There's a Gooseberry in my Handbag - oh Buffalo Balls!

I meant to say, I read a headline on BBC website this week which made me do a double take. What I read was "Dr Who hit patient, struck off" which in my ditsy state of mind made me think "Oh! I like this Dr Who", what I actually read was "Dr who hit patient struck off", there is a subtle difference, which should tell me that I really need to pay more attention to what I'm doing.

Today was no more or less normal than yesterday, but it's what I've come to expect. Despite Zosia's efforts to shake things up with gorgeous redcurrants and ripe strawberries, gooseberries were still the high and low points of my day - the high point was left over goosegog crumble for supper (see 29 June for recipe), the low point was pulling up outside BHS, I reached into my bag for my phone, the phone looked and felt odd,a bit damp and sticky, but I don't have any food or drink in my bag.....I peered in only to find a squashed gooseberry in the bottom of my handbag...seriously...why?

The leftover crumble sparked a long running argument in our household, will be interested in your thoughts....left over pies and crumbles, hot or cold? Tony looked at me like I'd killed a baby bird when I suggested heating it up in the microwave, but the thought of eating it cold makes me gag (sorry!!).
All energies at the moment are on preparing the camping stuff, so it was another "sluts tea" for us tonight..not sure where I got that saying from..it's probably going to offend someone but I've always meant it affectionately.

So as you may remember from yesterday I ordered 2 for £5 Laverstock Park Farm Buffalo products, the burgers we had yesterday and weren't that impressed, that left the koftas for today.
They were very easy 25 minutes in the oven at GM5, while they were cooking I did my favourite basmati rice and heated  up a Co-op Murgh Makhani sauce and hey presto dinner in 30 minutes. The rice was tasty I used an OXO Indian stock cube to flavour it, the sauce was chunky and buttery and quite spicy for a mild sauce, although some of that might have been the Mango Chutney. As for the Buffalo Koftas they were OK, preferable to the burgers for sure, they had chilli's but not much heat but a warm cinnamony taste which complimented the rice and sauce.

Here's the photographic evidence and find below my recipes for Hardly Ever Fail Rice and a bread maker recipe for a large loaf of Light Wholemeal bread.

Hardly Ever Fail Basmati Rice


First get a medium sized pan with a tight fitting lid.

Measure out 9oz basmati rice. I don't rinse it for this recipe or it will get overcooked.

Boil the kettle and then measure out 23floz of boiling water - I then either salt the water, or flavour it with a chicken or vegetable stock cube, some turmeric or some herbs or spices - chilli's or a cinnamon stick. Pour the water into the rice, bring the pan to a boil, stir the rice well just once, then pop on the lid, turn the pan down to a simmer and set a timer for 15 minutes.

Next get a clean damp dishcloth and lay it double thickness on a worktop or chopping board.

I normally start checking the rice at about 12 minutes - I take the pan off the heat and place it on the damp cloth, if it makes a lovely sizzling, steamy noise it's ready, if not put it back on the heat and try again in a few minutes. the aim is for the majority of the water to have evaporated but you don't want to take the lid off to check, the lid must stay on until the sizzle.

Once you are happy you have a sizzle, remove the lid and cover the pan with a clean tea towel. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Remove the tea towel, fluff up the rice with a fork and serve.

You can easily half or double the recipe with the same results. This will feed 4 people as an accompaniment, depending who hungry you are.

Large Light Wholemeal Loaf for a breadmaker*


My bread maker is an old Morphy Richards one with 11 settings, including jam and cakes. I cook this one on setting 6 Rapid Wholemeal, this is the biggest recipe I can use and it often sinks a little on top as it reaches right up to the glass panel when baking.

Use the following ingredients in this order

1 and a half cups of water and 4 tbsps of dried milk powder - although I just use 1 and a half cups of milk (375ml)
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 and a half tsps salt
4 tbsps oil - vegetable or sunflower
2 cups strong wholemeal flour (225 g)
2 cups strong white flour (225 g)
A packet of active dried yeast

I've played around with the recipe and substituted one cup of wholemeal for a cup of oaty or cup of malted flour and it's come out OK.

Good luck x

* original recipe taken from Real Food Recipes for your Breadmaker - Carol Palmer