How far away until Valentines day?

Last night I cooked Chicken Rogan Josh. It should have been with lamb but the only lamb we have was lamb chops and I couldn’t be bothered to cut the meat off the bone. Jamie says it would be ok with chicken so I trusted him and even though it was delish I think Lamb would have made it even better. You need a stronger meat then chicken for this curry.

Recipe #53 and #54: Chicken Rogan Josh (with home made curry paste)

I had a helper in the kitchen last night who ground the toasted spices into a powder for me with the tiny tiny mortar and pestle. (I love the mortar and pestle from the movie Julie and Julia; the one Paul Child gives Julia on Valentines day. Hmmm I love that movie and Julia Child. She had such romance with Paul, I love that he sat in the kitchen while she cooked away. Sorry back on track...) Rogan Josh curry paste. The recipe for this past can be found at Jamie's website.

First I toasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds and black peppercorns and gave them to my handy helper for the night; Tris, who ground them into a fine powder for me. They went in the blender with: roasted capsicums, ginger, garlic, coriander, paprika, smoked paprika, turmeric, fresh red chilli (seeds and all), garam marsala, salt, peanut oil and tomato paste and whizzed until it formed a paste.

Next was to get on with the actual curry. Sauté onions, fresh red chilli (seeds and all), fresh ginger, bay leaves and coriander stalks in peanut oil with a nob of butter until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken (or lamb which I would advise) and cook until slightly browned, add some balsamic vinegar, S&P, can of diced tomatoes then the curry paste and cook for about 2 min until fragrant. Next add 800mL of chicken stock (or water) and a couple of handfuls of red lentils and cook for about 40 min for chicken and split lentils or an hour for lamb and whole lentils. Tase to see if more salt is needed.

Serve with basmati rice and home made condiments of yoghurt and cucumber. Mmmm EAT, LAUGH and LOVE it.
**Heads up: Even better the next day!

RSPCA Cupcake Day

Last week on the 17th of the August I hosted cupcake day at work to support the RSPCA. We raised $154.15 which will help our furry friends find homes and have a better life. This was the 2nd year in which I have hosted cupcake day and love the idea that we have made a difference, even if only small. Even my fat cat Molly enjoyed the cupcakes this year which my dad shared with her.

I cooked the usual Red Velvet Cupcakes and also Mini Cheese Cakes which turned out like individual slices. The Mini Cheese Cakes/Slice were a test which I made only a few of but they were loved by all (including Molly). I got a recipe request which I have been terribly lazy and not passed on yet. So here I am sharing my recipe which is slightly adapted from the famous Nigella Laswon's recipe (love her cheese cakes!! they never fail me on flavour and texture... yum) with a little touch of Dani and also pictures finally of my Red Velvet cupcakes which have always been demolished before I can find my camera.


Mini Cheese Cakes/Slice

100g unsalted butter
250g digestive biscuits
400g cream cheese
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
4 tbs sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)
4 tsp lemon juice


1- Line 18 muffin tins with muffin cases.
2- Melt butter (in pan or microwave), smash digestives with with a mallet or food processor (heads up- mallet is VERY satisfying). Combine the butter and crumbled digestives together; it will look like wet sand then evenly distribute amongst the muffin cases. 
3- Refrigerate while you get on with the cheese filling.
4- Beat cream cheese until smooth and then add the caster sugar gradually.
5- Add the eggs, beating well then add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until everything is combine and smooth.
6- Fill each muffin case with the filling and bake at a moderate oven for about 40min or until set (remember ovens vary, you might need to bake them longer or for less time). Let cool for 5 min in the tins before removing them.
7- Cool in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
8- Devour with greedy pleasure.

"Amore and Amaretto" by Victoria Crosford

10 pages in and I already want to move to Italy and work in an Italian kitchen! Even after eating lunch, this book makes me hungry for more. Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca ... Mm yum!

For Fizz.

When I was leaving Fizzy and Vancity she asked me to give her the recipe for the carrot cake we made but my bag was so tightly packed I could not find my notebook let alone a matching pair of socks. So this is for you Fizzy. Missing you so much already.


Carrot Cake
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup Vegetable oil
3 cups of grated carrot
1 cup of roughly chopped walnuts
2 1/2 cups of self raising flour (or 5 tsp of baking powder plus 2 1/2 cups of plain flour)
1 tsp of Bi-carb soda (add even if adding baking powder and plain flour)
1 tsp mixed spice


How to:
1. Beat eggs, sugar and oil till pale and creamy.
2. Stir in carrots and walnuts. Sift in dry ingredients.
3. Pour mixture into lined 22cm round cake tin. 
4. Bake for 1 1/4 hours in a 180 degrees Celsius oven. (Note that all ovens vary and to check 10min before the cake is due out of the oven. Test with a skewer or cake tester. If it comes out clean, it's done.)
5. Let cake stand in tin for 5min then turn top side up and cool on rack.


Cream cheese icing:
Beat 30g of softened butter with 80g of cream cheese and 1 tsp of lemon rind until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups of sifted icing sugar.


Ice cake when completely cooled and enjoy with good company and a good cuppa.

Back in Syd.

I'm back home now but really wishing I was still away. My Molly is keeping me company while I mope in my bedroom listening to Jay Z. It's funny when you come back from somewhere you love and then everything suddenly reminds you of being away... music, foods, smells... hmmm. It's a bit woe me at the moment but when I get back into the swing of normal life I'll snap out of it. Thats the worse thing about holidays... coming home from them.

Thinking of things that remind me of Vancouver. Maple Syrup is a biggie and of course I brought some back with me. Who was I to go to Canada and not bring some back!?


I made Jamie's One-Cup pancakes to go with the delicious syrup. It more made me wish I was back living in my best friends lounge room not sitting at my kitchen bench in winter Pj's cooking for mum and dad.


Recipe #52  One-Cup Pancakes with Canadian Maple Syrup.


Its a very simple and delicious recipe. In a large bowl whisk 1 large egg, 1 cup of self-raising flour (you know you can't get this in Canada... don't know why but you can add baking powder to normal flour and get the same result), 1 cup of milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk batter until smooth then add butter to a frying pan (medium-low heat) and cook. The trick I use is once the batter starts to bubble on the first side and the bubbles pop, flip the pancakes over and cook for about 4 seconds on the next side and they're cooked perfect. I then keep warm in the oven if I'm making a big batch but they are best straight out of the pan.


All that was missing was slow cooked bacon :)


I also brought back with me Awesome Sauce which I got from Moss Street markets (Vancouver Island) and Beetroot and Horseradish relish (we had this with Lamb chops last night...Yum and Yum!) The awesome sauce is like a hot sauce but better and much more flavour. I am going to have to see if they will ship internationally as I can see we are going to g through it sooo quickly.  Or I'll just have to go back and pick some up personally :) such a shame hey?