Hi!

I'm new to this site! (and cant work out how to register!!!) I'm 29 years old and havent yet learnt to cook properly! I have been vegetarian since I was 5 but this week have decided I should be eating meat! I've also recently converted to Islam and my partner has bought me some Halal chicken, lamb and beef pieces and I am stuck as to how to cook them! Having only ever cooked vegetarian food I have no idea even what spices go with each! Does anyone have any advice as to the best recipes to start with? I'm wanting to start with some healthy options!

Any suggestions would be very very welcome!!!

sam xxx

Hello Sam

You do not need to register to use this site, that is only for people who work on the site.

There is no difference in cooking Halal or non-Halal meat/chicken etc. I would suggest that you decide on the main ingredient that you want to cook, like chicken or potato or a dal, and then search for that recipe on this site. For a beginner, these two are good. Basic Curry Sauce and Basic Recipe for dry vegetable bhajies. If you get stuck with something, ask here. There are many people here who will be happy to help you out.

Mamta

Welcome to the site and a whole new life....

What sort of vegie dishes have you been having and do you want similar things but with meat? Things like chicken curry rather than a veg curry are obviously very similar so wouldn't be too much of a shock to your taste buds...

Steve

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions! I think I just need to be a bit more daring! When I was veggie I stuck to salads and pasta! I didnt venture into cooking Indian food, and there wasnt much protein in my diet.

sam x

Hi Sam!

Welcome to the site!

Probably one of the first ways you can be more adventurous is to choose some ingredients that you don't normally buy or eat much yet.

If you can tell us more about what you've been eating so far we can make some suggestions on how to add more variety and excitement!

Kavita

Hi!

Well I'm used to eating a vegetarian diet, as Ive been vegetarian for 20 years! So Ive got some Halal chicken, lamb and beef, but have no idea what to do with it! (I'm ashamed to say!)

In the past Ive always had mainly pasta things with veggi protein, and I did make a chick pea curry a couple of times, which was lovely!

sam xxx

Hello Sam

There you are! If you made a lovely chickpea curry, you can make any curry. Don't feel sorry, we all have to learn sometimes. All you have to do is decide on a recipe and then follow the steps. Nothing is difficult, as long as you have the ingredients and you follow the steps. In time, you won't even need to look at the recipes and be inventing your own.

Good luck.

Mamta

Hi there Sam,

Even if you had stuck to veggie cooking, you'd have expanded the range enormously just using Indian cuisine.

You could try meat dishes with a vegetable side dish.

We love thin green beans in black mustard seeds, garlic and chilli as a vegetable side dish.

Have fun!

phil