://www.kaveyeats.com/2014/02/baked-chorizo-cod-potatoes.html

Chickpea, Carrot & Coriander Falafels - recipe by Jack Monroe http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03w164g/features/falafels

From my friend Karin Struyk, whose friend Bozena Uranowska found these Russian fermented veg snack recipes - any translation or English versions would be much appreciated!  http://gakish.com/zdorove-i-pitanie/xonk-cheremsha-recepty-prigotovleniya.htm

A stew of beef and mooli radish inspired by Cantonese cuisine: http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/braised-beef-and-daikon/

For the bakers among my readers, how to make Soda bread: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/feb/05/how-to-bake-perfect-soda-bread

Freeze ahead Lentil Ragu, for students or anyone else pressed for either time to cook or money: http://www.rachelphipps.com/2012/11/student-suppers-freeze-ahead-red-lentil.html

Burmese Chicken curry named "Kyet Thar Sipyan": http://www.mycookinghut.com/2009/05/09/burmese-chicken-curry/

Tea country, Munnar, Kerala

Hot and spicy sweet potato cakes with an East African influence: http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/05/how-to-cook-east-african-wilderness-sweet-potato-patties-with-piri-piri-sauce-4290049/

Never had the guts to poach a whole chicken, but this Hainan Chicken rice recipe is tempting me to try... http://www.theravenouscouple.com/2014/01/hainan-chicken-rice-com-ga-hai-nam.html

In honour of avid foodie and cook Clarissa Dickson Wright, who died this month, pork with plums: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/10710910/Clarissa-Dickson-Wrights-pork-stuffed-with-prunes-recipe.html

Articles/Know How:

The most common problems and solutions for effective pressure cooker use. I don't have or use one, but I do know they are pretty damn good for stews, curries and the like. http://www.hippressurecooking.com/infographic-the-pressure-cooker-trouble-shooter/

Author of the Miss Masala cookbook, Mallika Basu shares her top 10 tips to make Indian food healthy and fast: http://www.thekitchn.com/mallika-basus-10-tips-for-quicker-healthier-indian-cooking-kitchen-tour-199977

Film:

Inside Llewyn Davis

Enough Said

Despicable Me 2

Music:

Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More

Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left

Arctic Monkeys - AM

Water taxi on the backwaters

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.