Butternut Squash and Onion Bhajis

Either a perfect snack or accompaniment to a curry, these onion and butternut squash Bhajis are wonderful :))

Butternut squash and Onion Bhajis

3 tbsp mild curry paste

200g gram flour ( chickpea flour)

( you can use plain flour if you wanted)

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

2 medium onions (finely sliced- you can if course dice these if you wanted)

250g butternut squash (peeled and coursely grated)

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Mix the curry paste with 250ml of cold water and set aside

Mix the flour, baking powder, turmeric, garam masala in a bowl and pour in the curry paste/water mixture and mix to form a thick batter. Stir in the onions and the butternut squash

Heat a deep pan with oil and add heaped tablespoons of the batter into the oil. Turn occasionally and they should take about 5-6 minutes to puff up and go golden in colour.

Remove with a slotten spoon and place on some kitchen paper and continue with the rest

Mix some yoghurt with some mango chutney for a nice sweet cooling dip for the Bhajis  

Adapted from a good food recipe

Middle Eastern Chicken with Caramilised Onion and Cardamom Rice

Over the weekend we had friends over and as I had just bought a new middle eastern cook book I was dieing to try out some of the recipes! I'm a huge lover of all types of food and I must say middle eastern food would probably be one of my favourites, the use of flavours, ingredients is out of this world and the first recipe I am posting about is no exeption...but don't worry they are so simple to prepare and great family meals

Middle Eastern Chicken with Caramilised Onion and Cardamom Rice

2 1/2 tablespoons Currants
olive oil
2 onions thinly sliced
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp heaped Ras El Hanout
Salt and pepper

6 chicken thighs
10 green cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon of whole cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
300g basmati rice
510ml boiling water
salt and pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the onion, honey and ras el hanout, with some salt and pepper. cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is golden and caramelized. Transfer onion to a small bowl.
Combine the chicken with salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon. Mix everything together with your hands.
Heat a large lidded pan over medium-high with some olive oil. Add the chicken, along with the spices, to the pot and cook for 5 minutes on each side. You want it to get golden, and for the skin to crisp up a bit. Use a pair of tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Add the rice, caramelized onion, salt, and pepper to the Pan. (Make sure there is olive oil in the pan, otherwise add more) Stir until the rice is coated in the oil/leftover chicken fat. Add the currants to the pan. Stir and then add the chicken to the pot, tucking it into the rice.
Add the boiling water, cover, and reduce down the heat to very low. Continue cooking for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the heat, take off the lid and place a tea towel over the pot. Replace the lid and let sit for 10 minutes.
Then enjoy :))

I used whole grain rice and this requires a little more liquid and longer cooking time

Adapted from a recipe by yotam ottolenghi