Butter Chicken

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Easy Butter Chicken

           I developed a liking for butter chicken since I have tried it in an Indian restaurant years ago.  I once experimented on making it from scratch using the authentic Indian spices and ingredients that are available from the Asian shops. The taste wasn't too bad but I found it to be too complicated to make then.  So I started using the home brand bottled stuff if I feel like eating butter chicken. But to be honest, the taste is not as good as the one that I made from scratch and so much different from the one you order from the restaurant.  So, I decided to experiment on using simple recipes. The main spice ingredient "garam masala" can be easily found in major supermarkets and combining it with tandoori paste or even  yellow curry paste will create a good spice for your butter chicken.  So here's my version of butter chicken which was based on trial and experimentation "In the Knight Kitchen." I was pleased with the results.

   

Ingredients:

1 Kg Chicken Breast Fillet

125 g butter

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 medium size onion, sliced

1 can of Heinz Condensed Tomato Soup (if not available, please use 1/3 cup tomato paste)

300 ml cream

100 g natural yoghurt

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 1/2 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp tandoori paste (in the absence of tandoori paste, you can use 1 1/2 tbsp yellow curry)

1 tbsp salt
1/2 cup cashew nuts

A pinch of pepper

Method:

Melt butter in a sauce pan. 

Sautee garlic and onions in butter for about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken and add the curry paste and the garam masala.

Stir the chicken well and sautee them for another 3-5 minutes.

Add the salt and oyster sauce and occasionally stir the chicken.

Add the condensed tomato soup and let it boil. 

Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the chicken is about tender.

Add the cream and the yoghurt and simmer until the chicken is cooked.

Add the pepper and cashew nuts.

Serve it on cooked basmati rice.

Garlic Chicken (or Pork) With Soy (Chicken or Pork Adobo)

      Filipino Style Adobo

Adobo is a common Filipino food originated from Spain and it is widely adopted in Latin America and some of Spain's colonised countries like the Philippines and Portugal.  Its basic ingredients are lots of garlic, soy sauce and vinegar and has to be marinated for at least half  an hour to an hour to get a  good flavor.  The Filipinos have several versions of this dish, but because its so simple and so easy to prepare, you can have delectable dish with minimal preparation time.  I love my mother's version of Adobo. Although I have made my own twist to it to incorporate whatever healthy and available ingredients I have in the kitchen.  My husband even learned to cook this dish as he finds it easy to cook. He also likes it as it is very yummy. Whether you use chicken or pork or even both, the dish is so perfect to be eaten on top of a steamed rice or fried rice.  

Adobo according to Wikipedia, was employed initially as a method of food preservation, but recently with the advent of refrigeration, it became a good method to give flavoring to the food. The other versions of Adobo included the addition of oregano and paprika, but my home-made recipe uses only a few ingredients.  Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 Kg chicken or pork

1/2 Cup of Soy sauce

2 tbsp garlic, minced

4 bay leaves

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup cane sugar (or honey)

1 tbsp pepper

Method:

Combine all the ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl.

Add the chicken and stir to coat.

Marinate for at least 30 minutes. 

Transfer the chicken mixture into a deep sauce pan.

Bring to boil at high heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir the chicken occasionally.

Reduce the sauce to taste and preference (The more the sauce is reduced, the stronger the taste becomes).

Smarties and Cashew Cookies

There's a Cookie Monster in the House!

       There's a "little golden book" at home that my kids inherited from a friend, the title is "Me Cookie".  It is about cookie monster's childhood development and recount the story of how he ended up being called "Cookie Monster".  Since he was a baby he just loves eating cookies. My daughter loves the book, she wants me to read it over and over again and she finds it really funny. My kids love cookie monster and they love cookies. Every time I make cookies for them, the cookies instantly disappeared. They love them, so I always say, where are the cookies? They'll say they are all gone, in reply. Ahh! There must be a cookie monster in the house:) Below is the common cookie treat that I make for my little monsters.  Its base recipe is from "Australia's Sweet Baking Favorites" by Nestle.  I just replaced the chocolate chips with Smarties (you can use M&Ms, or any type of chocolates of your choice), and the nuts, the recipe says macadamia but I used cashews in here, you can use the nuts of your choice.  Would you like some cookie today? Here's the recipe :) Happy Easter!

Ingredients:

125 g butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 3/4 cups self raising flour

1 cup smarties

3/4 cup cashews (coarsely chopped)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees. 

2. Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy, add egg. Beat until just combined.

4. Stir in flour, add the SMARTIES and cashew nuts (or any nuts of your choice). Mix until well combined.

5. Roll level tablespoons of mixture in balls; place about 4cm apart on prepared trays, gently press down on dough to flatten slightly.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

7. Set aside to cool on trays for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: google.ca viaFiloz Unlimited on Pinterest

Beef and Potato Yellow Curry With Cherry Tomatoes

Of all the curry dishes I cook in the Knight kitchen, yellow curry is an all time favorite.  It is easy to make and the ingredients are so simple. If  you are like me who don't make the curry paste from scratch :), this curry dish is just for you.  You can use beef, chicken or pork and you can  even add some vegetables depending on your preference.   The yellow curry paste is readily available in major supermarkets in Australia. If you have a specific brand preference, you can also visit your nearest Asian shop.

Ingredients:

700 g lean beef cut in small pieces

2 medium size potatoes, cut in 6 pieces

2 tbsp (gaeng karee) yellow curry paste

1 small onion, sliced

1 tsp of minced garlic

3 tbsp of fish sauce

1 tbsp cane sugar

2 tbsp cooking oil

10 cherry tomatoes

1 can (375 ml) of coconut milk

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep sauce pan.

2. Sautee the garlic, onions and the curry paste for about two minutes

3. Add the beef and cover the pan with the lid.

4. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and cane sugar.

6. Then add the potatoes and the cherry tomatoes.

7. Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the potatoes and the meat are tender.

8. Serve it on steamed rice.

Source: readingforsanity.blogspot.com.au viaFiloz Unlimited on Pinterest

Homemade Sausage Rolls

Quick, Easy and Cheesy Sausage Rolls

I just made these sausage rolls earlier. I based my recipe in Master Chef's Julie Goodwin's Homemade Sausage Roll Recipe which you can find in here, with a few modifications. You would notice that I don't have the curry powder in here, and added mixed herbs and lots of cheese in the recipe. I also replace the french mustard with dijon mustard. Also made almost half of the portion and adjusted the ingredients accordingly.  The mustard and the cheese combination were just yummy.

Ingredients:

700g beef mince

1 small brown onion, grated

1 small carrot, grated

1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon pepperA pinch of mixed herbs

4 sheets frozen puff pastry

1/3 cup of cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.

2. In a bowl, place all ingredients except for the pastry and egg. Using your hands, work the mixture very well until all combined.

3)Lay the pastry out on a work surface and cut each sheet in half. Work with the pastry still a little bit firm from the freezer as it is easier to handle.

4) Divide the sausage mixture into 8 pieces and lay in a line along the length of each pastry half- sheet. Fold the two sides over the sausage mixture and gently press to join.

5) Turn the rolls over, cut into thirds and brush with the egg combined with 1 tablespoon water.

6) Bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden.

Source: mylusciouslife.com viaFiloz Unlimited on Pinterest

Chicken and Ginger Soup

Chicken Ginger Soup

Chicken ginger soup, locally known as "Tinola" in the Philippines is believed to be one of the most common comfort and healing dishes for people who suffer from colds and flu-related sickness.  In the Philippines, it is the most easy to prepare and one of the most common home remedies. If you are only having a mild fever or a slight cold, then a quick fix could be a bowl of chicken ginger soup.  Whether it be physical or psychological, I think the medicinal benefits of ginger are the things that help make this tasty bowl of goodness a "healing soup".  If you want to know more about the healing effects of ginger you can check them here.  

Source: Uploaded by user via Filoz Unlimited on Pinterest

          For my family, the soup is more of a comfort food. So whenever someone is sick or feeling sick, I usually make this soup. Since I don't have the green pawpaw (papaya), which is one of the main ingredients in this dish. I also use some herbs that are considered to have some healing effects as well. Oregano for one, has been known to treat and cure flu-related symptoms. I grew up using it as a natural remedy for flu and colds. We simply steam the leaves and extract/squeeze the juice out of it (be careful as the leaves, steam and juice are hot).  We then drink it like an expectorant (helps reduce mucus) or like a liquid paracetamol. So today I thought of making this dish just to give us some comfort because we have had colds and sore throats for a couple of days now. I am not sure if it will totally heal our colds and sore throat but one thing is for sure, I will feel better eating this soup because its yummy and so flavoursome. I enjoy eating this soup whether I am sick or not. If you want to try it, the recipe is below: 

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 medium size onion sliced

2 tbsp ginger sliced thinly

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp fish sauce (nampla in Thai or patis in Filipino)

4 cups of  water

salt (season to taste)

2 small chokoes (chayote) sliced diagonally 

oregano (approximately 10 leaves, cut in half)

chilli leaves (tops), if available or alternately put some greens, spinach or pak-choy will do.

spring onions (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a deep sauce pan.

Sautee the ginger, garlic and onion for about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken and let it simmer until the flavours of ginger, garlic and onions go through the chicken.

Add the water and let it simmer. Add the chokoes and fish sauce (nampla in Thai  or patis in Filipino).

Let it simmer until the chicken and chokoes (or green papaya) are tender.

Add the greens (herbs and chilli leaves or spinach) and season with salt and pepper.

Source: asianinamericamag.com via Filoz Unlimited on Pinterest

Honeyed Ginger Pork with Broccoli and Cashews

Honeyed Ginger Pork with Broccoli and Cashews

 I love cooking with ginger. My mother used to make a very nice chicken ginger soup called "tinola".  I have used ginger in a couple of my curry dishes and stir fries but I haven't tried making a pork dish with it. 

           During our Easter holiday last year in the Sunshine Coast, we went to the ginger factory.  It was a very nice place to take the kids and a very good place to explore.  There are lots of things to do and discover.  We took the ginger factory tour where we learned a lot of things about ginger, how they are grown and their uses, and got to know and taste a wide range of ginger products. We also bought a couple of their products like the "ginger and lime marmalade" and the sweet "ginger sauce" at the ginger shop. They are great additions to a number of dishes. I also got myself a copy of the "Ginger" book written by Petra Frieser.  

My personal copy of the recipe book

           Last night, I tried one of the dishes in the ginger recipe book. I have modified the recipe to suit my taste. It is not much different from the original recipe.  Below is the recipe with slight modifications.

My own version of honeyed ginger pork with broccoli and cashews

Ingredients:

700g diced pork

1/2 cup cashews

250g broccoli, cut into bite-sized flowerets

2 tbsp vegetable oil

fresh mint

1 tbsp of minced garlic

1 medium size onion sliced

a pinch of salt

a pinch of pepper

1 small size red capsicum

a pinch of cayenne pepper

Marinade:

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp Buderim Ginger Lemon and Lime Marmalade

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

1 tbsp crushed ginger in lemon juice

Sauce:

1 tbsp corn flour

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 chicken stock cube (optional)

Method:

Mix marinate ingredients together and marinate pork for at least one hour.

Heat oil in a wok or a deep sauce pan and sautee garlic and onions for  for approximately 2 minutes.  Add the pork and sautee them for about 4-5 minutes,  Add the broccoli and continue cooking until the pork and the broccoli are tender.  Add the combined sauce ingredients to the wok, then add the capsicum and let it simmer for at least 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in cashews and sprinkle with shredded mint.

Source: cupasoup.com.au via Filoz Unlimited on Pinterest

The above recipe was really yummy and was enjoyed by my family.  I am pretty sure that the good flavours and spices of this dish will be really good in a cup of soup. What do you think? Can this flavour seduce Continental? 

Do you have any delectable dish that you can make into a sensational soup flavours?  Why not try sharing your ideas here, and get the chance to win some prizes.

Source: zulily.com via Linda on Pinterest