Sweetcorn Curry Recipe

My Dad used to make this sweetcorn curry recipe when we young and we all used to love it. It's a very good curry for vegetarians (substitute the chicken stock for veggie) and children love it too with all that lovely sweetcorn. For babies, I just leave the salt and chilli out. You can add them after you've served the baby portion. Serve with rice or naan.


Ingredients:
4 cobs of corn
3 tablespoons of oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 onions, finely chopped
3 green chillies
1 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 can of sweetcorn
60g peanuts, ground
60g sesame seeds, ground
300ml milk
3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped

HOW TO MAKE:
Boil the corn cobs until tender. Drain and reserve 300ml of the water. Quarter the cobs and leave until later.

Heat the oil in the pan and add the black mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the onions and cook until soft. Now add the chillies and ginger and cooks for another couple of minutes. Making sure the pan isn't too hot, add the turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Dry fry for a few seconds, then add the tomatoes, stock (made with the reserved cooking liquor), corn cobs and tin of sweetcorn. Once it has reduced down, add the peanuts, sesame seeds and milk and cook on a low heat until there is a thick gravy. Finish with the fresh coriander just before serving.

If you like this recipe try Lentil Dhal with Chicken

Lentil Dhal with Chicken

I love a dhal. In fact, I don't think you can beat lentils. This Lentil Dhal with Chicken is a quick "does-everything" curry. My ideal dish at the moment is something that can just blip away on the stove. I want to bang all the ingredients in a pan and have a yummy dish at the end of it all - and this dish is very good for that.


I've simplified this dhal recipe and added chicken, although it is equally as nice without the meat. And if you've got a baby, check out my Baby Dhal with Chicken, which is easiest to make when making this grown-up dish!

Ingredients:
125g green lentils
125g red lentils
600ml water
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1 onion, chopped
225g tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3cm root ginger, chopped or grated
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 can coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
2 chicken breasts, sliced


HOW TO MAKE:
First of all, soak the lentils in the water. Now prepare the onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Once you have them all chopped, heat two tablespoons of oil and add the black mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger. Fry for 5 minutes, then add the chilli, turmeric and cumin. Fry for 30 seconds, then add the lentils in their water and the coconut milk. Simmer for 20 minutes then add the chicken and in a separate pan, put your rice on to cook. When the rice has cooked, add coriander to the dhal, season to taste and serve. Sometimes, I find a squeeze of lemon just lifts the flavours of the dish.

If you like this recipe try Sweetcorn Curry

Butternut Squash Soup

I love soup. I don't think it should be just a forgotten about starter - it should be the main attraction. And with the weather getting foggy, nasty and cold, there's nothing like a bowl of bright butternut squash soup to make everything better!
After watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall the other week, I've made a new addition to this soup - peanut butter. He suggests a whole jar to be added to the soup, but I find this too over powering. Two teaspoons is plenty to bring out the nuttiness of the squash without becoming peanut butter soup. Take heed Whittingstall!

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 butternut squash, diced into inch pieces
2 gloves of garlic, chopped
half a red chilli, chopped
1½ litres of vegetable or chicken stock
2 teaspoons crunchy peanut butter
toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds

HOW TO MAKE:
Firstly, prepare all the veg. Start by frying the onion in a little olive oil and butter. Once the onion is translucent, add the celery and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the squash, garlic and chilli and saute for 5 minutes. Now add the stock and season. Simmer until the vegetables are tender. Add the peanut butter just before you blend the soup. Serve with the sunflower and pumpkin seeds scattered on top and some crusty bread.

Chunky Guacamole

I think the texture of guacamole is a very personal thing. I like mine to have some texture, but if you like yours smoother, then feel free to either chop your tomatoes smaller or give it a little whizz.


Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
2 large tomatoes
3 spring onions
handful of  fresh coriander
half red chilli
tablespoon of olive oil
juice of 1 lime


HOW TO MAKE
Chop your ingredients to the size you like and place everything in a bowl. Mix with a fork (giving the avocado a little mashing along the way) and season to taste. Leave the guacamole to stand for at least 15 minutes before serving for the flavours to marry together.

Bonfire Beef Chilli with Guacamole, Sour Cream and Rice

Why not warm up this Bonfire Night with a fiery chilli. This is a recipe I've developed over the years. It used to keep me going at university for many days and you can eat it so many different ways. 


You can serve it over a mound of tortilla chips with a sprinkling of cheese on top. Or you could cook up some flat breads and make them into burritos. I like to serve the chilli with some fluffy rice, chunky guacamole and sour cream. You can also adjust the heat in the recipe to suit your little ones. I can get away with half a teaspoon of chilli flakes for my son, but I always have a sly bottle of chilli sauce to pep things up once I've served his portion.


I always find it's worth making a big batch of this beef chilli, because it's always better reheated the next day. And if you make too much, it's always nice to know you've got a well-stocked freezer with this little number stashed away in there. 


Ingredients
1 onion chopped
250g beef mince
240g red kidney beans
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
half teaspoon crushed chilli flakes
half a fresh red chilli
1 dessert spoon tomato paste
400ml passata
400ml chicken stock
sprig of fresh oregano
1 teaspoon Marmite
1 teaspoon sugar

HOW TO MAKE
Fry the onion in olive oil until translucent, now add the mince and fry until brown. Add the garlic, cumin, chilli flakes and fresh chilli and fry for a couple of minutes. Now add the beans, passata, tomato paste, oregano and chicken stock. Cook for at least 1 hour on a low heat. Add the Marmite and sugar 10 minutes before serving and season to taste.

Sweet Chilli Jelly

Since making this Sweet Chilli Jelly I've had a bit of a problem - I can't stop eating it. It's well worth making for yourself or for gifts. It looks lovely too!

We had a bit of a glut of big red chillies this year and making this jelly was the perfect solution. Although when I run out, I think I'll just go and buy some more chillies to make it again!

It's great with cheese and meats. I love it on a cheese sandwich, or on the side with sausages and cous cous. But it's great stirred into stews and sauces.

Ingredients
300g red chillies
5 - 10 gloves of garlic
1kg jam sugar
600ml white wine vinegar
6 x 250ml jars

HOW TO MAKE
Put the chillies in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Chop the garlic and put in with chillies and pulse again.

Place the sugar and vinegar in a heavy bottom pan and dissolve slowly over a low heat. Add the chillies and garlic and season with salt. Bring back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before decanting into sterilised jars. Seal tightly.

Store unopened for up to 1 year. Keep in fridge once opened.