Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

Sweetcorn Fritters Feedback

Used the recipe adaptions as suggested by Shaz

100g/3½oz SR flour used plain flour and baking powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper, about half tsp and several good grinds
1 tbsp sugar
2 eggs - left out as per Shaz
75ml/2½fl oz milk left out as per Shaz
350g/12oz frozen sweetcorn kernels
125-150ml/4½-5fl oz vegetable oil, for frying
scant half teaspoon garam masala

Method - as per Shaz

mix all dry ingredients in a bowl

add the defrosted sweetcorn

mix together and then add enough cold water so that the mixture is sticky not runny so it still sticks together (about 50ml)

using a spoon drop balls of mixture into the hot oil cook until golden

Notes
I would never have thought of adding sugar to a fritter recipe, but did as I wanted to follow the recipe and give a fair verdict
Shaz said they needed more spice, and I had run out of garam masala I've used so much of it recently. So I added even amounts of ground cumin and ground coriander, a generous 1 tsp each, plus a heaped tsp of a masala that I had. Combined I think they would have been a fair approximation of garam masala., but a good 3 tsps in quantity rather than a scant half a tsp.
I added just enough water so it would bind, I wanted it REALLY thick.

It made 6 fritters about the size of the top of a mug and about half an inch thick. Lovely and puffy and crunchy on the outside and deliciously chewy on the inside, but they would need to be reduced a bit to make 2 each for 4 people. Delicious flavour with all that spice in there.

I also wanted to try the savoury chutney I had done that tasted mainly of onions. Pleased to say it went extremely well with the fritters. I will def be doing these again.

Asked OH what he thought of them, he just laughed as no-one can know what he is thinking! When he realised I was determined to get an answer, he said 8 out of 10, but knowing how he is, that means he really liked them too.

weezl74 wrote: »

susanC a friend from another thread posted an interesting link to an article in the times:



It makes me think about how much it is to ask of Shirley when she works full time. I've done full time work plus all the bread baking and batch cooking, but not with children....


Hmmmmn interesting!

I don't think it's too much Weezl. When I was salaried I always cooked from scratch, and I worked long hours and had 2 girls to bring up. My personal motivation was that neither I nor OH liked the taste of ready meals, the price of them or what went into them, plus because of the skint periods of my life, I abhor waste of any kind and, to me, it seemed the 'right' thing to do - Mum's cook for their family. I stress this is my opinion, I am implying nothing about any Mum's that don't.

All that aside, it was important to me for lots of different reasons and I really didn't find it too onerous at all. In addition, one of the things, looking back, that I wished I had done was to get the other members of the family to pitch in a bit more.

Whether or not Shirley is in the position of having to learn how to cook, it is not unreasonable to expect her OH and the kids to help along the way and to learn how to feed themselves too. It's a life skill, not a womans skill, but I ackowledge that in the vast majority of families it is the woman who sorts out who eats what when

weezl74 wrote: »

susanC a friend from another thread posted an interesting link to an article in the times:



It makes me think about how much it is to ask of Shirley when she works full time. I've done full time work plus all the bread baking and batch cooking, but not with children....


Hmmmmn interesting!

please dont get dispondent our Weezl - you are creating a wonderful resource for people that WANT to reduce their outgoings...you can lead a horse to water etc etc
if Shirley wants to reduce her food bill she will make the effort and find the time. Its similar to finding the time to go to the gym after working all day and all week - if you are willing you will do it. The thing is your resource will make it alot easier for someone to at least attempt to reduce their food bill because you have done all the hard work,

weezl74 wrote: »

sweetcorn soup (I know I've not posted this before, it was a possible way of making the lunches more filling after the feedback on the meal planner )

serves 4 for 11.8p per serving. :money:

Hooray, more soup.

Have a couple that could be made with the ingredients that Shirley & Bob have in.

Carrot and Coriander
Saute 1 med onion and a tsp garlic until transparent, add 450g roughly chopped (unpeeled) carrots and saute gently until soft.

I usually add 100g red lentils here, but as we have chickpeas, we could blitz 100g dried chickpeas to a rubble and add those. Pour in a litre of water and add 1 stock cube. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add 1 tblsp fresh coriander if you have it, don't worry if you don't. Then blitz with a stick blender. Cool a little and stir in 150ml milk and 100g grated carrot. Adjust seasoning to taste. Makes 6 servings and with current Asda list costs 11p a serving


Pea Soup
simmer 500g peas in a litre of water with a stock cube for 20 minutes. Add 1 tsp mint if you have it and 1/2 tsp sugar. Mix 25g flour with a liitle cold water, add to peas. Blitz with a stick blender and adjust seasoning to taste. Serves 4 and with the current Asda list costs 17p a portion

canidothis wrote: »

looking back, that I wished I had done was to get the other members of the family to pitch in a bit more.


I agree, mind you I have two totally different daughters - 1 that wants to know what Im up to and is more than a willing helper and seems to understand how it is to work and produce meals for the family, however my 2nd daughter cannot be cajoled into the kitchen and will huff and puff at the thought of peeling a spud!

ha ha, yes, the rows we had about them doing the washing up! You'd think I had introduced child traffiking the fuss that was made! Wish I had persisted more tho