Spicing up the cookingRe: Spicing up the cookingI have given up with butternut squash. Too chuffing hard to peel and chop up.
ilona
Re: Spicing up the cookingButternut squash isn't the worst to try & peel (the acorn type winter squash are awkward because of the ridges) and as most of the flesh is in the upper half bit, all you need to do is chop the stalk end off and chop the length so that the top and bottom is flat like a cylinder. Use a big knife and while holding the squash portion firmly down from the top on to a chopping board, you just start at the top and cut a length of peeling down to the bottom (it's safer and you use your body as weight leaning on arm holding the knife). Repeat until all of the peeling is done. Alternatively, you can leave the skin on and cook (roast or boil) large portions eg cut the squash into half. Then just spoon the cooked flesh off the skin afterwards (that's how gem squashes (small grapefruit sized squash with very tough skin) are cooked - cut in half and into a saucepan and cooked until the flesh is soft. Drain and serve (while still in the skin) as a side vegetable with a dab of butter and pepper. Use a spoon or fork to scrape the flesh off the skin and mix in the bowl shape, or scrape out directly on to the plate) I have watched quite a bit of Masterchef and Saturday Morning Kitchen recently and seen the chefs use a Y shaped peeler on a butternut squash - they make it look effortless but I noticed they are doing a lot of shaving rather than a single peel. I think where the skin gets as hard as wood, the peeler might have more difficulty.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Spiced RiceI really was going to make the Chicken & Chorizo Jambalaya yesterday but I also wanted to try out my new rice cooker and ended up doing something similar but nothing like it
The marinade was just a mix of sunflower oil, stir fry oil (for the ginger extract), maple syrup (well, not the expensive genuine stuff but the mock maple syrup) with some honey, lime juice, Jamaican Jerk spice mix with a little extra cinnamon & allspice, soy sauce and some ... dried sage. I was relying on my memory rather than read the recipe and apparently it should have been thyme not sage. Whatever, it didn't spoil the taste. I had added honey to the mock maple syrup because it didn't quite taste sweet enough and secondly, I didn't think it tasted anything like maple syrup. The chicken thighs went into the marinade while I got on preparing the vegetables (chopped onion, green pepper, garlic and butternut squash into small cubes, some frozen garden peas, salt & pepper seasoning and a small pinch of dried chilli flakes) which went into the rice for cooking. Once the rice was cooked, the marinated chicken thighs went into the air fryer and just like the Lebanese 7 Spice Chicken, the skin ended up looking almost black but crispy and yummy and all the spice flavouring was also in the chicken meat. I put a portion of rice on the plate with the chicken pieces on top but the rice needed something to lift it. I considered using coconut milk but in the end, I just drizzled some of the juices / fat and spices from the air fryer pan all over the chicken and rice - oh yes, definitely elevated it to a whole new level.
What spices are in a Madras curry powder?I so like a Madras curry but unsure what curry powder to purchase to add to my spice collection. I looked at the ingredients list of various brands sold in supermarkets - there seems to be quite a variation. Some just listed as "Madras curry powder" and some listed as "Mild Madras curry powder". The difference is supposed to be the addition of chilli in the "hot" version but it might depend on the type of chilli and the quantity in the spice mix.
Brand 1: Madras Curry Powder Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Salt, Gram Flour, Chilli, Mustard, Fenugreek, Fennel, Garlic, Black Pepper, Star Anise Brand 2: Mild Madras Curry Powder Coriander, Turmeric, Chilli, Mustard, Cumin, Pepper, Fenugreek, Garlic, Salt, Fennel Brand 3: Mild Madras Curry Powder Ground Coriander, Ground Turmeric, Mustard Powder, Bengal Gram (Black Chickpea), Ground Cumin, Ground Chilli, Ground Fenugreek, Ground Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Iodised Salt, Ground Fennel Brand 2: Hot Madras Curry Powder Coriander, Turmeric, Chilli, Mustard, Cumin, Pepper, Fenugreek, Garlic, Salt, Fennel Brand 4: Madras Curry Powder Chilli Powder, Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seed, Garlic Powder, Ginger, Turmeric, Paprika, Cardamom, Fennel Seeds, Fenugreek, Cinnamon, Star Anise.
Ras el hanout spice mix aka Moroccan seasoningYou can buy this as a ready mixed spice from most supermarkets, but here is one recipe for the spice mix from the BBC Good Food site
On the same page, scroll down for some recipes: Moroccan chicken with sweet potato mash Ingredients 1kg sweet potatoes, cubed 2 tsp ras-el-hanout, or a mix of ground cinnamon and cumin 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 fat garlic clove, crushed 200ml chicken stock 2 tsp clear honey juice ½ lemon handful green olives, pitted or whole 20g pack coriander, leaves chopped Method STEP 1 Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 mins or until tender. Mix the ras el hanout with seasoning, then sprinkle all over the chicken. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large frying pan, then brown the chicken for 3 mins on each side until golden. STEP 2 Lift the chicken out of the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the stock, honey, lemon juice and olives, return the chicken to the pan, then simmer for 10 mins until the sauce is syrupy and the chicken cooked. STEP 3 Mash the potatoes with 1 tbsp oil and season. Thickly slice each chicken breast and stir the coriander through the sauce. Serve the chicken and sauce over mash ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probably not something I'm likely to make but perhaps adapt the recipe to something else (maybe make burgers, or use a less expensive meat / go for a vegetarian option) Spiced lamb koftas with mint & tomato salad Ingredients For the koftas: 500g pack lean lamb mince 2 small or 1 large preserved lemon, flesh and seeds removed and skin finely chopped 10 pitted green olives, finely chopped small bunch parsley, chopped 1 ½ tbsp ras-el-hanout 1 tbsp vegetable oil yogurt, salad and wraps, to serve (optional) For the salad: 4 large tomatoes, chopped ½ red onion, very finely sliced small bunch mint, leaves picked juice ½ lemon good pinch of sugar Method STEP 1 In a large bowl, combine the lamb mince, preserved lemon, olives, parsley, ras el hanout and some seasoning – don’t be too generous with the salt, as the preserved lemon and olives are both quite salty. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape each piece around a long skewer. Chill for 30 mins. STEP 2 Combine the ingredients for the salad with some seasoning and set aside. Heat the grill to high. Rub the oil over the koftas and wrap a little foil around the bottom of each skewer if you’re using wooden ones. Place on a baking tray and grill for about 7 mins each side until nicely browned, checking the meat is cooked through to the centre. Serve with the tomato salad, a dollop of yogurt and some couscous or in wraps, if you like. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are more recipes from the Sainsbury's Magazine which sound lovely:
Stew it - Moroccan-style beef stew Dust 800g stewing or braising steak with 2 tbsp plain flour. Brown in 2 tbsp oil in a hot casserole, then remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. In the same pan, fry 2 large sliced onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1½ tbsp ras el hanout on a low heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Return the beef to the pan along with a handful of chopped dried apricots or pitted dates, 1 x 320g pack prepared butternut squash, 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste and 750ml beef stock. Season, bring to the boil, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2½-3 hours until both beef and squash are very tender. Serve with couscous. Serves 6. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spiced figs Mix 150g soft goats' cheese with ½ tbsp sifted ras el hanout, 2 tsp honey, and a handful of chopped walnuts. Cut 12 baby figs into quarters from stem to base, but don't quite cut through all the way. Stuff the goats' cheese mixture into the cuts on each fig then wrap each one in a slice of serrano ham, securing it with a cocktail stick. Drizzle with olive oil and grind over some black pepper, then place on a baking tray and put under a hot grill until the ham is crisp. Serves 4 as a starter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Falafel In a food processor, whiz a drained can of chickpeas, 1 tbsp chickpea flour, a crushed garlic clove, the zest and 2 tsp juice from a lemon, 1½ tbsp tahini paste and ¾ tbsp ras el hanout. Add salt to taste. Roll into 8 balls, flatten slightly, then fry in 1cm of hot vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes per side until brown and cooked through. Serve in warmed pitta breads with salad, tahini and sweet chilli sauce. Makes 8. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raita For a sweet-sour perfumed raita that's great with grilled lamb or chicken, finely slice 2 echalion shallots in 2 tsp olive oil on a low heat until tender, then add ½ tbsp ras el hanout and continue to cook until the shallots are dark golden brown and slightly crisp, then tip onto a plate and allow to cool. Coarsely grate half a cucumber, discarding the core, and squeeze to remove excess water. Stir the cucumber into 200g natural yogurt along with the fragrant shallots and some seasoning. Finish with a swirl of pomegranate molasses. Serves 4 as a side. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prawn tagine Make a speedy Moroccan-style prawn tagine by frying 1 sliced red onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 chopped green chilli and 1 tbsp ras el hanout in 1½ tbsp olive oil. When the onions are tender, add a tin of cherry tomatoes, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced and thick. Add 1 x 180g pack peeled raw prawns, simmer for 3-4 minutes until cooked through, scatter with a little roughly chopped coriander, then serve with natural yogurt and flatbreads for dipping. Serves 2.
Madras curry LL styleI replaced my old (use by date 2015 ) Madras curry powder but the only one in the supermarket was the "hot" one (my old pot didn't say if it was hot or mild):
Now I've no idea what the recipe is for a real Madras curry but I once made some from whatever I had available at the time and it was so tasty, I more or less used similar ingredients this time. So here goes: Minced beef browned in a little oil in a frying pan. Remove, then to the pan add Onion, chopped Red pepper, chopped and when softened, add the beef and spice mix and turn the heat up. Then add: Carrot, sliced Parsnip, diced Swede, diced Sweet potato, diced Peas, frozen Brussel sprouts, only a few Sultanas, a small handful Stir to mix all the spices over everything in the pan, then add boiling water to just cover (or better, just under) the vegetables. Bring to the boil, put lid on, turn the heat down and allow to simmer until the veg are cooked (15-20 min) Meanwhile, cook the rice in a separate pan (I confess that with organising my kitchen cupboards this week and putting all my dried foods into air tight containers, I had several packets with barely a spoon of dried rice in each so on this occasion, there was some easy cook brown rice, Basmati rice, easy cook long grain rice and some Risotto short grain rice all in the same pan. Despite the mix, it turned out okay. I added just a little bit of gravy granules to help thicken the juices in the curry which also gave it a slightly meaty / salty taste which went down well, and served the curry over the rice. It was VERY nice and not at all hot that I feared but definitely had that lovely Madras taste (one of my favourite curries)
Madras curry recipesI did a search of what ingredients should ideally go into a Madras curry and discovered just about anything. If using beef, ideally it should have some fat otherwise it can get too dry and beef mince is acceptable. As for vegetables:
so my concoction was not too far off (doesn't mention Brussel sprouts but suggestions of broccoli and cauliflower are "similar") Adding tomatoes seems to be a key ingredient in most Madra curry recipes. The following use individual spices but I'm happy with the ready made spice mix. I never thought about using fresh ginger (and I got some recently) but I do like the sound of using coconut milk ... Chicken Madras ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lamb, Pork or Beef Madras by Madhur Jaffrey
Madras Curry Beef Mince 2 - LL styleI really ought to write down the ingredients down rather than rely on memory because I seem to have mixed 2 recipes and come up with my own version which doesn't resemble either. So here goes:
Beef mince, browned. Removed from the frying pan and added diced onion, diced green pepper and garlic and gently fried until softened. Returned the beef mince to the pan and then added the Hot Madras Curry spice mix and heated up. A can of (drained) butter beans and some frozen garden peas went into the pan and stirred in. After mixing, a tin of chopped tomatoes were added with some long grain rice (a sort of everything in one pan kind of meal) and just enough water to cover everything before putting the pan lid on. Brought everything to the boil then turned the heat down to simmer for 15-20 minutes (until the rice was cooked) Removed the pan lid then turned the heat up to reduce the remaining liquid not absorbed in the rice. Then I added some creamed coconut (the solid stuff at room temperature, not the coconut milk) and stirred in before serving. For some reason I fancied butter beans (which was not in any recipe) so when I added the tin tomatoes, the appearance looked more like a chilli con carne but the aroma and flavour was distinctly a curry. Adding the creamed coconut elevated it but I think the addition of fresh ginger would have made a difference. I think I prefer my first version Madras curry with the root vegetables / Brussel sprouts / sultanas but the tin tomatoes and creamed coconut version is still very nice.
Fresh gingerI've made a few spicy meals now using different spice combinations, many only loosely based on actual recipes, and when I've returned to some of my earlier attempts, I am now convinced that some (minced) fresh ginger in the recipe is what really elevates the flavour. Last night I made the Pork mince & noodles with slightly different ingredients:
Browned the pork mince with a little black pepper in some cooking oil. Removed from frying pan. A little more oil then cooked: green pepper - diced sweet potato - diced small red onion - sliced, small white onion - chopped garlic & ginger - minced frozen peas some Thai 7 spice - after tasting, added a little more to the pan (definitely a taste check thing needed to see if you need more or not) chilli powder - not a lot chilli flakes - not a lot After mixing well while cooking in the pan, popped some noodles (mostly broken up) in and a little hot water Brought to the boil, pan lid on and then turned the heat down to simmer for about 10 minutes for all the veg to be cooked and noodles soft. Added: some soy sauce and Hoisin sauce Served. As I had been careful not to put too much water in, there was just enough liquid left after the noodles had taken up most of it so that it wasn't a dry dish and the spice flavours were more concentrated. I'm still wowed by the original spice combination (fresh ginger, garlic, hint of chilli, soy & Hoisin sauce) and this time I liked the addition of the Thai 7 spice, but I really do think the addition of the fresh ginger is what really brings it all together. It was one of those meals that I enjoyed so much, I could have eaten it all over again. Re: Spicing up the cookingIn Chinese cooking garlic, ginger and chilli are sometimes referred to as the holy trinity as so many dishes start off with them when cooking. I agree with the way fresh root ginger elevates a dish. I usually grate it rather than chop it to extract a stronger flavour from the same amount.
Coconut milk vs creamed coconutI agree that they do go well together. As for the fresh ginger, I don't so much "chop" it but cut into thin slices (I have a good set of sharp knives), then turn them around to slice across the slices (more like rock the knife edge over) until the ginger turns to a mush. The grating didn't work so well the first time I used fresh ginger, and the method I now use is probably just as effective. An Indian colleague mentioned that his family use a mortar & pestle to mash the ginger with all the other spices when making curry dishes. Coconut milk vs Creamed coconut Until recently, I only ever used creamed coconut (not that I ever did much spicy cooking) Many recipes I've seen online call for coconut milk and my first attempt at a Caribbean dish was okay but I just put it down to a spice combination that wasn't quite right. I recently tried something else and once again, the coconut milk just didn't do quite what I was expecting. Meanwhile I had some creamed coconut so added some of that as well to the same dish ... now that gave it that lovely creamy coconut that I was expecting. I have one more tin of coconut milk so next time I might try using it sweetened in something like a rice pudding instead of in a savoury dish.
Re: Lebanese 7 SpiceWhen I did my first "tray bake" (that is, marinated chicken thighs with the Lebanese 7 Spice) and remarked how much I enjoyed it, a (Cypriot) colleague at work suggested using the marinade on salmon fillets but instead of the grill / tray bake, to wrap the salmon with greaseproof paper so they cook in their juices and spices (I used foil as I had images of setting the paper alight in the air fryer) Well, they WERE lovely but I didn't get that same "wow" feeling like I did with the "tray bake" marinated chicken thighs. Until that is ... On Friday evening (I'm not at all religious but I do try to have a fish supper on Fridays), instead of wrapping the salmon fillets in paper / foil, I just put them in the air fryer with the Lebanese 7 spice glaze. Obviously they didn't need anywhere near the same cooking time in the air fryer as chicken and before I knew it, I was tucking into the spiced glazed salmon and enjoying every mouthful. This Saturday, 2 packets of frozen salmon fillets fell into my shopping trolley ... Re: Spicing up the cookingNice thread LL...we eat a lot of spicey food to make things intersting...in winter a lot of tagines (love Moroccan food so Ras Al Hanut gets used a lot in this house).I have a tagine but I find I like to double up on recipes so I've got a second meal when I'm working which hubby or youngest can heat up.
The way round I found was 2 frying pans use one to cook in and the other as a lid...works a treat and less expensive than buying a mahoosive tagine ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)✰
(¸.✰´¨(¸.✰ Manda Living our version of the Good Life with 1 dog (who feels like we're living with 4!), 1 cats, a few sheep and 11 chooks. Don't get your knickers in a knot..it solves nothing ~ just makes you walk funny
Re: Spicing up the cooking thanks manda
I used my frying pan (which has a lid) a lot but I'm limited by its size. It's a lovely stainless steel frying pan which I bought over 20 years ago and has served me well but doesn't cope too well with an "all in one pot" cooking style ... many a time it is filled right to the top and a bit precarious. So I treated myself to a new one - a non-stick pan that almost resembles a wok (so it could be used for that) so it is deeper and allows more vegetables to be piled in and also comes with a lid. I was only looking at it only the other day and wondering about using it like a slow cooker on the gas hob instead of the electric slow cooker.
Pulled Pork ShoulderI had bought a pork shoulder and wondered about using a slow cooker instead of an oven. After looking it up online, seems it is the preferred way for pulled pork so I decided to use my new "frying pan" instead on a low gas light. Many of the recipes contained spices and deciding which one to use was difficult - it was a sizeable piece of meat which I'd get several meals out of so didn't want it to have overpowering flavours. Despite trying to curb my enthusiasm, it still ended up with fresh ginger, garlic, apple, onion, carrot, black pepper, ground cumin, paprika, honey and a little bit of Chinese 5 spice. Surprisingly tasty but I'd probably miss out the cumin next time. The pork cooked perfectly and in just over 6 hours. My biggest concern had been the recommended 8 hour cooking so I had probably put more water in than it really needed - however, after it had cooled down, I have saved the water/juices (veg and meat) which is already spiced up and tonight just needs a few more fresh vegetables and can be used as a ready made tasty broth for the noodles. |
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