Category Archives: Dinner

Thai Peanut Curry with Chicken Meatballs and Zucchini

6 Replies


Curries are always a great hit in our home, whether it’s just us or whether we have guests joining us for dinner. It’s so easy to prepare, everyone loves a Curry and it can be made in advance. This particular Curry is one I make very often because we love Thai Curries and also because it has Peanut butter in it. We love all things Peanut sauce, have you tried our Sate sauce?

TIP: I usually double the sauce and freeze half for later in small containers, it works so well for a quick dinner.

Prep time : 20 min
Cooking time : 20 min
Serves : 4



INGREDIENTS:


Meatballs
• 1 lb./450 gr. Ground chicken
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. Thai red curry paste
• Ground pepper
• Grated lime zest, just a little bit

Curry sauce
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 medium shallots, minced
• 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
• 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• 1 zucchini in bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 can coconut milk, 13.5 oz./400 ml.
• 1 tbsp. Palm sugar or brown sugar
• About ½-1 cup water
• 1 tbsp. Fish sauce (adjust to taste)
• Juice of ½ – 1 lime (adjust to taste)
• fresh cilantro, rice and chopped nuts for serving

More Thai ideas: 


INSTRUCTIONS:


1. In a large bowl, add the chicken mince and add the garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, Thai red curry paste, ground pepper and lime zest. Mix to combine and shape into meatballs about the size of a golf ball, set aside.
2. In a large pot, bring the oil to medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Next add the ginger and garlic. Stir and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes.
3. Now add the curry paste, stir for a minute and add the peanut butter, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk and water, bring to a simmer. Carefully add the meatballs.
4. Bring to a simmer again and cover partially with a lid, cook for about 15 minutes then add the Zucchini, cover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until Zucchini is bite tender. Check throughout cooking if you need to add more water.
5. Add the lime juice and check the seasoning, add more fish sauce if you want it saltier. I always check that the meatballs are fully cooked by cutting one in half.
6. Serve warm over cooked rice, with more cilantro, lime wedges and some chopped nuts.

Enjoy!

Sticky Sweet Asian Spareribs

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These are easy and delicious. Sticky sweet Spare ribs are first simmered to tenderize and then grilled or barbequed to get crispy and sticky. So delicious, you won’t be able to stop eating them.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 65 minutes approx.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds meaty spare ribs, sliced into individual ribs
  • 4 tablespoon dry white wine or Shaoxing
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar* See note below
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon chili paste/sauce such as Gochujang or Sambal Oelek
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
  • 1 “/2.5 cm peeled and grated ginger
  • 3/4 tsp. Chinese five spice
  • 6  tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch + 1/2 cup water 
  • Sesame seeds, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Season spareribs with salt and pepper. Add enough of the sparerib pieces to the pan, fat sides down, to fit in a single layer. Cook 10 minutes or until browned, turning once. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining pieces. Discard fat.
Meanwhile, in a large pot stir together wine, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, honey, chili paste, garlic, ginger, five spice and water until mixed.

Return all ribs to the pot with any juices. Bring to a simmer, stirring to coat ribs. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until ribs are just tender, stirring once or twice, adding a little water if necessary.

Pre heat oven to 450 F / 200 C . Remove ribs onto a oven safe rack/baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until dark , crunchy and sticky. Brush with additional marinade half way.

Meanwhile make a slurry with the cornstarch and water, add this to the pot and simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve alongside the spare ribs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. I like to serve this with some stir fried broccoli, with some chili and garlic. Enjoy!

  • *Vinegar is essential, as it tenderizes the meat and also renders out excessive fat.

    • Mexican Flavor Cubes

    5 Replies


    For lack of a beter name, Mexican flavor cubes is what I have named these little cubes. Concentrated Mexican “mole-like” flavor packed into little cubes to be added to any sauce or dish that needs a little “oomph”. These little cubes are full of Mexican flavor and really pack a punch. Lots of flavor in minutes without all the hassle.
    I have these as part of my standard frozen staples. I’m a true believer in a well-stocked kitchen pantry/freezer as this will ensure you’re prepared, even if you don’t have time for a last minute shopping trip , so that you can make your favourite recipes and always have the basics at hand.
    There are a ton of standard items in my freezer, that I make again and again as soon as they, or almost, run out. Such items are home made chicken stock, Napolitana sauce, and a roast pepper Napolitana version for myself, Pizza bases, Bread, Bagels etc… and of course these Mexican flavor cubes.
    Let me explain how and why. We eat a lot of Mexican inspired dishes at home and I say inspired because I don’t want to offend anyone, I’m sure they are far from authentic, but they’re very tasty and that’s what it all about, for us. So basically what I do is, I soak some Mexican peppers that I buy online, add spices, cooked onion, garlic and some other flavourings, then blend it all up and freeze it in an ice cube tray. I happen to have a very large ice cube tray, that makes ¼ cup cubes, perfect for us but you can freeze it how it would work best for you. Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list, you’ll have most of the spices in your cupboard already, and it actually comes together very quickly.

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 3 dried Ancho peppers ( aka dried Poblano peppers) Scoville scale: 1,000 to 2,000 shu
    • 3 Chipotles peppers (smoke-dried Jalapeño peppers) Scoville scale: 2,500 to 8,000 shu
    • 3 Guajillo peppers (aka dried Mirasol peppers) Scoville scale : 2,500–5,000 shu
    • 2 tbsp. neutral oil
    • 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated or crushed
    • 2 roast peppers from a jar
    • 2 chicken or beef stock cube
    • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
    • 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
    • 2 tsp. ground cumin
    • 1 tsp. cinnamon
    • ½ tsp. ground cloves
    • ½ tsp. all spice
    • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tsp. sugar or more to taste

    INSTRUCTIONS:

    Put a large frying pan on medium high heat, place your peppers in the dry pan and toast gently all over until they begin to soften and change color. Remove from heat.
    Add the oil to the pan and add the onion and garlic, cook gently while you clean the peppers.
    Cut the peppers open with scissors and remove stems and seeds, place in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of very hot water (not boiling) and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
    Once the onion is soft and golden add the smoked paprika, oregano, the ground cumin, cinnamon, ground cloves, all spice, salt and freshly ground pepper, just a few twists. Stir and let it become fragrant, turn of the heat after one or two minutes.
    Once everything has cooled, place the hydrated peppers with liquid in the blender, with the onion-spice mixture, add the peppers from a jar, add the stock cubes, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend everything until you have a dark smooth puree, taste and season if necessary.
    Pour into ice cube tray or other small containers and freeze.
    I use these cubes to make fajitas, chili, enchiladas and all sorts of Mexican dishes. It gives everything a really authentic flavor without hours of cooking. Just make your regular recipes, and then add one of these cubes for a flavor explosion.
    Enjoy.

    Easy Unicorn Sushi

    10 Replies

    How pretty are these Unicorn Sushi? All these beautiful pastel colors are made using only pure natural vegetable and fruit powders. It’s so much fun to make too!
    The first thing you do is make the Sushi rice, then divide into smaller portions to color as your heart desires. In this recipe I have only used two colors to keep things “easy”, but you can go all out and use as many colors as you like.

    The colors you can use are;

    • Beet powder for red
    • Turmeric for yellow
    • Spirulina for green and blue
    • Pitaya for pink
    • Poppy seeds for an adorable speckled sushi.
    • Pitaya plus blue spirulina = lilac/purple
    • Beet plus Turmeric = orange
    • Charcoal for grey or back

    I like to add very finely grated fresh beet so the colors bleed into each other creating more depth. But you can let your imagination run free.
    What I do recommend is that you blend the powders with some water first before mixing it in with the sushi rice. Add a few drops of lemon juice for brightness.

    cooking time 20 minutes
    prep time 20 minutes
    serves 4

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 2 cups Sushi Rice
    • 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
    • 1 tsp. Salt
    • 2 tbsp. Sugar
    • 2 medium Carrots grated
    • 1 Cucumber
    • 1 avocado
    • 1 small beet grated
    • 2 medium cans of tuna drained, 2 x 5 oz. (120 gr)/ sub with Tofu for vegans.
    • 4-5 tbsp. Mayonnaise
    • 8 Nori sheets
    • 1 tsp. Spirulina, use more as desired
    • 1 tsp. Beet powder, use more as desires

    a squeeze of lemon juice for brightening up the colors

    METHOD:

    1. Start by cooking the sushi rice according to the package instructions.
    2. Mix the sushi vinegar, sugar and salt, stir to dissolve.
    3. Mix through the cooked warm rice.
    4. Let cool completely.
    5. Mix your powder of choice with a few drops of water in a small bowl.
    6. Divide rice in two and color each one with the powder blends.
    7. Add more powder depending on how intense you want the color.
    8. Peel the cucumber and cut into long strips, discarding the seeds.
    9. Peel the avocado and cut into strips.
    10. Mix the tuna with the mayonnaise and set aside. Leave out for vegans or sub with tofu.
    11. Place a sheet of Nori on a bamboo rolling mat.
    12. Place a few tablespoons of blue rice on the Nori sheet and then some pink rice.
    13. Place the filling of choice over the length of the rice.
    14. Roll up tight, brush the outer edge of the Nori sheet with a tiny bit of water to seal the roll.
    15. Place the finished rolls on a plate covered with cling film until ready to use.
    16. When ready to serve, cut the sushi rolls into slices with a very sharp knife and place on a platter or board.
    17. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

    Enjoy!