Month: June 2012

An Early Start

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“Mama, Mama, Maaamaaa” the door to my bedroom slams open and The Ru is backlit by sunshine..”poo” “poo” he shouts whilst waddling towards me, doing what can only be described as, The Poo Walk.

All of this occured at 6.45 on a Sunday morning.  Its just not right!  I know I am a mother and I know that it is a privelage to have these wonderful little people in my life, but enough is enough, the poopey mornings need to stop! I want to be woken by birds singing, someone bringing me a cup of tea. Not by a scene reminiscint of a 1970’s horror film.

I am glad to say the day got progressively better. I packed up the car and headed to Henley on Thames for lunch at Stirring Stuff. I teach a selection of courses at the school and will be adding a few more to the list over the Summer and Autumn.   Belinda had made Spanish Tapas and a huge Paella, the kids had a swim and it was a beautiful day.

A lovely end to a productive week. Lisa and I shot an Indian Story and I discovered the most fabulous pop up in London Fields, if you are in the area check them out, The Dead Dolls Club. Great food and its in London Fields Brewery too, so a win win situation.

After all the Indian Cooking I rather bizarrely had a craving for Chinese food. I have no idea where that came from but needs must.

I made a ton of stir fry noodles and twice cooked pork.  It had been ages since I  cooked Chinese and I realised how much I missed it. So easy and cheap to make. The stir fry was devoured (even my neighbours notoriously fussy kids came back for seconds).

My gift to you is my stir fry noodle recipe. As usual the ingredients can be amended, use whatever veg you have in your fridge.

Have a wonderful week.

Rachelle x

A sneak peek at our Indian Story.

….and then Tilda cleaned up!

 

 Veggie Stir Fry Noodles

  • 1 pack of Stick Rice Noodles (soaked according to packet instructions)
  • Pak Choi (one head) leaves separated
  • 1 yellow pepper (sliced)
  • Fried Tofu 4 pieces
  • 2 carrots cut in half and sliced at an angle
  • 2 spring onions (chopped)
  • 75g peas
  • 1 inch ginger grated
  • 3 cloves of garlic sliced
  • 1 chilli diced (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil
For the Dressing
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • Juice of a lime
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon garlic chilli sauce
  • 1 tablespoon water
Serves 6 (or 4 hungry people)
Put the Kettle on and put your noodles in a medium bowl.   Cover with boiling water and set aside.
Cut up your tofu into bite size pieces and place the pieces in a medium bowl and add all the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Over a high heat in a Wok or a deep frying pan, add the oil. Then add, garlic and ginger and chilli. Stir fry for a minute. Add the rest of the veg except the pak choi Stir fry for a minute. Then add the tofu and the drained noodles. Using tongs lift and toss the noodles so they are covered in the sauce and all the veg are mixed evenly.  Then turn the heat down to medium/low lay the pak choi on top of the noodles and place a lid on the pan. (use foil if you don’t have a wok lid.
Leave to steam and cook for 5 mins,  take the lid off toss the noodles again, taste and season with Soy if needed.
Eat!

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Peas and Pea Dahl

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“You look pretty Mummy”, Tilda says, all smiles and hugging my waist as I unload shopping bags.  “Thank you baby girl thats so sweet” I reply. “When I am old with a big tummy I want to wear that dress……..” She gives with one hand…..

Well big tummy or not (it’s not that big!) I dragged my enormous body out of London to take a look at some flowers.  My old school friend (I have known her since I was 16). Has the most amazing small holding, Green and Gorgeous in Oxfordshire.  I have a floral design job next week and she is my first port of call when it comes to ordering flowers.

I took some pics for you to see.  I then whizzed back to Hackney and picked up all the ingredients for the English inspired Indian shoot tomorrow with Lisa Barber. I tested recipes this week and the Fresh Pea Dahl is amazing. I can only describe it as a buttery green ginger love!

I have given you the recipe. Please make it. It is really simple to make and kind of healthy too.

Lots of Love

Rachelle x

The fragrance in the poly tunnel is indescribably beautiful

Beautiful Sweet William

Green Pea and Lentil Dahl with Vintage Potato Curry and Raita

And there we have it. English flowers and Indian food! Love it.

Green Pea Dhal

You can use official measurement cups here, but if you don’t have them just use a mug and fill it to the top.

For the Lentils

  • 1 half cups fresh or frozen or fresh Peas
  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1tsp turmeric
For the dressing
  • 5 spring onions chopped
  • 3tsp ghee or butter
  • 1 Cinnamon stick
  • 1 inch ginger root thinly sliced into shards
  • 2 or 3 green chillis
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1tsp ground cumin
  • 1tsp ground coriander
  • 1tsp black mustard seeds
  • Pinch of pepper
  • Pinch of Asofetida

Wash lentils and drain. Combine with 3 cups water, bay leaf, garlic cloves and turmeric.

Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until lentils are tender and the water has been reduced significantly.

Add to the pot the peas salt, black pepper. Simmer for a further 5 minutes if needed. Then take out the garlic cloves and chop them roughly.

In the meantime take a shallow frying pan and on a medium heat, add butter or ghee, then add, the cinnamon stick and chillies whole, fry gently for a few minutes then add the spring onions, sliced ginger and the garlic. Gently fry for a few minutes until the spring onions have softened. Add your spices now they will gently pop when you can smell the spices and everything is combined, pour over the lentils and peas, season with the salt and pepper and serve with rice.

Pour over top of dahl and serve over rice.

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Skies and Blue Eye Shadow

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“…….Also I have lost the girls”. Not the words you want to hear from your ex who is looking after the children.  I am on my way back from a shoot and have called to check in.  I am sure I will be receiving all kinds of road traffic offence fines in the next couple of weeks!

Girls were found, fed, put to bed, ex was suitably reprimanded! The war zone of doom (my flat) was put back together.  Wine was consumed and we all lived to see another day!

All of the above is, unfortunately par for the course and I have become used to putting out such fires. What I wasn’t expecting was to leave my house the next morning sporting blue eye shadow.  I can only presume the 2 yr old, given free reign under, the not very watchful eye of his father, decided he would raid my make up bag (he will be renamed Rupaul).  He very kindly left me the dregs of my make up bag and disposed of all the expensive stuff. What the hell, you never know, it might come back into fashion, I may start a trend in East London.

The shoot with Lisa was great fun, we shot at The Crown in Amersham.  What a beautiful setting, I took a few photos of the day.  I am busy this week floral designing for a couple of events next week and also developing recipes for an Indian food shoot on Friday.

Have a wonderful day

Rachelle x

We arrived and they were clearing up the breakfast table. I had to take a photo of this. It has given me a ton of ideas for Honey inspired recipes…

This was delicious a flat bread with olive tapanade and all things lovely

Suitably decimated by me….