Category Archives: Recipe

Pan fried pork belly

Posted on September 9, 2012 | 6 comments

My husband has wanted to eat pork belly for a while but we couldn’t find pan-fried pork belly in any restaurant. Pork belly is a boneless cut of fatty meat derived from the belly of a pig. I know it is very fatty but it taste yummy as well. We did try one Taiwanese restaurant but it was a bit too sweet for his liking so I decided to make my own pan-fried pork belly. It is quite simple and I am sharing it with you all.

Ingredient

  • 250 gm. Pork belly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 5 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon chill power (optional)
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil for frying

 Steps

  • Mix ginger, soy sauce, salt, chilli, turmeric,  cumin, coriander, pepper with pork belly and marinade in a bowl and leave for at least an hour.

  • Heat up a wok with oil enough so the pork slices are half submerged in oil. Once one side turns golden brown, turn the piece over and fry the pork slices until both sides turn golden brown.

  • Line a plate with kitchen paper towel and put the pork on it to soak excess oil.
  • Serve it hot with rice or any other dish.

I had mine with roti and potato curry and it was yummy. 🙂

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Jamie Oliver Paneer, potato and pea curry

Posted on August 6, 2012 | 2 comments

Here is another of Jamie’s recipe I tried. This serves 4 people.

Ingredients

  • 250g Paneer cheese
  • 2 Medium potatoes
  • 150g Frozen peas
  • 300 g Basmati rice
  • 8 Green cardamom pods
  • 1 Small bunch fresh coriander
  • 2 Medium red onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 5cm fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp Korma curry paste
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Ground tumeric
  • 1 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tsp Tomato paste
  • 100 ml Creme fraiche (sour cream if you can’t find it)
  • 1 knob butter
  • Vegetable oil
  • Sea salt

Steps

  • Preheat oven to 170 (low) and place 3 bowls (large soup size) in the oven to warm.
  • Cook rice according to package directions but add cardamom pods to the boiling water. Meanwhile…
  • Roughly chop the coriander leaves and put to one side, reserve the stalks.
  • Peel and halve the onion, then peel garlic and ginger. Whiz the garlic and ginger with the coriander stalks and half of the onion in a food processor until you have a paste.

  • Place a wok on a medium heat. Cut the paneer into cubes. Finely slice the remaining onion in half.
  • Add a splash of vegetable oil to the hot wok then stir-fry the paneer with a pinch of salt until golden brown. Tip into one of your warmed bowls then pop back in the oven to keep warm.

  • Carefully wipe the wok clean with paper towel and place it back on the heat.
  • Add a splash of vegetable oil to the wok and when it’s hot, add the paste from the processor, the korma sauce, cumin seeds, tumeric, garam masala and sliced onion.
  • Fry and stire the mixture until the onions are soft and the mixture is golden and smells fantastic. This is your curry base. Meanwhile…
  • When the rice is done, drain it in a strainer, then place the strainer back over the warm saucepan. Add the knob of butter to the rice and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
  • Peel the potatoe and cut it into little chunks. You want them smaller than your paneer cubes.
  • Once the curry base is golden, add the potato chunks and the tomato paste. Pour in 300ml hot water and stir well.
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the potato chunks are cooked through and tender.

  • Once the potatoes are cooked, tip the peas and paneer into the wok and stir through. Turn the heat off and cover with a lid.
  • Make your table look respectable. Get the cutlery, salt and pepper and drinks laid out nicely and lay out poppadoms and naan breads if you have them.
  • Get your warmed bowls out of the oven and divide the buttery cardamom rice between them.
  • Taste the curry season with a little salt if you need to then gently stir in the creme fraiche so it ripples through the curry. Spoon this over the rice, scatter with cilantro and tuck in!

You may also like :

*Jamie Oliver Szechuan stir fry with chicken and brown rice *Jamie Oliver’s Chicken Tikka Masala *Jamie Oliver’s Dan Dan Noodles

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Jamie Oliver Szechuan stir fry with chicken and brown rice

Posted on July 29, 2012 | 14 comments

I have always loved Jamie Oliver as a chef. His cooking is so heart warming and yummy. I really like that he uses his hands instead of just a knife to do things in the kitchen making me feel like he is cooking at home. Anyway, I recently bought a Jamie Oliver 20 minutes meals app for my Android phone. So today we decided to try one of the recipes called Jamie Oliver Szechuan Stir Fry with Jasmine rice. It was so easy and quick. As I was cleaning the house, I asked my husband to get the ingredients ready. He thought he would surprised me and cooked the whole meal by himself. I am really impressed as it turned to be yummy and he just had to followed the recipe.

He used brown rice instead of jasmine rice as it is more healthy.

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless, skinless, chicken highs
  • 1/2 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns (Timur in Nepali)
  • 150g brown rice
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2cm fresh ginger
  • 1/2 medium red pepper
  • 1 small bunch spring onion
  • 50g unsalted peanuts
  • 2 small dried red chilli
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornflour
  • 2 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
  • vegetable oil
  • soy sauce
  • sea salt

Steps

  • Fill your kettle and put it in to boil. Preheat your oven to the lowest setting and place your bowls in the oven to warm.
  • Fill the saucepan with the boiling water and place on a high heat. Once boiling, add the rice and simmer according to packet instructions until the rice to cooked. If you  have rice cooker, you can use that.
  • Meanwhile pick the coriander leaves and put to one side. Finely hop the stalks.
  • Place the wok on a medium heat.
  • Peel the garlic and ginger and slice into matchsticks. De-seed and finely slice the red pepper. Trim and slice the spring onions.
  • Slice the chicken thighs into strips and pop in a bowl with a splash of soy sauce to marinate.
  • Add the peanuts to the hot wok and toast for a few seconds until they start to smell roasted and delicious. Tip out onto a plate and put to one side.
  • Return the wok to the heat and add a splash of vegetable oil.
  • Bash up the dried chillies with Szechuan peppercorns in a pestle and mortar.
  • Add the chicken strips to the hot wok. Turn the heat up to high and season well with salt.
  • Add the bashed up chilli and peppercorns to the wok then stir-fry quickly until the chicken starts to turn golden. Meanwhile…
  • When the rice is done, drain it in a sieve then place the sieve back over the warm saucepan and cover with a lid.
  • Throw the garlic and ginger into the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  • Add the coriander stalks, spring onions and red pepper and stir-fry for another minute or two until the chicken strips are cooked through.
  • Add the cornflour and sweet chilli sauce to the wok with a splash of soy sauce and toss everything together. Turn the heat off.
  • Make you table look respectable – get the cutlery, salt and pepper and drinks laid out nicely.
  • Add a good pinch of salt to the rice. Get your warmed bowls out of the oven and divide the rice between them.
  • Spoon the stir-fry over the rice, scatter each portion with your toasted peanuts and coriander leaves and tuck in!

You may also like :

*Jamie’s Crackin’ Crab Briks, Couscous Salad & Salsa *Jamie Oliver’s Chicken Tikka Masala *Jamie Oliver’s Dan Dan Noodles

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Things are changing

Posted on May 16, 2012 | 10 comments

If a few years ago someone had suggested that we spend my day off cooking, I would have laughed my head off but to my surprise, last week I took my RDO (roaster day off) and that is exactly what I did.

As my husband was working that day, I had a friend come over. We didn’t have much planned so we thought it would be a great idea to try some new dishes. So we came up with a four course menu for the day.

It was

  • Aloo chop with golbheda achar 
  • Lentil soup
  • Chorizo and tomato couscous
  • Fresh green beans with pan fried mushrooms
  • Chocolate mud cake with ice-cream

Surprisingly the food turned out yummy even though we tried some of the recipes for the first time. They were all easy and quick to make so I am sharing the recipes here.

Aloo chop with golbhera achar (click here for recipe)

Lentil soup

Ingredients

  • 200gm brown lentils
  • 2 litres chicken or veggie stock
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tomato diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of ghee (can be replaced by butter or oil)
  • 1/ 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Thickening cream (optional)

Steps

  • In a large saucepan, heat oil and add turmeric powder and crushed garlic.
  • Once garlic is brown, add tomatoes and onion along with cumin powder and salt. Fry for few minutes.
  •  Now add lentils and stock and combine all ingredients. Bring to boil, then simmer until lentils are soft, 30 to 45 minutes.
  • If you have a pressure cooker, press it for 5 whistles instead.
  • Add thickening cream if you want to add flavor.

 

Chorizo and tomato couscous (from Coles website)

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Moroccan Seasoning Mix
  • 400 g can Tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock
  • 250 g  Broccoli Florets
  • 1 1/2 cups Couscous
  • 1 cup Flat Leaf Parsley
  • 2 Chorizo Sausages, sliced
  • 1 Onion, chopped

Steps

  • Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium. Cook chorizo for 1-2 mins each side, until golden. Remove from pan. Cook onion in the same pan for 3-5 mins, until soft. Add seasoning mix and stir until fragrant.
  • Add tomatoes, stock and broccoli. Bring to boil and sprinkle over couscous. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 mins, until liquid has been absorbed. Using a fork, stir through parsley and chorizo, fluffing up grains as you go.

Fresh green beans with pan fried mushrooms (from Coles website) 

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, (from pantry)
  • small brown onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 300 g cup mushrooms, quartered
  • 500 g green beans, ends trimmed
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

Steps

  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
  • Cook the green beans briefly in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until just tender and vibrant green.
  • Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and add to the mushrooms with the thyme. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a serving platter.

Chocolate mud cake with ice-cream

Ingredients

  • 1 cups hot water
  • 250 g butter
  • 200 g dark cooking chocolate
  • 1 cup cocoa
  • 2 cups caster sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten lightly
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
  • 1 cups self-raising flour
  • 2 teaspoon chocolate topping
  • Ice cream to serve

Steps

  • In a saucepan over low heat melt together, butter, cocoa, chocolate, sugar, vanilla and hot water.
  • When cooled add flour and eggs and mix well. The mixture will be very runny.
  • Pour into a lined 30 cm cake tin and bake at 150C for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  • Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out.
  • When cool sprinkle with icing sugar.
  • Pour chocolate toppings on the slice of a cake in the plate and serve with ice cream.

You may also like :

*Momo *Bhogate Sadekoo *Chicken chili

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Chatamari

Posted on May 11, 2012 | 7 comments

Chatamari is a special Newari dish which is like a crepe made of rice flour and optionally topped with mince meat with seasoning or vegetables.

Use non stick pan so that Chatamari doesn’t stick to the pan.

Ingredients 

For Rice Base

  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 3 eggs (beaten)
  • 1 cup water (depends on consistency)
  • 1 cup ghee or butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup of peas
  • A bunch of coriander leaves chopped

For Toppings

  • 250 grams minced chicken
  • ½ cup finely chopped onions
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Steps

  • Mix minced meat, salt, pepper, onion, tomato, oil, peas, curry powder, coriander leaves, garlic and ginger in a big bowl and put aside. This will be the topping for the Chatamari.
  • Mix rice flour, eggs, water and salt to make batter.
  • You may need to add more water if necessary to achieve the consistency similar to the batter for crepes.
  • Heat a non stick pan.
  • Pour in some batter and spread out into a thin crust. Cover the pan and cook just on one side for a few minutes. Don’t flip onto the other side.
  • Put the toppings on top of the Chatamari and cook for a few minutes by covering the lid.
  • If you like your meat well done, take the Chatamari and put it in the oven on low heat for 2 minutes. But this tends to dry the Chatamari. Alternately you can pre-cook the minced meat mix and then add it to the Chatamari in this step.
  • For vegetarian options, topping can be made with potatoes, onions and tomatoes or if you eat eggs just use scrambled eggs for toppings.
  • Serve hot with spicy achar or your favourite sauce.

You may also like :

* *Goat curry *Momo

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