From sticky rice to perfect risotto

What is your biggest fear in the kitchen? Everyone surely must have something, a dish or ingredient that constantly goes wrong. I certainly do, or dare I say I did. Don't asume it is something elaborate like a Soufflé but one of the all time basics- RICE, YES really! Sticky / gooey/ wet or worse unevenly cooked- believe me- my family has experienced it all!
But what is more satisfying than facing up to your culinary fears (how could one possible scrap rice from the diet being a staple food for nearly one half of the world's population!?) and finding the skills to conquer them!
I used to have a big problem with Quiches which I quite successfully managed to overcome but as far as rice is concerned, just when I think I've mastered it and I'm used to turning out light, fluffy, perfect separate grained rice, I go and spoil it by producing a batch that makes me what to go and hang my head in shame!
Last year I held a Indian themed dinner party- it was a great success- apart from my Basmati rice- which was an absolute disaster! Overcooked and mushy on the bottom but hard on the top! OK it hasn't happened since but it shouldn't happen at all! How difficult can it be? The fault was in the pan (don't believe the saying a good craftsman never blames his tools!), because I was catering for a large group I used a different pan with a thinner bottom than I am accustomed to using.
For those who still struggle with rice see below for the absolute foolproof way of cooking rice. (as long as you use the right pan that is ;-) )

Something I very much enjoy is a Risotto. Because of my rice phobia I had for a long time I avoided making Risotto. The thought alone made me nervous! I had only ever made it a handful of times but now it is almost weekly on the menu!
A bit worrying is the saying: "risotto waits for no one" It must be cooked, served and eaten at once! Failure to do so will result in disappointment and disaster- as it continues to cook in it's own heat and become sticky and dry. I've often wondered how they are prepared to such perfection in restaurants, I understand they are 'half' cooked and finished off to order.
Risotto making is quite labour intensive (but not nearly as bad a polenta) It does require constant attention and regular stirring however- stick to this and all will be well (how do you like my positive thinking?!) I have made very bad risotto in the past, but with my new found confidence with rice, it now turns out perfect every time!.
I became particularly fond of Risotto during my visits to Italy. Not surprising since it originates from Northern Italy. It has restaurant status there. You can usually choose in every restaurant out of a wide range on the menu. It is so creamy, flavourful and satisfying. It a wonderful comfort' food, ideal at this time of the year.

The type of rice to use in risotto is the medium/short round grain. Varieties include: Carnaroli, Vialone Nano and the more common Arborio. Strange enough the first two are the easiest to cook but a little more expensive. Risotto can be made with many kinds of vegetables, meats and herbs.
If you adhere to a few simple steps & add a ladle full of patience then YOU could be turning out the prima donna of Italian cuisine!.
Firstly:
Always use 'risotto' rice.
Never wash the rice prior to cooking!
Fry the rice in butter/oil before adding stock. Always use hot stock. Add the stock one ladle at a time, make use nearly all the water has been absorbed before adding more. Don't worry if you don't need all the liquid and if you don't have enough just boil some extra water.

Basic method for Risotto:
1. Start with the 'Soffritto' which is a mixture finely chopped vegetables, such as onions, garlic, and celery, that is sautéed in butter/olive oil and used as a base for many Italian dishes. Use a large wide pan and heat the oil/butter. Add the finely chopped onions and sweat them for several minutes (do not brown) Add garlic finely chopped celery or other vegetables.
2. Vegetables or meat that require longer cooking times should be added at this stage. (Sausage/ pumpkin/ butternut squash/ fennel /mushrooms/peppers)
3.Add the rice, increase the heat and fry for approx 4 minutes stirring well. This is known as 'toasting the rice' the rice should be fully coated with oil, and warmed through, and appear translucent (not brown!)
4. Add the wine/ vermouth, the alcohol will cook out quickly but the delicious essence will be left behind. And smell like heaven!
5. Once the wine/ vermouth has become absorbed, begin adding the hot stock. The water used to reconstitute dried mushrooms can also be used. Ladle for ladle Your pot should be at a constant, moderate heat throughout. As each addition of liquid becomes absorbed/ evaporates add more. You may have stock over or you may need to boil more water- no worries.
6. Add any vegetables, seafood, or meat that need short cooking heating though accordingly. (cooked/ smoked chicken/shrimps/ tomatoes/peas)
7.After 17 minutes begin tasting the rice at regular intervals, reduce the quantity of stock towards the end ( to 1/2 ladle) Generally it should be ready in 20 minutes. You are looking for 'al dente' rice but certainly not hard. It should have a creamy consistency.
8. Once you are satisfied with the rice and sauce you are ready for the final stage: 'mantecatura'. Turn off the heat and add a large knob of butter and parmesan cheese (if not using fish), stir well and let it sit for a few minutes.
9. Add extra herbs if desired i.e. parsley.
10. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve immediately.

This versatile recipe is easily adaptable to suit many ingredients. Once you have mastered the basic technique you are open to many delicious flavour combinations. Keep it simple with not too many flavours- very typical of Italian cuisine and it will be at it's very best. I have done a run on sausage meat, strange enough I'm not a great lover of sausages! You could also use (smoked)chicken, or bacon, prawns even left over meats or even go vegetarian. Further recipes coming soon. Great combinations are so easy to come up with. Let a particular herb lead the taste or try the flavourful gorgonzola cheese as basis. I certainly will never bore of Risotto.
I use fresh herbs. I am lucky enough to have Thyme, Sage and Rosemary available all year round in my garden. You could of course substitute dried herbs.


Sausage thyme risotto
Sorry no photo's of this one, these were on the laptop that got stolen. This is a fairly basic recipe flavoured with fresh Thyme. I think this was one of my first risotto successes.

Serves 4
300gr Arborio rice
850ml stock, hot
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1-2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
olive oil
500gr sausages, skin removed cut in slices/pieces
100ml vermouth
few sprigs of fresh thyme
chopped parsley about 1 tbsp.
40gr butter
40gr parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Follow the steps for basic Risotto above adding chopped/skinned sauages at step 2 and cook for a few minutes. Add thyme leaves stripped of the stalks.
Continue until step 10 with adding parsley/extra thyme at step 9
Serve with a sprig of thyme.



Chirozo thyme risotto with cherry tomatoes
The sausages I used in this recipe were bought in AH, (five in a packet) This is certainly one of my favourites. The cherry tomatoes add a little explosion of flavour. (don't forget to pierce them or they will literally ‘explode’ when you try to fork them)

Serves 4
300gr Arborio rice
850ml stock, hot
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1-2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
paprika powder (sweet)
350gr Chirozo sausage, skin removed cut in slices/pieces
150ml vermouth
8-10 cherry tomatoes, kept whole but pierced
few sprigs of fresh thyme
chopped parsley, approx 1-2 tbsp.
40gr butter
40gr parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Follow the steps for basic Risotto above adding chopped/skinned chirozo at step 2 and cook for a few minutes. Add thyme leaves stripped of the stalks and paprika.
Continue with the steps, adding the whole tomatoes when the risotto is almost cooked. Add parsley/extra thyme at step 9
Serve with a sprig of thyme and a sprinkling of parsley.



Butternut squash risotto with sage
I love pumpkin and butter nut squash. This year I even managed to grow a few in my garden. As I did with the pumpkin pasta I chopped the butter nut in varying sizes In this way you get a creamy sauce with an occasional bite of pumpkin. Pumpkin and sage go very well indeed. Don't forget to crisp the sage leaves for topping prior to cooking. This is a lovely colourful creamy risotto. My photographs (still learning to work with my new camera) certainly does it no justice at all. The colours are vibrant in real life!


Serves 4
300gr Arborio
1 onion, diced
1 small butternut squash (or small pumpkin), peel and dice in varying sized cubes
3 sausages, skinned, cut into slices
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150ml vermouth
850ml stock, hot
sage leaves, washed and thoroughly dried or dried sage (I used about 20 small leaves)
knob butter
100ml creme fraiche
30gr parmesan (I use Grana Padano)
salt and pepper
chili flakes
olive oil / Excellent chili oil
pine nuts (optional) toasted in a dry pan

Heat a little oil in a pan and gently fry about 9 of the (washed and thoroughly dried) sage leaves until crisp. Place on a piece of kitchen roll.
Using the same pan, add a little more olive oil and begin with the steps for basic risotto.
When you get to Step 2 add first the butternut squash fry for a few minutes, then add the sausages, remaining sage leaves, finely chopped and a shake of chili flakes.
Proceed through the Steps, at Stage 8 (add the creme fraiche with the butter and cheese) until completed.
Serve with the crispy sage leaves, sprinkle with parmesan and chili oil. Pine nuts optional.



Rosemary Chirozo Risotto
This time chirozo combined with rosemary. You could use wine or vermouth but this time I opted for balsamic vinegar/ red wine vinegar. The crispy rosemary on top is absolutely delicious.


Serves 4
300gr Arborio rice
1 liter stock, hot
olive oil
5 chirozo sausages, skinned and sliced
2 red onions, finely diced
2 celery sticks finely diced
rosemary, handful, washed and thoroughly dried
4 small garlic, sliced finely
1/2 red bell pepper (capsicum) finely diced
paprika pepper (sweet)
4-5 tomatoes (or 9 whole cherry tomatoes pierced)
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
20gr parmesan
20gr butter
20gr pine nuts
olive oil/ Excellent chili olive oil

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for a few minutes (don't leave them- like I always do! They will burn quickly) Leave to cool.
Pick out 4 rosemary stalks. Heat a little oil in a pan and gently fry the (washed and thoroughly dried) rosemary until crisp. Place on a piece of kitchen roll.
Using the same pan, add a little more olive oil and begin with the steps for basic risotto.
When you get to Step 2 add the chirozo sausages, remaining rosemary, finely chopped, red pepper and paprika.
At Step 4 substitute vermouth/ wine for balsamic/ red wine vinegar.
Add tomatoes about 5 minutes before you anticipate the rice will be cooked.
Serve with the crispy rosemary, pine nuts and a sprinkling of parmesan and chili oil if desired.



Perfect Basmati rice
From one type of rice to another.
If we are eating Indian I use Basmati rice and follow the "absorption method" this works for me, is simple and reliable. It is where just sufficient water is added to the rice resulting in all the water being fully absorbed by the rice. No wet sticky rice hooray. There is a ratio of 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups water.
You also need a fairly thick flat bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid. The rice will considerably increase in volume so make sure the pan is large enough. I love plain white rice, it is simple and fragrant, I never add salt or fats to the rice. Whether I rinse the rice prior to cooking or not depends on the directions on the packaging. Sometimes I soak the rice which does give good results if you have the time, but not absolutely necessary. The measured rice and water is brought to the boil, stirred the lid is placed in position, the temperature reduced and now you must resist peeking for 10 minutes. Try the rice, cook if necessary for a couple of minutes more but ten minutes is usually fine. Let stand for a minimum of ten minutes with the lid firmly in place and just before serving 'fluff' the rice.
If we are eating Thai, then I use Pandan rice which is stickier than Basmati. I still follow the absorption method as above.


And remember- if at first you don't succeed.....
The more you learn and practice, the more confident you will become.
Good Luck!

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:

The Versatile Egg. Recipes: Mushroom Quiche and Pumpkin Omelette, Thai style

Eggs are versatile, nutritious, low cost and what’s more easy to cook*. I think everyone must keep a supply of eggs in stock. They are great on their own but also an important part in many dishes; sweet or savoury, from the boiled egg to elaborate cakes to the all time Dutch favourites: pancakes and meatballs. Eggs must never be underestimated. It's not until you stop and think for a moment that you realise just how amazing the egg really is.
Whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner eggs are equally at ease on the menu. From the simplest of dishes: fried/scrambled/boiled/poached egg to impressive soufflés with smoked salmon the egg is the food for any occasion!
Furthermore they can be used to decorate a dish, add colour to a salad or to glaze pastries and bread. While the egg white alone can add structure and lightness, the yolk helps to thicken a number of sauces or keep ingredients from separating.
They are handy to have on hand as an emergency meal if one has forgotten to defrost the meat. I'm thinking boiled egg curry, a delicious but simple meal or the all time favourite bacon and eggs, Of as a more complete and substantial dish like Spanish omelette.
* According to the expression if you 'can't even boil an egg' then you are absolutely clueless in the kitchen! This isn't completely true in my opinion as boiling the perfect egg is quite complex. (I use Delia's method Nr 2) It sounds easy but in practice the first stumbling block is often: should I use cold or boiling water. And timing is the most important factor if you want a runny yolk. The number of times I have been disappointed is too numerous to mention!
Boiling (Quail) eggs in Thailand.

Today I did stop for a minute or two to think about the importance of the egg and realised the many culinary uses. My list is quite impressive:
Binding: meatballs/omelette.
Coating-food protection: fish before bread crumbing/battering and frying/potato croquette .
Thickening: sauces Zabaglione (custard)/ lemon curd.
Emulsifier: mayonnaise/ Hollandaise sauce.
Leavening/aerating: soufflé/cakes.
Glaze: pastries/bread.
Clarify: soups/stocks
Enriching-flavour: pasta/ sweet bread types i.e. Chelsea buns.
Colour/garnish: salads/ rolled omelette used in Asian garnishing.
But don't just stop at culinary, there are plenty of other uses in and around the home.
They can be beneficial in beauty treatments- homemade face masks or hair rinses!
Or art and crafts- works as an excellent paper glue.
Inside the home- as leather cleaner, and the shell makes a perfect drain cleaner if you wash away fine eggshells.
In the garden- eggshell (fine) can enrich compost with calcium and scattered eggshells deters not only snails but also cats.
Even car repair- as egg white can even temporarily act as a' plug ' is a minor radiator leak!
Impressed?
Quiches.

One of my favourite egg based dishes is 'Quiche'. Baking quiches didn't however come natural to me. I recall some of my earlier attempts as being anything but successful, which resulted in a few hysterical moments. This was at school long before I had mastered the art of perfect pastry. We had a lovely teacher called Miss Holland ( what a coincidence!) and I loved the home economics lessons although my skills were not yet fully developed. I still cringe when I remember the moment I realised my 'baked blind' pastry shell had shrunk so much there was nothing left to fill! I still had some pastry (but no time) left over. I lined my flan dish with 'raw' pastry and quickly packed it away (with the intention of finishing it at home). I may have got away with it if Miss Holland hadn't asked to see my 'quiche'! The look on her face gazing at the uncooked shell was priceless! I had to witness that look on one or two more occasions, one time being when she asked to see my Lasagna but that's another story. Watch this space I'm sure I will tell it one day...
On another day, and yet another attempt at perfecting my quiche the whole class were busily going about their kitchen duties. Suddenly all pupils were silenced as Miss Holland loudly clapped her hands to get our attention: "excuse me but who's oven is this" she asked pointing at MY oven. We all looked in horror as Miss Holland continued "because someone's quiche is trying to escape...." I fell though the ground in shame as I saw the huge puddle in front of the oven- my quiche filling was leaking on the floor! I still to this day, don't know what exactly happened perhaps i overfilled the quiche but for many a year I had 'quiche phobia'.
I eventually mastered the art of good pastry and years later made only the occasional quiche because the kids didn't eat eggs. A few years ago a good friend celebrated an important birthday and I offered to help make the food. I was actually quite horrified when I was handed the 'order' (I still have that piece of paper!) 2x Mushroom quiches and 3x Quiche Lorraine! It was time to stand up and face my fears but- 5 quiches- would I pull it off? I did and they were perfect.
A couple of weeks ago I needed to prepare a lunch for some family guests. I decided to make 5 quiches. I made salmon and broccoli, cheese and onion, traditional Quiche Lorraine, bacon, cheese and onion, and the basic mushroom quiche. I made my quiches the evening before and served them with homemade tomato soup and a fresh salad.
The Mushroom quiche recipe I use comes out of a cook book. The one both my friend and I came to Holland with- the reason we survived in the kitchen! The First-time cookbook, Evelyn and Judi Rose. I still have it although by now it is held together with cellotape!
Although it is called 'Basic' the name does it no justice. It is the beautiful combination of flavours: butter, lemon juice and sherry that transforms the mushroom quiche and it smells delicious too.

Basic Mushroom quiche:
Serves 4
1 baked case (see below)
1/4 onion or 4 small spring onions
25gr butter
125gr mushrooms
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon
1 tbsp sherry
Savoury custard
1 tbsp cornflour
2 large eggs
150ml single cream or 175 can evaporated milk
pinch each of salt and nutmeg
5 grinds black pepper
Topping 25gr or 3 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
nut of butter
Method:
1. Finely chop the onion or slice the spring onions.
2. Melt the butter in the frying pan, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes then add the mushrooms (sliced 6mm thick), the salt, lemon juice and sherry.
3. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes, uncover and cook briskly until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to fry in the butter.
4. Now make the savoury custard: put the cornflour in the bowl, add the cream or evaporated milk slowly whisking, then add the eggs and seasonings and whisk together until just smooth.
5. Add the mushroom mixture to the savoury custard, then pour into the quiche case.
6. Scatter with grated cheese and dot with tiny bits of butter.
7. Bake at 190c for 25 minutes, then at 180 for 10 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. The flan will remain puffed for 30 minutes.
8. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes as it is nicer warm rather than hot.

Quiche pastry case, makes 1 shallow 25cm or 1 deeper 20cm one: (Or you can just use your own recipe- like I do, no icing sugar!)
150gr plain flour
pinch salt
1 level tsp icing sugar
75gr butter
2-3 tbsp ice-cold water
Make the pastry in the traditional way rubbing the fat into the flour and using just enough water so that the dry ingredients can be gathered into a dough. Wrap the dough in Clingfilm and refrigerate for one hour. This helps prevent shrinking!
Sprinkle the work surface with flour and roll the pastry out to fit the flan case. You can use whatever kind you prefer or have on hand- ceramic, glass, or a loose bottomed metal. Lift the pastry over the case with the aid of the rolling pin and gently line the dish being very careful not to stretch. Trim the edges if necessary. prick the bottom with a fork (this will help prevent it rising and put a piece of greaseproof paper with baking beans or a piece of tin foil. "Bake blind" in a preheated oven (200C) for about 12 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180c, remove paper/foil and cook for another few minutes until the base is dry.


Easter has fallen early this year and although we want to think of spring and warm weather the temperatures outside are telling us otherwise. brr
Last week I had a pumpkin waiting to be used and although we tend to associate pumpkin with autumn I kind of like the combination of pumpkin and eggs. I decided to make a kind of Spanish style omelette but with a Thai twist. It kind of looks yellow and well Easter-like.
So if you still have pumpkins around and want to eat your eggs in a different way keep reading. Pumpkin goes great with a mix of cumin, coriander, ginger and garlic but you could add a mix of any spices/herbs you fancy. By adding a bit of galanga(l) (laos) and Thai basil I went a bit Thai but feel free to go whichever way you like. Replace the herbs/spices with Mediterranean herbs/spices and add some mozzarella/Feta cheese and some sundried tomatoes/olives.

Pumpkin Omelette- Thai Influenced:
1/2 pumpkin (Biological) skin removed/ de-seeded/chopped.
Oil for frying
1 red onion, slices
Chili flakes
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
Small piece of ginger and galanga (If you don't have fresh just add 1 tsp ground ginger)
Salt (or a dash of fish sauce if you have) and pepper
1 clove of garlic, crushed
3 small tomatoes
1 small spring onion, chopped
few Thai basil leaves
5 eggs
water
Beat 5 eggs with a couple of tablespoons of water.
Heat a couple of tbsp. oil (whatever you prefer I used rapeseed oil but you could use olive) in a large frying pan. Fry 1/2 biological pumpkin chopped with a some sliced red onion. I added some chili flakes, 1 heaped tsp cumin, 1 heaped tsp coriander a small piece each of ginger and galanga and finely chopped. salt and pepper. I added 1 crushed glove garlic. I cooked until the pumpkin was just tender. I then added 3 small tomatoes chopped (I intended to add a chopped spring onion- I forgot but will add it next time!)
Add the eggs and sprinkle with the basil leaves, cook until just set. Serve cut in wedges.

Thai Inspired Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkins are relatively new in Katwijk where I live. I remember several years ago, cycling around searching for a pumpkin to carve but to little avail, just when I had given up all hope I spotted one in the window decoration in a florist shop! The lady was very surprised at my request but nonetheless very accommodating and I excitedly went home to do the dirty deed!
I used to remove as much flesh as possible and incorporate this in a soup or a pie, however not always with good results. I was clearly making a big mistake, in my opinion there are fundamentally two types of pumpkin (but many different sorts) those especially suitable for carving and those better suited for consumption. Obviously the larger pumpkins are great for carving but the flesh is generally pale in colour and watery. The smaller ones de biologische pompoen (small organic pumpkins that are readily available here) and also the butternut squash are particularly good, vibrant in colour and very sweet. The organic one can even be roasted/grilled successfully without losing its structure. It is quite delious with a mixture of spices and a sprinkling of olive oil.
Since then I have grown and harvested my own pumpkins but find they are rather overpowering in the garden and luckily they are now readily available in supermarkets.
In my opinion pumpkins are very underrated, they so much more than a Halloween prop. They are sweet and healthy and I hope you will be tempted to try my Thai inspired soup.
It is sweet and spicy. A lovely soup perfect for welcoming the colour of Autumn into you kitchen.

Thai inspired Pumpkin soup
1 small pumpkin ( or butternut).
1 large onion
Fresh red chili pepper (to taste) I used about 1/4
Thai red curry paste (to taste) I used about 1 tbsp.
1 clove garlic
Oil (olive)
Coriander (ground, to taste)
500ml stock (chicken or vegetable)
200ml orange juice
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Serving suggestions: sour cream, creme fraiche or a knob of butter. Fresh coriander if desired but it is so delicious and vibrant in colour it needs very little.
Serves 4-5 (good sized portions)

Method:
Cut the pumpkin in slices, remove peel, (you can use a potato peeler for a butternut) stringy parts and seeds, discard. Chop the flesh in pieces. Dice the onion. De-seed the pepper and finely chop. Heat a little oil in a large pan. Fry the onion and red pepper for a few minutes. Add the curry paste. Stir and add the pumpkin, garlic (chopped) and fry for a few more minutes. Add salt, black pepper and coriander to taste. Add orange juice and coconut milk and heat through. Add stock and bring to boil, simmer for 15- 20 minutes (until pumpkin is soft, a little longer if you are using a butternut). Cool slightly and blend. Serve with topping of choice.