Curry time! (Chicken curry, cashew nut curry, lentil dahl and coconut sambol)

Let's talk curry. Sri Lankan inspired curries are the order of the day in our household. Typically Sri Lankan meals are a buffet style affair with an array of different curried meats, fish, lentils and vegetables (or fruit) with rice, hoppers, string hoppers, pittu, lamprais and other carbohydrates. If you're no familiar with it, Sri Lankan cuisine is similar to Thai in the sense it tends to have a coconut base, but it has more complex flavours given the predominance of chilli, cardamom, cumin, coriander and cinnamon, which is found in Indian cuisine.

In addition to all the curry dishes, Sri Lankan curries also have a number of other side dishes including pickles, chutneys and sambols. One of the most popular is coconut sambol, and it's one of the easiest to replicate back in the UK (but without the Maldive fish).

Like India, the recipe and taste can vary between regions. There is no 'exact' measurements to my curry dishes - it's more of a matter of preference and experimentation. For example, while I can tolerate some heat, my boyfriend prefers hotter dish so I tend to reserve some chillis (or put them in whole while cooking, but give them to him when serving).

I'll add more curries as I make them, but these are some of more regular dishes.

So, let's begin....

Chicken curry

You will need (serves 4):

• 400g chicken breast (or thighs, if you prefer on the bone)
• 1 onion, chopped into slices (as is your preference)
• 1 garlic clove, minced (or cut into thin slices)
• 2-3 chillies (finely chopped)
• 5-10 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted curry powder (or a blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom)
• Optional: tin of chopped tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes), coconut milk

A 'dry' version of the curry.

Method

1.  In a frying pan, add the chopped onion and fry on a low temperature (in some ghee or oil) until softened.
    
2. Add the garlic and chilli with the curry powder and stir until they're all covered.
   
3. Add the chicken to the frying pan and coat in the powder [Note: for a more intense flavour, you can marinate the chicken overnight in the powder].
   
4. To avoid the meat burning and sticking to the pan, add 200ml water a few tbsp at a time. You want the chicken to cook, not burn. [Note: rather than adding water, you can add coconut milk for a more authentic Sri Lankan taste]



Add chopped tomatoes for a saucier curry.

5. If you want a dry curry, you can serve at this point. However, I tend to add a handful of fresh chopped tomatoes or a tin of chopped tomatoes at this stage and leave to simmer for a little while until the flavours have combined and the curry sauce has reduced.

Cashew Curry

You will need (serves 4):

• 250g cashew nuts (boiled in water for 15 minutes and left to cool)
• 400ml tin coconut milk
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 chillies, finely chopped
• 5-10 curry leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp chilli powder

Method

1. In a frying pan, cook the onions and chilli with the curry leaves with a splash of oil (or ghee). Once the onions have softened, add the spices and stir.
   
2. Add the drained cashew nuts, stir, and pour in the coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.
   



Serve when the sauce has thickened and reduced

.



Add coconut milk to the spices

3. Increase the heat and cook the curry until the sauce has thickened and reduced, then serve.

Lentil Dahl (dal, dhal)

You will need (serves 4)

• 400g red lentils (washed)
• 1 onion
• 1-2 chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 stock cube
• Optional: coconut milk or cream, garlic clove (minced), West Indian Hot Sauce

 
Method

Tasty lentil dahl

1. In a pan on a low heat, fry the chopped onion and chilli [and garlic, if using]. Season.
   
2. When the onion has softened, add the turmeric and stir.
   
3. Add enough water to the pan to cover the lentils by about 1 inch/2.5cm. Break the stock cube into the water and bring to the boil.
   
4. [Optional: as the water boils, add up to 200ml coconut milk, or a heaped tbsp of coconut powder (I use Maggi's coconut powder)].
   
5. Once the lentils are soft, stir and season again if required.
   
6. [Note: for an extra kick, before serving, take off the heat and stir in up to 1 tbsp of West Indian Hot Sauce].
   
7. Serve with a sprinkling of dried chilli flakes and cumin seeds.

Coconut Sambol (serves 4 as an accompaniment)

No Sri Lankan curry is complete without a sambol. Coconut sambol is reasonably easy to make. It doesn't taste as good without the fresh coconut scraped from the king coconut and using the king coconut water, but it makes a close second.

You will need:

• 1 cup of dessicated coconut
• half cup of coconut milk
• 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
• half tsp dried flaked chillies
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• half red onion, finely chopped
• juice of half lime

Method

1. In a pestle and mortar, mix the chilli flakes, chilli powder, chopped chilli and onion with a pinch of salt and pound until a thick pulp.
2. Add some of the lime juice and pour the mixture into the bowl containing the dessicated coconut. Stir
3. Add the coconut milk little by little, as you want the end product to be a dry flakey mixture, not a thick soup. 
4. Serve alongside the curry and rice as an accompaniment.

Sambol should have a dry texture

Beetroot Borani (Iranian beetroot and yoghurt humous style dip)

I recently discovered this dish after subscribing to a weekly veg box being delivered to the house, and received beetroot two weeks in a row. The first week it was fine - I roasted it with butternut squash and served with feta, cooked and blended it into a smoothie, and added it to a root vegetable casserole type dish. However, I was running short of ideas when I caught sight of a delightfully summery looking bright purple dish in my parents' newspaper. This solved the problem of what to do with the additional beetroot, but it's been a month since I discovered the recipe and I've basically made it weekly ever since.

It's a sweet earthy taste, fantastic with bread and salad. I've also served it alongside humous and baba ganoush (aubergine dip) and harrisa chicken/halloumi kebabs when having friends over for BBQs. I'd also be tempted to serve it with tortilla chips for snacking. While some of the recipes I've since come across have called for the addition of dill, I've tended to leave it out, or simply use it as a bit of a garnish (too many holidays in Eastern Europe where it seems to be served with everything have left me fearful of adding too much).

You will need (serves 4-6, or more)

• 4 medium sized fresh beetroot (unpeeled and cooked until tender, then peeled when cool) Alternatively, I have used ready cooked beetroot (about 200g, which comes in a vacuum pack).
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 tbsp strained greek yoghurt (I used a fat free variety)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp chopped dill
• 75g feta cheese, crumbled
• Handful of walnuts, roughly chopped

Method

It might look unattractive before you've topped with
feta and walnuts, but it's tasty!

1. Chop the beetroot into chunks and then blend in a food processor or stick blender until mulchy (you want to retain some of the texture, like humous).
2. In a pestle and mortar, add the minced garlic and a pince of salt and pepper and crush to a paste. 
3. In a bowl, mix the beetroot and garlic together. Add the yoghurt, olive oil, vinegar and honey and stir together. The mixture should turn from a dark purple to a slightly creamier purple (owing to the yoghurt). Stir through the dill.
4. Place the mixture into the dish you intend to serve it in, and scatter the crumbled feta and walnuts on top. If using a deep dish, I've tended to mix some feta and walnuts through the mixture first, then top with more feta and walnuts.
5. Sprinkle a bit more dill over the top, if desired, and a drizzle of olive oil to serve.

Quick Aubergine (eggplant) dip

This weekend I also rustled up a quick aubergine dip which was similar to baba ganoush (but without tahini). Over a flame (I have a gas hob, so I used that). I blackened an aubergine until the skin blistered. Regularly turn the aubergine to make sure you have an even cook. The aubergine gradually cooks inside, turning into a soft smokey mulch.

When cooked, scoop out the inside of the aubergine and place into a bowl. Add small clove of garlic (minced) and seasoning, with a splash of lemon juice (I squeezed over a quarter of a lemon). Use a stick blender to even the texture (but not making a smooth puree). Sprinkle over a pinch of smoked paprika and serve.

Quick & Easy Humous (Hummus)

Delicious & simple: humous is perfect for vegetarians & vegans

Having a predominately vegetarian diet, a fresh palate and a love of entertaining, I love mezze platters and nibbling from a number of plates that you can pass around the table. My brother and his girlfriend love food of Greek and Turkish origin, so this humous is a regular when he's around. It's also great for adding as a side to a salad for lunch or in a pitta/with flatbread.

Humous is such a simple recipe, it contains five ingredients (more if you're feeling experimental) and is a good source of protein and fibre - so perfect for vegetarians and vegans.

You will need:

• 400g tin chickpeas (or 200g dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight and then cooked for about 30 mins on the hob)
• 1-2 tbsp tahini
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from a quarter to half of a fresh lemon
• Salt and pepper to season
• Optional: roasted red pepper, jalapeno, sundried tomato, sweet chilli jam, sesami seeds, pine nuts, (smoked) paprika 
• A stick blender or food processor for blitzing

1. Add chickpeas and minced garlic

Method

Drain the chickpeas (but retain the water in a cup, and keep back a few whole chickpeas for serving, if desired).

Place in a bowl (if using a stick blender) or in a food processor with the minced garlic, tahini and olive oil. Squeeze in the lemon juice. I tend to add a clove of minced garlic at a time (depending on taste). I also hold off from adding all the tahini and lemon juice at once - it's easier to add more later, but you can't take away!

Blitz the mixture with the stick blender or in a food processor until it's a thick, lumpy paste. Don't remove all of the texture. [Note: if making a red pepper or jalapeno humous, add a skinless, chopped red pepper or a chopped jalapeno at this stage and blend with the chickpeas]

2. Add tahini, lemon juice and oil

Check the texture and if too stiff, add a little of the chickpea water (a teaspoon at a time) and the additional lemon juice/tahini if desired). Season with salt and pepper and blend a little further, until it reaches your desired consistency. [Note: if using, add some paprika at this stage].

3. Season and drizzle in some chickpea water

Serve in a bowl, drizzled with a little olive oil. You may also wish to add a few chickpeas, a sprinkling of sesami seeds, or some salt and pepper or paprika to serve.  On occasion, I also add a dollop of sweet chilli jam on top.

The humous can be eaten straight away, or will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

Healthy Mexican Chicken Stew (and Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges)

This is one of my favourite recipes. It's super quick to make, so makes a perfect midweek meal if you've been working late but still want something nutritious. It's also pretty versatile in terms of how to serve it: on it's own as a meaty stew/soup, with rice or cous cous, in a wrap like a fajita, on jacket potato, ladled over pasta... the list goes on. The recipe also doesn't use any oil/fat (but you can, if you want).

I came across a similar recipe, but modified it for our palate by adding a few additional ingredients. I've stated these below.

You will need (recipe listed serves 4):

• Enough chicken for 4 people (I'd suggest 400g chicken breast, or mini fillets).
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of chipotle chili paste (I used Sainsbury's on this occasion, but Old El Paso, Discovery, Asda and Tesco all have their own variations - I love Asda's Chipotle and Lime version).
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced.
• 1 red onion
• 1 lime sliced into wedges (to serve)
• Optional: 1-2 chilies of your preference (I use finger chilies) finely chopped, handful of fresh baby or plum tomatoes, 400g tin kidney beans (in salt water, or chilli sauce if you want it even spicier), 1 tsp smoked paprika and sour cream/creme fraiche/yoghurt (to serve).

Method

3. Add the chicken to the mixture and simmer with the lid on

4. Shred the chicken and return to the mixture

1.  Slice the red onion. In a medium sized saucepan lightly fry the onion on a low heat until softened. I dry fried, hence no oil, but you can add a splash of oil if you wish.
2. Add the chopped garlic, the finely chopped chilies (if using) and the handful of fresh tomatoes (if using) together with 1 tbsp of the chipotle chilli paste. Stir and let cook together for a minute. I usually add some salt and pepper at this point.
3. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes to the mixture and stir. Place the chicken breasts/mini fillets into the saucepan and cover in the sauce. The finer the chicken breasts are sliced, the quicker it will cook. Place a lid on the saucepan and leave the pan to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. When the chicken has cooked through, take the breast pieces out of the sauce and shred using two forks. Stir the chicken back into the mixture and add the kidney beans and the smoked paprika (if using). Keep the mixture on heat, with the lid off.
5. The mixture should be nice and thick, but it may require a splash of water as it reduces. Previously, I've added about 1/2 tin of water (using the tinned tomato tin) to the mixture. You may wish to add more water if you want a more soupy dish. If you want to put it in tacos or wraps, hold off from adding any more water. Turn the heat up and serve when piping hot.
6. Serve as desired. As mentioned above, it's quite versatile. My preference is serving with sweet potato or in a wrap with some rocket and a dollop of sour cream.The fresh lime squeezed over the mixture just before serving adds a sharp tang to the sweet spicy mixture.
7. Note: if you're making this recipe for two and have the tin of chopped tomatoes left over, add them with half an onion and a chilli (if desired) to a pan and cook with a tsp of honey and a tsp of balsamic vinegar and you have a really useful tomato sauce - great with pasta, added to the base of a bolognaise or chilli (if you add the remaining kidney beans).

Sweet potato wedges

I absolutely love sweet potato as it makes a delicious mash, wedge or jacket potato. It's also great added in chunks to a curry. As I use it a lot, I tend to keep a bag of it in the freezer, cut into (skin on) wedges. It makes an easy fix for adding a complex carbohydrate to a meal. For this recipe, the wedges can be made once the chicken has been added to the mixture and left to simmer (stage 3, above).

To make the wedges (featured below), you will need:

• Half a large sweet potato per person, cut into wedges
• 1-2 tbsp polenta
• Splash of olive oil
• Optional: smoked paprika

Method:

1. Add the wedges to a pan of hot water and boil for 5-10 minutes (until a fork can go through the flesh).
2. Drain the wedges, and add to a hot frying plan containing a splash of olive oil. Coat the wedges in the oil and sprinkle over the polenta. Toss the wedges around the pan. 
3. Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade (see my page for conversions here) With the frying pan on a low heat, stir the wedges occasionally until they have a browned slightly.
4. Put the wedges on a baking tray (lined with parchment or tin foil).Sprinkle on the paprika (if using) and place in the top of the oven for another 5-10 minutes, turning once.
5. The wedges are ready to come out of the oven when they are browned, but not burned. The polenta adds a slight crunch to the wedge and gives it that restaurant texture, but it's not essential to the recipe.

I served my stew with a tortilla wrap, a few wedges and a rocket salad dressed with grated parmesan, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Body scrubs (salt and sugar)

A recent trip to a spa where I treated myself to a wash, scrub and massage using 'dead sea minerals' reawakened my desire for homemade, organic products which really made my skin sing. When I arrived home, I nosed around online for some tempting recipes and inspiration for my own salt and sugar scrubs.

I'm a huge fan of salted caramel, so sweet/savoury combinations really appeal to me, but I'm not convinced they work in a combined product for the skin (but I may be wrong). So, instead I have come up with two different products: a lemon, rosemary and olive oil salt scrub (which makes me feel like a delicious smelling human focaccia) and a cinnamon, sugar, coconut and cocoa sugar scrub (for that hot chocolate feeling).

I've since used each on my skin, and have left the shower feeling fresh, clean and silky smooth, and not at all sticky or salty. I rounded off the shower experience with some of my body lotion (previous entry) and woke up in the morning still soft and smooth.

So, on with the recipes...

Lemon, rosemary and olive oil salt scrub

A lemon and olive oil mixture appealed to me because not only is it energising and moisturising, but it really helps with keeping skin soft and supple, while removing any dead surface skin. I added some fresh rosemary sprigs for an added oomph as it compliments the lemon and olive perfectly in addition to having some restorative properties if aromatherapy is to be believed. If you wanted to encourage relaxation, some fresh lavender could be used as a substitute.

For one 300g jar, you will need:

• Juice and zest of one lemon.
• Extra virgin oil of your choice (preferably organic). I used olive oil, but you could use any of the others previously mentioned, or avocado, grapeseed, another nut oil or even sesame oil.
• Salt [Note: You can be as technical or as straightforward as you like; table salt will work, but I would recommend you use a sea salt. You can use finely ground or coarse salt crystals or, alternatively, Epsom salt. Epsom salt is a natural mineral containing magnesium sulphide which naturally softens skin as well as having the same exfoliating properties as sea salt].
• Optional: fresh rosemary or herb of your choice, chopped. 
• 1 x 300g jar, and a mixing bowl

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix 250g salt with the chopped herb, lemon zest and 100ml oil. Mix well until all of the salt is coated in oil.
2. Once the salt is covered in oil, add the lemon juice and mix again.
3. Pour into a container of your choice. I'd recommend using glass so that the smell doesn't absorb into the plastic, but plastic may be more sensible for use in the bathroom (it depends how clumsy you are!). 
4. Place near the bath/shower with a spoon or some sort of scoop (an old wooden spoon or even a seashell are perfect).
5. You will need to stir the salt scrub before each use, as the salt will sink and the oil will rise to the top. Also be careful not to get any water into the mixture (hence why a scoop or spoon is a useful accompaniment). You may want to add a little more oil once it's settled, so there is a 'protective' layer between the scrub and water while it sits in the bathroom.

Salt scrub is particularly good for cleaning particularly dry areas (knees, elbows, hands, feet). Scrub in a circular motion and leave on your skin for a few moments before rinsing off; I've tended to leave the scrub on while conditioning my hair, and then washed it off after I've washed out the conditioner. You shouldn't need to wash it off afterwards with any shower gel/soap as otherwise you're washing away the benefits of the oil. Simply pat yourself dry with a towel and get on with your usual routine!

All being well, your skin should feel soft and exfoliated, as well as moisturised. You should also have a faint smell of the lemon and herb (but hopefully not smell like an Italian bakery!). You may be a little "pink" when fresh from the shower, but that's just because of the exfoliating action of scrubbing yourself in the salt mixture.

Cinnamon, cocoa, coconut and honey sugar scrub

Sugar scrub is less harsh on the skin than salt scrub. As it's gentler, you may want to start with this product and work up to a salt scrub (if for you). As with the salt scrub, you can experiment with different types of sugar (caster, cane, brown sugar - dark, light, demerara) to work out what you prefer. Again, I tended to stick with organic products but that was a personal preference.

Unlike the more oily salt scrub, I kept this one quite dry. The recipe, however, is just as simple. For one 300g jar, you will need:

• Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon 
• Cinnamon bark essential oil (or another essential oil of your choice)
• Oil (I used coconut oil)
• Optional: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, honey, cocoa, vanilla, ground oatmeal
• 1 x 300g container (I used an old chocolate container, adding to that indulgent sweet appeal)

Method:

1. In a bowl place 250g sugar (I used 200g caster sugar, 50g demerara sugar) and mix in 1 tsp ground cinnamon and any other optional spices (I added 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1 tsp of cocoa).
2. Add 50ml coconut oil, 3-5 drops of essential oil and 1 tsp honey (optional) to the mixture. As my coconut oil was solid, I placed it (and the honey) in the microwave for about 30 seconds until melted, but not hot.
3. Mix together so that all of the sugar mixture is coated in the oil.
4. Place in an airtight container and put in the bathroom ready for your next soak/shower.

Like the salt scrub, this recipe is so simple and can be modified to suit your own tastes. Rather than cinnamon, try more ginger, cloves, citrus zest (and some juice, added after the oil coating), ground oatmeal to add with the exfoliation, vanilla (sugar, oil, pod). You could even add vitamin E, coffee granules or tea leaves. Experiment away, just don't eat it!

For information on the use of oils and essential oils, see my page here.

Body lotion and lipbalm

I had a lot of beeswax and essential oils left over from my candlemaking experiment, which prompted me to wonder what else I could do with it which created a desirable homemade gift for Christmas. Which is how I developed the body lotion and lipbalm.

Personally, I love natural products that don't have added chemicals. I also suffer with dry skin and chapped lips in winter. The recipes below created something that was not only a good gift for friends, but meant I could test it first (and keep it if it didn't work!).

Lipbalm

The lipbalm was experimental, and I wasn't happy with the consistency the first time around (too hard) and the second time around it wasn't right either (too gloopy). Like recipes, consistency can be a matter of personal preference and how you tend to 'contain' your end product. I've noticed online that you can buy 'tubes' for handmade lipbalms/lipstick, so if you want a stick balm then a harder consistency will be better than a 'pot' balm, which is what I desired. The tweaking of the ingredients meant I had to scoop out the 'set' pot and reheat the mixture, adding a bit more oil or wax in small amounts until I'd found my perfect recipe. This means giving a definitive recipe is impossible, but a rough guide is as follows:

For about 10 small pots of lipbalm, you will need (all of which I sourced from eBay)

• Beeswax
• Coconut oil
• Sweet almond oil
• Essential oil (I used cinnamon bark oil as cinnamon is a natural 'lip plumper', not to mention smelling delicious)
• Optional: extra virgin olive oil, or other organic/extra virgin oil of your choice
• Some small pots (or tubes if you prefer). I used about 10 x 3g/6ml pots
• Bain-marie for melting the ingredients

 Method:

1. Heat water in a saucepan ready for the bain-marie.
2. In the heatproof mixing bowl, add one 1oz (28g) stick of beeswax (chopped or grated, to fasten the melting process), 1oz of coconut oil, 1oz of sweet almond oil.[Note: so long as there is a ratio of 1:2 on wax to oil, you can mix the oils to your preference, adding any other oil you may wish]. Melt, but don't boil, in the bain-marie.
3. Turn the heat off once melted, stir in several drops (2-3) of your chosen essential oil and stir.
4. When the mixture is cooler, but still runny, pour into your chosen containers and leave to cool. [Note: you may wish to do one first to check the consistency once cooled and either add more beeswax (if too runny) or more oil (if too solid)].
5. Leave to cool overnight and then put the lids on and package for friends/put in your handbag. Your lipbalm is ready to go!

Body lotion

This is basically like a large version of the lipbalm, but a little oiler, and with a different essential oil. I usually use body butter or plain coconut oil as a moisturiser as I suffer from very dry skin, with a touch of eczema and psoriasis. I also love swimming and chlorinated pools really add to the process of drying the skin out. A really absorbant moisturiser is therefore really important for me.

The ingredient list for the body lotion is exactly the same as the lipbalm (above). However, I switched from cinnamon essential oil to tea tree for its antiseptic qualities. When making for a friend I added rose oil for that really fresh girly smell. The only difference between the balm and the lotion is the wax:oil ratio, as the end product is oily but still quite viscose.

I've also taken this product on holiday as a treat for my skin following a day in the sun/at the beach when your body is crying out for some moisture. A tub of it is also in my gym bag. However, one thing I would say is that it's quite oily so a little goes a long way. At home I tend to put it on before bed and slip into my pyjamas, leaving it on my skin overnight to really soak. However, if you're applying it in the morning, I'd leave it to soak in for a few minutes before you put your clothes on or you risk it absorbing into your clothes before it has the chance to do it's thing to your skin.

Method (for approx 3 x 150ml tins)

1. Heat water in a saucepan for the bain-marie.
2. In the heatproof mixing bowl, add one 3oz (85g) stick of beeswax (chopped or grated, to fasten the melting process) to 9 oz (250g) of oil. I used 5 oz of coconut oil, 1 oz sweet almond oil and 3 oz extra virgin olive oil. [Note: the wax to oil ration here is 1: 4] Melt, but don't boil, the oil/wax mixture in the bain-marie.
3. Turn the heat off once melted, stir in several drops (10-20) of your chosen essential oil(s) and stir.
4. When the mixture is cooler, but still runny, pour into your chosen containers and leave to cool. [Note: as with the lipbalm, you may wish to check the consistency of the lotion when cooled and add a bit more oil or wax to meet your desired consistency.
5. When cooled, put the lids on and you're done!

For ideas on base oils or essential oils to use in your product, see my page discussing oils here.

Something different... home-made candle

It's been a while, and I've been storing recipes and blog items in my head or on my PC but not having found time to put virtual pen to paper.

For Christmas 2013, I decided to make candles and beauty products for the female contingent in my gifting circle. The idea came about because one of my friends only buys organic produce (including beauty products) and for another I thought about buying her a "candle making" set, but then realised she probably didn't have the time or would enjoy the activity as much as me. So, buying the ingredients myself and creating my own product was much better idea!

All of the base ingredients for the candle, body lotion and lipbalm were virtually the same, but required adjustments to the quantities (you don't rub candles on your skin, do you?). The consistency for the lip-balm took a few attempts (re-melting, adding more oil, leaving to cool and testing) but I got there.

I chose to use soy as my wax (with beeswax, for one) because it's environmentally friendly and produces a clear burn. Apparently it's carbon neutral, so you can't complain that your candle habit is adding to your carbon footprint! I chose to make a beeswax candle in my old honey jar because beeswax is another clear burning wax which produces a slight honey and pollen scent when burning. Beeswax should also burn brightly without a drip.

Candle

You will need (all of which I purchased from suppliers on eBay)

• Soy candle wax
• Waxed wick and wick holders (if you purchase unwaxed wick, you will need to melt some soy wax and place the wick in the melted wax for a couple of hours to soak and for the wax to soak into the wick)
• Wick bar (I drilled a small hole into an old ice-cream stick - you basically need something long enough to go across the width of the container 
• Containers (you can use old tea-cups, pretty tins, glasses, old jam jars - anything is a vessel). I used lidded metal tins for the fragrant candles and an old honey jar for my beeswax candle
• Essential oil of choice (I used cinnamon bark essential oil)
• Optional: beeswax, candle wax dye
• A bain-marie (well, a pot of boiling water with an oven-proof dish over it in which to mix the wax - I used a metal mixing bowl over a saucepan)

Method:

1. Heat the water in the bain-marie until boiling.

2. Add the wax to the oven-proof dish and place onto the saucepan. The amount you need depends upon the size of your container. As a rough guide, I used 1.5 times the amount of the size of the container (using the container as a scoop). The amount used can be 100% soy wax, or a mixture of beeswax and soy at your preferred ratio. You want the wax to melt completely but not boil.

3. As the wax is melting, add any dye you want at this point and stir until the colour is evenly distributed. Without wanting to state the obvious, the more dye you add, the more intense the colour of the candle.

4. While the wax is melting, knot at one end and feed a piece of the wick through a wick holder and cut to about 2 inches (5 cm) above the height of the container.

5. Take the wax off boil and add a few drops (no more than 5) of the essential oil to the mixture and stir.

6. Drop a small amount of wax into the container and use it to set the wick holder to the base of the container. Thread the top part of the wick through a wick bar to keep the wick in place in the centre of the container (the candle will burn best if the wick is centred). You may want to tape the wick to the wick bar to stop it moving when you're pouring the wax.

7. Pour the wax into the container, keeping the wick upright through the centre (as much as possible). The wax should not be higher than about 1/2 inch (1cm) from the top of the container, which accounts for the melting wax when you burn the candle.

8. Leave the candle to cool, preferably overnight. As it solidifies, it may shrink in volume slightly. If you have any left over wax, you may want to re-heat and top it up. [Note: you can make multi-coloured candles in this way, by building up layers of different coloured wax, leaving the wax to cool between layers, much like you would a jelly].


9. Once cooled, trim the wick to about 1/2 inch (1 cm) from the top of the candle.

10. Hey presto! Homemade candle!

For notes on the use of oils and essential oils, see my page here