New Year's Resolutions - 2008

[smallblueplanet]

Deeply envious....whereabouts in France are you guys moving to?

[wellie]

SBP,
Close your eyes, stick a pin in the map...... just about there I reckon!
Or, we're not sure yet. One of the two!

[yoanbob]

I gave up smoking 6 weeks ago, still want one somtimes i'm just not going to have one.

get back to eating healthy wholefoods, been eating cr** since the summer and my skin is terrable and my moods are bad too, must do somthing about it.

finish putting the kitchen in asap to facilitate healrthy eating.

spend more time on lottie

[Two_Sheds]

I'm going to pick up one piece of street litter every day. I did 3 this morning, so I'm ahead of meself

[JennieAtkinson]

Re the diet - I lost 4lbs in 24 hours

Actually all I did was re weigh myself in the kitchen on a flat floor instead of the carpet in the bedroom - works a treat

Feel a WHOLE lot better about myself today .........

[smallblueplanet]

B*gger just tried it, didn't work for me - can I borrow your scales?

[ChocClare]

My resolution is to learn to make curries and other Indian delicacies comparable to our local Takeaway.
That in turn should save in excess of £74,251 a week

LOL, Minty, I know the feeling! Anyway, this is a VERY long reply, so apologies, but EVERYONE should know about Curry Queen's (from Money Saving Expert's MoneySaving Old Style Forum) FANTASTIC takeaway-quality curry recipes - so here they are! Enjoy!


Curry Sauce

1 kg onions
50g ginger
50g garlic
1.5 litres water
1 tsp salt
225g tin tomatoes (or passata)
8 tbsp veg oil
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika

Method

Stage 1

Peel and slice onions, garlic and ginger (if cheating and using minced ginger/garlic from a jar miss next bit out) and put chopped ginger and garlic in a blender with half pint water and blend till smooth.

Place onions, blended ginger/garlic and rest of water into a large saucepan.

Add salt and bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer on very low, with lid on, for 45 mins. Leave to cool.

Stage 2

Once cooled, blend onion mixture (do half at a time) in a blender until perfectly smooth (this is important).

Can be frozen at this stage.

Stage 3

If using tin tomatoes give them a blast in a blender until smooth (I use passata as I'm lazy LOL!).

Put oil, tomato puree, turmeric and paprika. Stir in blended tomatoes and bring to boil. turn down heat and cook for 10 mins, stirring occassionally.

Add onion mixture to saucepan and bring back to the boil. Turn down again to very low and simmer for 20-25 mins, stirring occasionally. During the cooking process a froth will appear on the surface which needs to be skimmed off.

The sauce is now ready to use or can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. I've also frozen it at this stage and it's been absolutely fine.
I know it sounds like a long, complicated process, which is one of the reasons I make it in bulk batches, but it really is worth the effort if you want to make curries like the ones they serve in Indian restaurants/take-aways


The curries themselves only take 10 mins to cook (if using pre-cooked chicken/lamb) and the basic method is to heat the oil and curry sauce to boiling, add meat and cook for 5 mins, add spices and turn down to simmer for 5 mins. Add any cream or yoghurt and fresh chopped coriander you want and serve!

If using raw chicken/lamb then fry it in oil first before adding sauce, same with any added raw veggies like onions, peppers, mushrooms etc.
Chicken Korma (serve 3-4)

4 tbsp veg oil
425ml curry sauce
450g cooked chicken
2 tbsp cashew nuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
150ml coconut cream
2tsp finely chopped coriander



Chicken Bhuna (serves 3-4) (my fav!)

50g mushrooms, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced (fry both of these in oil before adding sauce)
6 tbsp veg oil
425ml curry sauce
1lb cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
11/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek
1 tbs finely chopped coriander
Chicken Moghlai (serves 3-4)

6 tbsp veg oil
425ml curry sauce
1lb cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 eggs
150ml single cream
11/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
4 mango slices, tinned or fresh
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

After adding meat, turn down and simmer 5 mins ... whisk eggs and add to cream ... spoon off excess oil on surface and stir in eggs/cream. Add spices and simmer further 5 mins. Serve with sliced mango on side.
Chappatis

225g chappati flour
110ml water (approx)

Place flour in bowl and slowly add water, bringing it together with fingertips, until you have a soft pliable dough. Knead with wet hands for a couple minutes then leave to rest for 15 mins.

Heat up a hotplate/griddle type thing to cook them on. Roughly divide dough into 8-10 pieces and with flour-dusted hands, roll each piece into a ball. Press flat and dust flour on both sides then roll out into circles approx 6" diameter. Place on hot griddle and cook for approx 30 seconds each side. Remove from griddle and using tongues hold over a meduim flame and it will puff up in seconds. Wrap in clean tea-towel to keep warm.
Naan Bread

450g SR flour
1/2tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2tbsp veg oil
4 tbsp plain yoghurt (beaten)
2 eggs (beaten)
150ml water approx

(can add garlic, herbs, spices to flavour)

Sift flour, salt, baking powder into bowl and add oil, yoghurt and eggs (plus any herbs/spices you want to add) and mix. Add water slowly, using hands to bring together until you have a soft dough. Knead with wet hands for a couple mins then leave to rest for 15 mins.

Pre-heat oven to highest temp and place baking tray in to heat up.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions, and with floured hands roll each piece into a ball in palms of hand. Pull each ball out into a tear shape and place 2 at a time onto hot baking baking tray and return to oven immediately for about 3-4 minutes. Remove tray from oven and place under hot grill for about 30 seconds to brown and crisp top lightly. Keep warm in clean tea-towel.



Pilau Rice

2 cups Basmati rice
1 tbsp ghee or oil
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
6 green cardamons
2" cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
3 cups cold water
1/2 tsp salt
red & yellow food colour (optional)


* Pre-heat oven to 160C/Gas 3 and wash rice in several changes of water - drain well.

* Fry onion, cardamons, cinnamon stick and cloves in ghee/oil for a couple of minutes till soft.

* Add the drained rice and fry for a further minute or two.

* Add cold water to rice and bring to the boil, then put lid on and leave to simmer on low for 5 minutes.

* Give gentle stir with fork so not to break rice then replace lid and simmer for 3 minutes. Repeat and cover for further 2 minutes.

* Remove from heat then sprinkle few drops (or pinch if using powder) food colouring onto rice.

* Replace lid and put in oven for 15-20 minutes to finish cooking and set colours. (Time to prepare and cook curry then!)

* Stir with fork before turning out onto serving plate to distribute colours, and voila! ... the perfect pilau rice

[rustylady]

I'm going to pick up one piece of street litter every day. I did 3 this morning, so I'm ahead of meself

I don't even have to go into the street to do that, specially since my landlord removed the wall that was falling down. People make it easy for me and throw the c**p straight into my garden!!! (They could just walk a few feet further and put it into the bins which are parked in the same garden)

[kirsty b]

This is the year I finally try to break my filthiest habit once and for all (its harder to give up than smoking) Nail biting! At 30, I am generally considered to be grown up and therefore too old to do it anymore!

I just plan to count my blessings more. Concentrate on what we do have rather than what I feel I'm lacking, and get outside even more.

[scarey55]

This is the year I finally try to break my filthiest habit once and for all (its harder to give up than smoking) Nail biting! At 30, I am generally considered to be grown up and therefore too old to do it anymore!

Ooh dear, just turned 50 and I still do it Trouble with nail biting is that you don't realise you're doing it until it starts to hurt by which time you're just about at your elbows

Anyway, I wish you lots of luck.

[smallblueplanet]

Do they still make the stuff they used to paint on kids nails that tasted horrible?

[wellie]

Stop'n'Grow? Dunno... but very good luck to you both in your efforts....
X

[bubblewrap]

This is the year I finally try to break my filthiest habit once and for all (its harder to give up than smoking) Nail biting! At 30, I am generally considered to be grown up and therefore too old to do it anymore!

I just plan to count my blessings more. Concentrate on what we do have rather than what I feel I'm lacking, and get outside even more.

I used to bit my nails(badly) I cured myself though.
I had all my teeth out

[Shortie]

Do they still make the stuff they used to paint on kids nails that tasted horrible?

Yup I used to be a nail biter and this stuff is disgusting!

Even when you're not eating your fingers you can taste it as it's amazing how much your nails touch your food etc which you then bite, taste, eat.....

[JennieAtkinson]

Not been a nail biter, but do have problems with nails not being very strong. As my husband plays classical guitar he knows just about everything about nails (scarey stuff!). But there is a very good oil which includes myrhh and which makes them so lovely and strong you would never be able to bite them! It smells nice too!

Amazing Nails for Guitarists

I use the blue oil