Boiled rice

 Rice can be cooked a day ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. 

1 cup long gran rice

1 ½ liters  [6 cups] water

Place rice in strainer, wash under cold water; drain.  Add rice gradually   to large causepan of boiling water. Boil, uncovered, for about 10  minutes or until tender; stir occasionally.  Drain rice, stir with fork to separate grains.

Serves 4.  

ABSORTION METHOD

The absortion method of cooking rice is eazy and traditional in Asian countries. Place rice in heavy-based saucepan, add enough cold water to cover the rice and be about 2cm above the surface of the rice. Cover the pan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce head to as low as possible, keep covered for a few more minutes to be sure all the water  has been completely absorbed by the rice.

MICROWAVED RICE

White rice, as a rule, needs double the amount of water to rice; 1 cup white rice takes about 15 minutes to cook.

Use a large shallow dish about 4cm deep for best results; do not cover rice while cooking, but do stir at least twice during cooking.

Tomarind sambal

Sambal can be made a day ahead;  keep covered, in refrigerator.  Recipe unsuitable to freeze  or   microwave.

1 tablespoon   tamarind concentrate

2 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

12 teaspoon chilli powder

½ teaspoon ground fennel

30g palm sugar

2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1: Combine tamarind and water in small bowl, stir until dissolved.

2: Stir cumin, chilli powder and fennel into tamarind mixture. 

3: Stir in palm sugar, ginger and juice; stir until sugar is dissolved.

Makes about ½ cup.

 

Marinated grilled prawns

Curry can be prepared a day  ahead; keep, covered,  refrigerator or freeze for 2 months. This recipe is not  suitable to microwave.                           

600g ghee

10 dried curry leaves, crumbled

½ teaspoon black mustard  seeds

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon tandoori mix

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon gram masala

1 teaspoon shilli powder

1 tablespoon  lemon juice

8 chicken thigh cutlets

  1: Heat ghee in large frying pan,add leaves and seeds, stir over  high heat for about 1 minute or until seeds begin to pop.

2:  Stir in onion, garlic and ginger, stir  over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until onion is soft.

 3: Stir in curry powder, tandoori mix, cumin, gram masala and silli powder, stir over medium heat for further minute, stir in juice and water.

4: Add chicken to pan, turn chicken to coat evenly with curry mixture.    

Cover, cook over low heat for about 50 minutes or until chicken is tender, turning chicken occasionally. Add a little extra water,  in necessary, during cooking time.

Serves 4.

Spicy dry chicken curry

Curry can be prepared a day  ahead; keep, covered,  refrigerator or freeze for 2 months. This recipe is not  suitable to microwave.                           

600g ghee

10 dried curry leaves, crumbled

½ teaspoon black mustard  seeds

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon tandoori mix

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon gram masala

1 teaspoon shilli powder

1 tablespoon  lemon juice

8 chicken thigh cutlets

  1: Heat ghee in large frying pan,add leaves and seeds, stir over  high heat for about 1 minute or until seeds begin to pop.

2:  Stir in onion, garlic and ginger, stir  over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until onion is soft.

 3: Stir in curry powder, tandoori mix, cumin, gram masala and silli powder, stir over medium heat for further minute, stir in juice and water.

4: Add chicken to pan, turn chicken to coat evenly with curry mixture.    

Cover, cook over low heat for about 50 minutes or until chicken is tender, turning chicken occasionally. Add a little extra water,  in necessary, during cooking time.

Serves 4.

Tamarind lamb balls

Recipe can be made a day ahead; keep,covered, in refrigerator or freeze for 2 months. Minced lamb can be ordered ahead from your butcher. This recipe is unsuitable to microwave.    

4 dried Chinese mushrooms

500g minced lamb

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

2 green shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon grass

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

¾ cup sesame seeds

Oil for deep-frying

1: Place mushrooms in small bowl , cover with boiling water, stand for 20 minutes; drain, discard stems, shop mushrooms finely. Combine mince, onion, carrot, shallots, lemon grass, garlic, mushrooms, and sauce in large bowl; mix well. Shape mixture into 2cm balls. Toss balls in sesame seeds.

2: Deep-fry balls in hot oil until golden brown; drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with sauce.

TAMARIND SAUCE: Combine sauces, sherry, honey and water in small saucepan. Blend cornflour with extra water, stir into sauce mixture, stir over high heat until sauce boils and thickens. Serve hot.

Makes about 40.

Chicken peanut curry

Curry can be made a day ahead  keep, covered, in refrigerator. This recipe is not suitable to freeze or microwave.   

8   chicken thigh cutlets

¼   cup oil

1/3  cup red curry paste

400  ml can coconut milk

¼   cup fish sauce

2   tablespoon sugar 

½  cup crunchy peanut butter

1:  Place chicken into baking dish, brush with a tablespoon of the oil.  

Bake in moderately hot oven for about 45 minutes or until chicken is  tender; drain on absorbent paper.

2:  Heat remaining oil in medium saucepan, add curry paste, stir over medium heat for 1 minute. 

3:  Stir in coconut milk, sauce, sugar and peanut butter; stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens.  

4:  Add chicken to coconut mixture, stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes until mixture is hot.  

Serves  4.

Mogul-style beef

Curry can be made a day ahead; keep covered, in refrigerator or freeze for  2 months. This recipe is unsuitable to microwave. 

1 ½ kg rump steak

¼ cup oil

3 medium onions, sliced

2 teaspoons gram masala

¼ teaspoon saffron powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon honey

½ small  chicken stock cube, crumbled

2/3 cup water

2/3 cup cream
2 teaspoons  packaged ground almonds

1: Cut steak into 1 ½  cm strips          

2: Heat oil in large saucepan, add onions, stir over  medium heat for about 3 minutes or until onions are soft. Stir in gram masala, saffron powder, turmeric, ginger and cilli powder, cook further minute.

3: Stir in steak, stir over high heat  until steak is well browned all over. Stir in milk, honey and combined stock cube and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until steak is tender; stir occasionally during cooking. 

4: Stir in cream and almonds, stir over medium heat until mixture is heated through.

Servers 4.

Very dry beef curry

Curry is best made just before serving.  This recipe is not suitable to freeze or microwave.  

2 teaspoons oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon chilli powder

2 teaspoons chopped fresh lemon grass

1½ kg chuck steak, cubed

1¼ cups water

1: Heat oil in large frying pan, add onions, garlic, ginger , turmeric, chilli, and lemon grass, stir over heat  for 3 minutes or until onions are soft.                

2: Stir in steak, stir over high heat for about 4 minutes or unit steak is browned all over.

  3: Stir in water, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered for about 1 ½ hours, or until steak is tender.

  4: Remove lid, stir over high heat until liquid has evaporated. 
 Serves 4.

Sesame fish Balls

Recipe can be prepared a day ahead;

Keep, covered, in refrigerator or freeze for a month . Cook close to serving time. Recipe unsuitable to microwave.

500g boneless white fish fillets, shopped      

1 ½  cups [150g] stale breadcrumbs

¼     cup plain yogurt
2     eggs, separated
1     small onion, finely shopped
1     clove garlic, crushed
1     teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½    teaspoon ground cumin
¼    teaspoon chilli powder
2     teaspoons chopped fresh coriander
1     cup packaged breadcrumbs
¼    cup sesame seeds

Oil for deep-frying

1: Steam, poach or microwave fish until tender; cool to room temperature. Process fish until smooth. Transfer fish to large bowl, stir in stale breadcrumbs, yogurt, egg yolks, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, chilli, powder and coriander; mix well.

2:Shape mixture into 24 balls, dip into lightly-beaten egg whites, then coat firmly with combined packaged breadcrumbs and seeds; refrigerate on tray for 30 minutes. Deep-fry balls in hot oil until golden brown, drain on absorbent paper.

Makes 24

Spicy spinach with yogurt

This dish is best made  just  before serving.      

Recipe  unsuitable to freeze.

20 spinach  leaves [silverbeet ]

30g ghee

2 teaspoons  black  mustart  seeds

¼ teaspoons  fenugreek seeds

1/2  teaspoons ground cumin

½  teaspoons ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoons  chilli power

1 tablespoon brown sugar

500g carton plain yogurt

1: Remove and  discard white stalks from spinach. Steam or microwave spinach until limp; drain, cool. Chop  spinach   finely.                                       

2 : Melt ghee  in medium  saucepan, stir in seeds, cumin, nutmeg, chilli,  powder and sugar, stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until mustard seeds begin to pop.

3:  Stir   in yogurt and spinach, stir over  low head for about 1 minute or until  heated through, do not allow mixture to boil.

Serves 4

Pork bundles with coriander sauce

Bundles can be made several   hours  ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Filing can be frozen for 2 months. Sauce and pastry unsuitable to   freeze. Recipe   unsuitable to   microwave.

DOUGH

1 ¼  cups plain flour                             

2 teaspoons cornflour

½ cup boiling water

2 teaspoons oil

FILLING

8 dried Chinese mushrooms

4000g pork fillets, minced

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon water

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 medium carrot, grated

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons light soy sauce                       

CORIANDER SAUCE

1 tablespoon cornflour

1 ¼ cups water

1 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons chopped

Fresh coriander

1 small fresh chili,

Finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 ¼ teaspoons sugar

1 small chicken stock cube,

                                                             Crumbled

1 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoons light soy sauce

1: DOUGH:  Sift flours into medium bowl, make well in centre, gradually add combined boiling water and oil,  mix to a pliable dough. Cover dough, stand 10 minutes, turn into lightly floured surface, knead until smooth; cover dough.

Divide dough into 48 portions. Roll 1 portion of dough out thinly in lightly floured surface to 6 cm circle. Place a heaped  teaspoon of filling in centre of circle. Shape pastry around mixture as shown. Repeat with remaining  dough and filling.  

2: Place bundles about  1cm  apart into lightly greased bamboo steamer.  Cover steam  over    simmering water for about 5 minutes or until filling is cooked through. Serve with sauce.

3:  FILLING:  Place mushrooms in medium bowl,  cover with boiling water , stand for  20 minutes; drain. Discard stems, chop mushrooms finely.

Combine mince, sherry, water, garlic, ginger,  cornflour, carrot, mushrooms and sauce  in medium bowl; mix well.

Coriander sauce:  Blend cornfluor with water in small saucepan,  stir in ginger,  coriander, chilli,  garlic, sugar, stock,  cube,  juice,  and sauce , stir over medium  heat until mixture boils and thickens. Use while hot.     

Make 48.