Whatever happened to liver and bacon? Liver and bacon used to be a popular dish amongst home cooks back in the 19th and early 20th century. Other than my grandmother making the occasional liver and onions dish, I can’t remember my mother ever touching the meat. It seems that it has gone out of favor…
Category: British
Turkey stuffed with black pudding and pear
Turkey: the unforgiving bird Turkey is one of those meats that is hard to pull off. No matter the brine, method of cooking or quality of the farm it was raised on, you will always struggle with the inevitable dryness. So why do we bother? Because it’s tradition! Can’t do Thanksgiving or Christmas without a…
Cinnamon and Clove Spiced Apple and Pear Crumble
Nothing is easier than a fruit crumble Crumble is one of the easier desserts to make in a short amount of time. Take some fruit, toss it with butter and spice, sprinkle some floured crumble mixture on top and bake in the oven until it is brown and bubbly. Nothing is more beautiful to look…
Deep-Fried Curried Sesame Shrimp/Prawn Toast
How curried shrimp/prawn toast came to be… As is the case with most recipes on this blog, I must say that my husband, or rather his incessant requests, is again responsible for this recipe. To be honest, I had never even heard of shrimp toast (or prawn toast as the Brits like to say) until…
Authentic Restaurant Style Chicken Tikka Masala
The Chicken Tikka Masala Origin Story Chicken Tikka Masala was supposedly born in Glasgow when a customer complained about his chicken curry being dry. To remedy this situation, the restaurant chef added some tomato soup to the mix and VOILA! This British-Indian dish was born. Many people speculate on whether or not this is actually…
Cranachan Parfait made with Whisky Oat Crumbles
Release the Cranachan… This Scottish dessert of Cranachan (pronounced CRA-NA-HCHAN) is not a sea-dwelling monster from Norse mythology but instead a delicious concoction of oats, cream or yogurt and raspberries. It is also one of my family’s favorite desserts which I only make on special occasions like Christmas or anniversaries. Over the years I have…
Andy’s Restaurant Style Spicy Chicken Balti
A curry here, another curry there… Compare a local mamak (eatery) here in Malaysia with an Indian restaurant back home and you will be puzzled. Granted, a mamak serves a wide range of different Malaysian foods from three (or more) different ethnic groups, not just food from the subcontinent, but if you fancy a curry…
Andy’s Go-to Base Gravy for Balti Curry
Why do we need a base gravy for this dish? It’s tough to pick the “biggest difference” between British Indian food and “real” Indian cooking – beyond the fact that one has come through the lens of the restaurant industry rather than the homes and street stalls of the subcontinent. At home, most curries are…
Kedgeree (Curried Rice with Scallions and Smoked Fish)
What is kedgeree? Kedgeree is a British breakfast dish inspired by the Indian rice and lentil dish of khichdi. To anglicize to fit to British tastes, the lentils were swapped out for the beloved breakfast fish that is the kipper (smoked herring). When it came upon my turn to make this dish, I…
Salmon En Croute (Salmon in Puff Pastry)
Don’t be fooled by the name It may have a fancy French name, but this dish is all British. Salmon en Croute dates back to the 18th century when everywhere in Europe it was all the rage to cover things in dough and speak French. Considering how much the British love things…
Spicepaw’s Spag Bol ( aka Spaghetti Bolognese)
The British Comfort Food Spaghetti Bolognese, aka spag bol, is not just pasta with meat sauce but is actually the ultimate comfort food in the UK. For a Brit, a plate of spaghetti bolognese tastes like childhood and a mother’s love and the comfort of coming in from the cold on a rainy day to…
Mulligatawny (Beef Soup made with Indian Spices)
What is Mulligatawny? For a long time, I didn’t know what Mulligatawny was. What was this soup that my husband kept asking me to make? So, I did a little research and found that this dish is yet another British hybrid of an Indian recipe only this time made with added beef, thickeners such as…
Pub Style Steak and Ale Pie made with Stout
Pub Grub Steak and ale pie might seem like one of those dishes that you can only get in a pub somewhere in Yorkshire with a side of mashed potatoes, green peas and a decent mug of lager or two. Where else could people master such a flaky crust, luscious gravy and tender chunks of…
Homemade Shortcrust Pastry Pork Sausage Rolls
Sausage rolls are edible love What are sausage rolls? Only a way to a Brit’s heart! Nothing says love more than a little pastry of homemade sausage spiced with sage onions wrapped around a buttery crust. I should know because I have been buying people’s love…
Quick and Easy “Throw it Together” Minted Peas
Mint and Peas? I don’t know about that… Although it may not seem appetizing at first, fresh peas sauteed in mint, butter and garlic is quite a heavenly vegetable dish. I’m quite a fan of minted peas myself and can not fathom a plate of fish and chips without them. How this recipe…