Archive for October, 2017
Mushroom Rice II
This is an excellent seasoned rice side dish, very flavorful. You can prepare this on the stove top or using a rice cooker. I prepared this on 17 Mar 2022 using my rice cooker and this was very much liked by the family, with no leftovers.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry long grain rice, Basmati or Jasmine would be great
- 2¼ cups stock, chicken or mushroom are good choices
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 200 grams fresh mushrooms, button, Cremini, Shiitake are perfect, (7 oz)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 cup spring onion, sliced
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Quickly rinse then slice the mushrooms, not too thin though. If using Shiitake, remove the stems and just use the caps. Then prep the onion, garlic, and spring onion, I used Shiitake mushrooms.
Stove Top Method
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium high heat, when hot, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper as desired and cook until browned, stirring often.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of oil plus the butter. When the butter is melted add the garlic and onions, cook for about about 3-4 minutes or until the onion is softened, stirring often.
- Add the stock and rice to the pot and mix together. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until there is no liquid, tilt the pot to verify this.
- Remove from the stove, quickly remove the lid, dump in the spring onion, and place the lid back on and let this sit for 10 minutes. No stirring, this will steam the spring onion.
- Fluff rice with a spoon, and optionally stir in more butter if desired. Serve.
Rice Cooker Method
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your rice cooker pot set on Cook. When hot, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper as desired and cook until browned, stirring often.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of oil plus the butter. When the butter is melted add the garlic and onions, cook for about about 3-4 minutes or until the onion is softened, stirring often.
- Add the stock and rice to the pot and mix together. Add the cover to the rice cooker pot and let the Cook function now complete its cycle.
- When the rice cooker switches to Warm setting, quickly remove the lid, dump in the spring onion, and place the lid back on and let this sit for 10 minutes on Warm setting. No stirring, this will steam the spring onion.
- Unplug the cooker, fluff rice, and optionally stir in more butter if desired.
- Serve as a side dish, enjoy.
Notes
Updated on 17 March 2022.
Pasta with Sand
This sounds like a easy and nice light pasta dish to enjoy with a green salad. This is a base recipe. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 250 grams pasta, angel hair, spaghetti, fettucine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- salt, to taste
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, OR make from a shortcut
- butter, as needed
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water until just tender, drain well and place in a large serving bowl.
- Before the pasta is done, heat a non stick pan with the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add and cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, add the red pepper flakes and salt to desired preference then add the breadcrumbs and mix well ensuring the breadcrumbs are saturated with the oil, if they look a bit dry, add a tablespoon of butter at a time and mix in to get the desired consistency.
- Pour the breadcrumb mixture into the pasta and toss to mix together.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese available for topping. A green salad as a side would make this a light meal.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Breadcrumbs.
Variant: 1. Add a few anchovies when cooking the garlic.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Japanese Curry with Shrimp
For Japanese curry, you cannot go wrong with the packaged Golden Curry brand, it is exceptional. This is the recipe from the package. If you have never used this before, when you take it out of the package, it looks like a chocolate bar. No salt is needed in this dish, there is plenty in the curry. I made this on 7 Oct 2017 and outstanding as expected.
Ingredients
- 500 grams shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail removed, (1 lb)
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 onion, med to large, diced
- 1-2 potatoes, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 100 grams Japanese Curry paste, Golden Curry Brand
- cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- First thing to do is to saute the shrimp, heat a splash of olive oil and two tablespoons of butter in a large non stick skillet and add the shrimp, I used medium size whites, these are not deveined.
- Stir often as the shrimp start turning pink.
- When all the shrimp are pink, remove the pan from the stove (this is sitting on my counter top) and remove the shrimp to a bowl or plate.
- Prepare the vegetables. I used one each, onion, potato, and a carrot. Good way to dice potatoes and carrots, use a french fry cutter, cut the vegetables into strips then chop with a knife to dice.
- Using the same pan, discard the liquid, heat another two tablespoons of butter then add the onion until softened and starting to brown, then add the rest of the vegetables and the water. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer and cover, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, then add the shrimp back to the pan and let the shrimp warm through for a few minutes. Remove the pan from heat.
- Stir in the curry paste block and stir until it is dissolved and mixed in. Return to heat and gently simmer for another 5 minutes. I also added hard boiled quail eggs.
- This is the only brand of Japanese Curry I use, Golden Curry and is what I am using here.
- And no kidding, it looks like a chocolate bar. This 100 grams of curry paste, it is solid not a paste you are familiar with. Golden curry comes in 100 gram and 200 gram packages.
- Serve with rice. For the rice I used a yellow Saffron rice. Delicious!
Notes
The Japanese curry is 80 Baht/100 grams. The shrimp is local sourced, not from Tesco, is 75 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about $1.14 per serving.
Variants: 1. Serve with hot cooked pasta. 2. Top with chopped spring onions when serving. 3. Add hard boiled quail eggs when serving.
From the package, I received a package from the US, the instructions are in English and Japanese, for the import here to Thailand, the instructions are only in Japanese.
Beef Stew Gratin
Sounds very good, on my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams beef, cubed
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- olive oil, as needed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1-2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks import celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- pinch dried rosemary
- 200 grams tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 1/4 cups beef stock, fresh or from powder
- 2 potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- salt, pepper, thyme, as need and to taste
- 50 grams Gruyere cheese, or Swiss cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C. You will need a deep oven proof pan with a oven proof lid, if no lid, just use foil.
- Add salt and pepper to the flour and coat the cubed beef. Brown the beef in the deep ovenproof pan with a splash of olive oil. Remove the beef from pan.
- Add a bit more oil to the same pan and cook the onions until translucent, then add the carrots and celery and cook for another 3-5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Add in the tomato puree and rosemary and stir in, cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Add the red wine, simmer to reduce slightly. Add the beef stock and allow to reduce for about 10 minutes.
- Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Remove from the oven and remove the lid or foil. Give the stew a quick mix, smooth out the stew and cover with thinly-chopped peeled potatoes, arranged so they are overlapping slightly. Drizzle with the butter, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.
- Increase the oven temp to 200 C, leave the pan uncovered and place in the oven again and bake for another 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the potatoes. Place the oven again for 5 to 10 minutes on until the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve.
Notes
Figure about 100 Baht for the beef, the cheese in minimal. For 6 servings, this is about 50 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Tenderizing Beef with Tomatoes.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Old-Fashioned Sweet Cornbread Cake
Sounds really good and is an interest way to use cornmeal as I have never heard of this before. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 1/2 cups milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C, and grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, then add all of the liquid ingredients and stir just to moisten.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and place in the oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the top is starting to brown and starting to show some cracks.
- Serve as a side, a dessert, breakfast, etc.
Notes
Low cost.
Slow Cooker Potato Soup II
Sounds really good, simple and common ingredients, and cooked in a slow cooker, bonus. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/2 kilos potatoes, cubed
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add everything to your slow cooker crock, stir to mix together. Cover and cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours. or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Mash the potatoes while they are in the slow cooker to the cooker to the consistency you prefer.
- Serve.
Notes
Low cost. With some planning, plan on a chicken dish that uses boiled shredded chicken, then you can make the stock for this by simply adding trinity when boiling the chicken, and use several tablespoons of the chopped chicken to make the soup with a shortcut.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Egg Flower Soup with Oyster Mushrooms
Most of you will know this as egg drop soup, the Chinese name is 蛋(dàn) 花(huā) 汤(tāng), literally means 'egg flower soup'. There is your language lesson for the day. This is a basic soup that can be made with water or broth. The stirring speed determines the size of the 'egg flowers'. When I was in the Navy, egg drop soup meant a near clear broth with egg you could hardly see. This recipe is from a Chinese friend, so I will go with this as very accurate. This recipe calls for Oyster mushrooms, do not confuse them with King Oyster mushrooms, lot of difference.
Ingredients
- 150 grams Oyster mushrooms, root end trimmed, seperated
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- pinch salt
- 3 slices ginger
- 1 egg, whisked, not beaten
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4-6 cups chicken broth, or water
Instructions
- In a pot or wok, heat the oil, then cook the mushrooms for about 30 seconds or until soft and wilted, then pour in the stock and add the ginger slices, bring to a boil for about 5 to 8 minutes.
- At a near boil, stir the soup slow for larger 'flowers' or faster for smaller 'flowers', when the egg is in and formed, remove from heat and add the sesame oil and a pinch of salt and stir.
- Serve as a side dish by spooning the soup into 2 bowls, top with chopped spring onion.
Notes
Low cost.
Variant: 1. This recipe screams of white pepper powder, just a pinch. 2. Swap out the Oyster mushrooms with Straw mushrooms sliced in half lengthwise.
This recipe for Egg Flower Soup with Oyster Mushroom is from China Sichuan Food.
Mince & Tatties
In the States and Canada, this is known as Ground Beef & Potatoes. I like the Scottish name myself. There will be a few variants listed for this that I think are fitting and adds a bit of international flair to this dish. This is a make what you want recipe, no servings are given, and no quantities for ingredients are given, use your judgement and go from there, season to taste with some of the ingredients. Sounds like a wonderful dish to make!
Ingredients
- minced beef
- onions, diced
- carrot, diced
- cornstarch, make a slurry, used to thicken
- coarse ground mustard, to taste
- beef stock powder, to taste, or a cube
- potatoes, boiled or mashed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large non stick pan, brown the minced beef, grind this yourself using the course plate, the wagon wheel. Drain the fat, but keep in mind, there is flavor in that, so leave at least half of that, and it is a natural fat so it is healthy for those keeping track.
- Add the onion, carrot, stock, and mustard, simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, longer the better, if getting dry, add more stock. This is one of those recipes that is simmered longer time the flavor develops more.
- Mix your slurry with equal parts of cornstarch and cold water, stir into the mince, simmer to thicken the gravy.
- When thickened to your liking, serve. Traditional would be with peas (preferred) and either mashed or boiled potatoes. (Photo from internet.)
Notes
I will price this when I settle on a serving size. This is low cost however.
Variants: 1. Would be great served with chips (fries). 2. Over pasta. 3. Over rice.
Rice Cooker Fish
For here in Thailand, think Pangasius, which is already boneless and skinless, or go with Barramundi but you will have to fillet those yourself. This is a quick meal to put together. This uses the common Cook/Warm rice cooker with a steamer basket. If you don't have a steamer basket, just continue reading to see how to do that. This is perfect for a small rice cooker.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1-2 fish fillets, think Pangasius, see Step 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup dry Jasmine rice
- vegetable of choice, broccoli is good, cut into small pieces
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- For the fish, Pangasius would be perfect but you can use any boneless and skinless fillets you prefer. Cut each fillet in half. For this recipe, 3-4 fillet pieces would fit in an even layer in the steamer basket.
- Rinse and add rice to your rice cooker pot, add water (chicken broth would be ideal here but not required) per your cooker's instructions (normally first knuckle up from your index finger tip). If you wish to steam a vegetable, like broccoli with the rice, add a pinch more liquid. Set the rice cooker to Cook.
- While the rice (and maybe vegetable) is cooking, place a sheet of foil in the steamer basket and push down to form an edge so no oil leaks out. Rub the olive oil on both sides of the fish, season with salt and pepper as desired, place fish on the foil, fold the foil over the steamer basket. IF YOU DO NOT have a steamer basket that came with rice cooker, prepare the foil the same way, making sure there is raised sides all the way around to prevent the oil from going into the rice. At about 15 minutes into cooking the rice, add the steamer basket to the cooker or add the foil pouch directly on top of the rice, and let the cooker switch to Warm setting, a lot of this depends on your rice cooker and how long it takes to cook 1 cup of rice. If the fillets are think, put this in a few minutes earlier.
- When the cooker switches to Warm, remove the fish and check that, it should easily flake with fork indicating it is done.
- Scoop out some rice into a small bowl, place a plate over the bowl, invert the plate while hold the bowl as well, place a fillet on top, place vegetables on the side, serve.
Notes
Low cost.
Clay Pot Chicken Rice (Rice Cooker)
Sounds really good. A basic Cook and Warm rice cooker is perfect for this recipe.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 400 grams chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes, (14 oz)
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 3 fresh Shiitake mushroom, thin sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1½ cups dry rice, washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 inch piece of ginger, grated
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade and pour over the chicken in a shallow bowl, turn the chicken often and marinate for about 15-20 minutes.
- With a wok or skillet, heat the oil then cook the garlic and ginger until fragrant then add the mushrooms, chicken and the marinating sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, remember, it will get steamed. Now add the rice into the wok or skillet and stir until the oil is combined throughout the rice.
- Pour the skillet or wok contents into your rice cooker, add the water as needed by the manufacturer of your rice cooker (normally first knuckle up from your index finger tip). Drizzle in the sesame oil. Set the rice cooker to Cook.
- When the rice cooker switches to Warm, wait another 15 minutes before opening, then open, fluff with a plastic spoon, serve.
Notes
The chicken, maybe 35 Baht, everything else is very cheap and probably on hand. For 3 servings, this is about 35 cents per serving.