Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste

May 11, 2016 amcarmen4 Comments

Hello Everyone! I’ll keep this short and simple – and this time I won’t just say it and then go on a whole tangent, I actually mean it this time. I will go into detail when I get the chance to editing this part of my post… Perhaps, but I won’t make any promises. Long story short, I’m still at work and by the time I get home, I won’t be able to sit down a write like how I always write. I’m actually writing this post while taking a short break for my dinner. So… Let’s move on to the recipe now shall we? Apologies again for not preparing this post earlier *sad face*

Green curry paste is very versatile and can be used in soups, curries, stir-fries and marinades. It goes particularly well with chicken and prawns as well as green vegetables. Don’t forget to check out the original recipe over on Taste Australia.

PREP TIME 30 MINS | COOKING TIME 4 MINS | YEILDS 1/2 CUP

INGREDIENTS

6 white peppercorns
4 coriander roots, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, spine removed and roughly chopped
4 small green chilies, roughly chopped (or use 2 extra long green chilies)
2 Asian red eschalots, roughly chopped
2 lemongrass stems (pale part only), roughly chopped
1 long green chili, roughly chopped
1 tbsp freshly grated galangal (or ginger if not available)
1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp ground turmeric

METHOD

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds together with the white peppercorns in a wok or pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, making sure to shake the pan to prevent the seeds and peppercorns from burning.
Once done, turn the heat off and set aside to slightly cool down. Once cool, grind the seeds and peppercorns to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
Wrap the shrimp paste in a square of foil and dry-fry in a wok or pan over medium heat for 1 minute each side to toast slightly.
Set aside to cool and then add to the mortar with the remaining ingredients and pound with pestle until roughly crushed.
Add 1 tablespoon of water and use a stick blender (or transfer to a processor) to blend to a paste. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Salsa Verde

May 4, 2016 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hello Everyone! A new month means a new theme on the blog – and I’m sorry to start off on a negative note but I had plans to do a month-full of recipes that emphasise mangoes as the hero of the dish since it’s been in season for a while now here in Brunei. However, if you’re a regular reader on my blog, you’ll know that I have been working for the past 4 Sunday’s (which is basically my only time to enjoy myself in the kitchen), and because of that, I haven’t actually prepared any dishes for the theme that I had planned for my blog. I also haven’t been cooking any other dishes since my last free Sunday back in April, and so I decided that for this month, there will be no theme for the blog. Do not fret though! I will still be posting recipes, but they will be recipes that I have cooked up in the past – some taking us back towards the end of last year – that I didn’t get around to posting or fitting into a theme every month.

Tonight, I will be sharing with you, a recipe that I came across when I was exploring the Sydney Fish Markets for the nth time. Most of the fresh seafood stores there provide mini recipe cards to encourage the public to purchase their fresh catch. Every time I visited, I would always grab a recipe card, and one of the recipes that I was interested in was for Seared Tuna with Salsa Verde – and that’s what I’ll be sharing with you today, a recipe for an easy, simple, yet yummy Salsa Verde with pan-fried salmon in my case, but it’s completely up to you on what type of fish you’d like to pair it with!

For those of you who don’t know, Salsa Verde literally just means green sauce that contains mainly herbs, common in Italian, French, German, Spanish, and Mexican cuisines, each with their own twists and variants. The recipe that I will be sharing tonight gears more towards Mexican where it is typically made up of puréed cooked or raw tomatillos, with jalapeños or other chili peppers, white onion, cilantro, and sometimes lime to enhance the taste. Salsa verde can range in spiciness from mild to mouth-searing. It may be served warm or cold, as a condiment – a dip for tortilla chips and served with tacos, or paired with grilled pork, grilled meats, and even fish.

PREP TIME 10 MINS | COOKING TIME — MINS | SERVES 250ml

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 bunch basil leaves
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves
7 anchovy fillets
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp baby capers in brine, rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Serve and enjoy as a condiment with your choice of dish (a dip for tortilla chips and served with tacos, or paired with grilled pork, grilled meats, and even fish). This recipe makes enough sauce to fill about a 250ml sized jar and can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx

Moist Mango Pound Cake

May 1, 2016May 1, 2016 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hello Everyone! Yes, I am aware that it is a Sunday and it’s not my regular posting day. It’s just that today is a very special day because today I would like to wish the Happiest of Birthdays to the woman I call my Mother. My greatest wish is to grow up and become just like you. Thank you for all of your strength, advice, and of course your impeccable cooking skills that has helped me become the person I am today. Love you ❤

My Mom & I at Bondi Beach, Bondi, NSW last June 2015

For the Month of May, I thought about sharing recipes, both savoury & sweet, that include mangoes since they have been in season since last month – but I will get into this theme for Wednesday’s post. Since we’re praising mangoes, I decided to bake a Moist Mango Pound Cake for my Mom’s 56th Birthday today. It’s actually not as grand as the cakes I’ve made for past birthdays, and it’s only because I wanted something quick and simple, yet still very tasteful since I had work commitments earlier on the day. I woke up early this morning to have breakfast and then got cracking on baking the cake before I took my shower and headed out to the venue for work. So I guess it was safe to say that I had a very hectic and busy morning, a lazy afternoon, and a night at Capers Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria to celebrate my Mom’s birthday.

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINS | SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

1 & 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup coconut cream (or use heavy cream if not available)
170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Flesh of 2-3 mangoes, puréed* (yielding about 3/4 cups)

Fresh mangoes, diced
Confectioners’ sugar

*Purée your mangoes by adding them to a blender with about a tablespoon of water to ease the blending process. Pulse until smooth.

METHOD

Preheat oven to 170C (325F or gas mark 3). Prepare a 7″ round pan (or square) by rubbing some butter and flour on the base and sides of the pan. Set aside.
Sift the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until it turns pale yellow in colour – it should be creamy and not gritty in texture (sugar fully dissolved).
Add in one egg at a time, beating on low well after each addition. Then add in the coconut cream, vanilla extract, and mango purée. Continue beating on medium for a good 4 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and has good volume.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, about a third at a time, folding it in gently after each addition. Be careful as to not over mix your batter, use gentle strokes until the flour is just moistened.
Transfer the batter to your prepares baking pan and bake in the oven for 60-75 minutes or until the cake is golden brown in colour and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave it to cool for about 5-10 minutes.
Loosen the edges with a knife and transfer the cake onto a wire rack to completely cool down. Once cooled, top your cake with some fresh diced mango and some confectioners’ sugar. Serve and enjoy!