Thai Chicken Drumsticks

Serves 6

Ingredients :
250ml coconut milk
45-50ml red curry paste
30ml lime juice
30ml fish sauce
30ml sweet chilli sauce
60ml chopped fresh coriander
12 chicken drumsticks

Method :
Combine the coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, fish sauce, chilli sauce and the coriander in a bowl and mix well.
Slash the chicken legs twice on each side and place in the marinade, coating them well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Remove chicken from the marinade and place on an oven tray. Grill on both sides, turning and basting frequently with marinade, until cooked.

Can also be cooked on the braai or in a grill pan.

Chicken biryani (breyani)

Ingredients
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 - 1.5kg boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into chunks
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Spices
1 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1 stick of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 whole cloves
1 teaspoon star anise
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
(Note : The above spices are also available and packaged as a ready-made biryani mix in most supermarkets or spice shops)
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Rice
1 large onion, diced
1 teaspoon masala (usually sold as biryani masala)
5 cardamom pods
1 small stick of cinnamon
500g basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
.
Method
In a large skillet, fry potatoes in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until brown, drain and set aside. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add spices, salt and the tomatoes.
Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked soft.
It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and begins to stick to the pan.
When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture.
Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Wash rice well and drain in colander.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and add onion and cook until brown. Stir in the masala, cardamom and cinnamon and then add the rice.
Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the oil.
In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt.
When the mixture is hot pour it over the rice and stir well.
Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes, then gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil.
Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes.
Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. After about 20 minutes the biryani should be ready to be served.

recipe chicken biryani breyani

Chinese Egg Rolls

Makes 10

Ingredients :
1 Chinese cabbage(Napa) - about 450g
2 stalks celery
250g cooked shrimp / prawn
250g cooked pork
10 water chestnuts
1/3 cup bamboo shoots
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 beaten egg
10 egg roll skins
3 cups cooking oil

Method :
Boil cabbage and celery until very tender. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Shred very fine and place in a colander to drain further.
Parboil shrimp/prawns and cook the pork. Mince both.
Shred water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.
Mix all ingredients together except the egg. Beat the egg.
Wrap filling in egg roll skins and seal with egg.
Deep fry the egg rolls in hot oil until golden brown.
Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

recipe egg rolls Chinese

Fried Won Tons

Ingredients :
500g won ton skins
250g ground pork
250g fresh prawns
4 mushrooms (Shitake or Black mushrooms)
8 water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 small eggs, beaten
pinch pepper
1 tsp salt
vegetable oil for frying

Method :
Shell and devein prawns and finely chop.
Finely chop the mushrooms (if dried mushrooms are used, soak in warm water for 20 – 30 minutes first).
Mix the prawns, pork, mushrooms, water chestnuts, spring onions, half of the beaten eggs and all of the seasonings.

Wrapping :
Place won ton skins on working surface and place 1 teaspoon filling in the center of each skin.
Dip a little of the beaten egg onto one corner and fold to the opposite corner, pressing to seal. Moisten one of the other corners and seal with the opposite corner – should look something like a nurses hat.

Frying :
Heat 4 cups of oil in wok or suitably-sized saucepan. Fry the wrapped won tons until golden brown (should take about 2 minutes). Turn over once. Drain and serve hot.

Should yield about 60 -70 - Great snack for a party!!

recipe won ton Chinese

Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients :
2 eggs
pinch ground white pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 cups cooked rice
4 whole spring onions, chopped
2 cups diced shrimp, ham or cooked chicken / pork
1 slice ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Method :
Put first three ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir slightly, taking care not to beat the eggs well.
Heat wok or pan hot and dry and add the oil.
Brown the garlic and ginger slightly, then add the rice.
Cook for 2−3 minutes, stirring to break up lumps and the rice is well coated with the oil.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the egg mixture.
Fry and stir constantly until thoroughly mixed.
Add the egg mixture while stirring the rice so it will cover as much of the ingredients in the pan as possible.
Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Serve while hot.

recipe fried rice Chinese

Seafood curry

serves 6-8

Ingredients :
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup curry leaves
3-4 green chillies
vegetable oil
15 ml (1 T) garlic and ginger paste
30-45 ml (2-3 T) fish masala (or any other suitable masala)
5 ml (1 t) turmeric
5ml (1t) cumin powder
5 cardemon seeds (crushed or simply just split open)
4 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2kg marinara mix (thawed) (see Note below)
1 T apricot jam or fruit chutney
coriander leaves
Note: Marinara mix is usually packaged in frozen form and contains shrimps, mussels, crab meat, chunks of white fish and calamari. If this is not available in your area, then you could use whatever seafood combination you like.

Method:
In a large saucepan, stir-fry the onion, curry leaves, cardemon and chillies in a little heated oil until the onion is golden brown.
Stir in the ginger and garlic paste.
Add the masala, cumin, turmeric and tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes.
Add the marinara mix and apricot jam (or chutney), add some water to make a sauce(gravy), cover and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes or until the seafood mix has been suitably cooked through.
Season with salt and sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves.

Suggestion : Serve with steamed Basmati rice (although I prefer plain, white long-grained rice) or with Roti (recipe on this site).

recipe seafood curry

Roti

(A type of pancake usually served with curry)

Ingredients :

3 cups flour

1 t salt

3 T vegetable oil

Sufficient water to form a soft dough

1 cup soft butter or margarine

Vegetable oil for frying

Method :

Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and add the vegetable oil.

Rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add water and mix to a fairly soft dough.

Roll out on a surface which has been dusted with flour and roll into a rectangular shape of approx. 20x 30cm.

Spread the dough with softened butter and roll it up like a Swiss roll.

Cover with a tea towel and leave for at least 30 minutes.

Break off pieces of dough and form into balls the size of tennis balls.

Roll out each ball into a disc the size of a normal sized dinner plate.

Fry in hot oil for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve immediately with a curry filling, or on the side.

recipe roti Indian