Prawn Fridge Buster

This is one of the yummiest things I've cooked in a while. I had frozen prawns in the freezer. Everything else was from my store or left overs.

I first tried Afghan rice with carrot and raisins years ago and it seemed like a perfect opportunity to use up the last carrot and get some extra vegetables. I am also a huge fan of Vietnamese food. This is an incredibly irreverent take on those influences!!!

This recipe makes enough for two.

For the rice

• one carrot, grated
• one cup of rice
• garlic glove, diced or crushed
• a fish stock cube

For the prawns

• olive oil
• quarter teaspoon dill
• quarter teaspoon chilli flakes
• quarter cup of grated/ creamed/ ground coconut
• two small onions, diced
• teaspoon dijon mustard/ rice wine vinegar
• 200g  prawns

Method

1. Put the rice, carrot, half the garlic and half the fish stock cube in a pan with enough water for the rice (about 2 cups of water) and cook until done
2. Whilst the rice is cooking saute the onions with the coconut, herbs, remaining garlic, and chili. When the onions are soft add the prawns, mustatd and remaining fish stock cube dissolved in half a cup of boiling water.
3. Once the prawns are cooked/ warmed through, serve hot!

This was crazily good reheated as egg fried rice with a couple of eggs beaten into it (I greedily ate most of the prawns in the first serving!)

Kedgeree: Spicy Delight from Leftover Rice

Kedgeree was one of my favourite childhood dishes, and is still something that I love to tuck into.

The dish became famous when Victorian British colonial types brought it back from India as a breakfast dish, but it has been argued that it originated in Scotland, got adapted in the subcontinent, and returned in a spicier incarnation.

In hot, pre-refridgeration India, fish was served at breakfast time, whilst it was still fresh. This is too hearty a breakfast dish for me, but an excellent dinner or possibly brunch.

The recipe usually calls for curry powder, cooked rice, flaked smoked haddock, chopped boiled egg and perhaps some parsley or coriander garnish, but once you have the principle it is very adaptable.
Step by step:

1. The cooked rice (you might want to warm it first in the microwave so that you don't have to fry it for a long time, or warm it through with hot water)
2. Put some oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add curry powder, chili powder or other spices. If you wanted to add sauteed onions, now is the time to cook them.
3. Before adding the warmed rice, turn the chopped (quartered or sixteenthed) boiled eggs and flaked smoked haddock (you could substitute this for bacon or cold, chopped meat) in the hot oil and spices so that they are warmed through or cooked).
4. Add the rice, mixed it thoroughly until it is piping hot in the oil and spices

If you want to make it from scratch, why not try Delia Smith's version
photo with thanks to crisphin

Egg Curry/ Simple Biryani

I have an Indian friend who loves eggs. This recipe is for egg Biryani, the versatile Indian dish that can now be found as part of the local cuisine anywhere where Indians have emigrated...

I am not sure that it is completely authentic- I am pretty sure this is a simplified version- but delicious all the same.

You need:

1. basmati rice (raw, 1 cup)
2. 4 eggs
3. 1 medium size onion (chopped)
4. HERBS and SPICES: 2 spoon chopped coriander leaves;1-2 sliced green chilies; 1bay leaf (finely chopped), 2 cloves, 1 cardamom pod, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds,1 spoon ginger paste (or a thumb sized piece, diced), 1 spoon garlic paste (or 1 clove, minced), 1 tomato (chopped or pureed), 1 teaspoon red chili powder,1 teaspoon coriander powder,1 teaspoon garam masala powder,½ teaspoon turmeric powder,1 teaspoon cumin powder
5. 3 spoon olive oil or butter
6. 1 spoon sweet pepper (red, yellow or green) (sliced)
7. 1 spoon grated carrot
8. 1 spoon green peas
9. salt to taste

How to do it:

1. You will need to soak the rice for between 1 and 2 hours before draining.
2. Cook the rice with 2 cups of water and a couple of drops of oil. This is the method where when the water has been absorbed by the rice it should be cooked. Be careful- don't let it over cook (don't worry if you prefer to cook the rice another way)
3. Let the rice cool.
4. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a bowl.
5. In a pan heat a spoon of oil.
6. In a deep pan (or a wok, but it is easiest if you can do it in a dish that can later be put into the oven) heat 2 spoons of oil (or clarified butter). Add the cumin seeds, bay, cloves, cardamon and cook, stirring, for one minute (don't let it burn).
7. Add the diced onion, garlic, ginger and salt. Wait until the onion goes transparent, before adding chopped tomato and the rest of the spices. Cook for 3-4 mins.
8. Add the chopped vegetables and cook for around 5 mins.
9. Add the cooked rice, cooked egg and mix, and put it into the oven, covered in foil. Bake for 10 mins, slow oven, 270 F/175 C/ Gas 1. If you haven't cooked it on the stove in something that can be put directly in the oven, either transfer it first or just cover the pan and keep on the stove for 10mins on a low heat.
10. Garnish with fresh, chopped coriander, a sprinkling of almonds or cashews, a few onion rings or all of them!

Tips and simplification
This recipe calls for some pretty inconvenient things. One spoonful of chopped sweet pepper? Who has that lying around. As with all of our recipes, don't be a slave- we want common sense, not complication. If you have some leftover pepper to use up, go ahead, put in one spoonful, but if not, why not add a spoonful of another capsicum, such as dried paprika, or a bit of chili powder? Healthier still, bung in a whole pepper.

The same with the carrot. One spoonful? Just grate the whole carrot. It will be more colourful and much more nutritious.

As for the spices, not many people have cardomom pods in their spice racks, or garam masala. If you don't have it fresh, use it dried. If you don't have it at all, just leave it out. Personally I am not a huge fan of garam masala anyway, and would probably just use a mild curry powder instead.

Want more protein? Add more eggs, or add some meat. A great way to use up leftover egg whites or yolks.

Want to make it healthier? Use brown rice.

The recipe isn't claiming to be authentic in its first incarnation, so don't be afraid to stray further!

photo with thanks to gavinbell

Brazilian Spiced Egg Rice

This is a cheap, tasty dish eaten in Brazil by people of African descent. Eat it with rice as a satisfying and exciting dinner.

This will serve five people

You need:

• 12 eggs
• olive oil
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tspn grated coconut
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 onions
• 1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
• Salt and pepper, to taste

To make it:

• Finely slice the onion, mince the garlic.
• Break the eggs into the bowl (a great opportunity to use up leftover yolks or whites). Gently beat the egg.
• Put a generous splash of olive oil into a frying pan. Heat it on medium and throw in the garlic, onion, tomato, coconut and coriander, stirring constantly.
• When they are a little browned (but just a little) add the eggs.
• Keep stirring, and after 10 seconds reduce the heat as low as it will go.
• Stir now and then for the next five minutes, when they eggs should be done.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Tips

Delicious in a tortilla for lunch the next day!

photo with thanks to franck94