Wednesday's Dinner

Fish Curry, Homemade Garlic Naan bread and a side of Saffron Rice

Yummy meal times in the Mazzarella household. After ages of wondering how fish curry tastes "too fishy , too creamy" I had no idea, all I knew was how much my friends Tara and Sabine ate it at home and LOVED IT

Because of this I knew the perfect time to test out how apparently 'brilliant' fish curry is, was on a Wednesday night for my family, because you know family are the best critics.

Whilst pondering on Pinterest after pinning many, many probably useless sites that led to no recipes just had pretty pictures, I came across a wonderful pretty simple recipe by 'The Pretty Blog' Seeing as it was my first time making fish curry I didn't want a really authentic one that took hours to make and years to master the perfect flavor so I settled for this one, and hey what do you know it turned out pretty amazing if I don't say so myself, of course practice will perfect it but for a first time I was quite pleased with myself.

As everyone who knows me well enough knows I have a bit of an crazy obsession with porridge and bread. I couldn't really incorporate porridge into this dinner,(it doesn't really sit well with fish curry hahah) so I decided to make a classic garlic naan bread which is one of my fav bread types. Again on Pinterest I found this by simply searching 'vegan naan bread' now for any of you judging me out there, just because something is vegan doesn't mean it tastes horrible. These naan's were light and fluffy, just the way they should be, full of flavor and absolutely scrumptious. I like to reduce the amount of animal product I include in my recipes.

 "I want to Minimize the number of deaths I'm responsible for" - John Green, The Fault in Our stars

'Veg recipes from India' created a delectable naan bread recipe that was the best healthy and vegan one to use along side my fish curry.

Naan Bread rising before rolling them out and cooking them up

To soak up all the goodness from the curry I wanted to make some flavorsome saffron rice. It was really easy basically all you do is cover a few saffron threads with a couple of tablespoons of water for 10 minuets. Then add that to a small saucepan along with 2 tablespoons of vegetable concentrated stock and enough basmati rice to make 4 cups worth or cooked rice. Follow the absorption method on the packet. Once the rice is cooked run over with hot water and serve with the fish curry.
I thought the saffron rices flavor as a side to the fish curry was a bit overwhelming but if you like a sort of party in your mouth flavor enjoy!

Anyways this recipe was how I spent my whole Wednesday afternoon once I got back from school. It was worth it !! Try it for yourself

Links to all the recipes 
Bo-Kaap Fish Curry by The Pretty Blog http://www.theprettyblog.com/food-and-wine/bo-kaap-fish-curry/
garlic naan by veg recipes of india http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/garlic-naan-recipe/

- Grace

 Discover. Cook. Then just show the world.

Pumpkin and Tuna Pasta

Simple. Quick. Delicious. 

Having Italian grandparents my family have always been really big on eating pasta. Weirdly enough we don't really experiment that often, tomato sauce base or pesto sauce base, never plain simple good old pasta. After seeing my friend Sabine at lunch munching on tuna pasta that looked delicious but was apparently so easy to make I had to get the recipe from her. Tweaking it here and there I came up with this pumpkalisious pasta dish that was a perfect treat for when I got home from racing that night.

Simple Pumpkin and Tuna Pasta 

Ingredients

1-2 cups pumpkin, cut into small cubes

500g penne pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Salt and pepper to taste

400g tin of cooked tuna

250g canned corn kernels

250g whole olives, kalamata or black

Extra olive oil, enough to coat all the cooked pasta

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Fill a large pot with water about ¾ of the way.
3. Heat the pot over medium heat, add a handful of salt and allow to boil. 
4. Meanwhile on the prepared baking tray add pumpkin cubes, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Be sure that all the pumpkin cubes are coated.
5. Put the pumpkin in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes or until slightly tender.
6. When your pot of water is boiling add your pasta and stir immediately. Cook the penne until al dente. Drain and run over with cold running water. Set aside.
7. In the same pot that you cooked the pasta in heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
8. Add the garlic.
9. Once garlic cooked and oil is hot add your drained pasta and mix for 3 minutes allowing the   pasta to slightly crisp up.
10. Add corn, olives, tuna, and roasted pumpkin to the pot with the pasta and stir until combined.
11. Then stir in enough olive oil to coat your pasta completely, but not drench it.
12. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes.
13. Be sure your tuna, olives and corn are warm then turn off the heat and serve.

    Printable Recipe

- Grace

 Discover. Cook. Then just show the world.

Late Christmas and Birthday Food haul

We all love it when we get loads of brand knew things and don't have a clue what to start using first, your all crazy excited that you just stare at your goodies for a while being jelly of yourself. Especially when you get given them by someone else.
Lately I have been feeling these exact feels and thought I would share my pressies with you. This is basically a Food related haul showing all the latest gifts I've gotten for either Christmas or my birthday.
Just a pre warning this is my first time writing a blog post like this so I'm not all up to date with the how it all works.
I realise it is a bit late to be doing a Christmas and birthday haul as it was about 2-3 months ago. But really what the hell there's no rules and if there is I'm gonna break them because I'm excited and want to share all my goodies with you.

OK LETS BEGIN

These cuties are from Dasio for only $2.80 a packet. If you have never had a awesome shopping experience in Dasio WOW your missing out. It's the best little(really huge) Japanese shop that has stores in Australia too!! Everything and I mean EVERYTHING is $2.80 andIt sells from the most basic to the most quirkiest stuff you'll ever want. My sister actually came home one day with these for me after thinking they would be absolutely perf for peanut butter cups. Good choice Beth

I had been wanting for these baby's for a while. When one day I randomly found them chillin' on my kitchen bench. Apparently mums friend didn't want them anymore... well beauty ! Cake Time

I think these are the most convenient simple to use things ever. Flower fondant punch cutters. I got these given to me by my lovely bestie Brigitte for Kris Kringle last year. HAHAHA she knows me way to well.

                         

Very simply a well awaited thermometer I got this one given to me by a family friend for my birthday along with the Great Australian Bake Off Cookbook that I LOVE. It's just so beautiful.                                

A zester and a spatula. Shockingly I didn't have these two items before and I really thought they would come in handy often. My mum and sister obviously thought so too (or knew I wanted them) because I got them given to me for Christmas YAYA

My mother is a absolute second hand book store juncky and she told me when she was hunting in one she came across this and thought I would appreciate it. And I do! Its so vintage and actually old. The way the recipes are written is so awesome. Its an original Esk Valley Cookery Book which is written by members of the Esk Valley Group of the C.W.A situated in Tasmania. It is made up of treasured recipes given to be shared with others.

Did you really think I would write a post like this without mentioning my fav Jamie Oliver! I got this amazing cook book from my lovely mum and dad for Christmas. I was so excited I was drooling over all the food as soon as it was opened. This is Jamie's cookbook Cook With Jamie - a guide to making you a better cook. It sits on my desk and I am absolutely in love with it!

THAT'S IT I hope you enjoyed a little insight on my new goodies (well not so new anymore)

- Grace

Discover. Cook. Then just show the world.