Eat Like a Girl - Homecooking and Recipes – Bringing the World to Your Kitchen
Eat Like a Girl - Homecooking and Recipes – Bringing the World to Your Kitchen
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Cooking, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Pasta, Speedy Supper, Spice

Spaghetti with ‘Nduja, Prawns & Basil

 

Jump straight to the Spaghetti with ‘Nduja, Prawns & Basil Recipe

Spaghetti and sunshine, sausage and prawns, chilli and tomato. Add a little basil there like a spritz of perfume on your wrist before you go out, and you have a gorgeous plate to devour.

‘Nduja? A fridge essential? (Trust me) 

Yes, of course, I could live without it, but I absolutely choose not to while I have the choice. A soft and very spicy cured and spreadable Calabrian sausage, it is brilliant just as is spread on bread, toast or crackers. Try it with eggs, mix it through a tomato sauce for a porky arrabiata, spread it on top of some white fish just before it finishes cooking with an oregano and breadcrumb top for a gorgeous spicy crispy crunch. Continue reading

April 24, 2020by Niamh
Cooking, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soup, Spice

Carrot, White Bean and Cabbage Gojuchang Soup

Jump directly to the Carrot, White Bean and Cabbage Gojuchang Soup recipe.

Times like this bring into sharp relief many things. In terms of the kitchen, it has shown my chaotic pantry (cupboards!) for what they really are. Everything is chosen in the moment with little planning, and then planted to be dealt with at a later date. 

I have several kinds of rice (from Taiwan rice to black rice with lots of different white rice in between), lots of fermented bits and bobs (I have 2 tubs of my favourite Korean pepper paste and a catering size bag of Korean pepper flakes), and many many random things that I have brought back from my various travels. There is more hot sauce than I could get through in any reasonable length of time and lots of chillies, but I am running super low on basic spice. A little interrogation shows clearly what you eat regularly and what you think you should. I am most definitely an Irish woman who travels and loves big flavour (which of course you already knew). Continue reading

April 7, 2020by Niamh
Australia, Cooking, Spice, Travelling

Peanut Dusted Hot Korean Rice Cakes (Garaetteok)

I love travel. You know that. There are some places that have got under my skin and that I love to return to. Places that inspire because of the place, the people, the light and often if not always, the food. There is a long list of places that I want to go to.

Sydney is one of my favourite cities to visit. I returned in November, my first visit in (their) Spring. I had few plans, not even where I would stay. I was coming out of an intense period of travel for work – which I love – but I knew that a schedule was the last thing that I would need.

Sydney is Sweetest in Spring

It was a gorgeous time to be there. The streets lined with bright purple jacaranda trees, heaving with blossom and intensely fragrant. There was so much jasmine lining the streets and bright pink rhododendron clinging to the ornate metal balconies on the front of Sydney houses. The sky was bright and the temperature was my ideal, between 20 and 24 deg C. I walked every day, soaking it all in.  I love getting out by the water, and sipping coffee or wine by the beaches. Most of all I love the food. Sydney has some terrific cafés and restaurants.  Continue reading

January 30, 2018by Niamh
Cooking, Speedy Supper, Spice, Summer, Supper

Speedy Pure Beef Meatballs in Tomato, Coconut and Chilli Sauce

Pure beef meatballs? What do I even mean? I mean a meatball that has nothing but beef in. Isn’t that a burger? No! Bear with me.

This speedy supper was inspired by my lush little chilli garden. 8 plants in a raised bright yellow planting table (I have about 16 chilli plants scattered around the garden, just call me hot head). It comes with a transparent deep lid, and like a mini greenhouse, helped my chilli plants off to a rich start. My plants are bushy and lush, and are laden down with gorgeous hot chillies. They are starting to turn red, but have been wonderful green too.

My favourites are the jalapeños sliced fine and placed the other day on my juicy intensely red Santorini tomatoes which had grown a metre away, and a little parasol of neighbouring nasturtium leaves on top. Crisp large flakes of sea salt made these a perfect bite. I also love the serrano chillies, fever hot and intense, they were perfection in the sauce that accompanied the meatballs. Enough to wake my senses on that crazy rainy day we had earlier in the week.

My chilli table, and surrounding vociferous tomato plants (which I will prune today!).

Continue reading

August 11, 2017by Niamh
Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Potatoes, Spice, Vegetarian

Masala Fries and a Perfect Fried Egg

It has just started snowing in London. Snow! I am hiding inside under my duvet while I work, with the heating on. I need carbs and spice and a perfect egg with a runny yolk. 

Masala fries are in my mind a lot recently, not just because they are delicious and so satisfying, but also because my corner shop has started stocking them in their freezer. I see them every time I walk out of the shop. They are so easy to make at home, and as with most things, all the better for it. Today was the day that I would make them.  Continue reading

February 11, 2017by Niamh
Cooking, Kitchen Garden, Light Bites, Snacks, Spice, Summer, Supper, Vegetarian

Courgette Flower / Squash Blossom Quesadillas

Courgette flowers continue to be a joy. Cheering my mornings with their generous wide open petals reaching for the sky with happy abundance. Greeting bees and then once the bees have had their turn, they come into the kitchen for me. Such a versatile ingredient, cooked until wilted just so and still retaining texture, they taste a little of courgette and mostly of themselves. Continue reading

August 10, 2016by Niamh
Brunch, Cooking, Spice

Brunch: Gojuchang Beef Meatballs, Tortillas, Egg

Gojuchang Meatballs on Tortillas with a Fried Egg. Because, JOY. 

Fusion for many is a dirty word, because it is often done so badly. But most days are a fusion day for me as I combine my favourite ingredients to make breakfast, brunch or dinner.  Continue reading

August 4, 2016by Niamh
Cooking, Spice, Vegan, Vegetarian

Pumpkin & Coconut Tadka Dal

Dal, that gorgeous spiced lentil soup, is one of those dishes that I revert to on a cold day outside. When I want something full flavoured that requires little attention, something that I can make a big batch of, and eat for the next couple of days, treasuring every bowl. It is also one of the most frugal bowls of food that you can eat. Just pulses, water and spice and some garlic. In season, I add chopped tomato too. If I have it in the fridge, I will add some fresh coriander. Curry leaves are wonderful with dal too, fried a little with the spices. Dal is one of the dishes that I make when I don’t have the time or the inclination to get to the shop, so I work with what I have. To make a meal of it, I add a boiled egg on top, better still gorgeous perky quails eggs, boiled until just set with the yolks still soft.

I use moong dal for this, occasionally chana dal. I prefer moong dal as it is mushier when cooked, whereas chana dal tends to hold its shape. A combination of the two works well too. This time I added some pumpkin, well a kabocha squash to be precise. I love the rich deeply flavoured orange flesh, and the gentle creamy texture it acquires when cooked through. Some coconut milk gives it a layer of richness and mellows it out.

Recipe: Pumpkin & Coconut Tadka Dal

Ingredients

makes enough for 3-4 bowls

200g moong dal
200g chopped peeled pumpkin
1 tsp turmeric
200ml coconut milk
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp brown mustard seed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped (and extra milder ones for decoration if you like, as I did)
light flavourless oil like groundnut or sunflower, coconut oil works too

Method

Cover the dal and pumpkin with water in a sauce pan, ensuring that the water covers the dal to an inch higher than it. Add the turmeric and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the dal to simmer gently. It will take about 20 – 25 minutes to cook. Top up with water if you need to, a little at a time.

About 10 minutes in, toast the cumin seeds in a dry hot pan for about a minute. Grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and add the garlic and chilli for a minute. Then add the ground cumin and mustard seeds and fry for a couple of minutes. Turn the heat off.

When the dal is almost tender, add the coconut milk and stir through. Allow to cook further. When the dal is tender it is ready. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. The black pepper is important as it enhances the absorption of curcumin in turmeric, which is a natural powerful anti-inflammatory agent and anti-oxidant. It tastes good too.

Serve the dal with a teaspoon of the spices and garlic (and some extra chilli too if you like, fry it first). Garnish with whatever else you fancy as per the blurb at the top.

Enjoy!

November 15, 2015by Niamh


Hello! I’m Niamh (Knee-uv! It’s Irish). I love to cook and share my recipes here for you to recreate in your kitchen. Everything I make is packed with flavour and easy to recreate. I aim to be your friend in the kitchen and to bring the flavours of the world to you. Come cook with me!

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