Pistachio Cake

Entrees
  • Ingredients

                       Vegetable-oil cooking spray
3                   cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4             cups unsalted butter
3/4                cup cream cheese, room tempreture
1                   cup shelled pistachio, ground to a paste in a food processor
3                   cups sugar
6                   large eggs, room tempreture
2                   tsp vanilla extract

  • 3/4                cup coarsely chopped salted pistachios

Dripping Icing

  • 3/4                cup whipping cream
  • 1                   cup icing sugar
  • 1                   tsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2             cups unsalted  pistachio slivers

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 325 degrees. Coat two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pans with cooking spray.  Line with parchment paper.
  2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and pistachio paste until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium-low.  Gradually add sugar, beat until smooth.  Scrape down side of bowl.
  3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.
  4. Reduce speed to low and add flour and salt; beat until just combined.
  5. Fold in chopped pistachios
  6. Divide batter among pans, smooth tops.  Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean about 1hr 35 minutes.
  7. Let cool in pans 20 minutes.  Unmould, and remove parchment. Let cool. Cakes can be wrapped well in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 1day.
  8. Drizzle cakes with icing. And sprinkle with pistachio slivers.

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Malaysian Style Paratha

Snacks & Appetizers, vegetarian

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2             tbsp oil
  • 1             tbsp green masala
  • 1/2          tsp salt
  • 2             medium onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1             lb cabbage, grated
  • 1/2          lb carrots, peeled and grated
  • 2             Soy sauce
  • 4             oz bean sprouts
  • 2             tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2             tbsp sugar
  • 10           Paratha pastry
  • 1/4          cup oil for frying

Paste

  • 2             tbsp white flour
  • 2             tbsp water

Instruction

  1. In a medium saucepan on med – hot heat, heat the oil.  Add the vegetables and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the  green masala, salt, soy sauce, cilantro and mix. Let the mixture cool.
  2. Mix the white flour and water and make the paste.
  3. Put 2 tbsp of filling in the centre of the parath,  fold envelope style, sealing with the paste.
  4. Cook the paratha in a heavy griddle, on medium heat for a minute.  Turn and cook on the other side for a minute.  Brush with oil, turn and cook for a minute, brush the other side with oil and cook for a minutes.
  5. Put the paratha on paper towel to drain the oil.

Serve with a chutney.

Serve with a green salad for lunch.


















Vietnamese Kebabs with Sugarcane skewers,dipping sauce, and lettuce cups

Entrees, Poultry

Sugarcane skewered adds a lot of sweetness and authentic touch, but wooden skewers make a fine stand- in – just soak them in water for 20 minutes before using.

This is a recipe I found in Martha Stewart Magazine.   You can make the kebabs any size you like.

Ingredients

For the Dipping Sauce

 

  • 1/4              cup Asian fish sauces
  • 1/4              cup water
  • 2                 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2                 tsp sugar
  • 1                 tsp rice- wine vinegar
  • 2                 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1                 tsp finely chopped Thai chile

FOR THE KEBABS

 

  • 2                 slices white bread, torn into large pieces
  • 1/4              cup whole milk
  • 1 1/4           lb lean ground beef
  • 1                 tsp crushed ginger
  • 1                 tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2              tsp crushed jalapino
  • 1                 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1                 large egg
  • 1                 tsp salt
  • 1/2              tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 3                 tbsp finely chopped fresh lemon grass
  • 3                 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 3                 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1                 tsp finely chopped Thai chilli
  • 12               skewers (5 inch each) fresh sugar cane
  • 1                 head boston lettuce, leaves separated
  •                    Vegetable oil cooking spray

Garnish

 

  •                     Fresh mint
  •                     Basil,
  •                     Cilantro 

Instructions

  1. Make the dipping sauce:
  2. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  3. Preheat oven 450 degree, with rack in top third of oven.
  4. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  5. Pulse bread in a food processor until medium-coarse crumbs form.
  6. Tranfer to a bowl.  Stir in the  milk; let stand for 10 minutes.
  7. Gently mix together meat, bread mix,ginger, garlic and jalapeno , onion, egg, salt, ground pepper, lemongrass, basil, cilantro, and chili.
  8. Form meat into 12 narrow loaves (about 1/4 cup each), shaping each around a sugarcane skewer, leaving 1 inch exposed; transfer to baking sheet.
  9. Bake for 11 minutes.  
  10. Heat broiler.  Broil until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  11. Discard garlic from the sauce.

Place kebabs on lettuce leaves.

Garnish with herbs.

Serve with dipping sauce.

Variation:

You can use ground Lamb or ground Chicken instead of ground Beef.

I have used ground chicken for these Kebabs.

Make Ahead

Uncooked kebabs can be frozen for up to 1 month (freeze on parchment paper-lined baking sheets until firm, then transfer to resealable plastic bags). Thaw in refrigerator overnight, then proceed with step 3.  

Dipping sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies

Sweets

Chewy Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes 45 cookies

89 calories per cookie

Ingredient

  • 2                1/4 cups all purpse flour
  • 1                tsp baking soda
  • 1                tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2             tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4             tsp cloves
  • 1/4             tsp salt
  • 3/4             cup butter, room tempreture
  • 1                cup brown sugar
  • 1                egg
  • 1/4             cup fancy molasses
  • 1                tsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2             tsp lemon zest
  • 4                squares chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

 

  1. Stir flour  with baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium bowl until combined.
  2. Beat butter with brown sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 min.
  3. Beat in egg, molasses, fresh ginger and zest, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Don’t worry if it looks a little curdled.
  4. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined.
  5. Stir in chopped chocolate.
  6. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm enough to roll, about 20 min.
  7. Position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
  8. Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with non stick spray and set aside.
  9. Scoop dough and roll into tbsp-sized balls.
  10. Coat with granulated sugar.
  11. Place on prepared sheets about 2 in apart.
  12. Bake switching and rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed and lightly golden, 10 to 12 min.
  13. Remove to a rack to cool completely.
  14. Store cookies in an airtight container at room tempreture up to 1week or freeze up to 1 month.
  15. Kitchen tip:  prefer a crispy cookie?  Bake an extra 2to 3 min.

I stuck a Bamboo stick before baking and  made a bouquet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Strawberry and Apricot Crisp with Pine-Nut Crumble

Sweets

A 9 1/2″ shallow round baking dish or pie plate gives this crisp the ideal ratio of fruit filling to crumble topping.

In this crisp, the apricots hold their shape.  The strawberries, in contrast, become sauce like.

Ingredients

  • 2                oz cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2             cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/3             cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2             cup old- fashion rolled oats
  • 1/4             tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8             tsp course salt
  • 2                oz pinenuts, toasted(1/3 cup)

Filling

  • 1                lb apricots, pitted and cut into sixths (about 2 cups)
  • 12              oz strawberries (about 15) hulled and halved, or quartered if large
  •                    (about 2-1/2 cups)
  • 1/2             cup sugar
  • 2                tsp zest and lemon juice
  • 1                tsp cornstarch
  •                   Pinch of salt

Serving

         1                 pint strawberry or vanilla ice cream

Instructions

  1. Combine all crumble ingredients in a medium bowl and massage together with your fingers until butter is incorporated and mixture forms small clumps.  
  2. Refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
  4. Butter a 9 1/2 inch shallow round baking dish or pie plate.
  5. Combine all filling ingredients in another medium bowl.  
  6. Transfer to baking dish and top with crumble.
  7.  Bake until bubbling in centre and crumble is browned, about 40 minutes.
  8. Let cool at least 20 minutes.
  9. Serve warm or room tempreture with ice cream.
  10. Note:  you can use 12oz of dried apricots if you can not get fresh apricots.
  11. Cut apricots into quarters and soak it in cold water for 5 hours or overnight.
  12. Drain the water and use them as fresh apricots.


Chicken and Mango Salad with Glass Noodles

Entrees, Soups & Salads

The light and clean Asian combination of chicken and Mango is treated to a touch of  heat from a bit of fresh chili.

Ingredients

  • 4             oz thin bean thread noodles
  •                (also known as cellophane, glass. Or mung bean noodles)
  • 1             lb cooked and cubed chicken
  • 4             cups chopped lettuce leaves  
  • 1             large mango(1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/2- inch cubes.
  • 3             Scallions, thinely sliced crosswise
  • 1             red pepper thinely sliced
  • 2             carrots thinely sliced
  • 1/4          cup coarsely chopped fresh Serrano
  •                or jalapeño chilli, including seeds, or to taste
  • 1             cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4          cup chopped mint
  • 1/4          cup chopped basil
  • Dressing
  • 2             limes, zest and juice
  • 1/3          cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 1/4          cup fish sauce
  • 2             tbsp sugar 
  • 1-1/2       tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Cover noodles with boiling hot water in a large bowl and let stand  8 minutes.
  2. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water.  Drain well, then return to bowl.
  3. While noodles are soaking, combine chicken, and the rest of the salad ingredients in another large bowl.
  4. Stir together the dressing ingredients till the sugar is dissolved, then toss half of the dressing with noodles and half with chicken salad.
  5. Spread the lettuce in a salad bowl, then noodles topped with chicken salad.  

Variation:  You can use shrimps instead of chicken.

Edit

Spanish Rice

Entrees, Meat, Poultry, Seafoods

Spanish Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 1               lb steak
  • 1               chicken breast
  • 1               lb prawns, medium size, peeled and deveined
  • 2               tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 2               tbsp Tomato sauce
  • 2               tbsp H.P Sauce
  • 2               tbsp worstershire sauce
  • 1               tsp garlic
  • 1               tsp ginger
  • 2               carrots, cut in thin slices
  • 1/2            lb Green Beans
  • 1               small cucumber.
  • 1               green bell pepper
  • 2               medium onions sliced

Rice

  • 3              cups rice
  • 1/2           cup oil
  • 1              tsp cumin
  • 5              cardomon pod
  • 1/4           tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4           tsp saffron
  • 2              tsp salt
  • 2              oz pinenuts

Instructions

  1. Cut  steak and chicken into thin strips about 1″ long.  Marinate this in ginger, garlic and all the sauces.  Let stand for about 1 hour.
  2. Cut the prawns in half lengthwise and refrigerate it.
  3. Prepare all the vegetables.  Peel and cut the carrots in half then slice them into thin slices.  Cut the green beans 1″ long.  Quarter the cucumber and cut it into thin slices.  Cut the bell pepper in quater and slice it thin.
  4. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and fry the onions till they are soft and transparent.  Add the meat mixture and cook till meat is almost done. About 10 min.
  5. Add the carrots and the green beans and cook for about 5 minutes.
  6. Just before serving add the prawns and cook till they are cooked.  Prawns are cooked when it changes colour and they curl up, about 2 minutes.
  7. Add the cucumber and bell peppers, mix and serve.

To serve
Spread the rice in a platter and put the meat mixture on top.

Rice

  1. Rinse rice in cold water and soak for half and hour.
  2. In a large saucepan heat 1/2 cup oil, add cumin, cardamon pods, turmeric powder, saffron and salt and pinenuts.
  3. Add 4-1/2 cups hot water.
  4. Add the rice and cook uncovered on high heat till it starts to boil.  Lower the heat to medium, cover and cook till almost all the water has evaporated about 10 minutes.  Cover and put the saucepan in a preheated 300 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Naryal Vari Kebab(Kebab in Coconut Sauce

Entrees

Naryal Vari Kebab

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kebabs

Ingredients

  • 1              lb lean ground beef
  • 2              slices day old bread
  • 1              small onion
  • 1              small tomato
  • 1              tsp green masala
  • 1              tsp salt
  • 1/2           tsp freshly crushed cumin and corriander seeds

Curry

  • 2.             tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3              cardomon
  • 1/4           tsp cumin seeds
  • 1              small onion finely diced
  • 1              tsp green masala
  • 1              small tomato finely diced
  • 1/2           tsp haldi(turmeric powder)
  • 1/2           tsp salt
  • 2              can coconut milk
  • 1              medium potato cubed into 3/4″ 
  • 1              lemon(juice)
  • 1              tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions 

  1. In a food processor make crumbs with the bread and add it to the meat.
  2. Finely chop the onion and the tomato and add it to the meat.
  3. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.  
  4. Make small balls about 1″ round.
  5. In a large saucepan on medium heat, heat the oil and add cardamom and cumin seeds.
  6. Add the finely chopped onions and fry stirring till the onions are soft and transparent.  About 5 minutes.
  7. Add the green masala, chopped tomatoes, haldi and salt and fry for about 3 minutes.
  8. Add the coconut milk and mix well.  When the curry starts boiling add the kebabs and cook for about 5 min.(do not stir the mixture otherwise the kebabs will break).
  9. Add the potatoes and cook covered for about 10 minutes or until the kebabs and potatoes are cooked(kebabs are cooked when the colour changes to grey) and they are hard to the touch.
  10. Add lemon juice.
  11. Sprinkle cilantro before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thai-Style Steak Salad

Entrees, Soups & Salads

 

  • 1/4            cup fresh lime juice
  • 1               tbsp soy sauce
  • 1               tbsp sugar
  • 1/2            tsp red-pepper flakes
  • 3               tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2               boneless rib-eye steaks(each 8 oz and 3/4 inch thick)
  •                  Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1/2            lb carrots(3-4 medium)
  • 1               medium head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1- inch ribbons
  • 1/2            cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1               cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
  • 1/3            cup salted peanuts, chopped (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Make Marinade:
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and oil.  Season steak generously with salt and pepper;  place in a baking dish.  Pour 1/4 of marinade over steaks(reserve remaining marinade).  Turn steaks to coat.  Let steaks marinate up to 30 minutes.
  3. In a large skillet, cook steaks on medium-high heat, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium- rare.  Transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest, 5 a 10 minutes.  Slice steaks across the grain into 1/4 inch- thick slices;  halve slices crosswise.  Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with reserved marinade.
  4. With a vegetable peeler, cut carrots into long ribbons.   Add to steak in bowl along with lettuce and mint;  toss to combine.  Divide salad among four shallow bowls. Sprinkle with bean sprouts and peanuts, if desired, or serve it in a large serving ball.

 

 

 

 

Thai Mango salad

Soups & Salads

Serves 6
Ingredients

  • 4               cups torn greens
  • 2               firm mangoes
  • 1               sweet red pepper
  • 1               sweet yellow pepper
  • 2               carrots, coarsely grated
  • 1/4            cup coarsely grated fresh ginger
  • 2               cups bean sprouts
  • 1/4            cup coarsely chopped mint
  • 1/4            cup coarsely chopped basil
  • 1/4            cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2            cup  coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
  • 1/2          cup (125 mL) thinly sliced green onions
  • 2             tbsp (30 mL) coarsely chopped fresh mint

Dressing:

  • 1/4           cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
  • 1              tsp (5 mL) grated lime rind
  • 2              tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
  • 1              tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce or soy sauce
  • 2              tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1              tsp (5 mL) minced hot pepper
  • 1/4           tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper

 Instructions

  1. Julienne cut all the vegetables and the mangoes. 
  2. Line a salad plate with torn greens.
  3. Add all the salad ingredients.
  4. In a bottle mix the dressing ingredients.
  5. Pour the dressing on the salad before serving.