My wife and I have come to love Peruvian food in the last few years. Here is an easy peruvian recipe I found that we tried recently. It is easy to make and is a very delicious way to use up some leftover coca cola you may have lying around. Use the sugary stuff, not the diet stuff, as the recipe won't work with the diet.
1 chicken, cut into serving pieces, or an equivalent amount of thighs or drumsticks (about 8)
1 cup coca cola
4 tblsp soy sauce
2 tblsp five spice powder
1 tsp cumin
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
preheat your oven to 400F, mix everything together and dump on the chicken in an oven safe pan. cover with foil and bake 15 min. Remove foil and baste, then cook for another 15 min. Baste again and cook another 15 min. You want to get to the point where you get a slightly sticky, crispy skin on the chicken.
Pay attention to the amount of liquid in the pot. This could go two ways: it dries up and you need to add water, or it stays too wet and you don't get the sticky crispy skin. If it is too dry, add some water and continue. If it is too wet, near the end of the cooking, remove from the oven and boil down the liquid until it starts to thicken like a syrup, then baste the chicken again and return it to the oven until you achieve the sticky crispy skin.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Citrusy Green Curry Paste
Today I needed a green curry paste for a recipe (this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/green-curry-pork-tenderloin-51160610) and didn't have all the ingredients, so my wife and I winged it and we came up with something we really liked with this recipe. The lime juice we used gave it a bit of a citrusy note, which we liked. Here it is:
Pickled Jalapeno slices, equivlent to about 1 fresh Jalapenos worth
7 or 8 dried chile de arbol, seeds removed
1 fresh poblano chile
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1 tblsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
9 cloves minced garlic
1 tblsp cilantro roots and stems
1 tblsp minced fresh ginger
2 tblsp lime juice
1 tsp shrimp paste
Squeeze the pickling juices out of the jalapeno slices and add to a blender.
seed the poblano and chile de arbol and add to the blender.
heat a nonstick fry pan over medium heat for 2 min, add the cumin and caraway and toast until fragrant. Set aside. Use same pan to toast peppercorns and coriander seeds. Add all the toasted spices to a grinder and grind up into a powder. Add to the blender.
Grate nutmeg into blender and add all remaining ingredients. Blend up into a sauce. There is not a huge amount of liquid in this recipe so may take a bit of elbow grease to blend it.
We used 1/4 cup of this in the recipe mentioned above.
Pickled Jalapeno slices, equivlent to about 1 fresh Jalapenos worth
7 or 8 dried chile de arbol, seeds removed
1 fresh poblano chile
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp peppercorns
1 tblsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
9 cloves minced garlic
1 tblsp cilantro roots and stems
1 tblsp minced fresh ginger
2 tblsp lime juice
1 tsp shrimp paste
Squeeze the pickling juices out of the jalapeno slices and add to a blender.
seed the poblano and chile de arbol and add to the blender.
heat a nonstick fry pan over medium heat for 2 min, add the cumin and caraway and toast until fragrant. Set aside. Use same pan to toast peppercorns and coriander seeds. Add all the toasted spices to a grinder and grind up into a powder. Add to the blender.
Grate nutmeg into blender and add all remaining ingredients. Blend up into a sauce. There is not a huge amount of liquid in this recipe so may take a bit of elbow grease to blend it.
We used 1/4 cup of this in the recipe mentioned above.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Paneer Curry
This is a south indian paneer curry dish that I really like. Smelling my leftovers at lunch, some people at work asked for the recipe, so here it is...
When I make it, I like to add some vegetables to it as well, maybe some okra, peas, and/or green peppers. Serve it over rice. It takes a while to make, but you get a good amount of it. You can use a variety of chiles for this recipe, depending on how spicy you want it. I have used serranos for a really hot version. I usually use a mix of chiles, some new mexican (mild and hot), and maybe a guajillo, or pasilla, or similar chiles, depending on what I have in the house. Even chile de arbol will do. I wouldn't use chipoltles on this one though.
This dish is really good when it has a kick, so its worth having a few hot chiles in it.
1/2 lemon size ball of tamarind
2x798 ml cans crushed tomatoes
2 inch piece of ginger, chopped
10-12 cloves crushed garlic (I like to use the little jars of crushed garlic for this)
6-8 dried chiles, stemmed and broken in half
1 tblsp sesame oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
20 curry leaves
3 1-2 inch cinnamon sticks
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can coconut milk
2 packages paneer, diced into cubes
boil some water in a kettle and put the tamarind in a bowl, adding 1 cup of water from the kettle and soak for 30 minutes or longer. squeeze out the pulp and put the mixture through a strainer and set aside.
meanwhile, put 1/2 cup water, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chiles into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes. set aside to cool.
Once the tomato mixture is cool enough to handle, put it through a strainer and set aside in a bowl. transfer the solids into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. push the blended mixture through the strainer into the same bowl.
add sesame oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. when the oil is warm add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds - saute until the mustard seeds begin to sputter. add the curry leaves, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander and ground cumin and saute for 1 minute. add the tomato mixture and salt and bring to a boil.
stir in the tamarind pulp and the salt.
if you are going to add any vegetables to this dish, add them now and simmer them in the sauce until they are cooked to your liking. If I am using green peppers with this I usually dont throw them in for very long since I like them to still have a bit of crunch. Sometimes I will add the coconut milk (next step) before the vegetables.
add the coconut milk
optionally, add a couple tablespoons of ground roasted chickpeas for thickening. I usually don't bother with this - sometimes I add a little bit of
guar gum instead, but usually its good the way it is.
add the paneer and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
serve with rice!
When I make it, I like to add some vegetables to it as well, maybe some okra, peas, and/or green peppers. Serve it over rice. It takes a while to make, but you get a good amount of it. You can use a variety of chiles for this recipe, depending on how spicy you want it. I have used serranos for a really hot version. I usually use a mix of chiles, some new mexican (mild and hot), and maybe a guajillo, or pasilla, or similar chiles, depending on what I have in the house. Even chile de arbol will do. I wouldn't use chipoltles on this one though.
This dish is really good when it has a kick, so its worth having a few hot chiles in it.
1/2 lemon size ball of tamarind
2x798 ml cans crushed tomatoes
2 inch piece of ginger, chopped
10-12 cloves crushed garlic (I like to use the little jars of crushed garlic for this)
6-8 dried chiles, stemmed and broken in half
1 tblsp sesame oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
20 curry leaves
3 1-2 inch cinnamon sticks
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can coconut milk
2 packages paneer, diced into cubes
boil some water in a kettle and put the tamarind in a bowl, adding 1 cup of water from the kettle and soak for 30 minutes or longer. squeeze out the pulp and put the mixture through a strainer and set aside.
meanwhile, put 1/2 cup water, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chiles into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes. set aside to cool.
Once the tomato mixture is cool enough to handle, put it through a strainer and set aside in a bowl. transfer the solids into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. push the blended mixture through the strainer into the same bowl.
add sesame oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. when the oil is warm add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds - saute until the mustard seeds begin to sputter. add the curry leaves, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander and ground cumin and saute for 1 minute. add the tomato mixture and salt and bring to a boil.
stir in the tamarind pulp and the salt.
if you are going to add any vegetables to this dish, add them now and simmer them in the sauce until they are cooked to your liking. If I am using green peppers with this I usually dont throw them in for very long since I like them to still have a bit of crunch. Sometimes I will add the coconut milk (next step) before the vegetables.
add the coconut milk
optionally, add a couple tablespoons of ground roasted chickpeas for thickening. I usually don't bother with this - sometimes I add a little bit of
guar gum instead, but usually its good the way it is.
add the paneer and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
serve with rice!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Lemon-Mustard Pork Chops
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs pork chops
2 tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tblsp dijon mustard
2 tblsp lemon juice
This simple recipe doesn't sound like much but it is very tasty and quick to make. The mustard and lemon combine to give a nice sunny flavour.
Heat a very large skillet over medium high heat. While doing this, sprinkle salt and pepper on the pork chops to taste. When the skillet is hot, add olive oil and then the pork chops. Sear the chops on both sides to a golden brown.
Add the thyme and chicken broth to the skillet, cover and turn the heat to medium-low, simmering for 10 minutes.
Remove the pork chops to a serving plate. Turn the heat back up to medium high and add the mustard and lemon juice. Ensure you scrape up any of the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir until the sauce is the consistency of cream. Pour over the pork chops and serve.
1 1/2 lbs pork chops
2 tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tblsp dijon mustard
2 tblsp lemon juice
This simple recipe doesn't sound like much but it is very tasty and quick to make. The mustard and lemon combine to give a nice sunny flavour.
Heat a very large skillet over medium high heat. While doing this, sprinkle salt and pepper on the pork chops to taste. When the skillet is hot, add olive oil and then the pork chops. Sear the chops on both sides to a golden brown.
Add the thyme and chicken broth to the skillet, cover and turn the heat to medium-low, simmering for 10 minutes.
Remove the pork chops to a serving plate. Turn the heat back up to medium high and add the mustard and lemon juice. Ensure you scrape up any of the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir until the sauce is the consistency of cream. Pour over the pork chops and serve.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
This cake recipe came out of a diet cookbook I have. It is entirely flour free, and still has the texture of a real cake. I was quite impressed.
3/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
3 tblsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup sucanat
1/2 cup splenda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tblsp powdered egg white
2 tsp guar gum
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tblsp white vinegar
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all the dry ingredients and sift into an 8 inch square pan that you have sprayed with some cooking spray. (I dont have a sifter, so instead i just mixed
the ingredients in a bowl and stirred enthusiastically with a whisk to break up the lumps and combine). Make 2 holes in the mix and put the vinegar in one and the oil in the other. Pour the water over top of the whole thing and stir until there are no dry bits left. Immediately put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
The cake is ok by itself, but also good with a little ice cream, or some melted chocolate on top.
3/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder
3 tblsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup sucanat
1/2 cup splenda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tblsp powdered egg white
2 tsp guar gum
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tblsp white vinegar
1 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all the dry ingredients and sift into an 8 inch square pan that you have sprayed with some cooking spray. (I dont have a sifter, so instead i just mixed
the ingredients in a bowl and stirred enthusiastically with a whisk to break up the lumps and combine). Make 2 holes in the mix and put the vinegar in one and the oil in the other. Pour the water over top of the whole thing and stir until there are no dry bits left. Immediately put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
The cake is ok by itself, but also good with a little ice cream, or some melted chocolate on top.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Lemon-Lime Chicken
Tried this recipe on the weekend and my wife and I both loved it. Thought it deserved a post!
3 pounds cut-up chicken, light or dark meat or any combination
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup dry white wine (I used a rose, and that worked too)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp tobasco sauce
1/4 tsp dried thyme
put chicken into a bag with all other ingredients. marinade all day or overnight. flip over the bag once in a while if you think of it.
preheat oven to 400 F
pour marinade into a bowl
arrange the chicken in a roasting pan
roast for 45 minutes, basting a few times with the reserved marinade. chicken is done when it is well browned and the juices run clear.
3 pounds cut-up chicken, light or dark meat or any combination
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup dry white wine (I used a rose, and that worked too)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp tobasco sauce
1/4 tsp dried thyme
put chicken into a bag with all other ingredients. marinade all day or overnight. flip over the bag once in a while if you think of it.
preheat oven to 400 F
pour marinade into a bowl
arrange the chicken in a roasting pan
roast for 45 minutes, basting a few times with the reserved marinade. chicken is done when it is well browned and the juices run clear.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Moqueca de Peixe
This is a Brazilian fish recipe that was made for my wife's wedding shower. I got to eat some of the leftovers, and I asked for the recipe. It was very good.
8 pieces of tilapia
juice of 1 lemon
1 large red onion, cut into round slices
1 large red pepper, cut into round slices
1 large green pepper, cut into round slices
1 large ripe tomato, cut into round slices
2 tblsp fresh cilantro, chopped
200 ml of coconut milk
1 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp shrimp broth (or vegetable broth)
wash the fish and sprinkle with lemon juice, leave to marinade for about an hour.
add the fish and vegetables to a large pan
sprinkle cilantro
pour coconut milk, olive oil and broth over the fish
cook partially covered, carefully stirring occasionally (do not break the fish pieces), over low heat for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve.
This tastes really good with the coconut milk served over a bed of rice.
8 pieces of tilapia
juice of 1 lemon
1 large red onion, cut into round slices
1 large red pepper, cut into round slices
1 large green pepper, cut into round slices
1 large ripe tomato, cut into round slices
2 tblsp fresh cilantro, chopped
200 ml of coconut milk
1 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp shrimp broth (or vegetable broth)
wash the fish and sprinkle with lemon juice, leave to marinade for about an hour.
add the fish and vegetables to a large pan
sprinkle cilantro
pour coconut milk, olive oil and broth over the fish
cook partially covered, carefully stirring occasionally (do not break the fish pieces), over low heat for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve.
This tastes really good with the coconut milk served over a bed of rice.
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