This has been a humbling meal for as long as I can remember. A simply spiced Moong Dhal which is hassle-free to rustle up and full of flavour. It brings back fond memories from my childhood, as I remember my mum used to make this weekly (on a Thursday!!). It was so delicious that I’ve […]
Calling all curry enthusiasts!! This is a must-try if you want to explore cooking a curry from scratch and yes, that means grinding your own spices to make this wonderful Prawn Chettinad. The Chettinad curry originated from the region of Chettinadu in Tamil Nadu, South of India. The flavour is rich and full of depth
One taste of this potato curry and you’ll keep wanting more! Fararli potatoes is a gratifying and wonderfully simple curry to put together. It’s well known to many Gujarati people and coming form a Gujarati household, my mum made this often. We ate this with chappati, salad and a dhal of some sort. I remember
This recipe is dedicated to both my boys. One loves paneer and the other loves a makhani (buttery) curry. So what better than to make them a Paneer Makhani. This is a mild curry with a low level of heat, but if you’re anything like me and prefer a curry with a bit of heat,
This is one healthy and flavoursome vegetarian keema curry! If you’re looking for a simple recipe packed with protein and lots of spice, this is the perfect go-to dish. Over the years we’ve always enjoyed the meat version, lamb keema curry, made similarly to this recipe, minus the quorn. More recently however, we’ve been trying
This is one belter of a dessert, popular and hugely palatable. Creamy, sweet and mildly spiced with saffron and cardamom. Seero, also known as Sooji ka halwa, is a simple and quick treat you can whip up in no time. It’s a warm and slightly sticky Indian dessert which is often eaten in the winter
What a healthy and extremely tasty vegetable curry! This dry, pan-fried gobi matar (cauliflower and pea curry) is a super quick meal option. Perfect for all the family to enjoy, it’s packed full of nutrients and ready in under 30 minutes. This meal certainly won’t leave you feeling bloated or guilty. As I found, the
Known to be one of the UK’s most popular curries, Chicken Tikka Masala has to be up there as one of my favourite curries too. If there’s single cream or coconut cream present in any curry, it’s usually a firm hit in our household. Chicken tikka masala dates back to the 1970’s and firmly known
Sweet and spicy with a crunch, these Ginger and Cinnamon Cookies are perfect for teatimes. They’re incredibly easy to make and use common store-cupboard ingredients. I got my little boy involved in making these. He had so much fun and it was just the trick to get him away from staring at a screen! I
I was so pleased with the results when experimenting with this south Indian style Coconut Fish Curry. Creamy curries are probably my favourite type of curry, I just love the richness of the sauce and its indulgence. After the positive comments from my boys with the Chicken and Spinach curry, which is made similarly using
What a delightful curry! Matar Paneer is made with paneer cheese and peas in a creamy masala sauce and originated in North India. Although decadent and deliciously rich, you can rustle this up as a week day meal. It’s simple, satisfying and can be served with buttered roti, naan or rice. It uses classic whole
If you’re looking for an easy weekday meal, then look no further, this vegetable masala frittata is satisfyingly delicious. It’s an enjoyable and healthy meal that goes well with vegetables or a salad. Although it’s not one of my indulgent recipes, this meal is one of those dishes that gives you that clean, healthy eating
One of our go-to, quick and tasty curries when you want something fast and delicious. This recipe is for my classic chicken curry made using freshly ground spices as well as the usual common ingredients used in most Indian curries. It’s packed with lots of flavour with the fragrant star anise, cinnamon, ginger and garlic
Diwali is one of the most popular festivals celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world. It’s a celebration of good versus evil and known as the The Festival of Light. At this happy time, many households will cook up a feast with snacks, delicious meals and desserts. I’ve rounded up some of
These fried, savoury and crunchy rice swirls are popular snack foods consumed at Indian festivals. Chakri is often eaten at diwali and whilst you can buy these ready-made in Asian supermarkets, most people will want to make their own at home. As such, I’ve leaned on my mother-in-law and my mum to help make these
Who doesn’t love a sweet barfi? These were an annual treat for us growing up. Come every Diwali my parents bought Coconut barfi from the local Indian bakery. They are deliciously decadent, that you just can’t help reaching for another soon after finishing the first! There are many different types of barfi’s including almond, pistachio
No gujarati celebration is complete without Badam Pak. It’s such a popular Indian dessert often eaten at festivals and celebrations. It brings back fond memories of my Granny. She always made the best badam pak and it was her little tradition to make it over Diwali for the family when we visited her. Her method
I can not describe how delicious these cinnamon buns are. Just the perfect fix on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of herbal tea. After about 3 trials during lockdown 1, I think i’ve nailed the recipe; thankfully, it’s worked well every time since. The first time I created the cinnamon buns resulted from our
If you’re looking for fast and simple comfort food, this is it. Saag Aloo is a dry curry made with potatoes and leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and/or kale. My recipe uses maris piper potatoes and baby spinach leaves and has a shorter cooking time compared to a traditional saag dish. Mindful of
Best known for it’s Indian name, Gajar ka Halwa, I’ve created a spin-off dessert Carrot and Pumpkin Halwa to enjoy over this festive period. Halloween or Diwali, eat your heart out! This rich, sticky, sweet pudding is delightful and perfect to get stuck into on a cold winters day. It’s known to have originated in
What an easy weekday meal! Masala Roast Chicken Traybake is a perfect hassle-free option for when you’ve had a hectic day. Give yourself a bit of time to prepare the dish and let your oven do the rest, it’s really as simple as that. I enjoy a roast chicken with all the trimmings and so
Warm, spicy and fragrant, this masala chai is made using three key ingredients, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon and of course, it’s got to be made in a milk pan for it to be real Indian tea. If there’s anything I look forward on a Sunday afternoon, it’s this! After the mornings’ footballing chaos with the
Another experiment using pumpkins and I must say, I’m really enjoying cooking with this vegetable. My trial in making curried lentil and pumpkin soup did just the trick to warm me up after an energetic mid-morning run. As the air becomes chillier, I’m turning away from salads and cold foods, to more warming meals. This
This was my first experience cooking with pumpkin. Feeling autumnal, I wanted to make a Spiced Pumpkin Cake. I’ve always bought pumpkin for the kids to carve during Halloween, but never really felt the urge to cook with them. Today was my first time, as I found these ‘munchkin pumpkins’ at the supermarket. What a
If you’re a fan of black pepper, you’ll love this curried garlic black pepper chicken. It’s made with a rich, garlic and peppery sauce that’s simply scrumptious. I made this recipe a few times testing the flavours before getting to the final version. A change in the cooking technique made a difference to the consistency
Spinach is such a versatile vegetable and I absolutely love it. I often use it in most cuisines, let alone Indian food. My version of Palak Paneer is made with baby spinach leaves and Indian paneer cheese in a mild creamy tomato based sauce. It’s similar to Saag Paneer, but this variation is made with
A glorious buttery and creamy curry that’s popular throughout the world. Created in the mid 1900’s in Delhi, North India and made its presence as Butter Chicken Curry in England, in 1975. It’s one of the UK’s favourite curries, alongside Chicken Tikka Masala. This recipe involves preparing a spiced yoghurt marinade preferably prepared overnight. But
Well, what can I say, I’m so excited to be writing my first blog post for Spicella. I’ve always loved cooking, but over the last year or so I’ve put in that little extra effort to make food that the family have very much enjoyed. So much so, that having them tell me I’ve ‘up’d
When you have masala puri on the menu, it’s either a special occasion or you’re simply indulging in the finer things in life. I rarely fry these days as most things are made in the oven, hob or on a bbq. There are a few occasions however, where I don’t mind frying snacky foods such
Methi Chicken Curry, brings back memories of my early cooking experiences. My sister and I made this every week when living with my parents, until we became bored of the routine a few years on! Made with a tomato gravy and fresh fenugreek leaves, it’s no doubt a delicious fragrant curry. Fenugreek leaves (also known
More often than not, a Karahi Chicken (North Indian style) with peppers and onions, has always been my go-to curry when eating out and so I wanted to give it a try at home. After a few attempts, I’ve finally been able to enjoy it just as much in the comfort of my own home.
Made from black gram lentils, this hearty and filling dhal is comfort food at its best! Popular in Punjab, North India, Dhal Makhani is also known as ‘Maa Ki Dal’ or ‘Urad Dhal’. It certainly doesn’t disappoint and with only a few spices it’s relatively easy to make. Whether you’re making it in a saucepan,
This Keralan Prawn Curry is perfect if you’re looking a for something a little more extravagant than the usual weekday meal. With minimal preparation and a short cooking time, you’ll have this curry ready within 30 minutes. It’s made with aromatic, south Indian flavours from Kerala where seafood, coconut and spices are in abundance. I
Of all things I enjoy doing, baking has to be high on the list. These Banana and Blueberry cupcakes are a delectable treat and very simple to make. Whether you prefer it with buttercream or without, they’re delicious either way. I’ve made them using my all-time, tried and tested sponge cake recipe, I use it
Bringing back memories of my time in Cavelossim, Goa, for my Dad’s 60th, we sampled this coconut and coriander-based Goan fish curry on our travels. With our hotel located on the beach front we indulged in several fine-dining seafood dishes – all wonderful and so different in taste, but this one stood out due to
If I ever talk about making a full on Indian meal, my boys will always want mushroom pakora as their ‘starter’. It’s most certainly a crowd-pleaser and ready in no time at all. I don’t tend to deep-fry often, however, as a treat, these little mouth-watering morsels of battered mushrooms are just to too tempting.
This has to be one of my top 5 vegetarian curries. My variation of Chickpea and Spinach curry is made using mustard seeds and creamed coconut and has wonderful South Indian flavours to it. Not only is it wholesome and satisfying, it’s a great source of protein and gets your veggies in too. It’s a
After a mega tasty take-away from our local Indian restaurant, I had to recreate this Garlic Black Pepper Mogo. I’ve made is so many times now and absolutely love it!! Mogo isn’t a common vegetable you’ll find in the fresh section of your local supermarket, you may however get this from the frozen section in
Tarka Dhal is a veggie’s delight and made using red split lentils. Easy, healthy and high in protein – what more could you ask for? It’s made with minimal spices, yet is flavoursome and delicious and probably one of the cheapest meals you’ll create in no-time. This classic Indian vegetarian dish can be served as
An abundance of ingredients and flavours make this Tiger Prawn Korma a popular favourite. Creamy, sweet and mildly spiced. The Korma dish originated from the Mughals in the Indian subcontinent and surprisingly can be cooked in different ways. I’ve always preferred it to be rich, buttery, nutty and sweet and so this is how I’ve
Tandoori Chicken, a childhood favourite of mine for as long as I can remember. Reminds me of family and friend get-together’s; bbq’s, birthdays, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, many occasions!! It’s a perfect dish for entertaining as well as for the family. Quick, easy and fuss-free that you could rustle it up in no time.
An under-rated ingredient in my opinion and not many are familiar with Okra, let alone this Okra Masala (Bhindi Masala) dish. Most commonly known as Lady’s Fingers, this long, green fruit of the Abelmoschus esculentus plant, is often thought of as a vegetable. Growing up, I have to admit Okra wasn’t my cup of tea,
Like any warm buttery bread, this Garlic Naan is just so delicious and satisfying. I’m used to roti as a primary staple with Indian food, but the thought of naan as an accompaniment is always more delightful. This recipe is very simple and made with two key ingredients: self raising flour and yoghurt. Unlike baking
This is one of our favourite mid-week meals. Not only is Tandoori Salmon easy and quick to put together, it’s succulent and full of flavour. If you have enough time, prepare this recipe in advance and marinate the salmon for a few hours in the fridge or overnight before cooking. If you’re tight on time
