Cooking Recepies

Royal Thai Rice

2009-02-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup Mahatma Jasmine rice
2 fresh red chilies, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced gingerroot
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons lime juice

Preparation:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the Mahatma Jasmine rice, green onions, margarine, chicken broth, chiles, cilantro, ginger root and turmeric.
2. Bring to a gentle boil; cover.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Fold in the peanuts and lime juice.
5. Serve hot.

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 200
Calories from fat: 64
Total fat: 7.2g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Total carbs: 29.6g
Protein: 6g

Cambodian Grilled Corn

2009-02-08T04:14:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
6 ears corn, husks and silk removed
2 green onions (white parts only), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
vegetable oil, for brushing

Preparation:
1. Prepare the charcoal grill or preheat an ungreased cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Brush the corn with oil very lightly and set on the grill rack or in the skillet.
3. Cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, for about 12-15 minutes (until the kernels are tender and nicely charred); keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together the water, fish sauce, sugar and salt until dissolved.
5. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until very hot (but not smoking).
6. Carefully pour the liquid mixture over the hot oil; add the green onions and simmer for about 30 seconds (until the sauce begins to thicken); remove from the heat and cool.
7. Brush the cooked corn with the sauce and serve.

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 183
Calories from fat: 54
Total fat: 6.1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 33.4g
Fiber: 3.4g
Protein: 4.3g

Pineapple Salsa

2009-02-08T04:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 (500 ml) can pineapple chunks, drained or 1/2 pineapple, peeled
1 red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
1/2 red onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. Chop the pineapple into small pieces to measure a total of 2 cups.
2. Core and seed the red pepper, then chop into small pieces (the same size as the pineapple pieces).
3. Finely chop the onion and coriander/cilantro.
4. Place all in a bowl.
5. Stir in the olive oil, lime juice and salt.
6. Refrigerate or serve right away (goes great with burgers, chicken, steaks or pork).

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 85
Calories from fat: 29
Total fat: 3.3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 15.1g
Fiber: 2.3g
Protein: 1.1g

East African Bread - Chapati

2009-02-08T02:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt
warm water, as needed

Preparation:

1. If the ingredients have been in the refrigerator, allow them to come to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt.
3. Slowly add enough water to make a thick dough.
4. Mix in one spoonful of oil.
5. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a cool surface, adding a few spoonfuls of dry flour.
6. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
7. Lightly grease a griddle or skillet with cooking oil and preheat.
8. Divide the dough into 6 orange-sized balls and flatten them into six-inch circles. Fry them in the griddle or skillet until each side is golden brown and spotted, turning once.
9. Serve them with butter and any soup, stew or curry dish.

Nutritional information for one serving:
Calories: 158
Calories from fat: 10
Total fat: 1.2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 31.8g
Fiber: 1.1g
Protein: 4.3g

Baked Potatoes

2009-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 4 large potatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- sea salt
- 4 generous knobs butter, about 2 tbsp each

Step 1:
Set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/ gas mark 4)

Step 2:
Place the bowl of potatoes in the sink and rinse them well under a cold running tap, turning occasionally to ensure they are thoroughly clean.

Step 3:
Put a piece of kitchen roll onto a flat working surface, place the potatoes on top and pat them dry with a second piece of kitchen roll.

Step 4:
Take a fork and pierce each potato 8-10 times, all over. This releases the moisture when cooking and stops them going soggy. Place them into a large bowl, pour over the oil and mix well with your hand. Sprinkle over a generous amount of salt and mix well once more.

Step 5:
Place the potatoes in the centre of the oven on a wire rack and bake for 1 hour until they become crispy on the outside and fluffy and soft in the middle.

TIP:
Place a baking tray underneath, prelined with foil to catch any drippings and to keep your oven nice and clean!

Step 6:
Remove the potatoes when cooked and transfer them onto a large serving plate.

Step 7:
Make a long slit with a large knife across the potato but not completely to the edge. Then make a slit downwards, to create a cross. Push the potato together to open it up and add a generous knob of butter. Repeat with all four potatoes.

Step 8:
Your potatoes can be served on their own or with a wide variety of toppings, like grated cheese or baked beans.

Thanksgiving Yams

2009-01-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 650 g yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 150 g brown sugar
- 100 ml water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp sherry
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp toasted almonds
- salt and pepper

Step 1:
Set the temperature of the oven to 220°C

Step 2:
Place the yams in the roasting tray. Add the oil and season with salt and with pepper. Thoroughly coat the surface using your hands, and place them into the oven.

TIP:
The yams can be boiled but they will lose a great deal of texture and flavour.

Step 3:
Heat the saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the sugar, water, lemon juice, sherry, vanilla and maple syrup. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until the yams are done.

Step 4:
Keep checking on the yams, making sure that they do not burn on the bottom by turning them over occasionally. At around 20-25 minutes, test them with a knife to see if they are cooked. The knife should enter easily without resistance. At this point, transfer them to the oven-proof dish.

Step 5:
Pour the syrup over the sweet potatoes and return them to the oven. Let them warm through, giving the syrup time to caramelize. This should take about 25 minutes. Finally, remove from the oven.

Step 6:
Your Thanksgiving Yams are almost ready for table. All that is left is to sprinkle them with some toasted almonds. They will go well with your turkey, your ham, and everything else on the table.

Guacamole

2009-01-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 2 ripe avocadoes
- 1 lime
- 1 ½ tsp fresh coriander
- 1 shallot
- ½ tsp cayenne powder
- salt

Step 1:
Halve the avocadoes, remove the stones and spoon the flesh into a bowl.

Step 2:
Squeeze the juice from the lime and add it to avocado.

Step 3:
Chop the coriander and shallot into small pieces and add to the bowl.

Step 4:
Finally, season with the cayenne pepper and salt.

Step 5:
Place the mixture in a blender and blend at high speed for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth.

Step 6:
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Step 7:
Spoon the guacamole into a bowl, garnish with a couple of coriander leaves and serve.

Sushi Rice

2009-01-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 3 cups (750ml) sushi rice
- 3 1⁄3 cups (830ml) water
- ½ cups (120ml) rice vinegar
- ¼ cups (60ml) sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dashi- concentrated or powdered fish stock

Step 1:
Put the three cups of rice in a large bowl. Lightly rinse by adding enough cold water to half fill the bowl and swill it around with the rice. Pour the water off. Scrunch the rice about in the bowl with your hand. Then rinse, swill and drain again and repeat the scrunching action. Keep following this pattern until the water is almost clear - this could take 3 or 4 attempts. Transfer the rinsed rice into a large saucepan. Pour in 3 and a third cups of water and leave it to soak for at least 30 minutes. As it soaks, the rice will become whiter, and the water will appear clearer.

Step 2:
Put half a cup of rice vinegar, quarter of a cup of sugar, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of powdered Dashi into the small saucepan.
Heat gently and stir to ensure that the sugar and salt dissolve. Don't let the mixture boil as this will impair the flavour, only heat long enough to completely dissolve all the ingredients. Then turn off the heat, and leave it to cool while you prepare the rice.

Step 3:
Put the pan on the hob with the lid securely on top, and turn the heat to high.
Avoid lifting the lid at all times through out the cooking process as this will allow the steam to escape
When the rice begins to boil reduce the heat and leave to simmer for fifteen minutes.
After the fifteen minutes are up, turn off the heat and leave the rice to stand for another 15 minutes.

Step 4:
Transfer the rice into a large wooden bowl.
Pour over the sushi vinegar. Use the spatula in a cutting motion to fold the mixture into the rice. While you are folding use your other hand to fan the rice. Keep fanning and folding until the rice has reached room temperature. This could take up to 10 minutes.

Step 5:
It's best to use the rice immediately. It should be shiny and sticky, with each grain separated and not mashed together. It should be used at room temperature. If you don't need it straight away, cover the bowl with a damp cloth. This will prevent it from becoming too hard.

Pilau Rice

2009-01-20T18:07:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 250 g long grain rice
- 120 g cashew nuts
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- a 2cm piece of a cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 shallots
- 120 g raisins
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp saffron threads
- 500 ml boiling water
- salt
- 1 bunch of coriander for garnish
- oil for frying
- 1 onion for garnish

Step 1:
First of all, put the water to boil in the small pot and add the saffron threads. Thoroughly wash and drain the rice. This will get rid of most of the starch in it, enabling it to cook as individual grains.

Step 2:
In the pan, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil on a high temperature. Add the nuts, cloves, cardamoms, cumin seeds and cinnamon and fry for 2 minutes.

Step 3:
Add the shallots and fry for 2 minutes, till they are translucent. Add the raisins, salt and turmeric and stir for a few seconds.

Step 4:
Add the clean rice and stir well until all the grains have been coated with the spices. Add the boiling water. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low, allowing the rice to cook gently in its spices. This should take about 12-15 minutes.

Step 5:
While the rice is cooking, chop the coriander roughly. Slice the onion and brown in a little oil. Keep both aside, ready for garnishing at the end.

Step 6:
When the water is absorbed in the pan, test the rice by tasting it to see if it is done. If necessary, leave for another minute or two, with the lid on.

Step 7:
Garnish with the chopped coriander and the crispy browned onion slices, thereby adding extra taste and colour to this dish.

Step 8:
Serve straight from the pan, with any type of curry or a beef carbonade.

Crispy Roast Potatoes

2009-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 1 kg potatoes , peeled and cut to even sizes
- 80 g lard or any other fat
- salt and pepper

Step 1:
Set the oven to 220ºC (425ºF/ gas mark 7)

Step 2:
Place the potatoes into a saucepan of water. Cover with the pan lid and bring to a simmer. Allow them to cook for roughly 7-10 minutes. As we are par boiling, only their outer layer should be soft.

Step 3:
While the potatoes are cooking, spoon the lard or fat into the roasting tray, place it into the upper part of the preheated oven and let it heat up. The fat must be very hot in order for the potatoes not to stick to the pan. They'll also turn out a lot crispier and tastier.

Step 4:
Remove the pan from the heat and take it to the sink. Using a towel to protect your hands, carefully drain the water from the pot, using the lid to keep the potatoes in place.
Then with the lid still on, shake the potatoes in order to 'roughen them up'. This will help to create a crunchier coat. Finally, remove the lid and season with salt and pepper.

Step 5:
With great care, remove the hot tray from the oven. Carefully spoon each potato into the hot, sizzling fat. Be very careful not to burn yourself! Return the roasting tray to the oven and bake the potatoes for about 45 minutes. Half way through the cooking time, turn them over to ensure they are cooking evenly. Then place back in the oven to crisp on the other side. When they are golden brown, remove them from the oven.

Step 6:
Your extra crispy potatoes are now ready to serve. Sprinkle them with a little more salt and pepper before serving. They make a wonderful accompaniment to a Sunday roast, a chicken dinner or nicely cooked rib-eye steak. They are as versatile as they are tasty. Enjoy!

Roast Potatoes

2009-01-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

You will need:

- 8 large floury potatoes
- 100 ml vegetable or olive oil
- salt and pepper

Step 1:
First, peel the potatoes. It's best to use a proper peeler as you will save a lot of the vegetable in comparison to using a knife.

Step 2:
Once you have peeled all of the potatoes cut them into egg-sized pieces.

Step 3:
Gently, bring them to the boil and let them cook for about 8 minutes. Don't leave them to cook entirely.

Step 4:
Using the lid of the saucepan to stop the potatoes from falling out, drain the water away and let the potatoes cool completely.

Step 5:
Meanwhile, pour enough oil into the roasting tin so that the bottom is covered and place it onto a high tray in the oven to heat thoroughly.

Step 6:
Set the oven to 250ºC or gas mark 7 and begin to heat the oil.

Step 7:
Once cooled, scratch the surface of the potatoes with a fork.

Step 8:
When you see that the oil is sizzling hot, place the potatoes into the roasting tin. Turn them over in the oil to make sure they are covered before cooking.

Step 9:
Allow the potatoes to cook for 50-60 minutes. About halfway through the time, turn them over to make sure all sides get a crispy finish.

Step 10:
Remove the roast potatoes from the tin making sure that they don't carry too much oil and you're ready to serve up. Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!