ginger

shrimp laksa bowl

~ aplotzi ~ 1 Comment

Laksa is a creamy coconutty broth which is spicy, delicious and is  a very traditional Thai dish. It’s always served in a big bowl with noodles and with lots of garnishes, so it looks scrumptious. You can also make this recipe with whatever takes your fancy, so you can add different seafood to it like squid and scallops or shell fish. It’s up to you and if you omit the noodles you have a very tasty, creamy low carb meal. It’s perfect for date night dinner with your darling, when you fancy something hot and spicy.

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sticky jamaica ginger cake

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Jamaica ginger cake is very nostalgic for me as it was a very occasional treat when I was growing up and I loved everything about it. I loved that it was a dark, dense, slightly sticky on the outside sponge cake made with lots of black treacle and fragrant with spices. They still make it today but I wanted to do a dairy free version that could also be vegan so I have created this recipe around the original recipe but omitted the butter and milk. It has a great texture as well as a great taste, and you don’t miss the dairy at all. The cake gets nicer over the next few days after baking and gets slightly sticky on the outside as the flavours mature. I tested it out on my friend’s teenage kids and they really loved it even though they had never had Jamaican ginger cake before. It’s dairy free heaven… but shhh, you don’t have to tell anyone it is because they won’t notice!

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vegetarian laksa bowl

~ aplotzi ~ 1 Comment

This laksa is my version of the delicious  coconutty creamy sweet and sour Thai broth. Although more of a meal. It’s got soft boiled eggs and roasted tomatoes with spinach and leeks. It works because they are all flavours that work well together. It’s perfect for a midweek supper or on a date night. Once you have made the laksa paste you can keep it for a long time in the  freezer for future use. The laksa jars in the supermarket aren’t as good and fresh tasting, but they are fine if you can’t be bothered to make it.

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beetroot pachadi

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I think beetroot rocks and this is my take on beetroot pachadi, a creamy Indian curry dish which is normally served puréed. I prefer it chunky but with the same great flavours, I also love the popping texture of the mustard seeds in your mouth when you eat it. I have added crunchy coconut chips as a garnish, to add even more texture. It’s a great Indian sweet and sour dish which can be a stand alone dish, but is delicious with other curries too, including meat ones, and perfect served with basmati rice and a salad or a paratha. My friends have tested this recipe out for me and they all think it’s brilliant. Thanks friends.

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creamy fish curry

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I love this delicious Madur Jaffrey dairy free creamy fish curry recipe and have been cooking it for ever. It’s perfect for Friday night dinner, a dinner party or as an antidote to all the Christmas fare at Christmas. It’s great served with a wedge of lime and fantastic to serve on Christmas eve to guests as a simple supper with basmati rice or with whatever you fancy.

Recipe

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
A thumb size piece of ginger
3 green chillies
7 cloves of peeled garlic
400ml can of coconut milk
250ml carton of coconut cream
4 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive
3 medium onions finely chopped
8 small tomatoes halved
800g of white skinless fish (haddock, cod, monkfish), cut into big chunks
¾ teaspoon of turmeric
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
A handful of coconut chips, toasted in a dry pan (optional)
A bunch of finely chopped coriander (optional)
Salt to taste

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japanese broccoli

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A few weeks ago my godson had his thirteenth birthday dinner at a Japanese restaurant in Mayfair called Roka. We went with his mum and his godfathers, Ralph and Tim (Ralph, who is the genius blog creator on here) The food was amazing, we ate lots of amazing dishes including a Japanese risotto, but weirdly the dish that bowled us over hugely was their stir fried broccoli. It was beyond delicious. It was a  perfect combo of savoury and sweet and the broccoli wasn’t over cooked, but just tender enough. I tried to recreate it from memory for last night’s dinner and we all thought it was as good as Roka’s. I could live on it, and it’s perfect if you want to eat broccoli but you aren’t that keen. Brilliant with just plain basmati rice and my Asian sea bass.

Recipe

Serves 2.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of tender stem broccoli
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce or vegetarian  oyster sauce (I get this in Asian supermarkets) check for gluten
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds (I use black ones)
1 tablespoon fish sauce or a teaspoon of tamarind paste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ tablespoon Soya sauce or gluten free soya sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon ginger cut into tiny skinny matchstick pieces (optional)

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asian sea bass

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Asian flavours are always a winner in my book. This recipe is really easy and tastes sublime. Perfect for dinner for two.

Serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 sea bass
1 tablespoon mirin
20g of finely grated ginger
20g of ginger cut into match sticks and fried till crispy
5 spring onions cut in half
4 tablespoons of light olive oil
3 tablespoons of light gluten-free soya sauce
A sprinkling of roasted sesame seeds (optional)

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japanese fine beans

~ aplotzi ~ 2 Comments

These delicious peanutty fine beans were part of a sushi meal I had at a Japanese restaurant in Spitalfields. They went so well with the sushi and were the highlight of the meal, so I have try to guess what the sauce was, and after a few attempts I think I’ve nailed it and think it’s just as delicious. It’s an easy recipe and the sweet and savoury sauce is sublime…and makes an excellent side dish..do try it.

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients:
200g approx of fine beans topped and tailed
1 heaped tablespoon of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of soya sauce
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
1/4 garlic clove chopped
1/4 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger

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aloo gobi

~ aplotzi ~ 4 Comments

This is my own version of the Leon Aloo Gobi. Even though it’s got a lot of ingredients, it’s worth making as a stand alone veggie dish. It’s perfect for a vegan or vegetarian dinner party served with basmati rice or a paratha. I think it has all the right flavours and textures. Sweet and savoury and  very creamy. Everyone loves it, including die hard carnivores. It has been wheeled out for many a dinner party and vegetarian dinner à deux.

Recipe

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 carrots thickly sliced
2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
1 red chilli
2 thumb sized pieces of fresh ginger
5 cloves peeled garlic
1 heaped teaspoon madras curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black onion seeds
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 a cauliflower broken into florets
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
Juice of half a lemon
A handful of sultanas
Finely chopped parsley or coriander
A handful of desiccated coconut (and some optional coconut chips to sprinkle on top)

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jerk chicken

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A friend’s husband asked me to make this for dinner, because he hadn’t had jerk chicken for a long time. He’s a chef, and he loved it.

Serves 3.

Ingredients:
6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin off
A couple of limes

Marinade
1 bunch of spring onions
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves
2 red chillies, chopped
A few sprigs of thyme
Half a lime juiced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
1 heaped teaspoon ground allspice

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