Well, this year ( our 2nd in NZ) we decided to have a quiet kiwi Christmas camping. as it's summer in the southern hemisphere and our long summer holidays.  The big family get together was last year (our first Christmas back for about 9 years) with the whole Singer clan.( My husband's)  A big Christmas meal with all the trimmings. 
 

I love giving foodie gifts anytime, whether it is birthdays, religious festivals or weddings. I grew up with food gifts being exchanged at weddings and celebrations. Food celebrates all aspects of life. 

People appreciate that you take the time and effort into creating something for them, I love giving, I enjoy the appreciation I get from friends and family when I gift them something that I made.

A lovely aromatic, flavoursome curry.  Made with Paneer which is an Indian cottage cheese, this onehas a tomato and onion base, but I also make a paneer and pea curry which is also divine. I had some friends over for dinner on Friday night  and I cookedtwo curries, a meat option and a vegetarian one, it went down a treat.

My mum's jam tarts are the best!, I have memories of eating these when I was growing up in Malawi. They are a perfect alternative to Christmas pudding (if you are not a fan) or just as another dessert over the festive season. They are great as a hot pudding or cold, they keep well for a week in an airtight container.

Gosh its that time of year already, to me it just doesn't seem like its nearly Christmas, its not dark and cold outside  and the streets are not glistening with twinkling lights, there are no school nativity plays, and the shopping is not the same! But hey its getting warmer, so that's got to be good!

An absolute winner! Easily the simplest dessert to make to wow your family and friends.  This is made using tamarillos which are in season at the moment, but coming towards the end. This is gorgeous, combined with orange and honey it makes a light, sweet dessert.  If you are not a fan of tamarillos, you can use rhubarb or raspberries.

Finally... you say,  a curry!  I have quite a few curries up my sleeve, but this one is so easy and yummy anyone can whip it up in no time!

We just celebrated the end of Ramadan, with the festival of Eid ul Fitr.  This marks the end of a month of fasting (from dawn to dusk) every day for 30 days.  Its a time for reflection, it makes us appreciate the abundance in the way we live, what we eat and how we enjoy ourselves.
 

This is my mum's recipe and one that always reminds me of home.  It's a savoury treat, perfect as an appetiser or finger food at a dinner party.  Full of great nutrients so a healthy savoury dish that you don't feel guilty eating. This recipe requires Gram Flour, which you can get from any Indian supermarket.  It's made from lentils, its got a distinctive taste and great for people with a  gluten intolerance.   My dad and hubby both love this, and dad has been bugging me for days to put it on my blog!  LOL!! So here it is dad, this one is for you!

Well, here it is the recipe that inspired the name of my blog. And incidently the first chutney I ever made.

In this modern living, making chutneys, jams and preserves are considered, an old fashioned concept, one that our grandmothers (and maybe our mothers indulged in). I guess through the lack of time and the fact that you can conveniently buy all these condiments in your local supermarket or even at your local farmers markets (very trendy to go to these!)

Nothing like a little baking to while away a depressing, wet Auckland day! The rain hasnt stopped all night and all day today. And its school holidays, typical.  The children are having a pyjama day today, with lots of DVD's and games.  They need feeding too, so thats where mum comes in (a role that I take very seriously indeed!). 

So hot buttered scones are the order of the day

Coconuts remind me of my childhood in Malawi. I remember drinking coconut milk through a hole in the top of the large husk and then splitting it open, spooning out the white flesh! 

I have some gorgeous recipes to delight you with, so I will start with a favourite of mine, quick and easy and perfect for impressing your guests at a dinner party!

Bhurtho (Aubergine Curry) and Roti

To me the cold, dark evenings in winter  mean comfort food. And I love pies and soups, but my comfort food is home cooked Indian food. It is my soul food, its what I was bought up with.  I have travelled all over the world, having lived in Africa and then England and travelling all over Europe and America and then settling here in beautiful New Zealand. I always find that when I am away from home,  I love experiencing all the exotic and different flavours, but really miss my home made curries and it is probably one of the first things I make when I get back from being away.

Wow what a busy week, starting with a few days down in Wellington, going to The Food Show and then spending some time with my friend Jo.

 The Food Show was fabulous, there were amazing food and drink exhibitors, lots of free giveaways, and wonderful foods made by artisan producers.  A fantastic feast for the senses, and a great line up of free, live cooking shows.

Mothers Day, is a day when all mothers around the world are honoured and celebrated.  To me it's extra special as I am mum to two beautiful kids.
Every family celebrates Mothers day in their own way, in our house I have usually had breakfast in bed, made by the children and then home made cards and a gift.

I love baking bread at home, and I use this recipe, time and time again, when I have family or friends over for dinner.  It never fails me and wows everyone!

I would usually serve it with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil mix and a middle eastern dukkah dip, as an appetiser when people arrive, as we are usually chatting over drinks and dinner would still be 30-45 min away.

Anzac Biscuits

I made a batch of Anzac biscuits a few days ago, the children had been off school and I was thinking of creative ways to keep them entertained, so we often bake together. These ones I made on my own as the children had friends round to "hang out" with (My 10 yr old son said to me categorically that friends at his age don't come to play!) So the boys "hung out"  while I made a batch of biscuits that very nearly didn't make the tin!

We had friends over for dinner tonight and we got around to talking about how to cook rice.  My friend Judy had heard that a rice cooker is a kitchen must-have, but I think the recipe below is an absolute winner, with no need for a rice cooker.  It's one that my dad has always used and makes ordinary boiled rice taste amazing.  Try it and see!