My kitchen, my food

Served with popadoms and a variety of starters.
Preparation time: 5 minutes.

1 cup plain yoghurt
2 teaspoon mint sauce
1⁄2 level teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon chilli powder
1⁄4 teaspoon garam masala
1⁄4 teaspoon amchoor ( also known as mango powder)
1⁄2 level teaspoon caster sugar

Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

This makes about three tablespoons.
 

1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cummin
1 teaspoon green cardamoms
1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 sticks of cinnamon, approx two inches in length
2 bay leaves
1⁄2 small nutmeg
4 black cardamoms

Place all ingredients into an electric coffee grinder and grind for one minute. Carefully remove lid and test by rubbing a little of the mixture between forefinger and thumb. Finely ground spices should not feel gritty. If necessary, switch on the machine for another few seconds.

Put the garam masala into a small airtight container, preferably made of glass or plastic, and label.

Recipe by Gordon Ramsay

Preheat the oven to 200°C. If your oven isn't hot enough, your potatoes won't cook in time.

Ideally use a Desiree potato that has a floury texture. This will allow for a crunchy outside and soft inside.

There are two stages to cooking the potato fondant: pan-frying and roasting.

Firstly peel your potato and cut in half lengthways in the middle, making sure that they are cut to equal size so that they have the same cooking time.

Take a non-stick heat proof high sided roasting tin and place on a medium heat.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Make sure that this gets hot - you can see this happening as the oil gets thinner.

Add the potatoes cut side down - if your heat is correct you should hear them sizzle when they touch the hot fat.

When they are golden brown on one side, turn them over and season with salt and pepper.

Now add the chicken stock to just underneath the potato. If you add too much liquid the potato will become watery.

Just before you put them in the oven, add a good knob of butter - this will help give them a great glaze.

Scatter with thyme sprigs.

Cover the tray/dish with greaseproof paper and place in the oven.

Cook for approx 12-16 minutes. You can check they are done if you can cut through them with a sharp knife easily.

Remove the potato from the baking dish and then serve.

Can be viewed here
http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/cookalong-live/cookalong-live-the-series/week-3/how-to-make-potato-fondant_p_1.html 

 There is no absolutely right or wrong way to make paella… there are so many versions, depending on the region it comes from. This version has no claim to being Spanish. 

Recipe by Ian Parmenter

INGREDIENTS

• Large pinch of saffron strands
• 250g chorizo or other spicy sausage in bite-size pieces
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 500g skinless chicken leg pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 capsicums (one red, one green or yellow), cut into strips
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 2 or 3 tsp smoked paprika (or ordinary paprika powder)
• white pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups medium rice
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 litre ± chicken stock
• 400g white fish fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
• 12 raw prawns in shells
• 12 mussels
• 1 cup frozen peas (optional)

• METHOD

  1. Immerse the saffron in a couple of tablespoons of boiling water for five minutes.
  2. Partly cook the chorizo for a few minutes in a little olive oil.
  3. Add chicken and cook three or four minutes. They don't need to be cooked right through at this stage.
  4. Add the onion, capsicum, garlic, smoked paprika and white pepper
  5. Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes.
  6. Pour in the stock and saffron liquid and bay leaves
  7. Add water to cover to about one centimetre above the rice.
  8. Cover (with foil) and leave to simmer for 15 minutes over very low heat.
  9. Rinse and drain the fish, prawns and mussels in cold water, discarding any mussels that have opened.
  10. Dot prawns and mussels over rice mixture. (Frozen peas may be added at this time.)
  11. Squash the tomatoes and add to the top. Leave to cook for 2 - 3 minutes
  12. can be seen here
      http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2871702.htm
   

serves 4

Recipe by David Thompson

Green curry paste
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• generous 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 Thai cardamom pods
• 10 white peppercorns
• good pinch of grated nutmeg
• 20–30 small green bird’s eye chillies (scuds) – about 1 tbs
• 1 long green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped – optional
• good pinch of salt
• 2 tbs chopped lemongrass
• 1 tbs chopped galangal
• 3 tbs chopped red shallots
• 2 tbs chopped garlic
• 1 tsp finely grated kaffir lime zest
• 2 tsp chopped red turmeric
• 1 tsp cleaned and chopped coriander roots
• 1/2 tsp Thai shrimp paste (gapi)

Braised beef or pretty much any meat or fish with hard flesh
• 1 cup coconut cream
• good pinch of salt
• 250g beef – flank, brisket or rump – cut into 5 mm thick slices about 2 cm x 1 cm
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
• 2 red shallots, bruised – optional
• 2 Thai cardamom pods, roasted – optional
• 1 Thai cardamom leaf or dried bay leaf, roasted – optional
• about 3 cups coconut milk or water

Curry
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 2–3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3–4 kaffir lime leaves, torn into large pieces
• pinch of roasted chilli powder, to taste
• 10–15 small green bird’s eye chillies (scuds), to taste

METHOD

Green curry paste
1. First make the paste. In a dry, heavy-based frying pan, separately roast the coriander, cumin and cardamom, shaking the pan to prevent the spices from scorching, until aromatic. Husk the cardamom, then grind to a powder with the coriander, cumin, peppercorns and nutmeg, using an electric grinder or a pestle and mortar.
2. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the chillies with the salt, then add the remaining ingredients in the order they are listed, reducing each one to a fine paste before adding the next. Alternatively, puree the ingredients in an electric blender. It will probably be necessary to add a little water to aid the blending, but try not to add more than necessary, as this will dilute the paste and alter the taste of the curry. Half-way through, turn the machine off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula then turn it back on and whiz the paste until it is completely pureed. Finally, stir in the ground spices.

Braised beef
1. To braise the beef, simmer 1 cup of the coconut cream with the salt and, when it has thickened slightly and is beginning to separate, add the beef and lemongrass, along with the shallots and spices, if using. Moisten with some of the coconut milk or water and add a tablespoon of the fish sauce. Continue to simmer gently, stirring regularly, until the coconut is absorbed and the beef is tender yet still a little resilient: this should take about 20 minutes or so, but it will be necessary to moisten with some more coconut milk or water during this time to prevent the meat becoming too dry. Be careful not to braise the beef until it is falling apart, or it will have a stringy texture. Once the beef is cooked, drain off the excess oil, keeping it for the next stage, and pick out the lemongrass and spices. Cover and set aside. Try to resist eating more than a few delectable slices of the beef – in fact, put it out of reach!

Curry
1. Next make the curry. Heat a few tablespoons of the reserved oil with 1 cup of coconut cream and fry the green curry paste over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent it from catching. When it is rich and aromatic and quite oily, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of fish sauce and simmer for a minute before adding 1 cup of coconut milk or water. Simmer for 2–3 minutes before adding the braised beef and the kaffir lime leaves, then continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or longer – until the curry is quite thick, rich and creamy. It may be necessary to add some more coconut milk, stock or water. Check the seasoning – the curry should taste rich, hot, spicy and salty. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes or so.
2. On the streets this curry would be eaten at room temperature – and it does taste better this way. If you prefer to reheat it, do so gently, adding the extra coconut cream, along with roasted chilli powder and scuds to taste. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, kanom jin noodles or roti.

you can watch the recipe here
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2790332.htm 

serves 4

Recipe by Ragini Dey

• 40ml ghee (can use oil or butter instead)
• 4 green cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 3 black cardamom
• 2 bay leaves
• 2.5cm cinnamon stick
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 tbs ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tbs roasted cumin seeds, powdered
• 1 tbs roasted coriander seeds, powdered
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (mild, vibrantly red powder from large red chillies)
• ½ cup yoghurt
• 1kg diced forequarter of lamb (or 4 lamb shanks)
• 2 cups plums, stones removed
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup cooked chickpea
• 1 tbs keora water (extract distilled from pandanus flowers)

1. Heat the ghee, add whole spices and then the onion; when golden brown, add ginger and garlic pastes and sautè for one minute. Mix the powdered spices with the yoghurt and add this to the onion mix. After three minutes on high heat add the meat and brown till the oil separates from the spice blend. Stir in the plums, salt and a little water if the mixture is too dry. Cook covered on low heat till the meat is almost tender. Add the chickpeas, a little more water if required and continue cooking until the meat is soft. Flavour with keora water and rest for half an hour before serving.

1. Keora water (also known as Kewra or kewda water) is an extract distilled from the male flowers of the pandanus plant and can be used quite liberally because the extract is quite diluted. It's used to flavour meats, drinks and desserts in India and Southeast Asia and has been described as having a sweet, perfumed aroma of vanilla or roses but with a fruity greenness. In this curry it is used just before serving to give it a nice fresh finish. Keora or Kewra essence is also available but this a much stronger and must be used sparingly just like any essence.
2. Extracts and essences from the pandanus LEAF are used in Malaysian and other Asian cuisines to flavour and colour food.

Video can be seen here
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2860063.htm

1 whole cleaned snapper or fish fillets
fresh dill or fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 lemon sliced
1 small chilli (optional) 
Olive oil or butter
egg white to seal the papillote
a splash of dry white 

to serve a green or a shaved fennel salad or roasted vegetables or a ratatouille

Preheat your oven to 200C untill hot, cooking time will take approximately 20 min. This dish can also be cooked on the barbie

Stuff the fish with most of the fresh herb, some garlic, some chilli and some lemon slices.

Place the rest underneath the fish when placed at the centre of a large paper foil piece. You may add on top some carrots cut in julienne, some leak cut in julienne ...

sprinkle the lot with some olive oil and white wine and close the foil. Do not wrap the fish tightly to allow air to circulate within. You will know when to take the fish out when the papillote will be all puffed up. Take it out of the oven couple of minutes after and let it rest for 3 or 4 minutes.

it's ready to be served

For 2

2kg whole cleaned snapper
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 fresh small red chilli finely chopped
2cm ginger piece finely chopped
1 lime

green salad or roasted vegies to serve

make the marinate, mix the olive oil, chilli, ginger.
grind the garlic with some sea salt into a paste.

score the fish and rub the garlic paste on the fish and then brush the marinate over.

cook the fish on the barbie for four minutes on each side, continuing brushing the fish with the marinate while cooking

300g whole squid, cleaned

Chilli salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons chilli powder
180g tempura flour
5 teaspoons fine salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

To make chilli-salt, simply mix all the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Prepare the squid by removing the tentacles and cutting them in half crossways. Cut open the squid tubes, score the insides in a cross-hatch pattern, then cut into diamond-shaped pieces. 

Toss the squid through the chilli-salt, then deep-fry in peanut oil heated to 200 degrees C in a deep-fryer or heavy based saucepan for 2 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

To make it really crispy toss them in a dry wok (no oil) with some fried onions, spring onions and fresh chopped chilli.

Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Notes from Matt Moran:
Tempura flour is readily available from Asian supermarkets. If you have any chilli salt left over, simple store in an airtight container, ready for your next batch of chilli-salt squid.

Recipe from Matt Morans but the measurement are changed