Speedy banana splits

Ingredients 4 bananas 4 scoops vanilla ice cream 4 tbsp chocolate sauce (English Provender Belgian is superb) 2 tbsp flaked toasted almond Method Peel and split the bananas in half lengthways and place on two plates. Top with the scoops of ice cream, drizzle over the sauce and scatter with almonds.
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Chicken tikka wraps Chinggis

Ingredients ¼ cucumber, halved and sliced ¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded 2 spring onions, sliced handful mint leaves, torn 4 plain small naan bread 140g pack cooked chicken tikka pieces natural yogurt to serve Method Toss all the salad vegetables together. Heat the naan breads in the microwave on Medium for 1 min until puffed up. Remove the breads. Tip the tikka pieces into a bowl and give them a quick blast in the microwave to heat through. Split the breads in half and stuff with the salad, chicken and a spoonful of yogurt.
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Chicken tikka burgers

Ingredients 6 small chicken breasts 6 burger buns (we used ciabatta) For the marinade 2 tbsp tomato purée 200g pot Greek yogurt thumb-sized piece ginger, very finely grated 4 garlic cloves, very finely grated or crushed 2 tbsp garam masala ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper juice 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve For the chutney 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 small red onion, chopped 1 green chilli, chopped 1 tsp tamarind pulp 2 tbsp tomato ketchup For the salad ½ cucumber, sliced 1 Little Gem lettuce, shredded small bunch mint, leaves picked 1 small red onion, halved and finely sliced Method Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Open out each chicken breast and flatten slightly. Place the chicken in the marinade for at least 2-3 hrs. Meanwhile, mix the chutney ingredients together and set aside. (It will keep in the fridge overnight.) Heat the BBQ until the coals are ashen, then griddle the chicken for 4-5 mins on each side until cooked through. Toss the salad ingredients and place the chicken in the buns with the salad and spoonfuls of chutney. Serve with lemon wedges.
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Chilli con carne 1

Ingredients 1 tbsp oil 1 large onion 1 red pepper 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder (or 1 level tbsp if you only have mild) 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 500g lean minced beef 1 beef stock cube 400g can chopped tomatoes ½ tsp dried marjoram 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp tomato purée 410g can red kidney beans plain boiled long grain rice, to serve soured cream, to serve Method Prepare your vegetables. Chop 1 large onion into small dice, about 5mm square. The easiest way to do this is to cut the onion in half from root to tip, peel it and slice each half into thick matchsticks lengthways, not quite cutting all the way to the root end so they are still held together. Slice across the matchsticks into neat dice. Cut 1 red pepper in half lengthways, remove stalk and wash the seeds away, then chop. Peel and finely chop 2 garlic cloves. Start cooking. Put your pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add the oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot (a little longer for an electric hob). Add the onions and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft, squidgy and slightly translucent. Tip in the garlic, red pepper, 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder or 1 level tbsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp ground cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Brown the 500g lean minced beef. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon or spatula. The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince. Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew. Making the sauce. Crumble 1 beef stock cube into 300ml hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture. Open 1 can of chopped tomatoes (400g can) and add these as well. Tip in ½ tsp dried marjoram and 1 tsp sugar, if using (see tip at the bottom), and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tbsp tomato purée and stir the sauce well. Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy. Bring on the beans. Drain and rinse 1 can of red kidney beans (410g can) in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think. Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving, and relax. Leaving your chilli to stand is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle and the meat. Serve with soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice.
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Lightly spiced carrot soup urgust 2

Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped knob of fresh root ginger, grated 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 tsp mild curry powder, plus extra 1kg carrots, trimmed and sliced 2 lemongrass stalks, bashed 2 strips orange zest 400g can coconut milk 700ml vegetable stock Method Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. Tip in the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, then cook for 3-5 mins until soft. Stir in the curry powder, followed by the carrots, lemongrass and zest, then cover and cook over a low heat for 10 mins more. Give the coconut milk can a shake, then pour most of it into the pan along with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 mins until the carrots are really soft. Remove the lemongrass and orange zest, then use a stick blender or food processor to whizz until smooth. Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of reserved coconut milk and an extra sprinkling of curry powder, if you like.
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Chicken tikka wraps

Ingredients ¼ cucumber, halved and sliced ¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded 2 spring onions, sliced handful mint leaves, torn 4 plain small naan bread 140g pack cooked chicken tikka pieces natural yogurt to serve Method Toss all the salad vegetables together. Heat the naan breads in the microwave on Medium for 1 min until puffed up. Remove the breads. Tip the tikka pieces into a bowl and give them a quick blast in the microwave to heat through. Split the breads in half and stuff with th
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Spiced carrot & lentil soup 2

Ingredients 2 tsp cumin seeds pinch chilli flakes 2 tbsp olive oil 600g carrots, washed and coarsely grated (no need to peel) 140g split red lentils 1l hot vegetable stock (from a cube is fine) 125ml milk plain yogurt and naan bread, to serve Method Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas. Scoop out about half of the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Add the oil, carrot, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened. Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer). Season to taste and finish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads.
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