Category Vegetables and Salads

Nori hummus and raw slaw Wraps

July 20, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

aw food (i.e. food that has not been cooked, treated or processed in any way above 115°F) seems to be all the craze at the moment with the idea that above this selected temperature food starts to loose essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, with a background in physiological science and a keen interest in nutrition I am fully aware of the nutrients that our bodies need and so for me (although a keen health freak and yogi) it is hard to see the true benefits of a 100% raw diet. Saying that, dabbling in the craze can only leave you happy, full, and downright smug and righteous.

So last weekend in the hot and sunny weather and with the influence of Wimbledon’s top athletes competing as we ate, I took my sceptical mother to Nama, Notting hill an artisan raw food ‘oasis’ for lunch. And I was hugely pleased and excited by it! Albeit we chose well, I would not have been left as happy had I chosen the raw ‘pizza’ (courgette and walnut cracker base topped with vegetables). However, a hearty salad and a falafel raw ‘wrap’ left us nourished and smiling as we washed it down with pear, cucumber, cinnamon, maple and apple juice and matcha lattes.

So home again and inspired I headed to the kitchen to use some of Nama’s influence in my mid week dinner. Influence is the word here. This is not technically ‘raw’ but its a damn good compromise.

Makes about 4 (with leftovers)

1 small red cabbage
1 yellow courgette
1 green courgette
Large bunch mint, coriander and parsley
2 tbsp sesame seeds (lightly toasted)
1-2 limes
1 x hummus recipe
2 avocados
1 x packet roasted seaweed sheets (Nori sheets)

Spiced herby Hummus

1 can chickpeas
1 red chilli
1 bunch coriander and in addition, either mint, parsley, basil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red chilli, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp yoghurt
Salt and pepper
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ heaped tsp of the following mix of ground spices (For the ground mix, toast 1tbsp of each fennel, cumin, coriander , black mustard and fenugreek seed with 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamon pods and 1 star anise in a dry frying pan until hot, fragrant and beginning to pop. Remove and grind in a pestle and mortar until fine).

Start with the vegetable ‘slaw’. In a processor, shred the cabbage and courgettes until fine and mix well. Finely chop the herbs and add these with some seasoning. Add the sesame seeds and lime juice and set aside.
Make the hummus. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a processor (expect the oil) and pulse to a coarse paste. You may need to wipe the sides down as you go. Add a splash of oil to loosen if you like.
Cut your avocados in halve and then slice each halve into chunky chip shaped sliced.
Now assemble! Spread a layer of hummus in the middle of a sheet of Nori. Top with the slices of avocado and then with a layer of slaw.
Fold the short ends in and then roll (with the long end facing you) the nori seaweed wrapper over the filling tightly and press together.
Slice in halve on the diagonal and enjoy!

Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

June 4, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

A recent speedy meal before an evening out for cocktails with my sister. Cocktails are pricey so it was a ‘use up the fridge’ meal….cheap, and always pleasantly surprising I find. What started as a quick bite consequently and unsurprisingly turned into my need to photograph and blog the whole scenario resulting in me having to wolf them down and then jump out of my running gear and into something more bar worthy….

Speedy meal for one!

Serves 1

1 large sweet potato, stabbed all over with a knife
1 red onion, sliced into half moons
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cumin seeds
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
Zest of half a lemon
A few slices of goats cheese, crumbled
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Heat a frying pan to a medium high heat. Add a splash of oil and soften the onions for about 10 minutes until soft and just beginning to brown. If they are catching, turn the temperature down.
Meanwhile, cheat cook your potato in the microwaves for 7 minutes or until the middle is soft.
Cut in half and leave to cook slightly. It will be very hot!
When the onions are soft, turn up the heat and add the balsamic. Simmer gently until the onions are sticky and syrupy. Add the cumin seeds and remove from the heat.
Scoop the flesh of the potato into a large bowl.
Place the skins on baking tray and drizzle with a little oil and season. Crisp them up in the hot oven for a bout 5 minutes or so (check to make sure they don’t burn!)
Meanwhile, season the potato flesh in the bowl and add the chopped parsley, onions and crumble in the goats cheese.
Mix thoroughly. When the skins are crisp, remove from the oven and stuff with the mixture.
Place back in the oven for 5 minutes or so to warm through.
Devour with a crisp fresh salad.

Charred Broccoli, Almond, Lentil Salad

May 18, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

Using up leftovers is one of my favourite challenges! And hence where my suitability for Masterchef would come in….ahem. If anyone reading this is from the admissions team (fat chance) then PICK ME! Anyway, my yearly voyage to my most favourite place in England, Sennen Cove at Lands End, is fast approaching and with only two more sleeps and two more meals I was challenged to use up the innards of the fridge in a creative yet tasty way.

Charred purple sprouting broccoli and almonds tossed with earthy lentils and balsamic red onions. Healthily delicious.

Serves 2

4 oz Puy lentils
1 large red onion, sliced into slithers
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
Large handful flat leaf parsley
Handful flaked almonds
Purple sprouting broccoli for two

Simmer the lentils in boiling water for about 18 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, heat a frying pan to a medium-hot and toast the almonds gently for a few minutes until just turning golden. Remove from the pan and set aside when done
Heat 1 tbsp of light oil in the pan and turn the heat down. Gently and slowly soften the onions for about 5-10 minutes until sweet and soft and just beginning to colour. Add the chopped garlic and fry for a few more minutes. Season.
Turn the heat up and add the balsamic. Simmer until reduced for about 1 minute and the onions are coated in a sticky sweet glaze. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Par-boil the broccoli for 1-2 minutes and drain well. Heat a griddle pan until hot and charr the broccoli on all sides for a few minutes on a high heat.
Meanwhile, drain the cooked lentils and season well. Add the onions and parsley and stir. Finally add in the charred broccoli and finally some of the almonds, reserving the majority for the topping to keep them crispy and crunchy!

Saganaki Kefalotyri

April 21, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

This evening I tried Saganaki. No its not a new yoga pose or a miso based cocktail but a Greek cheese. As a halloumi addict I felt a nagging pinch of betrayal to the Cypriots as I experimented with this new ingredient that has recently landed on our English shelves. Yet another speciality that we have been spoilt with access to!

I can only describe the taste as that which you get from the fried, crunchy, cheeky and gooey cheesy bits you get from the side of a cheese toasty which has managed to leak provocatively from the inside and burn and fry on the hot metal of the toasty machine. Saganaki in Greek is said to mean ‘frying pan’ so this was exactly how I cooked it. And this cheese pan fries amazingly, crispy on the outside but gooey in the centre. Fried with a little oil, floured first if you like, and some toasted sesame seeds. The only thing that would have made it better is a drizzle of runny sweet honey. This is often served as a dessert in this way too. However I served mine here with a simple fresh salad to counteract the fried cheese.

Serves 2

1 x packet of Saganaki (see here for where to buy)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp runny honey (optional)
2 avocados
½ red chilli, chopped finely
½ small red onion, sliced finely in pinwheels
2 spring onions, chopped
Handful rocket leaves
2 gem lettuces
1 large lemon
1 large sweet potato, chopped into wedges
1 tsp cumin seeds

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Drizzle the sweet potatoes wedges with a little oil and season. Add the cumin seeds and toss to coat. Roast for about 35 minutes until crisp and tender.
Meanwhile assemble the salad. Chop the avocado into slices and place in a large serving bowl. Add the chopped chilli, red onion slices, spring onions and season well. Squeeze over a good amount of lemon juice, about ½ the lemon, and set aside.
Heat a frying pan to medium high heat and add 1 tbsp of a light oil. Cut the slices of cheese in half on the diagonal. When the oil if hot, fry the cheese for about 1 minute on each side until a golden crust forms. Just before removing from the pan, drizzle over the honey and sesame seeds and heat for a few more seconds before taking off the heat.
Use a spatula to remove the cheese to a paper towel to drain some of the excess oil.
When ready to serve add the salad leaves to the avocado mix and add a touch more lemon juice. Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and toss the salad to combine. Check the seasoning,
Place a heaped pile of salad in a serving bowl. Add a few potato wedges and top with the cheese, sliced again if you like.

Celery Soup

February 3, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

I first saw this recipe on a recent cookery show. ‘Which show?’ you might be wondering in bemusement because to me it feels as if television has become hostage to culinary ‘entertainment’ over the past year or so. And as a foodie I’ve ironically become frustrated and uninterested in them. We’re getting mixed messages about how cooking can be express-train fast (Jamie ahem…) using (expensive) pre-bought and usually additive laden ingredients. In utter confliction we’re being patronisingly taught that we can all cook to a budget if we spend a little more time in the kitchen and buy sensibly. As if this wasn’t a mixed enough message chefs are instructing us to be eating healthily and avoiding manufactured pre bought goods! And finally at the end of all these mantras we’re smacked round the face with a diabetes inducing screenful of cake and butter and ‘comfort food’? Rant over, this is one of the reasons I’ve avoided foodie programmes. However, like I said, I recently caught an episode of Tom Kerridge trying his hand at TV chef (cringe….sorry Tom). I’ve always admired his honest hearty cooking but when I saw a soup made of celery and his trimmed down physic I did wonder if he’d fallen off the foodie wagon. But don’t panic! Tom doesn’t let you down on sustenance….trust his gusty recipe and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Light and delicate in flavour but a wonderfully filling and satisfying soup it makes a change from the usual suspects…

Serves 4

1 sliced onion
2 grated garlic cloves
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small potato, diced
1 litre hot chicken stock
1kg celery, chopped (leaves reserved for garnish)
Bunch chives or flatleaf parsley
About 4 tbsp mascarpone cream

Start by heating the rapeseed oil in a heavy based saucepan. When hot soften the onion for 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further few minutes.
Add the diced potato and cool for 3-4 minutes to soften. Then add the hot stock and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 8 minutes or so until the potato is soft.
Add the celery and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes of so until soft.
Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Add the mascarpone and the herbs and plenty of seasoning to taste.
Blend again and serve, topped with a little rapeseed oil and a scattering of extra chives/parsley and some celery leaves.

Thai ‘Papaya Noodle’ Salad

January 25, 2015 Comments Off read Seafood, Vegetables and Salads

I bought a Papaya on a wim. As an extremely disciplined person by nature, I find it annoyingly frustrating that I can never resist a supermarket food offer! After freely placing it in my basket without a second economic thought, my mind began racing over what to make with it. On my walk home, sat in the cinema that same afternoon and whilst relaxing in the bath the culinary devil sat on my shoulder. With salmon in the fridge I couldn’t resist the flavoursome attraction of Thai ingredients to combine with from the pantry.

This recipe is loosely based on one by ‘The Hairy Bikers’. However it does emit some of the ingredients suggested as the pantry let me down (shocker) on tamarind water….but it tasted delicious! And who knows, it could taste even better? The important thing here is to make the dressing seperately and taste as you go along adding more of any ingredient you need depending on the taste which is how I came up with the below. Only then, once you have it to your liking, should you dress the salad. This may sound hard but trust your instinct and taste buds! See below for help.

Serves 2-3 depending on appetite!

1 large papaya, peeled and chopped into matchsticks of julienned with a peeler
3 oz red camague rice
1 small red chilli, finely copped
2cm knob ginger, half grated, half finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, grated
Juice 1 lime
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp sugar (palm or brown sugar)
Bunch mint leavves, chopped roughly
Bunch basil, chopped roughly
Large handful roasted peanuts
2-3 salmon fillets
1 head broccoli
2 tsp sesame oil

Start by simmering the rice in boiling water for about 20 minutes until cooked. Drain and keep warm
Next make the dressing. In a large bowl, mix together the chopped chilli, garlic, ginger, lime juice, soy, fish sauce and sugar. Give it all a good mix and taste. Add more of what you think it needs. This may be hard but use your instinct. Add more lime for sharpness, sugar for sweetness and soy for savoury saltiness. Quantities will all depend on the ingredients you start with. The soy I used here for example was even new to me – a very dark, intense type unlike my usual light soy which is less pungent.
Set aside the dressing when you’re happy with it while you julienne the papaya. I have a special peeler for this which I highly recommend if you’re into your raw vege noodles (see here). If not, chopp into matchsticks.
You want to assemble the salad at the last minute when ready to eat so cook your salmon and broccoli before this. Heat a large fryng pan until medium-hot. Add a tbsp olive oil and fry the salmon fillets, skin side down for about 3 minutes on the skin side. Once the skin is nice and crispy turn onto the flesh side and cook for a further 2 minutes to brown it all over and create a lovely charred crust on the outside. Don’t be tempted to cook the salmon longer, the crust on the outside will be a delicous contrast to the soft just-pink inside. No matter what thickness the salmon, it should (generally) never take more than 5 minutes in a medium hot pan. Additionally, it will continue cooking while you bring it to the table.
Steam or boil your broccoli and drain. Drizzle with the sesame oil.
When ready to serve, combine the rice with a few tablespoons of dressing. Add the papaya, chopped herbs and peanuts and mix (reserving a handful or herbs for garnish). Add enough dressing to your liking but make sure its not swimming in the stuff!
Top the salad with your tender salmon fillets alongside your freshly cooked broccoli and scatter with the reserved herbs.

WINE: Excellent served with a delicious Riesling (see here for a suggestion)

Chilli Corn Soup

January 18, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

I’ve been creating a lot of soup recipes recently. Its such a fantastic way of getting your greens and vegetable into your diet. And with the chilly weather recently, I’ve found myself lunching on soup nearly everyday! So some variation was in order. I churn out the same old soups, for ease, taste and price. But with a little thinking time I’ve tried to come up with some more original ideas to keep lunch times more interesting.

Like my quick pea and mint soup this is another super speedy soup that can be made in about 15minutes. Its so full of flavour and punch for such a quick recipe! While served simply as it is its great for a quick or light lunch it can be bulked up by adding some raw king prawns while you heat it through or with more chunks of hot fried chorizo for more of a hearty chowder style. I’ve also been known to crush a handful of cheese laden nachos on top too….and on the side….and errr….as a second course on those chilly nights. Its improtant to keep warm you know.

(This is a chunkier and spicier sweetcorn soup to the velvety creamed corn soup version here)

Serves 4

4 spring onions, chopped including green tops
1 large garlic clove
1 red chilli – as hot as you can handle
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 cans sweetcorn (net drained weight about 520g or the same weight in frozen corn)
About 500ml hot stock
1 lime, zest and juice
Large bunch chopped coriander, stems reserved
To serve – Lime yoghurt, soured cream fried chorizo, prawns etc

Heat a splash of oil in a sauce pan. Fry the spring onion lightly until softened then add the garlic and chilli and fry for a few minutes.
Add the sweetcorn to the pan along with the chilliflakes and coriander stems and turn up the heat.
Add just enough stock to cover the corn so there is enough for it to simmer in the liquid. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
Blend with a hand blender adding as much stock as you need to obtain the consistency you want. Grates in the zest of the lime and squeeze in the juice. Add the coriander and blend again.
Serve topped with e.g. fried chorizo, fried prawns, lime yoghurt a drop of chilli oil OR…. all of the above!

Pea and Ham Soup, Parmesan Croutons

January 11, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

Bit of a belated recipe post for a festive Christmas soup to use up those leftovers and freshen the taste buds after an indulgent feast! Apologies if the posts have been a little thin on the ground recently. I haven’t stopped eating or reverted to a juice only January diet that some of my friends (sorry acquaintances) have been doing (!?). I also haven’t stopped cooking….or taking photos! Far from it. But the combination of a broken laptop and a delicious adventure to Paris over New Year stole my attention temporarily.

I’m no killjoy so don’t worry, the health benefits of the peas in this recipe can be couteracted slightly if you’ve invested some well worth time into cooking a delicious succulent sugar glazed ham and have any straggling leftovers to pop in. Simialry this can be countereacted with some cheese saturated paremsan croutons. Alternatively continue the alcohol themed festivities and serve with a delicious door-stop wedge of my served ’Boy Beer Bread’ slathered with salted butter.

Pea, Mint and Ham Soup

Serves 4

550g frozen peas (50g reserved)
750ml hot stock
1 onion, chopped finely
1 large clove garlic, diced
1 large knob butter
Small handful thyme, leaves stripped
Handful fresh mint
Large handful of leftover shredded or chopped ham or ham hock
Serve with parmesan croutons below of butter slathered bread. E.g. a wedge of my ’Boy Beer Bread’

Heat the butter with a splash of oil in a large saucepan until beginning to sizzle.
Slowly cook and soften the onion for about 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a few more minutes.
Next, turn up the heat and add the peas and mix. Add 600ml of the hot stock and half the mint leaves
Bring to the boil and simmer for about 8 minutes.
After this time remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Add more stock if you want it thinner, this with vary on how you like you’re soup.
Chop the reminaing mint leaves and then add to soup and blend again.
Return the soup to the hob and add the reserved whole peas and stir in the ham.
Heat through for a few minutes then enjoy!

Parmesan Croutons

250g stale bread, cut or ripped into large croutons
4 large dessertspoons of grated parmesan
About 4 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Douse the bread in the olive oil in a large baking tray. Cover with the parmesan and mix. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes until golden and crispy.

Spinach Pearl Barley Risotto

November 3, 2014 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

Today felt like a Tuesday. Never good if its Monday! After spending half my weekend at work for various reasons, today was a really long and eventful day. I was looking forward to nothing better than stirring a glossy silky risotto in the kitchen all day. I think I may actually prefer pearl barely here (or this evening anyway). Although not as creamy as those made with Aborio rice, barely gives an added texture and bite here. Served healthily and simply, meat free with a soft poached egg it could not have hit the spot better!

NOTE: Same risotto making rules apply…see tips here for the best!

Serves 2

150g pearl barley
Chicken/vegetable stock (about 800ml)
1 onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 large knobs of butter
1 large glass dry white wine
150g spinach
Handful chives, chopped
Large generous handful of fresh grated parmesan (plus extra for garnish)
Zest 1 lemon, juice of half
Salt and pepper
2 eggs, fresh and at room temperature
Additional extras to add: Handful of rocket; scatter with fried chorizo; shaved parmesan; top with fish or chicken…

In a large saucepan melt a knob of butter with a tsp of oil until starting to sizzle. Add the onion and cook slowly and gently until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, heat your stock in a saucepan on low.
Add the garlic to the onion and cook for a few minutes before adding in the pearl barely. Turn the heat up and fry the barley for a minute or so.
Pour in the wine and allow the alcohol to burn away slightly and absorb. Once this is done, reduce the heat and add your first ladleful of hot stock. Keep at a light simmer and continue adding stock as soon as the previous addition has been absorbed. Never let it get dry though. Keep stirring to release the starch to give a creamy risotto.
Keep adding until the pearl barley is cooked with a slight bite. This may vary and will be longer than risotto rice. Mine took about 30 minutes. Make sure the texture remains loose.
Meanwhile, blend your spinach and chives in a food processor of chop finely, with a little oil to loosen.
When the barely is ready and the mixture is like a runny porridge, add the spinach, lemon zest, juice and some seasoning – lots of black pepper! Get another saucepan on to simmer gently for the eggs.
Stir the risotto until thick but still unable to hold its shape – there is nothing worse than risotto that ‘sits’ on the plate like mash. It should always need a bowl!
Remove from the heat and add the cheese and the remaining butter and pop a lid on and leave to rest.
While resting, poach your eggs in barely simmering water for a few minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny.
Stir the melted cheese and butter thoroughly into your risotto and serve in shallow bowls topped with your soft poached eggs!

And served with a delicious Chilean Riesling available here

Indian Lamb Cutlets, ‘Speedy’ Black Daal, Roti and a Mango Salad

October 29, 2014 Comments Off read Meat, Vegetables and Salads

After countless (well 4) visits to London’s Dishoom – a modern buzzing Indian restaurant – it was only a matter of time before I attempted an Indian themed supper blog post. The first time I visited this spice scented hub I was recommended to sample their ‘house black daal’. I was blown away. It was delicious: ‘dark, rich and deeply flavoured’ (their words) It certainly was. I’ve since geekily been dreaming about it and so I have attempted my own version here with homemade (albeit thicker) roti.

Made with black lentils (urda dal) unlike your normal daal, they are hard to find it seems? Ok I admit I didn’t look that hard but if they are casually (and naively) added to your shopping list don’t expect them to conveniently locate themselves on the shelf for you. In my haste I ended up buying a packet of ready to serve (I KNOW! This won’t become a habit, it was my only option) Merchant Black Beluga Lentils which have a slightly more gelatinous texture when cooked. I used these to make my own ‘speedy’ daal. I hear Dishoom simmer theirs long and slow for 24 hours which clearly makes these the ‘bees knees’ but my version was surprisingly and deliciously a very close match. Packed with spice and comforting cinnamon for a devine creation served loose textured with homemade roti. Daal can actually be served as a main dish but I made mine here as a side to a fresh lime dressed salad full of mango, mint, shaved fennel and radish and the most tender and succulent Indian spiced lamb cutlets I’ve had to date.

NOTE: I’m always thoroughly impressed at the quality of the meat at my local butchers back home. It really drums home the emphasis to buy your meat locally and not from your average Tesco not just for local support but the quality is infinitely better.

Serves 2

Daal

1 x 200g packet of beluga black lentils
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 x garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ red chilli, chopped
Knob ginger, grated
1 tsp turmeric
1 small tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp tomato puree
Small handful chopped coriander
1 tbsp salted butter

Put the lentils in a pan with the cinnamon stick and cloves and cover with enough boiling water just to cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the spices to infuse and the lentils to continue to turn mushy.
Meanwhile fry the onion in a little oil until soft. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for a few more minutes until everything is soft and the raw each has been cooked out.
Add all the dry spices and fry for 2 minutes.
Add and cook out the tomato puree and then remove from the heat.
Drain the lentil and keep any cooking water. Remove the cinnamon stick and the cloves ideally if you can.
Use a masher to coarsely mash the lentil to break them down.
Add enough of the drained juices (and more boiling water as I had to do) to create a creamy loose texture.
Stir in the spice mix and coriander.
Make sure it is sloppy in texture before whisking in a knob of butter for a glossy finish to the dish.
Serve scattered with coriander and with homemade roti.

Lamb Cutlets

1 heaped tsp garam masala
1 ½ heaped tsp dukka (see here or buy locally)
6 lamb cutlets

Marinade the lamb in the spices with a tbsp or so of oil.
When ready to cook at the very last minute, heat a pan until hot (use the one that cooked the daal spices for a nice base flavour)
First render the fat from the outside by standing eat cutlet on its side until the fat is crispy. Then cook for 2 minutes each side on a high heat for deliciously pick meat and crispy outside.
Leave to rest for 5 minutes wrapped in foil.

Mango Salad

1 mango, peeled and sliced
½ fennel bulb, shaved or thinly chopped
6 radishes, sliced
½ red onion, sliced thinly
Cucumber, sliced
Handful mint, chopped
Handful coriander, chopped
Juice 1 lime

Mix the ingredients together and squeeze over the lime. Drizzle with a little oil is needed.

Roti

225g self raising flour
140ml water
1 tbsp Nigella seeds
Salt and pepper

Mix the flour, seasoning and seeds together in a bowl.
Mix in the water or enough to bind the mixture together to form a dough. Use a fork to do this.
Knead lightly until smooth and rest in a bowl for 30 minutes or so.
Roll out on a floured surface very thinly.
Heat a frying pan until hot. Fry for a few minutes on each side untileach is golden and beginning to char. The roti will puff up and form lovely bubbles.
If not eating immediately, once cooked, pop in a preheated warm oven to keep warm and supple until ready to dip generously in your daal.