I am not feeling inspired today.
Had a cost lie in. Tried to rationalise the mess in the dining room and kitchen so Tom could make curry for Ellie and Andy. They had a nightmare trying to get to us, with foggy cars and bad traffic. Ellie had also put her hand in her pudding.
When they arrived, lent Andy some upholstery cleaner so he could get cake off her car, and set Ellie to c leading cake of her coat.
Tom made Anjum Anand's pork vindaloo. It was delicious, a combination of hot and sour and aromatic. Ellie's chocolate puddle pudding was lovely and we willed away the hours chatting about scifi, religion and the teaching of maths.
After, I went to church to work on some Christmas publicity, and Tom has been DIYing.
We've both been a bit out of sorts today. I hope tomorrow is better.
Here's the vindaloo recipe:
Ingredients
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
5 black peppercorns, left whole
2 green cardamom pods, seeds only
2 cloves
1cm/½in piece cinnamon
1cm/½in piece ginger, peeled and chopped
7 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
3 fresh red chillies
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
pinch salt
350g/12oz pork shoulder, flesh cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
100g/3½oz pork belly, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
65ml/2½fl oz vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
¾ tsp mustard seeds
handful cashew nuts
To serve (optional)
220g/8oz basmati rice, cooked according to packet instructions
4 wheat tortillas
2 handfuls chopped lettuce
4 tbsp soured cream
Preparation method
Using a spice grinder, grind the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cloves and cinnamon to a fine powder.
In a food processor, blend the ginger, garlic, chillies and white wine vinegar to a paste.
Mix the ground spice mixture with the paste until well combined and season with a pinch of salt. Rub the mixture all over the pork using your fingers, then set the pork aside, covered, to marinate for 1½-2 hours.
Heat four tablespoons of the oil in a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown.
Add the marinated pork pieces and fry for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until golden-brown on all sides. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pork is tender. Add small splashes of boiling water to the pan as necessary if the juices in the pan dry out. Add as little water as possible as the resulting sauce should be quite thick.
Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. (CAUTION: the mustard seeds will start to pop. Keep the pan well away from your face and eyes.)
Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the cashew nuts and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are golden-brown.
To serve, either divide the rice among four serving plates, spoon the vindaloo alongside and pour the fried cashew nuts and mustard seeds over the vindaloo, or alternatively spoon the vindaloo into the centre of four wheat tortillas, sprinkle with chopped lettuce and soured cream and roll up into parcels.