I remember the first time I had coronation chicken. It was in sixth form and I was told--despite chicken being in its name--it was vegetarian. It was drowned in creamy sauce so I didn't think anything of it and had some. Silly me, I know. But chicken seasoning has no chicken in it, so I figured maybe coronation chicken had some of that no-chicken seasoning in it.

Don't blame me, I grew up in Asia.

(Okay so maybe I was being a little bit oblivious. But if you know me, I tend not to notice things until it's too late.)

(So maybe I should rethink a career as a doctor?)

While vegetarianism had come a long way since then (how on earth someone though coronation chicken was vegetarian, I do not know), I have never tried to recreate the dish. And for something with a hell of a lot of mango chutney and raisins in it, I don't know why. I love mango chutney. And raisins.

(Side note: I can finish an entire 500g bag of sultanas in a day. Yes, the packs meant for baking, not the snack packs. Snack packs are for suckers)

So if you are looking for some good sandwich ideas, or you are tired of all the vegan sandwiches / vegetarian sandwiches out there, this one's for you! Now, I love falafel as much as the next guy, but there comes a point where you cannot physically eat ANOTHER falafel sandwich, even though it's the only thing you can find. Why are falafel sandwiches constantly the only vegan option in meal deals? WHY?

One of my goals this year is to learn how to make sourdough. Proper sourdough. And this loaf is the third one I have made from my brand new sourdough starter, Shirley. I have had starters, so many starters, in the past, but they have all flopped (and for one, quite literally). But I think I have figured out why...

I didn't name them! If a starter has a name it feels loved and it grows. It bubbles away and is generally a happy chappy. Unnamed starters feel sad and, frankly, a bit unloved. So please, name your starter. We all need a 'lil lovin'.

Disclaimer - So this is technically not true, and as a scientist, I feel like I should tell you that your starter WILL grow even without a name. My previous starter didn't work out because I accidentally pushed the jar it was in off the windowsill. THe ones before because I used tap water or left them out in the cold. With or without a name, your starter will form a medium for wild yeast in the flour and air to grow and thrive. But as a starter IS a living thing, and since you're going to be stuck feeding it every day, or once a week, you really should name it. It helps to foster a relationship, and suddenly feeding it seems like less of a chore. Shirley is my surrogate pet since puppies are not allowed in uni accommodation.

Sometimes, I talk to her.