Putting pre-made curry sauces to the test

2 weeks ago, Loyd Grossman's team sent me some #getflavor goodies.

I'm no expert and definitely not a food snob, but I don't usually use pre-made curry sauces.

I live in an area where Asian and Indian spices are readily available and often use fresh spices to make curries from scratch. It can be a little time consuming and I've had a few not turn out so good, getting the right mix is definitely a skill.

The first thing I did when the sauces from Loyd Grossman arrived was look at the ingredients in the sauce, and to my surprise there wasn't one thing in the sauce that I wasn't familiar with.

Sometimes the sauces can have a lot of unnecessary extras. (E numbers and some other ingredients I can't even pronounce)

It was really simple, I used chicken breasts which I cooked for 4-5 minutes before adding the jar of sauce. I transferred curry to an oven proof dish and let it cook through in the oven, for me this enhances the flavour. I added some cherry tomatoes and half a teaspoon of chili powder only to give the sauce some heat, my husband and I love spicy food.

I added some cumin seeds to the rice as it boiled and some natural food colouring.

I also made sag aloo by boiling some potatoes, then frying them in the pan with some butter, garlic granules, curry powder and a little salt. Once the butter was absorbed I added 200g of spinach.

The sauce was great, although I didn't marinate the chicken as I usually would, it had a strong flavour that didn't have a powdered curry taste. Its was really fresh and fruity without being sweet. I will be picking up a few of these as a quick curry alternative.

Swahili sweet bread

These delicious, sweet, soft, breads are from West Africa and known in Swahili as Mandazi.

They are my husbands favourite, so after watching my mother in law make them a few times I gave it a go myself.

They are really easy, and can be used instead of naan breads with a curry based meal.

You will need:

2 cups of self raising flour 

3 quarters of a cup of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of yeast

1 teaspoon of cardamom powder

Half a cup of milk

Half a cup of luke warm water

Mix all the dry ingredients with an electric whisk.

Then add the water and milk to bring the dough together.

Once the dough has come together leave it to rest in a warm place for 2 hours.

This will make your Mandazi light and fluffy.

Once your dough has risen you will need to divide it into roughly 4 equal portions.

Cut the ball into 4 and shape them into balls.

Then you will need to divide each of the 4 balls into 2.

 This will give you 8 portions.

To make them into the the triangle shape 

use a rolling pin to flatten the dough ball, and then cut them into quarters.

Don't forget to flour the side so that the dough does not stick to the kitchen surface.

Continue to roll out and cut the dough balls untill you have used all of the dough.

These will need to be deep fried.

I put my electric cooker between 4 and 5 the top setting is 6.

Use a little piece of dough to test the oil, if it floats to the top after you drop it in your oil is hot enough.

Place the dough gently in to the hot oil, it will sink and then rise to the top.

Use a spoon to gentle splash the oil over the top this will puff out the bread.

When it turns golden brown flip it over and do the same on the other side.

It should take about 90 seconds to cook each one.

They shouldn't be greasy and have a similar texture of a doughnut.

Enjoy!

Quick and easy Banoffee Pie

This is so easy and so quick but ridiculously  delicious, everyone will love it.

You will need

• A loaf tin
• Tin foil
• 1 banana
• Half a pack of digestive biscuits you could use ginger nut of both
• 350g of salted butter
• A tin of Carnation caramel
• 300ml of Double  or Whipping cream
• 45g of dark chocolate

1. Line your tin with foil making sure there is excess over the sides of the tin, this will help you lift the pie out once its set. Put the tin in the fridge until you are ready to fill it.
2. Melt your butter in a pan on a low heat.
3. Crush your biscuits. You can use a blender to make it fine, or place the biscuit in a double food bag and crush them carefully.
4. The butter should now be completely melted, add the biscuit and make sure the butter is thoroughly mixed in.
5. Line the bottom of your tin (1cm thick)  with the biscuit mix making sure it’s pressed in firmly. Place it in the fridge to cool down whilst you prepare the toppings.
6. You will need an electric whisk to whip the cream into soft peaks unless you have a bakers arm, being careful not to over whip it or it will split and you won’t be able to use it. As you’re whisking it check it every 5 seconds after it starts to firm up.
7. Slice the banana into 1 cm thick pieces and place on top of the biscuit.
8. Layer the Caramel on top of the banana (2cm thick layer )
9. Layer your cream on top this should reach the rim of the tin.
10. Place this back in the fridge.
11. Melt a tea spoon of butter and the chocolate in a pan, on a low heat.
12. Use the chocolate to decorate the top of you pie
13. 
    

You could grate the chocolate on top if you don’t want to melt it. its great either way.

This should take you around 15 minutes and you can leave it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

if it lasts that long.

Great places to eat out in London, without the price tag.

 I love discovering new places and it doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg for you to have a good time or for it to taste good. Some of my most enjoyable times have been spent at little restaurants who really care about what they cook. There's nothing I enjoy more then meeting up with friends or getting to know new media partners over great food and drink.

If you ever find yourself stuck for places to eat and you’re fed up with the main stream chains, (you just thought of Nandos) here are a few places you can go to grab a quick bite or chat up with friends.

You can eat at the places mentioned below for £20 per person or less.

Meat mission

15 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HG

Open until 12am Meat mission offers a range of meaty indulgent beef burgers from The Dead Hippie (my fav) to The Buffalo Chicken Burger. Accompanied by wicked sides like tobacco onions, and monkey fingers (not literally monkey fingers) you won’t be disappointed by whatever you order. (I take no liability if you are)

The inside is full of stain glass windows and re-purposed old wooden tables. The ceiling is waky and has a Gilbert and George feel to it (Google them... weird) it’s a place of novelty with the food to back it up.

If it isn't cheat day or you're on a strict diet, there are no healthy options. It's full on meat sweats and beer here.

The Chicken Shop

Rotisserie chicken

The Chicken Shop is a brilliant alternative to that other "Portuguese" place that offers chicken and is slowing going south on quality. The menu here is simple you can choose from whole, half, or a quarter chicken smokey bbq or chilli flavor. Then add your sides fries, slaw, corn on the cob, and a generous avocado salad.

The Chicken shop launched their largest site in Holborn a few months ago and it gets extremely busy every lunch time. You can’t book so if you are going for lunch make sure your there just before 12:30.

The Holborn branch is underground and has a huge open rotisserie where you can see the hot flames grilling the chicken to perfection.

It’s a great little place, you can pop in or sit down and take your time.

The Apple pie is amazing! 

The Rum Chicken

1st Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby, Soho, W1B 5PW

I literally spent about 4 hours here a few weeks ago catching up with colleges and friends, over some proper Jamaican food and some punchy rum cocktails.

It’s a fun little place in a great location. As there were 6 of us, I got to try out everything on the starter menu. No! I wasn't the annoying person asking if I could try everyone's food, we ordered all the starters and shared them between us.

I absolutely loved the fish fitters and veg patties, which were cooked with proper corn flour.

I wanted the Mutton, rice and peas but due to stuffing myself silly on the starters  I went with the Salmon Rainbow Salad. Roasted pumpkin, sliced red onion, red pepper, juicy mango, avocado, toasted coconut flakes & a mild scotch bonnet and lime dressing. A-may-zing!

The place its self it colourful and playful with reggae music playing in the back ground.

Perfect spot after an afternoon of Oxford street shopping.

Morito tapas & mezze
32 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QE

 I love tapas, not so much the sharing part but the, I get to try everything part.

Morito, does little plates of absolute gorgeousness.

The menu changes on a weekly basis which keeps people going back, its not in the slightest bit formal if anything a little bit uncomfortable but the food they cook is worth stirring on the slightly wobbly stall. Which I'm guessing is the rustic feel they were going for.

 It can get really busy  during lunch times, so arrive early. 

The Chiltern Fire House

You have probably heard of the Chiltern fire house in Marylebone. If you haven’t, what rock have you been hiding under for the past 18 months? Recently visited by the likes of Kylie Minogue, Kate Moss and Lilly Cole. The Chiltern fire house is probably the hottest (see what I did there) restaurants in town.

I was lucky enough to go for dinner on Wednesday, and even had a table next to the lovey Karren Brady from The Apprentice. Annoyingly, we just missed Jennifer Aniston with her fiancé Justin Theroux, they arrived for dinner with the rest of the cast after the UK premier of Horrible Bosses 2 in Londons Leister square.

The Chiltern Fire House is a great spot for a special occasion and prices aren’t as bad as you are probably thinking.  Although if you are planning a visit you will need to book well in advanced as there can be up to a 2 month waiting list.

The restaurant itself is beautiful and has the right balance of being both open plan and intimate. They even have the cooking station on display.

The menu changes on a weekly basis so there is always an excuse to revisit.

In the world of media, lunches, dinners and just generally eating out is what we do. Crab doughnuts are talk of the town at the moment and I've been told (one too many times) that I have to try them at The Chiltern fire house.

 We ordered drinks and some of the nibbles while we waited for our starters. We had corn bread fingers, Crab doughnuts (obviously) and deep fried squid. 

The grab doughuts were little fluffy balls of crabby delighfulness. The rest was pretty standard in taste and there wasn’t anything particularly great about them, although it was all cooked really well. 

My starter on the other hand was jam packed full of flavour, I was going to go for the Hay roasted Pigeon grilled salsify (Root veg) and liver paste.

But instead I had Grilled Octopus, aubergine, daikon (mild-flavored winter radish) and mushroom. It was also sprinkled with pine nuts and a crunchy garlic flavor topping.

My starter was rich without being over powering, all the flavors  worked in complete harmony with each other making it one of the best starters I've ever had. The Octopus was cooked within an 8^th of a millimetre to perfect. The tips of the octopus were crispy and the base was tender, the little picked onions and the mushrooms added depth to the dish it was gorgeous.

Did you know that octopus is massaged before it's cooked, it apparently enhances the flavour and texture. One of my friends told me over diner, she grew up in Turkey and used to go out on the fishing boats. (Every day is a school day) 

Roast Duck, celeriac, walnuts and chervil, was the main dish I chose.

I like to choose things that contain Ingredients I wouldn’t really cook at home.

I discovered I don’t really like roasted duck leg, it was the dark flavor of the meat I didn’t particularly in enjoy, the duck breast on the other hand…..

The skin was crisp and the breast meat was pink, moist, seasoned perfectly  and tasted incredible. I took my time to eat my plate of food and truely  enjoyed every bite.

Both of the dishes that I had felt like they had been cooked with so much care and looked as good as they tasted.

We had some fine French bean d and a side of spinach. The spinach has cream, garlic and shallots mixed in and was finished with nutmeg. (try it at home)

This place was a gem and defiantly lived up to its expectation. I could find a single fault. The waiters were certious and attentive, the vibe was great and the food imaculate.

I will defiantly be going again.

Caribbean chicken noodle soup

There are a few different variations on chicken noodle soup. Some people use squash, some people like to use boiled dumplings and green banana. But I like to keep mine simple

For my soup which was 4 portions I used:

·         4 skinless chicken thighs

·         3x2” piece of ginger (sliced into long flat pieces)

·         3 garlic gloves (left whole)

·         1 scotch bonnet (whole to be removed after cooking)

·         4 sprigs of fresh thyme (left whole) set a few little leave aside to garnish

·         4 carrots ( roughly chopped into 2 cm pieces)

·         500g of Yam ( roughly chopped into 3 cm pieces)

·         4 tables spoons of olive oil

·         1 heaped table spoon of Caribbean curry powder (not the usual one used in Indian cooking)

·         1 packet of cock or chicken noodle soup

·         You should be able to buy all of these ingredient in Tesco or Salisbury

1. Seal/brown your chicken in a frying pan using a little olive oil
2. Boil the yam for 2 minutes then add the carrots and boil for another 8 minutes
3. Use the water from the vegetables to make the base of the soup and add the water and chicken into a large saucepan.
4. Add the scotch bonnet pepper, garlic and ginger to the soup, and bring to the boil, boil it for 10 minutes and then cook on a low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Add the cock soup sachet, stir it in well and let it simmer for another 8 minutes.
6. Add the yam and carrots back into the pot for the last 2 minutes to heat through

Stage 6 is also where you would add in any other veg you wanted to use or some precooked boiled dumplings.

When you serve season it with some cracked black pepper, taste the soup before you add any salt.

Use the thyme leave you saved over to sprinkle these over the top.

Tag me on Instagram or Twitter show me how it turned out. #goodlookingcooking

Our 5th year anniversary at Hakkasan

It was my 5th anniversary last week Thursday, (30th October) of being with my now husband. We said we wasn't going to do anything, as we only got married at the beginning of September. But he told me to meet him at Tottenham Court Road tube station after work as were going out to eat. 

I met him at 6:30 well 6:37…..

Just when you need it, the internet connection dropped off and he couldn’t find the location of where we were going. He was about to ask a porter outside a casino. As Salim (my husband) walked up to the guy “Hakkasan” he said, loud enough for me to hear.

Dude you just spoiled the surprise! Either way I was excited but a little spooked, I had literally been talking to my collages the same week about how much I wanted to go there.

The entrance reminds me of an exclusive nightclub and you do feel special as you walk in. Doors being opened, coats being taken.

The interior is dark and moody in a romantic, intimate, fun kinda way. I loved it.

They have a great menu to choose from. Dim sum, Atlantic halibut with spicy Szechuan chilli pepper, Peking duck with pancake with a choice of XO sauce, Tofu, and seasonable vegetables. There is something for everyone and if you can’t decide what to go for, have one of the signatures menus which offer a varied selection so you get to taste a range of flavours Hakkasan offer.

The signature dishes range from £60 per person to £118. We had the Dim sum platter scallop shumai, har gau, Chinese chive dumpling and shimeji dumpling. Soooooo Good!

Then deep fried chilli squid, it was OK not the best I've ever had there was a little too much batter.

The mains included roast chicken in satay sauce. I found it strange a Sunday roast chicken with peanut sauce the combination just wasnt to my tatse, although individually they were very tasty.

Pan-fried silver cod, the sauce that it was in was amazing. It was sweet savoury and a little sticky.

Stir-fry black pepper rib eye beef with merlot, this was my favorite dish the beef was melt in the mouth cooked to perfection and was really tatsy. When I say tasty I don't mean nom nom tasty, I mean flavoursome and delicious I could taste the combination of ingredients.

Spicy prawn with lily bulb and almond, I wasn't keen on this as it tasted like a Thai green curry, not that I don't like Thai green curry it just wasn't what I was expecting. 

Seasonal vegetable, these were steamed to an absolute perfect texture, I drizzled them with chilli oil and soy. Steamed jasmine rice, this is served along with your meal and is topped up throughout.

My one piece of advice when visiting the Hakkasan chain is, make sure you ask which is the men’s and which is women’s toilets. before the desserts arrived i took a trip to the ladies. The symbol on the toilet isn't very obvious at all.  I walked in, chose a cubicle turned to lock the door to see 3 men standing over the urinals. The man on the right turned to look at me. With my face scrunched up face I said “im in the wrong toilet” “yes, yes you are” he said. (cringe)

The waiter was great and really attentive, at the end of the meal our plates were taken away and about 5 minutes later we were served our dessert.

But this is where I have a problem.  The waiter brought out two desserts, one was a trio of chocolate, now I’m normally a massive chocolate fan but this wasn't special in any way and to be honest I’ve had better from the chilled isle at my local super market.

The second one on the other hand was a sweet, fruity melt in the mouth small plate of sheer deliciousness, BUT I have no idea what it was called. Does anyone know what it is? I think it was pear, but I'm not sure either way it was amazing.

Overall it was a lovely evening and its a great place, its a place for a special occasion and one you will remember.

They have a great website with more details about booking and whats on offer.

Pollen Street Social

I love Fridays, who doesn't love Fridays?

Last week I visited Pollen Street Social on…. Pollen Street, London.

It’s owned by Jason Atherton and is the flag ship restaurant of the 5 others dotted around London.

Pollen Street Social has contemporary design, with a minimal but warm feel. There are intimate dining booths, tables for larger groups and private dining rooms. I went for lunch with seven other media geeks, and had a gorgeous afternoon. Perks of the job!

The welcome is warm and friendly, your coats are taken a to be hung up, and you are lead to your table. 

 Pollen Street Social offers tempting cocktails, spirits and an extensive wine list, with a connoisseur on hand to help you choose something to compliment your food.

 Firstly you are asked if you would like some Amuse-bouche, different from appetizers that they are not ordered from a menu, but, when served, are done so free and according to the chef's selection.

when they are arrived presented on double tiered wooden serving platter I couldn't wait to tuck in.

Cheese churros with spiced dipping sauce, mushroom tea poured over Parmesan foam, sweetcorn muffins, and dried olive mini crackers.

The Amuse-bouche were really tasty and put me in the mood for what was to come. The mushroom tea poured over Parmesan foam was amazing.

To start I had the line caught Devon squid cooked in cauliflower, roasted squid juices, ink rice & sea herbs. It wasn't what I was expecting when it arrived, as the squid had a risotto texture and with the cauliflower sauce was delicate, almost bland.

 The main on the other hand was a perfectly matched group of strong flavours that left you wanting more. It was rich without being over powering and cooked perfectly.

One of the biggest disappointments was that we completely ran out of time and had to be back at work, which means I didn't get to try a dessert. I still haven’t gotten over the fact I didn't have dessert and might have to pop back just to have one, even if it means a table for one.

Overall the food was great, service was perfect and the staff were extremely polite and welcoming. It’s the perfect place for a birthday dinner, anniversary, or an impressive 3rd date spot. It’s not cheap be prepared to spend at least £50 per person.

Check out the full a-la-carte menu.

Dessert bar