Butter chicken

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 kg boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in large chunks
50 g butter
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon grated fresh green ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (more or less to taste)
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods, bruised
1 (400 g) can tomato puree
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1
Heat a wok until really hot, add 1 Tbsp oil.
2
Add half the chicken and stir-fry for about 4 minutes or until chicken is a nice colour.
3
Remove to plate.
4
Add extra oil and cook remaining chicken.
5
Remove from wok.
6
Reduce heat and add the butter.
7
When melted add all of the spices and stir-fry until fragrant- about 1 minute.
8
Return chicken to wok and stir to coat with the spices.
9
Add the tomato and sugar and simmer for 15 minutes- stir occasionally.
10
Add the yogurt, cream and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit.
11
Serve over rice.
12
**This dish can be frozen. After step nine cool completely then store in a zip-lock bag in the freezer. To reheat, thaw in bag in fridge overnight then add contents to saucepan. Reheat gently, then simmer for 8 minutes - add the yoghurt, cream and lemon juice and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/indian-butter-chicken-86753?oc=linkback

Oven Grill Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients

½ cup plum sauce
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons kicap manis (sweet soy sauce)
finely grated rind of 1 lime
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 kilo chicken drumsticks

Method

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large, shallow baking dish with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place plum sauce, honey, ketjap manis, lime rind, ginger and allspice in a bowl; stir to combine.

3. Place drumsticks in prepared dish, and spoon plum sauce mixture over drumsticks. Bake 30- 40 minutes, basting regularly, until sticky, golden and cooked through.

Happy trying...

Stir Fry Beef with Lemongrass

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut oil
800g beef sirloin, thinly sliced
1 medium brown onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow capsicum, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, thinly sliced (see note)
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
steamed rice, coriander and extra chilli, to serve

Method

1.Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat. Add half the beef. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of oil and remaining beef.

2.Add remaining oil, onion, capsicum, garlic, lemongrass and chilli to wok. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is soft. Return beef and any juices to wok. Add soy sauce and fish sauce. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until heated through.

3.Top stir-fry with coriander and chilli. Serve with rice.

Notes
Purchase firm stalks with pale yellow root tips and green outer leaves. Remove outer leaves and trim 1cm from base. Finely slice the tender white stalk.

Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients

500g Macaroni Pasta, Cooked
Knob of BUTTER
Fresh Oregano
2 ½ Cups PERFECT ITALIANO 4 CHEESE BLEND
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Serves: 4

1. Heat the butter in a pan, add oregano and cooked pasta. Stir through Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Blend until melted.


2. Add salt and pepper, and pour into baking dish. Sprinkle over some extra Perfect Italiano Four Cheese Blend and bake in a 180C oven for 10 minutes until golden and crispy on top.


Tip: Add a lightly beaten egg, Perfect Italiano Ricotta and shredded turkey ham for a variation of this classic.

Homemade Baked Beans

Ingredients

2 cups (400g) large dried beans (see note)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled, diced
1 stick celery, strings removed, diced
2 bunches thyme, secured together with kitchen string
2 dried bay leaves
2 cups chicken stock
400g can diced tomatoes
3-4 slices crusty bread
1 garlic clove, extra, halved
100g feta cheese
¼ cup mint leaves
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves

Method

Serves 4

1. Place beans in a large ceramic bowl, cover with cold water and set aside for 12-24 hours to soak. Drain well, rinse and drain again.

2. Cover base of large frying pan with extra virgin olive oil and heat over high heat, add the beans, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves, stir to coat. Pour over the chicken stock and add the tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender.

3. Drizzle both sides bread with olive oil and char-grill until toasted. Remove hot toasted bread to a board and rub with cut side of the garlic.

4. Taste the beans, adjust the seasoning as required. Remove the thyme and bay leaves. Crumble over the feta, scatter over the mint leaves and parsley. Serve with bread.

Note: we used mixture of large white lima beans and black beans

Happy trying....

Chilli Crabs (HOT)

Ingredients

(A) To Blender
1 Big Onion
2 Shallots
2 Cloves Garlic
Ginger - Thumb Size
Shrimp Paste/Belacan - 1 Tablespoon full

(B) To Blender
20 dried chilli - cook them in hot water, drain the water and blend with a little water into a paste

Lemongrass - crush the tip
Tamarind pulp - soak in 1 cup of water, mix it well to extract the juice
Oyster Sauce
Tomato Sauce
Salt/Sugar
Palm Sugar
3 Tomato - Cut into wedges


Crabs - 2 lbs. mud crab (dungeness crab or stone crab is a great substitute) Wash crabs and separate claws from body. Crack the shell and cut the body into 4 to 6 pieces.

Method

1. Heat up the wok in medium fire and put a little oil
2. Fry the blendered A ingredients till frangrant
3. Add in B and fry till the colour changes into dark red
4. Add in lemongrass,oyster sauce, tomato sauce, palm sugar, salt and cane sugar, tamarind juice
5. Crack an egg and stir into the mixture. This will thickens the gravy
6. Add crab pieces and fry until they turn red, about 4 minutes.
7. Add in tomato wedges.
8. Ready to serve

You can eat with fried mantous(chinese buns) or steamed rice.

Happy Trying

Fish & Chips

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for frying
2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into thick chips
1 cup soda water
1 cup plain flour
10 ice cubes
2 skinless flathead fillets (I use sutchi fillet fish), pin-boned
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Step 1: Pour oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan until one third full. Heat oil over high heat. Once hot, add potato and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and place onto a plate lined with paper towel, to cool. Reserve oil for later.

Step 2: Pour soda water into a large bowl. Whisk in flour (reserving 2 tablespoons) until smooth and season with salt, sugar(more because soda water is tasteless) and pepper. Add ice and set aside in the fridge to rest.

Step 3: Re-heat oil the reserved oil. Cook the reserved chips for about 2-3 minutes until golden.

Step 4: Pour oil into a large heavy-based frying pan, until 2-3cm deep. Heat over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dust fish with remaining flour, shaking off excess. Dip fish into the batter and shallow fry for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked through and golden.

Step 5: To serve, place fish and chips on a large plate. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve coleslaw and tartare sauce on the side.

Happy Trying...