French Toast with Red Wine Pears

August 24, 2018 amcarmenLeave a comment

I’ve always loved breakfast, and French toast was actually one of the first things I started making and teaching myself. It’s probably the start of me really getting into food and it becoming my passion – I loved making making either savoury style (parsley and parmesan with bacon) or the more traditional sweet one.

My love of breakfast foods has ended up becoming a family tradition that on long weekends or holidays we will often start off with a fancy brunch/breakfast made by me. This French toast recipe is what I came up with for Mothers day this year, as sweet French toast is my mum’s favourite breakfast. It has some autumnal vibes with the maple and mulled wine flavours, but really the base recipe of the French toast can be paired with any number of different things, so feel free to go off script and try something different!

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 45 MINS | SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

For the French toast

Loaf of Brioche bread (the batter will do enough for 4 large slices)*
2 large free range eggs
3/4 cup full cream milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
Zest of half an orange

For the poached pears

1 cup red wine
1 cup water
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
4 cloves
4 small Corello pears**
1 cinnamon stick

For the maple mascarpone

1 tub (250g) mascarpone
Maple syrup, to taste

Dry meringue pieces
Fresh raspberries, or any other berries that you like

*If your brioche bread hasn’t been pre-cut (which is ideal), then cut the brioche into thick rectangular pieces. This means that you’ll get a crispy outside, custardy outer layer, and still some fluffy brioche in the middle.

**If you can’t get your hands on the small pears, use 2 large pears and serve each slice with half a pear instead.

METHOD

Poached Pears: Combine all the ingredients for the poached pears into a medium-sized saucepan. If the pears aren’t fully covered, then ensure to turn them around every few minutes to get an even colour and even cooking all around. Timing will depend on the ripeness of the pears so simmer until soft when tested with a knife.
Remove the pears, and continue to boil down the poaching liquid until reduced to a syrup-like texture. You may prepare the pears the day before and then warm them through before serving.
Maple Mascarpone: Mix the mascarpone in a bowl to soften and then add about a tablespoon of maple syrup. Adjust to your own personal liking. Set aside in the fridge.
French Toast: Add all the ingredients, except the brioche bread in a shallow dish and mix well until combined.
Heat up a medium-sized frying pan with a knob of butter and a bit of oil on medium heat.
Dip the brioche slice in the egg mixture on each side and allow it to soak a little.
Fry the slice on each side until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat for the remaining slices.
Assemble: Cut the pears in half. Place the French toast on a plate with the pears on top. Crumble the meringue over and serve with fresh raspberries, and a scoop of the maple mascarpone.
Finally, drizzle over a bit of the poaching syrup from the pears and enjoy!

– Simon (The Bearded Patissier)

Rustic Bread: PMS Toast

August 22, 2018 amcarmenLeave a comment

It’s me Wendy, back for another recipe to share! The last time I was on here I shared a recipe for homemade Rustic Bread and a savoury Pizza Toast brekkie with everyone. This time I will be sharing what I like to call ‘PMS Toast’ which I will explain further in a while. I also shared a little bit about myself, and my love for food, so now I will share about how I know Ally on a personal level.

I met and got to know Ally about 3 years ago through work. She was one of my team members in our Marketing team for an Advertising and Event Management firm that we both worked at. We became very close friends and still even so after having left the company because we have the same level of random craziness, vibe, and of course our love for all things food.

Peek A Pastry & Amcarmen’s Kitchen

We share a special kind of bond at work and it might be because we spend a lot of time together, at work of course, for a lot of event events, working late at night on occasions, have food together in the office whether breakfast, lunch, snack time or dinner time, and enjoy great food together in celebration for when we’ve successfully finished every event that we’ve worked on. I love our team because we always had each other’s backs and we just simply complement each other well.

I know that Ally wants to pursue her dream to participate in MasterChef Australia and I am using all my power on law of attraction to make it happen. I will see Ally in MasterChef Australia one day and tell my kids or grandkids that “that is my friend!”

Moving on – I am not a sweet tooth but when the time (PMS) comes, nothing is sweet, what is sweet? How do you spell sweet? C-A-L-M is how you spell sweet. When you are cranky and tired, you just crave for something sweet, something sugar loaded and warm. So here I present you two fast and sweet breakfast ideas to hit my spot, and hopefully yours too.

PMS Toast: Cinnamon Everything Toast

PREP TIME 5 MINS | COOKING TIME 10 MINS | SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of homemade Rustic Bread
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp ground cinnamon (2 teaspoons for me, the cinnamon lover)

METHOD

Place the butter in a small heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Make sure that it is not too liquidy as you want those buttery chunks on your toast. I like it rustic on this rustic bread.
Mix all the ingredients together and smother it all over the toast.
You can either bake it or toast it on a pan. Bake it at 240C (475F or gas mark 9) for 10 minutes, just enough time for everything to crunch up. If you like it toasted in a pan, face the side, which is smothered by the cinnamon paste down on the pan, and sear it for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Serve and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee for breakfast or even as a nice afternoon snack!

PMS Toast: Butter & Sugar Toast

PREP TIME 5 MINS | COOKING TIME 10 MINS | SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

2 slices of homemade Rustic Bread
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp granulated white sugar

METHOD

Smear the butter over the toast and sprinkle the top with white sugar.
Bake it at 240C (475F or gas mark 9) for 10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee for sweet start to your morning!

Short and sweet, just nice for a woman who is PMS-ing. Men take note!

Before I say goodbye to everyone on Amcarmen’s Kitchen, I would like to thank Ally for giving me this opportunity to write on her well-established blog. I hope that my recipes are not too shabby and please dive in to my rustic way of cooking!

– Wendy (Peek A Pastry)

Rustic Bread: Pizza Toast

August 20, 2018 amcarmen1 Comment

Hello to all amcarmenskitchen’s readers! I am Wendy, a petite woman in my mid 20s; and of course, I love baking and cooking. For me, spending time in the kitchen is just so therapeutic and satisfying, especially when you get to enjoy the food you’ve made after long hours of preparation. Additionally, I have this motherly instinct to feed people with a lot of food, and whenever someone tells me that the food that I make is delicious and would like to have it again next time around, I feel like I’ve won the title of Brunei’s MasterChef!

I recently started up a blog known as Peek A Pastry, however I haven’t been very active in updating it. I still cook and bake frequently, and have posted a few of my successes in the kitchen over on my Instagram page – @peek.a.pastry. Ally was actually the one who encouraged me to take the first step in opening up a blog, and so I did even though I simply just couldn’t commit to it. After given the opportunity to write down my recipes for Ally’s blog for my guest posts for this month, I got the feel of what it was like to write for a blog and this might very well the kick I need for me to start penning down my recipes and actually write!

Before I share with you my savoury breakfast idea in the form of a Pizza Toast, I’m going to share with you my recipe for Rustic Bread as the base for this toast. Of course, feel free to get store-bought bread too. Note: bake your bread the night before so that you’ll have it ready for a quick brekkie fix the next morning!

Rustic Bread

PREP TIME 2 HOURS 30 MINS* | COOKING TIME 50 MINS | MAKES 1 LOAF

*Allow for an additional 12 hours for dough to rise overnight

INGREDIENTS

3 & 1/3 cups plain flour
1 & 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
2 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp yeast

1/2 cup boiling water (when baking)

METHOD

In a large bowl, mix the plain flour, salt, and yeast together until combined. Slowly add in the room temperature water into the flour mixture until the dough starts to become sticky, just like the texture of slime. It’s okay to have a little bit of lumps in the mixture, but make that it is not too lumpy. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, fold the dough by wetting your hands and scoop them by the edge; palm facing you and fingers under the dough, pull it upwards and flip it across, as if you are helping a baby with his or her napkin. Pull and flip for about 5 times in total for every edge of the dough in the bowl. Set aside and let it rest for a further 20 minutes and repeat this action for another 3 times (four folds in total). Along way, your dough will rise a little, but not too much.
After the fourth and last fold, rest the dough for 12 hours overnight.
After 12 hours the next morning, you will see that your dough has risen and bubbling like crazy! Place a piece of parchment paper over a baking tray and lightly sprinkle a bit of plain flour atop as well as on the dough.
Scrape the edges of the dough with your fingers so they will come out from the bowl easily and onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough and start to fold again.
Start shaping the dough by cupping the bottom of the dough. Cup and twist until you get a nice round shape. At this point your dough should be feel supple and bouncy. Use your finger and slightly press on the dough and release. It should recover back to its initial shape instantly.
Grease a large clean heatproof bowl and transfer the dough, together with the parchment paper underneath it to the bowl. Cover using a clean kitchen towel and let it rest in the bowl for another 50 minutes before baking it.
Preheat the oven at 230C (450F or gas mark 8), add the boiling water into a small heat-proof bowl and place into the oven. Then place dough in the bowl into the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
Once done, remove the bread from the oven. Remove from the bowl and leave to cool down for at least an hour on an elevated rack before slicing into it. Brush off excessive flour on top.

And now your Rustic Bread is ready to be topped with your favourite toppings! Follow the recipe below for a delicious Tuna Chunk Pizza Toast!

Rustic Bread: Pizza Toast

PREP TIME 5 MINS | COOKING TIME 15 MINS | SERVES 3-4

INGREDIENTS

Diced red onions
Mayonnaise
Parmesan cheese
Pineapple bits
Rustic bread slices
Tomato paste
Tuna chunks in olive oil (or you can use any tuna you want)
Unsalted butter

METHOD

Spread the butter generously at the sides of the bread to give it a crunchy bite.
Smother the tomato paste at the centre of each slice and start rustically building up all your toppings. Put as much as you like – I like to put tuna first then pineapple bits, followed by the diced onions. Season it with Parmesan cheese and finish it off with dollops of mayonnaise here and there. Bake them for about 15 minutes at 240C (475F or gas mark 9).
Once done, serve and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!

I am a savory person and I love everything savory. It might be because I’m Hakka (one of the Chinese dialects). Just to give you a little bit of imagination when you bite into this toast, let me paint a picture of it for you. Imagine as you take that first bite into the crunchy edge of the toast before everything else, and then you a change of texture to the chewy and savoury bread. Followed by all of the topping in that single bite; the umami and flaky tuna, the crunchy, spicy and sweet diced onions, the richness of the slightly burnt dollops of mayonnaise that sort of just melt in your mouth, engulfing everything together. Then here come the sweet and juicy pineapples, cutting through all the richness happening in that tiny space. You start over again as you take another bite to experience this rich and salivating moment!

– Wendy (Peek A Pastry)

Mini Mixed Berry Pancakes

August 17, 2018August 20, 2018 amcarmenLeave a comment

ShefShaz is back again on Amcarmen’s Kitchen and this time I will be sharing a sweet breakfast option for those who love to start their day off on a sweet note – Mini Mixed Berry Pancakes served with Earl Grey Ice Cream and Fresh Fruit.

Before we dive into the recipe, if you missed my guest post a few days ago, I whipped up some delicious homemade Salmon Fish Cakes for the savoury breakfast eaters! You can also read more about my approach to food and how I know Ally.

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 10 MINS | MAKES 24 MINI PANCAKES*

*Or 12 regular-sized pancakes

INGREDIENTS

1 & 1/2 cups plain flour
1 & 1/4 cups skimmed milk
57g unsalted butter, melted
1 large free range egg
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp salt
Frozen mixed berries, or any other kind of fruits

To serve

Digestive biscuits, crushed
Earl Grey ice cream*
Fresh fruits
Icing sugar
Lemon slices (for a kick of tang)

*Or any other flavoured ice cream that tickles your fancy.

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180C (350F or gas mark 4). Grease a 24-hole mini cupcake tray with a bit of butter to prevent the pancake batter from sticking to the tray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together until you have a smooth and creamy mixture.
Sift in the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Leave the mixture to rest for about 10 minutes to allow the baking powder to work its magic.
Pour the batter into the tray, filling about 3/4 of the way and drop in your frozen mixed berries on top.
Bake in the oven from about 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the pancake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down for about 5 minutes. Lightly dust with icing sugar and serve with ice cream, crushed digestive biscuits, and fresh fruit of your choice. Enjoy!

Before I end, I would like to thank Ally for giving me the opportunity to cook and write for her blog. We had a lot of fun during our cookout session – both the cooking and feeding our dishes to many tummies!

BON APPÉTIT

– ShefShaz

Curried Lentil & Vegetable Stew

September 17, 2017September 17, 2017 amcarmenLeave a comment

Happy Guestember everyone! I’ll be taking over Amcarmen’s kitchen this week, for my third guest appearance. Having lived in Sydney for the past few years, I’ve crossed paths with several people, all with different lifestyles, backgrounds, and interests. Amidst the social and cultural melting pot, I’ve found that food is always a common talking point and a great way to bring people together. And what’s better than food that can be enjoyed by all? I’ve certainly managed to surpass my own expectations this year – not only does my recipe use multiple ingredients from Allison’s high-blood-pressure-lowering list, but it is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and… vegan! (Read about last year’s vegan recipe struggle here MATE YOU GOTTA LINK THIS PART WHERE IT SAYS HERE TO THE RECIPE FROM LAST YEAR PLZ CUZ I DONT KNOW HOW TO DO EET AND ALL THIS TEXT IN RED PLZ REMOVE FROM POST TENKS. Yes, 2017 Jialing can laugh about it now).

[I’m sorry Jialing, I had to share the text in red for the blogging world to see because it’s just too funny!] – Ally xx

Inspired by seasonal ingredients in my kitchen, staples in my pantry, and great people in my life, this dish is something that I hope everyone can enjoy. True to my appetite, my recipe makes a LOT, so it’s best made in the largest pot or pan you can scrounge up, then shared with a small army. Or simply halve the first lot of ingredients for a more regular quantity. Enjoy!

PREP TIME 10 MINS | COOKING TIME 45-50 MINS | SERVES 12

INGREDIENTS

500g scrubbed potatoes, cubed
500g split lentils
500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can (400g) white beans, drained
2 onions, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, minced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
3 tbsp hot curry powder (use mild if less heat is preferred)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ginger paste
(optional)
2 tsp coriander powder
A small handful of dried curry leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional

1 tbsp cornstarch, for slurry
2 tsp chilli powder

Lemon and coriander, to garnish

METHOD

In your very large pot over high heat, fry onion in oil until browned. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add ginger paste and tomatoes, stirring until tomatoes are soft and start to break down (being careful not to let the garlic burn).
Add curry powder, coriander powder, and chill powder if desired, stirring briefly for a few seconds.
Add potatoes, sweet potatoes and lentils, increase heat to high, and add enough water to the pan to cover the potatoes and lentils. Keep covered until the water boils.
Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low and add lemon wedges, stirring occasionally and topping up water until lentils and potatoes are all cooked through (may take roughly half an hour). Be sure to leave enough liquid to just cover the lentils.
Add curry leaves, then salt and pepper, adjusting to your taste (I usually end up adding about 1 tbsp of salt). At this point, make the optional slurry with cornstarch and 1 tbsp of water, and add to the pan to thicken the gravy.
Add drained white beans to pan, stirring until heated through. Take your pan off the heat.
Toss in the kale, stirring through gently until evenly distributed. Be careful not to spill, as I always do…
Garnish with fresh coriander and lemon. Serve hot with basmati rice or flat bread, chutney or fresh yogurt, or even on its own. Enjoy with friends or family 🙂

BON APPÉTIT

– xx Jialing

Blueberry Cheesecake Tarts (Gluten Free)

August 31, 2017September 17, 2017 amcarmen5 Comments

I met Allison 6 years ago in Sydney, Australia where we studied Design together at The College of Fine Arts. We both had a great passion for the chicken schnitzel sandwiches they sold across the road from COFA (with caramelised carrots of course) as well as food in general. Recently I’ve taken my passion for food and cooking to the next level by starting my own baking business “The Bearded Patissier” selling baked goods to people in my area, cakes, tarts, macarons, and desserts all give me an opportunity to combine my love for good design and art with good food.

June 2015: The Bearded Patissier & Amcarmen’s Kitchen on Graduation Day

Here’s my recipe for gluten free blueberry cheesecakes. Making them in a tart means you have a great ratio of biscuit to cheesecake and I would happily just eat the base by itself too – it makes a great (healthy) gluten free cookie!

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINS* | SERVES 12 TARTS

*Includes a minimum of 1 hour chilling time

INGREDIENTS

For the base

150g almond meal
75g unsalted butter, cubed
40g caster sugar
40g raw sugar
1/4 cup fine rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tbsp cornflour
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

For the blueberry and pomegranate jam

2 x 125g punnets fresh blueberries
2 tbsp pomegranate molases
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

For the cheesecake

250g cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup thickened cream
1/2 cup syrup from jam (see recipe below)
2 tsp gelatine powder, dissolved in 3 tsp of water
1/4 caster sugar

METHOD

Base: add all the ingredients for the base into a mixer with the paddle attachment.
Mix on a low speed until fine crumbs start to form, and the butter is well combined into the mixture. Continue mixing until larger crumbs start to form, it should look similar to the size of granola, but don’t let it fully combine into a ball of dough.
Press half a tablespoon of the mix into lose bottomed 3-inch tart shells making sure it is an even thickness across the whole tin. The mixture should cover 12 tins. Alternatively you can also make one large cheesecake in a big tin.
Bake in a 160C fan-forced oven for 12-15 minutes until evenly golden in colour.
Allow tarts to cool fully before removing them from their casing. You may have to press them flat a bit after they come out of the oven while they are still hot.
Blueberry and Pomegranate Jam: add all the ingredients into a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Strain out half a cup of the syrup while still warm and add in the gelatine mixture for the cheesecake. Allow to cool slightly and if you want the bits of blueberry in the cheese cake just measure out without straining. Reserve the rest for topping the cheesecake.
Cheesecake: while the blueberry and gelatine mix is cooling, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until smooth, making sure no lumps are left on the sides of the bowl as these will not mix in later and leave you with lumps in your mix.
Beat in the cream, and then gently fold through the cooled blueberry gelatine syrup.
Spoon tablespoons of the filling into the tart shells and refrigerate for an hour minimum.
Top the cheese cakes with reserved jam and fresh blueberries or flowers. Serve and enjoy!

BON APPÉTIT

– Simon Swadling aka The Bearded Patissier

Poached Pears with Chocolate Chia Mousse

August 31, 2016September 17, 2017 amcarmen2 Comments

Hello! I’m Jialing and I will be taking over Amcarmen’s Kitchen for today. I will confess that today’s blog was very close to being a two-step tutorial on how to boil a cup of water and make tea – the only semi-regular dietary part of my life that does not involve any animal by-products.

As someone who has clearly only ever eaten vegan food a handful of times (I genuinely thought that the vegan theme was intended as a joke when I first agreed to do a recipe), I found this year’s Auguest theme to be a punishment. I mean challenge. I ended up ransacking my own pantry and refrigerator for inspiration, confirming with Allison and Google about what ingredients could and couldn’t be used by vegans. What seems like day later, I emerged triumphant – pears, wine, cocoa powder, and a questionable bag of chia seeds (waste not, want not…) sat atop my counter, ready for the arduous vegan road ahead.

Now, onto the recipe, poetically inspired by the very essential act of boiling water.

PREP TIME min. 24 HOURS* | COOKING TIME 40 MINS | SERVES 4

*The chocolate chia mousse will need to be prepared the day before to allow chia seeds time to soak

INGREDIENTS

For the chocolate chia mousse

1 & 1/2 cups almond milk
1/3 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 tbsp 100% pure maple syrup**
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberries for garnish

For the poached pears

4 buerre bosc pears, peeled
1/2 bottle moscato or other sweet dessert wine***
3 tbsp 100% pure maple syrup**
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp cloves
Pinch of nutmeg
Water

**Maple-flavoured syrup isn’t vegan, so be sure to check the label!
***Find your fave vegan wines here http://www.barnivore.com/wine

METHOD

Chocolate Chia Mousse: Prepare the chocolate chia mousse the day before, to allow chia seeds time to soak. Combine the cocoa powder, vanilla, and maple syrup, stirring until well mixed.
Slowly pour in almond milk, stirring until mixture is smooth. Add chia seeds and stir until well-incoporated. Leave in fridge to soak overnight, stirring mixture once in between.
Once the chia seeds have fully absorbed the liquid, they will increase significantly in size and have a gelatinous texture. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy. Tip: leave the chia mixture unblended and top with fresh fruit and desiccated coconut as a healthy and envy-worthy breakfast.
Poached Pears: In a sauce pot large and deep enough to hold pears, combine wine, maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, nutmeg, and just enough water to cover pears.
Bring the wine and spices to the boil over high heat.
Add the pears, positioning them so that they are completely submerged, and continue to boil for another 25 minutes, until pears are cooked through and tender. Be sure to turn pears for even cooking, particularly when liquid gets low, keeping in mind that the bottoms of the pears will take longer to cook than the tops.
Once pears are cooked, remove from the pot, reserving the syrup, and set aside to cool.
Carefully simmer remaining syrup until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
To serve, divide mousse into small bowls or stemless glasses and garnish with sliced strawberries. Place a pear on each plate, next to the mousse. Drizzle the pear with syrup. Enjoy!

ENJOY YOUR MEAL!

Jialing.

Spinach, Broccoli & Thai Green Curry Soup

August 24, 2016September 17, 2017 amcarmenLeave a comment

Hi Foodies, it’s so exciting to be able to share a recipe with you via Amcarmen’s Kitchen and I want to say a big thank you to Allison for organising such a wonderful global blogging experience. Last year, I was able to cook and collaborate in the same kitchen with Allison, where were exchanged some delicious recipes. If you haven’t had the chance to read them, here are the links to my Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie and Cookies & Cream.

My friends call me a chilli fiend. I can’t help it, I am after all Indian. I just love the pungency and zing it adds to soups, curries and stews. I created this recipe on one of those cold winter Sydney evenings when feeling a little bit under the weather. It’s packed full of delicious super greens, fragrant herbs and spices that will help to reinvigorate your senses. Make a big batch and pack it for work the next mayor freeze in snap-lock bags for 1-2 months.

PREP TIME 30 MINS | COOKING TIME 30 MINS | SERVES 3-4

INGREDIENTS

For the green curry paste

1 large garlic clove, peeled
5cm piece of ginger, washed
2 spring onions
1 bunch coriander, washed, roots and stems scrubbed
1 bunch Thai basil, washed (optional)
2 tbsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 small green chillies

For the soup

2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 cup firmly packed English Spinach, washed and finely chopped
1 broccoli, cut into florets, stem diced
1/2 cup coconut milk
Lime wedges
Extra coconut milk, to serve

METHOD

Roughly chop the garlic clove, ginger, spring onions, coriander leaves, root and stems, and Thai basil. Place these and the remaining ingredients into a blender along with a 1/4 cup water. Blitz to form a smooth paste. You may need to add some more water to help the mixture along.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant. Add the spinach and broccoli and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1L cold water and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the broccoli stems are tender and the spinach is wilted. Allow to cool.
Purée the mixture using a stick blender, then return to the heat and add the coconut milk. Allow to heat through. Serve with lime wedges and a drizzle of coconut milk. This soup goes really well with turkish borek or spinach and ricotta triangles.

For more tasty recipes and Sydney food adventures head to www.brendonthesmilingchef.com

About Brendon
I’m a food writer, blogger and passionate home cook living and working in Sydney. By day I work at one of the world’s fastest growing premium restaurant delivery services, and by night I cook, style and photograph recipes for my award-winning recipe blog. I really can’t stop smiling, believe me, I’ve tried and probably lasted 2 seconds. Sharing food, stories and recipes with family and friends makes me happy, which is exactly why I created “Smiling Chef”. I often try to include a selection colourful vegetables in my cooking, for both it’s nutritional benefits, and the fact that it makes such great #foodporn for Instagram. Get in touch if you need #instaworthy shots of your restaurant or cafe food for your website and social networks. I’m also keen singer and pianist and also love street and landscape photography – see more at @my_omd_and_me.

Instagram: @brendonthesmilingchef/ @my_omd_and_me
SnapChat: bthesmilingchef
Facebook: brendonthesmilingchef
Twitter: bthesmilingchef

Happy cooking and keep smiling,

Brendon D’Souza

Raw Nutty Orange & Blueberry Vegan ‘Cheesecake’

August 17, 2016September 17, 2017 amcarmen1 Comment

The perfect vegan dessert for your next dinner party.

Hey there! My name is Miao, pronounced “Meow” and I am currently located in Singapore. I’ve known the lovely Allison for a good 12 years now, perhaps for even longer! We attended the same high school back in Brunei. A few years went by before we recently got in contact again, and this time we had more in common than ever before – the both of us had branched from loving food, to loving to cook food during our years of studying abroad. Our enthusiasm was shared over social media and it was agreed that we had to, had to, collaborate in hosting a dinner party the very next time we stood on common soil.

Dinner parties are great! They indulge our senses through so many different factors; from the atmospheric music playing in the background, the vibrant and dramatic display of what’s being served, to the tantalising aroma of something sizzling, something roasted, something seasoned in the air. In every way, a dinner party is an experience of art, as a guest you are inclined to explore the texture of your dish and savour the flavours, forming an opinion that’ll later be added to the table’s conversation. For people who love to cook, a dinner party is an exciting show to curate.

I’ve hosted a few dinner parties since the start of my time in Singapore, and every time it’s been the perfect way to rekindle old friendships, create new memories, and to sprout conversations between acquaintances. Well what’s a dinner party without its guests? Allison and I rounded up a few other pals from our high-school days along with a few foodies I’ve grown to love in Singapore.

One seat at the table was reserved for our vegan friend, adding a little variety to the collective diet. Accommodating to a vegan was completely new to me, the savoury vegan recipes weren’t all that hard to comprehend, but because I specialise in baking cakes, deciding what to create for dessert took a little more time for consideration. We made an array of dishes for the mains, including both vegan approved recipes and recipes with meat, while trying as much as possible to have everyone enjoy similar flavours. The dessert was to mark the finale of the show, and it only seemed appropriate to have everyone leave with the same experience and same lingering flavour in their mouth.

Well, after some time browsing through recipes online, I realised just how darn easy vegan desserts are to make! And they can still be just as rich and indulgent as desserts with animal products – like the vegan ‘cheesecake’ I’m about to introduce. Now I sit here still thinking how I wasn’t introduced to vegan desserts any earlier; they’re healthier, somewhat more refreshing and require less cleaning up. So without further ado, here is the perfect dessert recipe for your next dinner party with or without your vegan buddies.

PREP TIME 15-20 MINS | FREEZE TIME min. 12 HOURS | SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

For the nutty crust

2 cups raw nuts
1/2 cup medjool dates
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Pinch of salt

For the orange ‘cheesecake’

3 cups cashews
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
Juice of one lemon
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup agave or maple syrup
Orange zest from all the juiced oranges
Pinch of salt

For the blueberry layer

2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup of the orange ‘cheesecake’ mixture

METHOD

To make the crust: Process all ingredients for the crust in a food processor, until the nuts become crumbs and the mixture sticks together when you press it. Press into the bottom of an 8 inch spring-form pan to form the first layer of your cake. Leave in the fridge to chill.
To make the orange cheesecake layer: Excluding the orange zest, blend all other ingredients in your blender at high-speed until very smooth, then with a spoon add in the orange zest to taste. Take out 1/4 cup of the mixture for the blueberry layer, pour the remaining mixture onto the chilled crust and then leave it in the freezer.
To make the blueberry layer: Simply blend the blueberries and the 1/4 cup of cheesecake mixture with your food processor. Spread this evenly over your cheesecake and keep it in the freezer or fridge overnight. I prefer keeping it in the freezer as I live in a tropical climate and it only takes 15 minutes for the cake to soften for serving.
You can serve the cake with blueberries or sliced oranges for that additional wow factor.

Enjoy!

Miao.

Quinoa Black Bean Tacos

August 10, 2016September 17, 2017 amcarmen1 Comment

Hello Everyone! Diandra here. Just another third culture foodie.

A few months ago, I delved into the weird side of Youtube and somehow ended up watching a documentary about the cruelness of pig farming at three in the morning. From there, I watched a famous vegan Mukbang star, Mommy Tang, who talked about how she became vegan and how a plant-based diet has helped her lose weight, overall positively affecting her health. Intrigued by the idea of veganism, I watched more and more documentaries on the negative impact of animal farming on the environment and animal products on our health.

Mind-blown by the influx of information, I decided to cut down my consumption of animal byproducts overnight. Mind you, I was that girl who ate meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I LOVE MEAT. But, after educating myself on the many issues that come with consuming meat and other animal byproducts, I simply couldn’t live with myself if I continue eating meat mindlessly for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Could I let go of meat and dairy completely? No. Not right now. But maybe one day. However, currently I have drastically cut down my consumption of animal byproducts to the point where I eat a plant-based diet 6 days out of the week. I give myself one cheat day. Still, not bad for a girl who was pretty much a full-time carnivore.

I always encourage others to try and lessen their consumption of animal byproducts. You don’t have to give it up completely, but at least lessen. The secret of eating a plant-based diet without passing out halfway through the day is to fuel yourself with CARBS. This Quinoa Black Bean Taco recipe is the perfect filling and delicious vegan meal. Oh and it’s extremely high in protein 😉 Yes, you can find lots of protein in plants too, not just in meat! Hope you like it!

PREP TIME 15 MINS | COOKING TIME 10 MINS | SERVES 3-4

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Superlife Co. mixed quinoa, cooked
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup spinach
3 garlic cloves
2 tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 brown onion
1 tbsp olive oil
Jalapeños
Taco Seasoning
Taco Shells

Optional

Cayenne pepper
Salt-free Mexican seasoning blend

METHOD

Dice the tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. Mince the garlic.
Add olive oil, garlic and onion into a heated pan. Sauté until the onions and garlic are nice and golden.
Add the bell peppers and frozen corn, and continue sautéing until the peppers are soft and the corn is defrosted.
Add the cooked quinoa into the pan, sprinkle in the taco seasoning and mix everything together.
Taste the quinoa/black bean mixture. If you would like additional spice and seasoning, add in the cayenne pepper and Mexican blend seasoning. Note: Taco seasoning is normally already pretty salty, so additional salt is not necessary.
Turn down the heat and add the tomatoes into the pan. Mix everything together.
ASSEMBLING THE TACO: Take a warm taco shell and line the bottom with some spinach leaves.
Add the quinoa/black bean mix into the taco shell.
Lastly, top the taco off with some jalapeños and voila!

Eat them all up! 😉

Diandra.

AMCARMEN'S KITCHEN

A Third Culture Foodie

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Quinoa Black Bean Tacos

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