Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Settle in for a long post, it's been a busy week!
I treated this post like my diary this week and filled in each day every night. That way I can actually remember what happened in the day and what went into the recipes that I featured. Pictured above is my Korean braised chicken which happened this week along with more milk cakes and Mum's chicken pulao.
Monday 15 June 1:40pm Guys, it was so hot and humid today. The plants on the deck are doing well though thanks to my Mum and her expert potting. Highlights here include lettuce, basil and parsley.
2:08pm Mum cooked Punjabi Kadhi Pakora today. Here she was sieving the sauce so it was easier to eat.
2:13pm Kadhi pakora is great to make with leftover pakoras. Pakoras are always best eaten fresh but stale ones do really well in kadhi as they suck up the sauce and become soft and plump.
2:14pm Pakoras are in. All that was left to do now was let them simmer gently until the oil had risen to the surface of the sauce. Do give kadhi pakora a try this Summer - it's a real vegetarian Punjabi favourite.
3:57pm A storm was brewing and my, was it a big one. Thunder and plenty of rain!
4:10pm It's Jersey Royal season. I decided to steam them today for 15 minutes until fork-tender.
4:14pm Ingredients ready for a sweet corn relish.
4:36pm
nothing better than the sound of heavy rain while you are cooking in the kitchen.
5:08pm Onion rings which I gently caramelised in oil and then sprinkled with peri peri salt.
5:12pm The relish was well on its way. In the bowl: sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, jalapeno, garlic.
5:22pm Pouring the hot brine into the vegetables. The brine was vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, salt, ground turmeric.
5:23pm The sweetcorn relish ready to go into the fridge and chill.
5:30pm Once the potatoes had been steamed, I smashed them slightly and pan-fried them until crispy and golden.
5:34pm Blended up a spring green pea sauce with peas, jalapeno, salt, white pepper, lemon juice.
5:45pm An iced strawberry lemonade and custard doughnut break time.
7:13pm Dinner - smashed potatoes with sweetcorn relish. The full recipe is here.
Tuesday 16 June 12:14pm The weekly shop subbed my Biscoff spread for Maltesers spread instead.
3:21pm Lunch time! Tuna sweetcorn wraps with tomato and basil hummus chips. I made my tuna today with tinned tuna, sweetcorn, mayonnaise, black pepper, green chilli, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, garlic granules and paprika.
4:17pm Marinating tomatoes for dinner. In the bowl: tomatoes, garlic, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, dried oregano, capers. Full recipe is here.
4:23pm Grilling peppers under a super-hot grill.
4:31pm Wrapped them in clingfilm to steam. This makes it easier to remove the skin.
4:44pm Marinated peppers are ready. In the bowl: grilled peppers, garlic, basil, capers, dried oregano, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar. Full recipe is here.
7:22pm Dinner time! Garlic bread + marinated tomatoes + marinated peppers + cheese spread.
8:42pm Another day, another milk cake.
8:43pm See you in the morning!
9:06pm Another evening, another thunderstorm.
Wednesday 17 June 11:23am Fresh flowers from the garden and they smell so good!
1:33pm The milk cake had been in the fridge overnight and I wanted to transfer it to a cake box to gift to my cousin. It was too delicate to move whole so I cut it into four and that worked very well.
1:35pm See? I lined the box with foil because the cake was very soft.
1:41pm I spread whipped cream on top.
1:59pm Visiting my cousins. Socially-distanced, of course!
3:03pm We hung out in the sunshine, drank tea and caught up on everything.
3:04pm
I am learning to find joy right here in the mess of things.
may the flowers remind us why the rain was so necessary.
6:32pm Veggies chopped and prepped: potatoes, mushrooms, cucumber, carrots, spring onions, ginger, garlic, onion, green chillies.
7:32pm Korean braised chicken and vegetables is ready! I garnished with thinly sliced spring onion and sesame seeds. I used this recipe but added Korean chilli paste and powder because I wanted a spicier version. We ate it with steamed rice and kimchi. It was excellent!
8:26pm More thunder and lightening tonight.
Thursday 18 June 1:53pm A gloomy day today.
2:04pm
perhaps this is what this season is all about: trusting in the unknowns, finding gold in the little things, trading fear of what's uncertain for freedom to thrive within it.
12:05pm Celebrating Friday with a slice of raspberry tart and cream from Morrisons.
4:12pm Heated up leftover Korean braised chicken and rice until piping hot.
5:54pm Lasagne ready to go into bake.
Saturday 20 June 12:27pm Doorstep gifts from my cousin and aunt.
12:31pm Pancakes for a very late breakfast. A similar recipe is here.
2:48pm Afternoon snacking with the sweetest mango and watermelon.
3:08pm More fresh flowers from the garden.
3:58pm Lunch for the gang: cheese pickle salad sandwiches and veggie straws.
7:59pm
wherever you are, be all there.
a Sunday well spent brings a week of content.
3:00pm With iced coke, salad and green yoghurt chutney.
7:51pm Photo expertly taken by my Dad as he cleaned the windows.
I hope you've had a good week. We made it through another one! Keep me in your duas.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
