Some things in my kitchen

I am off on holiday soon, so this In My Kitchen blog post is a day early. 

We have friends flying over from America, once they are here - we will be taking a road trip.

So In My Kitchen, we have more homegrown tomatoes from the greenhouse, they have not been as big this year, but still very sweet and tasty.  Here is a link to some tomato recipe inspiration.

Some Sweet Paprika and Smoked Paprika. 

This Nimbu Pani translates as Salty Water.  I bought it to see if it stacked up to the authentic Nimbu Pani my Nanny made from scratch when i was a child, as well as Aunties.  It was not, still it was okay and D quite liked it.  I have promised to make him the more authentic and traditional Nimbu Pani one day, as he loves citrus sharp lemon flavoured things 

Simply Tomatoes

There's so much happening this long Bank Holiday weekend: Pride, Carnival season,  Poetry in the Park and lots of other community events in and around Wales, but we haven't ventured far from home this weekend, other than the garden centre to pick up some compost. We have spent most of the weekend carrying out joyful tasks such as tidying up both the house and garden, which was beginning to look a bit overgrown in places. It looks much better now, but still so much to do.  

 Anyway, onto my most recent harvest of vibrant colourful tomatoes from the greenhouse.

Whilst your here, here's a little peek in the greenhouse. 

Red tomatoes next to green tomatoes.

Abundant vines

I've made a number of dishes such as Arrabiata and vegan Puttanesca with fresh tomatoes, I usually make these with tinned tomatoes.  I have also made Tomato Pilau and Lebanese Tomato and Bean Stew.  

If you are looking for tomato recipe inspiration, please also check out 's a link to some tomato recipe inspiration.  

We still have plenty more tomatoes to come.  But some of the tomato plants have become unruly, look at the state of this (below).  It really does look a bit like an overgrown jungle or a tangled mess in the greenhouse this year.  

I'm letting regular readers, especially those that come through via Harvest Monday that, I won't be able to participate in Harvest Monday next week, as we have some some friends coming from America and then we are off on holiday for a week or so.  So hopefully, I will be able to join the following week, but this is my contribution for this week.  Please go by and check out  Happy Acres who hosts Harvest Monday every week and showcases some impressive homegrown fruit and vegetables.

Tomato Pilau with Coconut and Cashew Nuts

I have had Tarla Dalal Tomato Rice bookmarked for a little while, to make use of my homegrown tomatoes, but once again I was tempted by a tomato recipe that I came across in the Guardian's food section.  Tarla Dalal was a famous Indian chef, cookbook author, food writer and host of cookery shows.  her first cookbook 'The Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking' was published in 1974.  Since then Tarla Dalal wrote over 100 cookbooks, of which I own some, but like I said I was tempted by another modern recipe. The recipe in question this time is for Summer Pilau with Tomato, Coconut and Cashew Nuts and once again comes from Meera Sodha, the food is well presented and captured wonderfully by the photographs .  The recipes are also accessible, which is good for any home cook.  Some of you will remember that recently I made her Lebanese Green Beans and Vermicelli Rice , so I knew this was going to be a good one to make and eat too.

I stuck to Meera Sodha's recipe for the Tomato Pilau, the only two things that were different.  I used dried curry leaves as I am not easily able to find fresh where I live; and secondly, this was due to my impatience - I did not brown the onions well, hence why my Pilau is not as golden, but let me tell you it was still delicious, moreso because of my homegrown tomatoes!  

D loved it and said I should make this for our American guests when they come in September.  Hopefully we will still have tomatoes coming from the greenhouse, in which case I shall be making it again.  

Meera suggests serving it with a fresh green salad.  I told my husband this and he rolled his eyes and suggested that I should have thrown in some of our homegrown green beans to the Pilau.  Instead he had his with a dollop of mango chutney, I think it was a good decision. If I have tempted you once again, then please check out the full recipe. 

Other Pilau Recipes you may like
Broad Beans Pilau with Mint
 Butter Bean and Kale Curried Turmeric  Rice
Cauliflower Pilau
Fenugreek and Radish Rice
Rainbow Carrot Rice Pilau
Savoury Jerusalem Artichoke Rice
Savoy Cabbage and Lentil Rice
Wild Garlic and peas Rice

Meera Sodha's Lebanese Tomato and Bean and Stew

Well homegrown tasty tomatoes keep on coming and some of you may have seem my link to some of my homemade tomato recipes, but I have also been seeking inspiration elsewhere and it came recently whilst browsing The Guardian's New Vegan food and drink section.  

The recipe for Lebanese Green Beans and Vermicelli Rice comes from Meera Sodha. It not only gave me the opportunity to use my homegrown tomatoes which are plentiful, but also green beans and runner beans that are coming by the bucket load.  

I did tweak the recipe just a little as I did not have vermicelli to hand, so used small star shaped pasta that I use in soups in place of the vermicelli for the rice.  I also kept some tomatoes back and added them in towards the end mostly for aesthetic reasons, and would you not agree it look darn delicious?! and it really was - really, really flavourful.  I served it with a generous dollop of labneh doused in za'atar.

I f I have tempted you, then please check out the full recipe by Meera Sodha's Lebanese Green Beans and Vermicelli Rice from her new cookbook East  which may go on my Birthday or Christmas wish list (not that I need more cookbooks), otherwise I'd be more than happy to borrow it from the library.