Spicy Prawns with Coconut

This is always a big hit. Use the large black tiger prawns or any other kind of prawns or shrimp for this dish. Leave the shells and tails on for added flavour and juiciness. Be sure to put plenty of napkins and a dish for the shells on the table. It is acceptable to peel the shrimp with your fingers, but it can be done with a fork and knife as well. The technique is the same. First pull off the fringe or legs. Then the shell comes off quite easily and last the tail just pulls off.


Spicy Prawns with Coconut


Ingredients:
30 tiger prawns or any other kind of prawns
4 Tbsp. dessicated coconut
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
large thumb of fresh ginger, grated
4 large garlic cloves, grated


Instructions:
Preheat the broiler and put the oven rack on the highest rung.
Line a large baking sheet with tin foil.
Toss the prawns and everything else in a large bowl.
Arrange the prawns in one layer on the baking sheet.
Broil the shrimp a few minutes on each side, about 5 minutes per side for large tiger prawns.
Be careful not to overcook --- they are done when they are bright pink.
Remove and serve.

Spices, Dried Herbs and Spice Blends

When buying dried spices and dried herbs, be sure to find a really good fresh aromatic brand. Natures Choice and Dan D Pak and bulk stores are good options but you have to make sure to shop in a store where the turnover is very high. I have purchased caraway seeds in three different stores in Kits on the same day and found a vast difference in the quality and freshness. It is well worth trying a variety of sources until you have established a quality reference (meaning that your nose recognizes a good one). Of course, you have to buy and then just toss anything that isn't wonderfully aromatic.

There is no point spending any money on those small bottles from a big super market. Throw those out right now along with any and all jars, cans and packages of condiments, sauces and soups (okay, keep the Dijon).

Regarding dried herbs, some cooks, including David Rocco, only use fresh herbs. I like dried herbs for some recipes. The flavour is different from the fresh herb and wonderful in it's own way. Thyme is one I use a lot. I also use dried basil, oregano, dill leaves, dill seed, aniseed, and mint. Don't buy dried parsley or rosemary. If you ever find dried summer savory in a farmer's market somewhere, grab it.

It's much better to make your own spice blends. You can control the flavour, the freshness, and the proportions.


Garam Masala

Garam Masala is a basic Indian spice blend. I find that I tend to use less or no cinnamon for many recipes.

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cardamon
1 tsp. pepper

Uses -- numerous Indian recipes, Aloo Gobi

Zatar

Zatar is the traditional Turkish spice mixture used for everything

Sumac is available in Greek grocery stores and has a lovely lemony flavour and a dark red colour.

You can toast the sesame seeds but if they are going on bread or chicken before baking or roasting, you won't need to.

Mix with olive oil and spread on bread before or after baking.

1/3 dried sumac
1/3 dried thyme
1/3 sesame seeds

Uses -- baking bread, roasting chicken

Pickling Spice

Mix the any of the following depending on what you are making:

Allspice, whole **
Mustard seed *
Celery seed *
Coriander seed *
Red pepper flakes **
Bay leaf fresh or dried, broken up *
Cinnamon stick, broken up **
Dill seed **
Mace **
Cardamon pods, green **
Star anise, broken up **
Juniper berries **
Dried or fresh ginger root **
Grape leaves, cherry leaves or oak leaves between the layers of cucumbers.

*Standard for pickling spice
** Optional for pickling spice

Uses - pickled cucumbers, corned beef

Aloo Gobi - Cauliflower and Potatoes

Sorry for being away so long, friends. I am still cooking and trying new things.

This recipe is a great example of layering spices, the key to great Indian cookery. I made it several times this summer and fall, and it's delicious, healthy, and makes great leftovers.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces, about 1/2-inch in size
2 waxy potatoes (Yukons, German, Island Amber)
olive oil - EVOO
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 t. whole cumin seeds
1-2 dried hot red chili peppers, broken into pieces (red pepper flakes are okay too)
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp. garam masala (mix your own of course)

Instructions:
Cut up the cauliflower and potato (with peel) into 1/2 pieces.
Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan on medium heat.
When the pan rim is hot, add 2-3 Tbsps olive oil and heat.
When the oil is very hot almost smoking, add the fenugreek, fennel, and cumin seeds and the pieces of dried red peppers.
Stir and then add the cauliflower and potato.
Stir until the vegetables are covered in oil and spices
Add the turmeric, ground coriander, salt and pepper.
Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add 1/4 cup water and put the lid on the pan immediately.
Turn the heat to low and steam the vegetables until tender.
Sprinkle garam masala over the vegetables, stir once, and serve.

Julia and Sonya's Tian de Courgettes au Riz

Here's a recipe that's been adapted a few times and it's still the best zucchini dish I've ever eaten. The Brazilian student Jucellia loved it because of the rice. I loved it because of the cheese and milk. The recipe is from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. My friend Sonya made it for me on a recent trip to Bainbridge Island, which inspired me to try it.

Of course, I deleted unnecessary steps such as pre-cooking the rice. I also changed the annoying recipe measurements like 2 tablespoons of minced garlic to 2 cloves of garlic, grated; and two squares of frozen zucchini to 2 large fresh zucchini. We have it in the markets all year round so there's no need to resort to freezing it unless you have a garden excess.

Now to buy the perfect baking dish to make this in --- my motley collection just won't do.

Tian de Courgettes au Riz

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 medium to large fresh zucchini - about 8 to 10 cups
2 tbsps. flour
1/2 cup rice (I use Basmati for everything)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (I use a lot more - 1 1/2 cups), grated
1 tsp. sea or kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
Put the milk into a bowl and put it in the microwave for 10 minutes to heat.
Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan on medium until the rim is hot to the touch.
Add olive oil and heat.
Add the onions and garlic and saute on lowered heat until soft but not browned.
Meanwhile, grate the zucchini and the cheese and hold on the side.
When the onions are soft, add the grated zucchini and stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the flour and cook another 2 minutes.
Add the hot milk, stir well, bring to a boil briefly, stirring frequently.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the uncooked rice and 3/4 cup cheese.
Put the mixture into a 9 x 5 inch baking dish about 1-1/2 inches deep.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Either refrigerate for several hours or a day or put into a preheated 425 degree F. oven.
Put the baking dish into the top third of the oven.
Remove when bubbling and brown on top.

Cabbage Borscht

This is one of the best Mennonite soups. It is excellent made in winter but special in the summer using a fresh cabbage from the garden. It's a fabulous way to eat more cabbage, which is the number one anticarcinogenic food.

Beef short ribs can be hard to get --- you'll have to go to a butcher, Real Canadian Store, or Stongs. Be sure to get them with the bone.
There are many great borscht recipes. This recipe uses fresh herbs available in summer. I am not a fan of adding carrots, onions, celery, garlic. I have seen recipes that called for star anise and 10 whole allspice --- intriguing.

Cabbage (Komst) Borscht

Ingredients:
Beef short ribs, with bone and fat
For the spice ball: 10 pepper corns and 1 bay leaf
Fresh dill, chopped
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
5 tomatoes, chopped fine
4 waxy potatoes, with peel, chopped in 3/4-inch pieces
Medium head of cabbage, sliced thinly
1 tsp. salt

Instructions:
Put the beef in a pot of cold water, add the spice ball, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 - 3 hours.
This can be done the evening before or the same day.
Take out the meat and cool. Remove fat and bone. Cut in small pieces and add back to the soup.
Add the herbs, vegetables and salt to the stock and simmer until done.
Taste and adjust the salt.
Serve with sour cream and brown bread and butter on the side.

Noodling

I hadn't made pasta since my disaster with ravioli years ago. Always in a rush, I somehow missed the fact that pasta expands when cooked. My ravioli were 3 x 6 inches in size and split open and all the filling fell out.

I had wanted to make noodles the traditional Mennonite way for ages --- they are essential to good chicken soup, which has been a fascination of mine because the spices and herbs are so unique. This summer, Loris and I had a noodle making session, and she taught me all the secrets that the recipes don't tell you.

Homemade Noodles

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 tbsp. water
2 tsp. salt
Flour

Instructions:
Clear a large space on the counter or table and scrub clean and dry.
Keep the bag of flour and scoop handy.
Add the eggs, water and salt to a large bowl and mix well.
Add enough flour to make a stiff dough, about 2 cups to start.
Stir the dough and then pick it up with your hands and work the dough until all the flour is incorporated. Add more flour as the ball gets sticky. The ball of dough will be very stiff and you will give your hands quite a workout. It will take about 5 minutes.
When the dough is very stiff and no longer sticky, flour a 24-inch square area of the work surface very heavily, and start rolling with a rolling pin. A big heavy one is good. Add more flour to the surface of the dough if it gets sticky.
It will take a long time to roll the dough out into a very rough circle. Press hard and keep stretching and rolling until the dough is about 1/8-inch thick and about 15 inches by 30 inches. The piece of dough can be any shape and very uneven around the edges, just as long as it's thin enough.
Now add about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of flour to the top of the dough, covering the whole surface including edges. Let the dough sit for about 30 to 60 minutes to dry. The flour dries the noodle dough, but does not get absorbed into the noodles, so you can't use too much.
Making sure there is plenty of flour on the entire surface to prevent the noodles from sticking, carefully roll the dough along the long edge very tightly into a long log.

With a sharp knife cut the log into short thin wedges (maximum 1/8-inch at the thick end) --- at a slight angle, first one way, then the other way. This makes very fine noodles, perfect for soup.
Each time a handful or so of noodles are cut, add them to a pile of flour and toss them to make sure they are well covered.

Ribbell them with your hands (not so gently rub them between your palms to make sure the noodles come apart). Keep adding flour as needed.
Once all the noodles are cut and ribbelled put them into a large seive and shake to remove the excess flour.

Brush the excess flour back into the bag or separate container to use for bread baking.

If you want long noodles, make one or two rounds of dough, put one on top of the other, and with a sharp knife, cut long thin strips.

Then either cook the noodles in salted boiling water until they rise to the surface or freeze them in a ziploc bag. If you freeze them, they won't stick together and you can remove as much as you need anytime and cook them frozen.
After the noodles are cooked, drain them in a seive, and immediately put them back in the pot and add butter to prevent sticking.

If making chicken soup, put noodles into the individual soup bowls and add broth and meat to the noodles. Don't add the noodles to the soup pot --- they'll get soggy.

Cauliflower Kurma

This is my all time favourite cauliflower recipe. It also gives me a chance to flaunt my Indian spice know how. The recipe is adapted from Stylish Indian in Minutes, one of my favourite Indian cook books.

Cauliflower Kurma
Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
8 green cardamon pods
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 star anise, broken up
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
4 small tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp garam masala (1 tsp. each ground cinnamon, ground coriander, ground cardamon, pepper)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1/2 t. sugar
1 large cauliflower, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro

Instructions:
Heat a large saute plan on medium until the rim it hot to the touch.
Add the oil and heat.
Add the whole spices and saute until the cumin darkens.
Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
Add the ginger, garlic tomatoes, and ground spices and stir. Cook until well blended.
Add salt and sugar.
Add the cauliflower and baste with the sauce.
Add 1/2 cup water and cover the pan.
Cook until tender.
Transfer to serving dish and add fresh cilantro.