sartoric

I will certainly take photos of whatever we eat, it’s a habit now, there’ll probably be words too

The countdown is on, so it’s leftovers and using up whatever else is in the fridge. A few potatoes cooked with turmeric and curry leaves, leftover runny dal, leftover rice and freshly made chapattis. Served with mango and ginger chutney. One more sleep to Japan !

I roasted some kipflers with swede, baby carrots and garlic, plus made a broccoli in cheese sauce. Served with a couple of chicken and sage snags, and a fat dollop of hot English mustard.

Dinner last night was south Asian. Paneer cooked with tomato and onion, cabbage mallung, dal, rice and raita. Mallung is a Sri Lankan dish, served at nearly every meal. You can use basically any leafy green vegetable, the one below is cabbage and carrot tops. It’s so easy and very good for you with no oil. Chop an onion finely, throw in pan with washed and finely shredded leaves, a chopped green chilli or two, a spoon of ground Maldive fish flakes, salt, pepper and lemon juice then simmer with a lid on until the leaves are tender. Add desiccated coconut to absorb any remaining moisture.

Hot roast chicken, asparagus and gravy rolls, flat chips and slightly wilted salad. Still in the country cottage with limited facilities, eating like kings

Down at the cottage for Easter with limited cooking capacity, and eating a la lap. I pan fried chicken, feta and tomato sausages, then served them with reheated potato bake/veg and roasted asparagus. Tomato sauce and hot English mustard on the side. Crumb catcher at the ready.

A really simple spinach omelette with a piece of toast. Thanks for the basil ideas, I gave a bunch away and puréed the rest, then popped it into ice cube trays in the freezer.

I was given a big bag of organic basil....pesto was my first thought. Served on a bowl of minestrone dragged from the freezer alongside some toasties made with a smear of tomato chilli jam and smoked havarti. There’s hardly a dent in the bag of basil - ideas ?

I roasted a small chicken along with baby carrots and parsnips. Served it with a gravy from pan juices, creamy cheesy potato bake and garlic spinach. Hit the spot.

A favourite chicken curry with fenugreek, kale subzi (kale with besan crumbles) eggplant bharta, rice. Bharta means to smash or mash. These eggplants get roasted in the oven first, then skinned, chopped and sautéed with onions, garlic, ginger and various spices including fennel seeds.

A different mushroom and spinach curry than I usually make, trust me there are mushrooms underneath that greenery. Served with rice, eggplant bharta and leftover potato samosa filling.

I had a meeting to attend last night, so dinner was early and snacky. Cheats samosas, filled with spicy potato and peas, served with a fresh spinach chutney.

Keeping it simple on a Monday night - spinach omelette with a piece of toast.

My easy veggie fritters, sort of pakora but not. I mix grated vegetables, in this case carrot, squeezed zucchini and shredded cabbage with spices, an egg and chickpea flour, then drop spoonfuls into a shimmering pan. Too easy. Served with a tomato and red onion raita, tomato chutney, lemon rice and okra.

@mm84321 what made it the greatest meal ever ? This is in Tokyo right ? Was it expensive ?

Ah, @rarerollingobject, I stumbled on this delicious story three years ago and thought “one of these days...”. Now that day is only three weeks away ! Thanks for the photos, a reread has given me some great ideas

Cherry tomato, avocado and ricotta pasta bake. Served with torn sourdough and a fruity extra virgin olive oil.

Pasta bake with small shells, a little sautéed onion and garlic, half a can of cherry tomatoes and a dozen or so halved fresh cherry tomatoes. This was all mixed together, dumped in the dish, enhanced with chunks of avocado, blobs of ricotta and torn basil, then finished with grated cheddar and parmesan.

I’ve never had beef drippings on toast, but I like Marmite and Promite too. As an Australian, I can be lynched for saying this, don’t tell anyone

. Vegemite on toast in the sunshine.

Next time try getting a can of halved apricots in syrup, drain the syrup and roughly mash or purée the fruit. An Australian who grew up when this was the height of exotic cuisine. You’re welcome.

No @KennethT I buy them frozen and reheat in a tawa.

My favourite stir fried okra with dal, mango pickle, rice and paratha.

A big bowl of what’s in the fridge minestrone with ricotta, spinach and cheddar toasties.

I tried an experiment last night, using leftover roast chicken from the previous night to boost a mushroom curry. It worked really well flavour wise, and upped the protein count too. On the plate with kale subzi (sautéed kale with chickpea flour crumbs) five lentil dal, a little yoghurt flavoured with roast cumin and dill, plus rice.