Sunday, March 18, 2012

Thai Green Curry Prawns and Salted Egg Spinach

These were part of Saturday's dinner with my daughter's family.
I cooked braised belly pork in dark soya sauce, fried chicken wings in sweet sauce, green curry prawns and salted egg spinach.

I have a container of green curry paste prepared some time ago. I always make huge batches of different types of spices and freeze them. It makes cooking easy and convenient. I don't have to 'crack my head' as to what to cook as the various spices are ready at hand. Just thaw and cook - sambal, assam, curry, lemak and what have you!


Spices for Thai Green Curry: (approximately 1 1/2 rice bowl)

1 tablespoon coriander seeds (ketumbar), roasted
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jintan puteh), roasted
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons blachan
8 large green chillies
1 cup shallots
5 cm galangal (lengkwas)
12 cloves garlic
1 cup coriander leaves including roots
6 kaffir lime leaves
3 stalks lemon grass (serai)
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoon oil

Just place all the ingredients and blend. Store and freeze.

For the prawns, I use 3 tablespoons of the paste and saute in a little oil before adding the prawns and stir fry a little before adding some coconut milk and sliced chilli padi. There is little gravy, so the prawns are cover with the paste. I didn't use salt as the stock is already flavoured.






Salted Egg Spinach

3 salted egg
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
600g spinach, use more leaves with the thinner stalks


Boil garlic in stock. Add 3 yolks and drizzle a little egg white. Do not use all the egg whites or it will be too salty. When the yolks are about to cook, add the spinach and boil till just cooked.


Friday, March 16, 2012

Aparagus Soup

This was my lunch a few days ago - Asparagus soup!
I bought twenty asparagus shoots from the market. They were fresh and thick.
Here is my bowl of soup!

20 asparagus shoots (thick ones)
4 shallots
1 stalk celery
100ml chicken stock
150ml light cooking cream
150ml milk
15g butter
salt to taste


1. Chop up asparagus, celery and onions and blend them together till fine. (I did mine a little coarse as I like to bite on the asparagus bits.)

2. Melt butter in a saucepan and pour in the blended veggies and stock. Cook over medium low heat and stir.

3. When it is about to bubble, add cream and milk and salt to taste and cook till it bubbles and then it is done.

4. Serve hot with plain toast or toasted garlic bread.

I don't use any flour to thicken the soup as the amount of asparagus used make up for the thick consistency.