After a busy full on week rushing around – you know work and kids’ stuff there is nothing like a bit of family down time.  We relish rare family gathering days such as pyjama days, TV vegging days, lazy beach walks.  I say lazy beach walks but with two active teenage boys, this usually involves a football, frisbee or in this case as it’s the ICC’s Cricket World Cup time, a cricket bat and ball.

After rousting up my people on the promise of a beach picnic after a game of cricket, we all picked which country we wanted to be and whichever team you picked, this was your World Cup Cricket team throughout the tournament.  I picked Bangladesh (only fair as I picked a traditional Bangladeshi meal for our picnic choice).

After lots of banter amongst husband and our boys as to which team they should have picked/who was going to win etc, we finally headed out on the short walk to the beach.  Even on the walk, this was full of hearty laughs on who was going to be top scorer of the tournament and why their country choice was the winning choice.

Either way, a precious family day, good food, lots of laughter – I think I’m a winner.  My people – my team.

Chicken Khubani

(serves 4)

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

500g chicken breast, large cubes

4 large tomatoes, chopped

6 dried apricots, finely chopped

5cm piece fresh ginger, grated

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon paprika

4 cardamom pods, crushed pods discarded

In a large frying pan, gently fry the onion in the oil for about 5-8 minutes until starting to soften then add the garlic.  Continue to cook for a further 5 minutes until the onions are starting to colour.  Turn up the heat, add the chicken pieces, and continue to cook until tinged with brown all over.

Add the tomatoes, dried apricots, ginger, cinnamon, paprika and cardamom, stir together, and cook for 10 minutes.  Add a couple of tablespoons of water if looking too dry.

Coriander Chutney

1 large bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 spring onions, finely chopped

Juice from 1 lemon

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

½ teaspoon garam masala

Pinch sugar

Pinch of salt

Mix ingredients all together.

Serve with chapatis, shredded lettuce.

I was asked by Betfair to take part in the Cricket World Cup Recipe challenge.