Category: Recipes

Baida (egg) curry

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

Baida Curry (Egg Curry)

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 6 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of veg oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 – 10 curry leaves
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 175g of onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon of finely sliced ginger
• 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
• ¾ teaspoon of red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 250g chopped tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon of garam masala
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander

Method
1. Hard boil the eggs, shell and cut into quarters and arrange on the base of a serving dish.
2. Heat the oil or ghee in a karhai or wok. When the oil is very hot add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaves, curry leaves, cloves and cardamom pods.
3. When the spices begin to crackle (this will only take a few seconds) add the sliced onions and fry until they just start to brown (about 10-12 mins).
4. Stir in the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, red chilli powder and turmeric. Add a little water and cook, stirring for 2 mins.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and garam masala and cook over a low heat for 10–15mins. If the contents of the pan start to stick, add a little more water. Add salt to taste.
6. Pour the sauce over the eggs in the serving dish and sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

Recipe… Kuku Wa Kupaka (Swahili Chicken)

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

IMG_3733

 

Kuku Wa Kupaka (Swahili Chicken)
Serves 6

What you need

• 30g cumin powder
• 15g turmeric powder
• 30g cardamon powder
• 15g chopped garlic
• 15g chopped ginger
• 1l coconut milk
• 500ml yoghurt
• 30ml lemon juice
• 1kg chicken thighs and legs
• 100g chopped onions
• 20ml corn oil


For the garnish
• 100g chopped onions
• One tomato cut into small cubes
• A small handful of chopped coriander
• A pinch of parsley

 

How to cook it

1. Mix 15g cumin, 7.5g turmeric, 15g cardamon, 7.5g chopped garlic, 7.5g chopped ginger, 150g coconut milk, 250ml yoghurt and 20ml lemon juice and coat the chicken with the mixture to marinate. Set aside for two to three hours.

2. When the chicken has marinated arrange the pieces on an oven tray, making sure they are all well coated with the mixture. Preheat the oven to 180 C and cook the chicken for 25 minutes. Checked that all the pieces are cooked through.

3. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and stir in the rest of the cumin, turmeric, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, coconut milk and 10ml of lemon juice. Reduce the sauce to half its original quantity then add the rest of the yoghurt and let it boil for one minute

4. Add in the chicken pieces and heat through.

5. Add the garnish and serve with rice and chapatti.

• Recipe courtesy of Dominic Keya, chef at the Hilton, Nairobi, Kenya.

Roasted corn with lemon and spice

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

Roasted corn

This is a simple street snack you’ll find all over the sub-continent. For that delicious roasted taste the vendors finish cooking the corn in the coals, leaving on the leaves so the corn is protected. You can try the same on the barbecue at home or try to replicate under the grill. On the street it’s eaten with your hands, of course.

For 2 people

4 corn on its cob (with leaves on if you can get them)
A lemon cut into halves or quarters
A large spoonful of mixed tandoori spice (or any mixed spice you choose)
A small spoonful of salt, preferably sea sea salt with large grains

1. Cook cobs over barbeque until corn is soft (finish off for a few seconds in the coals if you have leaves to protect the corn). Use the grill if it’s cold and raining.
2. Mix the spice and salt together and add to a plate with the lemon pieces.
3. Once corn is ready rub the lemon into the spice and salt mix and then rub generously over the corn.
4. Eat immediately.

 

Recipe… Prawn Salad with Chilli Jam

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

chill jam

Prawn Salad with Chilli Jam
Serves 2

What you need
• 1 medium-sized cucumber, skinned and chopped into cubes
• 1 green pepper chopped into cubes
• 1 onion chopped
• 6 small plum tomatoes halved
• 1/2 tsp rock salt
• 1/4 lemon
• 3 tbls vegetable oil
• 15 medium-sized prawns
• pinch of ground turmeric
• pinch of chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
• small bunch fresh coriander roughly chopped

How to make it
1. Mix all salad ingredients with salt then squeeze lemon over the top. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbls of vegetable oil to medium heat. Add turmeric and chilli powder for 30 seconds, making sure it is fully absorbed into the oil.
3. Add prawns and fry until they turn pink (about 4 minutes). Remove prawns with a slotted spoon and add to the top of the salad.
4. Add the other tbls of vegetable oil and bring to a high heat (almost smoking).
5. Cook the seeds and garlic until the seeds pop (this will only take a few seconds).
6. Pour the oil mixture over the prawns. You can keep back the seeds if you prefer as it’s the taste from the oil you want. Top with coriander leaves.
7. Serve with a chilli jam as a dipping sauce.

I used Bhut Jaloka Chilli Jam from the Chilli Jam Factory.

• A full range of chilli jams from the Chilli Jam Factory are available from Lockie’s Shellfish.

Recipe… Oyster Curry

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

photo

Oyster Curry
Serves 3-4

What you need
• 24 medium-sized oysters shucked and cleaned (keep the liquor)
• 4 tbls oil
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 300ml coconut milk

How you cook it
1. Cook the oysters in their liquor over a medium heat until the edges start to curl (about 5 minutes). Set aside and cover.
2. Heat oil to a high heat. Fry mustard seeds for a few seconds. Test the heat is right by testing one seed (it will pop).
3. Add onions and fry until they are golden brown (about 5-6 minutes).
4. Add spices and garlic, stir in and cook for a further 5 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk and stir in until fully warmed through.
6. Add the cooked oysters and when hot serve with crusty bread.

Oysters are from Mersea Island and are courtesy of Lockies Shellfish.

Recipe… Sea Bream in Spicy Batter

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

Sea Bream in Spicy Batter
for 2 pieces of fish

What you need
• x 2 pieces of sea bream about 200g each 10 tsp cooking oil
• 125g plain flour
• 250g any beer
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

How you cook it
1. Mixed flour, beer, spices and salt until the mix is thick but still workable.
2. Dry the fish using a paper towel (do not remove the skin from the fish).
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan to a high heat. Make sure the whole of the pan is covered fully with oil.
4. Coat the fish generously in the batter mix and drop into the oil skin side down first. Be very careful of the spitting hot fat.
5. Cook until the batter is crispy and fish cooked through. This will be about 3–5 minutes on the skin side and 3–4 minutes on the other side depending on the thickness of the fillet.
6. Drain off excess fat and serve with chips or salad.

African Chicken Feet Curry

On By Daniel FordIn Recipes3 Comments

IMG_1695

Serves 3

What you need
• 1 litre water
• 1kg chicken feet
• 1/2 cup oil
• tsp salt
• tsp mixed spice
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 1 red pepper finely chopped
• tsp flour (optional)

How you cook it
1. Boil chicken feet for one hour.
2. Fry all other ingredients except flout in oil until the onions are soft (not brown).
3. Pour in chicken and sauce to pan and cook on a low heat (you can add flour to thicken if needed).
4. Serve with pap, samp, steamed dumplings or spinach.

Recipe courtesy Florence Chareka, chef at TSA restaurant in Randburg, near Johannesburg, South Africa.

Recipe… Chicken Wings Curry

On By Daniel FordIn Recipes1 Comment

Chicken wing curry

Chicken Wings Curry
Serves 6-8
Preparation and cooking time: 2 to 2.5 hours

What you need
• 125gm butter
• 20 green chillies chopped
• 6 medium-sized onions chopped
• 8–10cm piece of ginger chopped
• 2 whole garlic bulbs with cloves chopped
• 800g chopped tomatoes
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2kg skinless chicken wings
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1.5 tsp garam masala
• bunch coriander chopped

How you cook it
1. Heat butter over a medium heat.
2. Add chillies, onions, ginger and garlic and cook until golden brown.
3. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, cumin seeds. Cook on a low heat until the butter starts to rise to the edge of the masala sauce.
4. Add the chicken wings. Cook on low heat until the water comes out from the meat. Then raise heat for 5–8 mins to dry out the water.
5. Add boiling water.
6. Add garam masala and coriander. Cook on high heat for 5 mins then low heat for 15 mins. You will see the butter on the surface.
7. Serve with basmati rice and salad.

Note: you can add more or less chilli according to your tastes. Check the pot for salt levels before serving. You can cook this on a higher heat quicker if you are in a rush!

Recipe courtesy: Desi Indian stall (at Greenwich covered market)

Spicy red mullet

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

Serves one as a snack

• 2 pieces of red mullet fillet
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 2-3 small dried chillies
• pinch of salt
• pinch cinnamon powder

Method
1. Dry the fish thoroughly. The fillets will have a skin on one side. Leave it on.
2. Crush all the seeds so they are broken down but not so much that they are ground to powder.
3. Add the salt and cinnamon and mix well.
4. Coat the flesh side of the fish well to form a crust. Use the palm of your hand to gently push the spices into the fish. Put into the fridge for a minimum of an hour.
5. Heat a small amount of oil to a high heat in a pan. Fry the crust side for about a minute and a half and the skin side for about a minute.
6. Eat immediately with the pickle of your choice.

Fish supplied by Lockies Shellfish in Greenwich

Recipe… Spicy Baby Cuttlefish

On By Daniel FordIn RecipesLeave a comment

Spicy Baby Cuttlefish
Serves 2

What you need
• 2 tsps olive oil
• 300gms baby cuttlefish (prepared, washed, dried and ready to cook)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 Tbls fresh coriander, chopped (to garnish)

For paste
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-2 tsp chilli, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

How you cook it
1. Heat oil and fry onions until clear (not brown).
2. While this is frying mix ingredients with water to create paste (until it is consistency of tomato ketchup).
3. Add paste and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add baby cuttlefish and cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve with rice and sprinkle fresh coriander on top.