YAM WOON SEN (Thai Glass Noodle Salad)

Self cooking photograph

glass noodles	50g
prawn	8 pieces, boiled
chicken mince	100g, boiled
black fungus	1/4 cup (clean)
spring onion	2 stems, diced
tomato	1, thinly sliced
red chillies	3, chopped (adjust to taste)
carrot	1 small, thinly sliced
lettuce	some, chopped
peanuts	1tsp, roasted
fish sauce	1tbsp
lime juice	2tbsp
salt	to taste
caster sugar	1/2 tsp
Method:
Soak black fungus or wood-ear mushrooms in water for 30 minutes or until soft, thinly sliced.
Soak glass noodles in lukewarm water for 15 minutes or until they are soft.
Drain and cook in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain and rinse with cold water.
In a bowl, add fish sauce, red chillies, lime juice, caster sugar and salt, mix well.
(You should taste the seasoning and adjust according to the taste)
Stir in chicken, spring onion, tomato, black fungus, carrot, lettuce and mix well.
Now add glass noodles and prawns, toss everything together.
Garnish with roasted peanuts on the top.
Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
(I prefer it before main meal)
Serves 2.
Note: The authentic taste will come with fish sauce but the substitute is soy sauce.

Zucchini Curry

Self cooking photograph

I love to have Zucchini in any form - steamed, boiled, grilled, stuffed, baked, or fried. It’s a squash and is low in calories.
Zucchini can be prepared in a variety of ways and here is zucchini cooked Egyptian style.
zucchini	500g, round sliced
onion	1, chopped
tomatoes	2, round sliced
green chillies	3, chopped - adjust to taste
ginger	1tsp, chopped
garlic	2 cloves, crushed
fenugreek seeds	1tsp
salt	to taste
red chilli powder	1tsp
lemon juice	2 tbsp
oil	3tbsp
Method:
Heat oil in a pan, add onion, green chillies, ginger, garlic and chilli powder.
Stir well to combine for 2 minutes.
Add zucchini, tomatoes, salt and fenugreek seeds and stir fry for 10 minutes.
Cover the pan, stir occasionally until vegetables are tender.
Stir with lemon juice and remove the pan from heat.
Serve hot over rice or with pita bread/ chapatis.
Serves 4.

Simple White Bread

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bread flour	325g
honey/ sugar	2 tbsp (adjust to taste)
instant yeast	2tsp
salt	1tsp
lukewarm water	1 cup
olive oil	1tbsp
egg	1 beaten (egg wash)
Method:
Combine the water, yeast and honey or sugar, mix well.
Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
Add the flour and knead until it is smooth and elastic.
Now add the salt and olive oil; knead again until they are incorporated.
Dust your work surface with flour, take the dough out and knead the dough briefly then form it into any shape (ball, oval, rectangle).
Coat with olive oil and return it to the bowl. Cover and set aside for an hour.
Prepare a baking sheet and sprinkle some cornmeal.
Take out the dough and knead again briefly to knock the air out, then again form into any shape (ball, oval, rectangle).
Place the dough, seam-side down, on the prepared pan.
Cover the dough once again with plastic wrap and set aside for another 30 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap, brush lightly with egg wash and slash the top of the dough.
(This bread can also be made without egg wash)
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until golden brown, for 35 - 40 minutes.
Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool completely on a rack before slicing.
Makes 1 loaf.

Tarragon Mustard Sauce

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sour cream	150g
dijon mustard	50g
fresh tarragon	2tbsp
white vinegar	1tbsp
salt & pepper	to taste
dill	1tsp
Method:
Mix all the ingredients except dill in a sauce pan over low heat.
Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool.
Sprinkle with dill.
Serve with seafood or chicken.
Makes 1 cup.
Note: Substitute for tarragon is chives or chervil.

Cheese & Spinach Souffle Roll

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Cheese Souffle:
all purpose flour	1/4 cup
fresh milk	1 cup
butter	1/4 cup
egg yolks	4
egg whites	4
cheddar cheese	250g - shredded
salt	1/2tsp
black pepper	to taste
Filling:
spinach	1kg
flour	2tsp
fresh milk	1 cup
butter	2tbsp
breadcrumbs	1/2 cup
onion	1/2 cup, chopped
lemon juice	2tsp
salt	to taste
pepper	to taste
Method:
Line a jelly roll pan with baking paper.
In a pan melt butter, blend in flour and seasoning.
Add milk and stir well till thick bubbles. Turn off the heat.
Mix yolks with 1tbsp of heated milk and again return to heat.
Cook more than 1 minute to cook the yolks.
Remove from heat, add cheese and stir to melt; set aside.
Stiffly beat egg whites with a pinch of salt.
Fold yolk mixture with the whites gently till smooth.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes on 180 degrees until golden brown.
(It should spring back when touched)
Line a kitchen towel and sprinkle bread crumbs.
Invert souffle onto towel and remove the paper.
Spread on the spinach filling and roll with the help of towel.
Place it seam down on oven proof dish, sprinkle with extra cheese.
Bake until cheese melts.
Spinach Filling:
In another pan, cook spinach well till water dries.
Melt butter and fry onions till golden.
Add the flour, mix well.
Now add milk and cook till thick.
Add cooked and drained spinach and seasoning as per taste, mix well and set aside.
Serve hot.
Serves 6.

Brinjal with Peas & Beans

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brinjal	1 big, cubes
broad beans	100g, trimmed
peas	100g
onion	1, chopped
green chillies	2, chopped
garlic	1/2 tsp
red chilli flakes	2tsp - adjust to taste
lemon juice	2tbsp
thai red curry paste	1tbsp
soy sauce	2tbsp
sugar	1tsp
fresh cream	3tbsp
chicken stock	1 cup
oil	3tbsp
Method:
Heat oil in a pan, add onion, green chillies, garlic and red curry paste.
Keep stirring for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add brinjal, mix, cover and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Now add beans and peas, stir fry for 2 minutes.
Now add stock, soy sauce, sugar and cream, mix well.
Cover and cook on a low flame until all vegetables done, stir occasionally.
Add lemon juice and remove from heat.
Serve hot with chapati.
Serves 4.
Thai Red Curry Paste - my version:
red chilli pepper	3tsp
garlic/ ginger paste	1tsp
coriander powder	1/2tsp
cumin powder	1/2tsp
sugar	1tsp
soy sauce	2tbsp
lemon juice	3tbsp
lemon grass	1tbsp, chopped
(substitute for lemon grass is lemon rind)
Method:
Mix well all the ingredients in a bowl.
Red chilli and lemon juice can be adjusted as per the taste.
It also tastes aromatic with grilled food.

Olive Biscuit Bread

Self cooking photograph

all purpose flour	2-1/4 cups
sugar	1/4 cup
egg	1
baking powder	4tsp
green olives	3/4 cup, chopped
milk	1-1/4 cups
butter	1tbsp
olive oil	1tbsp
(If you don’t want to use olive oil than use 2tbsp butter altogether)
Method:
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and olives in a bowl.
In another bowl, add milk, egg, butter, and olive oil.
Beat them together well.
Now add milk mixture to the flour and stir until its completely moistened.
Scrap batter into a greased loaf pan.
Preheated oven on 190 C.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out dry.
Let bread sit for 10 minutes after removing it from heat.
Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
Makes 1 loaf.

Potato, Capsicum & Spinach in Red Thai Sauce

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Name this dish as you would wish either stir fry or curry! The taste is just fantastic - tangy!
potatoes	500g, cubes
capsicum	1 big, cubes
spinach	1-1/2 bunch, chopped
tomatoes	4, cut into quarters
onion	2, cut into wedges
ginger julienne	1tsp
garlic clove	1, chopped
coriander powder	1tbsp
chicken stock	2 cups (vegetable stock can also be used)
thai red curry paste	2tbsp - adjust to taste
olive oil	3tbsp
Method:
Boil potato cubes a pan until tender and keep aside.
In a separate pan boil chopped spinach until its wilted and keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok, add onions, capsicum, ginger and garlic.
Stir fry for 3 minutes on low heat.
Add coriander, potatoes, tomatoes, stock and curry paste.
Bring it to boil, stirring occasionally on medium heat.
Add spinach, reduce heat, stir lightly, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the cover, stir occasionally on medium heat until water dries.
Serve hot with chapati or any kind of bread.
Serves 4.
Thai Red Curry Paste - my version of easiest paste:
red chilli pepper	3tsp
garlic/ ginger paste	1tsp
coriander powder	1/2tsp
cumin powder	1/2tsp
sugar	1tsp
soy sauce	2tbsp
lemon juice	3tbsp
lemon grass	1tbsp, chopped
(substitute for lemon grass is lemon rind)
Method:
Mix well all the ingredients in a bowl.
Red chilli and lemon juice can be adjusted as per the taste.
It also tastes aromatic with grilled food.

Molten Lava Cake

Self cooking photograph

I find the oozing runny chocolate of this simple recipe very seductive especially when I dig into it.
Also known as chocolate decadence cake and chocolate fondant pudding.
baking chocolate	100g (dark chocolate)
butter	100g
egg	2
sugar	1/3 cup
all purpose flour	1/4 cup
Method:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler to make it smooth liquid.
(do not use direct stove heat, chocolate will burn).
Add butter when chocolate is completely melted.
In a deep bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a blender till the mixture is frothy.
Now pour melted chocolate/butter into egg mixture and stir in the flour.
Mix well  with a hand blender or use a spatula.
Grease your ramekins/ baking bowls with butter or oil.
Pour batter in the bowls and fill almost 3/4 each because it will rise.
Bake in a preheated oven of 180C for about 10 to 13 minutes, depending on different types of oven.
Usually it gets done in 10 minutes but  mine takes exactly 12 minutes.
Let it cool for 1 minute when its baked.
Use a knife to gently loosen the edges and invert the cake onto serving plate.
Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.
Serves 4 to 6.
Double Boiler: It’s a technique to cook delicate sauces or to melt chocolate. Upper small pan containing the substance(chocolate) to be cooked   and fill the lower bigger pan halfway with water.  The smaller one, when placed inside the bigger one, should not touch the bottom of the bigger one. Note: The consistency of the chocolate depends on the baking time. Note: No worries if you over-bake it, you will get a super moist chocolate cake instead.