Wednesday, July 6, 2016

My Bombay Potatoes - Simple ingredients, Awesome Flavours



The humble spud is getting yet another make over here. Where would I be without my potatoes! I simply adore them and quiet frankly could inhale them; mashed, chips, boil, cubed, any which way I love them. Being Irish, this comes as no surprise, but there are many other countries who champion the potato also.


Take Spain for example, Patatas Bravas or papa bravas are my one most beloved foods EVER! Then of course you have your french fries and your roasties from the likes of Europe and America, and Italy are doing their own thing with potatoes in the form of Gnocchi, as per my most recent Gnocchi recipe.



But surprisingly potatoes feature heavily in Indian cooking. A large proportion of Indians are vegetarians and potatoes are quiet often used in curries. This is a recipe for a 'dry' Indian Potato dish, a side dish I always order in Indian restaurants,the delectable Bombay Potatoes. A spicy potato dish using some great fragrant spices and tomatoes. It packs a real punch in the flavour department and is super healthy. There are so many different versions, but here is mine:



Ingredients


  • 2 large rooster potatoes, peeled & cubed
  • 1 onion, half diced, half sliced
  • 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and diced
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
  • 1 tsp of cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp of coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 tsp of turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder (I use mild)
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 4 tbsp of oil (I use Irish Rapeseed oil)
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander




Method


  • Put a large pan of salted water on the boil and par-boil the potato cubes.
  • Meanwhile, blend roughly the diced onion, the ginger, the garlic, the cumin, the coriander, the mustard seeds, turmeric, chili powder and garam masala.
  • When the potatoes are cooked, after approx 6 minutes, drain and allow to steam for a couple of minutes.
  • Get a large deep frying pan on a medium heat and add the oil. Then cook out the blended spice mixture for a few minutes. 
  • Then add the potato cubes and the tomato wedges, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the dish looks like it's too dry and 'catching'
  • Before serving, scatter with coriander leaves.


This is the perfect side dish to any roasts, or in Indian it is simply enjoyed with some naan bread and pilau rice.


Monday, July 4, 2016

Chocolate Caramel Bites - Speedy Sweet Canapes


This post isn't even a recipe, I couldn't call it that, as these bites are just a simple assembly job. In saying that they taste amazing, too good not to share! I love to have something nice and sweet greeting all my guests arriving to the Bed and Breakfast. Sometimes I have time for cupcakes or brownies,  but there are some busy days when I don't have enough time for anything other that pimping up melted chocolate!

For these little bites from heaven, I use all butter shortcrust pastry case from Marks and Spencers. I have made these from scratch before using shortcrust pastry, but these shop bought ones are great, especially if you are on a time budget

A staple in everyone's pantry should be Nestle's Carnations Caramel Sauce, it's awesome! So good in so many treats.

The final ingredients were some dark chocolate and some candy sprinkles. Here's the assembly recipe!



Ingredients

  • 1 can of Carnation Caramel
  • 1 100g bar of good dark chocolate 
  • Sprinkles
  • Ready made mini  all butter shortcrust pastry cases



Method


  1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts
  2. Place 1/2 tsp of carnation caramel in each pastry case
  3. Pour 1/2 tsp of melted chocolate over the caramel and place your sprinkle of choice on the melted chocolate.
  4. Put in the fridge for 20 minutes and they are ready to eat.


Perfect for a tea party, last minute guests, or a canape for a drinks party. I myself put them on a table in the hallway of my Bed and Breakfast, so chocolate is the first thing that my guests see when they walk through the door.



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