Author Archive
Crab Pasta Salad
I like pasta salads as they are easy to make and can be dressed up any way you like. This is something I just threw together and it was well liked.
Ingredients
- 250 grams dry spiral pasta, or any bite size pasta you like, (8 oz)
- 500 grams imitation crab, cut into bite size pieces, (1 lb)
- 4-5 spring onions, chopped
- 1 handful fresh dill, chopped
- mayo, as needed
- black pepper, as desired, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and then add the pasta. Cook until tender. Drain and run under cold water, drain and let set in the colander for a few minutes to drain very well. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the crab, spring onion, and dill.
- Ad 2 big spoonfuls of mayo and gently mix into the salad to coat everything in mayo, add more as needed to get the consistency you desire. Goal is well coated, not dripping, in mayo. Season with black pepper as desired. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for several hours, serve with any main dish or as is for a light meal.
Notes
The imitation crab will cost 52 Baht/250 grams, 104 for 500 grams. The pasta I used was Fusilli (spiral) from Italy for 35 Baht/250 grams. For 6 servings, this is about 72 cents per serving.
Chicken Satay
This is an original satay mix for chicken provided by a good friend. Her and her husband follow no recipes when they cook, so they had to endure two days in a row of this tasty sounding satay in order to write the rough measurements down so I can share her 'recipe' here. From the author of this, "this is a guide, feel free to increase, decrease amounts of items, tailor it to make it your own." And as I like to say, a recipe is not set in stone.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut milk
- 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
- 500 grams chicken breast, boneless, skinless, (1 lb)
- wood skewers, as needed
- vegetable oil, as needed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the coconut milk and peanut butter and mix together. If it is too stiff, add bit more coconut milk, and if too thin, you guessed it, add a bit more peanut butter.
- Now add the cumin, cayenne, lime juice, and zest and mix together. Taste and add mix in the sugar to counter the lime if the lime is too strong.
- Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips.
- Add the chicken strips to satay mix, and mix together until all the chicken is coated. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour, and over night is highly recommended.
- When you are ready to cook, light your grill (charcoal or gas), you will be direct cooking over medium heat, about 350-450 F. Soak the wood skewers in water for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the satay mix and brush off excess satay mix. Thread the strips onto skewers. Brush the chicken with vegetable oil.
- Grill the skewers for about 8-10 minutes, turning once, with the lid closed.
- Serve with sides of your choice.
Notes
Chicken is low cost.
Variants: 1. Use half of the mix (marinade) mixed with the chicken, and the other half heated in a small saucepan for a dipping sauce, OR, what I will do, is make one batch for the marinade, and another batch for the dipping sauce, problem solved). 2. This marinade works well on pork, shrimp/prawn, and even rabbit. 3. This works well on very dense/firm fish, on salmon it is excellent. This does NOT work well with average white fish and is NOT recommended. 4. For shrimp/prawn, clean as you would, remove shell, tail, devein, marinate in the mix.
Saffron Curry Rice
This recipe comes from a good friend who has made curry rice and saffron rice on many occasions, he decided to combine the two. His results is great curry rice with a subtle flavor and body from the saffron. Here is his original recipe. Two methods are listed for this, Stovetop and Rice Cooker. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry Jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder, Shortcut
- 1 pinch saffron threads, (6-8 threads)
- 1 tablespoon madras curry paste, or 1½ teaspoons of yellow curry powder
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and stir together.
- Heat the saucepan to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and cover for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, fluff rice, serve as a side dish with any Asian dish.
Rice Cooker Method
- Add the rinsed rice, curry powder, and saffron to your rice cooker.
- Add the broth and stir together.
- Cover and set the cooker to Cook setting and let it complete the cook cycle and automatically switch to Warm setting.
- Unplug the cooker and fluff rice with a rice paddle. Serve as a side dish.
- Serve as a side dish, enjoy.
Notes
Shortcut: Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker).
Variant: 1. Use yellow curry powder in place of the madras paste, excellent curry flavor with a bit less heat.Â
Steamed Golden Pomfret (Rice Cooker)
This is steamed in garlic and chili, and is an absolutely easy dish to prepare. This will need a steamer, either a pot with a steamer basket or a rice cooker with a steamer tray.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 medium Golden Pomfret
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 red Bird's Eye chilies, seeded, chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- hot cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- First thing we need to do is to clean the fish, and this is easy as these have tiny scales. You can do this in the kitchen sink under running water without making a mess. Rinse the fish off, then take a spoon and scrape from the tail to the head, the skin will be smooth where there is no scales, this takes just a minute or two. After they are scaled, rinse the fish one more time.
- Now we need to gut the fish, using a sharp knife, make a cut on the bottom, behind the head, down to the vent, just before the fin on the bottom towards the rear. Just cut through the belly. Set the knife aside and with your fingers, you need to scoop out the insides, pay attention to the backbone, that is where the liver is, the red part, you need to remove that, it actually comes out easy. Rinse the fish under running water and make sure the inside is cleaned out including the liver along the backbone.
- At this point it is up to you if you want the head on or off. To remove the head, cut just behind the pectoral fin, the fin on the side, right behind the head, cut straight through at a bit of angle. Discard the head.
- Make 3-4 diagonal shallow cuts across the fish on each side.
- Place the fish on a heatproof dish that will fit inside of your steamer tray with a gap around it to let steam pass through.
- Heat your steamer, whether that is a pot with a steamer basket or a rice cooker with a steamer tray.
- In a small bowl, add the garlic, chili, soy sauce, wine, and sesame oil. Mix together well.
- Pour the sauce over the fish, yes, the liquid is going to go into the dish, I know this, goal is to keep the garlic and chilies on top. The dish will heat and impart flavor as well.
- When the water is boiling in your steamer, use a plate gripper (highly recommended), place the dish in the steamer, cover, and let the fish steam for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the dish using a plate gripper and serve with rice on the side.
Notes
Each fish is 65 Baht, $1.96, each fish weighs 300 to 400 grams (11 to 14 oz). For 2 servings, this is about 98 cents per serving.
Baked Coconut Chicken
Good tasting chicken, subtle flavor of coconut, next time I make these I will make some shallow cuts on the chicken.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet with Rack
Ingredients
For Marinating
- 5 chicken quarters
- â…” cup coconut milk
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Baking
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- extra light olive oil, as needed
Instructions
To Marinate the Chicken
- Separate the quarters into legs and thighs (there is a line of fat to follow). Trim off and discard any excess fat. (I used 4 quarters)
- In a mixing bowl, add the rest of the marinade ingredients, whisk together.
- Place the chicken pieces in a sturdy zip lock bag, then pour in the coconut mixture. Squeeze out as much air as you can and seal the bag. Squish the chicken around to get everything coated with the marinade. Place the bag on a plate and place in the fridge overnight.
To Bake the Chicken
- Remove chicken from the marinade and drain, discard the marinade.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk together. Pour a little bit of extra light olive oil in a small bowl. Line a baking sheet with foil, lightly oil a baking rack and place the rack on the backing sheet.
- Coat the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and place on the rack. Leave the chicken to rest for an hour.
- About 15 minutes before you are going to bake, preheat your oven to 200° C (390° F). Brush or spray the chicken with olive oil and place the baking sheet with the rack and chicken in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, turn the chicken pieces over and bake for another 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. To check if cooked through, sacrifice a thigh and cut into one to verify it is cooked through.
- Serve with sides of your choice.
Notes
Low cost. I used 4 chicken quarters on 3 Feb 2019, that was 1 1/2 kilos (quarters are larger than the already separated thighs and legs), for 49 Baht/kilo, for a total cost of 73 Baht. For 5 servings, this is about 46 cents per serving.
Variants: 1. Use all thighs or all legs. 2. Make cuts in the meat to allow the marinade to soak into the meat.
Bak Kuet Teh (Teochew)
This is a pork rib soup of possible Chinese origin, and this is the Teochew (Malaysian) version. This soup is garlic and white pepper based and the broth is generally light. I look forward to testing out this version, and soon.
Equipment
- Draw String Tea Bag
Ingredients
- 2 kilos pork ribs, (4 lb)
- 4 heads garlic, cloves peeled
- 50 grams white peppercorns, (1¾ oz)
- salt, as desired
- 1 draw string tea bag
Instructions
- In a dry pan, add the white peppercorns and put on low heat, stirring often until fragrant. Remove the peppercorns from the pan and allow to cool.
- Place peppercorns in a mortar and lightly crush, if no mortar, than just put a zip lock bag and lightly pound with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin.
- Place the peppercorns in the draw string tea bag.
- Rinse and cut ribs into 1 bone sections. Place the ribs, garlic, and tea bag with the pepper, in a large pot.
- Add water to the pot to cover the ribs, bring to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, taste the broth after about 30 minutes of simmering and season with salt as desired and remove the tea bag with the peppercorns if desired.
- If adding daikon, hard boiled eggs, or mushrooms, add those and simmer for 15-30 minutes more.
- Serve with rice on the side.
Notes
Th pork ribs are about 115 Baht/kilo. For 4 servings, this is about $1.80 per serving.
Variants:Â 1. Lamb, beef, and ox tail can be used instead of pork, increase simmering time. 2. Add daikon or carrot, sliced. 3. Add hard boiled chicken or quail eggs. 4. Add whole stemmed Shiitake or button mushrooms.
Homemade Japanese Curry
This comes from a friend in Singapore and she states this certainly on par with the packaged Japanese Curry, and common ingredients as well. On my to make and taste list for sure!
Ingredients
- 45 grams unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala, use 1 tablespoon for a hotter curry
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
Additional Ingredients when Using Full Amount
- 2 apples, peeled, cored, grated
- 1 tablespoon honey
Additional Ingredients when Using Half Amount
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, grated
Instructions
- Have everything measured out and ready to use.
- On a saucepan on low heat, add the butter and melt.
- When the butter is melted, stir in the flour and continue stirring until the roux turns golden brown, this takes about 5-10 minutes. Important to not stop stirring, no one likes a burnt roux.
- Stir in the curry powder, paprika, and garam masala, and stir to mix evenly.
- Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and ketchup, stirring to mix evenly, then remove from heat.
For Immediate Use
- At this point you can use the roux in any recipe that calls for boxed Japanese curry. Use half of this roux for recipes that state 100-120 grams (~4.2 oz) of boxed curry.
- When the recipe states to add the roux, also add the grated apple and honey as stated in the Additional Ingredients.
- Use all the roux for recipes that call for 200-240 grams (~8.4 oz) of boxed curry.
- When the recipe states to add the roux, also add the grated apples and honey as stated in the Additional Ingredients.
For Use Later
- Divide the roux into two containers with tight sealing lids, pack the roux down as well. There is no need to have the small cubes like the boxed kind unless you desire to do that, then an ice cube tray, or even the left over packaging from a boxed curry would even work, then just wrap in plastic and store in the fridge until use.
Notes
Low cost compared to what the boxed curry costs.
Inspired by Peng's Kitchen and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
Singapore.
Soba Noodle Soup
This is a base recipe for a Japanese soba noodle soup, you can change this in many ways. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 bundle soba noodles
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Bonito Flavored Soup Base, Mizkan is a popular brand in the US
- 30 grams Buna Shimeji mushrooms, roots trimmed, separated, (1 oz)
- 1 bunch baby bok choy
- 1 hard boiled egg, chicken or duck, sliced in half lengthwise, (Shortcut)
- fresh spring onion greens, sliced, for garnish, optional
- white sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water, large enough to hold the soba noodles completely in the water, to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain and place in a serving bowl.
- While cooking the soba noodles, heat the 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soup base, mushrooms, and bok choy. Boil for about 1 minute or until the mushrooms and bok choy are tender.
- Pour the soup over the noodles, place the two haves of the egg in the bowl, garnish with a little bit spring onion greens and sesame seeds as desired.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs, Perfect Hard Boiled Duck Eggs.
Variants: 1. Use chicken broth/stock instead of the soup base. 2. Add a drop or two of sesame oil to the completed soup. 3. Use vegetables other than bok choy. 4. Add fried tofu to the soup. 5. Add cooked and chopped chicken to the soup.
This recipe for 15 Minute Soba Noodle Soup Recipe is courtesy of Rasa Malaysia.
United States.
United States.
Whitefish Fillets (Pressure Cooker)
This recipe comes from a very reliable source regarding pressure cooker usage. I figured if a pressure cooker makes vegetables, beans, and meats more flavorful, why not fish, so I researched and found this. For this you need a 3 quart or larger pressure cooker, electric or stove top. I will be using my 9 liter (9½ quart), 12 psi (80 kPa) stove top pressure cooker. This will use a steamer tray or basket in your pressure cooker. Follow all safety precautions for your model of pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 4 whitefish fillets, boneless, skinless
- 500 grams cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, or roma, sliced, (1 lb)
- salt and lemon pepper, as desired
- 1 bunch fresh thyme, or dried, as desired
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
Instructions
- Add 1½ cups of water to your pressure cooker. Add the steamer tray to your pressure cooker, or a steamer basket. For the basket, you can line that with parchment paper if desired.
- Add a layer of cherry tomato halves or sliced roma tomatoes to the tray.
- Add the fillets, season with salt, lemon pepper, and thyme, as desired.
- Place more tomatoes on top of the fillets.
For Stove Top Pressure Cooker, 12 psi
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and add the weight. Bring the heat up to high. When the weight (jiggler) starts to vent pressure, reduce heat to low or medium low to maintain pressure venting. Set your timer for 4 minutes.
- When 4 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and move the pressure cooker to an unused burner. Now we are going to do a normal pressure release. DO NOT pull the weight off the lid!Grab an oven mitt and just tilt the weight to the side to vent pressure, hold for 10 seconds, then let go for 10 seconds, repeat until the pressure is completely vented and the lid lock has dropped. THEN remove the weight and then open the lid. Since the fish is not in water, there is zero chance of creating a rapid boil that would possibly tear the fish up.
- Remove the fillets to plates, top with some of the tomatoes and sprinkle on the capers, add a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and salt and pepper as desired. Serve.
For Electric Pressure Cookers, with adjustable pressure settings
- For this type of pressure cooker, these are guidelines only, I have no experience using of these models, so use your best judgement. There is my disclaimer for these steps.
- Close the lid and turn the vent to sealing, and select Low pressure. Set your timer for 7 minutes, 8 for thick fillets. When the time is reached, do a normal pressure release, I assume you turn a lever to vent. When you have indication of zero pressure in the cooker, open the lid.
- Remove the fillets to plates, top with some of the tomatoes and sprinkle on the capers, add a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and salt as desired. Serve.
Notes
Low cost, 4 pangasius are about 96 Baht for 4 fillets. For 4 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving.
Indonesian Turmeric Rice (Rice Cooker)
This is an excellent seasoned rice dish, I and the family loved this. I will be using my trusted and simple, Cook / Warm rice cooker for this.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry long grain rice, rinsed
- 1½ cups coconut milk
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 pandan leaves, knotted. if available
- 1 stalk lemon grass, pounded and knotted, or 1 teaspoon ground lemon grass
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Place everything in your rice cooker and stir together.
- Cover and set the rice cooker to the Cook setting. Rice cooker doing its thing.
- When cooker switches to Warm setting, fluff the rice with a rice paddle.
- Serve as a side dish with a main dish of your choice.
