A Collection of Herb/Spice Blends

TANDOORI MARINADE

½ pint natural yoghurt

½ tbsp cumin powder

½ tbsp garam masala

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

Juice of ½ lemon

4 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ inch ginger root, grated

½ tsp red food colouring

Mix everything together well. For Chicken Tikka, marinade chicken breast cubes for minimum 2 hours. Shake off excess sauce, place on a baking tray and cook in oven/under grill for 15-20 minutes, or until meat juices run clear.

ASIAN CHILLI PASTE

1 cup fresh red chillis, stems removed

Third of a cup vinegar
8 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and purée, adding enough water to form into a thick paste. Keep for up to 3 months in fridge, or freeze in icecube trays.

CAJUN SPICE SEASONING MIX

¾ cup salt

¼ cup ground cayenne pepper

2 tbsp ground white pepper

2 tbsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp onion powder

2 tbsp garlic powder

Mix everything together well in a jam jar. Use a tablespoonful of mix as a marinade or rub.

ZA'ATAR LEBANESE HERB BLEND

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp ground sumac (I can't get this in Spain, so substitute with ½ tbsp lemon pepper & 1 tsp paprika for colour)

½ tbsp white sesame seeds

Salt to taste

Grind the oregano and thyme in a spice grinder or blender. Mix everything together well in a jam jar. Use as marinade or rub on fish or meat.

CREOLE SEASONING

2½ tbsp paprika

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

Mix everything together well in a jam jar. Use a tablespoonful of mix as a marinade or rub.

Also see previous posts for:
Sweet Chilli Sauce and Madras Curry Paste

Turkey Noodles

Serves 2

1 turkey breast fillet, approx 350g, cut into bite-size cubes

1 large onion, diced

1 chicken stock cube, dissolved in 150 ml boiling water

1 tbsp Madras curry paste, see previous blog post

1 tin coconut milk

2 dried Kaffir lime leaves

300 g button mushrooms, cleaned & quartered

small bunch spring onions, finely sliced

Sunflower oil for frying

2 portions Chinese egg noodles

1.  Fry the onion gently in a wok or large saucepan until soft and translucent.

2.  Add the turkey and fry, stirring, until coloured on all sides.

3.  Stir in the curry paste and cook for a couple of minutes until a nice aroma comes from the pan.

4.  Add the chicken stock and coconut milk, bring to the boil, then reduce heat, add the lime leaves and simmer for about 10 minutes.

5.  Add the mushrooms and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

6.  Break the dried noodles into the pan, stir them in, making sure they are immersed in the stock.  Sprinkle over the spring onion and simmer for about 5 minutes until the noodles are cooked.

Enjoy!

Madras Curry Paste

2½ tbsp coriander seeds, dry-roasted and ground*

1 tbsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted and ground*

1 tsp black mustard seeds

½ tsp cracked black peppercorns

1 tsp chilli power

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 crushed garlic cloves

2 tsp grated fresh (or lazy) ginger

3-4 tbsp white wine vinegar (or more as necessary)

1.  Put all ingredients except vinegar into a small bowl and mix well.

2.  Add enough vinegar, a tablespoonful at a time, to mix to a smooth paste.

3.  Keep for up to 1 month in an airtight container in the fridge.

* I use a small electric coffee bean grinder, but use a pestle and mortar if you like.

Balsamic Vinegar Pearls

These are so easy and delicious, not to mention impressive!

75 ml balsamic vinegar

1 sachet powdered gelatine

olive oil (enough to fill a tall glass tumbler)

a syringe (I used a plastic one from the chemist)

1.  Pour enough olive oil to fill a tall glass tumbler and put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

2.  Dissolve the gelatine in the vinegar over a medium heat, stirring. Bring just to the boil, then remove from heat. Allow to cool for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.  Fill the syringe with the balsamic and gelatine mixture. 

4.  When the oil is well chilled (you can stand it in a jug of iced water to keep it cool), drip the balsamic mixture into it, drop by drop. The drops should slowly sink to the bottom and the cold oil will set the gelatine.  

5.  Once all the balsamic mixture has been dripped in, slowly pour the pearls out into a strainer. Keep the olive oil to use in cooking (pass it through a coffee filter paper in a funnel if it has small bits of jelly in it).

6.  Store the balsamic vinegar pearls in a sterilised jam jar in the fridge.

Use to decorate salads, cold tapas, etc. (The gelatine in the pearls will melt if you put them on hot food)