Tandoori Paste

Taken from Taste this is used in Minced Tandoori Lamb.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp garam masala, toasted
• 1 tsp black pepper corns, toasted
• 1 tsp cardamom seeds, toasted
• 1/2 ground chilli
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1 long red chilli
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander

Method:

Dry fry spices and place in a pestle and mortar and grind to a rough powder, remove. Add fresh ingredients and pound to a paste. Combine dry and fresh ingredients until combined. If a little dry add oil for a paste consistency.

Brazilian Fish with Cashew Sauce

Based on Annabel Langbein’s recipe in Great Food for Busy Lives this is a quick and easy fish curry.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp hot sauce (chilli)
• coconut milk (lite)
• 100-150g roasted, salted cashew nuts, crushed
• 500g firm white fish, chopped into 2cm strips
• 2 carrots, chopped into .5cm squares
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces
• 3 mushrooms, cut into 1/8ths
• zest of 1 lemon
• fresh coriander to garnish

Method:

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large pot and cook, on a low heat, for 1-2 minutes – until fragrant. Add a little coconut milk and whisk until the paste has no lumps. Add the remaining coconut milk and the cashew nuts and high to a simmer. Add the carrots and brocoli (to sped up part cook them in a microwave) and cook for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and the fish and cook for a few minutes until fish is cooked through.

Serve with steamed rice and garnish with fresh coriander.

Crunchy Prawn with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

On the recommendation from a friend this comes from Cooking Light. It can feel a lot of work for one meal but it is worth it!

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1  cup  orange juice
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh coriander
• 2  tablespoons  reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  fat-free, less-sodium chicken stock
• 1  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1  teaspoon  fresh lime juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground paprika

Couscous:

• 1  cup  uncooked couscous
• 1 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2  cup  orange juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/3  cup  chopped spring onions
• 2  tablespoons  sliced almonds, toasted
• 1  tablespoon  unsalted butter

Prawns:

• 20  jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1  large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/2  cup  panko
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh coriander
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 2  cups  trimmed watercress or salad leaves

Method:

To prepare sauce, bring 1 cup orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in 1 tablespoon coriander and next 7 ingredients.

To prepare couscous, place couscous in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; add onions, almonds, and butter, stirring until butter melts. Keep warm.

To prepare shrimp, combine shrimp and egg white in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Combine the panko, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp to the bag, and seal and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat; arrange prawns in a single layer in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.

Place couscous on each of plates; top each with watercress and prawns. Drizzle each with sauce.

Mu Shu Pork

Ingredients:

• 250g pork loin, trimmed
• 1/4c light soy sauce
• 1/4c Shaoxing rice wine
• 1/2 tsp roasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp conflour
• 5 dried Chinese mushrooms
• 20g dried black fungus
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbls ginger, finely chopped
• 1 leek, finely shredded
• 1/4 small Chinese cabbage, separate stalks and leafy parts then shred
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce

Method:

Slice pork into matchsticks 2cm long. Place the shreds in a bowl, add 1 Tbls of soy sauce, 1 Tbls rice wine, sesame oil, 1 tsp of the cornflour and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain and squeeze out the excess. Remove and discard the stems and shread the caps. Soak the fungus in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water. Shred the fungus.

Heat a wok or frying pan to a high heat, add 2 Tbls of the oil and heat until very hot. Stir fry the pork mixture for 2-3 minutes, until the meat is brown and cooked. Remove with a wire sive or a slotted spoon and drain. Rinse and dry the wok.

Reheat the wok, add 1 Tbls of oil and scramble the eggs, remove from the wok and chop. Add 1 Tbls of oil, heat until hot and stir fry the garlic, ginger, mushrooms and fungus for 10 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the leek and toss lightly for 2 minutes, then add the cabbage stems and stir fry for 30 seconds, then add the leafy parts and stir fry for a further minute, or until the vegtables are tender. Combine 2 Tbls of the soy sauce the remaining rice wine and cornflour, the sugar, black pepper and the meat, add the sauce and simmer until thickened.

Combine the hoisin sauce, remaining soy sauce and 1 1/2 tables spoons of water in a small bowl.

Tomato and Egg Soup

Although not enjoyed by Louise this is a quick and easy snack soup. This quantity is enough for two.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 egg
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 750ml chicken stock
• 1 Tbls soy sauce
• 1 Tbls cornflour

Method:

Plunge tomatoes into boiling water for 20 seconds, drain and remove skin. Cut into thin wedges. Beat egg with a pinch of salt in a cup with a few of the chopped spring onion.

Heat oil in a wok (or frying pan) and stir fry the spring onions for a few seconds. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add the tomato and bring back to the boil. Add soy sauce and slowly pour in the beaten egg, stirring as you pour. Return to the boil.

Combine the cornflour with enough water to make a paste, add to the soup and simmer until thickened.

Nuac Cham Dipping Sauce

Also from Tom’s Kitchen this is great served with Hanoi Prawn Cakes.

Method:

• 3 birds eye chillis
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 100ml warm water
• 2 limes, juice
• 3 Tbls fish sauce

Method:

Cut the chilli into thin round slices. Reserve one third of the chillies for garnish.

In a pestle and mortar crush the remaining chilli, garlic and sugar until a smooth wet paste. Add the warm water. Transfer to a bowl and add the lime juice and the fish sauce.

Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the remaining chopped chillies to the dipping sauce. Chopped ginger, fresh coriander, spring onions or thin slices of carrot can be also added to the dipping sauce as well as chopped roasted peanuts, so that it can accompany numerous types of dishes.

Hanoi Prawn Cakes

From Tom’s Kitchen, these are great served with Nuac Cham dipping sauce. To eat wrap the prawn cake in a combination of some of the fresh leaves and make a parcel with a piece of lettuce. The whole thing can be dipped into the accompanying sauce.

Ingredients:

• 250g prawns, chopped
• 150g sweet potato, grated
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 60g plain flour
• 40g potato flour
• 100ml water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• oil for deep frying

Method:

Combine the two types of flour with the salt, baking powder, sugar and black pepper. Mix in the water until you have a smooth batter. Leave to rest for ten minutes.

Mix in the sliced spring onions the grated sweet potato and the chopped raw prawns.

In a heavy bottomed pan heat 2-3 cm of oil until 350F/180 C. To test to see that the oil is hot enough drop a little of the mixture into the oil it should start to bubble and sizzle straight away.

Drop one heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the pan and pat the prawn batter into an irregular shape about 0.5cm – 1cm thick.

Middle Eastern Roast Lamb Rump

Never having cooked lamb rump the following was an experiment based on a number of recipes including this, this and this. This was served with Cumin Potatoes and Roast Carrot Puree.

Ingredients:

• 2 x 200g lamb rump
• 1 Tbls coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 Tbls cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 Tbls sesseme seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp chilli powder (or other hot spice)

Method:

Heat oil in a heavy based flameproof frying pan. In a smaller frying pan dry fry or individually toast seeds (different size spices will toast as different speeds) and grind in a pestle and mortar until a medium coarse consistency. Generously coat the lamb rump with the spice mixture then brown lamb, moving it to a 200 degree oven until medium rare. Remove from the oven and rest.

Cumin Potatoes

An easy potato recipe that looks great served along with grilled meats like this Middle Eastern Roast Lamb.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes (Agaria or other roasting potato)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• 2 Tbls tomato paste (or sauce)
• 2 Tbls olive oil

Method:

Peel and parboil potatoes in salter water or in the microwave. Toast cumin seeds, lightly crush in a pestle and mortar then add to tomato paste and olive oil. Mix well and toss dried parboiled potatoes.

Bake in a pre heated 190 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until crispy.

Simple Leek & Potato Soup

This is such a quick and simple recipe yet one of the most delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 leeks, halved lengthwise and chopped
• 3 potatoes, 2 cm dice
• 50g butter
• 750ml chicken stock
• 1/2 cup milk

Method:

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the leeks, sauté until soft. Add chicken stock and potatos and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer until potatos are tender.

Remove from the heat and use a stick whiz to puree. Season with salt and pepper and add milk. If serving return to heat, alternatively let cool and freeze.