Tag: #quickmeals

Pimped up Rice…(Meat Free Monday).
Alliyah Dawud
August 12, 2019

Meat free Monday

My pimped up leftover Rice (using store cupboard ingredients)

Double carbs; everyone loves them but boy are they hard to get ‘rid’ of when it comes to excess weight.

I use rice quite a bit….and can sometimes cook too much rice. Well apart from serving it with daals or using them in a rice bowl or salad what else can I do with it?

A few days ago I had a bit of a ‘OMG that will work’ moment. As a rule I don’t serve double carbs (but remember from my childhood being served Mashed Potatoes and Chips in the same meal) however in this recipe it works! Just trust me.

So when you have leftover rice, a tin of potatoes, some cumin seeds and a pack of fried onions you end up with this recipe (which also works well with a fried egg on top if you have any around).

This recipe in my opinion can be served for a Brunch, Lunch or even Supper. It’s quick and easy and uses up leftover rice. And with a dollop of yogurt or a fried egg it’s got a big personality in a bowl.

To make two big bowls of my Pimped up double carbs sorry-not-sorry Rice you will need:

2 bowls pre-cooked Rice (mine were Basmati)
2 TBSP oil
2 heaped TBSP fried onions soaked in water and drained
1 heaped TBSP garlic paste
1 TBSP cumin seeds (whole)
1 heaped TBSP ground coriander seeds
1/2 TSP chili powder (for a spicier rice go up to 1 TSP)
Cooking salt-to your own requirements

Additional stuff:
2 eggs-fried
Additonal fried onions (not soaked)
1 lemon cut in half
Chili sauce-to drizzle over

1) Heat the oil in a large wok or similar pan on a medium heat.
2) Add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
3) Add the onions and fry for 1 minute. Keep stirring to avoid sticking/burning them.
4) Add the garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
5) Add the potatoes and fry for 3 minutes stirring so things don’t burn.
6) Add the salt and spices and fry for one minute.
7) Add the rice and stir/turn the rice to coat it in the spicy onion mix.
8) Tip into two bowls and serve.

Additional ingredients are a suggestion only.
Apply to face/stuff your face and enjoy.

Quick and easy desi style fried eggs
Alliyah Dawud
August 8, 2019

Eggs must be the original fast food. They cook quickly, are an affordable protein and eaten as part of a healthy diet will not cause too many problems in the fat department. Yet as a nation we notice periods of TV campaigns to get us enjoying eggs (remember the Mummmmmmm there’s nothing to eat in the Fridge adverts) and the Lion Eggs adverts. It seems we have a lot of negative press one year and good the next.

I love eggs. I enjoy them in salads, with Turkey Bacon (have you tried smoked Turkey Bacon), in crustless quiches and on and on.

But this recipe is more of a hommage to my heritage as a desi person.

These eggs are tangy, spicy and hit the spot for Breakfast, Brunch or even a late Supper. Enjoy on buttered toast or even as a Breakfast Burrito filling.

To serve one person here’s what you will need:

2 large eggs beaten
4 TBSP chopped tinned tomatoes
1 small onion diced finely
1 TSBP oil
Cooking salt-to your own requirement
1/2 TSP ground coriander powder
1/2 TSP ground cumin powder
Freshly ground black pepper (to your taste)
1 TBSP fresh coriander leaves chopped finely
1 fresh green chili finely chopped (optional if you want extra heat)

1) Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat.
2) Add the onions and fry until the onions soften (not brown). Add the green chili if you are using it.
3) Add the salt and spices and fry for about 30 seconds (generally we do this to cook out the spices. Raw spices taste bitter and well harsh on the tongue).
4) Add the tomatoes and fry for one minute.
5) Add the coriander and stir well.
6) Now pour in the eggs. Do not start stirring straight away. Wait about 15 seconds and then gently stir it. The aim is to product ‘clumps’ of fluffy egg.
7) Keep an eye on the heat and stir the egg. It will soon be clumpy. Cook for 2/3 minutes.
8) And voila your eggs are ready. If you have some lemons or lime on hand (or in the fridge looking sorry for itself) give it a squeeze over the eggs. Lemon does something awesome to tomatoes which makes it taste even more amazing.

Enjoy!

Note: you could make this recipe with just egg whites too. Just in case anyone was wondering.

Penne Arrabiata with Aubergines.
Alliyah Dawud
June 24, 2019

I love pasta…but when I do have it I try to make it a tad bit healthier. One of my favourite ways is by adding a vegetable to the sauce.

One of my favourite old skool pasta sauce is the simple but awesome Arrabiata which literally translated means angry. As someone who likes heat I love the spiciness of this.

This sauce in it’s simple classic form is really easy to knock up and there’s a high chance you’ve got everything at home. My aubergine version is a bit more work.

You can leave out the aubergines if you wish. I personally love it. If you wish to leave it out just skip the steps for the aubergine prep.

Ingredients (to serve 4):

  • 300 grams penne pasta (cooked till Al dente) drained. Keep about 6 TBSP of pasta water just in case (I’ll explain later)
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic-minced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • Chili flakes-to your taste
  • Salt-to your taste
  • 1 X 350 ml carton passata (you can use one with garlic or herbs)
  • 200 ml water or vegetable stock
  • For the aubergines:
  • 1 whole aubergine sliced into slices (either way is fine). Sliced into a pounds (£) thickness.
  • Spray oil
  • Garlic Granules
  • To bake the aubergines:
  • Baking tray
  • Greaseproof paper
  • Spray oil (1 cal works)
  • To serve:
  • Italian style Hard cheese of your choice
  • Fresh basil (if you wish)

1) Pre-heat the oven to 170 (160 on fan assisted ovens). Place the aubergines on the tray and spray with oil. Sprinkle on garlic granules and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn over. Spray again and sprinkle on more garlic if you wish. Now spray on more oil. Place bake in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Once the aubergine is done set aside.
2) To make the actual sauce: heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until garlic is lightly brown. This won’t take long so don’t leave the pan. Burnt garlic is horrible.
3) Add the basil, salt, chili and stir well. Add the passata and water. Bring to the boil. Then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4) Now add the aubergine if using. Stir well and simmer for another 4-5 minutes. If the mixture becomes too dry add 4 tablespoons of water. You don’t want a dry sauce as you want it to cling to the pasta.
5) Add the drained pasta to the sauce (I like doing it this way) and if the sauce is too dry add the pasta water you saved earlier to it. This should restore the sauce.
6) Divide the pasta into 4 pasta sauces and shave over the cheese and add the basil if using.
7) Stuff mouth and enjoy (I’m joking about the stuffing bit btw).

I find the sauce can be frozen WITHOUT aubergines. However it’s just a quick sauce you may not want to have it in your freezer taking up space.

PS: Tesco have recently started stocking chargrilled sliced Aubergine. This still needs to be cooked but it makes the recipe even more easier to knock up as you don’t need to worry about having a fresh Aubergine in the Fridge. Plus they taste nice (no, Tesco did not pay me to say that).