Tag: The Postulant Cook

Chicken Curry (Filipino Recipe)

Chicken

Chicken Recipe

Chicken Curry (Filipino Recipe)

Chicken Curry a la Filipino

Chicken Curry a la Filipino

This chicken curry from the Philippines looks and tastes different from the chicken curry you get in restaurants and takeaways here in the UK or even India, the curry capital of the world.

The Philippines’ chicken curry is creamier and fresher in taste because of the addition of vegetables such as celery and green and red peppers and a generous amount of fresh coconut milk.

It also tends to be less spicy. (But if you like it spicy, add more curry powder or even red chilies)

Below is the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 4 large boneless chicken thighs, cut into serving pieces
  • 2 large potatoes, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 4 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 Red and 1/2 green bell pepper (or 1 small red bell pepper), chopped
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small ginger, cut into strips
  • 400ml (1 can) coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Preparation

  • Brown the chicken then set aside.
  • Do the same with the potatoes, pan-fry then set aside.
  • In the same pan, sauté the garlic, onion and ginger.
  • Add the chicken and mix in the curry powder.
  • Add water and simmer until the chicken is tender.
  • Add the potatoes.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the remaining vegetables then simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Finally, add the coconut milk and mix well.
  • Cover the pan.
  • Bring to a boil then lower down the heat and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes
  • Serve with boiled rice.

 

Enjoy

Lato Salad, Green Caviar

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Lato, photo by PH Morton

Lato Salad, Green Caviar

This seaweed is called Lato in the Philippines.  It  has a scientific name of Caulerpa lentillifera. 

It is also known as green caviar for obvious reason that they look like fish roes.  Latos are also popular in Malaysia and Okinawa, where they are called  umi-budō, which means sea grapes.

This is a real gourmet treat; for the newbies, it might takes a little getting used to.  It is because of the soft, succulent popping bulb which is salty and has the smell of the sea.  Don’t get me wrong, it is truly delicious.

Lato seaweed  is flavoursome as a side to some  fried pork or fish with steamed rice for lunch!

To make Lato Salad is easy and quick; the recipe follows below:

 

Ingredients:

A big bunch of Lato seaweeds

2 big tomatoes

3 small onions (Shallots)

Method of Preparation:

  • Carefully clean the lato of sand, grits and other debris from the sea. 
  • Cut the tomatoes in bite size wedges 
  • Do the same with the shallots. 
  • Toss the tomatoes and shallots with the lato. 
  • No need to season as the lato is naturally salty 😉 
  • Enjoy the freshness of this salad.

Happy eating this salad that taste of the freshness of the sea.

Pigs-in-Blankets Recipe

X'mas Fare & Recipes
Xmas day 2013 285

sausages wrapped in bacon Photo by PH Morton

 

Pigs in blankets are the easiest thing to do and yet a great favourite with everyone. It is an ideal finger food for parties.

I usually make a lot for Christmas to go with the turkey. Actually I get a special request from my son and hubby to make a lot. I find that everyone in our household would eat the bacon wrapped sausages either hot or cold. When cold they can go nicely with the cheeseboard  with some pickles or with some cold meat and salad.

The recipe below is a rather fancy way of making the pigs in the blankets.

The simplest way is to wrap the cocktail sausages in bacon rinds using a toothpick to keep it in place.

Then grill, fry or put it around the turkey or roasting potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes.

Pigs-in-Blankets Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8-10 rashers streaky bacon, halved
  • 1 tbsp ready-made English mustard
  • 16-20 small party sausages

Method

Run a knife along the length of the bacon rashers so they stretch a little, spread lightly with the mustard, then cut in half. Use the bacon to wrap a sausage. then spear onto short skewers.
Roast the bacon wrapped mini-sausages in the oven  for 30-40 mins until golden.
Serve with the Sunday roast or some green salad.

The Pumpkin Pie

Sweets & Desserts

The Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

  • 550g piece pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 500g pack shortcrust pastry
  • 175g light muscovado sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 142ml pot double cream
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • small grating of nutmeg

For the pecan and maple cream

  • 142ml tub double cream
  • 5 tbsp maple syrup
  • 25g pecans, finely chopped

Method

  1. Place the pumpkin pieces in a large microwaveable bowl. Cover, then cook on High (850W) for 15 mins or until soft. Tip into a colander to drain, then leave to cool.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin so it’s wide enough to line a 25cm tart tin. Ease the pastry into the case, making sure there’s an overhang, then chill for 30 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line the case with foil and baking beans, then bake for 15-20 mins. Remove foil and beans, then cook for a further 10 mins until the pastry is golden. Turn oven down to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
  3. Meanwhile, place pumpkin, sugar, eggs, cream and spices in a food processor, then blend until smooth. Pour into the baked pastry case, then bake for 1 hr until the filling has puffed up in the centre (it will sink as it cools). Remove from tin, then leave to cool.
  4. Whip the cream with the maple syrup until thickened, then fold in the pecans. Serve spoonfuls of the cream with slices of the pie.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2008

Chocolate Cake

Sweets & Desserts

Baking
Cake Recipe

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake, photo by JMorton

The cake was lovely, very light, Peter said it melts in the mouth.  We did not bother with icing it instead we just poured a generous amount of double cream which did the business quite nicely.

We both love our big portion each.

Ingredients

  • 225g/8oz plain flour
  • 350g/12½oz caster sugar
  • 85g/3oz cocoa powder
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 250ml/9fl oz milk
  • 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing
200g/7oz plain chocolate
200ml/7fl oz double cream

Preparation method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins or as above, I used a silicone loaf bakeware.
  2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
  3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
  4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins or pour the mixture into the silicone baking pan and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing, if icing.  With our chocolate cake, we ate it straight from the oven drizzled in the double cream.  Super yummy.
  6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
  7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.