Blog

  • Egg Drop Soup

    Egg Drop Soup

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Chinese

    Ingredients:

    • 3 cups Chicken Stock
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 1/4 tsp Sugar
    • pinch Pepper
    • 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
    • 1/3 cup Peas
    • 1/3 cup Mushrooms
    • 1 tbs Cornstarch
    • 2 tbs Water
    • 1/4 cup Spring Onions

    Instructions:

    In a wok add chicken broth and wait for it to boil.
    Next add salt, sugar, white pepper, sesame seed oil.
    When the chicken broth is boiling add the vegetables to the wok.
    To thicken the sauce, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 Tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly add to your soup until it's the right thickness.
    Next add 1 egg slightly beaten with a knife or fork and add it to the soup slowly and stir for 8 seconds
    Serve the soup in a bowl and add the green onions on top.

  • Chicken Handi

    Chicken Handi

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Indian

    Ingredients:

    • 1.2 kg Chicken
    • 5 thinly sliced Onion
    • 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
    • 8 cloves chopped Garlic
    • 1 tbsp Ginger paste
    • ¼ cup Vegetable oil
    • 2 tsp Cumin seeds
    • 3 tsp Coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp Chilli powder
    • 2 Green chilli
    • 1 cup Yogurt
    • ¾ cup Cream
    • 3 tsp Dried fenugreek
    • 1 tsp Garam masala
    • To taste Salt

    Instructions:

    Take a large pot or wok, big enough to cook all the chicken, and heat the oil in it. Once the oil is hot, add sliced onion and fry them until deep golden brown. Then take them out on a plate and set aside.
    To the same pot, add the chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft. This would take about 5 minutes.
    Then return the fried onion to the pot and stir. Add ginger paste and sauté well.
    Now add the cumin seeds, half of the coriander seeds and chopped green chillies. Give them a quick stir.
    Next goes in the spices – turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté the spices well for couple of minutes.
    Add the chicken pieces to the wok, season it with salt to taste and cook the chicken covered on medium-low heat until the chicken is almost cooked through. This would take about 15 minutes. Slowly sautéing the chicken will enhance the flavor, so do not expedite this step by putting it on high heat.
    When the oil separates from the spices, add the beaten yogurt keeping the heat on lowest so that the yogurt doesn’t split. Sprinkle the remaining coriander seeds and add half of the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
    Finally add the cream and give a final mix to combine everything well.
    Sprinkle the remaining kasuri methi and garam masala and serve the chicken handi hot with naan or rotis. Enjoy!

  • Fettuccine Alfredo

    Fettuccine Alfredo

    Category: Pasta

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb Fettuccine
    • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
    • 1/2 cup Butter
    • 1/2 cup Parmesan
    • 2 tbsp Parsley
    • Black Pepper

    Instructions:

    Cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling water and salt. Add heavy cream and butter to a large skillet over medium heat until the cream bubbles and the butter melts. Whisk in parmesan and add seasoning (salt and black pepper). Let the sauce thicken slightly and then add the pasta and toss until coated in sauce. Garnish with parsley, and it's ready.

  • Mulukhiyah

    Mulukhiyah

    Category: Beef

    Area: Egyptian

    Ingredients:

    • 800g Mulukhiyah
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 300g Beef
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1 Litre Water
    • 1 Garlic Clove
    • 1/2 cup Olive Oil

    Instructions:

    Saute the onions in the 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
    Add the beef cubes or the chicken cutlets, sear for 3-4 min on each side
    Add 1 liter of water or just enough to cover the meat
    Cook over medium heat until the meat is done (I usually do this in the pressure cooker and press them for 5 min)

    Add the frozen mulukhyia and stir until it thaws completely and then comes to a boil

    In another pan add the 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil and the cloves of garlic and cook over medium low heat until you can smell the garlic (don’t brown it, it will become bitter)

    Add the oil and garlic to the mulukhyia and lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes
    Add salt to taste

    Serve with a generous amount of lemon juice.

    You can serve it with some short grain rice or some pita bread

  • Chicken Ham and Leek Pie

    Chicken Ham and Leek Pie

    Category: Chicken

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 450ml Chicken Stock
    • 3 Chicken Breast
    • 75g Butter
    • 2 sliced Leek
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 50g Plain Flour
    • 200ml Milk
    • 3 tbs White Wine
    • 150ml Double Cream
    • 150g Ham
    • spinkling Sea Salt
    • pinch Pepper
    • 350g Plain Flour
    • 200g Butter
    • 1 Free-range Egg, Beaten
    • 1 tbls Cold Water
    • 1 Free-range Egg, Beaten

    Instructions:

    Heat the chicken stock in a lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breast and bring to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the water with tongs and place on a plate. Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug.
    Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and fry gently for two minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining butter and stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
    Slowly pour the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add 250ml/10fl oz of the reserved stock and the wine, if using, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
    Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling ilm to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.
    Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat.
    For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the beaten egg and water and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Portion off 250g/10oz of pastry for the lid.
    Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides.
    Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken, ham and leeks into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid.
    Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry.
    Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is golden-brown all over and the filling is piping hot.

  • Sugar Pie

    Sugar Pie

    Category: Dessert

    Area: Canadian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups Brown Sugar
    • ¼ cup Butter
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • ½ cup Plain Flour
    • 1 1/2 cups Milk

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie dish.
    Place the brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl, and beat them together with an electric mixer until creamy and very well combined, without lumps. Beat in eggs, one at a time, incorporating the first egg before adding the next one. Add the vanilla extract and salt; beat the flour in, a little at a time, and then the milk, making a creamy batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish.
    Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes; remove pie, and cover the rim with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Return to oven, and bake until the middle sets and the top forms a crusty layer, about 15 more minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

  • Clam chowder

    Clam chowder

    Category: Starter

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 1½ kg Clams
    • 50g Butter
    • 150g Bacon
    • 1 finely chopped Onion
    • sprigs of fresh Thyme
    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 1 tbls Plain Flour
    • 150ml Milk
    • 150ml Double Cream
    • 2 medium Potatoes
    • Chopped Parsley

    Instructions:

    Rinse the clams in several changes of cold water and drain well. Tip the clams into a large pan with 500ml of water. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins until the clams have just opened. Tip the contents of the pan into a colander over a bowl to catch the clam stock. When cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells – reserving a handful of empty shells for presentation if you want. Strain the clam stock into a jug, leaving any grit in the bottom of the bowl. You should have around 800ml stock.
    Heat the butter in the same pan and sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until it starts to brown. Stir in the onion, thyme and bay and cook everything gently for 10 mins until the onion is soft and golden. Scatter over the flour and stir in to make a sandy paste, cook for 2 mins more, then gradually stir in the clam stock then the milk and the cream.
    Throw in the potatoes, bring everything to a simmer and leave to bubble away gently for 10 mins or until the potatoes are cooked. Use a fork to crush a few of the potato chunks against the side of the pan to help thicken – you still want lots of defined chunks though. Stir through the clam meat and the few clam shells, if you've gone down that route, and simmer for a minute to reheat. Season with plenty of black pepper and a little salt, if needed, then stir through the parsley just before ladling into bowls or hollowed-out crusty rolls.

  • Irish stew

    Irish stew

    Category: Beef

    Area: Irish

    Ingredients:

    • 300g soaked overnight in water whole wheat
    • 2kg cut into 3cm cubes lamb loin chops
    • 120ml olive oil
    • 24 Skinned shallots
    • 4 large carrots
    • 2 turnips
    • 1 celeriac
    • 350g charlotte potatoes
    • 150ml white wine
    • 1 tsp caster sugar
    • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 4 sprigs oregano
    • 450ml chicken stock

    Instructions:

    Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Drain and rinse the soaked wheat, put it in a medium pan with lots of water, bring to a boil and simmer for an hour, until cooked. Drain and set aside.

    Season the lamb with a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Put one tablespoon of oil in a large, deep sauté pan for which you have a lid; place on a medium-high heat. Add some of the lamb – don't overcrowd the pan – and sear for four minutes on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, and repeat with the remaining lamb, adding oil as needed.

    Lower the heat to medium and add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shallots and fry for four minutes, until caramelised. Tip these into the lamb bowl, and repeat with the remaining vegetables until they are all nice and brown, adding more oil as you need it.

    Once all the vegetables are seared and removed from the pan, add the wine along with the sugar, herbs, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Boil on a high heat for about three minutes.

    Tip the lamb, vegetables and whole wheat back into the pot, and add the stock. Cover and boil for five minutes, then transfer to the oven for an hour and a half.

    Remove the stew from the oven and check the liquid; if there is a lot, remove the lid and boil for a few minutes.

  • Lamb Pilaf (Plov)

    Lamb Pilaf (Plov)

    Category: Lamb

    Area: Russian

    Ingredients:

    • 50g Lamb
    • 120g Prunes
    • 1 tbs Lemon Juice
    • 2 tbs Butter
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 450g Lamb
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 600ml Vegetable Stock
    • 2 cups Rice
    • Pinch Saffron
    • Garnish Parsley

    Instructions:

    Place the raisins and prunes into a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Add lemon juice and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain. Roughly chop the prunes.

    Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Add cubed lamb, ground lamb, and crushed garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until browned.

    Pour 2/3 cup (150 milliliters) of stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender.

    Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed long-grain white rice and a large pinch of saffron. Stir, then cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

    Add the drained raisins, drained chopped prunes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for a few minutes, then turn out onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

  • Krispy Kreme Donut

    Krispy Kreme Donut

    Category: Dessert

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 ounce Yeast
    • 1/4 cup Water
    • 1 1/2 cups Water
    • 1/2 cup Sugar
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1/3 cup Shortening
    • 5 drops Flour
    • Sprinking Canola Oil
    • 1/2 cup Milk
    • 2 cups Sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups Vanilla
    • 6 tablespoons Boiling Water
    • 1/3 cup Butter

    Instructions:

    Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2-quart bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise until double, 50-60 minutes. (Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.) Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.
    Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 350°. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze set on rack.

    Glaze:
    Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.