Alina.homecook

Alina.homecook UK Food Creator | Mum | English Teacher |
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15/09/2026

Let’s try again - save this 📌

This is the rice recipe to go with the Leg Of Lamb recipe -

In a large pan, add 2 large finely chopped onions + 3 tbsp ghee or butter. Soften, then add 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamom pods + 1 cinnamon stick. Cook for 6 minutes.

Add 3 tsp salt (adjust to taste, remembering the lamb juices will also contain salt) and cook for another 10 minutes until the onions are beautifully soft.

Add 3 tbsp of the spice mix from my Leg of Lamb recipe and cook for around 6 minutes, until fragrant and the kitchen smells incredible. 🤎

Now carefully remove the lamb from the roasting tray and cover it. Do not waste those juices! Slowly sieve all the lamb juices into your pan. If you want to know exactly how much you have, sieve them into a measuring jug first.

This is where your measurements may differ from mine: the amount of juice your lamb produces will depend on your lamb and roasting tray.

Add 3 dried limes (I find these in Turkish supermarkets) + ½ cup saffron water made by mixing 2 pinches saffron with ½ cup warm water.

Add 4 cups washed rice. Don’t soak the rice, as we want to avoid it becoming mushy.

For the liquid, use the 2:1 rule: 1 cup rice = 2 cups liquid. This includes BOTH your lamb juices and saffron water.

For mine, I had:
3 cups lamb juices + ½ cup saffron water = 3½ cups
So I added another 4½ cups of hot kettle water to give me the full 8 cups of liquid needed for 4 cups of rice.

💡 Your amount may be different, so measure your lamb juices first, add the ½ cup saffron water, then top up with hot water until you reach the amount needed for your rice.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat. Cover with a clean tea towel, then place the lid firmly on top to seal in the steam.

Cook for 20 minutes. Take a little peek and taste a grain. If cooked, switch off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Then fluff, serve and get ready for that lamb to steal the show. 🍚🤎

14/09/2026

My old but much-loved recipe, one I’m asked to make for every celebration. 🥹❤️

Follow me for much loved recipes like this one.

Written version is on my page- if you’d like me to send it to you -

1. Comment ‘recipe’ below
2. Follow Me ❤️

13/09/2026

🍚 THE SAFFRON RICE | Method

In a large pan, add 2 large finely chopped onions + 3 tbsp ghee or butter. Soften, then add 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamom pods + 1 cinnamon stick. Cook for 6 minutes.

Add 3 tsp salt (adjust to taste, remembering the lamb juices will also contain salt) and cook for another 10 minutes until the onions are beautifully soft.

Add 3 tbsp of the spice mix from my Leg of Lamb recipe and cook for around 6 minutes, until fragrant and the kitchen smells incredible. 🤎

Now carefully remove the lamb from the roasting tray and cover it. Do not waste those juices! Slowly sieve all the lamb juices into your pan. If you want to know exactly how much you have, sieve them into a measuring jug first.

This is where your measurements may differ from mine: the amount of juice your lamb produces will depend on your lamb and roasting tray.

Add 3 dried limes (I find these in Turkish supermarkets) + ½ cup saffron water made by mixing 2 pinches saffron with ½ cup warm water. Then add 2 cups sultanas- optional.

Add 4 cups washed rice. Don’t soak the rice, as we want to avoid it becoming mushy.

For the liquid, use the 2:1 rule: 1 cup rice = 2 cups liquid. This includes BOTH your lamb juices and saffron water.

For mine, I had:
3 cups lamb juices + ½ cup saffron water = 3½ cups
So I added another 4½ cups of hot kettle water to give me the full 8 cups of liquid needed for 4 cups of rice.

Your amount may be different, so measure your lamb juices first, add the ½ cup saffron water, then top up with hot water until you reach the amount needed for your rice.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat. Cover with a clean tea towel, then place the lid firmly on top to seal in the steam.

Cook for 20 minutes. Take a little peek and taste a grain. If cooked, switch off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes - rice will continue to cook.

Then fluff, serve and get ready for that lamb to steal the show. 🍚🤎

11/09/2026

Lunch couldn’t be easier with this recipe! FOLLOW for more ❤️

For a written version of this recipe sent directly to you - like and comment on the recent post ‘gajjar ka halwa’ 🥰

11/09/2026

SAVE FOR A SHOW OFF MOMENT 😏

Start by making your spice blend. In a dry pan, add 4 tsp cumin seeds, 9 tsp coriander seeds, 30 cardamom pods, 6 tsp whole black peppercorns, 6 tsp cloves and 3 cinnamon sticks. Toast the spices over a medium heat until fragrant, but keep a close eye on them because you don’t want them to burn.

Once toasted, grind the spices until you have a fine, fragrant blend, then transfer to a bowl. Stir through 2 tsp turmeric and 2 tsp salt.

Remove 9 tsp of the spice blend and set aside for the rice. I use approximately 2 tsp of the spice blend per cup of rice.

To the remaining spice mixture, add 7 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp garlic purée and 2 tbsp ginger purée. Mix everything together until you have a rich, aromatic marinade.

For the lamb, I used a just over 4kg leg of lamb. Using a sharp knife, make deep slits all over both sides of the lamb. Sprinkle with a little salt, then generously rub the marinade all over the meat, making sure to work it into those little cuts so all that flavour can get right in.

Now grab a large, deep oven tray and add enough water to cover the bottom by around 2cm. This does two jobs: it helps keep the lamb beautifully moist as it cooks, and the juices and water will create a delicious stock that you can use for the rice.

Place a rack inside the tray and sit the marinated lamb on top. Cover the lamb with parchment paper, then tightly seal the entire tray with foil. You want it well sealed so the steam stays trapped inside.

Place into a preheated oven at 160°C and cook for approximately 5 hours.

I recommend checking it after 4 hours, as every oven behaves slightly differently. You don’t want the lamb to dry out, and you also want to make sure there is still enough liquid in the tray for your rice.

Once cooked, the lamb should be incredibly tender and full of those warm, fragrant spices.

For the rice recipe, comment below and I’ll share it with you. 🤎

06/09/2026

There’s something about gajjar ka halwa when the weather starts getting colder. Warm, fragrant, rich and comforting, with saffron, cardamom, buttery ghee and toasted nuts in every spoonful.

Recipe:

Start with the prep of the carrots and grate 1 kg carrots. Set aside.

In a small pan heat up 4 tbsp of milk and add a pinch saffron and set aside.

In a pan add 2 tbsp of ghee and your carrots. Let this cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Let the sweet smell takeover.

Then add 800ml of full fat milk. Leave the heat on medium and cook for 25 minutes, then high for 10 to help evaporate the milk.

Then add 1 tsp ground cardamom and mix. Then add 170g of sugar and 1 tbsp condensed milk (this is not an overly sweet recipe so add more if you like those restaurant style sweet). Mix and leave on the heat to thicken again.

Then add 50g milk powder and our saffron milk and let it thicken again.

Switch off and serve with ice cream.

🍁

02/09/2026

Sound on 🔊 Trust me, you’ll want to hear this one…

Creamy Chilli Crunch Pasta 🍝🌶️🧀

This is officially my kind of cooking… throw everything into one dish, let the Ninja CRISPi Microwave do its thing, and somehow you end up with creamy, cheesy pasta with a golden crispy top. 😂

Recipe 👇🏼

In the Ninja glass tray, add 700g raw penne pasta, 2 tsp garlic purée, 2 tsp tomato purée, 1 tsp coarse black pepper, 2 tbsp chilli flakes (adjust to your liking), 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste) and 2 tsp dried mixed herbs. Give it all a good mix.

Add 600ml milk, 300ml double cream and 700ml good-quality passata, then mix everything together.

Place the tray on the top shelf of the Ninja CRISPi Microwave and select FUSION, which uses both the microwave and air fryer functions.

Microwave for 40 minutes. When there are 5 minutes left, pause and sprinkle over a generous mix of your favourite grated cheeses. Put it back in and let it finish the microwave cycle. It will then automatically move onto the air fryer function, so there’s nothing else you need to do.

Air fry for 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden, bubbling and beautifully crisp on top. 🤌🏼

Serve with a crisp salad and an ice-cold drink for the ultimate easy family dinner.

My kind of cooking: press buttons, collect compliments. 😂

foodtok familydinner weeknightdinner mealprep

01/09/2026

15-minute dessert hack 🤎🍫

And before anyone asks… yes, I fully believe assembling things beautifully counts as cooking. 😂

Save this one for when you need to impress people with minimal effort.

24/08/2026

If you’re still buying egg sandwiches… we need to talk.

Egg & Cress Sandwich Filling 🥚🌿

Finely chop 2 red onions in a food processor, then finely chop 10 boiled eggs and add both to a large bowl. Season with 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper and 2 tsp chilli flakes, then mix well. Add 2 punnets of cress and gently mix through. Stir in 1 tsp mustard followed by 400g mayonnaise, mixing until everything is beautifully combined and creamy. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Creamy, peppery, slightly fiery and packed with that fresh cress flavour. Perfect piled into a soft sandwich.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I probably shouldn’t post this before sharing the recipe… but look at it. 🥹🥕Glossy, rich, fragrant with saffron and card...
22/08/2026

I probably shouldn’t post this before sharing the recipe… but look at it. 🥹🥕

Glossy, rich, fragrant with saffron and cardamom, with that unmistakable milky sweetness and toasted nuts scattered through every spoonful.

The kind of dessert where you take one bite and suddenly the bowl has disappeared.

Should I give you the recipe?

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