Annasi Kari
(Pineapple Curry)
As experiences by the Lifton Losers at a Pampered Chef Charity Fundraiser cooking Show
2 tbsp Oil
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
10 Curry Leaves
5cm/2in Cinnamon Stick
1/4 tsp Ground Turmeric
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp Black Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Dried Crushed Chilli Flakes
30g/1oz Creamed Coconut
200ml/7 floz Cold Water
1/2 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
Method
Chop the ends off the Pineapple and slice away the skin. Cut lengthways into quarters and remove the core. Cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the Onion, Curry Leaves and Cinnamon over a medium heat until the onion is lightly browned. Add the spices and mix well. Follow with the Creamed Coconut and the water and stir over a low heat until the Coconut has dissolved, approx five minutes.
Add in the pineapple and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Just before serving sprinkle with Cumin Seeds.
Recommended by the Lifton Losers
Prawn Biryani
Ingredients
198 ml/ 7 floz Water or Vegetable Stock
1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp each of finely grated Ginger, Chilli Powder and crushed Cardamom Seeds
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and grated or crushed
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Mild Curry Powder
1 Cinnamon Stick and 2 Cloves
1 Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
100g / 3 1/2 oz Fine Green Beans, trimmed and chopped
4 tbsp fat-free Natural Yogurt
198g / 7oz dried Basmati Rice
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
596g / 1lb 5oz Raw Tiger Prawns
a handful of chopped Coriander
Method
Place a wide, non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the water or stock and onion, stir and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onion has softened.
Add the ginger, chilli powder, cardamom seeds, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon stick and cloves, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the vegetables and yogurt, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Season well.
Pour in 511ml / 18 floz of boiling hot water and bring to the boil. Add the prawns, cover tightly and reduce the heat to very low. Cook undisturbed for 12-15 minutes then remove from the heat and allow to stand, again undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
To serve, uncover and fluff up with a fork, stir in the chopped coriander and eat immediately.
Recommended by Natalie
Goan Fish Curry
Ingredients
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Turmeric
4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp finely grated Ginger
2 tbsp Ground Cumin or to taste
2 level tbsp Tomato Puree
1/4 tsp Artificial Sweetener
2 tsp Tamarind Paste
198 ml/ 7 floz Blue Dragon Light Coconut Milk
794 g/ 1 lb 12oz Thick White Skinless Fish Fillets, cut into bite-sized peices
198 g/7 oz Baby Pak Choi, roughly chopped
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Chopped Coriander, to garnish
Method
Place the chilli powder, paprika, turmeric, garlic, ginger, cumin, tomato puree and sweetener in a saucepan and mix with 312ml/11floz of water until smooth. Place the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the tamarind paste and coconut milk and bring back to the boil. Add the fish pieces and pak choi and cook for 6-7 minutes or until cooked through. Season well and serve immediately, garnished with the chopped coriander.
Recommended by Natalie
Chicken Jamboree
Ingredients
8 large skinless Chicken thighs, bone in
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8-12 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
2 Onions, peeled, halved and sliced
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced
198g/7oz Button Mushrooms
624ml/22floz Stock made with Chicken Bovril
1 Bay Leaf
1 tbsp finely chopped Thyme
6 Peppercorns
finely chopped Parsley, to garnish
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190c/Gas 5. Season the chicken and place in a heavy-based casserole dish with the garlic, onions, carrots, mushrooms, stock, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns.
Bring to the boil over a high heat, season and then place in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Discard the garlic and bay leaf, and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Recommended by Natalie
Chunky Sausage and Chicken Hotpot
Ingredients
Fry Light
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
8 Bowyers Less Than 5% Fat Pork Sausages, chopped
4 x 133g/4oz Chicken Breasts, skinless and chopped
2 tbsp medium Curry Powder
2 Carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 Red Peppers, deseeded and chopped
400ml /14 floz Passata
198ml /7 floz Stock made with Chicken Bovril
1-2 tsp Artificial Sweetener
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A small handful of Fresh Mixed Herbs
Method
Spray a pan with Fry Light and cook the onion, garlic, sausages, chicken and curry powder for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the carrots, peppers, passata, stock and sweetener. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Season to taste and ladle into warmed bowls. Chop the herbs, sprinkle over and serve.
Recommended by Natalie
Chicken Balti
Ingredients
2 Chicken Breast
1 Pepper
1 Onion
1 Courgette (or other veg of your choice, I like Butter Beans)
Can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp Pataks Balti Curry Paste
1/2 pint Stock
Brown Rice, to serve
Method
Chop up Chicken and Veg.
Put into Wok / Saute pan until browned.
Add the can of tomatoes, Balti paste and stock, until all the chicken and veg is covered.
Leave to simmer and reduce for approx 1/2 hour.
Serve with Rice
Recommended by Natalie
Red Dragon Pie
Ingredients
4oz Aduki Beans
2oz Wheat Grain or Rice
2pt Water for soaking
2pt Water for boiling
1 tbsp Oil
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
8oz Carrots, scrubbed and diced
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 tsp Mixed Herbs
half pint Aduki Bean Stock
salt and pepper
1.5lb Potatoes, peeled
1oz Butter
Method
Wash beans and rice/grain and soak overnight (or steep in boiling water for 1 hour). Drain and rinse, then bring to the boil in fresh water and cook for 50 minutes (or until grain is fairly soft). Drain, reserving stock.
Heat oil and fry onion for 5 mins. Add carrots and cook for 5 mins. Then add cooked beas and grains. Mix the soy sauce, tom puree and herbs with the stock. Pour this over the bean and vegetable mixture. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 mins, so the flavours are blended. Season to taste. Add more liquid if necessary so that the final mixture is moist. Transfer into a greased 3 pint casserole.
Boil the potatoes until soft and mash with the butter. Season well. Spread the mash over the beans and veg. Bake for 30 mins until the potato is crisp and brown.
*NOTE* Prep Time: beans take 1 hour or overnight soaking plus 50 mins boiling. then 40 mins simmering and 30 mins in oven.
Shortcut Method (i.e. I forgot to soak the sodding beans!!)
All ingredients as before except:
No Aduki Beans- swap for: 1 tin Red Kidney, 1 tin Cannelini, 1 tin Baked Beans
No Tom Puree - swap for: 1 tin Chopped Toms
No Bean Stock - swap for: instant Veg Stock
**Also added cheese on the potato and a bit or worcester sauce in the veg mix. I think I might have added a dash of cinnamon to that too, come to think of it. And a few more herbs.
Recommended by Lucie
Chicken & Chorizo Jambalaya
A super healthy, low-fat, one-pot family dish
Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive Oil2 Chicken Breasts, chopped
1 Onion, diced
1 Red Pepper, thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
75g Chorizo, sliced
1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
250g Long Grain Rice
400g can Plum Tomatoes
500ml Chicken Stock
Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid and brown the chicken for 5-8 mins until golden. Remove and set aside. Tip in the onion and cook for 3-4 mins until soft. Then add the pepper, garlic, chorizo and Cajun seasoning, and cook for 5 mins more.Stir the chicken back in with the rice, add the tomatoes and stock. Cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until the rice is tender.
*I sometimes use up leftover chicken from a Sunday Roast
Recommended by Wenna
Original recipe: BBC Good Food
