Pork vindaloo

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 5 black peppercorns, left whole
• 2 green cardamom pods, seeds only
• 2 cloves
• 1cm/½in piece cinnamon
• 1cm/½in piece ginger, peeled and chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 3 fresh red chillies
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• pinch salt
• 350g/12oz pork shoulder, flesh cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
• 100g/3½oz pork belly, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
• 65ml/2½fl oz vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ¾ tsp mustard seeds
• handful cashew nuts

To serve (optional)

• 220g/8oz basmati rice, cooked according to packet instructions
• 4 wheat tortillas
• 2 handfuls chopped lettuce
• 4 tbsp soured cream

Preparation method

1. Using a spice grinder, grind the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cloves and cinnamon to a fine powder.
2. In a food processor, blend the ginger, garlic, chillies and white wine vinegar to a paste.
3. Mix the ground spice mixture with the paste until well combined and season with a pinch of salt. Rub the mixture all over the pork using your fingers, then set the pork aside, covered, to marinate for 1½-2 hours.
4. Heat four tablespoons of the oil in a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown.
5. Add the marinated pork pieces and fry for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until golden-brown on all sides. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pork is tender. Add small splashes of boiling water to the pan as necessary if the juices in the pan dry out. Add as little water as possible as the resulting sauce should be quite thick.
6. Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. (CAUTION: the mustard seeds will start to pop. Keep the pan well away from your face and eyes.)
7. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the cashew nuts and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are golden-brown.
8. To serve, either divide the rice among four serving plates, spoon the vindaloo alongside and pour the fried cashew nuts and mustard seeds over the vindaloo, or alternatively spoon the vindaloo into the centre of four wheat tortillas, sprinkle with chopped lettuce and soured cream and roll up into parcels.
   
   

   1-2 hourspreparation time

   30 mins to 1 hourcooking time

   Serves 4

Orchard cup

This refreshing cocktail is perfect for those who like their drinks super fruity.

Ingredients

• ½ ripe William pear, crushed
• 20ml/¾fl oz freshly squeezed orange juice
• 35ml/1¼fl oz apple vodka
• 1 tbsp créme de pêche liqueur
• 25ml/1fl oz Lillet Blanc
• peach wedge, apple wedge and mint sprig, to garnish

Preparation method

1. Place the crushed pear, orange juice, apple vodka, crème de peche liqueur and Lillet Blanc into a cocktail shaker, add some ice and shake well.
2. Strain the cocktail into a glass and garnish with the peach wedge, apple wedge and mint sprig.

How to Make Prune booster

Ingredients

• ice, to taste
• 1 pear, juice only (prepared with a juicer), plus ½ pear, peeled, for garnish
• 1 Granny Smith apple, juice only (prepared with a juicer)
• 100ml/3½fl oz prune juice
• 50ml/1¾fl oz spiced rum
• piece sliced plum, to garnish

Preparation method

1. Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour the pear, apple and prune juice, along with the rum, into the ice-filled glass. Stir well.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the pear into a fan shape by making slits along the pear as if you were going to slice it, but keeping the top in tact. Open the slices out to form a fan shape. Garnish the drink with the pear fan and slice of plum. Serve.

How to Make Moroccan chicken pie with okra

Less than 30 minspreparation time

1 to 2 hourscooking time

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 800g/1lb 12oz chicken thighs, on the bone
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ lemon, zest only
• ½ orange, zest only
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 sprigs fresh coriander
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, halved
• 70g/2½oz dried apricots

For the pie

• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2.5cm/1in piece ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tsp ground cumin
• 40g/1½oz fresh coriander, stalks and leaves, chopped
• 20g/1oz flatleaf parsley, stalks and leaves, chopped
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 75g/2¾oz peeled almonds, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 sheets ready-made filo pastry
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp caster sugar, mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1-2 tbsp flaked almonds, for decorating

For the okra

• 250g/9oz okra, halved lengthways
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for shallow frying
• 50g/2oz plain flour
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• pinch salt

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
2. For the chicken, place the chicken thighs into a large pan with the onion, lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon stick, coriander, garlic and ginger. Cover with water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently poach for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
   Technique: Testing whether turkey, chicken and poultry are cooked
   Watch technique0:51 mins
3. Remove the chicken from the stock and set aside until cool enough to handle. Discard the skin and shred the meat into thick strips. Set aside.
4. Strain the poaching liquid into a clean pan, discarding the solids. Bring to the boil and cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by three-quarters. Remove from the heat, then add the dried apricots and set aside to soak.
5. For the pie, heat the vegetable oil in a medium pan and gently fry the onion for 4-5 minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic, ginger, ground turmeric, ground coriander and ground cumin and cook until aromatic.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded chicken meat, fresh coriander and parsley. Moisten with about 400ml/14fl oz of the poaching stock, then stir in the eggs, almonds and soaked apricots. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7. On a work surface, layer the filo pastry, brushing each sheet liberally with melted butter and sprinkling lightly with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
   Technique: Working with filo pastry
   Watch technique0:54 mins
8. Use the layered filo pastry to line the base of a 22cm/8in buttered deep pie dish, leaving the excess filo pastry to overhang on the sides. Fill with the chicken mixture, then fold over the excess pastry to cover the pie. If the filling isn’t completely covered, add a few more sheets of buttered filo pastry over the top and tuck into the sides. Brush the top with more melted butter and sprinkle with more of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
9. Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes, or until golden-brown and piping hot all the way through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly before serving.
10. For the okra, lightly toss the okra in the vegetable oil. In a bowl, combine the flour, chilli powder, ground cumin, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the okra in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
11. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to cover the base. Add the okra, in batches, and shallow fry for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden-brown and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
12. To serve, cut the pie into slices and arrange on six serving plates with the okra alongside.

How to Make Moroccan-style chicken casserole

Overnight

preparation time

30 mins to 1 hourcooking time

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the spice paste

• 2-3 large, juicy garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
• pinch sea salt flakes
• 2-3 good pinches smoked paprika
• 2-3 good pinches ground turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• glug olive or groundnut oil

For the casserole

• 6 large chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
• good glug fruity olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, cut in half, thinly sliced
• pinch saffron strands
• handful green olives, pits removed
• small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Preparation method

1. For the spice paste, crush the garlic cloves and sea salt with a pestle in a mortar. Add the smoked paprika, turmeric and cumin seeds and grind to a paste. Add just enough olive or groundnut oil to make the paste runny enough to pour, but thick enough to coat the chicken.
2. For the casserole, place the chicken thighs into a bowl, pour the spice paste over them and toss well to coat all of the meat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as time allows, overnight if possible.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan, then cook the onions until softened. Add the chicken thighs and cook until coloured lightly on both sides. Add the lemon slices and pour in enough water to come halfway up the chicken pieces. Stir in the saffron, then season well, cover with a lid and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add the olives and fresh coriander and serve.

Marble Cake

Ingredients:
180 grams Butter
 1 tsp Vanilla essence      
¾ cup  Caster Sugar        
1½ cup  Flour                    
2 tsp  Baking powder      
½ cup Milk                       
few drops  Pink food coloring 
2 tbsp Cocoa                  
1 tbsp  Milk                      
1 thin slab (optional) Dark chocolate     
2 Eggs                    

Method:
Lightly grease a cake pan and cover the base with grease paper. Beat butter, essence and caster sugar in small bowl with electric mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating in well. Transfer mixture to a large clean bowl and fold in sifted flour and milk in 2 batches. Divide mixture in three bowls. Tint mixture in three bowls. Tint mixture pink in bowl 1, mix well. Stir in cocoa and extra milk in bowl 2 and mix well. Leave the third mixture plain. Drop spoonfuls of each mixture into prepared pan. Run a knife through cake mixture for a marble effect. If desired slip in a slab of dark bitter chocolate in the center so it melts while baking. Bake in a moderate oven about 40 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Ras Malai

Ingredients:
1 lt milk
1 cup sugar
Pinch Zafron
Bring to boil
Then lower the heat and keep on boiling.

1 cup milk powder
1 tsp ghee
1 egg beaten well
Method:
Mix above ingredients together and form in to dough
break small pieces form. 
to dough in boil until all ball floats on top or until done.
Cut up some Badam and pista on top to decorate.
Cool and refrigerate, chilled well before serving.