Fried Fish in Tamarind Sauce

Fried Fish in Tamarind Sauce



Ingredients:
White firm fish fillets - I used tilapia
1 tbsp tamarind mixed with a little water to get a thick paste or cheat's way is to use ready made tamarind paste which they sell here in UK
2 tbsp sugar
1 onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 sprigs coriander
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 red chilies - chopped

Method:
1. Coat fish fillet in plain flour or corn flour.
2. Heat oil in pan and fry fillets. Fry till brown on one side and flip over and cook other side.
3. Remove to a plate
4. Remove the oil from the sauce pan and add chopped ingredients.
5. Add tamarind paste or water if using, fish sauce, sugar and a little water. Mix well and let it boil.
6. Add more water if the mixture gets too thick. Cook for about 5 mins and spoon over fried fish and garnish with coriander leaves.

Sweet and sour pork

Sweet and Sour Pork



Ingredients:
(A)
500 gms Shoulder pork or belly pork - cut into cubes
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chinese wine
1 tbsp corn flour
1 egg - beaten
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda (optional)

1 carrot - diced
1 green pepper - diced
1 onion - cut into wedges
button mushrooms - sliced
baby corn
spring onions - cut into 1 inch slices
fresh or canned cubed pineapples (optional)

Gravy:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp ketchup
dash of worchester sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp cornflour (optional)

Method:
1. Put ingredients (A) into a bowl and mix everything well and marinate for about 15 mins or longer. The bicarb of soda acts as a meat tenderiser.
2. After meat has been marinated, put about 3 tbsp cornflour in a plastic bag and put meat into the bag and shake. Or the alternative would be to put some cornflour onto a plate and add the meat to it. Shake off excess.
3. Heat some oil in a sauce pan and after oil is hot enough, add the coated meat cubes to the oil. Fry in batches and do not overcrown the pan. Fry till meat is browned all over and remove to a kitchen towel.
4. Heat some oil in a fry pan and fry the vegetables in order given. Fry for about 5 mins and then add the gravy and simmer for about 10 mins for veg to soften.
5. Lastly, add meat to the mixture and you can add cornflour slurry to the mixture to thicken up if so wished.
Note: I normally do not add this as the mixture will thickens up slightly.

June - 1st Daring Kitchen Challenge

Daring Cooks Challenge
Potstickers/Gyozas


This month's challenge is potstickers/gyoza and oops I just did some at the end of April, but that was using ready made dough and this challenge was to make our own.
Hey, good idea, then at least I can say that I've had a go at it and know how it's done. haha. ( I won't put my recipe down as it can be found in my archives)





This months challenge is hosted by Jen of use real butter and the challenge is Chinese dumplings/potstickes (aka gyoza in Japanese).

Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

pork filling:
1 lb (450g) ground pork
4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried - rehydrated and rinsed carefully)
1/2 cup (75g) bamboo shoots, minced
1/4 (55g) cup ginger root, minced
3 tbsp (40g) soy sauce
2 tbsp (28g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch

OR

shrimp filling:
1/2 lb (225g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1/2 lb (225g) ground pork
3 stalks green onions, minced
1/4 cup (55g) ginger root, minced
1 cup (142g) water chestnuts, minced
1 tsp (5g) salt
3 tbsp (40g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch

dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches - or just halve the filling recipe)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water
flour for worksurface

dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).

Make the dough, Method 2 (my mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.


Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

placing the dumplings in a steamer over napa cabbage leaves

Sugar craft rose cake

Sugar Craft Rose Cake

Was invited to Pat's cousin's 60th Birthday lunch, so thought I'd make a cake to give as a present. My 2nd go at making roses and I am so glad of the end result.

Too good to be true

Too Good to be True

We had 2 wonderful weeks - around the end of May with temps going up to around 27 at one stage, sun shining, blue skies, etc. Went downhill after that. Today it's only 16degs. Sigh. That's London for you. Summer's gone! - oh no, I do hope not. You know every year, they forecast a hot summer and this year it's no different, they forecasted the hottest summer on record and well, fingers crossed, hopefully it will change soon.

And now for the latest news.. they will be having a 48 hour tube strike which started tonight at 1900 and ending on Thursday at 1900. So, moi will be working from home as I do not fancy fighting my way in the chaos in London.

Thai Fish Cake

Thai Fish Cakes

Have not made these in a long time. They are quite easy to make. It is a Rick Stein recipe.

Ingredients
450g/1lb white fish fillets, skinned and cut into chunks
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 kaffir lime leaf or 1 strip or lime zest, shredded very finely
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (leaves and stalks)
1 egg
1 tsp palm sugar or muscovado sugar
½ tsp salt
40g/1½oz French beans, sliced thinly into rounds
150ml/5fl oz groundnut or sunflower oil

For the sweet and sour cucumber sauce:
50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar
100g/4oz caster sugar
1½tbsp water
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
50g/2oz cucumber, diced very finely
25g/1oz carrot, diced very finely
25g/1oz onion, chopped very finely
2 red bird's eye chillies, sliced thinly

Method
1. For the sauce, gently heat the vinegar, sugar and water in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and leave to cool
3. Stir in the fish sauce, cucumber, carrot, onion and chillies. Pour into four small dipping saucers or ramekins and set aside.
4. For the fish cakes, put the fish in a food processor with the fish sauce, curry paste, kaffir lime leaf or lime zest, chopped coriander, egg, sugar and salt. Process until smooth, then stir in the sliced green beans.
5. Divide the mixture into 16 pieces. Roll each one into a ball and then flatten into a 6cm/2½in disc.
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the fish cakes in batches for 1 minute on each side, until golden brown. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper, then serve with the sweet and sour cucumber sauce.

Prawn avocado salad

Prawn Avocado salad

Ingredients
Mixed salad leaves
6 large cooked king prawns
2 hard boiled eggs - cut into wedges
2 avocadoes
½ lemon, juice only
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing
150ml/5¼ fl oz mayonnaise
50ml/1¾ fl oz ketchup
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
½ lemon, juice only

Method:
1. Arrange salad at bottom of plate
2. Cut the avocados in half, removing the skin and stone. Slice into four lengthways and arrange on a plate.
3. Scatter eggs on top.
4. Toss the cooked, cold prawns in the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and olive oil and place on top of the avocados.
5. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and drizzle over salad.
4. Serve immediately.