ROASTED CHESTNUT MIX

Roasted Chestnut Mix 

180 grams Merchant Gourmet Prepared Chestnuts 

100 grams raw cashews (not roasted)

50 grams raw shelled peanuts (not roasted)

1 tablespoon honey 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 teaspoon mild Kashmiri chilli powder 

Healthy pinch sea salt 

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon demerera sugar 

60 grams soft raisins of mixed colours- yellow, purple and red 

Mix the chestnuts, cashews and peanuts with honey, vegetable oil, chilli powder, cumin seeds and salt. 

Spread the nut mixture onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Transfer to a 180 degree oven for 15 minutes, stirring the nuts every 4-5 minutes during cooking.

When the nuts are out of the oven but still hot, add the Demerara sugar and soft raisins. Mix the whole mixture well and allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight jar.  

MIDDLE EASTERN QUINOA SALAD

This is my pomegranate, parsley and preserved lemon quinoa salad! It's totally moreish and delicious with little bits of salty feta and olives running through it! If you don't have quinoa you can use bulgar wheat, giant cous cous or pearl barley. 

120grams Quinoa

1 pomegranate 

10 green olives

1 bunch flat leaf parsley 

1 preserved lemons 

25 grams feta

Drizzle of olive oil 

Prepare the quinoa according to manufacturer instructions (this will involve boiling the quinoa in water for around 20 minutes). Allow the cooked quinoa to cool. In the meantime, cut the pomegranate in half and gently remove all the seeds- discard all the white pith. Slice each olive into thin slices. Chop 1/2 bunch of flat leaf parsley and the preserved lemon as finely as your knife skills allow. Put the salad together by mixing the pomegranate seeds, olives, flat leaf parsley and preserved lemon into the quinoa using a fork. Crumble over 25grams of feta cheese and drizzle generously with a good glug of olive oil. Enjoy as a lunch on its own, or an accompaniment to a roast meat. 

BUTTER CHICKEN

Butter Chicken is an absolute classic. It is smooth, creamy and decadent. I love serving it in wraps with finely chopped vegetables and loads of cress. But you can have it with any flatbread or rice of your choice. I prefer it mild, but feel free to add more chilli, if you like your butter chicken to have a proper kick.  

2 finely diced white onions

100grams butter 

1 teaspoon garlic paste 

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder 

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon turmeric 

1 tablespoon tomato puree

500grams chicken thighs cut into bitesize chunks 

1 cupful full fat strained Greek yoghurt (10% fat) 

Juice 1/2 lemon 

Salt 

Fry the onions in the butter until they are a deep golden brown colour. Add the garlic and all the spices, stirring well to release all the aromas. Stir vigorously to avoid the spices from catching. Add the tomato puree to the onions followed by 250ml of warm water. Allow the onion and tomato mixture to reduce down until the butter starts rising to the surface and the onions appear to have almost disintegrated into the sauce. 

Now add the chicken to the onion-tomato masala and stir well, coating each piece of chicken thoroughly. Season with salt to taste. Resist the temptation to add more water to the pan, the chicken will release a lot of moisture and this will be sufficient to cook the chicken in. After 15-20 minutes on a medium heat the chicken will have cooked through and the moisture from the pan will mostly have evaporated. Whisk the greek yoghurt until it is smooth. Take the chicken off the heat and stir the yoghurt through. Complete the dish with a touch of lemon juice. Serve immediately with flatbreads or rice.