Fish curry

Fish is a great substitute for beef and chicken in a curry. Fish Curry is a very popular recipe. Learn how to make/prepare Fish Curry by following this easy recipe.

Ingredients: 800 gms Fish (washed and sliced) 1 Onion Sliced 1 tsp Garlic (chopped) 12 Dry Red Chil 1 Tomato (chopped) 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste 1 tsp Turmeric Powder Green Chili 1 tbsp Oil  2 tbsp Coriander Seeds  1 tbsp Ginger(minced)  Salt to taste 1 tablespoon sugar 13.5 or 14 oz can of coconut milk

Direction: Measure and prepare all ingredients. In a grinder grind the onions, ginger, 2 bay leaves, red chili, mustard seeds, cumin seed all together. Preserve some cut pieces 1 cup of onion. Cut small pieces of tomatoes. Make small pieces of fish fillets, about 3 inches in length. Clean them properly if you are using the whole fish and make it into small pieces. In another bowl combine fish sauce, sugar, lemon grass stalks, ginger, and chicken stock. Set aside. In a large bowl have carrots and onion and potatoes ready.  Take a big plate, put the fish in it and sprinkle 2 teaspoon of salt, two teaspoon of turmeric powder and the garlic paste. Mix all of them properly. Allow to marinate for 1/2 hour. Take a pan or a wok (preferable. Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat. Add the shallot, garlic, chili paste, curry powder mixture and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. When all the pieces are fried, clean all the black residues from the oil in the wok with the spatula and put 2 tablespoon of fresh oil in it. Then put a pinch of cumin seed, a pinch of mustard seed, 2 red chili, 2 bay leaves, a pinch of aniseed (all together is called panch-phoran) and allow them to splutter. Then put the cut onion pieces and allow it to just a little brown. Add the carrots, potatoes and onions and keep stirring it until the paste becomes a little brown (it takes around 10 minutes).The paste is now perfectly fried.

Add coconut milk and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Add fish and asparagus cook until asparagus is tender and fish is fully cooked. 

Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chopped cilantro and basil. Serve with white rice and squeeze some lime some juice on top.

 

Tips:

• The best curry sauce to use is with this recipe is Thai green.
• You can't actually eat most of the fish head but it does add a lot of flavor to the dish.
• Don't bother adding spices for color if you're putting squid ink in the curry.
• Lemongrass can be a bit sharp and poky in texture; to fix this, boil it in a kettle before you add it and then scrape it to bits on a chopping board with a blunt knife. This separates the essence from the stringy bits. Add the essence to the pot.
• It can be spicy (if you use a lot of the chili paste) so be aware.  It is fantastic however with the spice and a great one pot meal if you've got the patience to see it through

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How to make Cream cheese Froasting

Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese with a high fat content. Traditionally, it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream. Cream Cheese Frosting pairs exceptionally well with a host of cakes, including the carrot cake, and red velvet cake. If you are making this frosting for your Christmas tree cake, you will need to double this recipe.

To have perfectly smooth cream cheese frosting with enough body to spread in dramatic swirls or even pipe through a pastry bag, you have to know these two secrets. First, overbeating breaks down the cream cheese, and produces grainy looking frosting that is too soft to hold a shape. Second, cold (not softened) cream cheese produces the best texture in both of our methods. Have the butter, if you use it, at the temperature recommended for the method you choose, and sift the powdered sugar after measuring.

These extremely moist, sweet, and perfectly dense cupcakes are killing me softly with each bite and it hurts so good. Some people are addicted to cream cheese frosting. Like…we should not be left alone together because I will inevitably do something that will make me feel shameful and sad that the workout we did that morning will count for nothing and then some.

If you’re not super crazy about cream cheese or if you like sweeter frostings, this might not be your thing, but if you love that thick, creamy, cream-cheesy frosting on carrot cakes and spice cakes and pumpkin-y stuff and your finger, this one’s for you.

The ingredients aren’t any different than other cream cheese frosting recipes–cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla (or almond) extract. The difference is the proportions–this calls for way more cream cheese and cuts down on the butter and powdered sugar.

Tools: Electric mixer, paddle attachment

Preparation time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1	package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	teaspoon vanilla
4	cups powdered sugar

Direction:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and oil with carrots. Add one egg at a time and beat well after each egg.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until combined and fluffy vanilla until light and fluffy

Set the mixer on low speed, and add the confectioner’s sugar to the creamed mixture in batches. After all the sugar is incorporated, increase to medium speed to thoroughly mix the ingredients.

Add the vanilla, and continue beating until combined.

Use immediately

.

Notes:

It sounds weird to refrigerate this cake and eat it cold, but seriously, it’s a must. It gets so moist and yummy after sitting in the fridge overnight!

If the frosting doesn’t completely combine in your mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue beating.

For a peppermint cream cheese frosting, substitute 1⁄2 teaspoon peppermint flavoring for the vanilla. For a lemon cream cheese frosting, substitute 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon flavoring for the vanilla.

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Chicken soup

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta (e.g., noodles, although almost any form can be used), dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup has also acquired the reputation of a folk remedy for colds and flus, and in many countries is considered a comfort food.

The chicken flavor of the soup is most potent when the chicken is simmered in water with salt and only a few vegetables, such as a mirepoix of onion, carrots, and celery.[Variations on the flavor are gained by adding root vegetables such as parsnip, potato, sweet potato and celery root, herbs such as parsley, dill, other vegetables such as zucchini, whole garlic cloves or tomatoes and black pepper. The soup should be brought slowly to a boil and then simmered in a covered pot on a very low flame for one to three hours, adding water if necessary. A clearer broth is achieved by skimming the film of congealed fat off the top of the soup as it is cooking, first bringing the chicken to boil from a pot of cold water and discarding the water before continuing, or straining it through a strainer or cheesecloth. Saffron or turmeric are sometimes added as a yellow colorant.
If you need a break from the heavy food and treats of the holiday season, put a pot of chicken soup on your stove. Serve it with toast or warm dinner rolls, and your family will think they’ve died and gone to Heaven.
It’s so, so good for your heart and soul and mind.
Then, this is the great chicken soup recipes:

Ingredents:

1kg chicken wings or drumsticks or a mixture, plus a leftover chicken carcass if you happen to have one
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, 2 roughly chopped, one peeled and more finely chopped and kept separate
3 leeks, 2 roughly chopped, 1 more finely chopped and kept separate
Small bunch of parsley, separated into stalks and leaves
750ml chicken stock, cold
200g barley, cooked (pearl or wholegrain)

Derections:

Put the chicken in a large pan and just cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and skim off the scum from the top – this is important, as it will give the finished soup a greasy, unpleasant flavour.
 

Add the celery, onions (if they're clean, there's no need to peel these), the roughly chopped carrots and leeks, the parsley stalks and the stock. Season with pepper. Simmer gently for about 2 hours.

 

Strain the soup through a fine sieve – you can pick the meat off the bones to add to the soup if you wish, although it may be rather tough. Return the soup to the pan, add the remaining finely chopped carrot and leek and cook for 10 minutes until these are soft.

 

Stir through the cooked barley, season to taste, and serve with the chopped parsley leaves on top.

 

Enjoy it!

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BOILED FISH

 

Fish is a low-fat, high-protein food that fits perfectly into a healthy diet—and should be enjoyed at least twice a week. Even fatty fish, such as salmon, contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which, among other things, help boost artery-clearing HDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation. Boiled fish delivers the heart-health benefits of mega 3-fatty acids more effectively than fried, salted or dried fish, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009 at Orlando, Florida.

Boiling fish is a technique chefs have used for centuries. No matter what type of fish you prefer, preparation can be simple, and cooking time can be relatively short. This can make poaching fish a natural choice if you're looking to create a quick, tasteful meal. When you have learned how to boil fish properly, the end result is a tender, juicy meal that any fish lover will relish.

Ingredients:
8 qt. boiling water
16 (3") potatoes, washed, NOT peeled
1 c. salt
16 (1"-2") onions
Fish chunks, use fish such as salmon
Direction:

Step 1: Wash the fish in cold water, and make sure it is clean.

 

Step2. Fill a pot with enough cold water to cover the entire fish. Pour in 1 tsp. (5 ml) of table salt, and 1 to 1.5 tsp. (5 to 7.5 ml) of lemon juice. If you don't have lemon juice, you may substitute with vinegar.

Place the fish into the pot, and set it on top of the stove.

Turn the heat on medium so that the water comes to a slow boil. It is very important that the water boils slowly, so that the fish has enough time to cook thoroughly. The time of boiling depends entirely on the freshness and thickness of the fish, and varies so much that no rule can be given; experience is the only guide.

Step 3: Add salt. It is well also to add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to each 2 quarts of water. Vinegar or lemon juice is valuable.
After exactly 12 minutes, add 1 small peeled onion for each person and let the whole mess boil (time another 6 minutes) with the cover back on. Allow the fish to gently simmer, not actually boil

Step 4: Dump the drained fish on a big platter,
Garnish boiled fish with slices of lemon or hard boiled eggs, parsley, button mushrooms, fried oysters, sliced pickles, Saratoga potatoes, etc.

Notes: Knowing how to choose fresh fish is a vital skill for a fish cook. Unless you caught the fish yourself, you really have no way of knowing exactly how fresh it is. Here are tips on choosing fresh fish.

1. Look for bright, clear eyes Dull-eyed fish may be safe to eat,
2. Look at the fish. Does it shine? Does it look metallic and clean?
3. Look at the gills. They should be a rich red.
4. Smell it. A fresh fish should smell like clean water or a touch briny or even like cucumbers

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Poached eggs

Good nutrition affects your life better. Starting the day with a healthy breakfast that includes eggs gives you and your family a nutritious start to the day. This is because nearly all the essential nutrients your body needs can be found in an egg. Eggs are packed with 14 essential nutrients that you and your family need to stay healthy and active. Plus, one large egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 70 calories. Eggs taste delicious! They can be prepared in many different ways, so there is sure to be an egg dish to suit everyone’s taste.

It takes just minutes to fry, scramble or microwave an egg. (And there are many more fast ways to cook eggs!) Cooking an egg quickly doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor either. You can create delicious, nutritious, meals in just minutes, leaving you more time to do whatever matters.

Poached eggs are delicious with all kinds of ingredients - try them served with asparagus, cured meats, smoked salmon, pastas, soft cheeses, salad leaves, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, field mushrooms, avocados and mayonnaises

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• Thickly sliced bread, toasted and buttered, and chopped chives, to serve

Step 1:

Get everything ready before you start cooking poached eggs. Timing is everything when it comes to good poached eggs.

Select a suitable pan for poaching. The pan must be shallow and wide, as the trick to poaching well without an egg poacher is to gently slip the egg into a wide, shallow pan filled with simmering water. The pan should be able to take about 1.5 liters (2 3/4 pints) of water, or 10cm (4") depth of water.

Step 2:
Add the water. Fill the pan about two-thirds or a bit more with water and bring to a gentle boil. Add vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low-medium - water should be just simmering, with small bubbles rising from the base of pan and small ripples across the top of the water. If vinegar is used, the eggs will have a vinegary taste. Chef Michael Romano advises that in commercial restaurants, poached eggs are usually plunged into another pan of hot water which is salted but vinegar free and that this both seasons them and removes the vinegary taste.

Step 3:

Crack an egg into a ramekin, small bowl or soup ladle. Do this gently so as not to harm the appearance of the egg. Alternatively, crack the egg onto a small, flat plate as this makes sliding the egg into the pan of water easier. Don't break the yolk when cracking the egg.

 Using a wooden spoon or whisk, stir simmering water in one direction to create a whirlpool

Step 4:

Slide egg from saucer into centre of whirlpool, as close to water as possible. Cook for 2-3 minutes for a semi-soft yolk or 3-4 minutes for a firm-set yolk, without stirring

Using a slotted spoon, transfer egg to the bowl of cold water (this stops the cooking process). Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. During and between cooking eggs, use slotted spoon to skim any foam from water surface. Repeat with remaining eggs. To reheat eggs, bring a clean pan of water to the boil then remove from heat. Add eggs. Stand, covered, for 1 minute. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Step 5: Serve eggs on toast, sprinkled with chives and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper, or use in one of the recipes on the following pages.

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How to make fried-pork belly

Pork belly (called deep fried, pan fried, or just plain fried pork belly) are a perfect dinner option for cold weather and for entertaining. Easy to make and inexpensive, pork belly are tender and juicy when made properly. Season your pork belly as desired

If you are looking for a quick way to prepare pork belly, frying is the way to go. You will need to prepare your pork. Whether you like the bone in or boneless, this pork will always stay moist and juicy and not dry and tough.

If you are using boneless pork belly, you may want to slice them in half horizontally to make them thinner. This cuts down time and ensures even cooking. To avoid the pitfalls of cooking fried pork belly, use thick pork belly; they do not dry out as quickly as thin ones. Also, remove excess breading before frying. That will prevent your belly from becoming soggy.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb pork belly, cut lengthwise into 2-inch thick slabs
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon salt
• canola oil for deep frying and sautéing
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup bagoong alamang (salted, fermented shrimp paste)

Direction:

Step 1:

Place the pork belly pieces, skin side down on a work surface and then make 1 ½ inch crosswise cuts on each piece, being careful not to cut through the skin.

Mix the spices. Sprinkle on both sides of the pork belly.

Refrigerate for a few hours or longer (often leave in the refrigerator for 30 minutes

Step 2:

When ready to fry, pour the oil into a pan or skillet about 3/4 to 1 inch deep and heat on medium high. Test the oil temperature by dropping a tiny pinch of the coating mix into the oil.

Place pork in hot oil. Take out the pork belly from the coating mix and fry them for about 5-8 minutes on the first side until golden brown and flip them over. Do not overcrowd the pork belly, will take 2 patches of frying.

With the temperature still in the medium range, flip the pieces over so that the skin side is down. Make sure that enough fat has rendered out so that the skin doesn’t stick to the pan.

The second side should take about 4-5 minutes. This time varies on how thick your pork belly are and if they have a bone or are boneless. Bone in belly will take longer to cook

Step 3: Bring the temp up slowly and cook until the skin is crispy, as shown below. Remove and cool enough to serve. Once cool enough to handle, cut into smaller pieces, salt to taste, serve with slices of lime.

             

Notes:

Before you go ahead and make the pork belly, you may want to make the side dishes that you will be serving. Once you start frying, you will not be able to do much else and they cook in no time.

It is better to slightly under cook them if you will not be serving them immediately as they will continue to cook a bit as they sit or they will end up being tough and dry.

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