Tag: ginger

Bettys’ Parkin

Remember, remember, the Fifth of November!

I have wanted to bake Parkin for a long time… and eventually did it today, on the 5th of November: Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night. The problem was I have never eaten the cake and I don’t know what it tastes like…, so googled and found a nice one at last!!

 

 

The recipe I tried is from Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, a tea and coffee merchant in Yorkshire, where parkin is part of Bonfire Night tradition.

 

parkin loaf (source: Bettys website)

 

The company also runs some tea rooms called Bettys in Yorkshire, at which, esp. at Harrogate, I have been wanting to try their afternoon tea!!

 

Bettys afternoon tea (source: Bettys website)

 

Ingredients

(for 8 mini loaf tins or a 1 lb loaf tin)

100 g butter
40 g black treacle (I used molasses syrup)
180 g golden syrup
110 g soft brown sugar
100 g self raising flour (I used 100 g plain flour with 1 tsp baking powder)
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg  (I used ground mace)
40 g oats  (I used oatmeal)
40 g ground almonds
2 tsp whole milk
2 medium eggs

 

 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan assisted). Line the base of the mini loaf tins with a piece of baking parchment paper.
  2. Place the butter, black treacle, golden syrup and soft brown sugar in a heavy based pan over a medium heat. Gently warm through to melt the butter and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. When the mixture comes up to the boil, turn off the heat and set aside whilst you prepare the other ingredients.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the self raising flour, spices, oats and ground almonds until they are well combined.
  4. Pour the warm mixture over the dry ingredients and mix in well. Set the mixture aside to cool a little.
  5. Beat the milk and egg together thoroughly and then gradually stir into the warm mixture.
  6. Pour the mix into the prepared loaf tins and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (I baked for 40-45 min.) until well risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  7. Leave the loaves to cool down slightly before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

 

The cake was just like they describe on the website: ‘It’s a real warm, cosy scarf of a cake, deliciously sticky and with a fiery ginger kick’, and I liked it very much! Parkin should be made in advance for richer and deeper flavours, moistness and stickiness to develop, but I couldn’t resist! 😃  Well,  that’s fine cos I’ve got one more loaf to store for one week!

 

7 day old matured Bettys’ parkin

 

update (14/11/2018):
Tried the 3, 5 and 7 day old matured parkin slice each, and I liked the third day’s one. Also tried Guardian’s, which seems better to keep more than one week since the cake is more filling and less moist. I wonder this may be more authentic parkin?

 

Here is a bit about the cake and its history, and another recipe you might try.

 

from the film, V for Vendetta (2005)

 

Lemon Lentil Soup and London

We have reached May already…. April has gone without any posts – things have been too hectic here to do blog hopping (sorry guys!) and posts.

This lentil soup is a copycat from Gaby’s Deli, a Jewish restaurant at Leicester Square, London. Not sure if I could succeed in copying it…. Or rather I should say I just tried to imitate their recipe, however, I like mine very much.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ginger root, freshly grated
¼ tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh coriander stalk, finely chopped
100 g onion, finely chopped
70 g carrot, finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
650 and 150 ml water
4 tsp no sodium vegetable bouillon (adjust according to the package instructions)
200 g dried red or yellow lentil, rinsed
1 tsp dried mint leaves
½ – ¾ tsp fine sea salt (adjust according to the package instructions)
1 juice of fresh lemon

fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
slices of lemon, to garnish

Method

 ( For 3 -4 servings)

  1. In a large saucepan, put in the olive oil, ginger, garlic and coriander, then fry over low heat stirring consistently until fragrant. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes but not brown. Spoon in the turmeric and cumin powder, and carry on until fragrant. Add the carrot and fry for further one minute.
  2. Pour the 650 ml water into the pan, stir in the lentil, bouillon, salt  and mint, and increase the heat to bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cover to simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender.
  3. Purée the soup in a food processor or a blender until completely smooth. Let it sit for overnight if possible.
  4. Return the purée to the pan with 150 ml water and reheat over low heat. Pour in some more water if too thick. When boiled, add the lemon juice and simmer for a few minutes. Taste it and add more salt and/or juice of lemon if needed. Remove from the heat.
  5. Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with a slice of lemon and coriander leaves on top.

When in London, I pretty much enjoy Middle Eastern food. Below are the restaurants and shops I have tried:

Gaby’s Deli
Once it was forced to close, but fortunately still there! It’s no-frills but I enjoy their food and atmosphere. I pop in for a quick meal or when I’m away from home for a while and eager for vegetables.

Lentil soup (source: Yelp)

 

Honey & Co.
Very popular restaurant at Warren St. Booking is a must.

 

Mr Falafel

 

Hummus Bros

 

And I tried my blogger friend Kay’s recommendations last year. Thank you Kay for the posts, Yalla Yalla and the Barbary !

Yalla Yalla

At the corner of Green’s Court, found a nice Italian deli, Lina Stores and took away a cannolo.

I’ll definitely go back for their fresh pasta!

 

The Barbary

Halva ice cream

 

Restaurants and shops on my list:

Ottolenghi
Honey & Smoke  – Thank you Kay for sharing the review
Berber & Q – Shawarma Bar
Maroush
Karma Bread Bakery
Pilpel
The Good Egg

Let me know if you have any recommendations! Also if you happen to know where I can purchase a bottle of Arak, Israeli anis liqueur.

 

If you badly want tons of Halva…

It’s a Greek restaurant, but try the Greek Larder at King’s Cross when Whole Foods Market’s tiny package cannot satisfy you! They would happily slice some for you  – I bought about 500 g 😀

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

As I wrote the other day, I received a birthday postcard from one of my Postcrossing friends in Germany. The curried butternut squash soup I am posting here is based on her recipe she had shared with me earlier. (In return for the recipe, sent her a tourist postcard while in Scotland, and then the birthday card reached.)

Oh, what a timing! Just received another mail from her – with a cutting of newspaper article on a German pumpkin festival on the very day of Halloween!! Danke!!

Have to study German really hard, don’t I??

I followed her recipe with some simple alterations: used butternut, shallot, coconut sugar and vegetable bouillon instead of pumpkin, onion, white sugar and chicken bouillon, added ginger and coriander, and also sauté process. Quantities of the ingredients were not specified, so I prepared them according to my taste.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ginger root, freshly grated
50 g French shallot (eschallot), finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh coriander/cilantro stalk, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp curry powder
1 kg butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
150 g potato, peeled and cubed
800 ml water
2 tbsp no sodium vegetable bouillon
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt (adjust according to the bouillon package instructions)
¾ tsp ground cumin
½ tbsp coconut sugar
a smidgen – a pinch of cayenne pepper, to adjust
ground black pepper, to taste
fresh coriander/cilantro, coarsely chopped (optional)
crème fraîche
fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, to garnish

Method

 ( For 3 -4 servings)

  1. In a large saucepan, put in 2 tbsp olive oil and the ginger and fry over low heat stirring consistently until fragrant. Add the shallot and coriander stalk, and sauté for a few minutes but not brown. Spoon in the curry powder, then carry on until fragrant. Add the rest (1 tbsp) of the olive oil and increase the heat to medium. Add the squash and potato, and cook stirring constantly until it starts to soften but not brown.
  2. Pour the water into the pan, stir in the bouillon, salt, cumin, sugar, cayenne and black pepper, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cover to simmer for about 20 minutes or so until the vegetables have softened.
  3. Purée the soup in a food processor or a blender until completely smooth. Return to the pan and reheat over low heat. Pour in some water if the soup is too thick. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. (optional: Stir in the chopped coriander and ) remove from the heat.
  4. Serve the soup in bowls with swirls of crème fraîche and coriander leaves.

Mmmmm so tasty! I like the soup so much that I can eat this enough for two, or even three! 😀  Thank you, my dear Postcrossing friend  in Germany. I will write you back later on. 🙂

with my Rhine postcard collection