Back to Basics – Fried Dumplins 4/4

Carnival

It was fried dumplin and plantain that kept me going during carnival.  With 9 hours of non stop partying and a metabolism that continued to churn the fat 3 days later any nourishment was necessary.  I am an intense reveller, meaning when I start to dance I do not slow down or stop until the party is done. Blisters on my feet and aching hips.  Totally worth it.

Ingredients:

450g self – raising flour, 2 tsps sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 300ml water

Method:

1. Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl.
2. Add the milk and mix and knead until the smooth dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into ten balls kneading each with floured hands.
4. Heat a little oil in a non stick frying pan over medium heat.
5. Place half the dumplins in the pan, reduce the heat and fry for about 15 minutes on both sides until golden brown.
6. Drain thoroughly on a kitchen paper.

Cornmeal Porridge

Barbados – Day 7

I bought the cutest pair of pyjamas in England ever with cupcakes and rainbows and all sorts of cutie pie oogly things.  My first morning waking up in the pyjamas I had to have something super cute and nostalgic for breakfast.  Why? Because I said so.  This porridge is the ultimate Caribbean porridge.  It truly is the breakfast of champions. No but seriously, us Caribbeans are a fast species.

This recipe was taken from Caribbean Cookery Secrets by David and Gwendolyn Daley (Right Way, 2013).

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp salt, 5 cups water, 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1.2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 ground nutmeg, 2 tbsps condensed milk

Method:

1.Place salt and water into a pan and bring to the boil.
2. Place the cornmeal in a separate bowl.
3. Add the milk to the cornmeal and slowly stir into a smooth paste.
4. Stir the cornmeal paste into the salted water.
5. Cover and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes.
6. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
7. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes.
8. Sweeten with condensed milk or sugar.

Blueberry Muffins

Home Kitchen

In my home kitchen there is always fresh fruit and that is the great thing about me coming home.  They may not be much in the fridge but there is always some sort of fruit available.  Putting fruits into muffins is not exactly healthy but it does cheer you up if you need serious comfort within reason.  Almonds were originally used in the recipe but I found there wasn’t enough so if you want a bigger almond taste I would suggest adding a little almond extract as well as chopped almonds. These muffins are nut free.

This recipe was adapted from The Low – Fat Cookbook (Bay Books, 2003).

Ingredients:

250g self – raising flour, 60g caster sugar, 250ml skimmed milk, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 2 tbsps margarine, 200g blueberries.

Method:

1. Sift the flour into the large bowl.
2. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.
3. In a jug combine the skim milk and egg, vanilla and butter melted.
4. Pour into the well and mix until well combined.
5. Fold in the blueberries.
6. Place the muffin cases in a baking tray and divide the mixture.
7. Pre heat the oven at 180 degrees C.
8. Bake the muffins for 25 minutes and leave for 5 minutes to cool before turning onto a rack.

A Weekend Kind A Breakfast

Sometimes it is the simple food that is enough to make a meal very special.  Especially when eating it with a loved one.  No one makes a more perfect breakfast.  XXXXX

For some reason fry ups have a bad reputation,  but a healthy meal is balanced in nutrients,  I guess I could have added a little spinach.

Raspberry muffins with brown sugar topping

Sweet Crispness

Raspberry muffins with a brown sugar topping is the best idea since the last best muffin idea.  I love it.  The natural sweetness from the crisp sugar topping and the hot raspberry burst is wonderful.  It is a good thing I made many because these ran out fast.  Pay up to £4 at Starbucks for one muffin or spend £4 making 12?  It’s a no brainer, not to mention your kitchen will smell so inviting.

This recipe was adapted from Lorraine Pascale’s Home Cooking Made Easy (Harper Collins Publishers, 2011).

Ingredients:

350g self – raising flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, pinch of salt, 250g soft – light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 350ml buttermilk, 2 eggs (lightly beaten), 150g butter, melted and cooled, 200g fresh raspberries.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C, Gas Mark 6.
2. Line the muffin tin with paper cases.
3. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, the sugar and cinnamon.
4. Add the buttermilk, eggs and butter.
5. When everything is mixed well fold in the raspberries and reserve some to place a few at the top.
6. Divide the mixture into the paper cases and press the remaining raspberries into the centre of each muffin.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked to a golden deep colour.
8. Take the muffins out of the oven and sprinkle a little brown sugar on top.
9. After 10 minutes or until lightly golden  remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool.

Blueberry Pancakes

Birthday Breakfast

I was unable to cook a week before my birthday.  As soon as it became December I caught a cold and a series of nasty migraines.  I was grateful that the cold came a week earlier, so as I rested I thought about a perfect birthday breakfast.  It had to be fruity, filling and… pink/ purple.  It had to be blueberry pancakes.

This recipe was adapted from Gordan Ramsey’s Ultimate Cookery Course (Hodder & Staughton, 2012).

Ingredients:

125g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp caster sugar, 2 eggs (separated), 100ml whole milk, 125g ricotta cheese, 100g blueberries, oil for frying, runny honey and Greek yoghurt to serve.

Method:

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl.
2. Make a well in the flour  and tip in the egg yolk.
3. Gradually add the milk and mix slowly.
4. Combine all of the flour.
5. Fold in the ricotta and the blueberries.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they reach soft peaks.
7. Fold the whites into the mixture.
8. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
9. Fry the pancakes in batches and cook on each side for about 4 minutes.
10. Divide onto plates and serve with Greek yoghurt and runny honey.

Fruit Pancakes with Peaches and Cream

24th Birthday Breakfast

I was honoured to be able to cook the breakfast for my partner’s birthday.  I always make a big deal about birthdays.  I like the idea of having a day being totally dedicated to you.  A day in which people are forced to acknowledge you and you have the excuse to escape and forget.  I have many moments in my life when I have not felt so special so I work hard to make others around me feel like they are important.  Nothing wrong with that.  I guarantee that if you serve a loved one these for breakfast… breakfast will never end.

Ingredients:

100g plain flour, an egg, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 30g dried apple and raisin mix, 20g golden sugar, whole milk, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1/2 can peaches in syrup, clotted cream.

Method:

1. Mix the flour, egg, baking powder, vanilla extract, dried fruit mix and sugar together.
2. Gradually pour in the milk and keep stirring until a smooth batter has formed.
3. In a frying pan heat the oil at a medium heat.
4. Fry the pancakes in batches frying for roughly 3 minutes on each side.
5. Drain the pancakes on kitchen towels.
6. Serve with the  peaches a drizzle of the syrup and a dollop of clotted cream

Get Up Apricot and Banana Smoothie

Tinned Fruit

Tinned fruit is really fantastic! Sometimes I crave fruit and when some fresh fruit is too expensive having tinned fruit really cheers me up.  This fruit smoothie was the perfect drink to wake up to in the morning.  I felt refreshed and revitalized knowing I could really get through my day.  When you have been put in a tricky situation and you are feeling down it is important to keep the things which make you happy close to you so you do not totally break down.  Life can get rough sometimes but it truly is up to you to let it defeat you.

This recipe was adapted from Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Cookbook (Collins, 2008).

Ingredients:

Drained apricot halves, 1 banana (peeled and chopped), 4 tbsps plain yoghurt, 3 tsps tropical fruit juice.

Method:

1. Blend everything together in a mixer and pour into a glass.

Mash Up Eggs

With a side of dumplings

I wanted to make a lovely breakfast which allowed me to use my lovely dumplings as a side.  Mash up eggs is pretty much scrambled eggs which loads of veggies and lovely flavours as opposed to a simple salt and pepper seasoning.  It hits the spot and is perfect for weekends.

This recipe was adapted from Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Cookbook (Collins, 2008).

Ingredients:

2 eggs, 3 tbsps milk, salt and pepper, 1 garlic clove (finely chopped), 2 spring onions (chopped), 1 medium tomato (chopped), vegetable oil.

Method:

1. Beat the eggs in the bowl.
2. Beat in the milk and season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in the garlic, spring onion and tomato.
4. Pour the oil into a frying pan, tip the oil around the base.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan and when it begins to set remove the edges from the sides.
6. I cook my eggs like scrambled eggs, but do allow the mixture to set before flipping or gently mixing.
7.   When the egg is ready serve with my fried dumplings…horaaay!

Fried Dumplings

Fried Dumplings

I will never ever buy fried dumplings again unless I have too.  My fried dumplings with the help of Levi Roots are the best dumplings that I have ever had.  I love cooking foods of the Caribbean, especially when I can share my culture with others.  These dumplings are great as sides for mains and breakfasts.  They can be eaten at parties and filled with stuff for canapes and even eaten with other sweet things.  They are so good,  I could not get over how good they made me feel.

This recipe was taken from Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae Cookbook (Collins, 2008).

Ingredients:

400g self-raising flour, 1 tsp salt, 50g butter 9cut into cubes), Oil (for frying).

Method:

1. Put the flour and butter into a bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Gradually add water until the mixture forms into a soft dough ball.
3. Add a little at a time, if it is too sticky add more flour and it it is too dry and a little more water.
4.  Heat the oil in a deep large frying pan.
5. Divide the dough into small balls and knead to make sure they are smooth and stretchy.
6. Shape each ball into a flat cake.
7. Gradually add them in batches and keep the temperature low as you are frying them.
8. Cook for about 5 minutes.
9. Turn over for another 5 minutes.
10. Drain on kitchen paper and serve.
11. The dumplings should be crispy and hollow on the outside and soft on the inside.