Saturday, January 31, 2009

Chicken Drummets With Peri-Peri Sauce


Hey, Super Bowl Weekend! Is it time for pub grub? Okay, this is an easy chicken dish recipe. No fuss and taste great too. I'm using the Extra-Hot Peri-Peri Sauce. So spicy and they goes really well with some cold beers! Enjoy :)


Chicken Drummets With Peri-Peri Sauce
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients


1 lb Chicken Drummets
1 Bottle (125 ml) Peri-Peri Sauce (Extra Hot or any kind)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Sea Salt
Some Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Some Lime Juice

Method

Preheat oven to 200˚C. Lightly oil a baking tray.

Marinate the chicken drummets with sea salt, olive oil and black pepper.

Bake the chicken for about 15 minutes. Baste the chicken with Peri-Peri sauce. Repeat the basting every 5 minutes until the chicken are cooked. (25 to 30 minutes) Squeeze some lime juice over the chicken and serve immediately.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Blueberry Muffins


This muffin recipe is adapted from Baking With Julia cookbook and written by Dorie Greenspan. I like the lightness of the muffin and the smell of the fresh blueberries. And surprisingly not too sweet! I guess you'll see me posting more recipes from this cookbook. So, watch out for them :)


Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups Cake Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cream Of Tartar
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 pint Fresh Blueberries
3/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 stick (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2/3 Sugar
1 Large Egg, at room temperature
1 Large Egg Yolk, at room temperature

Method

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400˚F. Butter or spray 18 muffin cups or line them with paper bake cups. (These muffins are best made in standard tins in which the cups are 2 1/2 inches in diameter.) If you have 2 muffin tins with 12 cups, fill the 6 cups that will be empty in one of the tins with water - this will help the muffins bake evenly.

Mixing the Batter: Sift the cake flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt together twice, and leave the sifted dry ingredients in the sifter or strainer; set it on a piece of waxed paper. Remove a tablespoon or two of the dry ingredients and toss with the blueberries. In a separate bowl, stir the milk and sour cream together and set aside until needed.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment ( or work with a hand-held mixer), beat the butter on medium speed until white and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture no longer feels grainy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the paddle and the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and yolk and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift half of the dry ingredients into the bowl. Add half of the milk and sour cream mixture and, using a large rubber spatula, delicately fold the ingredients together, stopping when barely combined. Add the remaining dry and liquid ingredients and fold in only until just mixed-don't be concerned about getting everything evenly incorporated. Sprinkle over the blueberries and fold them in only to the just mixed stage.

Baking the muffins: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup at least two-thirds full, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops, which will be flat, are golden and spring back when lightly pressed. Turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Storing: The muffins will stay light and lovely for a day. If you are not going to serve them within a few hours of baking, pack them into a plastic bag, they'll keep for 1 more days and will then be best sliced and toasted. For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze for up to a month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.


Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Fried Egg With Long Beans


Hey, it's snowing again! I thought I wont see any more snow until next winter. (Apart from the mountain, of course!) I guess I have a reason not to hit the gym today, blame the snow! Ha!
Well, have anyone tried cooking long beans? I have a few recipes to share. Today, I'm posting one of my favorite and they are very easy to prepare. So, do try the recipe :)

Fried Egg With Long Beans

Ingredients

100 g of Peeled Prawns, diced
200 g Long Beans, diced
1 Red Chili, thinly sliced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
4 Eggs, lightly beaten with some Ground White Pepper
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Peanut Oil
Sea Salt to taste


Method

Cook the garlic with oil in a low heat until fragrant. Set aside.

On moderate heat, cook the prawns briefly. Then mix in the long beans, red chili, soy sauce and give it a quick stir and toss in the garlic. Then add the lightly beaten eggs and continue cooking until the eggs are set. Serve immediately.


Monday, January 26, 2009

Fried Rice With Bean Sprouts


Well, after two straight day of having Hot Pot, I have decided to have something simple today, fried rice with herbal soup. For the fried rice I'm using some salted fish and beans sprouts. They were delicious!

Anyway, back to the Hot Pot, last Saturday we were invited to a Chinese New Year Pot Luck gathering. We had a great time catching up with some friends. The gathering was hosted by Mark and Jess and if guys do read this post, thanks for your hospitality and we truly enjoyed our time at your place :)


Fried Rice With Bean Sprouts

Ingredients

5 cups of Cooked Cooled Rice
2 cups of Beans Sprouts, heads and roots off
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
30 g Good quality Salted Fish, thinly sliced, soaked and drained
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 stalks Scallions, chopped
3 Tbsp Peanut Oil
Ground White Pepper
Sea Salt to taste

Method

In a moderate heat, deep-fried the salted fish with a Tbsp of oil. Cook until they are lightly brown and crispy. Set aside.

Using the same oil, lower the heat and cook the garlic until they are golden in color and set aside.

Then, cook the eggs until they are set and mashed them lightly with the spatula and set aside.

Turn the heat on high and add the remaining oil. Mix in the rice and cook briefly for about 5 minutes. Then add in the garlic, eggs and soy sauce. Give it a quick stir.

Then add in the salted fish and bean sprouts. Stir quickly and season with sea salt and ground white pepper. To serve, top it with some chop scallions. Serve immediately.



Saturday, January 24, 2009

Kuih Kapit (Love Letters)


Kuih Kapit or Love Letters are popular during the Chinese New Year. They were made using a special mold and cook on charcoal. The best Kuih Kapit are supposed to be thin and crispy. I'm using the Scandinavian KrumKake mold. The mold is usually used to bake thin round cakes and shape into cone and fill them with cream or other fillings. They can be eaten plain too. The mold in general is similar to Kuih kapit mold because they use the same ingredients except for the fat content in Kuih Kapit is coconut milk. If you are familiar with Kuih Kapit, I would say the thickness of the cookie is double with the KrumKake mold. Okay, here is the recipe.

Kuih Kapit

Ingredients

3 Large Eggs
120 g Sugar
250 ml Coconut Milk
150 g Rice Flour, sifted
60 g All-Purpose Flour, sifted
30 g Corn Flour, sifted
120 ml Water

Method

Combine the eggs and sugar and mix well. Then add the coconut milk and mix further.

Then stir in the flours and strain the batter. Brush the mold with oil.

Put 1 1/2 Tbsp of batter onto the mold and cover until they are ready or brown in color.

Cool on the rack and store them in an airtight container.


Friday, January 23, 2009

Kuih Bahulu



This cookie or I should say cake because they tasted more like cake and are quite similar to Madeline too. The Kuih Bahulu was baked in a heavy Tea Cake pan instead of the traditional cast iron mold.

Kuih Bahulu

Ingredients

6 Large Eggs
160 g Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
200 g Pastry Flour or Cake Flour, sifted
2 Tbsp Corn Flour, sifted
1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
A pinch of Sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180˚C and lightly grease the baking tray.

Combine the flours, baking powder and sea salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale in color. Then add the vanilla extract and continue whisking for a couple of minutes.

Fold in the sifted flours and baking powder gently until well combine. Fill the batter onto the mold and bake for about 15 minutes or until they are light golden brown in color. Lift the cake out with a thin skewer or toothpick and let it cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Chicken With Roasted Coriander In A Coconut Curry Sauce


This is a delicious Chicken With Roasted Coriander In A Coconut Curry Sauce. (Dakshini murgh) I have made them earlier with the Cauliflower With Potatoes that I have posted earlier. They compliments well together and great with steamed rice! The recipe is adapted from the same cookbook from Madhur Jaffrey's.

Chicken With Roasted Coriander In A Coconut Curry Sauce

Ingredients

3 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
2 tsp Black Peppercorns
6 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds
5 cm (2 inch) Cinnamon Stick
1.5 kg (3 1/2 lb) Chicken pieces, skinned and cut into small serving portions
2 medium-sized Onions, peeled and cut into fine half-rings
4-5 cloves of Garlic, peeled and cut into fine slivers
1 tsp peeled, very finely grated fresh Ginger
100-150 g (4-5 oz) Tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
One 400 g (14 oz) can of Coconut Milk
2 fresh, hot Green Chilies, split in half, lengthwise

Method

Set a small, cast-iron frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Now put the coriander seeds, fenugreek and peppercorns into it. Stir and roast them for about 1 1/2 minutes or until they are lightly browned and emit a roasted aroma. Remove the spices, leave them to cool slightly then grind them finely in a clean coffee-grinder or other spice-grinder.

Put the oil in a wide, preferably non-stick pan and set over medium high heat. When hot, put in the black mustard seeds and cinnamon. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop - this takes just a few seconds - put in the chicken pieces, only as many as the pan hold easily in a single layer. Brown the chicken pieces in as many batches as necessary and remove to a bowl.

Once all the chicken is browned, put the onions and garlic into the same pan and turn the heat to medium. Stir and fry until the onions are light brown. Now put in the ginger and tomatoes. Stir and cook until the tomatoes are soft. Turn heat down. Add the roasted spice mixture, turmeric, cayenne, salt and lemon juice. Remove the very thick coconut cream that will have congealed at the top of the coconut milk can and set aside. Stir the remaining contents of the can. Add enough water to fill the can again and pour this mixture over the chicken. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring now and then.

Stir the thick coconut cream that you removed and add that and the green chilies to the chicken. Stir once or twice as the cream warms through. Turn off the heat.

Note: The green chilies may be left as a garnish or eaten by those who are up to it.


Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Pineapple Tarts


Okay, here is the recipe for my Pineapple Tarts. This one is the hardest to make! Maybe not that hard but rather time consuming but worth the effort! I know, I don't have any artistic skill but they still turn out well, just not great! LOL! Do try made the pineapple tarts.


Pineapple Tarts

Ingredients

Pineapple Jam

3 Ripe Pineapples, skin and cut into chunks
200 g to 350 g Sugar (adjust accordingly)
2 cloves
5 cm Cinnamon Stick
3 Pandanus leaves, cleaned and knotted
80 g Golden Syrup

Method

Blend the pineapple chunks in a blender or a food processor. Then pour into a sieve and drain off some of the juice.

Place the pineapple, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and pandanus leaves in a heavy bottom saucepan and cook over a low heat. Adjust the sugar accordingly. Stir frequently until the jams are slightly thick and add in the golden syrup. Then cook until the jam is thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Then roll the pineapple jam into a small cherry sized balls.

Pastry

250 g Unsalted Butter, softened
50 g Confectioner Sugar
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Egg Yolks
350 g All-Purpose Flour, sifted
50 g Corn Flour, sifted
1 extra Egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Extra Cloves for decorating

Method

Preheat the oven to 180˚C and line baking tray with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Beat until they are well combined and add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Then mix in all the sifted flours and beat again over a low speed until well combined and knead lightly to form into soft dough.

To shape the tarts - Flatten a piece of dough (about 15 g) with lightly floured hand and place a piece of the prepared pineapple jam in the center, wrap and seal well. Roll the tart lightly into an oval shape and snip the surface of the pastry with a small scissors to form a spiky look. Then insert a clove into one end.

Brush the pastry with the egg wash and bake for about 20 minutes or until they are light golden in color.

Cool on the rack and place the pineapple tart in small baking cups and store in airtight cookie jar.


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Spaghetti With Garlic And Olive Oil


No time to cook dinner? Try this pasta dish! Simple, delicious and ready in less than 25 minutes!


Spaghetti With Garlic And Olive Oil

Ingredients

400 g Dried Spaghetti
6 Cloves Garlic, chopped
3 Bird's Eye Chilies, chopped
1 Lemon, juiced
3 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
200 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Some Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt to taste

Method

In a large pot with salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti according to the manufacturer instructions or until they are al dente.

Meanwhile, with a large saucepan on low heat, add the olive oil and cook the garlic until golden in color. Then add the chilies and cook for another minute.

Turn the heat on medium, toss in the tomatoes, parsley and stir briefly. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Drain the pasta and mix into the garlic oil and combine well. Serve immediately.



Monday, January 19, 2009

Cashew Cookies


It's cookie time! I have baked some cookies for the coming Chinese New Year. This is the easiest one to make. They are scrumptious and addictive too!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Egg Sandwiches


The good old Egg Sandwich with a little bit of twist! I have top some sprouts and they are really good! I love sprouts on my sandwich and salad too. Don't you just love the crunchiness of sprouts when biting into the sandwich? I know I love them. :)


Egg Sandwiches
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients


5 Large Eggs
4 to 5 Tbsp Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Parsley
60 g Alfalfa Sprouts
Sea Salt to taste
Some Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Loaf of sliced Bread

Method

Cook the eggs in boiling water for about 4 minutes. Drain, peel and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mash eggs and add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, sea salt and black pepper. Combine well.

To serve, spread some egg filling over the bread and then the sprouts. Top with another piece of bread. Trim the crusts off and cut into half. Serve immediately.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Kuih Kodok (Deep Fried Banana Fritters)


This is another popular snack in Malaysia and a wonderful recipe on using over ripe bananas. I have added some ground almond into the batter. Well, I just wanted some nutty taste in it. Here is the recipe.

Kuih Kodok (Deep Fried Banana Fritters)

Ingredients

500 g Bananas, peeled
200 g All Purpose Flour, sifted
5 Tbsp Ground Almond
4 Tbsp Sugar
1 Egg, lightly beaten
Oil for deep-frying

Method

Mash the bananas. Then add the flour, ground almond, sugar and egg. Combine well and set the batter aside for 1/2 an hour.

Heat the oil over moderate heat. Scoop some batter with a spoon and deep-fry the batter until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Friday, January 16, 2009

Cauliflower With Potatoes


Okay, I simply love this Cauliflower with potatoes combination. (Phool gobi aur aloo ki bhaji) This is another easy to prepare dish at home and they goes really well with some curry and steamed rice. The recipe is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking.




Cauliflower With Potatoes

Ingredients

225 g (8 oz) Potatoes
1 Medium-Sized Cauliflower (about 450 g/ 1 lb florets)
5 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp Ground Turmeric
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 - 1 Fresh, Hot Green Chili, very finely chopped
1/2 tsp Ground, Roasted Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method

Boil the potatoes and allow them to cool completely. (Day-old cooked potatoes that have been refrigerated work very well for this dish.) Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm (3/4 inch) dice.

Break up the cauliflower into chunky florets, that are about 4 cm (1 1/2 inches) across at the head and about 4 cm 1 1/2 inches) long. Soak the florets in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. Drain.

Put the oil in a large, preferably non-stick, frying-pan and set over medium heat. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. Let the seeds sizzle for 3-4 seconds. Now put in the cauliflower and stir it about for 2 minutes. Let the cauliflower brown in spots. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 4-6 minutes or until the cauliflower is almost done but still has a hint of crispness left.

Put in the diced potatoes, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, green chili, ground roasted cumin seeds, salt and some black pepper. Stir gently to mix. Continue to cook uncovered on low heat for another 3 minutes or until the potatoes are heated through. Stir gently as you do so.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Stir-Fry Bok Choy


This is an example of simple stir-frying vegetables at home. My style of cooking dishes that requires quick stir-frying with high heat will never fail me. Always begin with a low heat when cooking the garlic or shallots and remove them and mix in again later. This way, you will never burn your garlic or shallots and the oil would be fragrant too! Your vegetables or dishes will always turns out perfect! In fact the same method are use for all my fried rice, like the Pineapple Fried Rice.

Stir-Fry Bok Choy

Ingredients

600 to 700 g Bok Choy
3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Peanut Oil
3 to 4 Tbsp Chicken Stock or Water
Sea Salt to taste

Method

Cleaned and cut the bok choy into small size. Leave whole or halved if they are small.

Heat the oil and cook the garlic in a low heat until translucent. Set the garlic aside.

Turn the heat on high and add the bok choy and give it a quick stir. Then add the garlic, oyster sauce, chicken stock or water and season with sea salt. Serve immediately.


Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Cinnamon And Cardamom Buns


Well, if you like cinnamon rolls, you should try to bake these buns instead. They were really, really good! I actually prefer them than the cinnamon rolls. This is yet another great recipe from Tessa Kiros. In fact, I'm going to bake them again, like today!



Cinnamon And Cardamom Buns

Ingredients

Bun Dough

250 ml (1 cup) Tepid Milk
100 g ( 3 1/2 oz) Caster (Superfine) Sugar
25 g (1 oz) Fresh Yeast
1 Egg, lightly beaten
125 g ( 4 1/2 oz) Butter, softened
2 tsp Ground Cardamom
1 tsp Salt
650 g ( 5 1/4 cups) Cake Flour or Plain (All-Purpose) Flour

Cinnamon Butter

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
50 g ( 1 3/4 oz) Caster (Superfine) Sugar, plus 1 Tbsp for sprinkling
80 g ( 2 3/4 oz) Butter, softened
1 Egg, lightly beaten

Method

Put the milk and sugar in a bowl and crumble in the yeast. Leave it for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to activate. Add the egg, butter, cardamom and salt and mix in. Add the flour, bit by bit, mixing it in with a wooden spoon until you need to use your hands, and then turn it out onto the work surface to knead. It may seem a little too sticky initially, but will become compact and beautifully soft after 5 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and then a heavy towel and leave in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

To make, the cinnamon butter, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Divide the butter into four portions and keep on one side.

Put the dough on a floured work surface and divide it into four portions. Begin with one portion, covering the others with a cloth so they don't dry out. Using a rolling pin, roll out a rectangle, roughly about 30 x 25 cm (12 x 10 inches) and 2 - 3 mm(1/8 inch) thick. Spread one portion of butter over the surface of the dough with a palette knife or blunt knife. Sprinkle with about 3 tsp of the cinnamon mix, covering the whole surface with quick shaking movements of your wrists. Roll up to make a long dough sausage. Set aside while you finish rolling out and buttering the rest of the dough, so that you can cut them all together.

Line two large baking trays with baking paper, or bake in two lots if you only have one tray. Line up the dough sausage in front of you and cut them slightly on the diagonal, alternating up and down, so that the slices are fat 'v' shapes, with the point of the 'v' about 2 cm (3/4 inch) and the base about 5 cm (2 inches). Turn them so they are all the right way up, sitting on their fatter bases. Press down on the top of each one with two fingers until you think you will almost go through to your work surface. Along the sides you will see the cinnamon stripes oozing outwards. Put the buns on the baking tray, leaving space for them to puff and rise while they bake. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle a little sugar over the top.

Leave the buns to rise for half and hour and preheat your oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Bake them for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden. Check that they are lightly golden underneath as well before you take them out of the oven. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature and, when they are cool, keep them in an airtight container so they don't harden.



Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Prawn Sambal With Petai


This is a spicy sambal dish that goes very well with some steamed rice. I cooked the sambal with some Petai or also known as Stink Bean, Bitter Bean and Sataw. I know the fact that many people disliked the petai bean. The taste I would describe, kind of peculiar to others but I like them. In fact my kids liked them too!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Chilled Tofu With Soy Sauce


This tofu dish is very easy to prepare and it’s healthy too. Tofu or Bean curd is very versatile, there are so many ways to enjoy the healthy goodness of tofu. This is just an example of a simple home cooked tofu dish. Well, not exactly "cooked"; but, just simply add some oil and soy sauce, sprinkle with some scallions and you are all set! :-)



Chilled Tofu With Soy Sauce

Ingredients

1 packet of chilled Soft Tofu, drained
2 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Peanut Oil
3 Shallots, sliced
2 stalks Scallions, chopped

Method

In a small saucepan, fry the shallots with peanut oil until golden brown in color. Remove the shallots and place them on top of the tofu.

Turn the heat off and pour in the soy sauce into the oil and let it sizzle for a while. Pour the oil and soy mixture on top of the tofu and sprinkle with some scallions. Serve immediately.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Pomegranate Agar-Agar


Pomegranate is one of my favorite fruits but not for my kids. They seem to think why would someone wanted to eat "seeds"! I have tried convinced them to like pomegranate earlier but with no luck until last evening. Okay, I know how much they love my Rose Water agar-agar that I often make for them. So, I was thinking why not adding some sweet and juicy pomegranate in the agar-agar? The result?

Well, I'm proud to say that I did it! My kids are into pomegranate now! LOL! Anyway, I find that the combination of Rose Water really compliments well with pomegranate. The agar-agar is very refreshing with a hint of sweet rose aroma.



Pomegranate Agar-Agar

Ingredients

1 Packet 42.5 g (1.5 oz) Agar-Agar
12 cups of Water
200 g Sugar
5 Tbsp Rose Water
2 drops of Red Coloring
3 Pandanus Leaves, cleaned and knotted
2 Pomegranate, peeled

Method

In a large pot, boil the agar-agar and pandanus leaves with water. Let is simmer for about 15 minutes. Then add sugar and stir until both the agar-agar and sugar dissolves.

Add the rose water and a few drops of red food coloring. Strained and pour into a mold. Let it cool slightly and add the pomegranate. Chilled in refrigerator. Serve the agar-agar cold.


Friday, January 9, 2009

Barbecued Spare Ribs


These ribs are lips smacking good! The recipe is from one of the many cookbooks by Tessa Kiros. Great cookbook! In fact, I've ordered another book by her and just have the confirmation from Amazon! The book has been shipped and it's on the way to my house. Yay!

Okay, according to the recipes, the ribs are best cooked over a barbeque but; it's winter! I can't possible stand outside and do my grilling at this time of year. So, I have used my trusted oven instead and they still come out perfect!



Barbecued Spare Ribs

Ingredients

85 g (3 oz) Butter
1 Onion, minced in a processor or very finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) Tomato Ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
4 Tbsp Brown Sugar
80 ml (1/3 cup) Lemon Juice
80 ml (1/3 cup) Runny Honey
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) Baby-Back Pork Ribs, halved horizontally if large

Method

Heat the butter in a wide non-stick saucepan and saute the onion over gentle heat until softened but not browned. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the ribs) and 250 ml (1 cup) of water to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Put the ribs and the sauce in a large ovenproof dish so that they fit quite compactly and leave them in the fridge for at least a few hours. (I marinate the ribs overnight)

The ribs are best cooked over a barbeque. Either heat a gas barbeque to medium high or heat your coals. If using coals, let them begin to die down, making sure there are no flames as you don't want to burn the meat. Scrape off any excess marinade and barbeque the ribs until they are deep golden on both sides and charred in some places. Check that the pork is cooked all the way through to the bone. If there are any really thick ribs, cut them up individually and put them back over the coals.

Remove the ribs from the grill and put them back into the marinade in the dish. Add 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water to the marinade. Put the dish on the barbeque and cook until the sauce boils and becomes sticky, thick and dark (the sauce must come to the boil and boil for a few minutes). Turn the ribs over a few times while you are reducing the sauce. Serve immediately, either cut up individually or in their racks.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Arrowroot Chips


How about some scrumptious arrowroot chips for a change? They tasted just like potato chips but sweeter. They are also known as Arrowhead . Anyway, I won't be posting any recipe today. Basically, all you need is to peel and slice the arrowroot and soaked them in water. Drained and fry them in a low heat oil. That's it! 

Well, I would like to suggest using a mandoline to do the slicing and remember to fry in small batches and drain well.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Chocolate Tart


I almost forgot to post about the chocolate tart that I made during the New Years Eve. Anyway, this recipe was adapted from one of the Jamie Oliver cookbooks. I did not use the recipe for the tart shells. I have used the tart shell recipes from the Lemon Tartlets.


Chocolate Tart

Ingredients

1 tart shell, bake blind
1 cup plus 6 Tbsp Heavy Cream
2 Level Tbsp Sugar
A pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 lb Bittersweet Chocolate, broken up
Scant 1/2 cup Cold Milk
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder for dusting

Method

Place the cream, sugar and pinch of salt in a pan and bring to a boil. As soon as the mixture has boiled, remove from the heat and add the butter and chocolate. Stir until it has completely melted. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, stirring in the cold milk until smooth and shiny. Sometimes this mixture looks it has separated. Allow to cool down a bit more and whisk in a little extra cold milk until smooth.

Scrape all the mixture into the cooked and cooled pastry shell with a spatula. Shake the tart to even it out and allow to cool for around 1 to 2 hours until it is at room temperature.

Dust with the cocoa powder. Ultimately the pastry should be short and crisp and the filling should be smooth and should cut like butter.