Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Seafood Masala in no time

My food memories are filled with simple items being turned into something special. To date one of my favourite quick easy meals is a smoor, tomato based curry flavoured sauce. In collaboration with Lucky Star (visit their FB page here), I get to stretch my recipe chops and show you that there's more to a can of Lucky Star Pilchards than putting them on a piece of toast. 

Taking the Lucky Star Pilchards smoor up a notch and turning it into a wonderful seafood masala.




Now to get down to it!

Ingredients:

1 Can Lucky Star Pilchards in tomato sauce
1/2 Can of Lucky Star mussels in oil (optional)
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1 hot chili deseeded and sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tin coconut milk
small handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and a squeeze of lemon for seasoning

Preparation time: 10 minutes (I chop slowly)
Cooking time: 23 minutes
Serves: 2 big portions and 4 small portions.

Method:
  • Heat a medium sized saucepan on medium heat, add the olive oil and saute the onions till translucent about 5 minutes. 
  • Then add the fragrants; garlic, ginger and chilli saute for a further 3 minutes until the onions start to colour. 
  • Add the dry spices; ground cumin, ground coriander and the garam masala mix thoroughly and allow the heat to build the flavour for a minute, add a little bit of water if the pan is too dry. 
  • Add the can of pilchards in tomato sauce and the coconut milk to the masala mix. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes then reduce heat and slow simmer for another 5 minutes. 
  • Stir occasionally and lightly so as not to break up the pilcahards
  • Add the mussels, salt  & a squeeze of lemon to taste and chopped coriander leaves, turn down the heat and simmer for a final 3 minutes. 
Serve over basmati rice.

Tip 1: I usually add some sugar to all tomato base dishes to balance the acidity. In this case I don't because the tomato sauce is quite sweet so adding sugar is not necessary.
Tip 2: If you prefer more heat feel free to leave the seeds in the chilli

Happy Eating In!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Eating New York - The BEST Bacon Caramel Corn and Candy Bars from Liddabit

I love the Chelsea Market for the under roof close to Meatpacking district Smorgasbord it is. Since my last visit a candy store has popped up it's called Liddabit Sweets and it's AMAZE!


I first heard of Liddabit from OhJoy! so I was absolutely ecstatic when I saw the store. I went into a happiness frenzy and bought a ton of Bacon Caramel Corn, yes like bacon diddle daddle if it existed only better. Thithi (of teeteeiswithme) was there to capture my moment of blissful madness.

I walked out of the store with a candy bar in each flavour, boxes of caramel corn and bacon caramel corn, a box of chocolate dipped sea salt caramel and a box of pretzel beer caramels. Wait there's more, I bought the cookbook and a free twix inspired candy bar, which they don't sell but give to customers who drop a guap!




Photography by: Thithi Nteta of teeteeiswithme

Liddabit Sweets
425 W 15th St. (Or use main market entrance at 75 9th Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 229-0022
Best for: Bacon caramel corn and the chocolate dipped sea salt caramel
Not sold on: the twix inspired candy bar (I guess that's why it's free)

The Delicious Festival Winners are....

Congratulations!!! to @luminousmk and @remembercarla who have each won a set of tickets to The Delicious Festival this weekend. See details of The DSTV Delicious Festival here