Mint and Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

1 c dessicated coconut

3tsp cashews (dry roasted and coarsely chopped)

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 c plain yoghurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

Tools

Food processor

Knife

Measuring spoon

Measuring cups

Procedure

Place all ingredients in the food processor

Blitz till blended properly

Tamarind Chutney

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp chilli powder

125g pieces of tamarind pulp

125g chopped dates

250g brown sugar

2 1/2 cup water

Tools:

Saucepan

Measuring spoon

Knife

Wooden spoon

Sieve

Mortar and Pestle

Procedure:

Spice seeds

1) Dry roast coriander, cumin and fennel seeds

2) Ground finely

3) Set aside

Tamarind

1) Place tamarind in a container

2) Add 1/2 cup water to tamarind

3) Create a paste

4) Set aside

Tamarind chutney

1) Heat up the oil in a saucepan

2) Add spices (coriander, cumin, fennel chilli powder)

3) Let the spices crackle

4) Add the rest of the ingredients

5) Simmer for 20 minutes

6) Add 2 cups of water

7) Cook till consistency is the same as pouring cream

8) Run trough Sieve to remove solids

9) Set aside

10) will keep for 2 weeks refrigerated

An Indian Affair

My affair with the Indian Cuisine had a rocky start. It is due to a combination of bad experiences in various take aways in Melbourne. This venture into the Indian Cuisine usually results in a lot of tummy aches and elevated stomach acids.

While working in the UK in 2002ish I had the pleasure of meeting people from different countries. We were our own little united nations. There were greeks, south africans, turkish, etc. etc. This was the first turning point with my new found love for Indian Cuisine. PD and Amit has been trying to re-introduce me to indian food. I have been declining politely due to my bad experiences. PD explained that these food sold in the take aways are not "real" indian food and that they may have been prepared poorly. He then proceeded to offer to cook for me and our friends an authentic indian dinner.

Man I still remember doing the shopping for PD. Here I was leaving Tesco lugging a backpack filled with groceries and 4 litres of milk uphill Quayside (Newcastle upon Tyne). Man I was buggered. The curious thing for me was the amount of onions PD wanted me to buy. I was going WTF? Never seen that much onion in one shopping expedition.

As I was watching PD mix, cut, grind, cook etc. I realised how labour intensive indian food was. I as a foodie admire and love the intricacies and the amount of effort placed in a single dish which can be devoured in less that an hour. Being brought up in my gran's kitchen I was always told that you have to be happy when you are cooking. You should put love and care in the food as this is one of the hidden essential ingredients that goes into the food. My gran believe that food has to be prepared with love and honesty.

That day PD showed me his love and passion for cooking. He also showed me that you can drink while you cook. Boy that red wine was good. Hahahhah! That day I learnt how to make Biryani, paneer (from scratch) and other indian dishes. It was the most fun I had sharing my kitchen with someone. We had music, wine, etc. The food was to die for. DELICIOUS! At the end of that experience I learnt

1) There is not such thing as curry

2) Curry is not just yellow

3) Curry powder is not "proper" Indian

4) Garam Masala is a mixture of fragrant spices and it varies between region and families

5) Chick pea can be made into flour

6) Onion is sweet once caramelised

7) I love Indian food

When I got back to Australia I took out my mortar and pestle given to me. Ask Lal for his masala recipe and proceeded to roast, manually grind the spices. It took me 5 days to get the spices to the consistency you get in the shops. It was the most therapeutic experience I every had. Sometimes when I get stressed out i take my spices, roast it and grind it with a mortar and pestle.

Sunday 18/02/2010 will mark the most ambitious dinner parties that I will have. I have decided to do a 3 course Indian Meal. Menu for Sunday 1/8/2010 is as follows:

Entree: Rice Pakora

Tandoori Chicken Pieces
Tamarind Chutney

Coconut and Mint Chutney

Main: 

  Beef Vindaloo
 Chicken Kurma

Fish Molly

Coconut Rice

Dessert: Gulab Jamun

While I was massaging a client on saturday, the day before the dinner party, the magnitude of my undertaking sunk in. Oh my god! I realise that the key to success is being organised. Make each dishes one at a time. Simplify and try to identify the commonality of the dishes. Where possible employ a process that allow you to make a base item. Split it and make 2 or 3 dishes out of it. For example the beef vindaloo and the chicken kurma, I plan to cook contains several spices that are the same to make the base sauce.

Make the easier items first. This will allow you to gain confidence in hitting your target goal. Plan of attack is as goes:

1) create chutneys

2) marinate chicken for the chicken tandoori

3) create base curry sauce (garlic, ginger, onion, tomato, curry leaves and garam masala)

4) split base curry sauce and continue adding the other different spices that makes vindaloo and chicken kurma unique

5) set curries aside and finish off cooking just before dinner

6) make gulab jamun

7) make fish molly and the rest

8) make rice

Wish me luck!!!

Food of the Gods

In 2006, I had a great urge to learn how to make cookies and slices. Auntie Cora found me a stack of cookie recipes from the net one of them was the Food of the Gods. A date and walnut slice cooked like a brownie.

Ingredient:

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup dates, pitted and chopped

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup chopped walnut

Tools:

mixing bowl

electric mixer

spatula

greaseproof paper

slice baking tray (9 x 13 inches)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

2. Grease and line baking tray

3. Soak dates with cointrieu (optional)

4. Combine dry ingredients

5. Set aside

6. Cream butter, sugars until light and fluffy

7. Add eggs and mix

8. Gradually stir dry ingredients

8. Add walnut and dates until completely combined

9. Pour in lined baking tin

10. Bake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees celcius

11. reduce heat to 140 degrees celcius for 30-40 minutes

12. cool on wire rack

Chocolate Ganache

Masterchef is a phenomenon that has reached Australia far and wide. Watching it has re-ignited my thirst to learn. On the road to learn how to make Macaron (not Macaroon), I need to learn a few techniques like making a ganache, making meringue, piping, etc.

Step 1: Learn how to make a Ganache

Ganache is a French term referring to a smooth mixture of chocolate and cream.

To make ganache, hot cream is poured over chopped chocolate and the mixture is stirred until velvety smooth. The proportions of chocolate to cream can vary depending on its use, but the basic form is equal weights of chocolate and cream. Dark, milk, or white chocolate can be used to make ganache and different flavorings can be added such as liqueurs and extracts. Butter, oil, or corn syrup can also be added when a dark shiny glaze is desired.

Ingredients:

1. 200g dark chocolate (70% +)

2. 300g double cream

3. 25g glucose

4. 80g butter

5. orange liquer

Tools:

1. Heatproof bowl

2. wooden spoon

3. spatula

4. medium size sauce pan

5. measuring spoon

6. piping bag

Procedure:

1. chop chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl

2. add butter

3. set aside

4. in a medium pan combine cream and glucose

5. over a medium fire bring the liquid combination to boil

6. pour hot liquid over the chocolate and butter

7. place in fridge to set

8. place in piping bag

9. pipe into mini cupcake liners

Bianca's Garden

Birthday's has always been a big event in my family. We always celebrated it. There was always a birthday cake, a noodle dish (for long life) and other yummy goodies.

Birthday cakes where homemade and a shared effort. I used to enjoy making them. I baked the cake and decorated it. After a while my brother took on the cake making and I did the decorating.

Since moving to Canberra I have not been party to the birthday cake making event. It was 10 years since I baked a cake. I used to make butter, chocolate (dark and light), marble, happy day, mango sauce, mayonnaise, fruit cakes, etc. I used to love baking.

Cake decoration was another aspect of this experience that was so fulfilling. It allows you to be a child and explore your imagination.

On July 10, 2010 I made my first birthday cake in 10 years. My gorgeous godchild Bianca had her 6th birthday and I decided that it was about time that I rekindle my passion for making cakes. Out came the mixer, the mixing bowl, spatula, measuring cups, measuring spoons, baking tins, wax paper and scissors.

From the shops I got some butter, chocolate powder, eggs, milk, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Then it dawned to me. Yikes I have forgotten how procedural and precise cake making is. Patience is the key. I relearnt skills like measuring, shifting, creaming, aerating, folding, mixing, pouring and baking. That is a good start. LOADS of Patience is required. You cannot hurry a cake.

Mixing the icing was fun. I love this thing. Took some butter, some milk, some icing sugar and blended it till it has reached a consistency required to create that gloss. Add a bit of red to make it pink (granted it is salmon pink).

With a spatula I applied the icing. Tried to smooth it out. Memories of how hard it is to smooth out the icing came flooding back. ARGGHHHH!!!!!! Lucky i did it relatively well.

I was going to make the flowers but ran out of time. I am so thankful to places that sell pre-made pieces. Got a 24 pink flowers. Lady was so thrilled to see a guy doing cake decorating that she gave me extra. Bless her soul.

A bit of time, a bit of imagination, a bit of pizzaz viola BIANCA's Garden.

Gran's Kitchen

My earliest and fondest family memories revolve around the kitchen. The kitchen is where filipinos (my family anyway) entertained, mingled, celebrated and converse. The kitchen was the centre of the home. Family history, stories and urban myths are passed to the next generation over a snack, a meal or a cup of coffee. The kitchen is where the family comes together. It is where everyone is happy.

My grandma's (Lola Mesia) kitchen was the first kitchen where I discovered the joys of food. Her kitchen had a wood fire stove and oven. Cooking was an art. It required skills. Everything was done to precision. Heat has to be regulated properly to ensure food was cooked to perfection. Her pots and pans were made of cast iron, heavy and durable. She cooked using the freshest ingredient available. She carefully chooses, buys and butchers the livestock (i.e. chicken, duck, eel, etc) she uses in her cooking. Her cooking repertoire was extensive and unique. Some of them were passed on to the next generation. Others lost with her forever.