what's your smuggest recipe?

[gratefulforwhatihavegot]

The one where when people come round they are really impressed but then you say "oh it's nothing"

Not one dish - not smug enough. An Indian banquet, two chicken dishes, a dhal, rice, 2 x homemade chutneys, a poncey salad and two different puddings.

Roast chicken. My parents bless them are both good cooks but have never mastered the art of chicken and are astonished when I do one for them. Mum makes amazing roast lamb so wtf?

Pies with homemade pastry - it's a faff I guess that's why no one makes it any more? Even though a monkey could do it

Moussaka - I find it genuinely difficult to make though so I do bask a bit if people comment on it but it is a bit heartbreaking to do all that assembly with layers of breaded aubergine, home made bechamel with bloody eggs whisked in, all done in about 5 different pans and then it looks like cat sick the moment someone digs in.

Disclaimer I am not a proper cook and don't do fancy stuff. I can do a nice soft chapati or a lovely flaky paratha but no bugger has ever complimented my roti skills.

Spurious what are your chicken dishes and your poncey salad?

Bread: dough made in bread maker then tipped on baking sheet and cooked in oven. Everyone is always really impressed but it really is nothing.

My bread rolls!

Bread prepared on the 'Dough' cycle in the bread maker, shoved in the oven and served up as art-ee-san baking. ha hee ha hee smugness.

vrtra can I come round and try your paratha and rotis? Please pretty please.

OP, Well you did say 'smuggest' so I have to say that my style of peasant food cooking goes down well. Simple basic ingredients like fresh veg, grains, pulses etc. and olive oil. I think in a past life I was a Jewish Italian Nonna.

I make an amazing vegan trifle that no one guesses is without dairy, I made it for a french Bring a Dish evening and they shoved it down so fast you'd never have thought it was possible!

My smuggest dish is Tandoori Masala Fish, fragrant Basmati rice and spicy herby potatoes which I can cook in 20 minutes from frozen. When guests pop round to see us and it appears to be bordering lunch time, I pop into the kitchen and make this and they are like wow! You didn't even know we were coming! They say "a cup of tea would have been fine" but they go home well impressed and I feel great. Love feeding people.

Yesterday hubby asked if I knew how to make puris (like a fried chappati that puffs up). I said no, figured it out (google), 15 mins later we were all having hot puris on their own as they were so yummy.
Would love to teach others how to cook as I'm mad about cooking healthy Indian food!

Mine is bread too. I don't have a bread maker, so all hand kneaded for extra smugness

Pork, apple & Stilton plait.

All it is is sausage meat, chopped apple & crumbled Stilton in puff pastry but it just works iykwim?

Also do the filling in sausage rolls - my FIL regularly asks me to make him a batch .

Chicken dishes are Rick Stein recipes - chettinad chicken and chicken pasanda. The poncey salad is a Sarah Raven one - radishes, mango, cucumber, walnuts and other yummy things.

Creamy seafood spaghetti. Actually really easy, but seems posh.

A chicken casserole which has no cream or cheese but somehow tastes creamy and cheesy and delicious but is so easy!
Also a very simple cheesecake which is white chocolate biscuit base, strawberry cream cheese filing and dark chocolate and fresh strawberries on top. So easy and people are always so impressed with that one. Naturally it tastes like heaven but looks good too.

Tandoori masala fish... Recipe!!!! Sounds amazing

ppeatfruit please can I have your recipe?

These sound amazing, we need recipes!

Mine is a yummy chicken massaman curry. Needs lots of ingredients for the sauce but then is really easy. Is so delicious, I always make it for friends and they are v impressed!