Falafel w/ pickled onion, lemon yogurt & herb salad

Did I just stare at a blank page for over 5 minutes (yes), did I delete and rewrite this sentence far too many times (yes), did I just Google how to make a comeback (yes), is this reintroduction very awkward (sure). Indeed the last time I ventured into this space was at the end of last year, why I've been away for so long I'm not too sure considering I've had multiple recipe posts in my drafts for months, in fact there's a peanut butter cookie recipe languishing in there somewhere! Now according to my research on 'how to make a comeback' (not joking unfortunately) I need to decide my priorities and reevaluate, so I've decided to only post tried and testing recipes that I really love and want to document on this lil online cookbook. 
So let's kick things off with an amazing recipe for falafel with some fab complimentary sides.

Falafel is incredibly easy to whip up, its also super nutritious and veggie! Use of fresh ingredients and light spices which allow the individual flavours to come through is one thing I love about Middle Eastern food. Its very similar to the Moroccan dishes that we had over the summer whilst in Marrakech, food such as tagine, couscous, fresh bread and salads that rely on locally sourced ingredients and flavours.

It is believed that falafel originated from Egypt 1000 years ago, so its certainly withstood the test of time. Now its made all over the world (including our kitchen in rainy Manchester!) and is particularly popular with street food vendors in the Middle East. It makes a great hors d'oeuvre, but is incredibly versatile and with the side dishes mentioned this can make for a dinner/lunch recipe.

So to make Falafel you will begin by preparing the chickpeas. Drain two tins in a colander and shake to remove as much liquid as possible, then transfer on to a kitchen towel lined plate. Using tissue blot as much of the moisture as you can, the chickpeas need to be as dry as possible so that don't break up during the cooking stage.

In a bowl/jug blend one small roughly chopped onion and 4 cloves of garlic using a hand blender or if using a food processor then this stage does not need to be done separately.

To the onion and garlic add in the remaining ingredients:
the drained chickpeas
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp mixed herbs
1/2 paprika
1/4 tsp red chilli flake
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 ground cinnamon
Handful of fresh coriander
2 tblsp lemon juice
50g plain flour
Blend the ingredients until well combined, you do not want the consistency to be too paste like, some texture is fine. If the mixture is too wet, add some more flour. Taste and adjust the seasoning as you see fit. 

Shape the mixture into small flat patties and set aside, it is easier do this step first. Heat up some vegetable oil in a wok, the oil needs to be hot so that the mixture does not absorb too much oil. Add the falafel in batches and cook until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen towel.

Now for the sides! To make the picked onion garnish slice up a small red onion and mix it together with a few tablespoons of warm water, a dash of apple cider vinegar (this is quite strong so use however much you feel comfortable with), 1 deseeded and chopped green chilli, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir and let sit while you prepare the rest of the condiments.

To make the zesty yogurt combine around 5 tablespoons of natural yogurt (or greek yogurt), 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, some finely chopped picked jalapeno pepper and salt and pepper to taste.

For the cucumber herb salad chop up some cucumber and combine it with a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, finely chopped fresh mint and parsley.

To serve heat up some pitta bread, break up some falafel and add the cucumber salad on top, along with some pickled onion, dollops of the zesty yogurt and a drizzle of chilli sauce.

This can be eaten hot or cold and makes a great lunch time dinner.

😋

Enjoy!

Now a few holiday pictures from sunny Morocco!

A courtyard in one of the beautiful little mosques dotted amongst the souks in the Medina

Trekking in the Atlas mountains

walking the streets of Essaouira, a port city on Morocco's Atlantic coast

on the way to Koutoubia Mosque on Jummuah

eating dinner at a riverside restaurant

Admiring the architecture, in the pink city of Marrakech

Breakfast at the riyad, including fresh orange juice, pastries, bread and mint tea

Q x

Spicy Keema Stuffed Naan Bread w/ Mint

The seasons are rapidly changing and it appears that autumn is in a hurry this year, we've already experienced the first frost and endless torrential rain, its musical patter is currently keeping me company as I write. 
In fairness we've had some beautiful autumn days too, such as last weekends trip to the countryside, the day was as golden as an apple with crisp cold air, bright sunlight and crunchy leaves underfoot. I know I'll miss this in a few weeks time when the cold really settles in and I forget what it feels like to have feeling in my fingertips. I suppose the only remedy is spicy food and mugs of hot chocolate, so who's complaining.  

The parkland we visited had a kitchen garden where they grow their own produce and although there were no summer fruits to be seen, there was a scattering of apples still clinging to bare branches, figs in the greenhouse, herbs of a great variety and pumpkins - lots and lots of pumpkins. In our own garden the herb patch is still thriving and the mint is particularly resilient this year. 

Now here comes the somewhat smooth segue into todays recipe - keema stuffed naans. A fluffy naan bread almost focaccia-like in texture, with a spicy minced meat filling, freshness from chopped mint and a golden exterior topped with crunchy nigella seeds.  

This was a bit of a learning curve for me as I'd eaten something similar and wanted to recreate it, any adjustments required will become apparent in the recipe but this is well worth a try as the results are delicious. 

So to make the Spicy Keema stuffed Naan Bread with Mint begin by making the dough:

To activate the yeast in a small ramekin pour in one sachet or 1 1/2 tsp of active dry yeast and 2 tsp of sugar, mix to incorporate. Then add in 4 tblsp of warm water (not too hot), stir and leave to rest for a few minutes. When the yeast is activated it will form bubbles. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine 450g of plain flour, 300g of wheat flour, 1tsp of salt, 1tsp baking powder, 150g natural yogurt and 2tsblp oil using the dough hook attachment, once the yeast is activated mix this in. Pour in around 150ml milk, you may not need all of it or you may need more, bring the dry ingredients together under you have a soft dough.

Rub some oil over the dough and the inside of the bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours. 

To make the spicy keema filling:

 Begin by finely chopping one large onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 inch piece of ginger and 2 green chillies. In a pan heat up 2tblsp of oil and fry the onion mixture until golden brown. Next sauté the spices - 1 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp mixed masala, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 1/2 tsp salt. In addition to 2 tblsp tomato puree and 1 1/2 tblsp lemon juice. 

Once the spices are mixed in, add in 200g of minced chicken and a splash of water if required. Cook on a high heat until the chicken has coloured. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan and leave the mixture to cook stirring occasionally.

Once all the water has evaporated (the mixture must be dry), add in your freshly shredded mint leaves - the amount you add depends on your preference. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning and spices as you see fit.

To make the stuffed naan:

Lightly flour a surface, punch the dough to release some of the air then divide into 7-8 pieces. 

Roll the dough balls one at a time until they are an inch in thickness, keep the other dough balls covered when not using.

Place a few tablespoon in the centre of the dough circle and scatter on some more mint.

Then bring the edges up to cover the mixture, seal into a ball then roll out - roll on the side pictured i.e. the one with that is crimped, the dough is slightly thicker on this side and it will stop as much mixture coming through (the picture below shows what happens if you roll the other side)

Pierce the surface with a fork, brush with melted butter and top with nigella seeds and more shredded mint.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7 and heat up a heavy baking tray. Grease the tray then place on the naans (as much as you can fit), cook for 3-4 minutes until cooked on one side, then flip and cook the other side for a further few minutes until golden. 

Whilst hot brush with more melted butter.

Serve warm with cucumber and fresh yogurt, or reheat for tasty packed lunch option.

😋

Enjoy!

 Now for a few seasonal pictures for those who stayed to the end

 Appreciating the beauty of autumn with a walk in the park

Pumpkins galore!

The last of the crop from the Kitchen Garden

The figs we picked

Q x

Mini Cheese & Onion Quiches [and an update]

It's been a while.. almost six months in fact and although this place reeks of abandonment and neglect, worry not for I am here! (albeit briefly, most likely). 

It has been a busy few months but it feels like I've blinked and half the year is gone and time just seems to be whizzing by at bottleneck  speed. We had a good summer this year, to the extent that people cancelled their holidays abroad to sun it up in England of all places. There was lots of ice cream, suncream and day-trips oh and it was World Cup season, meaning an abundance of flags, a trashed Ikea and a semi-final viewing party in the hospital lab.

I also did a lil something that I've been hoping to do for quite some time now, drumroll please, I passed my driving test first time around back in April and I bought my first car! Alhamdulillah a million times over.  My parents also went to Hajj this year which is a huge blessing, they returned from Saudi Arabia about two week ago and since then we've been inundated with bouquets, chocolates, gifts, cake and many a visitor. 
And although this year they weren't home for Eid, we preserved and made it work; there was presents, a family visit and a roast chicken dinner cooked by yours truly. Other firsts of mine include climbing a mountain (Ingleborough, which is the second highest in the Yorkshire Dales), descending down a cave, adopting a cat (not really, but its a matter of time), walking up the cliffs of the Great Orme, trying archery, sampling blood and making quiche. 

Yep, I've never made quiche before, but I did a few weeks ago after my sisters insistence that we buy one at the supermarket, only this quiche was outrageously small and ridiculously overpriced and I thought we could do better. Lo and behold, a little search on one of my favourite food blogs unearthed a gem of a recipe that I've made multiple times since. 

I'm talking buttery flaky shortcrust, sweet caramelised onions and a soft, cheesy filling. The flavour payoff is amazing and the ratio of pasty to filling is spot-on, need I say more.

So to make these Mini Cheese and Onion Quiches you will need the following ingredients:

Shortcrust pastry
Onions
 Eggs
Cheddar cheese
Soft cheese
Double cream
Butter / oil
Worcestershire sauce
Malt vinegar
Soy sauce

Stage 1: The Onions
We begin by slicing up around 2 and 1/2 large onions and although this seems like a crazy amount, its akin to the spinach scenario where it cooks down completely.

In a large pan heat up 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of salted butter and some oil to stop it burning.

Add in your sliced onions along with 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 3/4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 3/4 tbsp malt vinegar. Stir to ensure everything is well coated and cook on a medium flame for a few minutes.

Cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook on a low flame for around 15-20 minutes or until the onions have cooked down. Uncover the pan and cook on a high heat for a few minutes to further caramelise and darken the onions slightly. Set this aside until needed.

Stage 2: The Filling
In a jug crack in 5-6 eggs depending on their size, pour in 150ml of double cream, 150ml of milk, 1 tbsp of soft cheese, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 back pepper. Grate up some cheddar and sprinkle a little into the egg mixture and give everything a good whisk together.

Stage 3: The Pastry
We are using shortcrust pastry for this base, this can be the store-bought frozen kind that needs time for defrosting or you can make your own! Either way roll out your pastry on a lightly floured surface, make sure that its not too thin that it tears or too thick that it doesn't cook through (no soggy bottoms here).

Then using a cutter, plate or other random kitchen item cut out around 12 (or more!) pastry circles.

Lightly grease your muffin trays and pop the circles into there allocated spots, overlap and press the dough slightly to create the right shape.

Stage 4: The Assembling
Into each pastry casing add a generous spoonful of caramelised onion, top with with some grated cheddar then pour in the egg mixture until it almost reaches the top, sprinkle on some more cheese if desired and finish with some mixed herbs.

Stage 5: The Baking
Cook the quiches (is the plural or quiche even quiches??) in a Gas Mark 6 oven for around 25 minutes or until golden brown and the pasty is cooked. 

Stage 6: The Consuming
Serve with sides of your choice, I went with curly fries and a fresh salad. The quiche taste great fresh from the oven when the pastry and filling is all bubbly and golden, but it also tastes nice cold (I can attest to this having packed some for my lunch today).

😋

Enjoy!

A few pictures for those who stayed to the end (or just for me when I'm looking back on this!)

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque in Medina

The rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales 

Our summer harvest of plums 

Fresh hot doughnuts by the waterfront  

The view of Llandudno bay from the cliffs of the Great Orme 

Pink summer peonies  

Conwy Castle and its exquisite gardens  

Hajj Mubarak, an abundance of gifts

A giant amongst men / my little brother towering over the trees

Q x