Reader offer: Luxury cottage retreat (closed 30 April 2014)

10% off bookings at beautiful holiday cottage: Cappele Cottage, Snowdonia Standing alone in a peaceful valley, Cappele Cottage near Corwen, Snowdonia effortlessly mixes contemporary style with rustic character. Cappele's idyllic location is perfect for hiking and biking in the Snowdonia Hills or simply relaxing and romancing and enjoying some of the wonderful food that Wales has to offer.

After a day outdoors you can indulge yourself with a long soak in the claw-foot bath looking out onto the rolling valley, then take your pick from one of the two bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and unique style.

This month The Simple Things has teamed up with luxury holiday company Sheepskin to offer 10% off bookings of four nights or more at this cosy, traditional farmhouse with a modern twist.

This offer is available for all bookings made by 30 April 2014. For more information on Sheepskin's holiday cottages call 01865 764087 or visit www.sheepskinlife.com.

Asparagus with Gill Meller, River Cottage

River Cottage's head chef explains why home-grown asparagus is worth waiting for, in April's issue of The Simple Things. "We've been waiting three years for our asparagus bed at River Cottage to yield anything considered ripe for cutting," says Gillon Meller. "Patience, our gardener insists, is the watchword when growing this delicate little plant."

"The first asparagus of the season always signals the beginning of good things to me. Maybe it's the promise of better weather or perhaps it's the variety it brings to the kitchen for the few weeks it's with us. In late March and April, I make it my culinary mission to find the freshest cut spears I can. That can mean going to quite some lengths, but it's well worth it.

"There's such a big difference between week-old asparagus and that which has been cut within hours of eating. The natural sugars found in this superb short-seasoned vegetable quickly start converting to starch, which means they lose their sweetness as each hour passes. We'll often jump in the car a few hours before service and hare up the old track to our local grower's patch in order to pick up spears cut fresh to order."

In his menu for The Simple Things, Gill has paired asparagus with 'one of the most delicious cuts of meat known to all good men - the humble pork belly'.

For the full recipes, see The Simple Things, April issue:

Slow roast pork with chargrilled asparagus and mint

Lamb's kidneys with mustard & cream

Purple sprouting broccoli with taramasalata, preserved lemon & smoked paprika

Gillon Meller is head chef at River Cottage HQ, which is found on the Devon and Dorset border. He also contributes to cookbooks, teaches at the River Cottage Cookery School and appears regularly on the River Cottage TV programmes.

To book your place on a course at River Cottage HQ visit www.rivercottage.net

Follow Gill on Twitter: @gillmeller

Food from afar: Bomboloni

Bomboloni: delightful to say, even more delightful to eat. And possibly even onomatopoeic, if you attempt to exclaim "bloomin' lovely!" while you're eating them! Doughnuts fulfil a basic human craving the world over and countless countries have their own spin on them - there's the French beignet, the Turkish tulumba and the Israeli sufganiya to name but a fraction. Bomboloni are the Tuscan contribution to the planet's exhaustive list of things to do with sweet, deep-fried dough and, dare we say, one of the best.

Read more about these delicious little mouthfuls of delight in April's issue of The Simple Things - buy now or look through.

And if you feel like making your own, this recipe looks tempting.

Kirstie Allsopp presents The Handmade Fair

We are delighted to announce that we’ve teamed up with Kirstie Allsopp and Hobbycraft to bring you The Handmade Fair, coming this September to Hampton Court Palace!

Join The Handmade Fair mailing list to get all the latest updates and for access to the ticket pre-sale.

Birdsong and Beethoven

Birdsong doesn't just sound lovely - it's also good for us. Have a listen to our some of favourite birdsong music You'll have noticed a steady increase in birdsong over the past month of so. As the days grow longer (and warmer), our feathered friends get down to the very serious business of breeding, in which song plays a big role.

For us mere eavesdroppers, the pleasing tunes that now fill the air are something in which we can take great pleasure; as well as sounding beautiful, these songs bring with them a feeling of hope and rejuvenation. Along with catkins and leaping lambs, birdsong is a classic sign of spring.

Beethoven, by all accounts a great lover of the natural world, used his compositional skills to weave the songs and calls of birds into his music. The second movement of his Symphony No. 6 (‘Pastoral’) includes renditions of the Nightingale, Quail and Cuckoo (listen now). These three birds were represented by a flute, oboe and clarinet respectively and sound remarkably similar to the real thing: the “wet my lips” song of the Quail is particularly impressive.

Vivaldi found inspiration in the tinkling song of the Goldfinch, so much so that he dedicated an entire flute concerto (Il Gardellino) to this little songbird’s voice (listen now).

For more on why listening to birdsong is good for us, turn to page 114 of April's The Simple Things.

Buy your copy now, or have a flick through our sampler below:

Recipe: Brioche hot cross buns

Get everyone's favourites on the table with our laid-back Easter brunch, featuring a new take on an old classic: brioche hot cross buns Not quite breakfast, not quite lunch, but elegantly supplanting both at once, brunch is about as efficient and fun as domestic catering gets.

Easter brunch is unbeatably relaxed and satisfying, but the best thing? It practically forces you to wake up late and do it in your PJs.

The brunch menu featured in the April issue of The Simple Things:

Spinach & bacon baked eggs

Smoked salmon caesar salad on toast

Hash browns

Custard tartlets

Brioche hot cross buns

Green smoothie

Brioche hot cross buns - makes 12

Ingredients:

375g plain flour 3 eggs 100g unsalted butter, melted 45g sugar 1 pinch salt 100ml milk, lukewarm 45g sultanas 1 tsp grated nutmeg 1 tsp grated cinnamon 1 packet (7g) dry yeast

For the glaze:

1 egg yolk 1 tbsp milk

For the icing:

100g icing sugar 1 tbsp water

Method:

1. In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, sugar and spices. Sprinkle yeast over milk and allow it to prove for 5-10 minutes. Pour milk, yeast, melted butter and eggs into flour and stir well.

2. Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film for an hour or until it doubles in size. Pinch back the dough on a work surface and lightly knead for a minute. Add the sultanas.

3. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Place balls of dough 1cm apart from each other on a baking tray lined with baking paper and let them prove for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 190C (170C fan), 375F, gas 5. Just before baking, brush buns with egg yolk and milk mixture.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely golden. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

5. Prepare icing by mixing sugar with water. The icing should have the consistency of a smooth paste. Spoon it into a piping bag or use a ziplock bag with a small hole cut in a corner. Pipe and draw a cross on top of each cooled bun. Allow icing to set before serving.

Turn to page 28 for the rest of the recipes.

Buy The Simple Things now, or have a look through the digital sampler for a taste of the April issue

Grow indoor herbs PLUS a competition (closed 30 April 2014)

Add colour to your kitchen and flavour to your food…and win some brilliant freebies along the way! Choose a few herbs to grow indoors and you'll be killing two birds with one stone. You'll instantly be able to enliven home-cooked dishes with fresh flavours as well as introducing a bit of colour and interest in your kitchen while you're at it.

Indoor herbs are easy to grow providing you give them plenty of light and water them regularly - though not too much as their roots won't appreciate 'sitting' in water. Read on for our top tips, and win with Carbon Gold.

Choose robust varieties like rosemary, bay, thyme, mint, basil, parsley and hyssop if you're new to growing and buy from a good independent garden nursery. Don't be tempted to pot up supermarket-bought plants because they've been raised in specific conditions (warm temperatures and often grown in water) which make them more delicate and less likely to thrive for longer than the few weeks shelf-life they've been raised for.

Says The Simple Things' Gardening Editor, Cinead McTernan:

'I went for hyssop, which I can add to soups and stews and when the weather warms up a bit, salads. I use thyme in lots of cooking and found a really pretty variety, 'Foxley' from my local garden centre.'

Go for herbs with fairly shallow roots rather than long, tap roots if you're growing in smaller indoor pots, again to give them the best chance of growing healthily. You can use quirky containers and recycle tins, pots, and other vessels but make sure they're big enough to give the plants chance to develop a good root system, and if they don't have a drainage hole (such as a very large teapot), add a few stones to create a layer of drainage.

Fill your container with compost - go for peat-free if you can and try something like Carbon Gold'sGroChar, which is fantastic for retaining moisture in the soil. You won't have to water so often, which is ideal if you're often out and about. Cinead bought two thyme plants, dividing and planting one in the Allison's bread tin using Grochar and leaving the other in its pot.

She says: 'I often discover that the one left in the pot has dried out and I've had issues with browning leaves due to irregular watering (or lack of watering). No such problems with GroChar. Top tip: If you're using GroChar, you might think the soil is dry. Use your finger to test just underneath the top layer of soil and check the moisture levels, watering only when this feels dry.'

Don't be afraid to divide herbs, teasing the roots apart carefully, to end up with two or three plants rather than just one.

Try sowing seeds too - micro herbs are a great idea as they'll be ready to harvest in a matter of weeks and the small leaves are packed with an intense flavour compared with the mature leaves. Again, Carbon Gold have a really good seed sowing compost which I'm going to try. I've chosen 3 varieties from Jekka's Herb Farm - Bull's Blood, Wild Rocket and Red Frills Mustard. Check back in a few weeks to see how my micro seeds get on...

COMPETITION

Add colour to your kitchen and flavour to your food…and win some brilliant freebies along the way!

Give seeds the best start in Carbon Gold’s Seed Compost and add a dash of glamour by planting them in something out of the ordinary – vintage tins, charity shop teapots or even a colourful wellington boot!

Carbon Gold would love to hear about the most quirky container you’d use to house your herbs.

Their favourite idea will win a Home Grower Starter Pack worth £51.95 and five runners up will win a 1kg tube of Soil Improver each.

You have until April 30 2014 to share your most inspired ideas! Here’s how to take part…

1. Simply ‘like’ the Carbon Gold Facebook page

2. Seek out The Simple Things competition poster nestled amongst Carbon Gold’s Facebook pictures

3. Leave a comment underneath the poster, sharing your creative container concepts.

Competition closes 30 April 2014

Recipe: Dark chocolate and raspberry tarts

With four cake and biscuit recipes to choose from, April's issue of The Simple Things is a baker's dream come true. Want more? These dark chocolate and raspberry tarts are pastry perfection Already baked the Lemon & Blueberry Cake, Courgette & Lime Cake, Giant Empire Biscuits, and Raspberry & Coconut Cake featured in the April issue of The Simple Things? Here's another sumptuous recipe from Three Sisters Bake by Gillian, Nichola and Linsey Reith.

As Gillian says, 'We love food which looks as good as it tastes, and these dainty tarts certainly qualify in this category. They are so pretty, in fact, that we served them at an Alice in Wonderland-themed party we hosted at the café. Needless to say they went down a treat.'

Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Tarts (makes eight)

For the pastry:

235g (8 oz/scant 2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting 50g (2 oz/1/4 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 150g (5 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 1 large egg, at room temperature

For the dark chocolate and raspberry filling:

150 g (5 oz) good-quality dark chocolate, (50–60% cocoa solids) 100 g (3. oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 1 large whole egg and 1 large egg yolk 30 g (1 oz/1⁄6 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 12 tablespoons homemade or good-quality raspberry jam Cocoa powder/icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting 8 fresh raspberries, to decorate

Equipment:

12-hole muffin tin Baking beans

Method:

To make the pastry, place the flour and sugar in a food processor and pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter bit by bit and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse until the pastry starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Shape it into a ball, wrap in cling film, then chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°c (350°f/Gas 4) and grease the muffin tin.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 5 mm (¼ in) thick. Cut out 8 circles with a 9cm (3 1/2") round cookie cutter, and gently press the pastry circles into the greased muffin tin. Line each tart case with greaseproof (wax) paper, fill with baking beans and 'blind' bake for 15–20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove the tin from the oven, take out the greaseproof paper and baking beans, and set aside to cool. Turn the oven temperature down to 170°c (335°f/Gas 3).

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate have melted. Remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.

Using an electric hand mixer, whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar in a large bowl until glossy, then fold the whisked egg mixture into the melted chocolate and butter mixture.

Put a tablespoon of jam into each baked tart case. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cases, right up to the top and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool, decorating with fresh raspberries before the chocolate has fully set, then dust with either cocoa or icing sugar.

For the rest of the mouth-watering cakes and biscuits from the very talented trio behind Three Sisters Bake, turn to page 37 of The Simple Things issue 22.

Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Win a summer wardrobe from Seasalt! (closed 9 May 2014)

Seasalt

Enter our competition and you could be the lucky winner of a shopping spree at Seasalt clothing

Seasalt clothing is 'designed by the sea for people everywhere' and their design studios overlook the stunning Falmouth Bay in Cornwall. You'll be able to add a splash of Cornish sunshine to your wardrobe with the vibrant spring colours of the Falmouth Floral pattern, or make your outfits shipshape with timeless Breton-style tops and tees. You might also use your voucher to keep out the spring showers with Seafolly jackets modelled on the traditional fisherman's mac or long length raincoats in a variety of colours and patterns.

You can spend your £500 voucher on their website, www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk or by visiting one of Seasalt's 18 shops.  Click here to enter. Closing date 9th May 2014.

Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.futuretcs.com for more details.

Escape: The country's oldest daffodil hotspot

They brighten our homes and herald spring. Grow them, visit them or simply enjoy them - you've got to love a daff While the wild daffodils of the Lake District, with their Wordsworth associations, might be the most well known, the largest concentration of daffodils in Britain is the so-called 'Golden Triangle' around the town of Newent and the villages of Dymock and Kempley, on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border.

Quite why the plant should be here in such huge quantities is impossible to say; at some stage the plant must have appeared and then had better opportunities to survive and spread than elsewhere. One reason is that since Medieval times the open woodland it prefers has been maintained through selective cutting and coppicing - both traditional management practices - creating conditions that are perfect for certain bulbs: wild daffodils, wild garlic and English bluebells. Deciduous woodland offers enough shade to suppress grass but enough light early in the year for the bulbs to shoot. Grazing, by sheep, cattle or pigs, also helped reduce bramble, the greatest enemy of bulbs.

Find the stems to suit your style

Every garden needs the morale boost of cheery daffodils in early spring - pick your favourites

THE CLASSICS - reliable, good all-rounders Carlton AGM (Large-cupped), Dutch Master AGM (Trumpet), Golden Rapture AGM (Trumpet), King Alfred (Trumpet), Saint Keverne AGM (Large-cupped)

THE PURISTS - white varieties Broomhill AGM (Large-cupped), Empress of Ireland AGM (Trumpet), Ice Follies AGM (Large-cupped), Misty Glen AGM (Small-cupped), Mount Hood AGM (Trumpet), Dickissel AGM (Jonquil)

For more, including THE OLDIES, THE SHORTIES, THE WILD THINGS, THE POT HEADS, and THE EARLY BIRDS, plus a guide to the best locations in the Golden Triangle, turn to page 82 of The Simple Things issue 21.

Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Recipe: Make Madeleines for Mother's Day

Make your mother's day with a batch of madeleines, fresh from the oven, with our recipe  Few cakes say family and memory as strongly as these little baked beauties. Make Mother's Day special with our recipe for freshly baked madeleines - the way to any mum's heart.

These sponge shells get their shape from a moulded madeleine tray but taste just as good made in a muffin tin.

Madeleines (makes about 24)

Ingredients:

130g unsalted butter 3 eggs, at room temperature 1 egg yolk 120g granulated sugar Pinch of sea salt 175g flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp baking powder Zest of 2 medium oranges

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat until it just starts to turn golden brown. Be careful not to overheat. Set aside to cool.

2. Using a pastry brush, generously grease the madeleine tin with a little of the melted butter. Dust with flour and place the tins in the fridge to set.

3. With a stand mixer, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and slat until the batter starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Sift the flour and baking powder and use a spatula to fold the flour into the batter mixture. Add the orange zest to the cooled butter, then slowly drizzle the butter into the batter until you've incorporated all of the butter in the mixture.

5. Cover the bowl and place int he refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 22oC (200C fan), 425F, gas mark 7. Drop the batter in the middle of each mould until about three-quarters full without spreading it. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes in the upper third of your oven until slightly brown and set to the touch.

For the full Mother's Day menu - Coq au vin blanc; Citrus salad with beetroot, fennel & radishes; Apple tart; Madeleines - turn to page 28 of The Simple Things issue 21.

Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Escaping: Moon Walk

Can't wait for longer spring days to enjoy the great outdoors? You don't need to. Go for a moon walk under night skies At the tail end of winter, just before the clocks go forward, those of us who thrive in the majesty of the great outdoors start to dream. Tantalising images of sparkling spring days fill our thoughts, while some of us fantasise future ahead to the long and idyllic days of summer. And, of course, it's right that we dream; half the fun of exploring the hills, valleys, summits and coastline of our dazzling land comes from the planning and plotting of future fresh air adventures. the thought of long lazy hours spend amid basking landscapes helps sustain us through the days.

But sometimes dreaming is not enough. A snuggly jumper, a comfy sofa and a great book help us cope. There comes a point though, when the urge to be ouside and striding purposefully flares up too fiercely to ignore.

So what's a lover of great walks in the fresh air supposed to do during these tough times? The answer is simple: pull on your warm clothes, step outside and embrace the joys of the night-time ramble. Many a dull, depressing day has been revived through a heady mix of chilled night air, gentle exertion and a reflective cuppa from a flask - or something stronger in front of a roaring pub fire at the end of the evening's ambulatory adventure.

The trick is to start off slowly and build your confidence. Pick a favourite short walk - ideally one you know really well, with an elevated vantage point boasting twinkling views. Pick a bright, clear night when there's no chance of rain. Invite a willing friend along, making sure you pack a flask of scalding tea or the finest hot chocolate and some of your favourite sustenance. Then let your feet and your burgeoning spirit of adventure do the rest.

What to wear

You don't need specialist gear to enjoy basic night walking, but some items are recommended. Sturdy footwear is a must, along with a torch and spare batteries. A rucksack with ample food and liquid is also a sensible step - and there's nothing better than a flask of rich hot chocolate or tea while contemplating a stunning night-time vista. Always dress according to the the weather, and if it's very cold you should take extra layers in case you need to stop for any reason. As a rule of thumb the more ambitious your night walk, the more clothing and provisions you should take with you, just in case you're out longer than planned.

Staying safe

As long as you stay safe within your limits and take sensible precautions, walking at night should be no more hazardous than during the day. Always let someone know where you're going, your approximate route and when you expect to be back. While you're finding your feet, it's sensible to walk with others - and it's fun to share your new experiences. If you're keen to press on to more ambitious night hikes on higher ground, gaining some navigational and map-reading skills is recommended.

For more on the joys of a starlit ramble, turn to page 66 of of The Simple Things issue 21.

Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Meet the original upcyclers: Mark and Sally Bailey

Mark and Sally Bailey, king and queen of up cycling, talk us through their stripped-back style  

In issue 21 of The Simple Things, Mark and Sally Bailey share their love of beautiful, functional and nostalgic objects.

Baileys has become a destination store: a place to spend an hour or so, basket in hand, wandering around the different spaces lost in a shopping reverie. Retail guru Mary Portas has praised the way "it encourages you to meander through its rooms of beautifully merchandised spaces". All manner of delightful household objects, from wooden dolly pegs to plump sofas, are heaped into crates and packed onto shelves without feeling either congested or unmanageable. This is largely down to the acres of space available (actually 20,000 feet), but it's also due to Mark's expert eye for display. "He's often in here until midnight arranging things," says Sally.

No day is typical at Baileys. "Increasingly, we discover great things at local fairs and smallholder shows," says Sally. "We've found bakers, weavers, bodges [hand-turned chair makers] and biscuit makers there." "it's exciting how many young people are taking up traditional crafts like cheese making rather than a traditional career path," says Mark. "if we can stock their stuff, we will."

Read the full interview on page 52 of The Simple Things issue 21. Buy now, or have a look through the digital sampler:

Wordless Wednesday

Inntravel the Slow holiday people

Sponsored post: From Dawn Till Dusk

Yeo Valley’s Dairy Herd Manager Richard starts work at 4.30am to ensure that the family farm’s cows are in tip top condition. Click here to read more about life on the farm.

Have hot chocolate, will travel..

There's no better place to enjoy hot chocolate than in the great outdoors

If you're heading out for a walk this weekend, make sure you take a flask of something hot and yummy. We'll be making this delicious hot chocolate recipe from River Cottage chef, Gillon Meller. Best cooked on an open fire.

Real hot chocolate

Serves 6-8 1ltr whole milk 200g 75% good quality chocolate 2-3 tbsp sugar

1. Pour the milk into a suitable pan and set it over the embers to warm. Break the chocolate into small pieces and add it along with the sugar. Allow the hot chocolate to come just to the simmer. The chocolate will take time to dissolve properly so keep stirring. 2. Remove the hot chocolate from the heat and allow to sit for 5 mins before giving it a final stir and serving.

Read how a moonlit stroll can restore and revitalise you in Moon Walk, Issue 21 of The Simple Things, out now.

Free digital magazine!

March Madness has hit! Here's how to get hold of your free magazine.

This weekend, you can get hold of The Simple Things 19 for free. But be quick! You only have until 9am on Monday 3 March to take advantage of this offer.

Download The Simple Things 19 using the code MADNESS14

It’s easy to redeem your digital magazine – just follow the steps below:

- Go to your Apple Newsstand app - Download The Simple Things app - Open the magazine app - On iPad when in app > Tap ‘Voucher’ - On iPhone when in app > Tap ‘Help’ then tap ‘Voucher’ - Enter voucher code: MADNESS14

This promotion is available via Apple Newsstand only and will expire on Monday 3 March 2014 at 9am.

Join us for a day in the country

Spend the day learning new skills and enjoying local produce

At this special day, hosted by Yeo Valley exclusively for readers of The Simple Things, you'll be able to learn more about growing organically, watch a butter-making demonstration and receive some expert tuition on arranging flowers.  You'll spend the morning in the tranquil Yeo Valley Organic Garden, meeting the friendly garden team as you pick an array of flowers from the six and a half acres of meadow and planting beds (you'll be using those later!). A two-course homemade lunch follows in the Yeo Valley tea room after which the head chef will be hosting a butter-making session. In the afternoon Somerset florist Bee will help you display the blooms you picked in a flower arranging class. The day ends with what else but tea and freshly baked cake before you head home with your pretty flowers, Yeo Valley goodie bag and a copy of your favourite magazine!

The Yeo Valley Day Out takes place on 21st May 2014 at The Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Holt Farm, Bath Road, Blagdon, North Somerset BS40 7SQ. There are 25 places available for The Simple Things readers and tickets cost £50 per person.

WE HAVE FIVE FREE TICKETS TO GIVE AWAY!  Don't miss out, book your ticket today -  email Jill at events@yeovalley.co.uk call 01761 461425.

Closing date: 11th April 2014. For full competition terms and conditions see www.futuretcs.com

Friday night food

Try Koshari, Egypt's favourite street food - just add a beer and a good film.

Koshari is the closest thing that Egypt has to a national dish. Cheap, filling and convenient, it not only uses up all your leftovers but, also, delightfully, defies all modern-day nutritional wisdom, insisting as it does that you can have rice and pasta and noodles all at once. As well as those three carby pillars (the latter two in the form of macaroni and vermicelli), it also deploys classic store-cupboard staples lentils and chickpeas. And stick some fried onions on the top, why don't you? Then smother with spicy tomato sauce. Sounds like an unusual combo - until you try it. The perfect TV dinner.  Click here for the full recipe.

From Issue 21 of The Simple Things, on sale now. Each month The Simple Things features a different national dish in Food From Afar.  

New issue out today!

HAVE A FLICK through the brand new issue of The Simple Things by clicking here.

And don't forget our special offer – Save 50% – 2 years for the price of 1 when you subscribe today!

On sale from 28th February in all major supermarkets, WHSmith, M&S and larger newsagents. If you can't find a copy, you can buy an issue here.