Quick & Easy Recipe: Arabic Snacks

I've mentioned before that I still long for those Middle Eastern flavours while stranded here on Her Majesty's Rainy Shores. The ones below are extremely simple and tasty, either as a light snack on a Sunday, or to serve to guests before a meal. Serve these with real arabic bread, the big flat variety which you can find in most good Arabic/Ethnic Supermarkets, the 'pita' you get in chain supermarkets is rubbish compared to it.

Tahini Dip

• 1/2 Cup Tahini (Arabic Sesame Paste, available in Arabic Supermarkets)
• 4 Heaped Tablespoons of Greek Yoghurt
• 1 Garlic Clove
• Juice of one Whole Lemon
• Optional Fresh Parsley to Garnish
• Sea Salt to Taste
  

Chop Garlic Finely. Add to the Tahini. Plop in the Yoghurt, mix till combined, watch as it thickens up into a nice paste. Incorporate the lemon, (add more depending on your your palette), season with the salt. If the dip is too thick for your tastes, thin it down with a little water till it reaches your desired consistency. This dip also goes well with fish!

Arnabeet Meklah (Fried Cauliflower)

• One Head of Cauliflower
• Sea Salt
• Oil for Frying
• Optional Fresh Lemon Juice

You won't believe how special this is until you try it, and it's so darn simple. The frying unlocks the beautiful flavours in the cauliflower that usually languish in boiling water and dodgy cheese sauces. This nice rustic treat is really addictive.

Slice up the cauliflower into florets. Shallow fry in hot oil, cook till nicely browned and a little crispy in places. Pat down and dry off oil. Sprinkle with Sea Salt (and optional lemon). Serve with Tahini Dip and warmed Arabic Bread. It's cheap too!

Enjoy!
xx

-R

Tip for the Lazy: Most UK Chain Supermarkets sell a Tahini brand called 'Cypressa' if you can't make it to an Arabic shop.

Guest Review: Raphael Returns!

Raphael is back, this time spreading his critique onto Dad Pete's Pancakes...

REVIEW OF DADDYS PANCAKES

"These pancakes were a bit out of shape but very delishus. I had seven pancakes! the not nicest filling was the cheese one and the two lovelyest were the honey and nutella fillings. mummy and daddy tried to make me have strawberry and banana but i said no way daddy.

LOVE RAPHAELXXX"

Thanks Raphael! Come back soon. By the way, where's the recipe for that new snack you created?

-Rajesh x

Dear Friend

My friend Sandra (she who is owned by Raphael) and I spent one whole week emailing back and forth about Lasagne. Since then I have had lasagne on the brain. I have experimented and over-complicated what is essentially a very honest, simple comfort food many times. All the while I keep imagining what Sandra's must be like, I'm still waiting for it...

There is no me without Lasagne.

MELVIN IN LA- COMING SOON

MELVIN IN HAVANA PART 3 - CAFETERIA 304, APTO 4 INTERIOR

On the day before I left havana a friend i'd made took me to another paladar in the new town. Id asked him to take me to a typically cuban eatery. He explained that this kind of place was the cheapest and most popular in havana. Cafeteria 304 is down an ally way, and leeds to a small flat where you wait outside to be served. An old lady, the mother of the chef, sits in the living room making the boxes that are used to eat from. She has a nice little pile going. There is a young man asleep next to her and a radio is playing cuban music. I place my order, and ask to go inside to see it being cooked. On the menu was pork, rice, potato and salad. Liver, rice, potato and salad, and homemade lemonade. Which i didn't drink all of as it was made from the local tap water. But the bit I did try was damn good. The slab of pork I had was beautifully seasoned, with a chili kick and a dash of lemon on top. I tried some of the liver too which had been seasoned the same and was equally as good. A box of this great food set me back about a  £1. While we were there two lads sat munching on this local fast food and a dog took a turd a few metres away. As a tourist you would never find this kind of place but if you do know anybody in Havana, ask them for Cafeteria 304 or somewhere like it, because this is the real deal.

---

Beyond Hotmail - see what else you can do with Windows Live Find out more!

Is this really necessary?!

I was shopping for a spatula today and came across this scary looking thing. I'm totally freaked out by the sight of it. The gall of the bastards as well, the box says it "Improves Taste", what is going on here? It's just wrong. Plain and simple. Although, I'm sure Marco Pierre White would disagree - but he's just a wee bit bonkers isn't he?

Taking a little blog break, have been neglecting my duties in the real world. Melvin leaves for L.A. on Friday, wish him luck as his Fantastic Botox Vacation begins. May he return swiftly with perky cheeks and tangerine skin, like a young George Hamilton :

-R

Guest Review & Interview: 6 Year Old Raphael

Interview with Raphael:

What was the last thing you ate?

TOAST WITH BLACK BERRY JAM AND PEANUT BUTER .

If you would cook a meal for us what would it be?

PASTA WITH PESTO AND STICY TOFFEE PUDDING.

Would you eat a worm?

OF COURSE NOT. ARE YOU CRAZEY.

If worms were out of season would spiders do? Maybe with some ketchup?

YOU ARE SO CRAZEY MAN.

What is your favourite meal?

SOSAGIS AND MASH AND STIKEY TOFIE PUDING

How's your Mum's Lasagne? We hear it's great.

I DONT LIKE LASANGE. TOO MUCH SORCE

What do you think of Vegetarians?

I WHOLDNT WANT TO BE ONE

Warm Milk or Hot Chocolate?

HOT CHOCOLATE PLEAS

Raphael Reviews Mum Sandra's Cooking:

Move over A.A. Gill, here's Raphael...

"ROST BEEF AND ROST POTATOES AND GRAVEY.
THE VEGETABLES WERE BROCOLI SWEET CORN AND PEES. ALL OF THEM WERE SCRUMPTIOUS EXCEPT FOR THE BROCOLI SWEETCORN AND PEES. THE MEAT WAS MY FAVORITE BIT. IT WAS NICE AND TENDER.

LOVE RAPHAEL

XXX"

Dear Raph, We especially enjoyed your use of 'Scrumptious', a wonderful choice of adjective.

Thanks to Raphael and Family, it's been a riot!

'Rost Beef' Picture and Self Portrait by Raphael.

Get ready for Raphael!

Don't children (or 'Young People' if you want me to be PC) make you melt?

My good friends Sandra & Peter lay claim to a little creature known as Raphael.  I've asked them to send us an article about what Sandra cooks and then bookend it with a little review from Raphael.  Raphael is a true ruthless critic, and very soon he'll be laying instruction on you.

Sandra responded with a "No Way!" about getting roped into this scheme, but Raphael prevailed, this is what he had to say:

"YES WAY I WHOLD ,LOVE TO SAY WOT I THINK ABOUT THE FOOD. SHE IS DOING ROST BEEF NOW. 

XX

RAPHAEL"

Also a special bonus interview with Raphael himself, expect this all tomorrow.

Goodnight from Tastebud Deluxe South.

x

-R

Valentine's Day Cupcakes from Rosie's

Just realised I had nothing sugar-related for tonight, (not that Mrs. Rajesh and I really celebrate it) so I raced down to Rosie's for some Cupcakes.  

They look pretty don't they?  I nearly ate one ahead of schedule, which would've been bad, I shall save them till evening arrives and The Mrs. returns from her travels.    There would be nothing more embarrassing than her finding my fat ass sitting around with pink icing in my moustache.  

Get home already! 

-R

Valentines Day Cupcakes from Rosie's Deli Cafe, 14e Market Row, Brixton

Recipe from Home #2: Mustard Salmon

Do you like the little drawing I made?  I do!  This recipe arrived from home without a picture, but I'll update it with one once I've given it a spin in the Tastebud Test Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Salmon Fillet
• Handful of Mustard Seeds (Rye) 
• 2 Fresh Green Chillies
• 1 Teaspoon of Colemans Mustard Powder
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Mustard Oil - SHOULD BE INDIAN OR BENGALI BRAND, NO OTHER WILL DO
• 2 Tablespoons of Yoghurt mixed with 2 Tablespoons of Water
• Sea Salt

Grind mustard seeeds in a pestle and mortar (or coffee grinder) with Colemans mustard powder, salt and turmeric and green chilly.  The result should be paste-like, add a little water if necessary.   Add a few drops of mustard oil.

Baste the Salmon in the mixture and leave for 15 minutes.

Place the Salmon in a Steaming Pan.  Pour yoghurt/water mixture over the fish, drizzle with a little more mustard oil.  Steam for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked but not dry!

Serve with white rice.  Eat with your hands.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Home #1: Ma & Pa's Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg small red tomatoes
• Fresh Thyme leaves or Basil (My Dad's preferred addition)
• 4 Fresh Garlic Cloves, crushed with the back of a knife
• 2 Tablespoons Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Palm Sugar or Cane Sugar 
• 1 Tablespoon Kalongi or Nigella Seeds
• 2 fresh green chilis, slit.
• Sea Salt

Cut tomatoes into fours.  Heat oil in frying pan, sputter kalongi, add green chillies and garlic.

Add tomatoes and braise slowly with a lid on for 5 minutes.  Ad palm sugar and salt, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes, until stewed.  Remove from flame.

Once that's done mix in the 2 Tablespoons of Vinegar.

Garnish with Thyme or Basil and,

Enjoy!

(Thank to Ma & Pa for the Pictures and recipes, more to come...)

Recipes from Home coming soon...

Okay, I know I've got a boat load of posts collecting dust that I need to put up, some for things I ate or cooked last year even, but I just got some recipes sent from my Folks and their good friend Arvind from the other side of the world and will be putting those up shortly!

My Folks are obsessed with food, and they work in the food industry.

Some great stuff coming!  Stay Tuned...

-R

HELP SAVE BRIXTON MARKET!

A big bloated corporate entity is going to demolish Brixton Market and extinguish a lot of small businesses in the process.  This may be old news to some but it pisses me off royally that this market that for me atleast make's Brixton, Brixton will be replaced by flats. 

Visit www.friendsofbrixtonmarket.org

They're having a Launch Party tomorrow night, details below:

11th Feb 2009, 7:30PM

@ Hootananny - 95 Effra Road, SW2 1DF

Spread the word and support if you can.

-R

Cannoli at Arancina, Notting Hill

Arancina is family run Italian that has aspirations to be a big franchise, and they've already begun to expand with their concept of fresh Italian food on the move.  They sell a host of snacks such as the Arancina that they're named after, a rice ball filled with ragu and an assortment of pizzas by the slice and confectionaries.

Having been overdosing on the Sopranos recently I felt an urge to pop into Arancine for some Cannoli.  Their Cannoli are really rich, and really big.  The photos don't do them justice, one is almost a meal on it's own.  Cannoli should be bannned, they're dance with death, they hurt so good.  You know once you have ingested that the ever looming heart-attack will be hard and fast.  Recommended.

TRIVIA:  They named a Sandwich here after my friend Dr. Simon Godley, the infamous Dentist-Comedian, ask for 'Doc Simon's Sandwich'.

Cannoli, £1.50 Each

Arancina

19 Pembridge Road, Notting Hill W11 3HG

Upcoming Posts

Some upcoming posts to look forward to:

• Review of Tom Ilic in Battersea,
• Goat Trotters in Dubai.
• Franco Manca
• Fucking Awful Japanese food at Fujiyama, Brixton.
• Chicken Gizzards with Portuguese people.
• Cannolis from Arancina, Notting Hill.                                    ✔
• Recipe: 3 Ways with Rabbit.

They shall surface shortly...

Also, hopefully Melvin and I will meet up for a joint lunch review soon before he heads off to Los Angeles for his Botox appointment.

x

Rajesh

Effra Hall Tavern, 38 Kellett Road, London, SW2 1EB

Okay, you've probably guessed it but I live in Brixton.  You'd think that with the Carribean population down here it would be easy to get a good plate of Jerk with Rice & Peas, it's not.  Most of the places around here tend to serve Jerk cooked with that shiney, gooey sauce that comes straight out of the bottle, even the overrated Take 2Wo that people seem to love does the dirty with the bottled sauce.  If you've been eating that shit, you need get your head checked.

Luckily there is the Effra, a sweet dingy little pub that does live Jazz every night except Friday and Saturday.  The Effra is a humble and  honest place.   You'd probably not even noticed they have a kitchen, they don't seem to advertise the food much.  But fuck me they should!  It's a goddamn revelation.  I remember the first time I had a plate of the Jerk there, I was blown away by all the flavours exploding in my mouth.  I had to investigate, apparently the nice little old  Carribbean Mamma who runs the kitchen makes all the sauces from scratch daily!  It's phenomenal, each bite picks up notes of a whole array of spices and herbs I could taste Star Anise in there.  It's really hearty, earthy and above all tastes REAL!  This is cooking with Soul.

Don't think twice, give it a try.

Jerk Chicken w/ Rice & Peas, £6.80

Rosie's Deli-Cafe, 14e Market Row Brixton Market, SW9

Rosie's is a cute little joint in Brixton's Market Row.  I've started frequenting it since last year.  They do a selection of homemade soups, cakes, wraps, sammiches, have a deli counter and assortments of great pantry items.  As the chalk-board proclaims, everything is served with 'Love and Lemons'.

I pop in a few times a week for a sandwich and a chat.  The staff are very warm and open, and are great to exchange recipes and cooking tips with.  They love their food as much and Melvin and I do.

The sandwich I've been lusting after recently is Copocollo, Spinach and Pecorino Sardo.  The bread is wonderful and comes freshly baked every day from Franco Manca around the corner.  Copocollo, or 'Gabagool' as the Sopranos call it is an Italian Salume made from pork neck, shoulder and fennel.  It's got a delightful salty flavour, you can really taste the pork's nice bits mingling with the fennel.  Combine that with creamy gooey melted Pecorino's subtle nutty notes and you're in heaven.  The sandwich is not on the menu,  but the staff are nice enough to whip them up to your needs and specifications.  I love this goddamn sandwich, I've eaten it twice this week.

Go on, say it, "Gabagoooool" 

Capocollo, Spinach & Perocino Sammich at Rosie's, £4.50

Quick & Easy Recipe: Home Made Pesto.

Pesto is so damn simple and gratifying.  Follow the easy recipe below.

Homemade Pesto in a Pestle & Mortar

• Half a Clove of Garlic
  
• Handful of Pine Nuts
  
• Handful of Parmesan, finely grated.
  
• Big bunch of Basil, 400g should do
  
• Salt & Pepper
  
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• Lemon Juice (optional)
  

(Invest in a good Pestle & Mortar, one made of stone or even those fancy ones made of hardened lava, I bought a cheap wood one that has a smell of its own and likes to sprinkle splinters around, it's horrible.)

Lightly toast the pinenuts, but don't brown them or the flavour will overpower, this way you get a slight nutty sweetness out of them.

Mince the Garlic with a little salt and the basil in a pestle and mortar, add olive oil as an when you need it for texture.  Add the nuts and keep working it, add the parmesan and oil.  Add salt & pepper to taste.

Spoon into freshly made spaghetti.  Enjoy.

TIP: To make your meal a little more lush, crumble some ricotta on top of the pesto-incorporated spaghetti before serving.  You'll thank me later.