Thai Green Curry Paste

The good news is that making your own Thai Green Curry Paste at home is not a tedious job, as long as you have all the ingredients ready. This Thai curry paste can be ready in less than 10 minutes. Get the ingredients, put in a food processor and whizz up till you get a smooth paste. That's it. And let me tell you it is so much better than shop-bought Thai Curry paste, packed with amazing fresh fragrant flavours and ingredients. But, if you have some time on your hand and patience or just need some work out try pounding this paste by hand in mortar and pestle, therapeutic right?  

Thai pastes are one of the essential elements of Thai Cuisine, prepare Thai soup or Thai Curry, Thai stir fry or marinades dishes, Thai pastes plays an important role in these dishes.

We love Thai food, so obviously I do make my own Thai pastes. Luckily, all the authentic and necessary ingredients are available very easily where I live as there is an oriental grocery store just a stone's throw away from my house. I love to include fresh and original ingredients in my Thai curry pastes. The recipe I have prepared is fast, finger-licking and versatile, you can add in pretty much anything.

10/12 days ago, I was clearing out my fridge and realised that we are out of homemade Thai paste! It's almost time for my daughter to go back to uni, so it's the right time for me to prepare this paste, so I can freeze some for her too and whenever she wants to use it she can use it. This paste can be frozen and stays up to one year.

Recently I prepared coconut and pineapple Thai fried rice, which is now have become our all time favourite and it seems to be doing pretty well with my readers too. I am soon going to post a similarly delicious recipe just like this one prepared with Thai paste, but until then let's see how the Thai Green paste can be made.

More Thai Recipes:- Thai Yellow-Orange Curry Paste | Thai Style sweet potato and noodle soup 

Notes:-
As we love spicy food, my this recipe is a spicy kick but if you prefer milder flavours reduce the number of green chillies.

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Thai Green Curry Paste

by Jagruti August-29-2017

A really easy and quick Thai Green curry paste which is so flavourful and aromatic.

Ingredients

• 15-18 Thai Green Chilies
• 6 stalks Lemon grass sliced
• 3-4 tbsp Galangal or Ginger sliced
• 4-5 shallots or 1 white onion sliced
• 6-8 Tbsp. Fresh coriander chopped with roots
• 1 Kaffir lime leave chopped
• 1 Tbsp. White pepper powder
• 2 Tbsp. Whole coriander and cumin seeds lightly roasted
• per taste Sea salt
• 4-6 Garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp. Kaffir lime zest
• 5-6 Tbsp. Coconut milk

Instructions

Add everything in a blender and blend till you get a smooth green paste.This paste can stay fresh in a refrigerator up to one week and in the freezer up to one year.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 10 mins Yield: 1 jar

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Cashew Caramel Modak

These Cashew Caramel Modak are a delicious and amazing combination of nutty flavours cashews and coconut. This pyramid shaped cashew sweets are filled with a gooey coconut filling in the centre. The best part? The coconut filling is flavoured with caramel. The amazing and rich tastes and texture will make your taste buds dance.

The other good thing about this recipe is that they are only prepared with five ingredients and is a recipe that you could prepare for upcoming Indian festival Ganesh Chaturthi. See how everyone savours its amazing taste for sure. This recipe is so easy to prepare that you might want to include your kids to make this experience more enjoyable. In the past, I have made a few variations of modak and this has to be one of our family favourites.

Since I came to know what traditional modak looks like and how to make them, I had making them on my bucket list. One day I'll go about it! While I was watching a video on youtube how to make traditional modak, a thought came to my mind to make Cashew Caramel Modak.

For the outer layer ( exterior) instead of rice I thought of using cashews and for the filling, I picked caramel instead of jaggery. And guess what? They were a huge hit, I made about 15 modak and they were gone within a couple of hours, I saw hands hovering over the plate as soon as I finished clicking the photos. All I saw were arms reaching out from all directions, snagging modak after modak. Needless to say, we didn't waste any time. I suppose we were hungry for these Cashew Caramel Modak.

I think you'll love this unique take on the familiar Modak filled with coconut ....here is a quick and easy recipe to make super tempting and toothsome Cashew Caramel Modak at home!

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Cashew Caramel Modak

by Jagruti August-23-2017

This modak are quick and easy to make and it's super tempting and toothsome, you'll need only five ingredients.

Ingredients

• 300g Cashew meal (ground cashew powder)
• 6 tbsp. Full fat milk powder
• 200 g Desiccated coconut
• 1/2 tin (200ml) Sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tin (200ml) Caramel
• 2 tsp. ghee or unslated butter

Instructions

Place ground cashew powder in a non-stick pan, add condensed milk and 1 tsp. ghee. Mix well and cook the mixture over medium heat until everything combines well.Add milk powder to make a firm dough and turn off the heat.Transfer the mixture to another plate and bring it to room temperature.Meanwhile, prepare coconut and caramel filling.Add desiccated coconut in a non-stick pan and dry roast for a few minutes without burning it.Add caramel and combine everything.Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for a while.Apply little ghee on your palm and knead the coconut mixture to make a smooth dough and divide the dough into equal portions and make a ball.I have used modak mould to prepare modak.Grease the inside of the mould with little ghee.Put one ball into the mould, and press the mould tightly.Then make a hole by pressing with your fingers.Add coconut mixture and slightly press everything.Pinch a little cashew dough from the remaining balls and seal the open part of the modak.Remove it from the mould and repeat the procedure with the remaining dough and mixture. Let it stand for couple of hours. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 12-15 modak

Saffron and Cardamom Horchata

A creamy and smooth rice-based Mexican drink laced with saffron and cardamom. A refreshing cooler for all year round.

Call me naive, but I didn't actually know there were different types of Horchata. The horchata that I was familiar with was Mexican horchata using rice milk.

Whilst I was in Barcelona, I ordered horchata at the station and a little google search later at home informed me that Spanish horchata is known as Horchata de Chufa which is made with tiger nuts!

I don't have an issue with dairy but have always loved drinking nondairy milk. I used to buy rice milk when I was younger and my mum suggested that we should have a go at making Horchata. Years passed and we never got round to it!

So after having tried it myself, I wanted to have a go at making horchata at home, and soon! I didn't have time to buy tiger nuts, but we had rice at home so I made Mexican horchata instead. When there is a kitchen cupboard groaning under the weight of different spices, it made sense to add a different flavour to the horchata. I settled on saffron and cardamom horchata. My mum was particularly pleased. She is obsessed with anything saffron and cardamom flavoured, as is evident with all of the sweets she has made in the past!

More Saffron and Cardamom Recipes- Saffron and Clementine Mixed Spice Buns | Manda/Mande Roti  | Cardamom Cupcake with Saffron Cream Cheese Frosting

It was a time-consuming process but the end result was worth the effort! It really spruces up plain rice milk. It was perfectly sweet and creamy and will always bring back the memory of Barcelona!

Notes:-
For a vegan option omit condensed milk and use raw sugar.
For a classic Mexican horchata use a small cinnamon stick and omit the saffron and cardamom.

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Saffron and Cardamom Horchata

by Hayley August-20-2017

A creamy and smooth rice-based Mexican drink laced with Indian saffron and cardamom.

Ingredients

• 2 cup White Basmati or long grain Rice
• 250ml Sweet condensed milk
• 6-8 Green cardamom pods
• Big pinch Saffron threads
• Ice cubes (optional)

Instructions

Clean, wash and soak rice. Add 4 cups of cold water and let it soak the rice over night with cardamom pods.In the morning in a blender add rice, water, and cardamom. Puree it till you get a smooth texture.Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth and discard the rice mixture.Whisk the sweetened condensed milk and saffron threads into the rice liquid.Pour into glasses, add ice cubes if you like.Top each glass with a couple of saffron threads.Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 10 hour Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 10 hour 15 mins Yield: 4-6 srvings

Barcelona - my unforgettable 3-day vacay!

I'm already into August having found myself with no summer plans. After a gruelling year at uni and the last long summer holiday of my life, there was only one thing for it - booking a girls trip away! I am a medical student in my clinical years meaning I now will not get the luxury of many weeks off but just a fortnight. With some hasty last minute decisions, I and my friends landed on Barcelona and got to work planning our 3 days there.

I hadn't really considered Spain as a holiday destination much before even though it is an absolute tourist hotspot. I heard from a lot of friends that they had booked flights to Barcelona and now that I have been there, it is easy to understand why. Barcelona is the perfect cocktail of rustic old charm and young cosmopolitan vibes. With lashings of Sangria thrown in.

Day 1:

We flew in from London Luton to Barcelona - El prat on a 7 am flight. Neither of us was getting much beauty rest.

Upon landing at BCN airport, we bought 3-day (72hr) travel passes called Hola BCN. They could be used on unlimited on the metro, bus and other Barcelona public transport. The pass could also be used to get from the airport to the city via the metro. We took the L9 then changed over to the L5 to get to our accommodation 5 minutes from the Sagrada Familia.

After dumping our luggage (always overpacked as girls) in our room, we were free to begin exploring the city! We were mere seconds away from the Hospital de Sant Pau i de la Santa Creu, a 15th-century building that used to serve as a hospital and now as a museum and cultural centre.

There was no chance I was going to Spain without sampling the menu, so it was time to get some Patatas Bravas! Just from being outside for an hour or so was enough to experience the laid back attitude in Barcelona. I was enticed by the tables and tables of people enjoying tapas with a drink filling the streets. It's the kind of scene that is so hard to find back home in London.

Now our next stop I was very excited about. We were going to visit the world famous Sagrada Familia. We bought tickets to the Sagrada Familia online in advance to save us from the long queues - I didn't want to take the risk of waiting around. If I thought the outside was spectacular, then I was in for a real treat once we made our way inside!

Colours danced through the stained glass windows and added to the allure of the interior. If I had my way, I could have sat here for hours, gazing at the intricate detail of the architecture. I was surprised to know that construction to the Sagrada Familia has been going on for over 100 years and is set to end in 2026. (An excuse to go visit again?) Even though it was packed with people, it still had a calming quality.

Even though we were pretty jet lagged, we pushed on and made our way into the town centre by bus. I think the bus was one of the best ways to get around, we got where we wanted to be quicker than by foot but could still see all of the sights!

We spent the rest of the evening walking along Las Ramblas, a vibrant promenade in the centre of Barcelona. I just couldn't get enough of the beautiful buildings, I took picture after picture ... it's times like this where having loads of memory cards to hand helps! The evening sun shone through the trees and cast gorgeous lights and shadows over each unique building. I fell in love with the balconies and couldn't help myself but stop and look - sorry to anyone behind me who had to put up with me stopping every couple of meters!

We ventured into La Boqueria market which was an experience all in itself! It couldn't be more packed but it made the market all the better. We were overwhelmed with stalls selling fresh fruit, juices, meats. Wherever you looked was FOOD. So naturally, I had to buy something. I got myself an avocado and coconut juice to cool down and recharge from all of the walking. I also managed to get some pictures. Obviously.

We walked around the town and squares late into the evening and finally found a spot to grab some dinner.

Day 2: 

The whole of the morning was taken up by a free walking tour which was a fantastic way to see the city! We explored the Gothic Quarter and I had the opportunity to learn more about the city I was in and its language.

I ate my first paella in Placa Reial - a picturesque square lined with eateries just off Las Ramblas.

We decided then to take the metro to Placa d'Espanya which was within easy reach from Las Ramblas. I didn't know what to expect from this place but I was not at all disappointed. Far away from the centre, Espanya had a completely different feel. Just by walking up from the steps off the metro, we could see the Venetian Towers and the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC).

We stopped to get drinks at the station. One glance at the menu and I knew what I was going to get. Horchata! One stop on the metro took us to the funicular for Montjuic where we could get on the Montjuic cable car to get panoramic views of Barcelona and the port. We took the cable car up one way and took a short leisurely walk back down again. Seeing Barcelona from a height really helped give perspective on what we were seeing down on the ground. The Sagrada Familia stood out firmly.

I had a really nice vegan dinner and then we had the evening free to head towards Barceloneta for the famous Barcelona nightlife! This was a girls trip after all and a chance to make use of my over flowing wardrobe back home!

Day 3: 

Day 3 began with a bus journey to Park Guell, a public park designed by Gaudi. It was simply beautiful. The clear blue sky contrasted seamlessly with the bright colours in the park. It was a hot day and we were tiring from our trip but that didn't stop us marvelling at the artistry at hand.

As we took the bus back to the centre, we passed Passeig de Gracia - Barcelona's high-end shopping street. My mouth watered looking at the pristine succession of shops that I wished I had more time to visit. One day I will return with an intention to spend, spend, spend.

One of my friends suggested that we visit El Born for lunch. We left the hustle and bustle of tourist traffic behind and entered a calm oasis. Narrow winding streets, rows of tapas bars and men playing Spanish music in the squares all added to the charm of El Born. My eyes were constantly wandering into the shop windows as I looked for props to bring back as gifts - I am a blogger's daughter after all!

With plenty of time until our late evening flight, we walked to the Arc de Triomf (where a jumping photo is a given) then relaxed in the park next to it. We couldn't have asked for better weather as our trip began to draw to a close.

Next, we meandered our way to Barceloneta beach, ice creams in hand. Normally, when I see pictures of crowded beaches, it really puts me off! But walking along the promenade and simply soaking in the atmosphere was enough! Spending some time at the beach rounded this vacay off in style.

Sadly, it was time to make our way back to the Airport to head home. But our love of the city lives on in the memories that we made... and the hundreds of pictures that we took!

Adéu Barcelona!

As I was adding the final pieces to this post, I heard the devastating news of the attacks in Barcelona on the 17th of August. I am shocked and saddened to hear that this has happened to such a beautiful city that is so full of life and energy. Barcelona is in our thoughts.

Mixed Lentils and Dill (Suva Bhaji) Daal

Relish this delicious and nutritious Mixed Lentils and Dill (a.k.a. Suva Bhaji) Daal with steamed rice or hot phulka roti and experience its outstanding taste! This daal is packed with so many depths of flavour and is super good. It is so simple, homely and comforting dish which is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.

Being a vegetarian family, we mainly rely on lentils and beans for our daily protein dose and I am always in a search for a various type of Daal recipes. I love using lentils and beans when you cook with a variety of spices, herbs or vegetables, it is guaranteed that the outcome will be splendid. Lentils and Beans are packed with protein and fibre and the same time so versatile. especially with lentils, you can create any kind of dish be it starters, main meals, dips, or even desserts.

More Dill Recipe:- Dill Sabji | Avocado Dill Cream | Spicy Creamy Tomato Soup with Dill

My daughter has a soft corner for the tangy lemony and aromatic Dill-Suva bhaji and many other leafy greens, and my sunny boy can't get enough of any daal. Whenever I am in Indian grocery store I never forget to look out for fresh dill, and if I spot a big fresh bunch of Dill, couple of bunches straightaway goes in my trolly. So there for many times, I prepare lentils or beans with leafy greens and herbs Whatever they like to eat but whenever I prepare this Mixed Lentils and Dill Daal, I do not hear about anything else.

Fresh Dill and Dill seeds are very popular in Indian cooking. According to health experts, dill is one of the healthiest herb available. It is packed with numerous healthy benefits, It is beneficial for diabetic people and a good source of calcium, magnesium and iron.  Dill helps improve digestive system too.

This daal comes together in no time. For a wholesome and nourishing meal serve this daal with salad, rice and roti.

Notes:-
Only yellow moong daal can be used in this recipe.
I have prepared this daal vegan, but if you want to use ghee for tempering, (tadka) free to use.

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Mixed Lentils and Dill (Suva Bhaji) Daal

by Jagruti August-9-2017

This delicious, hearty and comforting quick mixed lentils and dill-Suva bhaji daal is a great vegan dish for any day.It is healthy, nutritious and packed with flavours.

Ingredients

• 400g Mixed lentils ( dhooli moong, masoor and chana daal) - Yellow Moong, Red and Split Bengal gram 
• 2+1 Tbsp. Oil
• 1 medium Onion chopped
• 2-3 Green chilli slit
• 1 Tbsp. Ginger-Garlic paste
• 2 cloves Garlic thinly cut
• 1 Tsp. Cumin seeds
• 2 Tsp. Red Chilli Powder
• 1 Tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Garm masala
• 2 Tsp. Ground cumin and coriander
• half Tomato chopped
• 250g Dill (Suva bhaji)
• 2 Red chilli dried
• 1 Tsp. Lemon or lime juice
• Pinch hing

Instructions

Thoroughly clean lentils and wash couple of times with clean water.Soak for half an hour if you are cooking in a pan. I always cook lentils and beans in pressure cooker. Add daal, water, salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Put it on a stove without lid, let the first boil come then put the lid on. Cook for 3-5 whistles and switch it off.Let the pressure cooker cool off naturally. Lightly mash cooked daal with the back of the ladle, no need to mash completely. n a heavy bottom pan or kadai heat oil and add cumin seeds.Once they splutter, add hing and onion. Once onion started getting pink, add garlic and ginger. Sauté the mixture for a couple of minutes then add split green chillies.Add chopped tomatoes and cook until completely cooked, then add all the masala one by one. Careful not to burn the spices once you see oil is separating the masala, add boiled daal and check the consistency, if it's too thick add little water. Add salt and bring it to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes.Now add chopped dill leaves and cook further for a couple of minutes.Switch off the heat.Heat 1tbsp.oil is a small pan, add dried red chilli and thinly chopped garlic, fry the garlic until light brown, then add pinch red chilli powder, once you add red chilli powder, immediately pour on cooked daal.)After pouring second tadka once again re heat daal thoroughly. Squeeze lemon juice and mix well. Serve hot with rice, roti and salad.Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 6-8 servings

Mayfield Copycat Lavender Frappuccino

Lavender Frappuccino, a floral flavoured Frappuccino, perfect for the summer, an instant recipe for when that craving hits.

A few days ago, I and my family went to the Mayfield Lavender Farm near London. Lavender fields seem to have taken over Instagram recently, with all visitors hoping to get the chance of that perfect selfie!

Going to a lavender farm immerses all of the senses of all things Lavender. The aroma hangs in the air and the beautiful purple hue stretches out all around you!

Now, you can't go all the way to a Lavender farm without sampling the delicacies on offer at the cafe. In the steady sunshine, the Lavender frappuccino stood out.

Even as a uni student, I've managed to avoid needing the caffeine kick before lectures and exams - yet! Coffee for me is synonymous with catching up with friends. A quick text to see who is free to spend the next few hours chatting away. We love to find quirky coffee shops, trying different places each time.

However, when these coffees are so easy to recreate at home, you don't always need to go out. And a good old gossip can be done anywhere! 

My mum bought lavender syrup to take home. I asked her if she had made any plans to use it yet, and when she hadn't, I set about making the frappuccino.

The end result was splendid - smooth, silky ice cold coffee fragrant with lavender. (Can anyone give me any tips on how to steal the lavender syrup from the fridge without my mum seeing?)

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Mayfield Copycat Lavender Lavender Frappuccino

by Hayley August-6-2017

A floral flavoured Frappuccino, perfect for the summer, an instant recipe for when that craving hits.

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. Instant Coffee
• 500ml Full fat milk
• 100ml Double Cream
• 100ml Lavender syrup
• As needed Squirty Cream
• 1 Tsp. Lavender stalks or dried lavender
• As needed Ice cubes

Instructions

Dissolve the instant coffee in a little warm water and let it cool.Blend all of the above ingredients apart from the squirty cream and dried lavender.(adjust the lavender syrup to desired taste and sweetness)Pour coffee mixture into desired glass and top with squirty cream and garnish with dry lavender.

Details

Prep time: 2 mins Cook time: 3 mins Total time: 5 mins Yield: 4 servings