Lentil Chilli

So had to cook something for dinner (a nightly unplanned occurrence) and while shopping saw tortillas and thought Mexican it is. Knowing I had to cook for a vegetarian meant doing something new, first thought was a bean chilli as we had some at home.

The tin I thought was beans turned out to be green lentils, so the recipe in my head was adjusted, the rest of the store cupboard was raided and the result follows.

Ingredients

1tbsp – Oil

1 – Medium Onion (finely diced)

2 – Cloves Garlic (crushed)

1tbsp – Tomato Purée

400g/1 Tin – Chopped Tomatoes

400g/1 Tin – Green Lentils

150g – Dry Red Lentils

1 – Red Pepper (diced)

1 – Green Pepper (diced)

250ml – Vegetable Stock

2tsp – Ground Cumin

1tsp – Ground Coriander

1tsp – Chilli Powder

salt and pepper to season

The cooking bit

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, soften for a few minutes then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Next add the tomato purée and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add in all the other ingredients and give it a good stir, bring up to the boil then lower to a simmer, cover and leave for 40 minutes, then season before serving.

Serve with rice and tortilla chips.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Also this isn't quite as thick as a regular curry so you may want to add some vegetable gravy/cornflour to thicken it.

Quick and tasty chocolate cake

Well my quest for the perfect chocolate cake continues, but this one is really tasty just has to be eaten straight away. I never see that as a problem though.

The recipe is for a microwave cake and I have yet to try the same recipe in the oven. The only reason I had for making this cake was I craving for chocolate and not having any home-made snacks available.

Prep time 5 mins
Cook time 2 mins
(This can be made in under 5 mins include cooking if you're quick)

Ingredients

1/4 Cup of Plain Flour
5 Tbsp Caster Sugar
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 Tbsp Milk (any will do but I used whole milk)
1 Tbsp Grated Dark Chocolate (70%+ Cocoa Solids)
1/4 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg

Method

Plonk (not coming up on my spell checker but this is a genuine cooking term) it all in a microwavable bowl and whisk it until smooth.

Put it in a microwave for 2 mins if you want a great self saucing pudding or a bit longer if you want all cake.

Eat straight away (my choice is with vanilla ice-cream).

A great pudding for late nights or just when you haven't had the time to make one.

Baking but not as we know it!

Hello to whoever sees this, I could say hello to those that won't but really what would be the point. Besides this is a cookery blog not a philosophy blog so we shan't discuss it again.

I'm  a home baker looking to expand their knowledge and share my discoveries along the way. I have a Twitter account @GastroBaker which seems to be a must today and I'm following whichever of my favourite chefs/bakers and other cooking oddities I see fit.

At some point I do want to sale my wares (cakes and other bakes); even with only a years real baking practice I have become quite proficient at a few treats that friends and family are only too eager to try. As I make them I do try to photograph them, though I'm almost ashamed to post some of my birthday cake decorating skills, though these are improving well and I can assure you the cake underneath tastes really good.

I'll be looking to post tips that I have picked up, what equipment really is a must, recipes that I have adapted and some that I've made up and also review food if it falls into the amazing or must be shamed categories. Plus if I think of something else food related that I simply must blog about.