Thai Green Curry

After these busy months for my university works, I've finally taken out a weekend to try out this new dish, Thai green curry. Last few weeks, I went to a Thai restaurant and had their green curry. It was delicious. That's why I wanted to try it out as well. As usual, I searched for green curry recipe and I've found one from about.com.

Basically, Green curry is one of the variety of curry in Thai cuisine. The name "green" curry derives from the colour of the dish. Other Thai curry dishes are identified solely by their colours, such as yellow and red curry. The main ingredients for the sauce normally consist of coconut milk, fish sauce, cilantro, etc. Thai green curry can be made with meat, duck, chicken, fish or vegetables and is usually eaten as an accompaniment to rice.

Ingredients

Paste:

• 3 big green chili , with the seeds removed
  
• 2 small green chili, with the seeds removed (you could add more if you prefer more spicy curry)
  
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup minced lemongrass
• 1 tsp grated lime zest
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 cup fish sauce

Other ingredients:

1-1/2 cup Diced Zucchini
1 cup Sugar Peas
8-10 Round Eggplants
1 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 bunch Thai Leech Lime Leaves
1 can Coconut Milk (425ml)
2 Chicken Thighs, chopped into small pieces (you could use boneless chicken thigh as well)
1/2 cup Chicken Stock

Method:

1. Throw all the paste ingredients into a blender and puree it very fine and set aside.
2. In a heavy pot, cook about 2/3 of the green curry paste on med-high heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1/2 can of coconut milk, and when it comes to boil, add the chicken and chicken stock, and boil for 5 minutes.
4. Add 1tsp of soy sauce, the other half of the coconut milk, and let it simmers for another couple of minutes.
5. Add the lime juice and the green peppers, zucchini and round eggplants. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Add the green curry paste to taste. Add more if you want it hot and spicy.
   
7. To finish, add the leech lime leaves and sugar peas. The peas only take about 40 seconds to cook.
   
8. Garnish with some leech lime leaves or cilantro (optional)

-=Happee Cooking=-

Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a salad which consists of raw shredded cabbage but carrot is included as well nowadays. I believe most of you had ever tried the coleslaw from fast food restaurants where Kentucky Fried Chicken's coleslaw is finely diced with less mayonnaise taste and Sugar Bun's coleslaw is shredded with more mayonnaise taste. As I'll be trying out lamb chop this weekend, so I've decided to have coleslaw as a side dish rather than boiled broccoli and cauliflower. This is the recipe I've found which is totally perfect for my taste, not so "mayonnaise" with a slight sour taste. Chopping the cabbage and carrot need some time but if you have a chopper machine, it would save up a lot of time. If you're a mayonnaise lover, you could increase the amount of mayonnaise. Try it out!!


Ingredients:
7 cups Diced Cabbage
1/2 cup Diced Carrot
2Tbs Minced Onion
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tbs White Vinegar
2-1/2Tbs Lemon Juice
Method:

1. Cabbage and carrots must be finely diced.
2. Pour cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and stir in minced onions.
3. Add in remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
4. Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

-=Happee Cooking=-

Cornflakes Cookies

Here's another cookie which I've made for Chinese New Year. Although cornflakes were used in the butter cookies as well, but this cornflakes cookie has more intense cornflakes taste than butter cookies. Some people might find cornflakes not nice to eat, cause it is not sweet enough, especially kids. But when cornflakes are used in cookies, it enhances the taste as it makes the cookies crunchier.

Ingredients:

120g Butter

80g Icing sugar, sifted

1 Egg Yolk

1/2tsp Vanilla Essence

120g Flour, sifted

30g Cornflour, sifted

30g Milk Powder, sifted

100g Cornflakes

Method:

1. Cream butter and icing sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla.
2. Fold sifted flour mixture into butter mixture.
3. Drop mixture teaspoon by teaspoon onto the cornflakes.
4. Shape into balls and place into small coloured paper cups.
5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 degree Celsius for 20-25 minutes till golden brown. When cool, store in air-tight container.

Butter Cookies

During Chinese New Year, biscuit seems to be a common treat in everyone's house when we visit. Rather than just ordering from others, I've tried out this butter cookies. It turned out a bit darker but the taste is just perfect. =P Although Chinese New Year is almost over, if you are interested in trying this cookie, go for it. You could have it for your breakfast or a snack during your tea break.

Ingredients A:

150g Butter

100g Castor Sugar

1 Tbsp Condensed Milk

1 Egg Yolk

1/2tsp Vanilla Essence



Ingredients B (Sifted Together):

200g Plain Flour

50g Cornflour

1/8tsp Salt

Some crushed cornflakes or Nestum

Method:

1. Cream butter and castor sugar till light and fluffy.


2. Add condensed milk and egg yolk. Mix Well. Add vanilla.


3. Fold in the sifted flour and mix into a soft dough.


4. Spoon dough onto the crushed cornflakes and shape into balls.


5. Place onto a greased baking sheet.


6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degree Celsius till golden brown. Cool and store in air-tight tin.
   
   
   

Aromatic Crispy Pork Chop

Using garlic as marinade makes the pork tastes more delicious, with crispy bread crumbs coating it.

Ingredients:

500g Pork Chop, cut into 0.5cm thick slices and pounded with the back of knife.

100g Bread Crumbs

2 Cups Oil for deep-frying

Marinade:

3 Tbs Minced Garlic

1 Egg

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Sugar

1 Tbs Corn Flour

Method:

1. Mix pork with marinade and marinate for 1 hour.
2. Coat pork with bread crumbs, deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish and drain.
3. Serve with mayonnaise and chilli sauce.

-=Happee Cooking=-

Some Useful Tips for Baking Cheesecake

Steam bake : Prepare a tray (bigger than the cake mould), add water until half thickness of the cake mould.

If you are using springform mould for steam-bake cheesecake, you need to cover the outer part of the cake mould with aluminium foil to prevent water from sipping into the cake.

Door Ajar: Do not remove the cheesecake from the oven immediately after baking. Leave the oven door ajar by putting a metal spoon in between the oven door until the cheesecake is cool before taking out from the oven.

To make cheesecake, remove cream cheese and eggs from the fridge one hour before making so that cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature.

Japanese Light Cheesecake

Japanese cheesecake is a very light, fluffy, not too sweet cheesecake with a very cheesecake-y flavour. Most cheesecakes on the market are like bricks of lard and are so rich that you want to hurl after one high caloric piece. This recipe has a fraction of the sugar, cream cheese and eggs than most cheesecake recipes but it has a rich yet light texture. It is also more labor intense than most cheesecake recipes but it's 100% worth the effort.

Ingredients:

Base:

2 Eggs

40g Plain flour, sifted

1/2tbs Cake Emulsifier

1Tbs Water

30g Caster Sugar

50ml Corn Oil

Cream Cheese Mixture:

A:400g Fresh Milk

250g Cream Cheese

60g Plain Flour

B:5 Egg Yolks

20g Lemon Juice

C:5 Egg Whites

100g Caster Sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Linea 8" round baking tin with grease proof paper.


2. Mix all the sponge cake ingredients except corn oil at high speed until fluffy. Lowe the speed, add in corn oil and stir well.


3. Pour batter into the prepared baking tin and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 25-30 minutes or until cooked. Remove cake from tin and leave to cool on wire rack.


4. Leave the oven on at 180 degree Celsius. Line a 8" round cake tin with grease proof paper and put in the sponge cake prepared above.


5. Double-boil fresh milk and cream cheese until dissolved. Add plain flour, stir and cook until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Add B and stir well.


6. Whisk C at high speed until soft peak is formed. Slowly mix in mixture (5).


7. Strain the cheese mixture on top of the sponge cake.


8. Steam bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 140 degree Celsius and bake for another 1 hour and 45 minutes or until cooked.


9. Leave cake to cool in the oven with the door ajar 1 hour. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours. Remove cake from tin and place onto a cake board. Cut into pieces and serve.

Note: Click on here for some useful tips for baking cheesecakes.

-=Happee Cooking=-

Blueberry Cheese Cupcakes

Cheesy blueberry-flavoured cupcake with crunchy biscuit crumbs and roasted almond at the bottom. This gives a combination of smooth moisty as well as crumbly texture. The cupcakes are best served warm. Moreover, cupcakes are always suitable for any occasions. So give it a try.

Ingredients:

Base

3 pieces disgestive biscuit, crushed into crumbs

50g chopped almond, toasted

Cream Cheese Mixture

A: 250g Cream Cheese

3 Egg Yolks

100ml Milk

20g Plain Flour

B: 3 Egg Whites

30g Caster Sugar

C: 3 Tbs Blueberry Jam

Method:

1. Preheat overn to 180 degree Celsius.
2. Base: Combine biscuit crumbs and chopped almond. Place into 12 paper cups with approximately 3.8" or greater diameter.
3. Cream Cheese Mixture: Beat cream cheese and egg yolk until smooth. Add in milk, plain flour and stir well.
4. Whisk egg whites with caster sugar in a clean mixing bowl until soft peak is formed.
5. Mix whisked egg white into cream cheese mixture in 3 batches. Reserve 5Tbs of mixture and mix with blueberry jam.
6. Spoon the remaining of mixture into paper cups and follow with blueberry mixture. Swirl through with spoon for marble effect.
7. Place a bowl of water onto a baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove.

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Som Tum

This green papaya salad, known as som tam, is popular in most areas of Thailand. Som tum is a spicy salad made from shredded unripened papaya originally from Laos and region in northeastern Thailand. Variations of the dish are found throughout Laos and Thailand, as well as in the West, where it is more commonly known by its Thai version and Thai name. The slightly tart flavor of the green papaya combines well with the spice of red chili pepper and the saltiness of shrimp and fish sauce, plus the sweetness of honey. Green papaya salad is a beautifully unique and flavor-filled dish that will make a great impression. It's also easy to make, low-calorie, and very nutritious. So try this Som tam recipe for dinner tonight!

Ingredients:

1Tsp Garlic

1 Small Chilli

1Tbs Sugar

1Tbs Fish Sauce

1-2Tbs Long Bean (chopped into 1cm long)

1 Cherry Tomato

1Cup Raw Papaya

1Tbs Dried Shrimp

1-1/3Tbs Lime Juice

1Tsp Honey

1Tbs Peanut

Method:

1. Peel the green papaya, then slice it in half and remove all the white seeds. Using the largest grater you have, grate the papaya to get a cup of it. Place in a large bowl.
   
2. Pound the garlic, chilli and dried shrimp together and cut the tomato into halves. Add these ingredients into the bowl.
   
3. Add fish sauce, sugar, honey and lime juice into the bowl and mix well.
   
4. Toss and do a taste test. If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce.
   To serve, scoop salad into individual bowls or onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with grounded peanut and fresh coriander. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

Note:

• This recipe makes 2 servings.
• If you prefer more tomotoes, you could add more tomatoes.
• Add more chillies if it is not spicy enough.

-= HappeeCooking=-