Steamed Pink Snapper With Garlic, Lime, Chilli and Fresh Herbs

1kg whole pink snapper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

2 large green limes, sliced thinly

4 green chillies, chopped

2 tablespoons of fish sauce

Juice from 2 large green limes

1 teaspoon of sugar

Water of chicken stock to taste

1 small bunch each of fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and Thai sweet basil leaves

Wash cleaned snapper thoroughly and make two horizontal slashes in the body. Rub a pinch of salt and pepper all over and into the belly cavity.

Stuff the belly cavity with half of the garlic slices, lime slices and chopped green chillies. Leave the rest aside for garnishing later.

Bring a wok, half-filled with water, to the boil.

In the meantime, roll the whole limes on a kitchen counter pressing down to release the juices inside. Cut into half and squeeze juice into a cup. Add fish sauce, sugar and enough water or stock to make a cup.

Pluck leaves only from the fresh mint and coriander. Tear basil leaves into small pieces. Put herbs aside. They should fill about two cups.

When water in the wok is boiling, place fish in a deep dish that can fit into the wok. Pour fish sauce mixture over and steam, covered, for 8 mins. Serve at once garnished lavishly with the fresh herbs and the rest of the garlic, chilli and lime slices.

Served this way, this steamed fish makes a pretty dish, is tasty and has not an ounce of extra oil added. Just offer a lightly-dressed salad or sauteed greens on the side to make a complete meal. Add no rice!

 

Herbal Chicken

Function :

Activate blood circulation, revitalize energy, nourish the skin and build up a strong body.

Ingredients :

Bei Qi

Dang Shen

Lotus seed

Bai He

Red Dates

Yu Zhu

Huai Shan

Chuan Xiong

Chen Pi

Qi Zi Mizao

Dang Gui

Directions :

With the herbs and 2 cups of water boil for 15 mins, then stuff the herbs and any remaining water into the chicken stomach and steam or bake for 30-45 mins.

 

Chocolate Cake

125g unsalted butter

1 cup caster sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 cups self-raising flour

3/4 cup cream

 

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180 degree C. Brush a deep 20 cm round cake tin with melted butter or oil, line base with paper; grease the paper.
2. Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar in small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla essence; beat for 1 min on medium speed or until well combined.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients and cream to bowl. Beat on low speed for 1 min or until just combined. Beat 2 mins on high spped until smooth.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared tin; smooth surface. Bake for 55 mins or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Turn onto wire rack to cool.

Note : Ice with choclate glace icing and decorate, if desired, with flaked chocolate and a dusting of icing sugar.

 

Choc-centre Muffins

2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup caster sugar

120g grated milk chocolate

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

80g unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sour cream

100g dark chocolate, cut in squares

2 tablespoons choc bits

 

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180 degree C. Brush melted butter or oil into fifteen 1/2 cup capacity muffin cups.
2. Place flour, sugar, chocolate, eggs, essence, butter and sour cream in small mixing bowl. Using electric beaters, beat 1 min on low speed or until just combined. Beat on high speed 1 min.
3. Spoon half the mixture into prepared muffin cups. Place a piece of chocolate in the centre of each; top with remaining mixture.
4. Press choc bits onto top of each muffin. Bake 15 min or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve warm for a melted chocolate centre, or cool on a wire rack. These muffins are best served on the day of baking.

 

Victoria Sponga

125g unsalted butter, chopped

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup strawberry jam

icing sugar

 

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180 degree C. Brush two shallow 20 cm round sandwich tins with melted butter or oil. Line base with paper; grease paper.
2. Using electric beaters, beat unsalted butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Add eggs gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients to bowl. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then high speed 1 min or until the mixture is thick and creamy.
4. Pour mixture evenly into prepared tins; smooth surface. Bake 20 mins or until sponge is lightly golden and shrinks from side of tin. Turn onto wire rack to cool.
5. Spread top of one cake layer with jam; top with remaining layer. Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

Note : For a lighter sponge, sift flour three times before combining with the remaining ingredients. Sponge cakes are best eaten the day they are made. Keep in a cool, dry place until ready to serve.

 

Chicken Quesadilla (Mexican Melt)

2 flour tortillas

1/3 cup taco sauce

1 cup shredded barbecued chicken

1 cup grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese

2 spring onions, finely chopped

Sour cream and paprika, to serve

 

1. Heat a dry non-stick frying pan. Place one torilla in pan and spread lightly with taco sauce. Cook tortilla over medium heat for 2-3 mins.
2. Arrange shredded chicken evenly over torilla; sprinkle with grated cheese and finely chopped onion. Place second torilla on top; cook for 2 mins.
3. Turn tortilla over and cook other side until cheese has melted and the quesadilla is heated through. Remove from pan. Cut into wedges. Serve with a small dollop of sour cream sprinkled with paprika, if desired.

Note : Tortillas are thin, round flatbreads made from wheat flour or cornmeal.

 

Panfried Ham & Cheese Sandwich

4 thick slices white high top loaf

60g soft butter

2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard

4 slices leg ham

60g gruyere cheese, sliced

 

1. Spread one side of each bread slice completely with butter, making sure to include the crust. Place the buttered side of two slices lightly together. Spread mustard onto unbuttered side of top slice. Lay a slice of ham over the mustard; add a layer of cheese slices.
2. Preheat large frying pan. When hot gently lift top slice of bread with filling and place butter side down into pan. Top with other slice, with the butter side up.
3. Cook over medium heat for 2 mins until underside is golden and cheese is beginning to melt. Using a spatula, carefully turn sandwich over to cook on other side. Lift onto a plate and carefully cut in half diagonally. Repeat the same process with the remaining sandwich. Serve sandwiches immediately.

Note : It is important to have the heat just at medium level. If it is too hot, the bread will burn before the cheesse melts.

 

Pizza Base

Makes one thick or two thin 30 cim pizza bases

 

7g sachet dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 cup warm water

2-1/2 cups plain flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons semolina or polenta

 

1. Combine yeast, salt, sugar and water in a small bowl. Stand, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 10mins or until mixture is foramy. Sift flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the yeast mixture, mix to a dough.
2. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 mins or until smooth and elastic. For thick pizza, rol dough out to 35 cm round. For thin pizza, divide dough in half and roll out each portion to 35 cm round.
3. Brush a 30 cm pizza tray with oil, sprinkle with semolina or polenta. Place dough onto tray, tuck edges under to form a rim. Top and cook according to recipe.

 

Mexican Lasagne

• 8 sheets precooked lasagne
• 1 green chilli
• 1 red chilli
• 2 onions, peeled
• 1 large red onion,peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 x 285g can sweetcorn
• 1 ball mozzarella
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 chicken breast fillets, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Halve the chillies and remove the seeds. Blacnh in boiling water for 5 mins, then drain, pat dry with kitchen paper and cut into small pieces. Cut the 2 onions into eighths and thinly slice the red onion into rounds. Drain the sweetcorn. Drain the mozzarella and pat dry.

 

For the tomato sauce, put the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor along iwth the garlic and the 2 onions. Process until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.

 

Heat the oil in a frying pan oer moderate heat, add the chicken breast pieces and chillies and cook for 10 mins. When cooked, chop the chicken finely. Discard the chilli pieces if desired.

 

Lightly oil a baking dish and spoon in some of the tomato sauce, spreading it evenly over the base of the dish. Top with some lasagne sheets, chicken, chilli pieces (if retaining), tomato sauce, sweetcorn and red onion. Continue layering until the dish is filled, finishing with a thin layer of sauce. Arrange the remaining red onion and slices of mozzarella on the top. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 mins.

 

Homemade Lasagne Pasta

Makes enough for 6 people

 

• 300g plain flour
• 3 eggs
• water

 

Sift the flour into a pile on a work surface, make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into the well. Using the tips of your fingers (the dough is sticky at first), slowly draw the flour from the outside into the centre, mixing with the eggs to form a ball. If the dough is too dry, dampen your palms or sprinkle with a little water. Knead until smooth and elastic – divide the dough in two if difficult to work. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or clingfilm, and leave to stand a room temperature for 1 hr.

 

Lightly flour the work surface, roll out the dough until paper thin and cut to the required size (about 7.5 x 13cm). Alternatively, use a machine for cutting pasta – these are widely available.

 

The pasta can be coloured or flavoured with a variety of ingredients – well-drained, finely chopped tomatoes (red), cooked spinach, finely chopped and squeezed very dry (green), squid ink (black) or grated lemon rind.