PUMPKIN & FETA ORZO

I’m a creature of habit when it comes to pastas. I don’t do many meat versions either. (A vegetarian husband requires that my meat component is always on the side, and never in the pasta itself.) To make it into our regular meal rotations I make sure my pasta dishes follow these general rules. 1)… Read more »

BLUEBERRY & CHIA FILLED CHOCOLATES

I can count with one hand the number of times I’ve made a baked dessert this year. I don’t particularly enjoy tasks that involve precise measurements and temps (I find it counterintuitive to go down this path when I use cooking as a de-stress mechanism). Bunging things into a pan is my jam. This recipe… Read more »

MEXICAN BEAN TOASTS

Mexican bean toasts aka molletes. Molletes are open-faced sandwiches with a bean mash, cheese, and a zingy pico de gallo for freshness and balance. They’re traditionally made with black beans but I’ve used kidney beans (rajma) here. The mash itself is pretty straight forward – sautéed onions and garlic, spices, and cooked beans. For some… Read more »

RED AMARANTH RAITHA

I want to preface this post by saying this: if red amaranth is hard to come by where you live, this recipe works really well with spinach or other local greens too. You’ll get the same flavours (but without the bright pink hue of course). Amaranth—both the green and red varieties—are ubiquitous to these parts… Read more »

BROCCOLI & ZUCCHINI WITH MARINARA & OLIVES

I have the hardest time categorizing recipes – is this a salad or a side? I’d wager that it’s a side more than a salad, but you add a bit of grilled meat or serve some Turkish eggs alongside and it effortlessly transforms into a substantial main. You first make a simple marinara: garlic, tomatoes,… Read more »

LIGHTER DHAL MAKHANI

‘Lighter’ for a few reasons: for starters this dhal makhani contains no cream, and only a quarter the amount of butter that’d typically go into it. Traditionally, the dhal is cooked separately with water and added to a base of onions, tomatoes, and spices. Simmered over a low heat, it’s then finished with (copious amounts… Read more »

FRIED OYSTER MUSHROOMS

What’s not to love about a big heap of fried mushrooms? Oyster mushrooms are perfect here as they’re meaty and substantial. Very fried chicken-y. Aside from their meaty texture, they also have a significant umami flavour. It’s no wonder they feature so heavily on vegetarian menus. I say substantial since button mushrooms—as versatile as they… Read more »

PUMPKIN & CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH PECANS & FETA

Even when I’m in the mood to just potter about the kitchen, I don’t (and I can safely say this) ever cook food that’s demanding. And by demanding I mean both skill-wise and time-wise. If something has to cook for a long time, it has to be minimal prep. And then it needs to cook… Read more »

GARLIC EGG FRIED RICE

Soft scrambled eggs and crispy garlic bits are my favourite additions to fried rice. If you buy and stock garlic granules by the pound like this alliomaniac writing the recipe, use that by all means. (A word! For the garlic obsessed!) Don’t  worry if you don’t though – I’ve put instructions below for how you… Read more »

BEEF & THAI BASIL STIR-FRY

My Thai basil plant has gone rogue. It won’t stop sprouting new leaves every day and—as was to be expected—regular pruning has only made it more hardy and prolific. It sounds like I’m whingeing about it, and I kinda am, but that’s only because I can’t think up enough ways to cook with it; it’s… Read more »

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Latest

  • GREEK QUINOA SALAD

    I’m a salad girl. No, not the kind that would go to a restaurant and pick on some greenage for a meal (hell no) but definitely one that would get it as a side. That kind of salad girl. I had my first taste of Quinoa about a month ago. Until then, this obscure little… Read more »

  • CHOCOLATINES

    Is there anything better than a warm buttery croissant? Well actually, there is. Meet the Chocolatine (also called Pain au chocolat). Traditionally made in a shape that’s more cylindrical than crescent/crab-like, these delights are what got me through many a rough library night back in Uni. Scrambling to finish cramming a whole semester’s worth of… Read more »

  • PORTUGUESE TARTS

    On a bit of a whim, I decided to make tarts. Portuguese style. Speaking of whims, I also ended up indulging in three of Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks. Known for his clever twists on re-creating classics in record time, it didn’t seem like the best idea to play around with one of his recipes. But I… Read more »

  • AUBERGINE AND BROCCOLI PASTA BAKE

    I love adding fresh veggies to my meal, and am constantly on the hunt to find recipes that can incorporate them. Ordinarily I find vegetarian dishes to be a real downer, so I had to pull out the big guns here..cheese! And not just one, but 2 types; Parmesan for the depth of flavour and… Read more »

  • BERRY FILLED CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

    I ended up engaging in some “insider trading” of my own with these cupcakes, by scooping out the center and filling it with a gooey mixed-berry preserve. Seeing that it was Martha Stewart’s recipe, I just HAD to point out the irony! (Read : Martha Stewart – Insider trading scandal) Personally, I think a good cupcake… Read more »

  • MAC & CHEESE WITH BACON, MUSHROOMS AND PEPPERS

    I think I had you at bacon, right? This is not the typical mac & cheese that you may have grown up eating, but I can assure you that it’s got every bit of that gooeyness and flavour that is synonymous with it. I can safely say that this version is way simpler too – no fussy… Read more »

  • SPANAKOPITA

    Hunting for a recipe to match the image in my head is the hardest challenge, but oh-so worth it in the end! This is one such story.. Spanakopita literally translates to spinach pie; it is a Greek dish that comes in a myriad of shapes and sizes, the most common being in pie-form or as triangular parcels…. Read more »

  • MUSHROOM AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO RISOTTO

    I think this recipe has officially been my crowning glory, if I may say so myself! I’m not sure if this is the perfect risotto in Gordon’s Ramsay’s books, but it tasted pretty damn good and that’s all I care about really. So don’t be intimidated; the main things that really matter are texture and timing,… Read more »

  • CARAMELIZED FIGS

    Ok, first of all I have to say, making this is SO easy, I could probably make a dozen in the time that it takes to write this post. And once you’ve gotten the figs out of the way, all you need is ice cream, and you’re ready to serve up an elegant, healthy(ish) dessert!… Read more »

  • MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

    I came across this gem when I was looking for a cake recipe for my grand mom’s birthday a few years ago. The instructions were simple to follow, but what really caught my attention was how moist it looked. It turned out that the pictures weren’t that deceptive after all, and basically..I was SOLD. I’m no… Read more »