Easy Cooking Recipe

Good Fortune Soup

2008-08-14T09:07:00.000+08:00

Good Fortune Soup
Recipe by Amy Beh

Ingredients
(A)

1 kampung chicken, about 1.5kg, chopped into sizeable pieces

1.5 litres water

2 red dates

1 tsp kei chi

2 dried figs

1 dried mushroom, soaked to soften

1 dried scallop

4 pieces dried longan flesh

5 pieces canned abalone

Seasoning

Dash of salt, sugar and pepper

1 tsp Shao Hsing Hua Tiau wine (optional)

Method

Combine all ingredients (A) in a double boiler and double-boil for 2 hours.

Add the abalone and seasoning at the last 10 minutes (add Shao Hsing Hua wine just before serving when the soup is still very hot.)

Transfer all ingredients and soup into individual soup tureens and serve immediately.

Good Fortune Soup
Soup
Easy Cooking Recipe

Best Cookies: Oatmeal Crispies

2008-05-13T21:23:00.000+08:00

Best Cookies: Oatmeal Crispies
by: Donna Monday

These crisp, light, crunchy cookies are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Oatmeal Crispies

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Combine brown sugar, butter and shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Reduced speed to low; add oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 6-inch log. Wrap each in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut logs into ¼ -inch slices with sharp knife. Place slices 1-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets.

About the author:
© Donna Monday
Love Cookies? All your favorites here
http://www.best-cookie-jar-recipes.com

Garam Masala - The Spices of India

2008-03-14T00:48:00.000+08:00

Garam Masala - The Spices of India
by: Alden Smith

India is known for its excellent cuisine, it's unique regions of cooking, and a pleasant dining experience. India is distinguished in the world's cuisine for it vegetarian dishes. One thing all of the regional cuisines of India have in common is it's use of spices.

Garam masala is an essential ingredient in the cooking of the Punjab region of northern India. Loosely defined, "masala" is any blend of spices, and "garam" means hot.

Generally, garam masala is added to the dish very shortly before serving to enhance flavor. Garam Masala is also an excellent rub for chicken and beef.

Garam masala is available prepared in ethnic groceries, and specialty stores such as World Market. The disadvantage of this is that one doesn't know how old the spices are, or what changes in temperatures and packaging it has been subjected to. One takes a chance on the potency and fragrance of this blend if it is bought already prepared. It is a simple process to make garam masala, and ingredients, with the exception of cardamom pods, are readily available. cardamom pods are available in Indian and natural food stores. Buy the green pods versus the white pods, which are bleached. Cardamom is an expensive spice, second only in price to saffron. It is expensive because it has to be hand picked. This spice is best used by toasting the seed removed from the pod, and then ground in a spice mill, along with the other ingredients of garam masala. Cardamom loses its essential oils and flavors quickly after being cracked and ground, and so buying the pods and toasting and grinding is the best method of use for this great spice.

To make Garam Masala, use the following ingredients:

2 cardamom pods, seeded
1 teaspoon whole cloves
30 whole peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole cumin seed
1 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The best method for making garam masala is to toast and then grind the ingredients. This is accomplished by placing the seed ingredients one at a time in a pan over medium high heat, and shaking them until they just begin to smoke and release their distinctive aromas. It will take approximately 1-3 minutes. Be sure not to burn the seeds!

Place the toasted ingredients in a spice mill, and grind to a fairly fine mixture. The garam masala can then be stored in a tightly sealed glass jar for up to 6 months. Any time after that, and the spices will begin to lose flavor and aroma.

I use garam masala for a rub for roasted or grilled chicken and beef. The aroma and flavor are outstanding, and chicken baked or grilled will retain the excellent flavor of the garam masala.

Try garam masala today. Cooking with the spices of northern India is an experience that every adventurous chef should try!

About the author:
Alden Smith is an award winning and published author who has been marketing on the internet for over 7 years. Visit his website http://www.allthebestrecipes.com for great articles, recipes, and cooking tips.

Rum Raisin Cheesecake

2008-02-16T21:22:00.000+08:00

Best Recipes: Rum Raisin Cheesecake
by: Donna Monday

If you like rum raisin ice cream, you’ll enjoy the flavor of rum raisin in this unique cheesecake.

Crust

1 cup old fashioned or quick cooking oats, uncooked
¼ cup chopped nuts
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Filling

2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup flour
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons rum
2 tablespoons margarine
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
¼ cup chopped nuts
2 tablespoons old fashioned or quick cooking oats, uncooked

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine oats, nuts, margarine and brown sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Combine cream cheese, granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons flour, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in sour cream and rum; mix well. Pour over crust.

Cut margarine into combined remaining flour and brown sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins, nuts and oats. Sprinkle over cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.

About the author:
© Donna Monday
Brownies, Cheesecake, Fudge and more . . .
http://www.best-brownie-recipes.com/Cheesecake_besteasyrecipe.html

Barbeque Basics

2008-01-18T23:39:00.000+08:00

Barbeque Basics
by: Valerie Giles

There’s nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family
gathered around amidst the wonderful smells of charcoal-grilled
prawns, vegetables and selected favorites. Barbecuing is one of
those time- honored rituals that go hand in hand with summertime.
Whether you’re in your backyard or at you’re favorite camping
site, barbecuing is a pleasure to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Barbecuing has never been more exciting; with the endless designs
of barbecues available and the myriad of barbecue cookbooks and
cooking shows it really does take barbecuing into a whole new
realm. With recipes for everything from grilled bananas to
peaches and dry rubs for ribs, barbecues aren’t just for cooking
steaks and burgers anymore. With all the available barbecuing
options it helps to know a few of the barbecuing terms and
barbecuing utensils that are used.

Firstly, barbecues come in a wide variety of options; there are
propane, natural gas and the standard barbecues for use with
charcoal. Barbecues can come with range style one, two and four
burner options along with rotisseries. There are even barbecues
that have coolers built right into the bottom! Barbecuing has
never been quite so convenient.

When you’re using your barbecue it really helps to have the right
utensils and barbeque accessories, this will make your barbecuing
experience easier and more enjoyable. Long handled tongs, basting
brushes and spatulas are quite helpful. Heavy -duty oven mitts
can also be useful. Of course you don’t want to forget the proper
wire brushes and scrubbers (crumpled foil even works well) to
remove build-up, keeping your grill racks clean.

Foods that are tender such as fish, vegetables and some burgers
can benefit from cooking in a special grill basket (this way you
aren’t loosing any of your meal into the barbecue). There are
also special racks available to be used with corn, potatoes,
ribs and meat.

An excellent barbecue accessory is the grill wok, with this you
can make you’re favorite stir fries and vegetable dishes; the wok
has small holes throughout that allow heat and smoke to penetrate
the food. Another great grill accessory is the grill pizza tray
used mostly for grilled pizza. Other grill accessories include;
( http://www.best-bbq-online.com/grill-accessories.htm )
the grill topper used for fish and vegetables providing an even
cooking surface, which prevents foods from falling through the
grill rack; you can never have too many skewers in assorted
lengths which can be used with a skewer rack for grilling your
favorite marinated vegetables and meats; smoker boxes for gas
grills filled with soaked wood chips add a wonderful smoked
flavor to foods. Lastly foil packets are available or simple tin
foil to wrap foods, just remember that you may be sacrificing
the grill and smoke flavors when foods are wrapped tightly.

After you have the utensils and proper grilling accessories
needed for you’re barbeque experience you’ll want to familiarize
yourself on the different types of grilling processes and terms
to find the ones that work best for you and to know exactly what
has to be done. To start, basting is probably the most familiar
of barbecuing terms, a simple brushing with a seasoned liquid
adding both flavor and moisture to your food. A brochette is
just French for a kabob, or simply food cooked on a skewer. A
glaze is a glossy, flavorful coating on food as it cooks as a
result of regular basting.

Three very popular methods of barbecuing are the direct grilling,
dry smoking and indirect grilling methods. Direct grilling is
probably the most popular grilling used, it is when food is
placed directly over the flame. It is a fast method because of
the intense heat and allows for browning on the outside of foods.
This process works best for food requiring short cooking times
such as burgers and steaks, you must remember to turn food over
to allow cooking on both sides. The dry smoking method is
achieved by placing a grill rack indirectly over the heat source
with the barbecue lid down, this allows the flame to burn thus
creating smoke which covers the food, giving you a smoky flavor.
Lastly the indirect grilling is a slow process of cooking because
of less heat, it is done by surrounding a drip pan with the coals
and putting the food over the pan, so the hot air circulates
around the food (similar to a convection oven). It is wise to
check with your barbecue owner manual for indirect grilling
specific to your barbecue, roasts work well with this method.

After you’ve acquired the barbecue and all the necessary cooking
utensils and accessories you’re ready for the best part of
barbecuing and that is the cooking of the food. Sauces, marinades
and rubs are popular cooking ideas when barbecuing. The sauce
can be said to define a great barbecue. Whether you use a little
or a lot is a matter of preference. A sauce often includes sugar,
honey or preserves, which can cause the sauce to burn when
cooking; a suggestion is to brush your sauce on in the last five
to ten minutes of cooking. There are a wide variety of sauces
and glazes to be made ranging from apple butter barbecue sauce
to raspberry piquant sauce.

Marinades are used for soaking your choice of meat, tofu or
vegetables. ( http://www.best-bbq-online.com/marinades.htm )
The marinating both tenderizes and permeates the food with
flavor, adding flavor and promoting crisp brown exteriors,
changing an otherwise average dinner into a great one. Marinades
are virtually fool proof and can be made in advance refrigerated
in an airtight container for up to a week. The three basic
ingredients in a marinade are; flavorings such as herbs, spices,
sweeteners; oils which keep the food pliable and give a crispy
crust; acids such as citrus juices, wines, vinegars and yogurts
used to balance the sweetness. It is suggested to use the acids
sparingly on fish and poultry, as they will soften the flesh
when used.

A virtually fat free and easy way to add flavor to food is by
using a variety of bold seasonings in a rub. The food is rubbed
with spices prior to grilling, the rub transforms into a crunchy
brown crust that seals in the juices and enhances the flavors of
the food. The spices should be generously applied coating the
entire surface of the food; the food should then be covered and
put in the fridge for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Simplicity is the
key for making rubs, salt and sugar are two of the main
ingredients and the rest are up to you.

Whatever your barbecuing specialty might be barbecues can be
both a fun and convenient way to make dinner. Summertime needn’t
be the only time of year that you’re barbecuing, if weather
allows you can barbecue all year round. The options have never
been more exciting, and the variety of foods and recipes never
more abundant.

About the author:
Valerie Giles owns and operates Best BBQ Online , a resource web
site featuring bbq grills, bbq smokers, weber gas grills, grill
accessories and rotisseries, bbq recipes and marinades and patio
heaters. Everything you need for the barbequing season.
http://www.best-bbq-online.com

Chicken Stock

2007-12-30T21:34:00.000+08:00

Chicken Stock
by: Tim Sousa

The basis of a good soup is usually a good stock. Once you know how to make a good stock, you can use it for an almost endless variety of soups. This is a recipe I use for chicken stock that's easy to make, and tastes delicious. I usually make extra, and freeze what I don't use.

1 Whole Chicken, about 3 pounds

8 cups water

2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into large chunks

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2-3 sprigs of parsley

1-2 sprigs of sage

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme (please, no Simon and Garfunkel jokes)

2 tsp. salt

Cut the chicken up into pieces.

Put the chicken, and the rest of the ingredients into a large kettle, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 3 hours.

Remove the chicken, and place in a bowl to cool.

Pour the stock through a colander lined with cheesecloth, and chill.

When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones, and freeze or refrigerate the chicken for another use.

Skim the fat off of the stock, and refrigerate, freeze, or use immediately.

Yield: About 6 cups of stock, about 4 cups of chicken.

Don't feel constrained by the ingredients and amounts listed in this recipe. You can use other herbs for a different flavor. You could add ginger peels and lemongrass for an asian flavor. Just let your imagination run wild.

You don't need to use a whole chicken either. You can buy the bone-in chicken breasts, and remove the bones before cooking. Then just put the bones in a plastic bag, and put them into the freezer. Then when you're ready to make the stock, just take the bones out and use them in the stock.

Once you've learned to make this chicken stock, you can use it as a basis for many different soups... chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup, peanut butter soup... again, just let your imagination run wild with it, and enjoy!

About the author:
Tim Sousa is the webmaster of http://www.classy-cooking.com,an online recipe library featuring original recipes, as well as several recipes contributed by readers.

A Recipe for Rye Bread

2007-12-16T11:47:00.000+08:00

A Recipe for Rye Bread
by: Kit Heathcock

The more I make bread, the more I am convinced of the importance of the kitchen being in the best position in the house. When we designed and built our house, I was determined that the kitchen should have a view and be on the front of the house. Now that it’s six-fifteen of a summer morning and I’m up early, kneading bread, because we’ve run out again, I’m especially happy to be looking out over a sun-soaked landscape to the distant mountains. Every time you make bread you’re guaranteed a good ten minutes of contemplation as you knead it, the mechanical rhythmic activity frees the mind to wander or switch off…very therapeutic. Having a view thrown in as well is just an added bonus.

I haven’t always made bread. It is a comparatively recent development. Making jam was the first breakthrough into self-sufficiency, then came the day when our local supplier of rye bread, who made a loaf that (miracle of miracles), all the children would eat, decided to switch recipes and use caraway in it…instant rejection by the whole family.

We’d stopped the wheat bread to try and help my son’s allergies and found it helped most of us, so apart from the occasional indulgence of fluffy white bread, I wanted to stay off it. There was no alternative; I would have to take the leap into bread making. The main reason that I’d resisted was that it seemed to take so long. First the mixing and kneading, then the rising, then knocking down and forming loaves, a second rising and finally the baking. Who could keep track of all that in the chaotic life of a three-child family?

So eventually I take the plunge, turn to my friend Nigel (Slater, not namedropping but he and Nigella (Lawson) are ever-present in my kitchen, in book format of course) and find a foolproof recipe for a white loaf, simpler to start off with white I think. Well the first try produced a reasonable, if huge, loaf, though my son still remembers that it was a bit doughy in the middle. Second try, I got two pretty perfect loaves and I was on a roll.

Now to find a recipe for rye bread. It seems that 100% rye is usually made by the sour dough method and I couldn’t see my family going for that, so settle for a half and half rye/whole-wheat recipe… triumph. Ok, my son the food connoisseur complained it was a bit too sweet, so next time round I reduced the amount of honey, but this recipe has been our staple diet ever since, and I am now truly ensconced in my kitchen, looking at the view, every other day, while I endeavour to keep the supply level with the ever increasing demand.

Any way, finally to the recipe:

500g rye flour
450g whole-wheat flour plus more for kneading
50g plain flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 10g sachet of instant yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons oil
670 ml milk
125 ml water

Warm the milk to lukewarm. Mix the flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and put in the yeast, then honey, then oil, pour on the warmed milk and water and mix. When it gets doughy turn out on to a well floured surface (it will be extremely sticky) and knead for 10 minutes. You will need to keep adding flour as you knead. It is better for it to be too sticky than too dry – you can always add more flour, but too dry will make a dry, hard loaf. After 10 minutes, put it back into the bowl with a plastic bag over it and leave in a warmish place for two hours or so. Then knock down, firmly pressing out the air, but not over kneading, then form into two or three loaves on a baking sheet, cover again and leave to rise for another hour. Then bake for 30 minutes at 190C until they sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of the loaf. Cool on a wire rack

So how do I keep track of the bread making, in between school runs, mealtimes and the rest? Well I don’t always. There are times when I optimistically start the bread off, leave it to rise and four hours later remember about it, knock it down, forget to switch on the oven so it has had an extra day or so in rising time by the time it gets cooked. It does seem to be very forgiving though – whatever you do to it, you do generally get bread out at the end, it may not always be the perfect loaf, but then variety is the spice of life after all. There was one time it hadn’t quite finished cooking by the time I had to do the school run, so I asked my husband to take it out in ten minutes….. By the time I got back we had a very useful weapon against intruders. We didn’t eat that one…I think it was ryvita for lunch…!

Good luck with yours.

Copyright 2005 Kit Heathcock

About the author:
Sometime flower photographer, keen observer of the resonances of life and fulltime mother. Born in the UK but now living on a farm in the southern hemisphere. Contributor to the creation and maintenance of http://www.aflowergallery.com one of the homes of chakra flower art.

Best Recipes: Ice Cream Cookie Pizza

2007-12-03T23:07:00.000+08:00

Best Recipes: Ice Cream Cookie Pizza
by: Donna Monday

Gather everybody around for this really cool cold pizza. Each person will have lots of fun topping their ice cream pizza slices with lots of yummy goodies. Great for kids parties.

Cookie

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Ice Cream

1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

Toppings

Fudge sauce, strawberry sauce, caramel sauce, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, m&m candies, gummi candy, coarsely chopped chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped candy bars, candy sprinkles, nuts.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine brown sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed.

Spread dough evenly into ungreased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Spread ice cream evenly over cooled cookie. Freeze until firm (1 to 2 hours).
To serve, cut into wedges; top with desired topping.

About the author:
© Donna Monday
Love Cookies? All your favorites here
http://www.best-cookie-jar-recipes.com

Chicken Stock

2007-11-19T09:07:00.000+08:00

Chicken Stock
by: Tim Sousa

The basis of a good soup is usually a good stock. Once you know how to make a good stock, you can use it for an almost endless variety of soups. This is a recipe I use for chicken stock that's easy to make, and tastes delicious. I usually make extra, and freeze what I don't use.

1 Whole Chicken, about 3 pounds

8 cups water

2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into large chunks

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2-3 sprigs of parsley

1-2 sprigs of sage

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme (please, no Simon and Garfunkel jokes)

2 tsp. salt

Cut the chicken up into pieces.

Put the chicken, and the rest of the ingredients into a large kettle, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 3 hours.

Remove the chicken, and place in a bowl to cool.

Pour the stock through a colander lined with cheesecloth, and chill.

When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones, and freeze or refrigerate the chicken for another use.

Skim the fat off of the stock, and refrigerate, freeze, or use immediately.

Yield: About 6 cups of stock, about 4 cups of chicken.

Don't feel constrained by the ingredients and amounts listed in this recipe. You can use other herbs for a different flavor. You could add ginger peels and lemongrass for an asian flavor. Just let your imagination run wild.

You don't need to use a whole chicken either. You can buy the bone-in chicken breasts, and remove the bones before cooking. Then just put the bones in a plastic bag, and put them into the freezer. Then when you're ready to make the stock, just take the bones out and use them in the stock.

Once you've learned to make this chicken stock, you can use it as a basis for many different soups... chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup, peanut butter soup... again, just let your imagination run wild with it, and enjoy!

About the author:
Tim Sousa is the webmaster of http://www.classy-cooking.com,an online recipe library featuring original recipes, as well as several recipes contributed by readers.

SPICY ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

2007-09-15T18:51:00.000+08:00

SPICY ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

This is known as chilpachol in Mexico. Don't forget to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to each bowl.

serving size
Makes 4 main-course servings.

Ingredients
Aromatic soup base
2 pounds large plum tomatoes (about 10)
2 medium onions (about 14 ounces), peeled, halved
1 1/2x3-inch strip from Mexican cinnamon stick or 1 1/2-inch piece regular cinnamon stick
6 whole black peppercorns
4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 large jalapeño chili
2 5 1/2-inch corn tortillas, cut in half
2 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chilies *
To finish soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
5 cups water
1 1 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
3/4 pound red-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
1 teaspoon (or more) salt
1 15- to 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), undrained
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup corn kernels, cut from 1 large ear (step 3) or frozen
1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh cilantro
Additional 5 1/2-inch corn tortillas
Lime wedges

preparation

Make soup base:

Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Place tomatoes close together on prepared sheet. Broil close to heat source until blackened in spots, turning once with tongs, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer tomatoes to plate and cool. Place onion halves close together on same sheet. Broil until surfaces are charred, turning once with tongs, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside and cool.

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Using tongs, place cinnamon strip, peppercorns, garlic cloves, and jalapeño chili in hot skillet, preferably cast iron. Toast until fragrant and charred, turning and stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes for cinnamon and peppercorns and 8 minutes for garlic and jalapeño. Transfer all to plate. Place tortilla halves in same hot skillet. Toast until browned in spots and crisp, pressing often with spatula, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer tortillas to plate; cool, then break into very small pieces.

After the charred tomatoes have cooled, peel, halve crosswise, and spoon out the seeds. Cut away most of charred surface from broiled onions and then chop. Peel garlic cloves. Stem, quarter, seed and devein jalapeño chili. Place tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeño chili, and chipotle chilies in processor. Finely grind cinnamon, peppercorns, and toasted tortillas in spice mill or coffee grinder; add to processor. Blend soup base until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Finish soup:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Add soup base from processor, oregano, and cumin. Cook (sear) until base thickens enough to leave path when spoon is drawn through, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add 5 cups water, squash, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add garbanzo beans with liquid, green beans, and corn. Cover; simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Mix in cilantro; season with pepper and more salt, if desired.

Toast tortillas directly over gas flame or electric burner until browned in spots but still soft, about 40 seconds per side. Wrap in foil; keep warm.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve with lime wedges and warm tortillas.
• Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are sold at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

Easy Cooking Recipe

Potjie – Cape Malay Casserole

2007-09-15T18:39:00.000+08:00

Potjie – Cape Malay Casserole

Potjie is the South African camp oven – a heavy cast iron pot, but with legs.
Serves 4 to 6

2 x Onions – chopped
1 tblspn butter (approx)
1kg neck of lamb – cut into cubes
2 tblspns oil
4 rashers bacon - chopped
Lamb stock – enough to cover
White wine – good slurp
2 large carrots
4 large potatoes
2 large zucchinis
75gm dried apricots
12 button mushrooms
Salt, pepper to taste
100 ml cream
Cornflour/water (ratio of 1:1)

Place the chopped onion into a saucepan with a little water (not enough to cover), bring to the boil and cook until all the water has boiled away, stirring occasionally. Add butter and continue to cook and stir until the onions are browned.
In the camp oven, brown the meat in oil. Remove and drain.
Add the bacon to the camp oven and brown.
Add the cooked, browned onions. Stir to combine.
Return the lamb, along with a good slurp of white wine and enough lamb stock to just cover. Bring to the boil, the put on the lid and cook slowly over a gentle heat for 1 hour.

Add chopped vegetables and apricots and season to taste.
When the vegetables and meat are cooked, thicken the liquid with a mix of cornflour and water and add 100 ml of cream.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.
Hint: Keith has always prepared onions as detailed above, the same as his mother. If you don’t want to take the time to cook the onions as written, then simply brown them in a little oil until softened.
Quantities given for the vegetables are just a guide – you can use more or less, depending on your preference.

Tom Yam Kung

2007-09-15T18:19:00.000+08:00

Tom Yam Kung
Sour and spicy prawn soup (Serve two or three)

15 prawns, shells and head removed

40 g. MAESRI TOM YAM PASTE (2 table spoon)

100 g. straw mushrooms, cut into halves

400 ml. water

Method:

1. Pour the water into a pot and place on medium heat. When the water comes to a boil, put in the prawns and the mushrooms.

2. When the water returns to boiling, add the MAESRI TOM YAM KUNG PASTE.

3. When the soup returns once again to boiling and the Tom Yam Paste has dispersed, dip out into a bowl, sprinkle with coriander leaves, and serve.

Easy Cooking Recipe

Easy Cooking Recipe

2007-09-13T13:59:00.000+08:00

Welcome to Easy Cooking Recipe.

Get to know all about cooking recipe from chinese cooking recipe,south indian cooking recipe,asian cooking recipe,japanese food cooking recipe,filipino cooking recipe,thai cooking recipe,malay cooking recipe,western cooking recipe and do your own easy everyday cooking recipe.

Easy Cooking Recipe