Aloo masala (Potato Curry / dosa stuffing)

4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
10-15 curry leaves
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 onion , thinly sliced
1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
1 tsb salt
chilli to taste
3 tsp sambar masala* mixed with ¼ cup water
4 large potatoes , boiled and cut into bite size chunks
handful fresh coriander , finely chopped


Heat the oil in a sauce pan, when the oil is wavy, fry the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida until they begin to crackle, then add the sliced onions. Cook until the onions are soft and slightly golden.

Stir in the tomato purée, water, salt and sambar masala. Mix till thick. Add a little extra water if too dry. Add the potatoes and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Add coriander and mix befoe serving.

Sambar masala* is a spice blend which also contains roast ground lentils – so it thickens the sauce as well as flavours. You can buy it. I made a small pot with:

1 tsp curriander seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp orange lentils
1/2 tsp aseafidata
1/2tsp fenugreek seeds
2 curry leaves
1/4 tsp black mustard seed
1 dried chilli
5 black peppercorns

Roast them in a dry pan and mill to a fine powder.
(mine isn’t as good as a bought mix – be warned)

Baba ganoush

2 aubergines
1 large garlic clove, crushed/pulped.
1/2 a lemon, juiced
1 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp chopped herb of choice- parsley, mint or coriander

First cook the aubergines. You want to grill them under a hot grill until the juice is leaking out and caramelising, and the skins are burnt. Prick them skin a few times with a fork first, because they will explode if not. Oil them too for a little extra caramelising flavour..

Once done, set them aside to cool. Scrape out the middles into a bowl, and mix in the out her ingredients. Add the oil slowly, and mix well- it should not look oily when finished.

Taste it to get the seasoning right. Add extra salt and lemon juice to get that tang spot on.

Serve as a dip with pitta breads. Yum.

Braised red cabbage

  • 1kg red cabbages
  • 1-2 onions, chopped
  • 3 Granny Smiths apples, peeled and cored and chopped
  • zest 1 orange or 2 clementines
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 80g light soft brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 250ml dry cider
  • 25g butter
  1. Thinly  slice the cabbage. Layer the cabbage in a bottom of a large saucepan, followed by onions, apples, zest, mixed spice, sugar and seasoning. Continue to create layers until you have used up the ingredients.
  2. Pour over the vinegar and cider and dots of butter.  Bring to the boil then simmer with a lid on for 1½ hrs, until tender.
  3. Check the liquid level every know and then. It should be gone(ish) by the time you serve.

Bread Sauce

  • 800g  stale white loaf (crumbed)
  • 1 l milk
  • 1 onion, studded with 4-6 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
  • 30 grams butter
  • fresh nutmeg

Heat the milk with the herbs, spices and onion in nearly to a boil. Leave to steep for 20 mins until cool. Sieve the milk. Add the bread (rough lumps) and heat and whip  when you’re ready to serve.

Bubble & Squeak

My Dad always talked about this – I think he likes the name more than the dish though. Here’s a recipe I found on a bit of card from Gwen – not tried it, but couldn’t through it away till I wrote it here…

Serves 4

175g smoked streaky bacon (rind off)
100g sliced leeks
450g mashed potato
225g cooked shredded cabbage
1 egg
salt & pepper

Fry the bacon, then add and fry the leeks.

In a bowl, add the cabbage and mash. Add the bacon, leeks and egg, salt and pepper and mix with your hands into 4 patties.

Fry the patties for 12 mins or so, turning once. Serve as a hearty side dish.

Classic Ratatouille

For 6 portions –
2 medium onions – fine chopped
4 bell peppers diced 1cm chunks- (any colours you fancy)
1 Aubergine – 1.5cm chunks
250g Courgettes – 1cm slices, quartered
500g tomatoes – plum works well (fresh or can (1 can = 440g, close enough))
2 cloves garlic
Oregano, cayenne pepper. salt, pepper to taste

Fry the onions till translucent – not too hot.

Add the diced deseeded peppers. Add crushed garlic, and fry for 1 more minute. Add the aubergine.

Add the diced tomatoes – you need to blanche and peel if using fresh. Add the courgettes and cook for 10-15 minutes till tender. If its too wet, turn up the heat and condense down a spot.

Add the herbs, to flavour. If its a little sharp – add a pinch of sugar to counter the tomatoes. It can be easy to under-salt this and make it too flat.

Gratin Dauphinois

Potatoes, cream and cheese- what’s not to like.  Whenever I make this I make more than I need, because it’s just sooo more-ish. It’s a cheesey potato side dish that goes really well with rich food or a steak. It takes a little time to prepare and cook up, but worth the wait.

Once cooked, the cheesey browned topping just looks great. Deird usually eats the toppng off any leftovers before it gets a chance to make it to the fridge. Dang.

Sometimes restaurants make this with a lot of cream and not a lot of potato- so there’s potato swimming in cream. I make it drier, so that you slice out a portion from a big dish, and it just about holds it’s shape.  Mmmmm. 

The best advice for making this is to cut the potato slices as thinly as you can. Use a mandolin if you have one, buy one if you haven’t.

1kg floury potatoes
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
Pinch nutmeg
75g gruyere, grated
300ml double cream
100ml milk

Slice potatoes thinly on a mandolin,
Butter a “lasagne” dish and layer in potatoes, with some garlic, nutmeg and cheese between layers.
Pour cream and milk over, so that it fills in the gaps, ans just covers the potatoes.
Sprinkle on remaining cheese.

Bake, for about 45 minutes- although it depends on how big a dish, and how deep it all is.

Pickled Onions

Makes: 2.7kg (6lb)

2.7kg (6lb) Pickling Onions
4.5lt (8 pints) Water
450g (1lb) Salt

Second Brining

4.5lt (8 pints) Water
1.2lt (2 pints) Spiced Vinegar
450g (1lb) Salt

Place the peeled onions into a large bowl and cover with brine, made from the salt dissolved in the water.
Place a plate on top to prevent the onions from floating to the surface and leave for 12 – 18 hours.
Drain the onions, return to the cleaned bowl and scald with boiling water for 2 minutes.
Cover the onions with the second solution of brine, made from the salt dissolved in the water.
Place a plate on top to prevent the onions from floating to the surface and leave for 24 hours.
Remove the onions and drain thoroughly.
Place into jars and cover with the cold vinegar.
Leave for 6 – 8 weeks to allow the flavour to mature