The most underwhelming name

At a cooking class I attended a little while ago, there were four dishes on the menu, and this one sounded the least exciting - Chicken Braised with Rice, Turmeric and Spices.  I think I can speak for all of us at the class when I say that our expectations of this dish were completely wrong. In the end, this is the dish that has become a part of my fortnightly repertoire.  It is so easy and so tasty, especially for lunch over the next few days. 

You could start this in the morning or the night before, and then come home from work and chuck it in the oven and then 30 mins later it's ready to eat.  The curry powder I used is from The Spirit House (where we did the cooking class).  If you're ever near Yandina, on the Sunshine Coast, I would highly recommend popping in to their little shop at the cooking school, and picking up a jar.  The original recipe calls for 3 cups of jasmine rice and 1/2L each of coconut milk and chicken stock.  Rice actually triples when it's cooked, so I actually only use about 1 1/2 cups instead, which is more than enough for everyone.  Which means then that I've also adjusted the liquid quantities accordingly, to match the coconut milk tin size and the lesser amount of rice.  The recipe below will feed at least four hungry mouths.

There is an amazing cucumber pickle to accompany the chicken, which would also be very tasty with fish cakes.  The pickle needs to be consumed then and there.  If you do happen to have left over pickle, drain off most of the liquid before refrigerating, other wise by the time you go to eat it the next day your cucumber will be well and truly pickled!  For those who are not cucumber fans, you could serve with a wedge or two of lime instead, which would give you a similar flavour sensation to the pickle.

Golden crispy shallots

If you've got time, make your own crispy shallots to sprinkle on top.  Just slice a golden shallot or two as thinly as possible.  Then fry them in vegetable oil.  The oil should be at about 160C.  Watch them closely, as they will suddenly colour, and then burn if you're not quick enough to scoop them out and drain on paper towel.  Any left over crispy shallots can be put in a jar in the pantry for another time.  You can then use the oil from this, to cook the chicken in.  Crispy shallots can also be found in the aisles of most supermarkets as well.

I've shared this recipe with a number of friends in the past month or so, and one thing is for sure: it's a crowd pleaser!  Enjoy!!!




Chicken Braised with Rice, Turmeric and Spices

4 chicken thighs, cut in chunky pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh turmeric, finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried turmeric)
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tspn salt
1 cup vegetable oil, e.g. Rice Bran oil (you only need 4 tbsp if not making your own crispy shallots)
4 golden shallots, finely sliced (only needed if making your own crispy shallots)
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1 tin (390 - 400mL) coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock (add more stock to the pan later, if it looks too dry)
1/2 cinnamon stick
6 kaffir lime leaves

Chicken pieces braising

1. Make a paste with garlic, ginger, turmeric and salt.  Then mix in the curry powder.
2. Place chicken in a plastic bag and spoon the spice paste in.  Rub it all over the chicken, then seal the bag and set aside for an hour or two in the refrigerator.  (I marinade in bags where I can because it saves washing up and is a lot less messier!).
3. Place 4 tbsp of oil into a heavy-based saucepan and brown the chicken (in batches).  Return all the chicken pieces to the pan.  Add the rice, coconut milk, stock, cinnamon and torn kaffir lime leaves. Gently stir.
4. Bring to the boil, stirring once or twice, then turn down to a low heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked.  You could also transfer it to an ovenproof vessel and bake at 200C for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate and garnish with crispy shallots.  Serve with Cucumber Pickle (see below).

Cucumber Pickle
1/2 cup coconut or rice vinegar
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1 lebanese cucumber (peeled if you like)
2 small golden shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 - 4 small red chillies, thinly sliced (taste test your chilli's heat before using four, just in case!)
handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped (optional)

1. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan and place on stove over a med-low heat.  Take off heat as soon as sugar has dissolved.  Allow to cool completely (otherwise you'll cook the cucumber - yuck!  It will have enough time to cool on the bench, whilst you do the chopping.)
2. Cut the cucumber lengthways, deseed, then finely dice.
3. Combine in a bowl with shallots, chillies and cooled vinegar syrup.  Serve in a small bowl as accompaniment to Braised Chicken (above).

A sweet little thing

Lemons beginning to fruit

And it's back to the kitchen, as Spring takes hold of our weather here in south-east Queensland.  Not long now till the rains will arrive (we hope) which will freshen everything up, and help us all to stop watering less.  Whilst we've been away from the blog, I've planted a little garden at my back door.  Winter is probably not the best time to do that, but nevertheless all the herbs and chillies have thrived in the cooler conditions, and are all set now for the warm spring and hot summer heading our way.  Even better news, is that the chillies and lemon tree have been flowering and now the fruit is coming on.  If only my poor old lime tree would catch on to this idea!  Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to using my own chilli and lemons very soon.

My co-conspirator in the kitchen has been laid low for almost 40 days now with the dreaded whooping cough.  So in an attempt to lift his spirits, I cooked dinner my house then took it to him!  The Indonesian Beef Rendang that I made was the perfect dish for a moveable dinner challenge. I did up to step 4 of the rendang, then bundled it up to transport.  Finally adding the coconut when I was ready to serve.

You'll need to find the biggest mortar and pestle you can to make this rendang paste.  It makes enough for 4 curries - you use about 1/2 cup per curry.  I ended up blitzing several ingredients in the food processor and had numerous bowls of these covering the bench.  The softer ingredients I pounded in the mortar and pestle, then combined everything at the end.  The rest of the paste that you don't use for this recipe can be frozen for up to 6 months, in 1/2 cup portions.

When you eat this curry, the first taste you get will be a sweet one (due to the addition of kecap manis - sweet soy sauce).  Shortly thereafter you will get the slow burn of the chilli.  Remember to always taste the chilli as you're chopping it up, and adjust the overall amount to suit your own tastes.  And, as with all curries this rendang is even better the next day for lunch!

Indonesian Beef Rendang

Rendang Paste
2.5 tbspn black pepper (whole)
2.5 tbspn coriander seeds, roasted and ground
50g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
50g galangal (this is a really tough ingredient, so be prepared for a wrestle when chopping it up)
250g large red chillies, seeded, chopped (taste a piece to check for heat, and adjust quantity to taste)
40g bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
50g garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
200g shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
100g candle nut (can substitute macadamia nuts)

1. Roast the coriander seeds and peppercorns.
2. Then pound spices, ginger and galangal in mortar and pestle.
3. Add both chillies, garlic, shallots and candle nuts and pound to form a coarse paste.


Rendang
2 tbsp vegetable oil (eg Rice Bran oil)
1/2 cup rendang paste (see above)
750g chick beef, cut into 2.5cm cubes (use any type of braising beef)
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
1 tumeric leaf (substitute 2 kaffir lime leaves - tear/squash them a little to start to release the flavour)
4 slices galangal
1 cup water
500mL coconut cream
2 tbspn dark palm sugar
1/3 kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
3/4 cup dessicated coconut, toasted

1. Heat oil in heavy based pan or wok and fry paste for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add meat, lemongrass, tumeric leaf and galangal and cook until meat is sealed all over.
3. Add water and simmer gently for 40 minutes.  Give it a stir every now and then.
4. Add coconut cream, palm sugar and kecap manis.  Stir to combine.  Simmer for further 45-60 minutes until meat is tender and sauce is very thick.
5. Stir in half the toasted coconut (it will soak up some of the sauce) and stir to combine.  Add remaining coconut a few minutes later if needed.
6. Serve with steamed rice, and garnished with crispy fried shallots and coriander leaves.

Tips from the masters (no not me!)

Recently I attended a cooking class at the Sunshine Coast's Spirit House Cooking School.  Every one I talk too has either eaten there, done a class there or it's on their to do list.  Can I say.... do not wait any longer, get down to Yandina and get eating and get cooking.  It is the best way to learn great recipes and pick up nice little tips from the professionals.

Here are a few little tricks that we learned throughout the day.  You probably know them, but they were 'aha' moments for us:

• don't ever use white wine vinegar in Asian cooking as it's far too strong
• only use vegetable oil in Asian cooking, e.g. Rice Bran oil
• use white peppercorns, as the black ones are too strong
• in working out how many serves a recipe makes have a look at the protein, in Australia we allow 150g or so per person
• lime juice loses it's flavour and colour very quickly, so don't squeeze them too far ahead of time
• to 'peel' ginger, just scrape a teaspoon along the skin
• use coconut cream for curries and coconut milk for desserts
• use your mortar and pestle to grind things up for quick cooking curries, as you've already started to break them down and release the flavour; use your food processor to blitz things for longer cooking curries as they will have longer to break down
• with a master stock, strain it after using, allow to cool, scrape off the fat and freeze; you must boil it each time you re-use it.  If it starts to thicken make a new batch and add it in to the original batch, and it will keep on getting better and better each time.

Happy cooking!
P.S. I'm not responsible for making that pineapple look that beautiful, but I did chop it up later!

Warm Winter Wonder

Hi all, thought I'd post this little pumpkin soup that I whipped up this afternoon. Such a nice little simple dish bursting with lots of flavour. After a chilly day at work I needed something warm and hearty to devour. This is a basic roast pumpkin soup with a few twists and flavours.

1/3 Pumpkin
1 Onion
1 Capsicum
1 bulb of garlic
1 med potato
2 cm of ginger (grated)
chicken stock
evaporated milk (lite and creamy)
sour cream
cinnamon

1.Throw chopped up veges into a roasting pan, toss in olive oil and roast in med to high oven until veges are cooked through and soft.
2. While the veges are in the oven mix cinnamon and sour cream till well combined and put back in fridge to let flavours infuse.
3. Once veges are done put them into a big soup pan and then put in some chicken stock. Not quite covering the veges, bring up the heat and then blitz with a blitz stick till smooth.
4. Once smooth add some evaporated milk to thin it out a little, but not too much.
5 To serve add a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Hope you enjoy and stay warm over winter.

The herbs have taken over

This week was a hectic week for us at work. NAPLAN had taken over and some of us were more busy than others. So it was a good thing that I was cooking and Rose was sampling (LOL). I decided to go with nice and light this week and it proved very delicious.  This week I decided to do all my shopping at B FRESH and I'm glad I did. I don't mind plugging a good store haha. Rose had given me, via text, my core ingredient: Chinese Five Spice. After a few days of scouring the recipe books and Delicious Magazines I came up with my menu of Warm Salad of Brie and Roast Cherry Tomatoes, and Crispy Chicken on Asian Rice Noodle Salad.

Warm Salad of Brie and Roast Cherry Tomatoes

Punnet of Vine ripened cherry tomatoes
200g mixed salad leaves
1 1/2 cups kalamata olives
1 red onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs chopped basil
2 tsp chopped chives
1 tbs chopped flat leafed parsley
          plus extra to serve
8 baguette slices chargrilled and kept warm
400g brie (at room temperature)

Preheat oven at 180 deg. Roast tomatoes for 5-10 minutes until starting to split.
Meanwhile, combine salad leaves, olives, and onion. Whisk together oil, vinegar and mustard, then stir in herbs and season. Toss with salad, tomatoes and parsley leaves. Serve with baguette and brie.

This was a light and delicious starter. The texture contrast with the brie and the baguette was great against the crunch of the salad and the tang of the roasted tomatoes.

Crispy chicken on Asian Rice noodle salad

100g vermicelli noodles
1 red capsicum
2tbs chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped thai basil leaves

Dressing
1 1/2 tbs lime juice
1 1/2 tbs fish sauce
3 tsp caster sugar
1cm piece of ginger finely grated
1/2 long red chilli seeded thinly sliced

Crispy Chicken
1 egg
1 cm piece of ginger finely grated
1 garlic clove crushed
110g plain flour
2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 chicken breasts thinly sliced
vegetable oil to shallow fry

To make dressing whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.
Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. Drain, then return to bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Add capsicum and herbs and toss to combine.
To make the crispy chicken, whisk egg, ginger and garlic in a large bowl until just combined. Combine flour five spice and S&P in another large bowl. Dip chicken into egg mixture, drain off excess, then toss in the flour mixture.
Fill wok or deep frying pan halfway with oil and shallow fry chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Place noodle salad on serving plates and top with crispy chicken to serve.

This was a very tasty dish, but could have had more kick in the chilli and a bit more dressing in the noodles. I thought the chook was tasty. I do need to work on my portions and my plating up lol.

Next week promises to be delish as Rose's task is to cook something Moroccan. YUM.

A Collective Sigh

This week my challenge was to cook with Quinoa. It wasn't so much a challenge, as a request. I had wanted to cook Quinoa for quite some time, seeing as it seems to be popping up everywhere these days. Quinoa is touted as a 'superfood' and is a grain-like food. It can easily substitute in recipes for cous cous or rice. I found the texture to be softer than cous cous, probably because it swells up, when cooked, a little more like rice. For many people one of the advantages of quinoa is that it is gluten free, and thus far easier to digest. You will definitely pay more for quinoa (around $6 for a box of 3oog at my local Coles), than rice or cous cous, but I think it is worth it for a change every now and then, for a texture part way in between those two.

So what did I cook? First course was a Carrot and Ginger Soup. And then being my first test (and taste) of quinoa, I simply boiled it up and served it as a side with some beautiful Lamb steaks, a lemon and fennel salad, and home-made harissa.

Carrot and Ginger Soup (serves 6)
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled, chopped
5 1/2 cups chopped carrots
2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I used heaps more than that)
1 1/2L chicken stock
150mL whipping cream (optional) nutmeg chives salt and pepper

1. As with all soups, melt the butter, then add the onion and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Add potato, carrots, ginger and chicken stock. Stir, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 mins, until all veges are cooked.
3. Blend/puree/process the soup till it's smooth.
4. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top. Stir. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the cream to the soup and stir to combine, or just add a dollop as you serve, topped with chives.

This soup certainly did the trick. I had actually made it a few days earlier, and in a triple batch. We have a tradition at work to share a soup/curry/risotto etc on a Tuesday and I was first cab of the rank. I used a huge nob of ginger from my garden, as I didn't think that only using 2 teaspoons would be anywhere near enough.

Ginger from my garden

Ginger is one of the easiest things to grow yourself. Next time you buy some from the supermarket or fruit shop, snap off a bit and put it in a snaplock bag on your bench until it starts to produce a shoot. Then plonk it in a pot or straight in the ground, and give it a good drink of water. It will do it's think and keep growing and growing. Wait till you see the tall green shoot come up - the taller it is the bigger the ginger underneath I've found. So when you need some ginger, pull it up, snap off what you need, and rebury it. Keep dividing it up and your ginger will just keep re-generating and you'll never have to buy it again.

Thyme Lamb with fennel and parsley quinoa (serves 2)
100g quinoa
2 lamb backstraps (150g - 200g each) - I used lamb sirloin steaks
1 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 - 2 tbsp thyme leaves (could use lemon thyme if you can find it)
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, thinly sliced
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 lemon - finely grate rind, then juice it
lemon wedges and harissa (to serve)

Lamb sirloin steaks

1. Cook quinoa in pan of boiling water for 12 minutes or until tender. Drain, cover and keep warm.
2. Rub lamb with mustard (use more if you need it), then roll in thyme, salt & pepper. Heat large lightly oiled pan over med-high. Cook lamb for 3 mins each side (med-rare) or to your like. Remove and rest, covered for 5 minutes.
3. Toss fennel with parsley, lemon rind, lemon juice, garlic. Add in quinoa or serve separately.
4. Slice lamb thickly and serve on quinoa and salad, with lemon wedges and harissa (see recipe below)

Neil Perry's Harissa
4 hot red chillies, coarsely chopped with seeds
2 red capsicum, roasted, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
Sea salt and olive oil

1. In a mortar and pestle pound up the chilli, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt. Taste the chilli to check how hot it is! Add a bit of olive oil if you need to, to make a smooth paste.
2. Add in the thinly sliced capsicum and pound till it has broken up and is well combined with the chilli mixture.
3. Serve immediately, or spoon into sterilised jars and cover with some olive oil. Refrigerate.

Thyme lamb with fennel and parsley quinoa

This harissa is one of my stand-by favourites. It is quick and easy, and oh so tasty with lamb, fish, chicken, silverside, any meat really. It is also good as a dip for veges or with some cheese. Many many uses, I think you all should add it to your repertoire.

The whole dish was amazing. The quinoa was surprisingly light and fluffy. I thought it would be a little coarser like cous cous. The harissa had a beautiful hit of chilli and balanced out the lemon and fennel in the salad. The lamb was perfect - so tender, so juicy. If I do say so myself, this was brilliant. I give myself 5 out of 5 wooden spoons!


Lucky me I had the leftovers for lunch, the next day in the form of a quinoa harissa salad. I mixed the remaining quinoa with the remaining harissa, then added a whack of chopped flat leaf parsley. I had some left over silverside, which I chopped up and threw in as well. It was so good. You've just got to love a dinner, that keeps on giving.