For me, since Ramadan ended last week, I can tell you the first word that come to my mind when I think about food is ‘Appreciation’. I fully appreciate any food that comes my way.

Food also makes me think about comfort, enjoyment and nutrition. Yet it also means being social and creative.

My favourite food?

This one’s an easy one. Italian! I adore Italian food - pasta, salads and pizzas are my absolute favourites. But it’s ‘Grilled goats cheese with cherry tomatoes and rocket leaf’ that has me going in for seconds every time.

For me, different foods have different meanings. Some even have stories to tell. I remember, as a little girl, during the winter months my mum would make Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot pudding) with milk, sugar and butter. This would be cooked and left to simmer for 3-4 hours , much like a very similar Pumpkin Pudding. I used to look forward to this so much during the winter months. We’d run in doors from playing outside in the freezing cold with our friends, and mum would have this ready for us at the table. It gives a warm cosy feeling and delicious taste that would melt in your mouth. In fact, the memory was so strong I now cook this for my family.

Self-Indulgence

When my family and I go on holiday we like to indulge ourselves. We’re living in the  moment and it’s our holiday. It’s our time to enjoy our surroundings and the experiences this brings with it. We like to remember the meals or drinks we enjoyed during this time. When we look back some of the food we've had, the meals have their own stories to tell. These could be from wedding anniversaries or birthdays to a romantic getaway or going to visit family and friends. I would say food is always the centre of my comfort zone.

I usually try to go to London every other weekend where I’ve visited many restaurants throughout the city. A few of my favourites that I recommend are:

• The Dorchester for afternoon tea.
• Chin Chins for a classic hot chocolate with Marshmallow, so light and fluffy I can virtually taste it now.
• Elan coffee shop.
• Chapatti Karak does really good Arabic tea with saffron and eliche. 

 I really enjoy eating out with friends and family, and I also love to cook. And it’s because of this passion that I will be sharing one of my family’s favourite recipes: mint and coriander dip.

This recipe reminds me of the time I made this for my lecturer when studying my CIPD. I took this in for him and the students along with some pakoras that I made. It was so popular I made it another three or four times, although I declined when the lecturer asked me to “fill my bath tub up with your chutney”.

This is a huge hit with my family and friends, so please do try this and let me know how yours turned out and what you thought of it. 

Mint & Coriander Recipe                                                                       

Ingredients:      4 Leaves of mint 

                             1 Bunch of Coriander

                             ½ lemon juice

                             1 Teaspoon salt

                             Sprinkle of Black pepper

                             1 tomato

                             1 tablespoon plain/Greek yogurt

                             1 Teaspoon chilli flakes

                             Blender

Preparation: 

1. Dish one tablespoon of yogurt into the blender. Finely chop the mint leaves, coriander and tomato.
2. Place this with the yogurt, squeeze the lemon juice and add the salt and pepper and chilli flakes.
3. Add more salt if required and blend all the ingredients until smooth texture forms. 
4. Pour into a bowl and serve with boiled rice and daal (Lentil curry) or roast chicken and mash (whichever you may desire). 

I hope you enjoyed reading this week’s blog on food. If you’d like any further recipes please feel free to email me at bushara.ali@cssc.co.uk and I will be happy to share these with you.