A great winter recipe

I’ve lived and worked in quite a few countries in my time – in both Central Europe and Central Asia. In culinary terms, Cehia was perhaps the most boring – although great for beer, with Slovakia being better for wines. But it was Azerbaijan – with its Persian traditions – that offered the most exciting eating particularly the way they embellish the main meal with FRUIT.

Since my Glasgow days, I’ve always been partial to curries – with side-dishes of banana and yoghourt, oranges and onions.

Here in Romania, I now blend these traditions – with minimal meat.

My meals most days consist of

• a very few portions of turkey or muscle pork – the pork should have slices of garlic inserted into cuts ar regular intervals and topped with mustard; the tarkey should be impregnated with pepper balls. When done, they should be marinated in garam marsala powder

• half a tin of juicy smoked beans

• sprouts, carrots and a couple of chopped potatoes

• small amount of chilli and soya sauce,

• chopped and pickled carrot and onions

• one chopped celery stalk

• a couple of tablespoons of tomato juice

• generous helpings of garlic and natural ginger

• a touch of apple chutney

• a few fried mushrools

• with a few pueces of orange and banana added after it’s been heated

Sometimes a touch of coconut milk can add a bit of zest