While we were sleeping...

In the early hours of Tuesday morning the unthinkable happened- someone broke into our house, a man rummaged through our belongings and personal things were removed- all while we were sleeping....
Clearly he didn't care if anyone was home or not. Shameful how they have no concern or respect for the feelings of others.
This is the second time this year we have been victim to crime. Earlier this year our bank card was skimmed during our holiday in Brazil. On this occasion it was shocking but it doesn't nearly compare to having your own home invaded by strangers and losing precious, personal possessions.
Our laptop, camera's, mobile telephones, sunglasses and wallets/purses (only to be left discarded minus cash, outside) were taken, stolen. The worse thing- my photo's, ones recently taken still on the SD card in my beloved camera and all my photo's on the laptop- priceless to me, of no value to anyone else. We have had to change passwords because many were set to an 'auto fill' option on the laptop- you think you are safe in your own home.
Yes it could have been worse, we could have woken up and disturbed the thief, he could have come searching upstairs....I shudder to think....
But still, it is truly disturbing, I feel violated.
For a fraction of a second I forget- I start to look something up in the laptop, I want to grab my camera for a photo, I want to send a text....everything is gone. My world has been invaded.

Take precautions, learn from our mistakes, don't like us, be lulled into a false sense of security. It can happen to you! Make sure your home is safe. Ensure you make a back-up for your photo's and computer files and keep it up-dated!
In the last few weeks I had been busy with various blog postings but now all my supporting photo's are gone.
My appetite has suffered, I haven't cooked for two days and that speak volumes...
I am rapidly losing faith in the human race.

Holiday Inspiration. 3 words Olive oil, Saffron, honey- which country?

With the holiday season rapidly drawing to a close it is perhaps a little premature to consider next year’s plans... Some of us may still be savouring the lingering taste of scrumptious foreign delights (more in our minds than on our palate), while others may be suffering the familiar holiday perils: extra pounds, uncomfortable sun burn or overspending- but you all have undoubtedly experienced new things and have precious memories to cherish. Travel is so broadening.
There is nothing so blissful as a holiday. Being in the branch ourselves unfortunately, we are unable to get away at this time of year. We have to hang off the words and experiences of others! It is amazing what a change a vacation break can make- our customers may leave with big smiles in their 'holiday home on wheels' excited yes, but often showing slight signs of apprehension, (at the prospect of driving such an awesome sized vehicle?) and often still attempting to tie up work related loose ends and other commitments (the joys of mobile phones). The quality time spent with family and the chosen path must work wonders because everyone returns recharged, relaxed, sun-tanned and brimming with stories to tell. We even have 'regulars' so we obviously must be doing something right.
Choosing a holiday destination can be exciting but somewhat daunting. The world is a large place, so should you discover new territories or do you return to a known and treasured location that has already stolen your heart? Every country has its charms, be it the hot sun and cocktails of Brazil, the flora and fauna of Costa Rica, the great food and wine of Italy, the impressive temples and Nile sunsets of Egypt or the warm, friendly caring nature of Thailand.
It is personal choice but often there is one country that stand head and shoulders above the rest for its overall appeal. For me it is the answer to the three clues........Greece. Did you guess correctly? My dream holiday would be to take a camper and drive down to Italy take a ferry and explore as much Greece as possible.

Three years ago I visited Greece for the very first time, I choose the largest of the Greek islands- beautiful Crete. In fact Vai beach, Crete is the film location of the Bounty chocolate bar of the 90's- so it really is a taste of paradise.
It was a fabulous vacation, I did the usual touristic things but was also lucky enough to experience a glimpse of real Crete. It is a country with many different faces. The Northern part is where you'll find the bigger holiday resorts (including the prime destination for party goers- Hersonissos / Chersonissos) but also picturesque towns like Rethymnon, and in Southern Crete it is much less developed and rockier. It has a good balance of old world and modern comforts. The climate is perfect.

It is quite stunning, it has lakes, mountains, crystal clear, strikingly blue waters and skies, with beaches to suit all tastes- sandy, pebble, rocky, lively or secluded. You'll find wildlife and beautiful species of flowers, plants and trees. Throw in catchy Greek music, very good food and intoxicating cocktails! With names like 'Sex on the beach' or 'Greek Passion'- how can you possibly resist?! The main challenge is not how many you can drink, but not to blush when you order!

The people are warm and friendly. They are very much 'traditionalists'. Especially in the villages the Cretans like to retain the 'old' way of life. They are content and show little interest or desire to leave their paradise- but they are happy to show you their beautiful country.

In the summer months the emphasis is largely on the tourist industry. After the last charter flight leaves in October, Crete is devoted to farming and agriculture. They harvest their olives, oranges and other products. There are no direct flights at all to Crete during this period (only via Athens), but in March the flights resume and tourism becomes important once more.
Every family is encouraged to produce and tend their very own olive groves. It is therefore not surprising to hear the ratio is 60 olive trees to each inhabitant! Because families gather their olives and process their olive oil, they are lucky enough to have their own personal supply! Usually there is one type, a kind of 'house oil- I guess- an all purpose oil, used for both hot and cold dishes, savoury or sweet. When I left Crete I was given some in a 1 1/2 liter 'soda' bottle- it was lovely, very pure tasting olive oil.
I too felt happy and very content in Crete, the way of life is relaxed. Their motto: work to live and not live to work. It is that simple. Are you ready to give up the Rat Race?
I always try to find a holiday destination that will inspire me on a culinary level. Of course it is difficult to always appreciate 'mass produced' food in Hotels. But my general opinion of Greek food is good. The wine is another story- the local wines taste more like fortified wine. Stick to the cocktails!
The Cretan diet is famous for being very healthy, tasty and nutritious, the rich soil ensure an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, which they prepare in simple but delicious ways, honey is important not to mention fish. All this is washed down with copious amounts of olive oil! (on average 25 liters per person annually!) The Greeks love to grill, be it vegetables or meat. Although you can expect a variety of different meats/ fish, I believe the huge quantity of meat often served in Greek restaurants in Holland is largely to cater for the Dutch people and is not particularly representative of Greek cuisine.
The down side of my introduction to Greek olive oil was it spoiled me somewhat, being the best olives / oil I had ever tasted, I now much prefer Olive Oil from Crete on my salads or just dipping.

I do use other types of (olive) oil for cooking- which are actually processed oils- from the likes of Bertolli and Carbonell. My tip: Carefully read the labels with much suspicion. You may think you are getting good olive oil but even 'pure' olive oil is the term for refined oil (processed) that has been mixed with Virgin olive oil!
Don't be misled. Olive oil that has been bottled in say Italy doesn't say anything about the origin of the olives/oil in question! There are a lot of dubious practices regarding olive oil...welcome to the oil business! There are too many cases of olive oil being 'adulterated'- that is, olive oil diluted with olives originating from other countries or even with other (much cheaper) oil types! Further olive oil is often chemically manipulated to altered the acidity levels and even artificially 'coloured'.
I am especially disturbed by misleading labeling- there is a definite a lack of overall regulation. It needs to be addressed and standarised. It's quite scandalous. We, the consumers are being cheated, not only out of our money but our health! I will be doing a blog on olive oil in the future. Watch this space.
Cretan olive oil is a top quality oil with very low acidity (0-1), largely hand harvested, and traditionally produced. For as long as it remains in the hands of the 'people' and not the 'industry' it will retain it's superior quality. The extra Virgin Olive oil I use has a golden slightly green colour, and a exceptionally fine taste and aroma reflective of the good climate, fertile soil and ideal conditions for the prime development of the olive trees.
Greece rank 3rd place (18%) in world production after Spain (30%) and Italy (24%).
My next important find was Saffron-

This is the most precious, colourful, and expensive spice in the world. Saffron are the stigmas from the Crocus Sativus flower. Krokos Kozanis (produced in mainland Greece) or Greek Red Saffron is a superior quality Saffron. Saffron is expensive because it is very labour intensive to grow as well as harvest. The stigmata is extracted by hand and dried, each flower contains a mere 3 filaments- 150 crocus flowers yield only 1 gram of dried saffron!

Saffron is not just a fragrant, colourful food enhancer it has many therapeutic qualities. It aids digestion, asthma, is anti cancer / anti oxidant and even boosts your sexual energy!
The much cheaper safflower flowers can be used to offer some colour to foods but no flavour. Safflower is frequently confused with and sometimes passed off as saffron. Make sure buy your saffron from a reputable source! We were once cheated in Egypt- we were offered the real thing to sample but were sold or 'fobbed off' with safflower! It wasn't until we were home and unpacked it that we became aware of the deceit. The difference is that whereas Saffron consists of loose red filaments, safflower often is 'clumped' and often yellow/orange in colour.

Saffron dissolves well in oil, water, milk, lemon juice or even alcohol! (apparently vodka yields extremely good results I have yet to try- but I will!) I have been all too often disappointed with the colour produced by my saffron- not really knowing quite what do with it or how much to use. I had once read that large doses of saffron can be lethal! I now realise it would have to be of unaffordable quantities!
I now use a little warm water and soak the strands for anything from 15minutes to two hours, then I press them with a spoon, it is amazing how much colour will be released.
Saffron rice:

Other finds include olives, honey, in particular- Thyme honey (and wild flower)- yet again high quality and acclaimed as being one of the best in the world. But don't be alarmed it doesn't taste strongly of Thyme! The honey is rich in the aroma and flavour of pollen collected by bees from the wild Thyme (and wild flowers) growing abundantly on the island. It is often sold in pretty glass jars with mixed nuts.

I also purchased various dried herbs- these are often served on a Greek salad and mixes for making authentic tzatziki. And of course some real Feta cheese. Rich and creamy, salty, moist and slightly sour, semi-solid and certainly not hard and tasteless like you often find here.
Also I was intrigued by a number of non food products. Natural sponges and olive oil based skin products. Olive soap, but also face moisturisers, toners, cleansers, shampoos and even sun tan lotion. We opted for this natural sun screen (of course not totally chemical free) and it was superb.
Add these little goodies to a couple of bottles of Ouzo and you have one happy lady!
It will be no surprise to hear that one year later I returned to Crete to stock up on my supplies- and I actively encourage other family member to visit Greece (with my shopping list) in order to satisfy my passion.


I was so inspired in Crete that I immediately threw a Greek themed party on my return.
My BBQ menu included Feta filled burgers. Souvlaki (chunks of meat with herbs and spices cooked and served on skewers) I used the sweetest tasting lamb. Greek chicken, bread, Greek salad and Bourekakia (Feta cheese/ spinach filled triangle pastries) Fresh fruit including pineapple and water melon and cocktails!
Unfortunately I have no photo's of the food but here are the cocktails:

The Feta filled burger- otherwise known as Biftekia Yemista or Biftekia Gemista
This has since become a firm favourite in our household. Who doesn't love oozing cheese? These are minced meat/cheese burgers but without the bread bun and with the cheese on the inside- lets be kinder and call them meat patties.
I was inspired by this recipe
You can vary the type of mince, the herbs and cooking methods (BBQ, grill, oven or frying pan!) and even try different cheeses.
I have tried all sorts, including with and without breadcrumbs and egg- all with excellent results. Photo to follow.

I hope you have found inspiration during your vacations and wish you lots of happy holidays in the future.
PS If you are heading in the direction of Greece feel free to mail me for my shopping list.....;-)

Pumpkin/ butternut squash with pasta

I'm a pumpkin fan, and as I've already mentioned I'm always looking for new and interesting ways of serving it. Unfortunately the love of pumpkin never came naturally to the rest of the family- although I do believe they are beginning to warm up to it.
It transforms any meal with its vibrant colour and it's healthy too! And isn't it great that it is no longer just an autumn vegetable.
So if you have a pumpkin or butternut squash sitting on the shelf what about combining it with pasta as part of a main meal?
Pumpkin is actually a traditional filling for Ravioli in Italy. I will be doing a blog about fresh pasta and homemade ravioli but today I wanted a quick meal for three so I used packet pasta. My recipe is all about the things I love, so not Italian just my recipe, so nothing exact just go with the flow. I used purple basil because I could- it is home grown and I thought the colour would be amazing. But traditional basil will do fine. Basil is one of my favourite herbs, but dried basil will just not cut it!

I used AH fresh pesto but you could make your own. In fact nothing beats homemade. Only when you make your own do you get the traditional pesto alla genovese with authentic ingredients like fresh basil, fresh parsley, pine nuts, crushed garlic, grated hard cheese- Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) /Grana Padano or Pecorino and olive oil. Too often walnuts or cashew nuts substitute the pine nuts (or partly), not to forget use of cheaper oils. There is nothing wrong with experimenting using different nuts (try almond too) but what is wrong is the manufactures claiming the pesto is ‘traditional’ when clearly substitutes have been made. The main ingredients in the AH Pesto I used were 27% olive oil, 22% fresh basil, 20% rapeseed oil, 11% cheese, and merely 7% pine nuts.
This is fresh pesto:


Pumpkin/ butternut squash with pasta (pesto, pinenuts and purple basil)

Serves 3, (adjust accordingly)
220gr pasta
Oil for frying
1 small organic pumpkin, diced (or butternut squash)
1 onion
1 stick celery, finely diced
bacon/ salami (I used a mixture of both but use what you prefer)
1 ball mozzarella, roughly chopped (If you don't have any I'm pretty sure mascarpone would be great too and add a sprinkling of Grana Padano before serving)
butter
1 heaped tsp cumin ground (optional- I love this spice with pumpkin)
chili flakes
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp pesto (green)
purple basil
pine nuts
salt pepper

Remove pumpkin skin and discard seeds. Dice into small pieces (uneven sizes). I liked the idea to get a kind of half puree/ half pumpkin pieces so I chopped uneven pieces to get a good texture.
Cook pasta. Dry-roast the pine nuts in a saucepan. Don't let them burn!
Fry first the bacon and then add the salami in a little oil until crispy. Set aside. In the same oil brown onion. Add pumpkin, celery and 1 tsp cumin and fry for a few minutes. Add some chili flakes and garlic.
Reduce heat and cook gently until tender. Add a big dollop of butter (or olive oil) and the bacon/salami, pesto, pasta and mozzarella cheese heat through.
Serve with a sprinkling of pine nuts and basil leaves.

A Thai themed dinner party

The reason of this posting has numerous purposes and is therefore longer than the ones I am accustomed to writing. I hope you will bear with me and perhaps the colourful photo's will somehow make up for it.
I hope to encourage those who are not yet familiar with Thai cuisine- perhaps even inspire (a reluctant) someone to prepare some Thai food at home.
I hope to give ideas and tips on how to host a Thai themed evening.
It is in reply to my guests who have requested the recipes. (scroll down)
And lastly it is to torture the absentees of my Thai dinner party- I am so sorry you guys couldn’t make it- and who knows perhaps I may even be convinced to organise another evening- Thai food is easy, tasty and healthy!

Last year Indian, this year Thai:
Once a year I hold a themed dinner party. Often we have girly get together and mostly do the ‘pot luck’ thing but during the themed evenings the guys are invited- and we are talking about men with large appetites! Last year we enjoyed a taste of India, and this year it just had to be spicy Thai. The essence of Thai cuisine is in the use of simple, fresh ingredients, cut into bite sized pieces and cooked to perfection.

I felt I had mastered the art of good authentic Thai food after being inspired by my holiday in Thailand last year and I felt confident enough to cater to the needs of 15 friends- but could I pull it off...? I did indeed- but I couldn't have done it without my two Bodum wok pans- they are fantastic. And in particular the help of one friend- I even forgive her for throwing olive oil over my kitchen floor in the process!
Asian food (apart from Indian) never really hit the spot as far as I was concerned up until my recent holiday that is. My eldest son has an allergy to MonoSodium Glutamate, often added to Asian foods, so we avoided eating at Chinese/ Indonesian restaurants at all costs.
We have however always eaten Indian food on a regular basis. When I first came to Holland, many years ago, I was taught to cook authentic Indian cuisine by a family where I worked as au pair. It has always remained a favourite.

Thai food:
I didn't really expect to enjoy Thai cuisine but was curious. I had once attempted to cook a Thai curry with little success. The sauce was thin (I didn’t realise it should be- can you believe I actually thickened it with corn flour!) and it separated. I also found it hard to get past using =fish sauce in a chicken curry- and oh boy it was HOT!
The Thai people are food obsessive and seem to be eating, (warm) dishes, every moment of the day- be it early morning or late at night!
Thai food can be very hot but in general they will honour your wishes if you request a milder curry. Ask for ‘mai pet'.

I must say it did take me a few days to get over the fish sauce thing. I really didn't care to taste fish in my chicken curry! But there is no salt used in Thai cuisine, the curries are 'salted' with fish sauce, and I must say I did get used to it.
The key to great Thai food is about getting the balance right: hot(spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter. Flavours should complement one another.
Often the food is a work of art, the appearance is beautiful and often the garnishes are lavish. Thai food is often served with masterfully carved fruits and vegetables.

Rice is a staple component of Thai cuisine. The food is often served with plain steamed rice to tone the spicy food down and soak up the abundant (thin) sauce. Jasmine (or Pandan) is a slightly sticky but very fragrant rice. It is traditional to start every meal with a mouthful of rice out of respect.
Chopsticks are rarely used, in favour are a spoon and fork. Thai food is further served with one or two condiments.
The food is 'shared-' an unusual concept for us but we soon became used to it as the food was always placed centrally and we sampled each other’s choices. There are no 'courses' as such, you eat the food as it arrives.
Important ingredients are coconut milk, chilies, garlic, galangal (also known as Galanga, Blue Ginger or Laos) ginger, lemon grass, palm sugar, lime juice, kaffir leaves, shallots, spring onions, Thai Basil, coriander, turmeric, and Thai curry paste.
Often the ingredients are added to 'feel', not accurately weighed, later it is adjusted accordingly by tasting.
I always have two pots of the basic curry paste: green and red on hand. (I haven’t tried yellow as yet) Basically it is a ground mix of lemongrass, red (for red curry paste) or green chili (for green curry paste) garlic, galangal, onion, salt, bergamot and coriander. You certainly don't have to feel guilty using paste since it is quite accepted, although you could start from scratch. I use paste and extra fresh ingredients, and am more than happy with the results.*
Often the meat of a Thai curry is ‘poached’ in coconut milk- doesn’t sound very appetizing does it? There are one or two ways of preparing a curry. You can start off with frying the curry paste, then adding the coconut milk and then ‘poaching’ the meat but I prefer the method of heating a little coconut milk, adding the curry paste and then the meat.
Note: A proper Thai curry should have a sheen of (coconut) oil on top. I hope I have given you some insight on Thai food.

Menu:
I started planning my meals by scouring through my cookery books. I had one small Thai cookery book, one wok book and I purchased an extra 'Easy Thai Cookbook' because it came with a CD featuring traditional Thai music.
I happened to come across a Thai water melon salad in a Jamie Oliver book and on sight I knew instantly one of my choices was made.

I wanted to make a basic Thai green curry and a Thai red curry. I choose chicken to complement the green and fish for the red. Further I wanted a beef dish and opted for a dish with coconut milk and peanuts. I opted for mushrooms in a oyster sauce. A Thai evening wouldn't be complete without loempia's (spring rolls)and for a vegetable dish, I decided on pak choi. (pak soi) Further I couldn't leave out the vivid colours of butternut squash and the topper had to be the tiger prawns- that is sure a dish to impress! I also prepared some freshly toasted salted coconut pieces.
Dessert was tapioca pudding with coconut milk and lime juice, and a selection of fresh fruits.
We served rose / white wine, a selection of fruit juice and Thai 'Singha' beer.
Dishes:
Scroll down for recipes.
Green Thai chicken curry with Thai 'pea' aubergines and bamboo shoots
Red Thai pangasius fish and prawns with red onion, cherry tomatoes and oyster mushrooms
Beef with sweet (but spicy) peanut sauce
Dried mushrooms in oyster sauce
Pak choi with caraway seeds
Tiger prawns with chili and mustard seeds
Spiced butternut squash in coconut cream
Coconut crisps
Loempia's/ springrolls (thanks to Gail-10/10)

Pandan rice (thanks to Paula- 10/10)
Salads: Thai water melon (thanks to Gail)
Cucumber and coriander (thanks to Breda)
Mixed green salad (thanks to Iryna)
Snacks and kroepoek (thanks to Iryna and Rob)
Various dipping sauces: Incl Thai sweet chili sauce (see photo)
Dessert:
Tapioca in coconut milk served with lime juice
Fresh fruits:
Pineapple and mango marinated in caramel, star aniseed and brandy
Dragon fruit
Seaweed desserts (thanks to Rob)
The Durian is the king of Thai fruit. We actually didn’t serve the fruit but did have a Durian fruit ‘sausage’ (Thanks to Rob). It is has a spiky thorn like appearance, has a unique taste and texture and is relatively expensive. The Durian however, is famous for its strong and offensive odour that has even led to it being banned from many hotels, airports and public places. I didn’t find it offensive at all, I found it to be very fragrant and pleasant- once I got past the unusual texture.


Decor: We brightened up the dining/livingroom with a few simple props. A giant fan, a parasol, some (artifical)orchids (don't tell anyone!)and some draped scalves really set the scene.
Tablecloths were just lengths of material. I made some ice lanterns and scattered a few pebbles. I used scallop shells as serving plates and oriental pots for various condiments
We burnt some insense to get the mood right. As a finishing touch we had ordered via internet 5 Thai lanterns. Here is an example, not of ours but you'll get an idea. These were a great success, they really have something magical- make a wish, you never know it may well come true!
We provided chopsticks and made a few food decorations. The Thai garnishes are made are quite simple, you can peel a tomato in one long piece and wrap in into the shape of a beautiful rose. You can also make cuts into a radish, make a flower from a chili, fine slices in a spring onion or fans out of pieces of cucumber. To get the onion, chili and radish to curl, plunge in into ice cold water.
I set the table, 15 settings, as I like to be seated and there was a strict policy- no childern! The meal was buffet style- self service! We also had a salad bar, a dessert bar and a juice/ drinks bar.
Fortune cookies brought a fun element at the end of the meal.
We played Thai music and had planned to do a spot of karaoke- very populair in Thailand, later in the evening but decided to relax outside by the open fire instead.


Preparation:
Setting the menu was half the work. Last year I prepared a lot of the dishes the day before because Indian food just gets better. I like my Thai food freshly cooked so I planned to do most of the cooking on the day itself. I did however cook the coconut pieces, the tapioca, cut the fruit (and marinated it) and the pumpkin dish one day before.
I started doing the dried mushroom in the morning because they obviously need soaking. The peanut sauce I prepared early on and cooled down, as I added the steak very last minute. The two red/green curries I cooked late in the afternoon. The pak choi was also made last minute- I want crunch! And to really get the best out of the prawns I cooked them after the guests had arrived!
We served the prawns and spring rolls as starters.


RECIPES:

Green Thai chicken curry.
Note: I made the green curry using 1250gr chicken and 1 litre coconut milk but I normally make a curry with approx 600gr chicken and 400ml coconut milk. This is a fairly basic curry so I don’t actually follow a recipe. I used the smaller Thai chili peppers (Rawits) Below is roughly my standard Green Curry recipe.


500-600gr chicken breast, cut in small pieces/ cubes (or any meat of choice)
400ml coconut milk
2-3 tbsp green Thai curry paste
Piece ginger and galangal, grated
1-2 sticks lemon grass, bruised and bashed (brings out the flavour) alternately you could use minced lemon grass from a jar.
1 green Thai chili, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed/grated
1-2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar/ or a small piece of palm sugar
Juice of one small lime
Kaffir leaves (or a little lime zest)
Thai sweet basil, fresh
1-2 Spring onion, sliced
Vegetables of choice: I used bamboo shoots and baby ‘pea’Thai aubergines


Heat a wok and add nearly half of the coconut milk. Heat and stir until the coconut boils and starts to separate. Add the green curry paste and stir for a few minutes- this brings out the flavor- When it appears a little ‘oily’ add your fresh ingredients (if using- see notes above*) lemon grass, garlic, galangal and ginger. Add chicken pieces and stir occasionally. Add sugar, lime juice and kaffir leaves.
After a few minutes add the remaining coconut milk. Cook until the chicken is tender. Add the vegetables for the last few minutes. The pea aubergines only need a few minutes.
Taste and adjust accordingly- add more sugar if too hot. Add more green curry paste for more flavour. Add a little lime juice if necessary or fish sauce.
Just before serving add the fresh basil leaves and spring onion to garnish.

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Red Thai pangasius fish and prawns with red onion, cherry tomatoes and oyster mushrooms:

Note: The method is basically the same as the green curry, except the fish is poached towards the end.
I used 1000gr pangasius fish, and a handful of prawns, 1 liter of coconut milk. I used the smaller (fresh)Thai chili peppers (Rawits) Here is a recipe for a basic Red Thai curry


500-600gr fish of choice, cut in small pieces (or meat of choice ie beef)
Oyster mushrooms
400ml coconut milk
2-3 tbsp red Thai curry paste
Piece ginger and galangal, grated
2 sticks lemon grass, bruised and bashed (brings out the flavour) alternately you could use minced lemon grass in a jar
1 red chili, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed/grated
1-2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar/ or a small piece of palm sugar
Juice of one small lime
Kaffir leaves, (or a little lime zest)
Thai sweet basil, fresh
1-2 Spring onion, sliced
Coriander, chopped
Vegetables of choice: I used 1 yellow capsicum, red onions and mini tomatoes.

Heat a wok and add nearly half of the coconut milk. Heat and stir until the coconut boils and starts to separate. Add the red curry paste and stir for a few minutes- this brings out the flavour- When it appears a little ‘oily’ add your fresh ingredients (if using- see notes above*) lemon grass, garlic, galangal and ginger. Add sugar, lime juice and kaffir leaves.
After a few minutes add the remaining coconut milk. Add the oyster mushrooms, the fish and prawns accordingly and cook until just done. Add the vegetables, remembering they will only need a few minutes.
Taste and adjust accordingly- add more sugar if too hot. Add more red curry paste for more flavour. Add a little lime juice if necessary or fish sauce.
Just before serving add the coriander and garnish with the fresh basil leaves and spring onion.

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Beef with sweet (but spicy) peanut sauce:
(adapted from the cookery book 'Het Beste van Thailand')
NOTE: I doubled the quantity of the ingredients. I also always use an extra handful of peanuts.
I made the sauce earlier on (with peanuts) and added the beef just before serving.But beware- it did become a little greasy as a result.
I didn’t garnish with Ducks eggs. I used the smaller Thai chilies (Rawits) Here is the original recipe.



4-6 servings
6dl coconut milk
3 tbsp red Thai curry paste
3 el fish sauce
2 tbsp palm sugar or dark brown sugar
2 sticks lemongrass, bruised
450gr beef (good quality steak) thinly sliced
75gr roasted peanuts , ground
2 red Spanish peppers, thinly sliced in rings
5 kaffir lime leaves, ripped
10-15 Thai basil leaves
2 salted duck eggs (optional)

Heat half of the coconut milk in a wok , stirring until it boils and separates.
Add the curry paste and cook a few minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar and lemon grass.
Allow everything to simmer until the sauce becomes darker in colour. Add the remaining coconut milk and stir. Bring to the boil. Add the slices of beef and the peanuts. Stir well and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes, the sauce will be reduced as the steam evapourates.
Add the peppers and the Kaffir leaves. Garnish with the basil and salted boiled ducks eggs.

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Dried mushrooms with oyster sauce:
I used monkey mushrooms (about 225gr dry weight, if I remember correctly)I washed the mushrooms and placed them in a bowl with warm water for about ½ hour. I placed a saucer over them to weigh them down- as they tend to float.

NOTE:The following ingredients are roughly what I used and should only be used as a guideline.
You can improvise by using ground ginger/ ginger syrup. If you have no rice vinegar then use sherry or even (basamic) vinegar.


Reconstituted mushrooms, (see above) patted dry
1 red onion, diced
Oil for frying
1 piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 piece of galangal (optional)
2 gloves of garlic
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
Approx 2 -3 tbsp oyster sauce
2-3 tbsp.soy sauce (I used the sweet ketjap manis)
Fish sauce
1 tsp. Sesame seed oil
2 small Thai chilies chilies
1-2 tsp (brown) sugar/ palm sugar
Sweet Thai chili sauce
2-3 tbsp rice wine (I used Japanese Sake)
Water and corn flour to thicken
Spring onion, sliced

Fry the red onion in a little oil. Add finely chopped garlic, ginger, galangal and 1 finely chopped (Thai) chilli. Add the mushrooms and stir fry. Add oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, a squeeze of Thai sweet chili sauce, soy sauce / ketjap manis and a splash of fish sauce. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender. Add the rice wine and corn flour (dissolved in water) and bring to boil to thicken. Taste and adjust adding more sugar/ salt(or fish sauce). Add more water if too thick.
Place is a serving dish and garnish with spring onion and remaining chili cut in small strips.

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Pak Choi with caraway seed.
Note: Not strictly a Thai dish but I thought it would be perfect.I doubled the ingredients.



Packet/ head pak choi
1 small (red)onion, chopped
Few tsp. sugar
Large knob butter
Caraway seeds, heaped tsp
Salt and pepper
Chili flakes
Cornflour/ arrowroot

Firstly caramelise some sugar. Use a dry saucepan, and add a few teaspoons of sugar, heat gently and watch in amazement how it will turn liquid. Keep stirring (do not leave!) until all the sugar is dissolved and it has a nice brown colour. Cool slightly then add a large knob of butter (I love butter- I never use margarine, though I suppose you could or vegetable oil). When melted add one finely chopped onion, and cooked for a few minutes, then add one heaped teasp. of caraway seeds a good pinch of salt and pepper and chili flakes, the white pieces (sliced) of the pak choi. Stir fry for just a few minutes. Lastly add the roughly chopped green tops and stir until wilted.

Thicken the sauce by making a paste with a little cornflour and water. Add it at the end and bring quickly to the boil.Even better remove the pak Choi first and then thicken the liquid, as I did slightly overcook mine on this occasion.

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Prawns with chili and mustard seeds:
( adapted from the cookery book 'Snelle Wokgerechten')
Note: I used 30+ Black Tiger prawns and adapted the recipe accordingly. These shouldn’t be cooked ahead of time. You can however prepare them up to rubbing them in with turmeric and chili peppers. I made mine after the gusests had arrived. Here is the original recipe:




20 large raw prawns (1 kilo)
¼ tsp gound turmeric
2 fresh Thai chili peppers, seeds removed an finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

Peel the prawns. You can leave the tail on. You can also make a cut in the back and flatten them slightly if desired. (I took the tail off and left them otherwise intact)
Rub the prawns in with turmeric and chili peppers.
Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the mustard seeds and garlic until they start popping.
Add the prawns and toss them until they turn a lovely pink colour.
Mix the coriander through and serve directly. Looks like I could have chopped my coriander a little finer!

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Coconut crisps:
(recipe from 'Easy Thai Cookbook- Sallie Morris')


1 large fresh coconut
2 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Break the coconut open. Carefully remove the outer shell. With a potato peeler remove the hard brown skin.
Make thin slices with a food processor or if you, like me, don’t have one the potato peeler works fine. Mine, this one OXO did anyway.
Place the thin coconut slices on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt and bake for 30 minutes. Turn at least twice to ensure even baking. Cool before serving.

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Spiced butternut in coconut cream:

This I choose for the vibrant colour and because it is an all time favourite of mine.
There isn't really a recipe. I just prepared the flesh of the butternut squash (pumpkin is also fine to use) and added a good sprinkling (be very heavy handed) of spices (coriander, ground cumin, cumin seeds, dried chili flakes and any other spices you wish) Add cloves of garlic to your personal taste, rough sliced red onions and salt and pepper. Mix. Drizzle lavishly with (mild olive)oil and bake in the oven until tender. I baked mine at 170°C with the coconut. Towards the end of the cooking time stir in 1 sachet of creamed coconut (50gr).


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Thai watermelon salad:
(recipe Jamie Oliver's Family Dinners)
Note: This was a delicious salad and complemented the food perfectly, the combination of the watermelon-mint-rocket was fantastic! There was more than enough dressing. We used peanuts.



Salad:
1/4 watermelon
2 handfuls of fresh coriander leaves
2 handfuls of rocket
2 handfuls of fresh mint leaves
1 small bunch of radishes, finely sliced
a handful of peanuts or sunflower seeds
120gr feta cheese

Dressing:
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
juice of 3 or 4 limes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove the skin from the watermelon and cut the flesh into small cubes, removing as many seeds as you can.
When you pick the coriander leaves, remove the stringier part of the stalks but keep the finer ones, as they are nice to eat. Place in a bowl with the rocket, mint, watermelon and radishes. Put the ginger, chilli, soy sauce, olive oil and sesame oil into a smaller bowl and add just enough lime juice to cut through the oil--the number of limes you use will depend on how juicy they are. Season to taste and make sure the dressing is well balanced.
Place your peanuts or sunflower seeds in the oven or in a pan and warm through, then roughly pound them up in a pestle and mortar or in a metal bowl using the end of a rolling pin. Dress the salad really quickly. (You can use more dressing if you wish, but any left over is great to keep in the fridge to use the next day). Divide between the plates, sprinkle over the hot peanuts or sunflower seeds and crumble the feta cheese over the top.

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Tapioca with coconut milk and served with lime juice:
(recipe is adapted from cookery book 'Het Beste van Thailand')
Note: Tapioca- like Durian fruit, is an acquired taste, a lot of the problem has to be the slimy texture- 'Frogspawn'! I had a youth trauma from Tapioca- vividly remembering it from school dinners but suddenly years later I had a fancy for it. Now it is a firm favourite on our menu.
This recipe is one I make quite a lot- I always use more coconut milk (a tin of 400ml- I adjust the water accordingly) and less sugar. On the Thai evening I tripled the quantity (I used 1 liter coconut milk) but reduced the sugar content. I served it cold with marinated fruit. See below.
I find it particularly delicious with a splash of lime juice.


For 4 person
115gr tapioca
4,75dl water
175gr sugar
2,5dl coconut milk
Pinch salt
Thin slices of 1 lime
250gr tropical fruit, peeled and cut

Soak the tapioca for 1 hour in warm water. Drain.
Bring the water to the boil. Stir in the sugar and the salt.
Add the tapioca and coconut milk and bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes, until the tapioca becomes transparent.
Serve warm with the tropical fruit and garnish with lime slices.

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Fresh fruit marinated in caramel, star anise and brandy:

2 pineapples
3 mango’s
3 star anise
Sugar

I prepared the fruit, then I caramilised some sugar. Waited until it cooled slightly added some butter , a little water and the star anise. I heated it for a few minutes, cooled slightly added a good dash of brandy and poured over the fruit. I marinated it overnight.

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Time to clear up:

Sage, courgette and pasta with pine nuts

Sage is one of the herbs that positively thrives in my garden, it has even moved house with us! And it has been replanted on several occasions.
Apart from pairing it off with onion (sage & onion stuffing) and chicken until recently I didn't really know quite what else to do with it.
Sage is a perennial herb with a very strong flavour that tends to overide everything else- so a little bit goes a long way- perhaps if the truth be known I was a little bit afraid of it!
It was after a Italian cookery workshop given by Victor Russo (I will be doing a blog on Italian cooking soon) that I really started using the herb on a regular basis in my kitchen. We didn't actually use it in the workshop on the evening self. But there was something about the look on his face when he described the taste of fried sage with pasta and the words 'Mamma mia' that just days later had me rushing out into my garden to pluck a handful of sage leaves. I always choose the smaller young leaves, they are flavourful and tender. I carefully wash and dry them. You can fry them in butter or olive oil. They become crisp and delicate, the taste is aromatic and simply amazing- spot on Victor!
Fried sage, courgette pasta for two:
Today I was preparing a meal for two and because I wanted something simple, quick and tasty I opted for sage and pasta. I love Italian food and creamy rich sauces but sometimes simplicity is perfection. It was a wholesome and satisfying meal.
I started to cook about 150gr of dried whole wheat pasta.
And grated some (parmesan) cheese that I put in a dish.
I toasted a handful of pine nuts in a dry pan for a few minutes and left aside.
I then heated a little olive oil and fried the (washed and dried) sage leaves (handful), roughly ripped if they are large. They will be done in just a few minutes. These also went to one side.
In the same pan I browned several bacon rashes (chopped) I lastly added a clove of garlic and a spring onion and cooked briefly and set aside.
Using the same pan I stir fried a whole (medium sized) courgette finely diced. When it was done (still al dente) I added a little white wine, and seasoning. (use lemon juice if you prefer)
I drained the pasta which was now ready and added this to the courgette with nearly all the pine nuts and sage (reserve some for garnishing), the bacon/onion and most of the cheese.
Stir carefully and serve. Sprinkle the remaining cheese, pine nuts and sage leaves and drizzle with virgin olive oil. Mamma mia!

This was a bit haphazard but a rough list of ingredients:
fresh Sage leaves
150gr Pasta
several bacon rashers (or pieces)
parmesan cheese
Olive oil/ utter
pine nuts, about 30gr
1 medium courgette
70-100ml wine oo dash lemon juice/ zest
salt pepper, virgin olive oil

Now I just hope I'm not going to get 'pine nut syndrome' or 'pine mouth' as it's widely referred to- an intriguing taste disorder, occurring 1-3 days after consumption of certain pine nuts and lasting anything up to two weeks! The symptoms are a bitter metal taste in the mouth making practically all other food and drink unpalatable! Even water tastes likes battery acid!
How very odd! It's something I luckily haven't (yet) experienced. Even stranger while some people get this taste disturbance, others do not, even though they have eaten from the same batch of nuts. So perhaps there is a genetic factor involved and I am just one of the lucky ones. I do get a very disagreeable odour when I eat asparagus- but it doesn't stop me eating it!
While 'pine mouth' sounds very unpleasant it doesn't actually seem to be harmful so I will keep risking it!

Apparently the 'culprits' are largely from China so try and stick with ones that you know the origin of- (European nuts are claimed to be fine) although obviously it is difficult when ordering in a restaurant to know the source of the seeds.
It is unclear whether or not toasting/roasting the nuts makes a difference- but I always toast mine.
It can be extremely upsetting for the sufferers since the cause is not immediately apparent and these symptoms can suggest anything from Diabetes, brain tumors and liver failure! But thank goodness for Google: the link to pine nuts can soon be made. (it is so widespread)
But there are still people unaware of the unpleasant side effects of pine nuts and for this reason I am mentioning it on my blog- I would hate to put anyone off their food! I can hardly imagine it myself- fancy all food and drink tasting vile- even chocolate!
Apparently if you are unfortunate to fall victim the best thing to mask the taste is spicy food, another reason to keep checking my blog- coming soon recipe's from my Thai themed evening.

Riding down the path of life- to the Oriental supermarket.

A few days ago during a motorbike trip my mind couldn't help but stray back to a journey I made about a month ago.
Riding pillion is exhilarating and you experience and see things from a different perspective but sometimes I find myself sitting on the edge of my seat! I am much more aware of the dangers than I was a few years ago. I view every parked car as a potential hazard- imagining the door suddenly flying open. It is in your best interest to stay alert and every maneuver has to be thought out carefully. I obviously trust my husbands judgment because I was relaxed enough to wander with my thoughts. I viewed my surroundings with interest and amusement, the trees all standing in a row as if welcoming passersby with a salute!
I was suddenly back to the day we picked up our Harley Davidson bike a few weeks ago- bought on Ebay! The landscape then was very different but oh so familiar- yes it was in England.

A lot of what you have you take for granted, and they say when you lose something you only then realise it's true value. Well I can relate with this- It wasn't until I had left England that I appreciated its beauty. Let’s just say I started seeing things with new eyes. Funny when I lived there I thought it was 'flat' and boring- it wasn't until I returned some months later that I realised the countryside was beautiful and undulating. Suddenly the trees were interesting and they are not all standing in line! There are natural unruly looking 'forests' sprouting all over. (note the newly planted trees in the first picture above)

Generally the English trees are a chaotic mix and the colours are vivid. When I left England I thought the grass was greener on the other side but in actual fact the opposite is true- the English grass is by far greener as are the trees! (Possibly all the rain?!)
Back in present time with a jolt I suddenly glanced up and lo and behold a familiar blue and white plane was flying low- something up unto recently also taken very much for granted- the day previous all flights were yet again cancelled due to the volcanic ash.
I didn't have my camera so I was unable to take pictures of my trip to Amsterdam but I still have photo's from my trip to beautiful England. We were lucky enough to pick out a fine day. We were picked up at the train station In Braintree, Essex and travelled to the most quaint village of Finchingfield. We breakfasted in a beautiful Tea room called Bosworth's situated on the village green.










We ordered a 'full English' and a cup of tea (hubby ordered coffee).

Often people ask if the Brits really eat this rather heavy breakfast on a daily basis, I always laugh and say no not daily- well not everyone only the (un)lucky few. As I have already said I was brought up on a healthy diet of plenty. My mother made sure I was lacking in nothing. Even in the morning she would make sure I had a good breakfast before I left for school despite my many protests. Just before nipping off to work she would prepare me a cooked breakfast and on many occasions I would dispose it the minute she was out the door! (don't worry she doesn't read my blog). Also I would insist on just two slices of bread for my paced up lunch- because we had unsliced bread my mother cut 'doorsteps' for me so I didn't go hungry! I wonder how many regular slices these doorsteps were equivalent to!? My mother was so sneaky- when I decided to becomes a vegetarian she enticed me back by making all my favourite 'meat' dishes.

After breakfast we viewed the bike, the lady seller was very friendly and we shared experiences over a laugh and a cup of tea!

The winding countryside was a challenge for hubby's somewhat 'rusty' riding skills. We visited family who lived locally and shared a lovely traditional 'Sunday Lunch'. We were even treated to the first asparagus of the year! My uncle has an allotment and grows his own produce. We had some delicious roasted veggies- something else that I now appreciate but didn't way back.
We decided to spring a surprise visit on the parents and began our 1 1/2 hour journey. I took out my camera and snapped happily away.
We passed beautiful yellow fields of rapeseed and gently undulating countryside.

We rode through picturesque villages and quaint little towns.


I smiled as we passed the Sugar Beet factory in Bury St Edmunds where I was born and went to school. Funnily enough I refer to this town as 'home' but I have never actually lived there!

Often people ask me "don't you miss your home?" Well where is home? Where the heart is? Where you live don't necessary guarantee happiness, just as someone else cannot make you happy- it has to come from within. I learnt a long time ago that home is nothing to do with bricks and mortar that's just a house.
I have now lived longer in Holland than in England- that is weird.. I am Dutch but will always remain British. What does it matter, I don't feel like I need a label. I am both- a Dutch Brit.
So what was the purpose of my journey to Amsterdam you may well ask. Well I went here: Wah Nam Hong Supermarket.

I was planning a Thai dinner party and needed to stock up. I have never been to this Toko before and it is very favourably situated near the Sligro, Makro and Amazing Oriental.
My goodies included: Fresh Thai basil, coriander, butternut squash, galangal, ginger, rawit (Thai) peppers, limes, spring onions, Thai aubergines, a small coconut, solo garlic, coconut milk, tamarinde paste, oyster sauce, dried monkey mushrooms, palm sugar, lychees, bamboo shoots, black and white sesame seeds and spices. I couldn't go too overboard because we had to fit everything in the limited space of the motorbike cases! Can you believe in the good old days, when the motorbike was our sole means of transport, we actually conducted our weekly shopping on the bike?!
I will be doing a write up about my very successful Thai evening (held Saturday 22nd) so keep posted!