CURRY LAKSA This is a delicious noodle soup….full of delicate Asian Flavours and combinations
of crunchy and velvety textures.
A key ingredient to flavouring this soup is the Kaffir lime leaf……Serve the soup with wedges of Tahiti lime for extra zing …this is vegetarian version of Curry Laksa.
Ingredients 200ml Tamarind paste
1 tablespoon of Curry paste
(hot or mild…to your preference)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Tumeric
3 tablespoons Palm sugar
2 tablespoons light flavoured oil
2 kaffir lime leaves
Salt
5-6 dried chillies
1 tablespoon cumin seed
> Combine these ingredients, dry roast in a small fry pan and 1 tablespoon
coriander > grind to a powder in a motar & pestle or coffee mill.
Generous knob of ginger peeled and grated
3-4 stems of Lemon grass – finely slice the white tender sections
Two garlic gloves crushed
One small onion finely diced
400gram firm Tofu chopped into cubes
1 large eggplant peeled and diced
425 gram tin chopped tomatoes
2 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
2 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
200 grams of green beans top & tailed and cut in ½. ½ litre vegetable stock
1 litre thick coconut milk
To Create the Soup Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the tofu in small batches, fry till golden
brown, drain on absorbent paper.
Deep fry the eggplant until soft and tender, and drain on absorbent paper
In a fresh sloop of oil gently fry the onion, ginger, garlic and lemongrass.
When fragrant and soft add in the tumeric, fry a little longer then add in
the tomatoes.
Add in the dry roasted spices and black pepper.
Add the vegetables (not the eggplant) and stock bring to a rolling simmer
bang on the lid and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are becoming tender.
Place Noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Lift and separate
in the bowl occasionally with a fork as they gently cook.
Add in the tamarind paste to the soup, palm sugar, salt, the fried tofu and
coconut milk and the Kaffir Lime leaves that you have crushed in your hand.
Bring soup back up to heat, with out boiling. Add in the fried eggplant.
Remove from heat. Now you are ready to assemble the soup for serving.
In pre warmed soup bowls placed some drained noodles. Ladle over the soup
mixture and garnish with bean shoots and torn coriander leaves and a couple
of wedges of lime….. < back to top > MANDARIN MARMALADE This is a gorgeous recipe that makes a most delicious marmalade. Easy to make with no chopping required….and each little jar is topped with
whiskey to give a very posh finish.
Use as many mandarins as you wish.
Place the mandarins (whole) into a large saucepan ¼ filled with water.
Bring the Mandarins to the boil and gentle simmer them until they are soft and
tender, keeping your eye on the water level. This may take 40mins to an hour.
When tender place the whole mandarins into a food processor and blend to a
sunset coloured pulp.
Weigh the pulp and return to the saucepan with ¾’s of the weigh in sugar.
Heat and bring to the boil, dissolving the sugar and reducing the pulp to a
marmalade. Cook to set this may take 30 to 40 minutes….Test.
When ready spoon hot marmalade into sterilized jars. Leave a little space at the
top of the jar for the whiskey. SEAL THE JARS NOW AND LEAVE TO COOL.
The next day remove the lids and top your jar up with whiskey, replace lids and
store your marmalade.
This Marmalade is a tasty spread and makes a very fragrant, citrus base for
dessert sauces or add to a gravy with Poultry or Pork. < back to top >
TROUT STUFFED WITH LEMON If you are looking for a healthy quick way to cook that the freshly caught Trout, grab
a couple of Lemons, a roughly plucked bunch of parsley and you’re on your way.
Clean and Scale your fresh Trout….if you are purchasing it from the fish monger
this will be done for you.
Place the whole fish on a sheet of Aluminum foil, massage the fish with a little
olive oil.
Cut the lemon into thickish slices and insert into the fish cavity. Top the lemon
with sprigs of parsley, grind with fresh black pepper and drizzle with a little more
olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Place a couple more thinner slices on top of the fish before wrapping the whole
bundle up in the aluminum foil. Seal the foil well to avoid leakage
Bake in a hot oven or on a barbeque. The fish will vary in cooking times depend on
it’s size.
Usually 20-30 minutes is a reasonable time… < back to top >
Divine Orange Cake served with lime infused mascapone cheese
Cake: 2 Large oranges- that you have boiled whole for approximately 1.5 or until very
soft, pulp these oranges in a food processor until pureed.
6 Eggs
250 grams of ground almonds
250 grams of white sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Line a spring form tin with baking paper.
Bake mixture in a 220 C Oven for a good hour.
This cake is very moist, it should feel firm and cooked in the centre when touched.
Squeeze the juice of 2 limes. Finely grate zest from the limes.
Fold 2 tablespoons of icing sugar into 250 grams of Mascapone cheese.
Then add in lime juice and zest. Blend gently together and leave to infuse for a
least a couple of hours…Serve with the Orange Cake….. < back to top > Carnival Cherry Cup featuring orange & lemon
1 kilo of fresh cherries (remove stones)
2 oranges
1 lemon
4 tablespoons of sugar
Sparkling wine…(Champagne if you dare)
Puree half of the cherries with the juice of the oranges and the lemon and the
sugar. Mix in the remaining half of the cherries and when ready to serve pour
over with a glass of sparkling wine…….Serve in tall glasses and eat with a
parfait spoon ….very delicious. < back to top >
Roasted Chicken with lemons Wash and pat dry a lovely free range organic chicken.
Heat your oven to 200c
Wash 2 small lemons
Roll the lemons firmly on the kitchen bench to soften and then puncture the skin
of the lemon with a fork.
Insert the lemons into the chicken and truss up the cavity and legs with kitchen twine.
Rub the Chicken skin with olive oil and salt and place into a baking dish, then into
the hot oven.
Turn the chicken a couple of times through the cooking process allowing about 50
miuntes per kilo cooking time..
You do not need to add any fat or oil to the pan, this is a very moist cooking method and produces a deliciously, lemon flavoured tender chicken. < back to top >
