Adnan Solanki

Notes from Amsterdam. What I saw, ate and found along the way

Moving postcards from Amsterdam 🎞️ Some of my favourite moving frames from days spent wandering Amsterdam, with its canals, parks and bicycles flowing through almost every frame 📍Amsterdam, Netherlands

Greetings from The Netherlands

Crispy Chickpea & Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini 🥗 One of my favourite salads I’ve made in a while, crispy, creamy, sweet, smoky and full of texture. Ingredients For the salad: • 1½ cups cooked chickpeas • 1 large bunch kale • 4–5 dates of your choice, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces (I used Kalmi dates) • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds • 2 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped • 1 tbsp sesame seeds • Olive oil • Salt For the chickpeas: • 1 tsp cumin powder • 1 tsp smoked paprika • Salt For the lemon tahini dressing: • 2 tbsp tahini • 1½–2 tbsp lemon juice • Zest of ½ lemon • 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped • 1-1 tsp honey or maple syrup • Salt and black pepper, to taste • 2–4 tbsp water, as needed Method Remove the kale leaves from the stems, wash well and spin dry. Massage with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt until slightly softened. Cook the chickpeas (soaked overnight) until tender and dry them really well. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and cook until golden and crisp. Towards the end, add salt, smoked paprika and cumin and toss well. For the dates, heat a little olive oil in a pan and cook them briefly on a low flame until soft and slightly caramelised. Keep an eye on them and don’t cook them for too long, as dates can burn very quickly. Toast the pistachios and sesame seeds lightly. For the dressing, mix tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, honey or maple syrup, salt and black pepper. Add water gradually until smooth and creamy. To assemble, add the massaged kale, crispy chickpeas, dates, pistachios, sesame seeds and pomegranate to a large bowl. Pour over the lemon tahini dressing, toss well and enjoy.

No particular order

Baba Ganoush 🍆 Smoky, creamy and made with just a handful of ingredients. Ingredients: serves 3–4 * 500–540 g aubergine/brinjal, about 1 medium + 1 small * 2½ tbsp tahini * 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice * 1½–2 tsp garlic paste, or to taste * ½ tsp salt, adjust to taste * ¼ tsp cumin powder * ¼ tsp black pepper * Extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing For the garnish Use whatever you like: extra-virgin olive oil, pomegranate seeds, roasted sesame, mint or parsley, smoked paprika, chilli flakes or toasted nuts. Method Char the aubergines directly over a gas flame, turning occasionally, until the skin is completely blackened and the flesh is soft and collapsed. Let them cool, peel away the charred skin and allow any excess liquid to drain. Finely chop the aubergine with a knife until creamy but still slightly textured. Add it to a bowl with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and black pepper. Mix really well with a fork until creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread onto a shallow plate, make a few swirls with the back of a spoon and finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil and whatever garnishes you prefer. A few notes: • You can also roast the aubergines at 230°C for around 35–45 minutes, turning once, until completely soft and collapsed. • You can also use a food processor instead of chopping by hand, just pulse briefly rather than blending it completely smooth. A little texture works really well here. • If the flavour feels too heavy, add a little more lemon. If it feels too sharp, add a little more tahini. If it tastes flat, it probably needs a touch more salt or lemon.

Chocolate Almond Crunch Cake 🍫 Soft chocolate almond cake with a crisp cornflake crunch on top. For a 6 × 6 inch tin: Cake 100 g almond flour 10–12 g cocoa powder 70 g coconut sugar 105 g Greek yogurt 20 g warm water ½ tsp instant coffee 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt Crunch topping 70 g dark chocolate 28–30 g cornflakes Pinch of salt, optional Preheat the oven to 165°C. Mix the cocoa and coffee with the warm water until smooth. Add the coconut sugar and mix, followed by the Greek yogurt and vanilla. Add the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and fold until just combined. Transfer to a parchment-lined 6 × 6 inch tin and spread evenly. Bake for around 20–24 minutes, or until just set and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let it cool completely. Melt the dark chocolate. Lightly crush the cornflakes, add them to the chocolate and mix until coated. Spread over the cooled cake and let the chocolate set before slicing.

B’day 2026 🫰🏼

This caramelised banana crumble yogurt bowl brings together cold Greek yogurt, warm golden banana, crisp maple oats and all the little toppings that make breakfast better. Caramelised Banana Crumble Yogurt Bowl Serves 1 You’ll need: 1 ripe but firm banana 1–2 tsp butter or ghee ¼ cup rolled oats 2–3 tsp maple syrup ¾ cup thick Greek yogurt For topping Seeds you like Berries you like Peanut butter or any nut butter Dark chocolate pieces Flaky salt, optional Cinnamon powder, optional Method: Cut the banana in half crosswise, then slice each half lengthwise. Heat a little butter or ghee in a non-stick pan. Place the banana pieces cut-side down and cook over low heat until golden. Flip gently and caramelise the other side, adding a little maple syrup towards the end. Remove the banana. In the same pan, add a little more butter or ghee and toast the rolled oats over low heat until golden and fragrant. Turn off the heat, mix in the remaining maple syrup and let the oats cool for a few minutes so they turn crisp. Add the Greek yogurt to a bowl, followed by the caramelised banana and oat crumble. Finish with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, a drizzle of nut butter and some dark chocolate grated over the warm banana. Add as much or as little of the toppings as you like :)

Charred Carrot Hummus with Coriander Lemon Oil Creamy, smoky and bright, with beautifully charred carrots and a fresh coriander lemon oil to bring everything together. Ingredients For the hummus * 100 g dried chickpeas (about ½ cup), soaked and cooked until soft, or 1½ cups cooked chickpeas * 2 large carrots (about 250–300 g), peeled * 3 garlic cloves * 3 tbsp tahini * 2½ tbsp lemon juice * 2 tbsp olive oil * ½ tsp cumin powder * ½ tsp salt, or to taste * 4–6 tbsp cold water, as needed * Olive oil, for cooking For the coriander lemon oil * 3 tbsp olive oil * 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander * ½ tsp lemon zest * 1 tsp lemon juice * A pinch of chilli flakes * Salt, to taste Method 1. Soak the chickpeas overnight. Pressure cook until completely soft and drain. 2. Peel the carrots and cut them lengthwise into halves or quarters to create flat surfaces. 3. Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic cloves, then place the carrots flat side down. Press them gently and cook until tender with a deep char on both sides. 4. Add the cooked chickpeas, charred carrots, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding cold water as needed for a creamy consistency. 5. Mix together the olive oil, coriander, lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli flakes and salt to make the coriander lemon oil. 6. Spoon the hummus into a bowl, create swirls with the back of a spoon, and drizzle generously with the coriander lemon oil. Exactly the kind of dip worth gathering around :)