I just got back from an amazing few days on the Devon coast, celebrating some friends hitting the big 5-0 and soaking up the beautiful views. If you’re wondering where Devon is, it’s that lovely spot nestled between Dorset and Cornwall, featuring stunning coastlines facing both the English Channel and the Bristol Channel. Plus, it has two national parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor, and it’s where the classic “Cream Tea” originated, which is all about those warm scones smothered with local clotted cream first and then jam.
Once you get beyond Britain’s famous tourist magnet – Stonehenge – the traffic slows considerably and the drive is slooooooow. In Devon itself you will often find yourself driving along single track roads with high hedges. It can be challenging at times, but once you arrive it will all be worth it.
We stayed in the sweet little village of East Prawle in a charming AirBnB owned, we later found out, by published author Mark Bolton – A New Cottage Garden: A practical guide to creating a picture-perfect cottage garden I couldn’t resist buying a signed copy off of him. The annexe, where we stayed was beautifully designed by Sarah his wife, with stylish touches everywhere and Mr C&M and I had the best nights sleep in ages, partly owning to fresh sea air and very comfortable bedding.
I booked a wood fired sauna one morning at The Old Stable in East Portlemouth overlooking Salcombe harbour, where we plunged in the deliciously refreshing sea and cold baths. I would highly recommend this activity and after you finish you can stop for coffee and a bite to eat if you fancy or in my case a zingy fresh ginger spritz.
Most days we walked the coastal paths with spectacular views around the British channel, taking occasional dips to cool us down from the sun’s rays. If you are up with the larks, I would suggest an early morning swim at Lannacombe Beach – but be warned – the track to the beach is narrow with few passing points. The carpark fits about 7 cars max so you want to have left by 8am otherwise you are likely to get stuck there for the day.
I loved seeing all the wildlife along the coast and managed to capture some good beetle reportage.
I made a load of spanakopita rolls for our hikes and thought it might be helpful to post the recipe here as they are great for picnics or a light summer’s meal with a Greek or rocket and tomato salad. Spanakopita rolls are inspired by the classic Greek spinach and feta pie that has been enjoyed for generations. Last June I spent a bit of time in Greece and loved these tasty savoury pies, sometimes even for breakfast. Traditional spanakopita is made with delicate layers of filo pastry, but this version uses puff pastry for a more modern twist, creating rolls that are golden, buttery, flaky and wonderfully crisp with every bite. They are very easy to make, and you can make them with filo pastry if you prefer, or make them into triangles, twists or smaller bite size rolls. I gave mine a pastry ‘lip’ so that I could pick them up easily whilst taking bites into the roll.
200gfrozen spinach, defrosted, squeezed and chopped
2 tbspolive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tspchilli flakes
1tspdried mint
1tspfresh thyme sprigs or dried
200ggfeta, crumbled
20gparmesan, finely grated
2Jus-Rol Ready Made Puff Pastry320g per roll
1egg, whisked
2 tbspwhite or black sesame seeds
Method
Cover the frozen spinach with water and allow to defrost
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees or 180 degrees fan
Using your hand, squeeze out the water from the spinach and place in a mixing bowl
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the finely chopped onion
After three minutes add the garlic and chilli flakes
After a further couple of minutes add the dried mint and thyme and then add the chopped spinach
Stir for a minute and then turn out into the mixing bowl and crumble in the feta and grated parmesan
Line your tray with baking paper and place your puff pastry on the paper. Spoon the filling down the centre and then cover with one side of the pastry. You should have a slight pastry lip.
Brush the whisked egg over the top of the pastry and then cover with sesame seeds.
Place in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. You can eat whilst hot or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
You can get as creative as you want with the filling. In the olive oil you could add cumin, fennel or ajwain seeds before adding one the onion and garlic. They will store in the fridge for a couple of days.
I have just returned from the most relaxing trip to north Kerala, staying at Neeleshwar Hermitage, a stunning Ayurvedic 18 cottage hotel sitting on the shores of the Arabian sea. It was so peaceful, with huge pool overlooking a beach that stretches as far as the eye can see, with only the occasional local going for a stroll. It was without doubt the perfect place to unwind after the very busy months I have had since ‘Seven Kitchens: A Journey Through India’s Culinary Heritage’ came out in November.
We got to spent some time with the friendly locals, as well as joining in with the new year Malayalam ceremonies that happened to fall over our stay. Lighting 100,000 candles as part of the Lakshadeepam ceremony, was truly mesmerising and an experience we will never forget.
We spent an afternoon on the hotel’s stunning houseboat ‘The Lotus’ where were slowly cruised along the backwaters – slightly wider than the narrower backwaters in the south. We watched life play out in front of us as we sailed by and ate a delicious tea prepared by the onboard chef. You can stay on the boat for up to a couple of nights too, but this time we opted for an afternoon cruise instead.
One afternoon I spent some time with Head Chef Deepu going through recipes that I wanted to cook with him. One was a delicious, tasty and super healthy soup made with moringa leaves and drumstick pods, which are from the same tree. Back in the UK I already make dishes with both the leaves and the pods, but I had a soup one evening that was so tasty and light that I wanted to make it as part of my cooking afternoon with Chef Deepu.
Now for those who have either of my cookbooks ‘Chilli & Mint: Indian Home Cooking from a British Kitchen‘ or ‘Seven Kitchens: A Journey Through India’s Culinary Heritage‘ (thank you if you do ;o – Please leave a review on Amazon – it really helps others to hear about the books!) you will notice that I have purposely not used vegetables that are not easily found in the UK. So my recipes include vegetables with courgette, beetroot, white cabbage, potato, aubergine, for example, that are easy to find, instead of karela (bitter melon), turiya (ridge gourd), banana stem and flower, bottle gourd etc which need a little bit of time to seek out and are likely not available everywhere.
The moringa leaf and drumstick from the Moringa oleifera tree, most commonly called the Miracle Tree or Tree of Life, are not available in the supermarkets in the UK, BUT are available at many Indian/Asian grocers. If you live in South West London, both ‘Sharon Fruit and Veg’ on 311-313 Mitcham Rd and Bhavins 193-197 Upper Tooting Rd both sell them, as well as many of the Sri Lankan grocers opposite Sainsbury’s near Tooting Broadway. So this recipe is for those who want to try something new and delicious, which does require a bit of ingredient seeking out. You have probably all heard of moringa, as it is a superfood and can be found in tablet/capsule form at a number of the health food shops. It is immunity boosting and nutrient-dense and packed with iron, calcium, potassium, and essential amino acids.
The long slender pods, known as drumstick, are also a nutrient dense vegetable, rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, as well as fibre. Commonly used in South Indian sambar, avail, curries, and stir-fries, the pods have a fibrous exterior and soft interior similar to softened celery. If you have had drumstick in sambar, for example you chew the drumstick to extract the softened centre and then you are left with the fibrous part, which you leave to one side.
This soup is so light and refreshing. I personally love the taste of both the pulp of the drumstick and the moringa leaf. Next time you see them when you visit an Indian/Asian grocers do pick some up and give this a go.
Let me know if you would like me to show you a few more of the recipes I learnt whilst I was out there.
chilliandmint
Moringa Leaf and Drumstick Soup
Keralan moringa leaf and drumstick soup – light, refreshing and packed full of goodnesss
900mlwater or vegetable stockuse the water that you boiled the drumstick and squash
3tbspcoconut milk
4tbsp fresh moringa leaves, stems removed
2tbspspinach, chopped
1/2lemon or lime, juice only
1/2tspfine salt, to taste
Method
Bring a pan of water to the boil and then add the drumstick, which you have broken into thirds and the peeled and cubed butternut squash or pumpkin. Leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the squash is soft when pierced with a knife.
Whilst the squash and drumstick are softening, prepare your shallots, garlic and ginger.
Once the squash is soft, remove and place in a blitzer and blitz until smooth.
Using a sharp knife slice the drumstick down the centre and scrap out the pulp. Discard the fibrous outer part.
Heat a medium sized pan on a medium heat and add the coconut oil. Add the cumin seeds, followed by the shallots, finely chopped garlic, ginger, sliced chillies and curry leaves. Stir intermittently until golden, this will take around 5 minutes.
Stir in the drumstick pulp, butternut squash puree, ground turmeric, black pepper and salt followed by the water or vegetable stock. Simmer and then and then add the moringa leaves and spinach.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for a few more minutes. Check the seasoning and then serve with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
I’d been to Madrid fleetingly in the past, but never really got to experience what the city had to offer. It was therefore, with great excitement, that my husband and I decided to spend a long weekend, catching up with good friends, enjoying the local food scene, whilst admiring the incredible art scene that the city has to offer. Unbeknown to me, it also has the most stunning 125-hectare park in its centre called ‘El Retiro’, which is a UNESCO World Heritage. It is beautifully laid out with a boating lake, glass-encased ‘Palacio de Cristal’ and the Prado museum and botanical garden near by. It’s great for walking, cycling, jogging around and I imagine on a balmy summers evening is perfect for a picnic under one of the trees. I loved the calm serenity of the place and the fact that its design had clearly been well thought out. It even felt safe walking through it after nightfall (see photo below). I think it is so important to have beautiful green spaces in cities for locals and tourists to fully enjoy.
I thought it would be helpful to outline a few of my recommendations, which may be of help to you if you decide to embark on a similar trip.
Let’s start withfood (obviously!)
La Castela is an excellent restaurant, located on the eastern side of El Retiro park. At the front is the standing-tapas-bar, which was packed and buzzing and the restaurant is at the back (you need to book the restaurant) with elegant madrileños seated at tables with starched white cotton tablecloths. There was a definite friendly vibe and the food offering was delicious. Our Spanish friends booked this for us all as our welcome to Madrid supper and it definitely hit the mark in spades. Apparently Michelle Obama bought her daughters here when she was visiting Madrid!
One of our Spanish friends happens to be half Mexican, so gave us one of his favourite tacos recommendations for lunch one day. It is called Takos Al Pastor and provided us with some tasty tacos, which hit the spot. We would have liked some more hot sauces on the tables but that aside we enjoyed this place for a quick bite. Don’t be put off by the queue. It moves quickly and you’ll be seated in about 15 minutes.
Taberna La Dolores is a vibrant tapas bar nestled in the heart of Madrid at Pl. de Jesús, 4. It was the perfect pitstop after the Thyssen (my favourite art gallery in Madrid). It served some delicious pintxos and tapas, and the place was full of old Madrid charm.
Taberna De La Señá Daniela (I did a reel about this place on my instagram so do check it out for more idea of the ambiance of the place)
Our plan was to sit in the restaurant part of this establishment, for a more leisure lunch, but alas we were only given the option of tapas at the bar as we arrived quite late for lunch. So we perched on high stools and chose some tasty eats to give us a send off before we headed off the airport. There was a distinct absence of green vegetables, however we did order some tasty broad beans, bubbling in olive oil with jamon; most things tended to come with some pork product too. The croquetas de jamon were huge, piping hot and delicious.
One day we went for lunch with our friends at their country club outside Madrid. The views of the Sierra de Guadarrama in the distance were spectacular, with snow still clinging to its peaks.
For lunch I was intrigued by one dish our friend chose to eat, which apparently is Spain’s answer to comfort food. It’s called ‘Arroz a la Cuban’ aka Cuban rice and consists of white rice, fried eggs, tomato sauce, and fried bananas (or plantains). It’s savory-and-sweet combination is popular with all ages – both father and 9yr old son ate the same dish. I’m so intrigued that I plan to make it soon. What are your thoughts on this?
Galleries
We visited 4 galleries/museums over the long weekend. My favourite was the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection was founded in the late 1920s by Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza to represent key developments in Western art from the 13th to early 19th centuries.
His son, Hans Heinrich, later expanded it to include modern works up to the 1980s. Originally housed in Switzerland, the collection was moved to Madrid, where the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum opened in 1992. Soon after, the Spanish government acquired it. Today, the collection includes around 700 works spanning seven centuries of Western art.
It is useful to note that the permanent collection is free to visit on Mondays between noon and 4pm and temporary exhibitions are free on saturdays between 9-11pm.
The Prado Museum is considered the Grand-Daddy, or perhaps Dame, of art galleries, not just in Madrid, but in the world. You would need at least a week to look at everything – the place is huge, with over 8000 paintings, 3000 engravings and 2800 decorative art pieces and more than 6500 drawings. The surface of the museum occupies 42.000 m2 so make sure you have comfortable trainers to get your steps in. So as not to have art overload I would suggest coming a couple of times and having a plan of what you would like to see.
The museum’s name comes from the Spanish word “Prado,” meaning “lawn,” referring to the area where it was built, once known as the Jerónimos’ lawn. Originally called the Royal Museum, it wasn’t until around 1920 that people began referring to it as the Prado, the name it is known by today.
Interestingly you aren’t allowed to take any photos in the Prado, which I think is a shame. Apparently it is for crowd control around certain paintings, but as far as I could see certain paintings still had crowds despite everyone keeping their iPhone cameras away.
It is free to visit Monday to Saturday 6-8pm and on Sundays and public holidays 5-7pm. Queues are long so be prepared to wait and by the time you get in you only may have an hour – so is it worth it? Possibly if you intend to go in the Prado a few times.
Reina Sofia Museum is the third in the ‘Golden Triangle’. It is housed in the former General Hospital of Madrid, an 18th-century neoclassical building. With over 200,000 pieces of art only 5% is on display. What is on display is pretty impressive. Picasso’s Guernica (see above) lots of other works by Dalí, Miró, Maruja Mallo, Luis Buñuel, and Yves Klein, represent different artistic movements such as surrealism, cubism, and expressionism.
It is free to enter Monday-Saturday 7-9pm and on Sundays from 12.30-2.30pm
Whilst at the museum I met a charming American lady who was waxing lyrical about the Museum of Romanticism, so we decided to check it out and were so glad that we did. It is situated in a neo-classical palace once owned by the Marquis of Matallana, the museum reflects the city life of the gentry of Madrid during the Romantic period. It reminded me of a smaller version of the Wallace Collection in London – a time-capsule house museum showcasing 19th-century bourgeois life during Spain’s Romantic era. It displays art and daily objects that showcase the era’s passionate, aesthetic, and daily life.
It is free all day Sunday and after 2pm on Saturdays. It has a little cafe and courtyard garden (see above) to relax and muse over what you have seen.
Flea Market
If you love a flea market and a vintage find then head to El Rastro operating from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the La Latina neighbourhood, specifically around Calle Ribera de Curtidores. Established in 1740 it has been thriving ever since. It offers thousands of stalls selling antiques, clothing, vintage items, and, souvenirs. My husband’s idea of a nightmare, we wandered around for maybe 30 minutes, however, with I could happily spend a few hours nosing around looking at all the antiques. There is a lot of tat, obviously, but some finds are definitely to be had as well if you have a good search.
A few other tips
At the airport we bought a 4 day travel card, which hindsight was not needed as we only went on the subway/tube/underground 3 times in total. The rest of the time we walked around.
We stayed in an Airbnb 200m from the Reina Sofia Museum so a perfect location for us.
To take advantage of the free entry to the museums really work out your timings of visits to capitalise on this.
We loved the little baked cheesecake shop called Luna & Wanda– having lots of flavoured cheesecakes such as tiramisu and biscoff- although we opted for the original which was absolutely delicious with some tea back at our apartment. There are a few outlets so worth checking out.
A fantastic deli worth visiting is Petramora in the neighborhood of Las Salesas, at 40 Barquillo Street. It champions small and medium producers of quality food in Spain. It started out as an online gourmet store, but now has a physical store. They had such an amazing array of produce – meats, cheeses, tinned anchovies, olive oil and so much more. Perfect if you have an apartment during your stay to pick up a few snacks and breakfast offerings.
We feel we really only scratched the surface of Madrid and would definitely go back to explore further. Would you add anything to my list – be it food, art galleries or other museums? Leave a comment below so others can see and add to their lists.
I hope you have all been having a good week since I last checked in here? I have been busy running my Indian cooking classes (that include a little spice tour first – to set the scene). I love seeing all the different fruits and vegetables that are available. My clients and I sampled fresh yellow dates from Egypt, known as ‘barhi’. They are fresh, crunchy and crisp – much like an apple, and have a slight chalkiness about them but with a delicately pleasing sweetness. I also couldn’t resist a photo of the alluringly beautiful ruby red, shiny, sweet and hot habanero chillies. I like to use these from time to time, just don’t touch your eyes after handling them.
The bitter melon (photo below) always intrigues clients. Also known as ‘karela’, it is one of the ‘healthiest vegetables in the world’, according to ‘Dan Buettner’ of Blue Zones fame. For those who have not come across the ‘blue zones’, it is a term coined by Dan to describe five places in the world which has the highest concentration of centenarians – places such as Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya Peninsular, Costa Rica; Icarian, Greece, Loma Linda California. There is fascinating documentary on Netflix about the Blue Zones for those who are keen to know more. Worth a watch.
Anyway back to bitter melon. It is nutrient dense, packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, A and E, iron, potassium and great for blood sugar management with compounds such as ‘charantin’ that are believed to act similarly to insulin. It is a key ingredient in the Okinawa diet (one of the key blue zones as described above), often eaten with tofu. I am convinced Roald Dahl must have got the idea for his ‘snozkumber’ in the BFG from the vegetable ‘bitter melon’ – what do you think? Can you see the resemblance? They range in size. The ones I took photos of are small but they can reach to half the length of my arm. I really like the taste – but they are a little surprising when you first taste them due to the bitter afternoons. I like to thinly spice them and then shallow fry until bronzed. Then a pinch of salt and then they are perfect. Once you have acquired a taste there are lots of recipes that stuff them and chop them into large chunks. I’ve avoided putting them in both my cookbooks as I feel that if that was the first recipe you chose from my book, then the likelihood is that you may not try any other recipes ;o).
Indian Cooking and Art Collaboration (few spots left)
In a couple of weeks – Friday 27th March I am doing a fun collaboration with artist Emma Thistleton. We are both keen swimmers, so hatched this plan last year at the Lido to arrange a fun day together. There are still a few places left if those who are keen to join.
Let me explain the order of the day. Arriving at Emma’s house (near to Wandsworth Common) at 11am you will be greeted by some warming chai and some homemade dhokla – a Gujarati steamed savoury sponge cake, which you can find in my first cookbook ‘Chilli & Mint’. Then Emma will begin with some relaxed and fun drawing exercises to get the creative juices flowing. Absolutely no experience is required, we promise. Then I will take over and we are going to cook some delicious Indian food for lunch together. This will include:
Sri Lankan Dal
Amma’s Mango Chutney
Bengali Egg Curry
Chaat Salad
Spiced okra munchies
We will then sit down to a leisure lunch together. After our feast Emma will demonstrate block printing – pomegranates, limes, leaves and some wonderful boarders and then will guide you through designing and making your very own tote, tea towel and napkins, which you will take home.
Everyone will also go home with a signed copy of Chilli & Mint: Indian Home Cooking from a British Kitchen (OR Seven Kitchens if you already have Chilli & Mint).
The cost of the day in total is £160 per person and is limited to 8 people. There are a few places left.
IF you are keen please email me directly chilliandmint@gmail.com The event will take place at Emma’s house near Wandsworth Common.
Chocolate Guinness Cake
Have you ever tried a chocolate Guinness cake before? It’s rich and delicious and a great go-to celebration cake. My husband had a big birthday earlier this week and I asked him what cake he would like. Pondering for a moment he toyed with an espresso coffee cake and a chocolate Guinness cake. The Guinness cake won out and is an absolute keeper. You may be wondering what Guinness brings to the party. Let me tell you. By adding Guinness it really enhances the chocolatey flavour and gives the cake a dense and yet moist texture. Do try and let me know how you get on.
Chocolate Guinness Cake
225g unsalted butter
225ml Guinness 0.0 (non alcohol)
250g caster sugar
100g cocoa powder
2 large eggs
150ml soured cream
1 tsp vanilla paste
275g self raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Topping
250g full fat soft cream cheese
100g icing sugar
1 tsp cornflour
150ml double cream
dark chocolate with sea salt (or whichever you fancy!)
Begin by preheating your oven to 180 degrees fan.
Line the bottom of your cake tin. Now don’t get too focused on the size. I used a large loose bottom cake tin which is 26cm (10 inches) in diameter, but you can use a lot smaller. It will be a lot thicker cake OR you can use two smaller cake tins and then have a more traditional cake with a cream cheese filling in the middle and on top. It is totally up to you. You don’t need to rush out and get a larger tin! Grease your cake tin too.
In a large pan, on a medium to low heat, add the block of butter. You don’t need to cut it down – it will melt easily. Add the alcohol free Guinness – you can use regular Guinness if you prefer. Once the butter has melted, take off the heat.
Add the cocoa powder and caster sugar and mix in well.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the soured cream and vanilla paste and then add to the pan. Stir well.
Sift in the self raising flour and bicarbonate of soda. Stir well and then pour into your cake tin.
Bake in your preheated oven for 50 minutes. Use a skewer to check that it is cooked inside. If it comes out clean it is done. If it comes out gooey, leave the cake in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
To make the Topping
Either by hand or use the whisk handle on your Kitchen Aid (or equivalent), whisk the cream cheese for 30 seconds and then add the icing sugar gradually and the cornflour.
Again either by hand or using your mixer, whisk the double cream until soft peaks form. Then gradually add top the cream cheese/icing mixture.
Only add the topping once the cake has cooled completely. Finally grate some dark chocolate on top.
Enjoy. I am off to Norfolk next week to talk about my new book ‘Seven Kitchens: A Journey Through India’s Culinary Heritage’ and demo some recipes at the glorious Old School Books in Burnham Market. I will be there first ever event – no pressure there ;o). The event has sold out so I am super excited about it.
Over half term, my husband, youngest teen daughter and myself headed off to explore Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, a city that none of us had visited before. I do love exploring new places – typically heading off on foot to explore the streets so as get a real sense of the place. The city was officially formed in 1873 by merging three distinct settlements – hilly Budda and Obuda on the west bank of the Danube River and flat Pest on the east bank, forming what we know today as ‘Budapest’. The Danube acts as a central artery connecting the historic, quiet, and residential Buda with the vibrant, commercial, and bustling Pest.
We opted to stay in Pest in a beautiful property called Boho Hotel, which is part of the ‘Small Luxury Hotels‘. It was elegantly designed – more minimalist chic than Boho, but the staff and ambience of the hotel were warm and friendly. The bedrooms were good sized – with the most comfortable mattresses and pillows ever. The pillows were incredible long and narrow, I had never seen anything like it before.
The bathrooms had a large bath and then a separate rain shower and toilet room. I was intrigued to see British toiletries brand Penhaligon installed in the bathrooms. As the winter Olympics were on we were pleased that the hotel rooms had huge TV’s so we could catch up on the events at the end of the day touring the city.
The hotel also offered a large sauna in the basement with a hot tub and lounging area, which was the perfect way to relax after a day of touring. You could also book a massage too should you wish to. In another basement at the other end of the hotel was a pool table and sofas to relax and read. Breakfast was included in the price and offered a wide range of sweet and savoury options.
I thought it would be helpful to list a few things to pop on your to-do/see list when you visit the city. I feel we only scratched the surface so I hope a few of the ideas below might intrigue you to seek out.
1.Visit a thermal bath – Budapest is known for its spas and thermal baths since Roman times, so it is a must to seek one out and bath in its medicinal waters. The three most famous are:
Széchenyi Thermal Bath, which is the largest, featuring 18 pools and is an eye catching yellow with Neo-Baroque architecture.
Gellért Thermal Bath, which is both inside and outside with an art nouveau vibe but is closed for renovations until 2028.
Rudas Thermal Bath, which was founded at the time of the Ottoman rule so has a distinctive hammer vibe about it with an Ottoman dome and an octagonal rooftop pool.
They all have their own rules regarding compulsory bathing hats or not, male or female only times and so forth. After a lot of research we opted for more of a local bath which was nearer to our hotel – described as ‘a bit off the beaten track and therefore quite authentic’ called Dardár Baths.
It had a Finnish sauna, a couple of inside pools at 35 and 38 degrees centigrade and a cold plunge. Outside were a further couple of hot pools which we enjoyed the most – being in nature is really calming and relaxing. We found it clean and user-friendly. We didn’t need to wear swim hats and could all go in together. You need to obviously remember a swim suit, flip flops and towels. I believe you can borrow the latter if required. They have large lockers that you can leave all your belongings. There is also the option of massages as well. For £9 you can wallow and hang out there all day so it was quite busy with local mature residents of Budapest catching up with friends and bathing.
2. Visit Central Market, also known as Great Market Hall
Restored in the 1990s the Neo-Gothic building was pretty spectacular. It has two storeys filled with Hungarian foods – a lot of salami – and crafts including a lot of Christmas decorations. I made a beeline for the hot and sweet smoked paprika in the pretty blue and white tins. The upper level has lots of eating options, where you can stand and watch the throngs below or sit down in a canteen style eatery. We devoured a few large Hungarian sausages known as kolbász, that are seasoned with a distinctive blend of spices, most notably paprika, served alongside some fries, pickles, and mustard. Delicious and £27 for the huge plate below.
3. Explore Old Buda, visit the Hungarian National Galleryand stroll around Fisherman’s Bastion
Heading over one of the bridges, walk to old Buda with its impressive view across to the parliament building and Pest. Housed in several wings of Buda Castle is the Hungarian National Gallery which has some spectacular art work. You could literally spend hours here and if the day is overcast, wet or snowy it is a good place to keep warm and enjoy the art. Below are few that caught my eye.
Over on the old Buda side there are some wonderful streets to wander down and churches to admire. You’ll also see Fisherman’s Bastion a Neo-Romanesque and Neo Gothic panoramic terrace built between 1895 and 1902 to celebrate the 1000th birthday of the Hungarian state. It looks like a medieval fortress with a sprinkling of ‘Disney magic’ and has seven, white-stone towers, arches, and courtyards connected by stairways and is located just behind Matthias Church. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and a popular must see when visiting Budapest.
4. Ride on Budapest’s iconic yellow trams, known as villamos. You need to purchase a ticket before getting on and then activate them in the machine once you board the tram. The tube/underground/metro works really well too. Make sure you go on the M1 (yellow line) which is the oldest and features historic tram like carriages built in 1896 and runs below Andrássy Avenue.
5. Walk along the Danube and then board a river cruise
Stroll along the Danube and you will find many companies offering river cruise. We found one that was about to leave so secured some tickets and headed down the river to watch the sunset. We sat above deck initially all wrapped up warm and then when the weather dipped dramatically we headed downstairs to the warmth to watch the world go by. The cruise offered glasses of bubbly and orange juice and lasted around 45 minutes.
I noticed a rather charming wooden boat known as the ‘Kisfaludy Paddle Steamer’ as we cruised by, which apparently is a 2014-2015 replica of the first 19th century steamboat on Lake Balaton. You can book a trip on it here.
6. Art lovers will adore The Museum of Fine Art
We initially had plans to visit ‘The House of Terror Museum’ to learn more about the history of the region. It was raining and the queue was long and apparently not going anywhere. After talking to some fellow Brits at the front of the queue we learned they had not moved in 45 minutes and were letting people out but not in. I can’t stand queueing at the best of times so we all agreed we would give it a miss and head on to The Museum of Fine Art.
Housed in one of the most spectacular buildings the museum is as much an architectural masterpiece as it is an art gallery. The permanent collection houses Egyptian antiquities, European art and sculpture across the ages, classical antiquity. You could spend days in here without even seeing the exhibitions which are on for a few months – The Civilisation of the Qin and Han Dynasties is on at the moment.
7. Enjoy the local cuisine, as well as the international food on offer.
We couldn’t go to Budapest and not have some goulash so we headed to Mama Goulash. They don’t take reservations so there is always a long queue. Not to be discouraged we were given an option to eat outside under a warming lamp so agreed to skip the queue and eat our goulash and schnitzel – thin breaded fried meat cutlet. It was tasty and well priced. We didn’t linger as it was February and just a little chilly.
Another couple of restaurants that were on my radar but sadly didn’t visit were:
We did however eat a tremendous ramen virtually next door to our hotel at Ramen Nikko. My love for Japanese food runs deep so I’m afraid it won out over local Hungarian food – please don’t hate me ;o).It doesn’t actually have a website and is very much a place you turn up. It’s on Krúdy utca 6, 1088 – literally next door to Boho Hotel. It’s on instagram as @ramennikko and run by friendly Japanese folk.
Another night we visited a family run Vietnamese called ‘Ciao Siagon‘ – again walking distance from our hotel and really delicious. Again it has no website and we simply turned up. It is located Vas u. 2, Budapest. On instagram it is @ciaosiagonbudapest my pho and Banh Cuon – steamed rice rolled filled with mince pork, shrimp and wood ear mushrooms, topped with crispy shallots and served with Vietnamese ham and fresh herbs were superb.
One coffee shop worth a mention was Salt Bakery which is just along from St Stephen’s Basilica. Lovely ambiance and great coffee.
8. Explore the Jewish neighbourhood
Not far from where we were staying was the Jewish neighboured. We wandered the streets, checked out the vintage shops and visited Karavan – where a number of street food trucks enticed passers by. We tried the local Lángos, which consists of a fried dough base with sour cream and cheese. You can have additional toppings but we opted for the traditional variety. It comes from the Hungarian word for ‘flame’. Originally they were made in a brick oven – similar to a tandoor and the dough would be slapped against the ovens hot walls until crisp. It was hearty and I guess comforting in cold weather. I am glad I tried them but probably won’t rush back to get another.
We missed this one but if you are visiting in the spring or summer I think it would be great to go and visit. The park includes 42 Soviet-era statues, including Lenin, Marx, and Engels. If you are interested in Cold War history, communist-era propaganda, art, or photography friends have said it is worth a visit although does require a tube and bus ride and walk to reach it, so only for the truly committed.
10. St Stephen’s Basilica
A short walk from our hotel was St Stephen’s Basilica, which is really impressive. It is the largest church in Budapest and the third largest in the whole of Hungary.
The basilica features a mix of neoclassical and neo-Renaissance styles with a Greek cross floor plan. Its 96-meter dome offers spectacular views of Budapest for those who want to go to the top. It’s interior has marble columns, gold leaf decorations, and mosaics of St. Stephen’s life and Hungarian religious history. There is even a mummified hand of Saint Stephen – a sacred relic of Hungary’s first king. It is displayed in a glass cabinet for those are curious to see. Apparently it was found preserved when his tomb was opened in 1083. Each August 20th it is paraded around the basilica.
Have you visited before? Do add any recommendations in the comments below so others can take notes.
How are you all surviving with the deluge of rain that we are having in the UK? It’s relentless isn’t it. It’s no wonder that us Brits are renown for talking about the weather non-stop, as it is so pertinent to our very existence. At least I have opted for a relaxation/pastime that does not depend on the weather – swimming outside – rain or shine you are always going to get wet. Followed by a sauna, and you can guarantee that your day will always seem brighter.
In a bid to be more consistent on here I wanted to kick off the weekend by sharing a super quick and tasty breakfast or lunch recipe for Chinese steamed eggs, which has a wonderful ‘mouthfeel’ to it. Fuchsia Dunlop talks about ‘mouthfeel’ in her excellent book ‘Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet -Sour Memoir of Eating in China‘ – I highly recommend this book if you have not read it. In Chinese cuisine they have a specific word for mouthfeel – ‘kougan’ and this is often considered equal or as important to flavour. The mouthfeel for this dish comes in the form of a smooth and silky sensation – a term known as ‘hua’. The other sensations in the Chinese vocabulary are ‘cui’ – for anything that is crunchy or crispy, ‘Q’ for anything that is chewy, bouncy or rubbery in texture – noodles being a great example and ‘nuo’ for soft and gelatinous dishes – particularly braised dishes.
It takes around 15 minutes to make (including preparation) but there are a few important steps to remember.
1. After whisking the eggs it is important to strain them – this makes sure that the steamed eggs will be completely smooth.
2. The water that you add to the strain eggs need to be the same amount in weight to the eggs. It needs to be warm so I suggest half the amount is boiling water and the other half is cold. I like to add 1/4 cube of chicken or vegetable stock to the water. Give a good stir to allow the stock cube to dissolve, then strain into the whisked eggs.
3. Cover the bowl with the egg mixture with some clingfilm with a few little holes in top – this is to prevent in water from the steam dripping into the bowl. (See the photo below which shows the bowl with steamed eggs that had clingfilm in the front of the photo and one without in the back. Without will make the eggs uneven on the surface.
4. Use a sharp knife to make incisions evenly across the top of the steamed eggs, then turn the bowl and make more incisions so that you have a lattice effect.
So below is the recipe in detail.
Chinese Steamed Eggs
Serves 1
2 eggs, whisked
warm water (weight of the eggs + half again 1:1.5 ratio)to get the right temp water mix half boiled water/cold water
1/4 cube of chicken or vegetable stock
1 small spring onion, green part only, finely sliced OR 1-2 chives, finely sliced
1 tsp light or dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
small pinch of white pepper, optional
Place a bowl on a weighing scales and weight the eggs. Make a note of the weight.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl and leave to one side.
Using a separate bowl or measuring jug add the half boiling/half cold so that it is warm and add 1/4 chicken/vegetable stock cube (you don’t want it to be too salty). You are looking for a ratio of 1.5x the weight of the eggs (example: 100ml eggs add 150ml of warm water). Stir well and then add to the bowl with the whisked eggs.
Sieve the eggs and stock and place into your serving bowl. Remove any bubbles that have come to the surface.
Add boiling water to the bottom of your steamer. If you don’t have one simply use a pan that is wider than your bowl. Place a cookie cutter or trivet on the bottom of the pan and cover with boiling water so that the water is up to the cutter/trivet. Bring to a rolling boil.
Cover the serving bowl with cling film and prick it a couple of times with a sharp knife. Gently place in the pan and cover with a lid with a small hole in the top to allow the steam to escape.
Turn the heat down to medium/low and allow to steam the eggs for 9 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to sit for a further 3 minutes.
You will be able to see that the eggs are nicely steamed and will jiggle a little if you give the pan a little tap. (see the jiggle below)
Be careful removing from the steamer. Remove the clingfilm and then use a sharp knife to make a series of straight incisions along the top and then turn by 90 degrees and make more incisions so that you have a diamond lattice effect.
Spoon the soy sauce and sesame oil on top, followed by a pinch of white pepper and spring onions or chives and dive in and enjoy the ‘kougan’ and comforting taste. I love it and hope you will too.
Please note:I don’t add any salt to the eggs to begin with as I find the chicken/veg stock and soy sauce adds enough salt to the dish.
Have a great weekend everyone. Wrap up warm and stay dry.
I definitely gravitate towards a savoury breakfast pre or post my cold water swim and sauna. As a side note, I am so pleased that the sauna revolution is growing from strength to strength the length and breadth of the UK. It is so good for you and with a cold water plunge or swim is a mood uplifter. Even in the dreary rainy days it is transformational. Trust me – give it go.
Anyway back to savoury breakfasts…..It was only during my first pregnancy that I gave pain au chocolate a look in and really craved them most days. Typically though give me masala dosa, dim appam/egg hopper with chutneys or perhaps idli and sambar, Vietnamese pho or eggs in any form with some miso sesame toast (yes that is a thing from the wonderful August Bakery) with marmite on the side.
At the moment, however I am gravitating towards an oat congee type affair. Congee, for the uninitiated, is a popular Asian rice porridge which is broken down to become a smooth-ish, thick-ish, comforting soup. Typically the rice is cooked slowly over an hour or two (1:8 or 1:10 rice/water ratio) when the grains break down and burst and the dish becomes creamy and soft. You can make it with white or brown rice, the latter naturally offering a fibre packed meal. It has all manner of toppings – sometimes chicken, pork or fish is added. In Japan it is known as ‘kayu’, in Korea as ‘jus’, in Myanmar ‘hsan pyoke’, in Indonesia ‘bubur’, Thailand ‘jok’ and in the Philippines it is known as ‘lugaw’.
With the dark winter days, coupled with rains and general gloom we are having in the UK, my version of congee will definitely lift the spirits and put a spring in your step. It uses porridge oats instead of rice and uses no oil or butter and literally takes 7-8 minutes to make – the time it takes to boil an egg.
My favourite sprinkle condiment at the moment is known as ‘Kyoto Kyo-Ra-Yu Furikake’ and I love to sprinkle this over the finished dish. I first had it in Japan when I visited in 2023 and 2024 and I am completely hooked, regularly asking friends to bring it back with them when they visit Japan. I have found it online here in the UK – not cheap, but use it sparingly and you won’t be disappointed. It is crunchy with sesame seeds, chilli, garlic and fried Kujo leeks.
So to the recipe itself. I would love to hear what breakfasts/brunches are getting you through these winter months. Comment below and let me know.
Oat Congee with Fresh Turmeric, Black Pepper, Ginger and Garlic
a couple of handfuls of porridge oats (as much as you want to eat)
1/2 tsp fresh or ground turmeric, skin removed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp heaped fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp garlic, finely grated
1/2 tsp salt, to taste
1 tbsp soy sauce, dark or light
water to cover
3 spring onions, cut in half and sliced lengthways
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh coriander, leaves and stalks, finely chopped
a sprinkling of Kyoto Kyo-Ra-Yu Furikake or chilli oil or seasoning of your choice
Bring water to the boil in a small saucepan and then gently lower your egg into the water. If you want it soft boiled aim for 6-7 minutes.
In a medium sized pan add the oats – I have purposely not given a precise amount – just use as much as you would use to make porridge. A couple of handfuls should be sufficient.
Finely grate the fresh turmeric (ground turmeric is fine too), ginger and garlic and add these to the oats along with the freshly ground black pepper and salt.
Cover with boiling water so that it is just above the oats and stir well. Add a little soy sauce to taste. Add a little more water to loosen as required. It should only take a few minutes. Turn off the heat when it has softened.
Meanwhile heat a small frying pan and add the spring onions and allow to wilt and lightly char then remove from the heat and keep to one side.
After 7 minutes drain the egg and rinse under cold water. Gently use a teaspoon to break the shell from the egg and remove.
Now to plate up. In a bowl add the porridge/congee and then add the charred and wilted spring onions, freshly chopped coriander (leaves and stalks), gently cut the egg lengthways and lay on top of the porridge/congee. Add a splash more soy sauce if required. Finally sprinkle some Kyoto Kyo-Ra-Yu Furikake or your favourite condiment on top.
Devour and enjoy.
Additions: Instead of spring onions you could add tender stem broccoli, sugar snaps, green beans, mange tout – simply add them in the boiling water with the egg for a minute then slice lengthways (for the tender stem). Sometimes I like to add wilted spinach which I place in a small pan with a splash (literally) of water to help wilt.
PS: It is important to add black pepper with the turmeric, as the piperine compound in the black pepper helps with the absorption of curcumin in the turmeric by 2000%, which boosts its anti-inflammatory effects.
Let me know how you get on. I hope you will love it as much as I do.
I know some of you only follow me on here and not on my other social media, so I wanted to let you know the very exciting news that my new cookbook ‘Seven Kitchens: A Journey Through India’s Culinary Heritage’ has just launched. It has been 2 years in the making and hours of writing, recipe testing and researching. I am really pleased with how it has turned out.
Let me tell you what it is about. The ‘Seven Kitchens’ refers to seven different groups of people who came and settled in India for a variety of reasons, which I explain in the book, and it looks at how these groups of people style of cooking, techniques, ingredients and influences merged with what was there to create ‘fusion’ cooking and what we now know as Indian cuisine. Did you know that before the Portuguese arrived in Goa tomatoes, chilli and potatoes were not used in Indian cooking? They were discovered in South America and with the trade routes the Portuguese were able to bring them to India.
The Seven Kitchens are:
Goan Portuguese
Indo Chinese
Anglo Indian
Parsi
Syrian Christian
Tibetan Nepalese
Mughal
There are 101 recipes (56 are vegetarian) and they all have photographs that were styled by me and my photographer Tim Green. We also did all the prop styling too which I really enjoy.
Let me show you a peek inside the book.
Colourful, eye-catching and importantly inviting – I hope – to inspire you to actually try making the recipes. I think you are going to love them.
It will make THE perfect gift (birthday/Christmas/any occasion) for yourself or friends.
Here are some of many options of where you can order it from (just click on the name of the shop). They are also available at ALL independent bookshops. IF they don’t have a copy in they can order it within 48 hours – so do support them if you can.
Disclaimer: Please note I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase on Bookshop.org. You are also helping independent bookshops if you order through them.
Please leave a review (on Amazon – you don’t have to have bought from Amazon to leave a review – as it really helps others find out about the book).
I’m off on the road again this week touring with my book so maybe I will see some of you at the various events that I will be at. Take care and thank you for all your support.
It’s not often you get the chance to visit a Wasabi Farm, especially in the UK, so when a call went out to members of the Guild of Food Writers to sign up, I was first in line.
Based in Hampshire, outside the village of Micheldever, the Wasabi Company’s farm, is located near bubbling brooks, on repurposed watercress beds. They still grow watercress too, but they have diversified to also include wasabi. The leaves are grown under protective black netting that keeps them shaded from the sun’s rays. Traditionally in Japan it grows alongside shady riverbanks high in the mountains. It is notoriously difficult, and indeed slow, to grow taking around 18-24 months until the rhizome is ready to harvest. There are two big planting periods from October/November then spring time when it is all hands on deck to make the planting run smoothly.
John Old, the farm’s affable owner, kicked off the proceedings with some background into the history of wasabi. It is native to Japan and archaeological remains have dated the first signs of consumption as far back as 14,000BC, most probably for medicinal purposes, instead of food. The word ‘wasabi’ however dates from the seventh century in Nara Prefecture. In the middle ages, recipes in Japan show Buddhist temples adding wasabi to cold soup and it is also mentioned in Japan’s oldest book of law stating that wasabi could be used to pay taxes.
We set off to see the plants close up starting with the young plants, which were on raised, well-drained gravel beds with fresh water gullies running in between their neat rows, similar to the traditional methods of natural mountain streams.
We then went on to the more mature plants who were almost ready to be harvested. We learnt that the whole plant can be used – not just the rhizome (which grows above the ground not as a root) but also the leaf stems and leaves, which we were all encouraged to try. Little delicate white flowers can be seen around March and April and these too can be added as garnishes or eaten raw or fried in tempura batter. The leaves and stems were delicately peppery with less of a pungent kick than the rhizome itself – which we enjoyed later with our lunch.
One of the highlights of our day, was being able to harvest a plant ourselves. Chaperoned by Josh and Leigh, we had to delicately ‘tug’ at the lower part of the leaf stems, near, but not on, the rhizome, gently manoeuvring it from its soil cocoon. There were squeals of delight all round, admiring the sizes of our rhizomes.
We learnt how to clean up the rhizome before we were able to try some with our amazing lunch spread that they had very kindly laid on for us all.
I was fascinated to read the chemistry behind wasabi and how the flavour peaks after 3-5 minutes after grating or chewing.
Whilst lunch was being prepared we also got to taste a wide range of products that the company offers – many of which have great taste award stars (all stars are given through rigorous blind tasting) and it is a huge accolade to receive 1,2 or 3 stars. You can see the full breadth of their products here.
A highlight for me was: ‘Sanbaizu – pure rice vinegar with delicate flavours of bonito and kombu.
For lunch we were treated to the most delicious cured trout, which was placed on top of some sushi rice. Wasabi leaves were in the middle and rice again underneath – it looked like a savoury Japanese birthday cake and tasted exceptional. We ate this alongside some freshly made chicken yakitori (more of this on my instagram) and some fresh watercress with a wide range of dressings and dipping sauces to choose from.
….and to finish off this fantastic experience we got to sample some beautiful chocolates made by Chris, founder of Teabites that were flavoured with wasabi, chilli, ponzu, and other wonderful sounding ingredients. They were almost too beautiful to eat ;o)
We were given such generous goodie bags filled with yuzu mustard, yuzu pepper and a delicious Sudachi-citrus and kombucha seaweed ponzu (all these you can find on their website here )as well as a fresh wasabi plant, a purple shiso plant, and off course, the one we pulled out earlier that day.
What a truly memorable experience. Thank you John, Lee, Josh and team.
Come join me at the stunning new Barnsgrove in Hampshire on Friday 8th November where I will be hosting a very exciting supper club, showcasing some recipes from my first book ‘Chilli & Mint: Indian Home Cooking from a British Kitchen.
We will kick the evening off with some ‘pani puri’ (also known as ‘gol gappa’), a delicious Indian street food snack that awakens the taste buds with a zingy, sweet and sour explosion in the mouth.
Next up is a range of chutneys to eat along side some crispy onion pakora, then onto some soothing Sri Lankan coconut dal, some smokey aubergine known as ‘baingan bharta’, a vegetable thoran from South India, a Chettinad pepper chicken and some cumin rice. Then for dessert you will be have some cinnamon, chilli and chocolate fondants with cardamom chantilly cream.
I would love to see you there. If you live in Hampshire or in the neighbouring counties please spread the word and bring your friends. Tickets are limited. To book sign up here.
Photo credit: 1st and 3rd photograph: Robyn Liebenberg. 2nd photograph of me: Kristin Perers
