Plus we find out her top batch-cooking tips
It's been almost nine years since Nadiya Hussain won The Great British Bake Off, and now she's releasing her ninth cookbook, Cook Once, Eat Twice, which is all about using leftovers and making the most out of your time spent in the kitchen.
We caught up with her to discuss the book, which is a companion to her upcoming BBC Two cooking show of the same name, and her top cooking tips.
"I always have a million ideas in my head, and it has to be something that I really know in my gut... It's a weird gut thing; I know in my gut that that's the right book to write. I'm usually led by my family and what they're eating," Nadiya says, about approaching ideas for a new cookbook.
"And I'm also really led by what we need, because I feel like I am definitely a solution-based cook. I want to help - I want to eliminate the fear of being in the kitchen. Every time I write a cookbook, my first thought is, 'How do I help? How am I helping? Am I making it more complicated, am I making it more difficult?' so that's usually the first thing that leads me down the right path."
Cook Once, Eat Twice is all about convenience, so what are Nadiya's top batch-cooking tips?
“When I’m batch cooking, one of the things that I think is really, really important is to bulk everything up with vegetables, no matter what I’m making – blended onions, tomatoes, carrots, that kind of stuff – it’s a really good way of adding thickness to a sauce, whilst also adding lots more nutrition. Whether I’m doing mince, chicken, a curry or a stew, I always like to bulk everything up with vegetables because I think that really helps that batch cook go a long way.”
From Sticky Honey Mustard Toad in the Hole Burgers and Courgette Spaghetti, to Paneer Karahi and Lemon Sherbet Loaf, the new cookbook is filled with delicious recipes. Nadiya says that the Banana Peel Curry is one of her favourites.
"I love the Banana Peel Curry, because I think people are gonna be like 'Wow, what?!' I also really love the chowder, which is a really great recipe because you make the whole batch of chowder using frozen sweetcorn, and then you take one half, and you turn them into pies and pop them into the freezer.
"I also really love the Espresso Chocolate Cake, which is the favourite in our house."
As for her favourite family recipes that she's grown up with, her mum's chicken korma is top of the list:
“I think if there’s going to be one thing that reminds me of my childhood, it’s probably my mum’s chicken korma. She only cooks it twice a year and it is the most aromatic, most beautiful thing.”
What elements comprise a classic 'Nadiya recipe'?
"I don't think there's an element, I think it's more about fun. I think all of my recipes are a lot of fun and that's what makes my recipes, my recipes.
And with Christmas coming up, does she have any genius tips and tricks she can share?
“One of the best ways to jazz up any leftovers at Christmas when you’ve got turkey and veg and gravy is to go for a Boxing Day curry – but what I would do is mix everything up (veg, gravy, turkey, stuffing) and then chop it up, mix it and put it in puff pastry and make little Christmas Dinner parcels. Puff pastry solves a lot of problems”.
What makes Cook Once, Eat Twice particularly great, is that it's written for all skill levels, and is so easy to follow that Nayiya has given her son a copy to take to university.
“I’m really hopeful that he (Nadiya's eldest son) will use my recipes when he goes to uni next year, but he’s definitely a very confident cook. He’s quite confident in the kitchen, so I think he will definitely be using a lot of my cookbooks, because he likes being in the kitchen and he likes cooking.
"My cooking always adapts to my family; every book that I’ve ever done is about what stage I’m at with my children and where I am with my family, and this one is perfect because it’s something that any member of the family can pick up. They’re simple enough for children to do. They’re simple enough for a novice in the kitchen who is maybe a little bit afraid or not sure how to go about making something in the kitchen. Still, also, really great for people who are really confident cooks and want to do a recipe, get it done, get it in the freezer and just get on with life – and for students – so I think it’s a great book.”
Cook Once, Eat Twice
Nadiya's Cook Once, Eat Twice will air on BBC Two and iPlayer at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17th. The accompanying cookbook is available to purchase now.
Amazon/BBCNadiya Hussain's career highlight
“I’ve had some incredible career moments andI think I can say I’m lucky enough to probably – in the future – have some more incredible career moments. I think receiving an MBE was probably a huge highlight.”
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.