Showing posts with label cuisine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cuisine. Show all posts

Thursday, 5 March 2015

Hidden gems: Banana Leaf restaurant

I don't usually go for Indian food when I eat out. Being a nut allergy sufferer, it tends to be a bit of a danger zone for me, so I steer clear. However when my friends suggested going for a meal to what has been described as 'the best Indian in Glasgow' - how could I resist?



Banana Leaf doesn't look like much from the outside. Hidden away on Old Dumbarton Road, in between tenement flats and across the road from a nameless pub and corner stores, you'd walk right past its faded sign without so much as a glance.



The inside isn't much to write home about, either. A tiny space,  with only four tables and waiting room chairs, wood-panelled walls and a rickety sliding door toilet which pushes out more than it slides across!

As for decoration, a solitary, rather sad looking plant sits on the window sill and a painting of a typical South Indian scene hangs on the wall, the only glimpse into the exotic world of cuisine where the Banana Leaf promises to take you.


But the menu tells a different story - the prices are insanely good for what you get and the choices are endless. Dosas, pakora, dahl, chapati, saag, kofta... All 6 of us ordered a starter and a main course each so we could try a bit of everything.

The Banana Leaf also has a BYOB policy, so we stocked up at Tesco before we arrived.



When the food came, I was blown away by how good it was. It isn't often a restaurant impresses me this much! The quality of my Palak Paneer was another level of awesome. So tasty, and there was so much of it!

If you're ever in the West end of Glasgow and looking for somewhere cheap for dinner, you want to try something new (this is not your typical Glasgow Indian) or you're a foodie and you fancy sampling some of the best curry you'll ever eat (that's a promise!) then definitely check out Banana Leaf

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Monday, 1 September 2014

Recipe: Japanese Gyoza

Hey everyone! So today's post is something a little different. I love cooking and trying new recipes, and attempting to learn to be better in the kitchen! This recipe was inspired for my love of all things Japanese, and the Hairy Bikers who did something similar on their show! Those guys are hilarious. I wish they were my friends!



Gyoza are Japanese dumplings, kind of like dim sum (a favourite of mine). They're little parcels of a thin pastry-like dough filled with either meat, fish or veggies. The Hairy Bikers made theirs with crab meat, but I decided to use chicken mince for mine. So without further ado, here is the recipe!

 ***WARNING: THESE GYOZA ARE EXTREMELY MOREISH***

 So, to make these yummy little parcels of fun, you will need:
 - Flour (about 300g)
 - Water (Boiling - about 200ml)
 - Chicken or turkey mince
 - Pak Choi (finely chopped)
 - Spring Onions (finely chopped)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Chilli Flakes
- Soy Sauce

 ...And that's it! You can add ginger, garlic or anything else to season to your taste.

METHOD:

1. Sift the flour and the salt into a large bowl, adding 1/2 tablespoon of salt

2. Stir in the boiling water until the mixture comes together and forms a dough

3. Cover with cling film and set aside for 1 hour

4. For the filling, mix the mince, pak choi and spring onions in a bowl until it forms a gloopy paste. Add the salt, pepper, chilli flakes and soy sauce to season. Set aside in the fridge until the dough is ready to work with.

5. Work the dough on a heavily floured surface for a few minutes until it is ready to be rolled out - it must be rolled paper thin!

6. Use a cutter (or something round) to form little discs, 4 or 5 inches across.

7. Put a dollop of filling onto each disc, wet the edges and seal forming a little parcel! Repeat the process until you have something like this:


8. Oil up a hot pan and place the gyoza in to fry for about 2 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown. Pour in about 100ml of water and place a lid on, allowing them to steam for a further 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn yourself!

9. Take the lid off, and let them cook for a last 2 minutes before carefully removing them from the pan.

10. Serve your gyoza with a sweet chilli dipping sauce, or whatever you prefer! And enjoy your delightful Japanese creations!

Happy cooking!

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