Lime & Coconut Thai Curry & Coconut Bread

Coconuts remind me of my childhood in Malawi. I remember drinking coconut milk through a hole in the top of the large husk and then splitting it open, spooning out the white flesh!

I have some gorgeous recipes to delight you with, so I will start with a favourite of mine, quick and easy and perfect for impressing your guests at a dinner party!

Lime &  Coconut Thai Curry

This recipe serves 2, but you can double or triple the quantity as you please.

400g Chicken breasts (cut into bite size chunks)
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 tin Coconut cream
4-5 Spring onions (cut into shreds)
20-30 g fresh coriander
1 green chilli (deseeded and chopped)
3/4 Tbls Nam Pla  fish sauce
1 dessert spoon groundnut oil

1. In a large bowl add the chicken peices and the zest and juice of the limes, stir well and leave to marinade for at least an hour.

2. Drain the chicken in a seive, and reserve the marinade. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the chicken and stir fry until golden.

3. Add the green chilli, stir fry for another minute and then add the lime marinade, fish sauce, coconut cream and half the coriander and and spring onions.

4. Cook for a further couple of minutes. Just before serving sprinkle with the remaining coriander and spring onions. Serve with Rice.


JB's  Coconut Bread

This is a gorgeous, easy bread that a friend makes. JB lives in Melborne and he was over last week, and came  for dinner and we talked recipes, and he gave me this. thanks JB!

                                               
1 Cup Shredded Coconut
1 Cup Self Raising Flour
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Milk
Smattering of Rock Salt

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Add the milk and mix until it has all combined
3. Pour into a loaf tin ( I used a 24 cm- a smaller one would do just fine) sprinkle with rock salt
4. Into a pre heated oven at 180 c for 45 min

Best eaten hot straight out of the oven,  with lashings of  butter,  for morning or afternoon tea.

Enjoy!

Till next time

Ashia

Spice up those dull winter evenings (In the Southern Hemisphere!)

Bhurtho (Aubergine Curry) and Roti

To me the cold, dark evenings in winter  mean comfort food. And I love pies and soups, but my comfort food is home cooked Indian food. It is my soul food, its what I was bought up with.  I have travelled all over the world, having lived in Africa and then England and travelling all over Europe and America and then settling here in beautiful New Zealand. I always find that when I am away from home,  I love experiencing all the exotic and different flavours, but really miss my home made curries and it is probably one of the first things I make when I get back from being away.

Bhurtho is one of those gorgeous dishes and is one of my favourites. Funnily enough I refused to eat this as a child, and I remember having countless arguments with my mum about why I wasn't going to eat my dinner when she served this up on my plate!

Bhurtho
1 large Aubergine                                                 
I onion (sliced
2-3 Tbl Oil                                                                       
1 Tsp Garlic
1/4 Tsp Turmeric
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Paprika (optional)
1/4 Tsp Chilli powder
3/4 Tin of chopped tomatoes or Tomato Passatta (not Italian flavoured)

1. With a fork prick several holes all over the aubergine and place under a pre heated grill for 20-30 min, turning a couple of times. You will know it is cooked when it goes all soft and looses the firmness.  It needs to be "mushy" when you slit it open.

2. While the aubergine is cooking, in a medium saucepan heat the oil and add the sliced onions.  cook until pale and soft

3. Add the tinned tomato and all the spices and cook over a low heat for about 10-15 min.

4. Meanwhile when the aubergine is cooked, (it will be very soft - this is desirable) slit it open, hold on to it by its stalk and roughly mash it with a fork .  Remove the skin and stalk after mashing.

5. Add the mashed aubergine to the tomato mixture and cook on a low heat for a further 5-7 min.

Serve with hot Rotis.    (recipe for roti to follow - you can buy some pretty good roti/chappati from the supermarkets, although I love making my own, its an art that takes years of practise but I will put a step by step guide for any easy to follow recipe.

                                     
Enjoy!

Till next time

Ashia

Autumn Colours On Your Plate

Wow what a busy week, starting with a few days down in Wellington, going to The Food Show and then spending some time with my friend Jo.

 The Food Show was fabulous, there were amazing food and drink exhibitors, lots of free giveaways, and wonderful foods made by artisan producers.  A fantastic feast for the senses, and a great line up of free, live cooking shows.

We watched the highly entertaining Annabelle White and the fabulous Nadia Lim.  I loved Nadia's down to earth approach, she was really friendly, and being a Nutritionist, her knowledge of food combined with her cooking skills were great to see.

I then spent a couple of days at Jo's beach house, just chilling! Bliss!!  Came home rested and relaxed.  I had alot of time thinking about my next post. 

I love Autumn, I miss seeing the gorgeous colours of Autumn and the cold, crisp days in England.  I love nothing more than eating hot soups and comfort food.  I started thinking about the amazing vegetables that are in season in Autumn. Tamarillos, yams, aubergines, beetroot to name a few. Fabulous vibrant colours.  So I decided to create Autumn colours on your plate.

Roast Vegetable & Halloumi Salad with a  Coriander & Chilli Dressing
(serves 8-10)
Cooking Time - 1 hr
2 Parsnips
2 Beetroot
2 Kumaras (any colour, I used golden)
3 Carrots
1 Packet ready washed fancy lettuce
200g block Halloumi Cheese  ( You can also use Paneer Cheese)
1. Peel and chop all the vegetables into chunks (approx 1.5 - 2cm).  Place in a large oven tray/dish and drizzle with olive oil, coating the vegetables lightly.
2 . Roast in a pre heated oven at 180-200 c  for about 45 min, or until the vegetables are cooked and golden.
3. as the vegetables are cooking you can prepare the fried halloumi cheese and dressing.  for the Halloumi cheese, cut into small thin  chunks, , heat a non stick frying pan and on a medium heat, cook the halloumi until golden. Leave to cool.

Coriander and Chilli Dressing                         

4-5 Tbls of Olive Oil
1 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbls of chopped Coriander
2 tsp runny honey
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes (more if you like a kick)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Blend all the ingredients with a blender ( I used  a hand held one) taste and season, you can add a dash more salt or lemon juice or chilli depending on your taste.

When the roast vegetables are cooked, cool to room temperature and then assemble.  In a large dish add 1/2 pkt of salad leaves, half the vegetables and then repeat the process. if you think you have too many vegetables you can put some in the fridge to use another day.  Scatter the halloumi cheese and then drizzle the dressing.  Vibrant autumn colours on your plate!

Enjoy.

Till next time.

Ashia

Mothers Day Cake

Mothers Day, is a day when all mothers around the world are honoured and celebrated.  To me it's extra special as I am mum to two beautiful kids.
Every family celebrates Mothers day in their own way, in our house I have usually had breakfast in bed, made by the children and then home made cards and a gift.

This year, however I will be at AKL airport at 6.30 am handing the children over to hubby (who will be flying in from Perth at 5.30) and catching a flight myself,  to Wellington, to have some "me" time! Starting off at the Food Show (more about that next week)  and then spending a couple of days with my best friend at her house on the beach

I think Mothers just want a "thank-you" to know that they are appreciated.  Take them out for a meal or bake some goodies for a special afternoon tea.  Chocolate is one of those all time favourites, so I decided to post my favourite chocolate cake recipe with a decadent chocolate ganache, topped with some fresh roses for decoration, I think it's a winner!

My mum is thousands of miles away in England and although Mothers Day has already been celebrated there, this one is for you mum.......

This is a beautiful moist cake, it keeps well and is very easy to bake.

Chocolate Cake

100g Melted Butter (cold)

1 Cup Castor Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Tbls Cocoa

pinch of salt

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence/Extract

1 1/2  Cups sifted Flour

1/3 Cup boiling water

1. Pre heat oven to 150 c

2. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients in the order listed, don't mix until the water is added.

3. Then beat until smooth and glossy (I usually use a hand blender for this) the mixture should be thick and runny.

4. Pour into a deep  greased 20cm tin and bake @ 150 c for 30 -35 min  or until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Turn out when cold and ice.

For the Chocolate Ganache

1 Cup Fresh Cream

400g Dark Chocolate

1. Chop the chocolate into fine pieces

2. Bring the cream to a boil in a medium saucepan, switch off the heat when the cream starts to bubble

3. Add the chopped chocolate to the cream and gently fold in until it has all combined into a thick, glossy mixture.  Put it in the fridge for 30-45 min to thicken so that it is spreadable, decorate your cake.... I can assure you there will not be a crumb left!!

Alternatively you can ice it using this simple chocolate icing

1 Tbls Melted Butter

1 Tbls Cocoa

1 Cup Icing Sugar

1 Tsp boiling Water

Mix it all together, adding a touch little more water if you want a runnier icing and more icing sugar if you want a thicker consistency. 

Tip - Ensure that you sift the icing sugar or you will end up with lumps in your icing.

Happy Mothers Day to Mums everywhere.......enjoy!

Till next time

Ashia

Home Baked Foccacia Bread

I love baking bread at home, and I use this recipe, time and time again, when I have family or friends over for dinner.  It never fails me and wows everyone!

I would usually serve it with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil mix and a middle eastern dukkah dip, as an appetiser when people arrive, as we are usually chatting over drinks and dinner would still be 30-45 min away.

For the dough -:

3 Cups Plain Flour
2 Tbls Olive Oil
1 Tbls  Dried Yeast
1 Tsp salt
1 Cup Warm Water

1. Put the flour in a large bowl, (or you can use a mixer if you have one)   make a well
add the salt, yeast and olive oil, and the warm water. If you have a bread maker you can put all the ingredients in and put it on the dough cycle.

2. If you are not using a bread maker or mixer, knead it into a dough, I love this bit, you can push, fold and roll the dough over and over for about 5 min, this develops the structure and gluten.

3. With floured hands, make the dough into a roundish shape put it in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to prove, for about an hour. With 10-15 min to go you can preheat the oven to 225 c.

4. The dough will have doubled in size,  knead it again for a couple of minutes and then roll it into an oval shape, about 1.5-2 cm in depth, it does not have to be perfect, it's supposed to be rustic.

5. Push your fingers randomly through the dough
making large dents, drizzle liberally with olive oil, and sprinkle rock salt and fresh rosemary

6. Bake for 15-20 min and serve hot!

Suggestions for other toppings -:

I have used caramelised onions, cherry tomatoes and black olives or crushed garlic. Or you can serve it with a bowl of hot soup.

The day this picture was taken I served it simply with some lemon infused olive oil. Perfect!

Enjoy

Till next time

Ashia

Anzac Biscuits

Anzac Biscuits

I made a batch of Anzac biscuits a few days ago, the children had been off school and I was thinking of creative ways to keep them entertained, so we often bake together. These ones I made on my own as the children had friends round to "hang out" with (My 10 yr old son said to me categorically that friends at his age don't come to play!) So the boys "hung out"  while I made a batch of biscuits that very nearly didn't make the tin!

I love the sweet, crunchy, oaty texture of these biscuits, they date back to the first world war, when mothers made them for their sons heading off to the front line. They used to be called Soldiers Biscuits but after the Gallipoli Landings they called them Anzac Biscuits.

I have tried a few recipes but like this one the best.

100g Plain Flour
100g Soft Brown Sugar
100g Desiccated Coconut
150g Rolled Oats
100g Butter
2 Tablespoons Golden Syrup
1/2 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Tablespoons Boiling Water

1. Preheat the oven to 180 c/ 350 F and grease a large baking tray.

2. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, sugar, flour, coconut and oats.

3. Melt together the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat.

4. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water and add to the syrup mixture, taking it off the heat.

5. Stir the liquid into the flour mix, making sure that it combines well.

6. Place teaspoon sized mounds of the mixture onto the greased baking tray making sure they are well spaced, as they will expand.  I gently roll them and flatten them to give a round finish, you can dollop them on if you like for a more rustic biscuit!

7. Bake to 12-15 min or until golden, transfer to a cooling rack as soon as they are cooked so as to prevent them overcooking.  Store in an airtight container (unless they get devoured before making the tin!).

Makes approx 20 (depending on the size)
Prep time 15 min
Cooking time 15-20 min.

"Lest We Forget"

Till next time

                            Ashia

The Perfect Rice

We had friends over for dinner tonight and we got around to talking about how to cook rice.  My friend Judy had heard that a rice cooker is a kitchen must-have, but I think the recipe below is an absolute winner, with no need for a rice cooker.  It's one that my dad has always used and makes ordinary boiled rice taste amazing.  Try it and see!

Dad's Basmati Rice (feeds 4-6)
1 onion finely sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2.5 cups Basmati rice
5 cups boiling water
2 tsp salt

1. Wash the rice in a bowl 2-3 times, draining all the water away.

2. Heat the oil and the butter in a heavy-based saucepan with a lid.

3. Add the onions and cook until pale golden in colour.

4. Add the (uncooked) rice to the onions, stirring with a wooden spoon until it starts to look translucent and sticks to the pan (3-4 minutes).

5. Add boiling water, and then the salt.

6. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat completely to the lowest setting and cover.

7. Cook for approx 15-20 mins or until all the water has evaporated.  Make sure that the heat is really low or it will stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

8. The rice should be fluffy and grains should be separate, not sticking together.

Serve with  with any meat dish.

Enjoy

Till next Time

Ashia