SPICY CURRY ONION AND SPINACH PAKORAS

Gorgeous light fragrant crispy bites of onion pakoras, make plenty as once you and your family start eating these you won’t want to stop!  I have to fend my family off, well truth be told as the cook I get first dibs while I’m cooking the onion pakoras and no one is any the wiser! 

Prep time 5 minutes / Resting time 30 minutes optional / Cooking time 5 minute in batches

Onion Pakoras

(makes 10)

2 large Spanish onion

1 cup sliced spinach

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp nigella seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp sea salt twice

1/2 tsp white pepper

2 fresh chillies chopped

1 hand full fresh coriander chopped

1 cup chic pea garam flour

100ml water

1 ltr peanut oil to cook

If you have the 30 minutes resting time available sprinkle the half the sea salt over the sliced onions, smoosh the onions and salt together well and leave to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes, a couple of hours is even better, this releases liquid from the onions and makes a better more flavoured pakora batter.  Meanwhile place your oil in a deep saucepan and heat to 180 C / 356 F.  Never leave hot oil unattended.

In a large batter bowl mix the chic pea flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, curry powder, turmeric, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, fresh chillies, coriander and spinach, next add the onions and their resting juices mix well and add the water and bring everything together to form a thick sticky mass.

Take a table spoon and scoop a spoonful of your onion pakora mix, gently lower in to the hot oil, repeat but don’t over crowd the pan.  Cook for around two minutes, the pakoras are cooked when they are a crispy light brown and fluffy in the middle not stodgy, remove and drain on paper towel, repeat with the rest of the mixture, serve straight away with a cook mint yogurt dip.

SUPER HEALTHY UKRAINIAN CHICKEN BORSCHT

Unbelievably gorgeous dish, this beautiful deep flavoursome hearty hug in a bowl was not expected, I often cook with my very adventurous best friend where we get to try out new recipes on her huge family and extended family the main reason is trying to get more vegetables in their meals without them realising!  They are very clever at detecting vegetables but are always willing to try a new meal.  This recipe was a great success and is loaded with goodness.

Level:  Super Easy 

Prep time 10 minutes / Slow Cooking time 1 1/2 hrs

Ingredients 

(serves 4 generously or 8 moderately)

2 large onion sliced

6 cloves garlic chopped

2 tbsp lard, goose fat or olive oil

600g bacon diced

2 large whole chickens

5 large beetroots skin on grated

6 carrots scrubbed then grated

1 whole savoy cabbage sliced

1 kg potatoes large diced un or peeled your choice

1 whole tube tomato purée 1 heaped tbsp paprika 

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Water

To Garnish

600ml sour cream for garnish

1 bunch flat leaf parsley chopped

In a very large stock pot or recipe divided in to two stock pots place the lard, heat medium hot, add the onions and garlic, soften for 10 minutes without colour, add the bacon and cook for a further 5 minutes, place in the whole chickens and the rest of all the ingredients and cover with water until around 2 inches past the top of the ingredients.  Bring to a gently simmer and place on a lid cook for 1 1/2 hours, periodically check if the water needs topping up, take off the heat and carefully remove the whole chickens entirely, place to one side and pull off the breast, leg and thigh meat, tear into pieces and add back to the stock pot, if you feel the borscht is low on liquid add a little more water to make a medium thick soup consistency, bring back to a simmer then take off the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste with further salt, pepper and paprika.  

Serve hearty bowls of this gorgeous borscht garnished with a generous dollop of sour cream stirred through and sprinkling of parsley along with a chunk of fresh crusty bread, enjoy...

Geeky Food Science Bit

Chicken Bone Stock:  Chicken bone stock is so good for you, the broth water has calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, trace minerals, chodroitin sulphates and glucosamine, these latter two ingredients are expensive to buy as supplements, but they are found naturally in bone broths.  You need magnesium so your body and convert vitamin D into it's active form so that it can be used to absorb calcium.  We only need around 400mg of calcium a day, but the RDA says 1200mg, the reason for this is that we do not absorb all the calcium we eat, but if you have a balanced diet the extra calcium you absorb can lead to kidney stones and calcium in the blood stream and heart disease, chicken stock is anti viral, anti bacterial and scientifically proven to be 25% as effective as penicillin.

Garlic:  Garlic allicin and selenium, cleans the liver, King of healing foods, fights food poisoning, stomach bugs bacteria, anti bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal, reduces risks of clots and cholesterol blood pressure and improves circulation.

Onion:  Onion vitamin C, B6, folic acid, phenolic so flavonoids, anti inflammatory, lowers cholesterol and is an anti oxidant.

Carrots;  Vitamin A, K, B6, C, B3, B1, B2, E, carotenoids, betacarotenes, biotin, fibre, molybdenum, potassium, manganese, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, folate and copper.  Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease, antioxidant, helps prevent damage inside the body, promotes cleaner and healthier liver and kidney functions, protects capillaries, chest, skin and eyes.

Beetroot:  Vitamin C, folate, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, high in plant flavonoids and betacarotenes.  Organ and blood cleansing, lowers risk of heart disease, helps stimulate and improve overall liver function.

Cabbage:  Iron, vitamin K, C, B6, B1, B2, B3, selenium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, choline, copper, potassium, folate, manganese, fibre, sulphur compounds, glucosinolates, sinigrin.  A perfect food, detox's organs, lowers cholesterol, anti carcogenic preventative properties to the bladder and colon.

RHUBARB WATER JUICE

Powerful Antioxidant and Anti Inflamation

My Geeky Science bit...

The amazing long term health benefits of rhubarb juice and great flavour make this gorgeous pink water a must in your diet.  High in minerals potassium, phosphorus, sodium, copper and zinc, high in antioxidants which fight free radicals in the body which cause premature aging, also contains a good amount of complex vitamin B’s which help keep the nervous system healthy, support the body to help break down foods to be released as fuel for energy, helps the body make red blood cells, healthy skin, hair and nails, a mood stabiliser and immunity support, promotes blood circulation which reduces inflammation.

Anti Tumor properties Aloe-emodin and Rhein are used in medicine to kill Tumor cells, vitamin K supports brain health against Alzheimer’s along with bone development supporting against osteoporosis, rich in Calcium which also supports brown growth, vitamin C which helps prevent sagging skin and wrinkles and for immune support, anthraquinone a compound which is laxative in nature, also helps the digestive process run smoothly because rhubarb contains astringent properties which makes for an effective tonic for your digestive system preventing intestinal health issues due to its promotion of peristaltic movements which also helps ease constipation.  

Helps reduce high cholesterol, rhubarb also contains stilbenoid which helps in reducing blood sugar levels, gallbladder support as rhubarb contains cholagogue which promotes good digestive health, a good source of Vitamin C which plays a vital role in strengthening the body’s immune system, rhubarb root when juiced can help with liver health and can reduce hepatitis B, Vitamin A supports eye health and can improve vision.

Ingredients 

(makes approx 1.5 ltr)

1 weeks worth for 2 people

12 sticks of rhubarb 

(never eat the leaves as they are poisonous)

12 cups of water

Simply wash the rhubarb, cut into 2” pieces, place in a saucepan with the water and gently simmer for 15 minutes, take of the heat and leave to cool.  Strain the rhubarb through a sieve reserving the juice, then I like to run the rhubarb water through a cheese cloth this clarifies the rhubarb water, pour in to set jars and keep in the fridge for up to one week.