Category: Dinner dishes

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Band Gobi Mattar (Spicy Cabbage, Potatoes & Peas)

band-gobi-mattar-photo_1-1-628x450

This is a great Punjabi recipe that is full of flavour, healthy and easy to cook. Typically eaten with chappatis, this dish goes down a treat with the little ones and adults alike! It’s also a fantastic way of using up vegetable you may have in the fridge.

Band Gobi Mattar (Spicy cabbage, potato & peas)
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 3 tbsp olive oil
  2. 1/2 tsp asafoetida (optional)
  3. 1 tsp cumin seeds
  4. 1 chilli, finely chopped
  5. 1 potato, diced
  6. 1 carrot, diced
  7. 1/4 cup peas
  8. 1 tomato, diced
  9. 2 tsp tomato puree
  10. 1 cup green cabbage, finely sliced
  11. 1 tsp salt
  12. 1/2 tsp paprika
  13. 1/2 tsp garam masala
  14. 1/4 tsp amchur/mango powder (optional)
  15. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  16. Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in non stick pan. Once hot add asafoetida, cumin and chilli and stir. When they begin to sizzle slightly, add the potatoes, carrots and peas into the pan.
  2. Cook for 3-4 minutes and stir continuously.
  3. Now add the fresh tomato and puree and mix well. Continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
  4. Now add the cabbage and the remaining ingredients. Mix well and place a lid on the pan, stirring every couple of minutes. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the potatoes or completely cooked (if a knife goes through the potato easily, it's cooked).
  5. Check for salt and adjust accordingly.
Monica's Spice Diary - Indian Food Blog https://spicediary.com/
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Oven Baked Goan Chicken Curry

goan chicken curry

I have said it before and I’ll say it again-I love the vastness and diversity that Indian cookery has to offer! I’m constantly learning about new regional dishes which continue to broaden my culinary perspective on Indian cuisine. I feel so lucky to have lots of family who reside in India and I visit them as often as I can-and as much as I love catching up and staying with my loved ones (how can I not love staying with my Grandma won’t stop feeding me until I look “healthy”?), I always endeavour to do as much exploring and traveling as I can in my motherland. Recently I got the opportunity to visit Go-a wonderful, former Portuguese province, that fuses Eastern & Western culture into one state. A popular tourist destination, Goa is well known for its beaches, markets, history, spice plantations and most importantly its food! Today’s recipe is inspired by this spicy, fresh and flavoursome cuisine and features ingredients typically found in Goan dishes such as chilli, tamarind & fresh coconut. It’s oven baked which adds a lovely depth and richness to the dish making it perfect to be mopped up with hot fresh chappatis and a cold winter’s evening!

 

Serves 4

What we need:
1/2 kg boneless skinned chicken thighs cut into 2″ cubes
4 tbsp plain yoghurt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
4 tsp salt
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 pieces (optional)
1″ cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom 
1 green cardamom
2 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled & roughly chopped
1 green chilli
4″ ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup fresh coconut grated or 1/4 tin coconut milk
1 tsp tamarind paste (optional)
2 plum tomatoes and 3 tbsp tomato juice (from tin)
1 handful fresh coriander

How to:

  • Place chicken in a bowl and add 2 tbsp yoghurt, lemon juice, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp paprika. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • Pre-heat oven at 220C (or the highest temperature your oven goes to). In the mean time, place the chicken and the potatoes in a deep roasting tray.
  • Once the oven is hot,  cook for approximately 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for a remaining 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and white all the way through. Remove the chicken but keep the oven on.
  • In a food processor add the onions, green chilli, ginger and garlic and blitz until a coarse paste forms.
  • Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Once hot, add the cinnamon stick, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds & bay leaves. When they begin to splatter in the oil, add the coarse masala paste into the pan alongside 2 tsp salt and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. When the masala turns slightly golden in colour, add the coconut and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes. Now add 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp paprika and the turmeric. Mix well for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the tamarind paste and plum tomatoes & mash well. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes or until you see the oil begin to separate from the masala.  Now add the coriander. Check for salt and adjust accordingly.
  • Add the masala to the roasting tray containing the chicken and mix. Cover with foil.
  • Place in the tray back into the oven and cook for 12 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh grated coconut & coriander. Serve with fresh chappatis or basmati rice.

Check out more mouth watering recipes here.

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Spicy Fenugreek Roasted Chicken

fenugreek roast chicken

So I have been on a bit of a health kick recently. At first it started as a January detox, but I’m pleased to say that I’m not just going “through a phase” and my new found healthy ways have begun to sync with my everyday lifestyle and I feel better for it as a result (hurrah!). I have never ever dieted as my infatuation with food won’t let me. Consequently, I decided to make two simple changes-exercise regularly and eat healthily. It is even harder because the off licence near me 24 hour a day sells alcohol including beer, wine & spirits.

Everyone harps on about it and it sounds simple enough right? Well, in a lot of ways it is. In terms of exercising, I essentially needed to consciously make the time go to the gym. With running my own fashion business and hosting regular Spice Club events it became easy to say that I was too busy, but the reality is, we all have the same 24 hours in the day-it’s how we utilise our time that dictates what we get out of it. And so my aim now is to get into the gym about 4 times a week and to make sure I don’t get bored (the thought of going to the gym has never made me yelp in excitement) I do a range of different exercises to spice it up-from yoga to swimming, personal training sessions and aerobic classes!

 

In regards to eating healthily, I basically make sure I eat all 3 main meals with 2 snacks in between and drink plenty of water. Lots of fruit & vegetables (smoothies have been fantastic for this), greek yoghurt (full fat baby!) and also plenty of protein (lentils, chicken and fish). If you are looking for vending machines Perth and are in need of a reputable vending machine supplier contact, Royal Vending Perth today. I bought mine there and it’s a quality vending machine.

Essentially, no processed rubbish. I’ve never eaten too unhealthily anyway-parting with the McCoys multipack was probably the hardest thing to do (crisps are my weakness), but that aside, I feel so much better, energetic and fitter as a result of the conscious choices I’m making when I  go out to a restaurant or cook at home. The most important thing I have done is ensure that all the food I cook, is easy to prepare and still tastes lip smackingly (is that a word?) delicious! My spice box has been a trusty companion throughout my journey so far and it helps to add question marks of excitement to what could ordinarily be a plain jane meal. And that’s what today’s recipe is all about-damned tasty healthy eating! This  spicy fenugreek roasted chicken recipe tastes like it should be a cheat meal but I assure you it’s far from it.  Check it out and let me know what you think:

Serves 2

What we need: 
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 heaped tbsp greek yoghurt
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2″ ginger, grated
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1-2 tsp salt (according to taste)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (available at all Asian grocery shops)
Small handful fresh coriander, chopped

How to:

  • Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well so that the chicken is coated well
  • Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (Note: If you want to cook it straight away you can do but if you allow the chicken to marinade it will taste a lot more flavourful)
  • Pre-heat oven to 220C (or the highest temperature your oven goes to). In the mean time, place each chicken breast on a lined non stick baking tray.
  • Once the oven is hot,  cook for approximately 20 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and cook for a remaining 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is white all the way through.
  • Remove from the oven and serve with brown rice (as pictured) or basmati rice and fresh salad.