Most of you probably know garam masala, but have you ever heard of panch phoron? During my recent web browsing I stumbled more and more often at this mysterious Bengali blend of spices. The day I decided to taste it, I realised I had all the necessary ingredients, so it took me five minutes to make my own panch phoron…Continue Reading “Pork Roast with Bengali Five Spice Blend (Panch Phoron)”
I you didn’t expect to see a pickling post in January, believe me, I’m as surprised as you are, but sometimes cravings make one forget about the seasonality of fresh produce. After my French cuisine-inspired Christmas and New Year’s Eve I’ve been craving fiery, spicy, rich Indian food more than ever, hence probably this pickling idea. As a chilli addict and a serial…Continue Reading “Indian Chilli Pickles”
First of all I would like to apologise to all my dear visitors for such a long silence (some have probably thought I’d stopped blogging…) due to long holidays. Just like every year, I had planned writing at least one post in advance and… just like every year, somehow it didn’t work… Coming back from my…Continue Reading “Homemade Savoury Edible Gifts”
In many countries imported fresh chilli is available all year round, but the most delicious aromatic local ripe chilli – the best for preserves – is sold only for a limited time. In my part of Europe the beginning of August is the best moment to start thinking about preserving this fresh aromatic chilli, find the most…Continue Reading “Chilli Lovers’ Preserving Reminder”
I haven’t bought seasoned olives for long year because homemade ones are simply better, cheaper and can be ready in about five minutes. Until now I have been seasoning them either European or what I call Korean style, always applying the same method (i.e. combine everything and put into the fridge). I eat them all year round,…Continue Reading “Olives with Lemon Zest and Fennel Seeds”
One more fantastic discovery from Meera Sodha’s Made in India. Cooked in Britain: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen! This chutney has been the highlight of the past winter moths. Its combination of refreshing, tangy and fiery flavours has such a spring touch, I would almost forget it was just another grey cold day. I have been using it as…Continue Reading “Indian Coriander Chutney”
Have you ever considered making your own Japanese stock (dashi)? If you like miso soup, you should try doing it at least once. Then you will realise it’s a piece of cake in comparison with, say, chicken stock, not to mention the difference in taste with the powdered form. All you need (for the most popular…Continue Reading “Leftover Seaweed Rice Topping (Kombu no Tsukudani)”
Furikake is one of the – still not famous enough – wonders of the Japanese cuisine. It’s usually translated as “seasoning” or “topping”, but to be precise it comes from the verb “furikakeru”, which means “to sprinkle” and is supposed to be sprinkled just before eating, usually on rice. If you don’t like the taste of…Continue Reading “Furikake (Rice Seasoning) with Chilli and Prune”
Some of you might remember how enthusiastic I was to discover Rick Stein’s India, bought after seeing his fascinating culinary tv series set in India. Apart from opening my eyes to the world of Indian fish and seafood cuisine, both the tv program and the book made me stop using the curry powder after long years of mistaking it for a…Continue Reading “Turmeric, Garlic and Chilli Chicken Rub”
Sweet and hot pepper season will soon be over (at least in this part of the world), so make sure you don’t miss last moments to enjoy it and maybe preserve it. My organic farmers’ market stall sells chilli regularly, but this year their harvest has been particularly rich. They have increased the number of…Continue Reading “Habanero Paste”