Indian Jeera rice

Another day we talked about Indian cuisine with my Indian sister, she told me about jeera rice, in North Indian people eat it. Jeera means cumin. 

The main ingredient is cumin seeds, I would not suggest you to use cumin powder. As when you fry the cumin seeds, the flavor comes out nicely.

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice

2 tbsp ghee or oil

2.5-3 tsp cumin seeds (adjust if needed)
1 bay leaf
1 strand mace
2-4 green cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
4-6 cloves

1 large onion thinly sliced

2 to 3 green chili slit and deseeded

Salt as needed

3.5 cups water(adjust if needed)

Instructions
1. Wash and soak rice for at least 20 to 30 mins.
Drain it completely in a colander

2. Heat ghee or oil in a pot, fry spices until they begin to sizzle. Roast cumin on a low flame until they get roasted well

3. Add sliced onions and green chili. Fry until golden color

4. Add drained rice and roast for 2 to 3 mins.
Pour 3.5 cups water and add salt

5. Bring it to a boil and cook at medium heat until the water is absorbed. When the rice is still soggy, cover and cook until done

Enjoy!

Thai green curry paste

It isn't complicated to make Thai green curry paste, all you need is Thai ingredients.

Patience is needed as you chop all ingredients finely and as you use heavy mortar & pestle, it takes time to grind the ingredients into fine paste.

However, all efforts pay off when you make the paste successfully!

Ingredients
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp white peppercorns

15 green Thai chilies*
1 tsp salt

15 Thai basil leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp lemon grass, finely sliced
1 tbsp galangal, finely chopped
2 tsp kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro stems, finely chopped / 2 tsp cilantro roots, finely chopped
3 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste**

*I used 10 Turkish green chilies which are not too spicy
** 1 tsp shrimp paste can be replaced by 2-3 anchovy fillet

Instructions
1. In a frying pan, at medium high heat, with NO oil, toast coriander seeds & cumin seeds
Let them cool down a bit

2. In a heavy mortar & pestle, grind coriander seeds, cumin seeds and white pepper corn into fine powder
Transfer them in a small bowl and set aside

3. Cut about 7-8 green chilies (half of total quantity) horizontally, scrape off & discard seeds => so that the paste won't be too spicy at the end!
Finely chop the rest of the chilies

4. In the mortar & pestle, add in chopped chilies & salt, grind into fine paste
If the mixture is too wet, add some of the ground spices to absorb the liquid

5. Add basil leaves, grind into fine paste

6. Add lemon grass, galangal, lime zest & cilantro, grind into fine paste

7. Add shallots, garlic & remaining ground spices, grind into fine paste

8. Add shrimp paste, grind into fine paste
Now it is time to cook green curry chicken!

If not using immediately, can be stored in a air-tight container

Enjoy!

Thai green curry chicken

Since I have made Thai red curry, I want to know how to make green curry too! So I found this recipe and tried :)

Ingredients
3/4 cup coconut milk
3 tbsp green curry paste* (how to make paste, click here)

500g chicken thigh, boneless, skinless, 1" pieces

1 cup chicken stock
3-4 lime leaves, briefly torn
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp palm sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce

1.5 cup bamboo shoots, sliced

Optional:
1 cup thai basil
1 spur red chilies or 1/4 red bell pepper

* If you prefer less spicy, you can use less curry paste, but if you want to keep the green color, you can add: finely grinded basil leaves + a bit coconut milk

Instructions
1. In a big heavy duty pot, reduce 3/4 cup coconut milk until it is thick => coconut oil separates from coconut milk (it doesn't matter if oil does not separate)

Add curry paste and mix well with coconut milk, stir regularly at medium heat for 2 mins until the smell of curry come out nicely 

2. Add chicken thigh and mix with the paste
Add lime leaves, chicken stock, 1 cup coconut milk, palm sugar and fish sauce, stir and mix well

Bring to boil and let it simmer for 10-15mins => chicken becomes tender

3. Add bamboo shoots and bring to boil
Taste and add more fish sauce if necessary

4. Turn off the heat, add in basil and chilies

Perfect to serve with rice!
Enjoy!

Furikake - Japanese rice seasoning

I always see Japanese rice seasoning sold at the Chinese or Asian supermarket, but now I know I can make it by myself! yay! It is healthier and you can control the taste by adjusting sugar and salt content!

Ingredients
Used kombu, squeezed out as much as water you can
Used bonito flakes, squeezed out as much as water you can

1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp mirin
1 tsp soy sauce (only for used kombu & bonito - lose some salty flavor)

1/2 tbsp white sesame seeds

Instructions
1. Cut kombu into small pieces

2. In a small sauce pan, at medium heat, fry kombu & bonito flakes until they can be separated

3. Add in sugar, mirin & soy sauce, stir fry them at medium low heat until liquid is completely evaporated

4. Add in white sesame seeds & turn off the heat
Let it cool down completely, store in an air-tight container for a week or freeze it

Korean side-dish Kongnamul

It has been a while I haven't made any Korean side-dish, usually I make spinach or aubergine (eggplant) ones, because they are always available in any supermarket.
This time I bought some soybean sprouts, so I want to try Kongnamul.

Ingredients
300g soybean sprouts

1 cup water

1 tsp green onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp crushed sesame seeds (white)

Instructions
1. Remove tails of soybean sprouts, rinse it with water

2. In a pot, put soybean sprouts and 1 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat.
After boiling, reduce the heat to low, let it simmer for 5 mins

3. After 5 mins, drain water, transfer soybean sprouts in a container
Use chopsticks to mix all the seasonings

Note: Mix seasonings when soybean sprouts are still hot => reduce strong smell of garlic & green onion

4. Keep Kongnamul in a air-tight container
Or serve immediately!

Enjoy!

Steamed egg udon (Odamaki-mushi)

I tasted Japanese steam egg in Japanese restaurant, they have special flavor but I cannot tell what's it. Now I got this recipe I know why hahaa :D

Ingredients (2-3 servings)
2 medium eggs or 3 small eggs
300ml dashi stock, click here for recipe
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

2 pack udon noodles
2-3 small shiitake mushrooms (1-2 for big size)
14g-20g seaweed, rehydrated
4-6 mini chikuwa or 2-3 sliced kamaboko fish cake
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sake or dashi stock


Instructions
1. Beat eggs
In a mixing bowl, mix eggs with dashi stock, add in soy sauce and salt

2. In a medium pot, fill water to half of pot, boil udon noodles, do not over cook the noodles

3. Slice shiitake mushrooms, seaweed
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce and sake/dashi stock. Use a teaspoon, pour the sauce on udon noodles, mushrooms, seaweed & chikuwa/kamaboko for seasoning

4. In 2-3 medium bowls, place udon noodles at the bottom, then place mushrooms, seaweed & chikuwa/kamaboko on the top

Fill egg & dashi mixture in the bowls, only cover udon noodle, not covering the ingredients on the top
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap

5. At the bottom of a wok, place a kitchen paper, to prevent direct heat to the bowls
Place the bowls on the kitchen paper, then pour the boiling water, fill until reach 1/3 (up to 1/2) of the bowl

Turn on the heat at medium heat

6. When it boils, turn the heat to low. If you do not have a hole on the lid, leave the lid slightly open, not to over cook the noodle

From now on, observe the egg mixture - when the color becomes lightened, continue to cook for another 12mins

7. After 12mins, open the lid, and open the plastic wrap, you can see the smooth egg mixture well cooked, you can use a chopstick to poke into the mixture, it is fix when it is done

8. Use a pair of kitchen gloves to take the bowls out and serve hot!

Enjoy! 

French version taboulé

I think most of the French know how to make taboulé (?) it is easy and healthy and delicious. One of the best food for picnic, or when you have barbecue, it is a good side-dish :D

Ingredients (6-8 serving)
500g couscous
olive oil
lemon juice

4 medium size tomatoes
1 medium size cucumber
persil

You can adjust the quantity of tomato & cucumber

Instructions
1. Prepare taboulé 1 day before serving
In a large mixing bowl, mix couscous, olive oil & lemon juice, keep stirring it until the couscous are like sand falling off when you mix them, you can see it is wet though, then you can stop adding oil & juice

Note 1:If you like sour taste, add more lemon juice
Note 2: The taboulé will swell because the couscous absorbs oil & juice

2. Before you sleep, check if the couscous becomes soften. Add in more lemon juice if needed

3. The day right before serving: add in diced tomato & cucumber & persil

Serve cold
Enjoy!

Thai red curry paste

Thai curry paste is essential for Thai curry cooking, they have red curry paste and green curry paste.

I got the red curry paste recipe and I'd love to share with you all!

(pic from eating thai food)

Ingredients
20 small red dry chillies (10-14 for regular size)
1 tsp red chilli powder
4 cloves garlic
4 shallot
4 tsp coriander seeds
4 tsp galangal, sliced
2 stalks lemon grass, smashed by knife
6-8 lime leaves

1tsp salt
2tsp shrimp paste*

*if you can't find any shrimp paste, substitute by 3-4 anchovy fillet

Instructions
1. At medium-high heat, without oil, fry chillies, garlic, shallot, coriander, galangal, lemon grass, lime leaves. Keep frying it.
After 1-2mins, the aroma is released, it should smell good => ready

2. Put them in food processor, add in salt, mix the ingredients until it becomes paste
Add in shrimp paste, mix well

Ready to use or store in a air-tight container

Enjoy!

Thai red curry chicken vegetables

We had dinner at a Thai restaurant few months ago, we like their Thai curry. The restaurant is not near and the meal is actually rather expensive... so why not making my own Thai curry at home!?

I found a recipe from a Thai chef, she taught Thai red curry. I tried it out, the taste is as good as in the restaurant, the difference is only the color, it should look "shrimp" color, which is because I added less chilli in the curry paste.

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste (adjust according to your taste) - click here for Thai red curry paste recipe

100g chicken/ tofu
2-3 cups coconut milk

1 eggplant, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
50g green bean/ haricot

2 tbsp fish sauce (to be adjusted when taste)
1.5 tbsp sugar

Thai basil

Instructions
1. In a wok, heat vegetable oil at medium heat, add in thai red curry paste, fry it until they blend together well

2. Add in chicken or tofu, cook it until it is half cooked
Add in coconut milk, cook until the bubble starts coming up

3. Add in vegetables, mix well

4. Add in fish sauce and sugar
When the chicken looks cook well, you can taste and add more fish sauce or sugar

5. Add in Thai basil, turn off the heat, stir it several time
Serve in a bowl, it will be spicy and creamy

Enjoy!

Vegetarian or non-vegetarian dashi for Japanese dish

Dashi is important for the soup when you make ramen, it enhances the flavor of the soup... you have to use kombu whether you want to make vegetarian or non-vegetarian dashi.

For the soy milk ramen recipe, click here.

Vegetarian dashi: (2 person)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup water
1 piece Kombu (about 5cm X 10cm)
2 dried shiitake mushroom

Instructions
1. In a small pot, soak kombu & mushroom with water for at least 30mins, 3 hours is optimal

2. When it is ready to make dashi, turn on the heat on low, slowly bring kombu & mushroom boil

3. Before the dashi is about fully boiled, remove kombu & mushroom
Note: If you do not remove the kombu, the dashi will become bitter

4. Remove the white foam on the surface
Set aside

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Non-vegetarian dashi: (2 person)

Ingredients
5g kombu (about 2.5cm X 2.5cm)
7g dried bonito flakes
1 cup water

Instructions
1. Use a damp cloth, gently remove the white powder on the surface of kombu
Do not rinse it!

2. If you make double portion of this recipe, cut the kombu into 2

3. Soak the kombu for at least 30mins, 3 hours is optimal (up to half day), so that the flavor releases better
If no time, skip this step

4. In a small pot, bring the kombu with water to boil at low heat

5. Before boiling, remove kombu and keep it in a bowl for making furikake (see bottom)
Note: do not leave it in the water or the dashi will become bitter

Remove white foam on the surface if there is any
Turn off the heat and let the kombu water cool down

5. Add dried bonito flakes in the kombu water, turn on the heat at low & slowly bring it back to boil

Remove white foam on the surface if there is any

6. When it starts boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat
Leave it for 10mins so that the bonito flakes will sink at the bottom

7. Place a sieve lined with a paper towel over a bowl, drain the dashi through it
Gently squeeze the paper towel to drain excess dashi into the bowl

8. Do not throw away the bonito flakes & kombu, you can make furikake (rice seasoning) to accompany rice! It can be a simple meal for lunch :)
Furikake recipe - click here to get it!

Enjoy!

Japanese soy milk ramen for vegetarian

I love ramen and I miss ramen, no Japanese restaurant makes ramen, they all make sushi :( I found one nice in Paris but now I no longer live there, too sad :(

So good that I found this recipe from a Japanese cook, she made the soy milk soup base, which is different from the popular one made by pork bone, but you can find soy milk soup base in Kyoto.
Now those who are vegetarian can enjoy Japanese soy milk ramen!

Ingredients (for 2 person)

Vegetarian dashi:
1 1/2 cup water
1 piece Kombu (about 5cm X 10cm)
2 dried shiitake mushroom

Non-vegetarian dashi:
5g kombu (about 2.5cm X 2.5cm)
7g dried bonito flakes
1 cup water

Soup:
2 tbsp sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic
1" fresh ginger
1-2 stalk scallion (white part)

4 tsp sesame oil

4 tsp chili bean paste
4 tsp miso

2 tbsp sake
4 tsp soy sauce

2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup vegetarian OR non-vegetarian dashi

1/2 tsp salt
white pepper

Noodles:
2 ramen noodles (either dried or fresh)

Toppings:
canned corn
1-2 stalk scallion (green part)

fresh soya bean sprouts

canned bamboo shoots
dried wood-ear mushroom - soak and then boil it
ramen egg (not for vegetarian) - recipe is coming up soon!

Instructions
1. Prepare vegetarian OR non-vegetarian dashi. Click here

2. Prepare soup
- Grind the sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle until they are crushed, set aside
- Press garlic & mince ginger, cut them fine
- Separate scallion into 2 parts - white & green, then chop the white & green part finely respectively and put them into 2 bowls

3. In a non-stick small pot (I used Le Creuset 20cm), place sesame oil, garlic, ginger & white part of scallion. Stir & fry until the fragrance releases

4. Add in bean paste & miso, stir them regularly so that the bottom will not burn

5. Add in sake, stir well
Add in sesame seeds & soy sauce

6. Slowly pour soy milk and mix the ingredients and let them blend together
Add in vegetarian OR non-vegetarian dashi

7. Taste the soup & add salt & pepper according to your taste

8. Prepare ramen (no need to prepare in advance)
In another pot, fill enough water to cook ramen, bring it to boil
When it is boiled, add in ramen noodles, stir it so that it won't stick at the bottom

9. When the ramen is done, drain the water, transfer it to a serving bowl
Pour the soup into the bowl

10. Place the toppings that you like and serve hot

Enjoy!

Lavender madeleine

Lavender smells so good, I saw some lavender desserts in culinary books but I can't make them because I couldn't find any lavender sold in the supermarket... until I found they are sold here!

Lavender's smell is strong, so 1 full tablespoon is enough.
It is great when serving with lavender herbal tea :)

This recipe is not too fatty/ oily as the ones you buy in the supermarket, I like it :)

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp (full) culinary lavender, crushed

2 large eggs at room temperature
75g sugar
1 tsp vanilla

115g butter, melted
Extra butter & flour for greasing & dusting

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 190°c
Grease madeleine mould. Dust with flour

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, lavender
In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light fluffy

3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and then melted butter
Fold the mixture until well incorporated

Put the batter in the fridge and let it cool down for 1 hour

4. Use a table spoon to scoop the batter into each mould and place it in the center of the mould
Note: If you didn't cool the batter in the fridge, fill the mould almost full

5. Bake for 10-12 mins or until the edges become golden

6. Let it fix in the mould for 5-10mins then remove the madeleine from the mould

Enjoy!

Check out Madeleine Ispahan (rose) & green tea flavors also!