Wednesday 28 March 2012

ปลาราดพริก/ Pla Rad Prik/ Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce (step by step photos)

Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce in Thai called "Pla Rad Prik". Literally, the words "Pla Rad Prik" are derived from three Thai words: "Pla", "Rad" and "Prik". "Pla" refer to a fish, "Rad" mean pour and "Prik" refers to chilies. So, the Fried Fish with Tamarind Sauce is actually a fish fried until crispy and then pour with sweet, spicy and sour tamarind sauce on top.






Ingredients:
  • 400 to 500 grams prepared fish 
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste 
  • 3 tablespoons sugar 
  • 1 shallot, coarsely chopped 
  • 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons clean water 
  • 2 to 4 chilli peppers, coarsely chopped 
  • 3 sprigs coriander, for garnish





Preparation

1. Cut three or four slashes in each side of fish to help it cook
    faster and crispier. Set aside. 




2. In a wok or large frying pan. Add in oil about half a cup or at
    least to the side of the fish and heat the oil over medium-high
    heat. After the oil is hot enough, reduce heat to medium-low. 
    Fry the fish until golden brown in one side (about 10 minutes).
    Flip the fish and continue fry until golden brown on the other 
    side (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside. 
    TIPS: You can increase the crispiness of the fish by putting it
    in the oven on 175 degrees C about 10 minutes. 


3. For Tamarind Sauce. Heat wok over medium low heat. Pour
    in 1 tablespoon oil then stir in chillies peppers, shallot and 
    garlic. Stir fry until it is light golden. Add in tamarind paste, 
    fish sauce, sugar and 3 tablespoons clean water. Mix well and 
    let boil. If the sauce gets too thick, add water. It should be the 
    consistency of maple syrup when cooled. Taste-test the 
     sauceIt should be balanced of sweet, spicy and sour. Adjust 
    it to your taste by adding more sugar if too sour, or more 
    chilies if not spicy enough for your taste or water if the sauce 
    is too thick. When done, pour the sauce over the fish and 
    garnish with coriander leaves. Served hot.


Tuesday 27 March 2012

Big, Fat and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (step by step photos)

Cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. This term is used in the United States and Canada. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common term for this is biscuit. Today’s recipe is adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-big-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookie/. These cookies are big, fat and chewy like the one at bakeries and specialty shops.




Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 
  • 1/2 cup white sugar 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
  • 1 egg 
  • 1 egg yolk 
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


Directions 



1. Preheat the oven to 165 degrees C. Grease cookie sheets 
    or line with parchment paper. 

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. 



3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown 
    sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla,
    egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted 
    ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by
    hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at
    a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be 
    about 3 inches apart. 

 


4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the 
    edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few 
    minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.


Monday 19 March 2012

ยําปลาทอด/ Yum-Pla-Thord/ Deep Fried Fish with Green Mango Salad (step by step photos)

Deep Fried Fish with Green Mango Salad in Thai called "Yam Pla Thord". Literally, the words " Yam Pla Thord" are derived from three Thai words: "Yam", "Pla" and "Thord". "Yum" refers to a kind of Lao and Thai spicy and sour salad. "Pla" mean fishs and "Thord" refers to deep fried.




Ingredients

  • 400 to 500 grams prepared fish 
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce 
  • 4 tablespoons lime sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon sugar 
  • 8 small chillies, sliced 
  • 1/4 cup shallot, sliced thin 
  • 1 green (unripe) mango, peeled and shredded 



Directions

1.    Cut three or four slashes in each side of fish. Set aside.

2.    In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. After the oil is hot enough, reduce heat to medium-low. Fry the fish until golden brown in one side (about 10 minutes). Flip the fish and continue fry until golden brown on the other side (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.




3.    For dressing. Mix together lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolve. Add in chilies and shallot. Stir just combine. Taste-test the dressing. It should be tangy - a balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour. Adjust it to your taste by adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, more lime juice if too salty or sweet, more sugar if too sour, or more chilies if not spicy enough for your taste.

4.    For Serving. Arrange the shredded mango on serving plate and topped with a fish. Pour the dressing over the fish.


Saturday 17 March 2012

ปลานึ่งมะนาว/ Pla Neung Ma-Nao/ Steamed Fish with Lime Sauce Recipe (step by step photos)

Steamed Fish with Lime Sauce in Thai called "Pla Neung Ma-Nao". This delicious fish preparation is an excellent fresh and healthy side dish. It is a sour, sweet, salty and spicy steamed fish typical in Thailand and Laos. Literally, the words " Pla Neung Ma-Nao " are derived from three Thai words: "Pla", "Neung" and "Ma-Nao". "Pla" refers to fishs. "Neung" mean steam and "Ma-Nao" refers to limes.




Ingredients

  • 400 to 500 grams prepared fish 
  • 8 small chillies, coarsely chopped 
  • 6 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce 
  • 3 tablespoons lime sauce 
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar 
  • 2 stalks of spring onions,cut into approximately 1 inch
  • Coriander leaves, for garnish




Directions

1. Cut three or four slashes in each side of the fish. Arrange the 

    fish on a stainless steel dinner plate. Set aside. 



2. For Lime Sauce. Mix together lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.
   Stir until sugar is dissolve. Add in chillies, garlic and spring 
   onions. Stir just combine. Taste-test the sauce. It should be
   tangy - a balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour. Adjust it to
   your taste by adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, more 
   lime juice if too salty or sweet, more sugar if too sour, or more
   chilies if not spicy enough for your taste.  

3. Bring several inches of water to boil in a steamer. Pour 1 
    tablespoon of lime sauce (liquid only) onto the fish, and 
    then place the plate into a steamer and cover. Briefly steam 
    until done, about 10 to 15 minutes. 



4. Once cooked remove fish from the heat. Arrange on serving
    plate. Pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with the 
    coriander leaves. Served hot.


Wednesday 14 March 2012

ปลาหมึกนึ่งมะนาว/ Pla Meuk Neung Ma-Nao/ Steamed Squid with Lime Sauce Recipe (step by step photos)

Steamed Squid with Lime Sauce in Thai called "Pla Meuk Neung Ma-Nao". This delicious squid preparation is an excellent fresh and healthy side dish. It is a sour, sweet, salty and spicy steamed squid typical in Thailand and Laos. Literally, the words " Pla-Meuk Neung Ma-Nao " are derived from three Thai words: "Pla-Meuk", "Neung" and "Ma-Nao". "Pla-Meuk" refers to squids. "Neung" mean steam and "Ma-Nao" refers to limes.



Ingredients
  • 4 medium size prepared squid 
  • 200 grams skinless, boneless, chopped chicken breast 
  • 5 to 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 
  • 8 small chilies, coarsely chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce 
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice 
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar 

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
  • 2 coriander root, finely chopped 

  • Coriander leaves for garnish



Directions 

1. Mix together chicken, black pepper and coriander root. Fill

    the chicken mixture into the prepared squids until almost full. 
    Arrange the squids on a stainless steel dinner plate. Use
    knife to make 3 to 4 cuts on the squids. Set aside. 



2. For Lime Sauce Ingredient. Mix together lime juice, fish 

    sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolve. Add in chilies
   and garlic. Stir just combined. Taste-test the sauce. It 
    should be tangy-a balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour.
    Adjust it to your taste by adding more fish sauce if not salty 
    enough, more lime juice if too salty or sweet, more sugar if 
    too sour, or more chilies if not spicy enough for your taste. 



3. Bring several inches of water to boil in a steamer. Pour 1 

    tablespoon of lime sauce (liquid only) onto the squibs, and 
    then place the plate into a steamer and cover. Briefly steam
    until done, about 6 to 7 minutes. 



4. Once cooked remove squids from the heat. Cut the squid into 

    bite sized chunks and arrange on serving plate. Pour the sauce 
    over the squid and garnish with the coriander leaves. 


Monday 12 March 2012

Rose Shape Mantou/ Plain Chinese Steamed Bun Recipe (step by step photos)

According to Wikipedia Mantou or Chinese Steamed Bun/Bread is a kind of stemmed bun originating in China. They are typically eaten as a staple in northern parts of China where wheat, rather than rice is grown. They are made with milled wheat flour, water and leavening agents. A popular story in China relates that the name mantou actually originated from the identically written and pitched, but more heavily pronounced word mántóu meaning "barbarian's head". The name mantou is cognate to manty and mantı; these are filled dumplings in Turkish, Persian, Central Asian, and Pakistani cuisines. In Japan, manjū usually indicates filled buns, which traditionally contain bean paste or minced meat-vegetable mixture. Filled mantou are called siopao in Tagalog. In Korea, mandu can refer to both baozi and jiaozi. In Mongolia, mantuu are basically the same as the Chinese mantou. Today, I will make mantou using my favourite recipe that I adapted from http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com

Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 350 grams pau flour/low protein flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 30 grams white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon shortening
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • *200 to 250 milliliters morning glory juice/water

*If using 250 milliliters water and kneading by hand, add in 200 milliliters first, kneading well than slowly add in the remainder 10 to 15 milliliters each time. This is to make sure that the dough is not too sticky to handle.


Directions 

1. In a small bowl, mix together yeast and warm water. Stir well. 

    Allow to proof until yeast resembles creamy foam. 



2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
    Add in shortening and combine well. Mix in yeast mixture and 
    sugar. Mix well then add in morning glory juice. Knead until 
    dough surface is smooth and elastic. Roll over in a greased 
    bowl. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until double in 
    bulk, about 30 minutes depending on room temperature. 



3. For Rose Shape Rolls. Punch dough down. Knead for a few 
    minutes, and divide the dough into 50 grams equal pieces.(If 
    the dough is too sticky dust your hand and work surface lightly
    with some flour). Coat each piece with vegetable oil. Shape 
    each into a long stick.  Flatten each stick and roll into a small 
    long rectangle, about 4cm wide. Brush vegetable oil all over 
    the surface of the dough. Take the ends of the dough, roll in 
    to make shaped like a rose. Place the roll on a wax paper 
    squares, about 6cm square. Let stand covered until doubled, 
    about 30 to 45 minutes. 

  


5. Bring water to a boil in a steamer using high heat. Transfer as 
    many mantou on wax paper as will comfortably fit onto 
    steamer and leave 1 to 2 inches between each mantou. 
    Cover steamer with lid. Steam mantou over boiling water for 
    5 minutes.



6.  REMOVE LID BEFORE you turn off heat, or else water will 
     drop back onto mantou surface and produce yellowish 
     “blisters” on it surfaces. Continue steaming batches of 
      mantou until all are cooked.