Kitchen Chemist

This is the second recipe. #2 Chicken, Onion and Peppers This was meant to combine what I love about Dopiaza, Jalfrezi, Madras. So it's got chunks of onion from Dopiaza and fresh peppers (bell and chilli) like a Jalfrezi. Then I think of Madras as hot with both pepper and mustard seeds. Again, I offer no guarantee of authenticity - this is a reverse engineering of the best of take-aways! Ingredients 2 or 3 Chicken breasts 2 Onions 2 Peppers 2+ Chilli Peppers (choose size and quantity to your taste, I used 2 mild home grown) 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds 1 tsp ground Tumeric (heaped tsp) 1 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper Method As with the other curry, slice the onion and fry in plenty of oil (rapeseed works well) for ~20 minutes on a low heat. The aim is to remove moisture and soften the onion without generating any caramel. Grind the whole spices and mix with the ground spices. Add to the onions and cook the spices for 2-3 minutes. Add enough boiling water to make a thick sa...

The first of two curry recipes invented yesterday, trying to combine my favourite parts of take-away curries into something reasonably healthy and stronger flavoured. Authenticity and originality not guaranteed. #1 : Lamb and Tomato This one combines rogan josh (lamb, tomato, cardamon, garlic) with dhansak (cumin, lentils). This is not a hot curry, and the initially flavour is sweet from the meat, onions and tomato - but it has a pleasant kick. I made this from left-over roast lamb, but in the past I have made a similar curry with lamb precooked in water with garlic cloves - boil for ~15 minutes. Ingredients 500 g Cooked Lamb 1 Onion 4 or 5 Tomatoes 1 or 2 handfuls of Red Lentils 1 tsp Coriander seeds 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 tbsp Garam Masala 1 tsp ground Ginger ½ - 1 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper (depending on how hot you want it) 4 Cardamon Pods (crushed a little) Method Slice the onion and fry in plenty of oil (rapeseed works well) for ~20 minutes on a low heat. The aim is to remove moistur...

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We were one egg short for the chocolate clafoutis that Lynsey wanted to make for her mum and dad. So I came up with a different dessert suitable for the ginger and chocolate ice-cream. Chocolate tart with Roasted Oranges. However, a few days and a few more bottles of wine have passed my lips since then, and I can't remember the exact quantities. But here is the approximate method. The basic theory is to make a Bakewell Tart with Chocolate Spread where the Jam usually is and chocolate-orange frangipan where the almond filling usually is. Method Make some short-crust pastry by your favourite method. Add ½ tsp of ground ginger per person to the pastry mix. Leave to chill, then roll out and line a tart case. Blind bake and leave to cool. Melt some very dark (85% cocoa) chocolate with a little (5g perhaps) butter. Stir and pour into the pastry case. Leave to cool. Follow a recipe for frangipan (egg, sugar, flour, ground almonds). Add 1-2 tbsp of cocoa powder in exchange for some of the ...

This is Goan cuisine equivalent of Minestrone soup; a fusion of South Indian spices and seasonal veg. Authenticity not guaranteed. Serves 2. Ingredients 250g of Chicken, diced. 1 inch of Root Ginger, diced finely 1 Onion, sliced 1 stick of Lemon Grass, sliced 1 or 2 Carrots, diced 2 handfuls of Green Beans, topped, tailed, and sliced. 1 or 2 Chilli Pepper(s), finely sliced 1 Bell Pepper (Sweet Pepper), finely sliced 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves 150 g (a small tin) of Coconut Milk 4 tbsp chopped Coriander Recipe Lightly fry the chicken in a little oil until white on the outside, approx 5 minutes. Remove from the pan, and fry the onion and ginger for a 2-3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and add the lemon grass, carrot, beans, peppers (both types). Stir and add the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the ingredients. Add the kaffir lime leaves and 3 tbsp of the coriander. Bring to a simmer and leave for 30 minutes. Serve with a timbale of rice. Use the remaining 1 tbsp of chopped ...

Moussaka without the aubergine is probably a bit like a banana split without the banana, but I thought I'd give it a go. What's out: Aubergine Garlic Potatoes (not sure if they're traditional anyway) What's in: Courgette and squash Bell pepper Pasta sheets Ingredients: 250 g lamb mince 1 onion 1 pepper (any colour) 1 large courgette or 2 small ½ butternut squash (you'll just have to find a use for the other half) 1 can of tomatoes dried oregano ground cinnamon 6 sheets of lasagne pasta 100 mL yoghurt 3 tbsp grated cheese (I used 50:50 Cheddar and Grana Padano) 1 egg Recipe Dice the onion, pepper and squash. Fry the onion and pepper for 3-5 mins in olive oil, then add the squash. Continue to lightly brown for 5 - 10 mins. Remove from the pan and reserve. Fry the lamb mince until brown, add back the vegetables, the can of tomatoes and a little water. Season with black pepper, a pinch of cinnamon and add plenty of oregano (two handfuls). Stir and leave to simmer and th...

Finely dice a small onion and gently fry in a tablespoon of oil. After 5 minutes add a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce, half an beef Oxo cube, and a teaspoon of flour. Stir and add 100mL of boiling water. Reduce and allow to thicken (2-3 minutes).