brunch

Try some ghee

Next time you make a curry, try some ghee instead of oil – it's clarified butter used in authentic Indian cooking.

Meet the Grunerts: Sharmila, Peter, and Savithri senior and junior

Sharmila says: ‘My mum Savithri has hundreds of recipes in her brain, some incredibly complex, but she rarely writes them down. The trick with this dish is to keep some crunch to the finely chopped onions and the hot green chillies in the omelette. It should taste both spicy and fresh.

‘They are easy to make and can be served with dahl, basmati rice (with a bit of ghee on top) and a sliced raw onion by the side (or with a salad) for a quick and tasty brunch.

‘I remember enjoying these from a young age, with family and friends coming and going at the weekend. The omelettes would only ever be served straight from the frying pan.

‘I so enjoy seeing my mum and daughter cooking together, passing along this family tradition.’

Indian-style omelette

For a tasty new take on the ultimate speedy lunch, try this Bombay classic as an afternoon energy boost.

Serves 1 | Ready in 10 mins

Faff factor | VE GF |

• 2 free-range eggs

• 2tbsp fresh coriander

• 1 Asda Extra Special Echalion Shallot, or half a red onion finely diced

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1tsp Asda Hot Curry Powder

• ¼tsp ground turmeric

• ¼tsp ground coriander

• 1 vine ripened tomato, seeds removed, diced

• 1 Asda Hot and Fragrant Thin Chilli, finely sliced (optional)

• 10g ghee or butter

1 Beat the eggs in a large bowl or jug. Finely chop the coriander and set half of it aside. Put the rest of the coriander and all the other ingredients, except for the ghee, in with the the beaten egg and mix really well.

2 Melt the ghee or butter in a small non-stick pan over a medium heat, season and pour the egg mixture into the pan. Cook for 1 min, pushing the mixture from side to side and tilting to allow the egg to cook evenly. Then allow the omelette to settle and without moving it, continue to let the omelette cook gently for about 2–3 more mins or until the egg has just set on the top 3 Scatter with remaining coriander and serve straight away.

Cook’s tip: The residual heat in the pan will continue cooking if the egg is left in the pan so be sure to transfer to a plate if not serving straight away.

Leftovers tip: Leftover omelette makes a great sandwich filler – try it!

Meet Craig Hobson and his mother Rita

Craig says: ‘Sunday brunch is definitely my favourite meal of the week. It’s my time to relax after a busy week spent with patients in my aesthetics clinic. I make sure I get together with my mum for a long leisurely brunch at least once a month for a good catch up.

‘I’ve started the year on a health kick – I hope it lasts! I’m on a vegan diet and eating plenty of fresh food. I got a waffle pan for Christmas, which I love – I use it all the time. At the moment I like fresh fruit toppings, like blueberries and raspberries. Then I sprinkle some seeds on top too – maybe sunflower or pumpkin – and finish with a drizzle of honey or a spoonful of creamy Greek yoghurt at the side.

‘Mum loves bananas with slices of peaches or plums – if we can get some nice ripe ones! You could pretty much put anything on top of a waffle, although I find softer fruits best. Mango and melon is also good, and a few walnuts or almonds broken into bits gives you a little crumble on top. I slip a cheeky slice of vegan mozzarella in there too, I love the texture.

‘The waffles are amazing – no eggs! I use baking powder instead. They come out really crispy on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside.’

Vegan waffles with tropical fruit and nuts

It’s all in the topping with these light-as-air waffles. Pile them high with juicy fruit, dollops of yoghurt and granola crunch for a sweet start to the day.

Serves 4 | Ready in 45 mins

Faff factor

• 300g plain flour

• 1tbsp baking powder

• 75g golden caster sugar

• 50g Asda Just Essentials Soft Spread, melted

• 2tbsp maple syrup

• 300ml Unsweetened

Asda Almond Milk

• 1tsp vanilla extract

• 2tsp oil for brushing

Topping ideas

Topping 1

Kiwi, melon, Asda Strawberry

Soya Yoghurt

Topping 2 Blueberries, soya yoghurt, flaked almonds

Topping 3

Raspberries, peaches, bananas, maple syrup

Topping 4

Pineapple, soya yoghurt, Asda Tropical Granola, pistachios

1 Mix the flour, baking powder and caster sugar in a bowl. Combine the melted spread, syrup, almond milk and vanilla extract in a jug.

2 Gradually whisk into the flour mixture to make a smooth batter.

3 Heat the waffle machine. Brush the top and bottom surface of the waffle maker with oil then spoon roughly ¼ of the mixture into the centre, leaving a border of at least 1cm to prevent overspill. Close the lid and cook for 9 mins. Repeat until you have 4 waffles. Keep the first batches warm.

4 Finish with toppings of choice

Cook’s tip: Don’t worry about a few lumps in your batter, the flour will cook out and it’s best to not overmix batter Leftovers tip: Leftover waffles can be frozen for up to 3 months

BUDGE T ONLYSAVVY 58p

A SERVE

Stack a snack

If you don’t have a waffle maker, whip up your batter into thick pancakes and pile ’em up.

Meet Liam Cooper and family

Liam says: ‘My sister Steph and I enjoy travelling to the States with friends and family and have been lucky enough to have had more than one trip to the US. We love all things American – from the culture and climate, to the fun activities and sightseeing. But by far the biggest draw for me and my sister is the food. It all starts with the first meal of the day. American breakfasts are second to none and we’ve made many trips to US diners for this brilliant dish and in many guises. Our favourites include hash browns, especially from rustic local joints that get the crispiness just right. Hash browns can go with anything and it’s always exciting to see those potato treats on the plate.

‘Steph and I live quite far apart so when we meet up, along with her boyfriend Chris and our mum Suzanne, we like to recreate our US experiences. Cooking a hash brown-themed breakfast or brunch takes us right back to happy memories of American breakfasts. Sometimes home fries (small chunks of fried potato) take the place of hash browns, but eggs, avocado, peppers and onion all go well with crispy streaky bacon to make our own diner brunch.’

We want to know what you’re cooking up in the kitchen with friends or family. Email your story – with a selfie – to mykindof@asdamag.com.