Curry feast

Whenever I feel I need some oomph! in my meals, I'd always cook up some curries. Here are three recipes that you may like to try out. They're from Amy Beh of The Star.

1. Lentils and vegetable curry


2. Dry Indian curry


3. Indian chicken curry

Scrambled eggs - a la James Bond

I didn't know in one of James Bond books, there is a recipe for Scrambled eggs. Did you? Seriously. It's in Octopussy and the Living Daylights. Here's the recipe. Simple.

Scrambled Eggs James Bond
For four individualists:

12 fresh eggs [or 3 eggs per person]
Salt and pepper
5-6 oz. of fresh butter [about a stick and a half, or 3 tbsp. per person]
Chives or fines herbes

Break the eggs into a bowl. Beat thoroughly with a fork and season well with salt and pepper. In a small copper (or heavy bottomed saucepan) melt 4 oz. [half a stick] of the butter. When melted, pour in the eggs and cook over a very low heat, whisking continuously with a small egg whisk.

While the eggs are slightly more moist than you would wish for eating, remove the pan from heat, add the rest of the butter and continue whisking for half a minute, adding at the same time finely chopped chives or fines herbes. Serve on hot buttered toast in individual copper dishes (for appearance only) with pink champagne (Taittinger) and low music.

Source: theurbanpossum

Drink it

Heard of Blue Hawaii? Nope, it's not the Elvis movie I'm talking about. Rather it's a drink, a cocktail if you like and it's very simple to make. Here's the how-to from Drink It - a very refreshing site of drinks.

1 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Blue Curacao
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

You will enjoy the site. Look at these pictures. See what I mean?

Recipe for Strawberry pie, Sesame Chicken Strips and Banana bread

Here's a really cute and informal recipe for strawberry pie from Jamie of "10 Signs Like This".

Here's a recipe from "PsychoCuisine" for Sesame Chicken Strips.

Sweet Misa's Banana Bread recipe.

Pickled chillies

I love wantan mee. I would enjoy it even more if the pickled chillies are more to the sweeter taste. I would also prefer if the pickles are crunchy. Older pickles lack this crunch.

I was delighted when I came across this recipe for Pepper Sauce which is similar to the method we use for pickled chillies. I've always been fascinated by those pretty and colourful bottles of pickles on store shelves and in cookery books.

Getting the real taste of India

Palace d' India designed to depict an ancient Indian palace

If you're in Penang and looking for Indian food, Palace d'India is the place to head to.

BBC’s Good Food World-wide Magazine cookery writer Barney Desmazery said it best – Penang’s Palace d’ India does offer “the best In-dian food in Malaysia.”

When the Sizzling Mutton was served, the smell of the still sizzling capsicum and onion gravy was impossible to resist.

The succulent mutton slices were juicy and tender – a lovely dish marinated to perfection.

Read article: Getting the real taste of India...The Star

Vegetables and Steaming times

Nutrients in food are often lost during cooking more so if food is overcooked. Steaming food is preferred to retain the flavour and nutrients. Below is a guide on steaming time for vegetables.

o Artichokes: Medium 35 to 40 minutes
o Asparagus: Thin spears 3 to 4 minutes. Thick spears 5 to 6 minutes
o Beans: Green, yellow 4 to 8 minutes. Fresh shell 10 to 40 minutes, depending on variety
o Beets: Medium 30 to 35 minutes
o Broccoli: Florets 4 to 5 minutes. Spears 5 to 7 minutes
o Broccoli rabe or rapini: Thick stems removed, leaves and florets cut into 2-inch pieces 5 to 9 minutes
o Cabbage: 1 ½-inch thick wedges 6 minutes
o Carrots: ¼-inch thick pieces 5 to 8 minutes
o Cauliflower: Whole head 15 to 20 minutes. Florets 4 to 6 minutes
o Corn on the cob: Husked 5 minutes
o Greens (chard, kale): Thick stems removed, leaves sliced into ½-inch wide strips 8 to 10 minutes
o Parsnips: ¼-inch thick slices 6 to 8 minutes
o Peas: Green, shelled 5 to 8 minutes. Pods (snow, sugar snaps) 2 to 5 minutes
o Peppers (hot and sweet): Stemmed, seeded and halved 5 to 7 minutes
o Potatoes: Whole new 15 to 20 minutes. Whole red or white 30 to 40 minutes. 2-inch chunks 15 minutes
o Winter squash, seeded: 1-inch peeled cubes 12 to 15 minutes. Small halves 15 to 20 minutes. o Large pieces 25 to 30 minutes

Sources: "Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Companion"; "Field Guide to Produce" by Aliza Green

Pizzas easy to make at home

Try your hand at making pizzas at home with this recipe from Lucy Wong of The News Straits Times. Lucy recommends using pita bread so as not having to wait for a long time for the pizza dough to rise.

QUICK AND FUN PITA PIZZA

6 pita breads (15cm in diameter)
2 tsps olive oil
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
1 can (400g) whole peeled tomatoes (finely mashed)
3 Tbsps tomato paste or puree
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Toppings:
100g button mushrooms (thinly sliced)
3 Tbsps green capsicum (finely diced)
3 Tbsps red capsicum (finely diced)
50g olives (finely diced)
3 pieces canned anchovies (drained and chopped)
4 slices chicken ham (cut into thin strips)
2 chicken sausages (finely diced)
50g canned pineapple (finely diced)
250g grated mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheese mix (as in Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus available in supermarkets, or you can make your own)Tabasco sauce (optional)

Method
1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic, stir-fry for a minute and add diced onion. Fry for two minutes or until the onion is soft.

2. Add mashed canned tomatoes (include the liquid in the can), tomato paste or puree, oregano, basil, pepper and salt. Bring the mixture to boil, then simmer on low heat. Stir to prevent it burning at the bottom, stir for 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick like paste. Leave it to cool while preparing the topping.

3. Spread the sauce evenly over the six pita bread bases.

4. Sprinkle half of the cheese mix over the bases.

5. Add sliced mushrooms, diced capsicum, olives, chopped anchovies, chicken sausages and chicken ham strips on top of the bases. It is not necessary to use all the ingredients for the topping, you can always choose the ones that you like.

6. Lastly, add the remaining cheese on all the six bases evenly.

7. Bake the pizza in a pre-heated oven at 200¢ªC for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the base is golden brown.

8. Sprinkle with tabasco sauce (optional) before serving.

Tips:
1. Bread can also be used as a pizza base too.
2. You can also create your own toppings e.g. seafood, vegetarian, etc.

Source: Lucy Wong...NST...Pizzas easy to make at home

More than a garnish in coriander

by EU HOOI KHAW

CORIANDER leaves are also known as cilantro and Chinese parsley. It’s indispensable as a garnish in Chinese dishes, especially for steamed fish, soups and stews.

The Thais use a lot of it in their salads. They also add the roots of coriander to their wonderful sambal, as well as to their green curry pastes. The Vietnamese use a lot of it in their cooking too.

More on Coriander...NST