Philip (Phil) England

SPICY & FRUITY CHICKEN CURRY I was inspired to do this after watching a Rick Stein series on BBC iPlayer. This recipe is for a rather nice chicken curry. To start with diced chicken in to a bowl with coconut milk and a little turmeric. In to a frying pan goes some fennel seeds, cumin seeds and cardamom pods lightly toast these, the cardamom pods pop open and smell devine!. Once this has been done grind the fennel, cumin and cardamom (minus their pods) ready for the next step, take some time to smell the spices... it's magic! In to your chosen pan put some oil (I use either sesame or ground nut oil) and gently fry some chopped onion and grated garlic. Add the just ground spices along with Garam Masala ,  Salt, a little  Cayenne  Pepper (by the way, the heat should be low, don't burn it!), also put in your chopped pepper. After about 10 minutes throw in the chicken, minus the coconut milk it was bathing in. Once the chicken has browned put in the coconut milk and add the sult

Minced Beef & Tomato In this one I have used a double helping of tomato  First of all I gently fry my herbs and spices Salt Pepper Chives Fennel seeds  Cumin seeds Herbs De Provencal You can use whatever ones you wish to use. Once lightly fried, add some chopped onion and thinly sliced garlic. Make sure you mix these well with your herbs and spices. Add about a coffee cup (third of a mug) of water, then throw in your sweet potato and carrot. Stir in and bring to the boil, then turn heat down and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Chopped Onion Thinly Sliced Garlic Diced Sweet Potato Diced Carrott Minced Beef Chopped cherry tomatoes Tin chopped tomatoes The next thing to do as soon as your veg starts to soften is add in your minced beef, stir this in well, keep turning until the beef has browned and then add your chopped cherry tomatoes and a tin of chopped tomatoes. Serve with either wholegrain rice or maybe wholewheat pasta or whatever you desire. Let me know how yours turns out.

 Tasty Chicken Mince Here is a rather nice way to cook chicken mince, and it's got numerous herbs and spices in. The ones I used in this I had in my kitchen, you can adapt according to what you have to hand. In a big pan put your chosen herbs and spices, then gently fry them for 5 minuites  Fennel Seeds Cumin Seeds Garlic Granules Salt Pepper Chives Parsley TIP:  grind your fennel along with the cumin, garlic and salt Then add a glug of water and soy sauce, bring to boil and place lid on the pan. Dice up the  vegetables and add to the pan, then bring back up to the boil then simmer. 2 Peppers 1 large onion Tin Chopped Tomatos After about 10 mins simmering, add your chicken mince and brown. Once the chicken is brown add a tin of chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil again and turn off the heat, keep the lid on.  As with all one pot meals I make, I leave it for 6 to 24 hours for the flavours to combine and enhance the food. Serve it with either rice, pasta or maybe sweet potato chips.

The Post Christmas Lergy Since Christmas I have been feeling very down with a nasty cough that won't quit. Being diabetic, I keep a check on my blood sugar. I can see the date when the lergy finally broke, just by looking at my blood sugar readings Thursday 11th   11.8 / 12.1 Friday 12th 13.1 / 12.8 Saturday 13th 12.9 / 10.1 / 9.9 ( started new diabetic meds here ) Sunday 14th 10.8 / 9.8 / 9.9 Monday 15th 9.3 / 9.8 / 9.9 Tuesday 16th 8.2 / 7.8  Wednesday 17th 6.4 / 10.8 / 6.8 Thursday 18th 6.3 I think the infection broke around the 15th January. While I do still have the cough, it is not as bad as it was!

  I'm not feeling like Christmas right now. My Dad's woman friend, Tel, passed away, she was found by Police yesterday, after Dad hadn't heard from her in a few days. I'm feeling less than perfect. He's not told my sister yet, but she couldn't care less! She's said as much in an email basically washing her hands of it all and has more or less told me to take sides. Now I'm going to have to confront Dad about his house, there's no way I can set foot in there as the smell makes me want to throw up, didn't want to do that til new year. Oh what a Christmas this will be, damn it. I feel like I'm trapped between two dead end roads with no right of way. My downstairs neighbour said if my sister isn't talking to him she won't know I've been there. I can see where she is coming from though. I can't set foot in the house as it is anymore, it turned my stomach the other day, even a face mask don't help. I've decided to send my Da

At this time of year, normally people's attention turn to family, feasts and fun. Spare a thought for those living with conflict, those living in war zones, they won't be having a 'Merry Christmas' With Isreal continuing their ongoing bombing of Gaza, the Palistinians are getting killed, there is no chance for them to have a peaceful life, they didn't start the war, yet they are getting killed every day. Why are they getting killed? Israel is targetting their homes trying to eradicate Hamas terrorists. While the terrorists may be getting killed, thousands of innocent Palistinians arebeing killed. Moving to Eastern Europe and Ukraine, the war with Russia. This conflict has been going on for so long now, maybe it is time for Putin and Zelenskyy to sit at a table and sign a deal. Give Russia the bits of Ukraine it wants to link up with Crimea. All that is left is rubble anyway, if it will stop the war and stop the killing then why not do it? 2024 is on the horizon, and

Down to London then, staying in an apartment in Hounslow while down here, it's not the Ritz but it's not a dump either. Comfortable sofa, comfortable bed too, few strange point that make 'Sweet Home' quirky, just wish I could park my car closer, will look in to that later! Explored the town part of Hounslow, saw where Sunrise Radio is located, and some fabulous places to eat and buy food and other bits. The Christmas tree in the town lacks something, but it's an Asian / multi cultural area, with various faiths about, so let the local authority off on that one.  Had a good night's sleep, so off to another part of London, it's blue skies outside, but a bit on the chilly side. Here is a video of my short trip to London, also took some footage on a rather empty tube train heading to Baker Street on the Metropolitan line   https://youtu.be/FdpPLYAguqk?si=aRpuFd-vgjCnENC3 via    Question:  cheaper above or bellow ground? Answer: nothing in it really, just be care