I first published an article in June 2025 about our move into an apartment after many years with a substantial garden in Frome, Somerset. this is an update as we start to head out of our first winter here. Sunflower painting with sunflowers Being both passionate gardeners, the whole loss of the outside space had the potential to leave a nasty wound on our mind set and so we embarked on a period of self-justification about what we would do and could do with the 77 square metres of indoor space that we now had to live in. The earlier blog provides a sense of that mindset and I have to say that we have not moved much away from that position at this time. We have made a few changes and we havent yet got a tree in place yet but that is just a matter of time and the right candidate. Medelina Flowering We have not lost any plants to date, although the cyclamen that we bought subsequent to the June article came close and both remain on a knife edge. As you may see from the images, the other plants have grown well and we have a couple of candidates that are now in need of division and repotting. We have had a few plants that have given us flowers and the Medelina was an absolute gem, flowering for three months or so over the summer and autumn and now rewarding us with new growth that is promising two new leaves and a flowering spike. We have. gone for a few more flowering plants. Mostly bulbs - the reticulated irises were too short lived under the Auk grow lamps. However, the hyacinths in our (unheated) bedroom are doing great. Our biggest change since June last year has been the purchase of some grow-bulbs which we have placed in the lamps in one of our shower rooms. Here we rotate the plants so that they can alternate with a slightly brighter daylight than they would get in most of the other rooms and they really look well on it. It makes a difference to the amount of watering needed over winter months as in deed, these lucky things are not actually experiencing the full force of an English winter. That being said, we had a problem with our heating in December so that for a few days we were running room temperatures in single figures for a while. One of the Medelina's new leaves suffered a bit but it has more or less recovered especially after we put a clear plastic bag around the sensitive new growth for a few days. New herbs at the back! We have taken a short rest in the herb production and have made use of the Auk lights to keep other plants happily in receipt of sunlight equivalent but we will start up the herbs again in spring. We found that we were producing more than we needed for our purposes , especially basil believe it or not. When we go back into production we may only use the one Auk and keep the other for flowering plants. In addition, some herbs don't seem to offer the fullest flavour until they have woody stems (in our opinion). Plants such as sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano. So we have been out and bought one of each as full grown plants!

I fancied doing a chicken jalfrezi recipe in the style of an English Curry House as two of my sons were partial to it. I accept of course that an authentic Bengali recipe would not have the peppers anyway. Ingredients 2 large chicken breasts 2 tbsp ghee 1 large onion thickly sliced 1 red bell pepper (also thickly sliced) 1 green bell pepper (also thickly sliced) 1 yellow bell pepper (also thickly sliced) 2 to 3 green chilies, slit 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 200g passata 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masal salt to taste Method Stir fry the chicken pieces in the ghee (or oil) until almost cooked then remove and set aside. In the same pan on a high heat add the onions and cook until softened but still retaining some crispness. Add the peppers and the green chilies and stir fry for a further 3 - 5 minutes. You want them to keep some crunch in them so don't overcook. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute, stiring to prevent sticking then add the cumin, coriander, chilli and turmeric. fry briefly until fragrant. Stir in the tomato pasata and cook for a few minutes more until the sauce looks glossy. Return the chicken to the pan and stir to distribute and coat. Heat on high for 2 to 4 minutes then sprinkle in the garam masala. Heat a further 30 seconds and then you are done. Serve with plain boiled rice. Observations The sauce should be dry-ish but using pasata instead of chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned) then the sauce was a little more liquid (which we preferred). The onions, peppers and chilies should retain a light crunch to them and not be too soft. You need to use high heat for most of the cooking so watch out for sticking and burning. Half a tin of chopped tomatoes or two large fresh tomatoes lightly chopped could replace the pasata. You could use paprika if you can't get Kashmiri chilli powder. Vary the chilli powder and number of green chilies to suit your own heat preference. The garam masala goes in a the end ( and it would be better more flavourful to make your own).

Our second visit to the Vigeland sculptures in Oslo took place in November 2024 where on a relatively sunny day we wandered about in a gentle -2C taking more time to look at the sculptures in more detail. This time we weren't walking the grandson ( although he was wrapped up in a pushchair) and we were able to view the separate components of the installation. The gallery below here is of the Monolith The Monolith stands at the centre and is the highest and tallest part of the installation. It is 17m tall and depicts 121 human figures on it old all ages and gender. Interestingly enough, I didn't see any pregnant women on it nor amongst the sculptures round about. The top of the monolith is crowned with children. The gallery below is from the Bridge On the bridge there are 58 bronze sculptures created between 1925 and 1933 and were installed in the early 1940s. The theme of these sculptures is play, lust, energy and vitalism. They depict men, women and children of different ages. The gallery below here shows the Fountain

This is a really simple and delciious meal that I adapted from a recipe I read for salmon. Personally I love scallops with a passion both for their texture and taste as well as their ease of cooking. All in all this recipe makes for a simple and tasty meal that is a joy to cook up. The ingredients are short and sweet and the method is pretty straight forward. I had to use frozen scallops in this recipe as it was done just after Christmas but always use fresh scallops if you can. Normally I would use hand dived fresh @ about £2.50 each from our local fish man. Served with samphire of course but I guess you could use any greens - kale, cavolo nero, sprouts - come to mind. And buttery mash potato of course. The cherry vine tomatoes were for colour and a little sweet and sour flavour. The. cardamom is there for taste but also it is traditionally used to support circulation and may help lower blood pressure (apparently). Ingredients 10 fresh scallops, preferably with coral 1 tbsp of ghee 1 small orange ( zest and juice of) 10 cardamon pods (Yes that's it - simples) Method NOTE: You want to have prepared and cooked your mashed potato and accompanying vegetables before you start to pan fry your scallops so that they are ready to plate. Remove scallops from shells if present and wash and pat dry with a paper towel. Zest the orange and then squeeze the juice and set both aside. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and temper in a hot frying pan being careful not to burn. When done , remove and grind in a mortar and pestle and set aside. In the same frying pan melt the ghee to a medium heat and add the scallops (cook in two batches if necessary). Cook 2-3 minutes on each side depending on size and when opaque, set aside.(See observations) Return the pan to the heat and add the orange zest and fry for a minute before adding the ground cardamon seeds, stir to mix and then add the orange juice. Stir well and then it's all over apart from the serving. Plate the vegetables and the mash and then arrange the scallops. Pour the sauce over the scallops. Observations Use fresh scallops rather than frozen if possible. This simple meal is about the scallops and it does make a difference. Don't use ground cardamom unless you cant get whole. The flavour is in the tempering and grinding. If you prefer your scallops with a crust then get the pan and oil hot before adding the scallops and only turn once, 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on size. Cooked when opaque and firm but don't overcook.

To celebrate the release of the latest and final version of the novel, Seagrum the Dwarf, I am including in this blog a bit of background about the origins of the tale and the main characters. There is also a link to the text of Chapter Three - An interview with a Vampire together with a spoken version of that chapter produced using an AI version of my voice through Resemble AI. The graphics are produced by Chat Gtp but all the text (warts and all) are proudly produced by human. This human. The idea of the story comes from the financial crisis of 2009 and obviously the 'death pledges' referrered to in the novel are 'mortgages'. The Vampire's are the bankers; the Hue and Cry is the Financial Regulator. The werewolves are based on our own dog, Gandalf, who being part border collie and part husky, looks a bit like a wolf. His eternal optimism regarding food often goes unrewarded but occasionally has its successes. The concept of a dwarfish main character probably arose out of a melange of ideas around the anticipated release of the Peter Jackson Hobbit Trilogy. The dwarfs in the LOTR film and also in the Tolkein book seemed so virtuous, despite their love of gold, that I wanted to experiment with a character that was a little darker and, arguably, a little deeper. Someone in possession of some more human characteristics. The setting of the novel, Florencetown, a mythical location in a world that I have reprised in other novels is a sort of medieval / semi classical world depending upon the geographic location. The Northern Lands described in my Collector of Tales are brutally medieval or technically more early modern whereas the lands of the Xandrian Quarters are more reminiscent of classical Bzyantium. The world, I refer to as Se Molde, sounding like "same old" and from the Old English for earth or soil. Editorial Appraisal by Chat Gpt Title:   Seagrum the Dwarf Author:  David Payne Genre:  Dark fantasy / sardonic noir / speculative satire Tone:  Gritty, sardonic, darkly comic, richly descriptive Overview Seagrum the Dwarf  is a vivid, unflinching plunge into a decadent world of taverns, bounty hunters, witches, vampires, and bureaucratic corruption. At its heart stands Seagrum — a coarse, cunning dwarf whose vices, wit, and grim practicality make him both the story’s hero and its moral caution. The narrative unfolds in a richly described, grimly humorous world that blends noir sensibilities with high-fantasy grotesquery. The writing is confident, immersive, and distinctive: lushly descriptive yet laced with dry, often caustic humor. The result is a world that feels lived-in, corrupt, and oddly believable despite its monsters and magic. The voice — half-omniscient, half-seedy raconteur — channels the sardonic bite of Mervyn Peake, the grime of The Witcher , and the wry fatalism of Glen Cook’s Black Company . Strengths Atmosphere & world-building:  The setting of Florencetown feels layered, filthy, and authentic, full of sensory grit and moral ambiguity. It breathes corruption and life. Characterisation:  Seagrum is a magnificent anti-hero — vulgar, brutal, and yet somehow philosophical. Supporting characters, from the witch Persephone to the eerie vampire “Thank You,” are drawn with similar flair. Voice & prose:  The prose is rich and deliberate, balancing dense description with cutting humor. The world’s absurdities are handled with irony, not indulgence. Thematic depth:  Beneath the bawdy violence lies a sharp commentary on power, lust, bureaucracy, and self-delusion. Areas for refinement Pacing:  The novel occasionally dwells too long in exposition (especially world background or philosophical digressions). Tightening these would help narrative flow. Consistency of tone:  The blend of grim realism and comic grotesque sometimes risks overwhelming key emotional beats — a touch more restraint in places could heighten their impact. Accessibility:  The elaborate diction and extended sentences will thrill readers who enjoy ornate fantasy but may challenge those expecting fast-paced adventure. Market potential Seagrum the Dwarf  sits comfortably within the darker, literary end of fantasy fiction — ideal for readers of Joe Abercrombie, Terry Pratchett’s later Discworld novels ( Night Watch , Snuff ), or China Miéville. Its world of cynical wit, dirt, and demi-magic could easily form part of a larger mythos or series — the world is strong enough to support it.

So we thought that we would do ourselves a cold mezze this week as an evening meal. The target was a mere four dishes that we would prepare more or less from scratch rather than buy from the supermarket. This was quite different to the hot mezze described in the novel Turtles Swimming in Sea Grass . The first task was the taramasalata so we headed off for the fish stall in the market to get some smoked cod roe. During the process of purchasing, we managed to discuss the ability of young octopus to get out of the basket traps that ensnare the older ones as well as talk about the seal that was currently luxuriating in the Boat Pool. We bought 500g of smoked roe (which was excessive for our needs) and so we froze one packet for later. The rest of the ingredients could be sourced from the supermarket or from our store cupboard. We decided on the proportions for potato and bread ( and indeed the inclusion of potato) because we happened to have a couple of boiled potatoes in the fridge and only had a limited amount of stale white bread. I guess that is how many of these staples were originally constructed. The recipe and method is set out below. Taramasalata There are an infinite variation of recipes out there. I have no idea which is authentic but I based mine on a review of a number of them and because I felt that the ingredients would work well together. Also a number of recipes call for adding the oil slowly after everything else has been added but I didn't do this and was pleased with the result in terms of both texture and taste. Ingredients: 250g smoked cod roe (about 180g with the membrane removed) 1 medium white onion juice of one large lemon 80g crustless stale bread 80g cooked potato (mashed) 170g virgin olive oil freshly ground black pepper Method: Soak the stale bread in water for up to an hour and then squeeze out as much water as possible and set aside. Remove the skin from the cod roe and set the roe aside Finely chop the white onion and set aside Cook and mash the potato if not already prepared. Set aside to cool if necessary, Blitz the onions in the food processor until they are mushy paste. Add the cod roe and the oil to the blender and pulse until mixed, then add the squeezed bread and the mashed potato and pulse to a smooth paste. Add the lemon juice and the pepper and pulse again to mix together. The longer you pulse the thicker the mix will become. Move to serving bowl and place in fridge for at least an hour before serving. Keeps up to 3 days in fridge. The only comment to be made is that the flavour improved further after a day in the fridge. No the dip is not pink liquid or the supermarket offerings. That's food dye in use there! Then there was the Felafel. I have not made this before and again there are plenty of recipes out there and plenty of different mixing styles. To me, apart from the taste and the smell ( which was heavenly as it was mixing) the key is the consistency of the mix to be formed into the felafel. The other issue to consider is the fresh herb content. We plundered our Little Auk grower for parsley and coriander. We couldn't take any dill as we had used most of it a few days ago for a mackerel recipe and it was recovering foliage. Plain flour can be replaced with gram flour for a gluten free option. Ingredients: About 400g of dried chick peas (not canned) 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda per litre of water (see method) Sunflower Oil for frying 1 medium white onion diced 5 cloves wasgarlic 3 tbsp flour ( you could use gram flower) 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tbsp cumin powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper handful of fresh cilantro handful of fresh parsley Method: Add 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda to 1 litre of water and mix. Soak the chickpeas in the water overnight (8–12 hours). Rinse then drain thoroughly and pat dry before use. Pulse the diced onion and the garlic cloves in a blender until smoothish paste. Add the chickpeas and pulse until they start to break up. Add the cumin, coriander powder and cayenne pepper and a tsp salt to the mix and continue to pulse. You are aiming for a mix that looks sort of like cous cous. (see picture). Before you get there however, add the fresh herbs to the mix and contine to pulse until all mixed in and you have the desired consistency. The smell should be heavenly. Add 3 tbsp flour and the baking powder and stir in. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave in the fridge for at least an hour but we left it over night. Form mixture into small balls (~3–4 cm diameter) or patties. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more flour. (We chose to shallow fry ) Heat oil in a pan to 175 °C (350 °F). Fry falafel in batches until golden brown and crisp (~3–4 minutes). Turn them frequently. We then put them in the oven for a further 10 minutes at 160C just to make sure the chickpea was cooked inside. We made 12 and have enough mix to make a further 24 if not more. Somem will have to go in the freezer. The ones we ate were crisp on the outside and beautifully flavoursome on the inside. They tasted wonderful. The second dip is the hummus which I have made absolutely from scratch in the past ( including making the tahini) but on this occasion I had shop bought tahini in the fridge. Ingredients: 400g can of chickpeas drained and rinsed 60 ml tahini 2 to 3 tbsps olive oil juice of 1 lemon 2 garlic cloves crushed 2 or 3 tbps of cold water salt to taste Method: Pitch the chick peas , tahin, lemon juice, salt & garlic into the blender and mix to combine. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil slowly and add a little water if necessary. transfer to serving dish and chill in fridge before serving The third and final dip for this mezze is baba ganoush, a dip made from aubergine. Ostensibly it's a weird one but it is particularly nice and simple to make. Ingredients: 2 medium to large aubergines 2 to 2 tbsp tahini 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil 3 or 4 garlic cloves pinch of salt juice from a whole lemon (I only used three quarters) Method: Preheat oven to 220 °C (425 °F). Prick eggplants with a fork and roast whole on a baking tray for 30–40 min, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and flesh is very soft. Let eggplants cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Discard the skin. Mash with a fork or blend lightly in a food processor with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, and salt until smooth but still slightly textured. Taste and add more lemon, salt, or garlic if needed. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley, smoked paprika, or pomegranate seeds. As with the taramasalata, the baba ganoush improved flavours overnight. In addition to the dips we will be adding some pan fried halloumi, some olives and chopped tomatoes and some greek stype flat breads

We put an order in for a halibut from a well known food store and when we went to collect it on 23rd December it wasn't available. This despite being informed the day before that our order was ready for collection and so on. In fact they failed to deliver four of the nine items we ordered but let's not go there right now. So at 14:00 the day before Christmas Eve, our Christmas Eve meal had gotten lost in the ether. There was only one thing to do, of course. To head off to our local fish man to see what he had available at such a late hour. We weren't optimistic and i went through a number of fishy recipes in my head as we walked there. Red Mullet, sea bass, hake, huss. It didn't even cross my mind that he might have halibut. As it was, he had all of the above and more and we came away with some large halibut steaks and some gravadlax and some smoked octopus. We had already bought samphire for the halibut recipe the day before from him. The learning from this is that we should have gone to him first and not ordered through the corporate. It worked out cheaper. It felt like a better experience and there was a little of that human banter that goes on that elevates the whole sales transaction. With hindsight, I'm not really sure why we didn't. I think it was to make the meal less of a cook and more of a presentation. Mistake noted! So the recipe was for halibut with a beurre noisette sauce with capers, served simply with new potatoes, carrots and samphire. Ingredients (for two persons) 2 large halibut steaks ( about 170g each nice and thick) 1 tbsp avocado oil 4 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 1 tbsp capers 1 tbsp of herbs eg parsley if adding (we didn't use any) salt and pepper to taste Before you start, it is worth pointing out that this is a last minute cook for the fish and so you need to have at least your potatoes and carrots pretty close to ready by the time you start on the fish. If the fish has been frozen, make sure that it has time to thaw properly. The samphire is dropped in boiling water for a few minutes to blanche and so the timing of that is important. Its a great vegetable but it wants to retain a crunch to it. Method Remove the skin carefully from the halibut if any is present then pat dry using kitchen towel. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, both sides. Put the avocado oil into your pan and bring to heat. Avocado is used here because it cooks hot. When ready, carefully lay the two pieces of fish in the pan and leave alone. Allow about 4 minutes for a streak one inch thick and adjust time to thickness as appropriate. This will enable a golden crust to form on the surface and you can see the fish cooking as the translucency starts to recede from the pan upwards. After 4 minutes carefully turn over the fish and continue keeping an eye on it. When the flesh is no longer translucent, it is cooked. remove from pan and set aside. I had a heated plate ready to keep it warm. The image shows the one steak with the crust having just been turned; the other steak is translucent on the top and is about to be turned. To make the beurre noisette sauce, add the butter to the pan and allow it to foam; then it will start to go a golden colour and turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and the capers and herbs if using and stir. Done. Assemble plate and serve. Observations It is very easy to overcook the fish and that would be a disaster. the perfect measure in my opion ids tp watch the colour of the streak on the side and you klnow it's done when it is opaque. Dont forget to turn it half way though. The other thing is to watch the pan heat so that you don't burn the fish and whatever you do don't move it before you turn it unless you want to leave bits stuck to the pan. With the beurre noisette, keep an eye on the colour of the butter after it stops foaming. The foam will disappear and then the liquid will go golden brown. At this point take it off the heat unless you really want burned (spoiled) butter! Dont overcook the samphire. Blanche it.

In a corner of The Mudwitch Tavern... This is the first novel in the in the series of taels about an irascible dwarf. It's a simple tale about greed set in a grim dark fantasy world. I asked a friendly AI to provide a brief review. If you are interested in reading it just click on the link below to download an EPUB (ebook) version. If you have feedback please add it to the comments. (It is a risk, I know, but I'm not precious.) CHAT GPT's Overall Impression Seagrum the Dwarf  is a vivid, unflinching plunge into a decadent world of taverns, bounty hunters, witches, vampires, and bureaucratic corruption. At its heart stands Seagrum — a coarse, cunning dwarf whose vices, wit, and grim practicality make him both the story’s hero and its moral caution. The narrative unfolds in a richly described, grimly humorous world that blends noir sensibilities with high-fantasy grotesquery. The writing is confident, immersive, and distinctive: lushly descriptive yet laced with dry, often caustic humor. The result is a world that feels lived-in, corrupt, and oddly believable despite its monsters and magic. The voice — half-omniscient, half-seedy raconteur — channels the sardonic bite of Mervyn Peake, the grime of The Witcher , and the wry fatalism of Glen Cook’s Black Company . CHAT GPT's Positive assessments Atmosphere & world-building:  The setting of Florencetown feels layered, filthy, and authentic, full of sensory grit and moral ambiguity. It breathes corruption and life. Characterisation:  Seagrum is a magnificent anti-hero — vulgar, brutal, and yet somehow philosophical. Supporting characters, from the witch Persephone to the eerie vampire “Thank You,” are drawn with similar flair. Voice & prose:  The prose is rich and deliberate, balancing dense description with cutting humor. The world’s absurdities are handled with irony, not indulgence. Thematic depth:  Beneath the bawdy violence lies a sharp commentary on power, lust, bureaucracy, and self-delusion. Negative assessments I'm still working on these . It's not a finished novel yet! CHAT GPT's Comparison Titles Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch / Snuff (urban satire, guilds, bureaucracy). Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast (dense description, gothic absurdity). Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law (gritty, sardonic characters, especially Seagrum). CHAT GPTs Verdict Part grimdark satire, part noir fantasy, Seagrum the Dwarf is a tale of corruption and consequence told with a dwarf’s bite and a poet’s cynicism—where every bargain has a catch, every monster has its manners, and not even the gods come out clean.

Continuing with the dal theme and following on from the Dal bhat that I reported on in September, here is another vegetarian recipe. It reflects our increasing move towards a less meat based diet. I am sure that there are recipes out there but this one was put together with the stuff that we had available. Not a little unlike the Collector of Tales in that his preference was always to make do with what was to hand, although in his case the concept of a no meat ( or fish) meal was rather alien. Chana dal is a Hindi term for both the lentils also known as Bengal Gram) and a spicy dish that is made from them. These are yellow coloured lentils that are made by splitting black chick peas and removing their skins. they are nutty and rich in protein. The benefit of this recipe is that most of the work is done in the oven in one pot other than soaking the dal. Ingredients 1 cup chana dal 1 cup split red lentils cold water ( 2 or 3 cups see method) 1 medium red onion finely diced 250g cauliflower curd 4 cloves garlic crushed and sliced 20g fresh ginger diced 4 birds eye chilies 150g ghee 3 fresh tomatoes chopped up small 1tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp paprika (I used smoked paprika) 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp ground mace 2 tbsp dried methi salt to taste (pinch) Method Rinse the chana dal a few times until the water runs clean. Bring a pan of water to boil and the tip in the dal and cover and turn off the heat immediately. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. I left if for about an hour and a half. When soaked , bring the pan back up to boil and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until the dal is cooked.(Try crushing some of the lentils and if they do they are done). Drain and set aside. Rinse the red lentils in water to remove fine particles and set aside. Heat the oven to 160C (fan) Add the ghee to a large heatproof dish and place in the oven when at temperature to melt. Add the diced onion and give it a stir in the ghee and place back in the oven for about 10 minutes before adding the rinsed red lentils. Stir and leave a further 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and slice the chillies lengthways to the dish and stir once more before returning for a further 10 minutes . Add the spices and the tomatoes and stir well before adding the cauliflower and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Add at least two cups of water and stri before returning to the oven for 10 minutes and then add the drained chana dal and place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes, keeping an eye on the absobancy of the lentils. If the mix looks dry add more water. When the dish is looking ready, add a pinch of salt and stir in the dried methi and then serve. We had a small quantity of plain boiled rice but you could equally use roti or some other flatbread. Observations Really harty meal full of flavour. Whether the addition of stock would have enhanced it coudl be tried another time but I did not think anything was lost. The chana dal benefited from soaking in boiling water. I already had cooked rice to hand but it would have. been just as easy to cook the rice in with the red lentils in the oven. That would have required a close fitting lit to enable steaming also.

This staple of Nepal is a delicious and substantial meal as an alternative to a meat based meal and contains all sorts of good things from a dietary and nutritional point of view. I have taken to cooking it in a similar manner to a biryani ( see previous post ) as I feel that the textures and flavours combine beautifully in this manner. It is a pretty basic meal that can be eaten breakfast morning or night as you see fit. The version I made here includes black lentils ( Beluga dal), brown lentils (Masoor dal), tamarind and aubergine so theres a pretty dark to black look and feel to it but you can use other lentils and dont let the colour put you off! The lentils used here retain their shape as long as you dont overcook them, unlike red lentils for example which tend to mush up a bit - not necessarily a bad thing but not what I was looking for in texture. Ingredients 1 cup of mixed black and brown lentils (Beluga and Masoor dal) 1 medium onion finely chopped 4 cloves garlic minced (see method) 2 red bird's eye chilies (chopped) 1 large aubergine 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp Ghee 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground coriander pinch ground mace 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp tamarind sauce 1 cup rice (long grain or basmati) salt to taste Method First set the oven to 230C (fan). Then wash and cut the aubergine into large dice. Place in a bowl and pour over the tbsp of olive oil. Mix well to take up all the oil. Lay aubergine pieces flat on baking parchment on a flat tray and roast in the middle of the oven for 15 to 25 minutes or until the aubergine is toasted but not burned. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce the oven to 160C (fan). Rinse the dal in cold water and check forget U hi stones etc. Then bring to boil in about 3 cups water and boil for 10 minutes or so. Remove from heat - these are not cooked but will continue in the oven when added to the rice to cook. Drain and set aside.(It doesn't matter if some water is left in the pot). Meanwhile the oven is at 160C (fan) and add the ghee to an oven proof dish. When at temperature put the dish in the oven to melt the ghee. Add the chopped onions and the chopped chillies to the hot ghee and allow to cook for about 10 minutes in the oven, Mice the garlic by peeling and chopping roughly then adding salt and mashing with the flat blade of a broad bladed knife working the knife up and down against the chopping board to mash it using the salt as an abrasive. This will mince the garlic in about 5 minutes After 10 minutes remove the dish from the oven and add the washed rice, all the spices, the garlic and the tamarind sauce, two cups of cold water and the roasted aubergines. Stir to mix evenly. Cover with a close fitting lid or foil to ensure that the rice steams properly. Return the dish to the oven for 30 to 40 minutes depending upon the state of the rice and then remove and serve.

Was watching some Rick Stein on BBC i-player the other day and saw an interesting Malaysian style curry which I thought I'd like to recreate. It was the way that the curry paste was made that appealed to me most. This version is with chicken but the mildness of the dish would also compliment fish. Apparently Ling is a good substitute for catfish or monkfish or hake. Must try it sometime. Either way the wonderful colours of the curry reminded me of a journey that I have only taken in my mind to the Xandrian Quarters. Ingredients: Curry paste - 4 shallots 4 cloves garlic 1 inch piece of ginger 2 inch piece of turmeric ( see observations) two fresh chillies 1 tbsp curry powder 2 tsp galangal paste (see observations) 1 tbsp oil The curry itself - 500g chicken breast 8 small waxy potatoes 1 small cauliflower head 400 m l coconut milk 250 ml chicken stock 1 cinnamon stick 5 cloves (see method) 5 cardamom pods 2 star anise half a lime salt to taste Method: Prepare the curry paste ingredients for the hand blender by cutting, peeling, chopping etc as appropriate. I didnt have lemongrass available and so left it out of the recipe. Equally I only had a jar of galangal rather than the fresh item. I added a tsp of powdered turmeric as well as the root. Blend with a little oil until smoothish and set aside. In a pan, heat the oil and add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and star anise and gently fry for about 2 minutes. I used more cloves than recipes but I removed the round head of the seed and used only that. Add the curry paste and fry for about 8 minutes until the oil separates. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning Meanwhile cut the chicken into bite sized chunks if not already done. Cut the potatoes in half unless very small already. Cut the cauliflower floret up into medium sized pieces. Add the chicken to the pan and stir to obtain coverage of the meat by the paste. The fry for a few minutes until the meat is cooking on all sides. Add the potatoes , the coconut milk and the chicken stock and stir to mix in. Bring to boil and simmer with a lid on the pot for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are nearly cooked. Add the florets of the cauliflower and lid for a further 10 or 15 minutes until cooked. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime. Serve with boiled rice. Observations: I could get neither lemongrass nor galangal fresh in Dartmouth so I had to use a jar of galangal and had to omit the lemongrass which was a pity as it would have added to the dish. That being said I felt that the curry was very tasty and vibrant with colour. I actually added a tsp of cayenne pepper to the mix to bring up the heat a bit but it wasn't really necessary. On a quick visit to the market for some fish I have just managed to find some lemongrass and so I will be able to revisit the curry this evening using monkfish (no ling available). Also acquired samphire to go with it instead of rice. The slightly modified fish recipe is here . I think that the chicken was good but I feel that a fish version will be a little more flavoursome.

Oslo is home to Frogner Park, a municipal open space famed for the stunning Vigeland sculpture installation. Over 200 bronze and granite works by Gustav Vigeland depicting, I assume in his words, the breadth of human emotion and experience. The works took Vigeland from 1924 to his death in 1943 to complete (designing and modelling each piece himself) and when you look at the body of work it is truly a remarkable achievement. I am sure it is documented somewhere but I wonder how that came about. Did he wake up one morning and decide to undertake his magnum opus et arduum ? Or did it come about piecemeal over time? I guess I could find out… The dates are significant because the latter years were dominated by the German occupation of Norway when, I understand, the park was used by the occupation forces for military and recreational purposes and Norwegians were prohibited from access. But to move on from that unfortunate period from all our histories and to get back to the park. It is more than a sculpture park, it is a huge open space of paths and trees, rose gardens and a lake. The lake will probably cause a level of anxiety for those with youngsters as it is below the general level of the park and the land dropping down to it in parts is quite steep. Steep enough for a three-year old to get up a good head of steam before being miraculously rescued by a fit and agile parent. However, as long as you have your wits about you and eyes everywhere (and what parent doesn’t) then there are some nice lawned areas to picnic on both near and far from the water. We walked there from where we were staying in Oscar's Gate heading NNW along Gyldenloves Gate (after a brief detour to the Apent Bakery on Inkognito Terrasse). It took us about 40 minutes allowing for the detour and allowing for said three-year old. Mostly it was along quiet residential roads. However there is a metro at Majorstuen and from there you can head SSW down the Route 161 ( you can't miss it). The walk will take about 15 minutes. The 161 is a relatively busy road. There is a Google Map at the foot of this page for reference if you are planning a visit. We have visited the park twice now, once in July and again in November. The images included here are from the summer visit. The November visit was more methodical in its photography whereas the summer visit was all about impression and look and feel. I’ll post the November pictures sometime in the future. Below are a few of the images of the site, showing some of the Vigeland sculptures including the giant column in the centre. It also shows a weird figure clasping a woman to it. This is referred to as Kvinne og øgle (woman and lizard) and is one of four corner statues in the installation. Apparently it is not meant to be any particular mythical beast but a representation of a personal struggle as seen by the observer. Such feelings as sadness, lust, addiction, fear, mortality - whatever your personal lizard might be. Sadly I only took a small number of pictures of the many figures that are laid out on the approach to this central point. Those will have to wait until the second post on Frognerparken. It has been difficult trying to find a hook to make a link to my novels and so on this occasion I’ll be blunt. Here is a link to the Collector of Tales if you are looking for a story in a slightly different style. Below are a selection of images of the park and sculptures.