Fish in Coconut milk ..

This past Sunday we had a great afternoon with some friends, the kids had a great time playing and swimming ... don't you just love summer :) .. We cooked the usual sausages for the kids and some yummy teriyaki marinade steaks, but this time I thought we would have some fish. Not on the BBQ, something easy I could do mostly before people arrived .. This recipe was a hit .. and I will definitely be cooking it again as a weekly meal. Enjoy ... This recipe was from the Good Taste Magazine Christmas 09 issue ...


Fish poached in Coconut milk with pineapple & crispy noodles


2 x 270ml cans coconut milk
60ml (1/4 cup) fish sauce
1 tbs mild red curry paste
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
2 x 1cm-thick slices fresh ginger
1 stem lemon grass, halved lengthways, bruised
650g white fish fillets, cut into pieces
200g (1 cup) chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup of fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
50g (1/2 cup) Changs Original Fried Noodles
2 shallots, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 long fresh chilli halved, seeded, thinly slices

1. Combine coconut milk, fish sauce, curry paste, lime leaves, ginger and lemon grass in a wok over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid thickens slightly.

2. Reduce heat to low. Add the fish and simmer, covered, for 3-4 minutes or until just cooked through. Stir in the pineapple.

3. Use a slotted spoon to divide fish and pineapple amoung serving dishes. Spoon over some poaching liquid. Top with the mint, coriander, noodles, shallot and chilli.


DOWNLOAD RECIPE HERE

Chicken Korma

You are going to love this recipe....It is so easy to cook and it is really yummy, even the kids say so.

Chicken Korma, it isn't spicy so don't worry about adding the 1/4 cup of paste. The dip, of course, is optional. I have cooked this now 4 times and only last night did I make the dip. The kids weren't that fussed, but I think that was because it had visible green bits in it ... lol ...

Chicken Korma (Serves 6)


90g (1/3 cup) Greek style natural yoghurt
60g (1/4 cup) korma curry paste (This is not spicy, so good for the kids)
1 tsp garam masala
pinch of saffron threads *
800g chicken thighs fillets, cut into pieces
60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
2 brown onions (I only use one), finely chopped
125ml (1/2 cup) pouring cream
1 tbs vegetable oil, extra
55g (1/3 cup) raw cashews
50g (1/4 cup) raisins
12 fresh curry leaves

* I don't use these

1. Combine the yoghurt, curry paste, garam masala and saffron in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the
chicken and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes
or until golden.

3. Stir in the chicken. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 mintues. Add the cream and simmer for a
further 5 mintues or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens. Season with salt.

4. Meanwhile, heat the extra oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add cashews, raisins and curry leaves.
Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the cashews are golden and the raisins are plump.

5. Transfer the curry to a serving dish. Top with cashew mixture to serve.


Coriander and mint chutney with pappadums

70g (1/4 cup) Greek style yoghurt
1/4 cup fresh coriander sprigs
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
2 tsp tamarind chutney (available from the supermarket)

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt. Prepare the pappadums according to the packet. (My food processor wasn’t working so I just chopped the herbs, still turned out nice)

DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE HERE

Citrus Delicious Pudding

Its not often I cook dessert, however, since hubby and I didn't go out for our 13th Wedding Anniversary I decided we should do something special ... well .... dinner didn't turn out quite how I had planned. It was supposed to be a yummy lemon and oregano chicken. The chicken was nice but the sauce was nothing short of awful LOL .... almost a night for cereal ... :)

I have never cooked a lemon delicious pudding, but I thought they were supposed to be like a sponge with a lemon sauce .. well this wasn't quite sponge like. I yummy crispy top with some sponge underneath, but then it got a bit mushy :) .. not sure if that is how its supposed to be....

RATINGS

Ease of cooking 10 .. Chuck it all in the food processor and then into the dish .. easy as ..
Yumminess as voted by the kids ... 8.5 a bit lemony for the older two, and the youngest gave it a rating of 30 out of 10 lol :) I think she liked it ..

Citrus Delicious Pudding


90g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup (75g) plain all purpose flour
1/2 cup (125ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
icing (confectioners) sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place the butter, sugar, milk, eggs, lemon juice, flour, baking powder and orange rind in a bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a lightly greased 5 cup-capacity ovenproof dish and bake for 1 hour or until golden. Dust with icing sugar to serve. Serves 6.

Enjoy ! .... we did .... oh ! we had a bit of ice cream with it :)

Chicken and Mushroom Pies

Another yummy dinner :) ..... This recipe is from the Good Taste magazine that Woolworths sell. This recipe could be done in one big baking dish if you like, but I thought it would be fun to have individual dishes (ramekins).

RATINGS

Yumminess rating by the kids ... 8 ... they don't like mushrooms :)
Ease of Cooking 10 ..


Chicken and Mushroom Pies

600g potatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped
40g butter
125ml (1/2 cup) pouring cream
1tbs wholegrain mustard
2 tsp Olive Oil
600g single chicken breast fillets, cut into pieces
1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthways, washed, thinly sliced
250g cup mushrooms, halved
125ml (1/2cup) dry white wine
1 tbs flour
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock


1. Preheat oven to 180c. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Cook the potato in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to the pan. Add half the butter and half the cream. Mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mustard.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chick to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden brown almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

3. Melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the leek and mushroom, and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until the wine has reduced by half. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Place over medium-high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the chicken and remaining cream.

4. Divide chicken mixture among four 310ml (1 1/4 cup) capacity ovenproof dishes. Use a spoon to spread the potato mixture over the chicken mixture.

5. Place on the lined tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly before serving.


Enjoy ...

DOWNLOAD THIS RECIPE

Baked Coconut and Coriander Fish ...

You have to try this dish ! ..... its easy and so very yummy. I always struggle with fish dishes, in that I can never find recipes that everyone likes and are quick and easy. This one is a definite repeat dinner.

RATINGS

Yumminess as judged by the kids .. 10 .. their plates were empty.
Ease of cooking 9 .. only because I hate cutting up raw fish :)


Baked Coconut and Coriander Fish


1 x 270ml can light coconut cream (although I used coconut milk)
1 bunch broccolini, cut into 3cm pieces
1 x 250g SunRice long grain white rice in 90 seconds (I used 1 cup long grain rice and pre cooked it)
4 shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
2 tsp fish sauce
400g Basa fillets, cut into 4 cm pieces (Basa is a firm fillet, so an equivalent fish would do, I don't know my fish so I can't offer an alternative)
30g (1/3 cup) dried multigrain breadcrumbs
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind


1. Preheat oven to 200c. Place the coconut cream in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add broccolini, rice, shallot, coriander and fish sauce. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the fish. Transfer to a 2L (8cup) capacity ovenproof dish.

3. Combine breadcrumbs and lemon rind in a bowl. Sprinkle over the fish mixture. Bake, covering with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning, for 20-25 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden. (I found I had to cook it a bit longer to make sure the fish was cook)


Thats it ! Enjoy ...

DOWNLOAD THIS RECIPE

Meatballs ..

One of the staples on our dinner menu is Meatballs .... all the kids love them and they are so easy to make. Tonight we are going to a 'Cocktail' Party .. really just a eat and chat kinda thing :) .... so girls parents have to bring a plate of something. I find that lots of people bring sweet things... so tonight I am taking the meatballs, just not with pasta and sauce ....

Meatballs with Chilli and Lime Dip

Yumminess is off the scale .. this dip is fantastic ... the kids haven't tried it though ..

The Meatballs .. I probably don't need to tell you how to make meatballs, but here is the way I do it ..

Mince 500-700g I use around 600g for the 5 of us.
1 egg
A generous amount of breadcrumbs I use the ones from the box, I generally don't have any spare bread around.
Mixed herbs probably around 1-2 teaspoons
A good dollop of tomato sauce
and I sometimes put in around 1/2-1 teaspoons of curry powder ... just gives a little something I think ..


Mix and squish around with your hands, make into small balls and cook in a frypan.

The dip recipe is from a very old Family Circle Fabulous Mince Recipes

Chilli and Lime Dip

Combine :

1/4 cup (60ml) sweet chilli sauce
2 teaspoons of soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon of finely grated lime rind
3-4 teaspoons of lime juice **
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil

I put the 4 teaspoons of lime juice in and found it a little too much so I put in a good squeeze of honey.

** HINT ... to make it easier to squeeze citrus, I put the limes into the microwave for 10-20 seconds and then roll on the bench ... cut them in half and squeeze and you will find that you get much more juice out of it ..


Viola ... very easy finger food to take to a party ... The red dip you see int he photo is just plain tomato sauce(ketchup), why? its still tastes good with meatballs :)

DOWNLOAD THIS RECIPE


Enjoy !

Carbonara ...

This recipe is very quick and easy, great for nights like tonight where i forgot to get any meat out of the freezer early enough ..

The recipe comes from a book I bought when I lived in Malaysia ... The author is Australian, Jane Strecker, living in Kuala Lumpur and the photographs were taken by the photographer, Sarah Grasset, i used to work with when i lived in KL....

The idea of her book is a fantastic one, its called Family to Fabulous, so each recipe has a family recipe and then on the next page is a fabulous recipe .. so the same family recipe pimped up to look very flash lol ... for those dinner guests over the age of 10 :) ...

I have change the recipe a bit to suit us ... I will type up the recipe as in the book and let you know what I change ..

Spaghetti Carbonara

RATINGS

RATINGS for ease of cooking 10
RATINGS for yumminess from the kids 9

Ingredients

8 rindless bacon rashers, chopped into small pieces
4 eggs (I only use one egg, I can't stop it going scrambled egg like so I stick to one)
1 cup cream (low fat is suitable)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (the grated parmesan in the bag is ok too)
4 spring onions (I only use 2)
400g spaghetti
Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve
(I also add mushrooms, this just adds a bit of extra flavour and yumminess - probably around 100g, chopped)


1. Fry the bacon in a frying pan, then add mushrooms. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream, cheese and spring onion. Add the bacon and mushroom mix and stir through.

3. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain and return to the saucepan.

4. Pour the sauce mixture over the spaghetti and stir through over low heat until the sauce mixture is just warmed through. Avoid heating too long as the egg will start to resemble scrambled egg.

5. Serve with extra parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top ...

DOWNLOAD THIS RECIPE


Enjoy ....