Crab Masala

Ingredients

1kg crabs

200g onion

15g ginger
5g garlic
120g tomato
1/2 coconut
10g tamarind
5g cumin seeds
2g turmeric powder
2g red chilli powder
2g coriander powder
3g garam masala
30ml oil

60ml water

Method

1. Boil the cleaned crabs.

2. Finely chop onions, make ginger-garlic paste. Chop tomatoes. Extract tamarind juice. Grate and grind coconut with cumin seeds.

3. Heat oil and fry onions till golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.

4. Add ground coconut paste, water and salt. Add tamarind juice and cook on low flame.

5. Add crab meat, cook till done, sprinkle with garam masala, stir and remove. Adjust seasoning.

Basic Cup Cakes

Ingredients

125 gr unsalted butter

150 gr(2/3 cup) Caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
280 gr(1 1/2 cups) self rising flour
1 cup Milk

Icing

125 gr unsalted butter
240 gr(1 1/2 cups) icing sugar

Decorations

Mixed cachous,tic tacs, chocolate sprinkle or m&m


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, line a 12- hole, 1/3 capacity muffin pan with paper party cases.
2. Place caster sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and half of the vanilla, beat until just combined, Sift flour over bowl, add milk and beat into mixture until well combined.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and golden, cool on wire rack.
5. Meanwhile, place extra butter and remaining vanilla essence in a separate bowl, sift over icing sugar and beat with an electric mixer until icing is light and fluffy, Spread over cooled cakes.

Thai Mango Salad

Ingredients

2 medium green mangoes, shredded
1 red onion, sliced
1 cili padi, bruised


Dressing

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sugar syrup
2 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp roasted dried shrimp, pounded
Salt and pepper to taste
A handful of coriander leaves


Method

1. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. Toss with mango and onions, adjust seasoning to taste.
3. Serve chilled, garnished with coriander leaves.

Vegetable Laksa

Ingredients

700g piece butternut pumpkin, diced into
2cm pieces
5 baby eggplants (300g), sliced thickly
3 cups (750ml) vegetable stock
1 2/3 cups (400ml) coconut milk
250g rice stick noodles
500g buk choy, chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons lime juice
1¼ cups (100g) bean sprouts
6 green onions, sliced thinly
½ cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
½ cup loosely packed vietnamese mint leaves
laksa paste
7 dried medium red chillies
½ cup (125ml) boiling water
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, quartered
1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped coarsely
10cm stick fresh lemon grass (20g), chopped finely
4cm piece fresh ginger (20g), grated
1 tablespoon halved macadamias (10g)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped coriander root and stem mixture
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup loosely packed vietnamese mint leaves

Method

Laksa paste

1. Cover chillies with the boiling water in small heatproof bowl; stand 10 minutes, drain. Blend or process chillies with remaining ingredients until mixture forms a smooth paste. Measure ½ cup of the paste for this recipe and freeze remaining, covered, for future use.
2. Place ½ cup of the paste in large saucepan; cook, stirring, about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add pumpkin and eggplant; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add stock and coconut milk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender.
3. Meanwhile, place noodles in large heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, stand until just tender; drain.
4. Stir buk choy into laksa; return to a boil. Stir juice into laksa off the heat. Divide noodles among serving bowls; ladle laksa over noodles, sprinkle with combined sprouts, onion and herbs.

Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

150 g fresh or frozen blueberries
150 g plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Half a teaspoon of salt
Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 eggs
375 ml buttermilk
125 g ricotta
160 g unsalted butter, melted, cooled

Method

1. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon together into a large mixing bowl.
2. Break the eggs in a medium mixing bowl and beat until frothy.
3. Add the buttermilk and ricotta to the eggs and beat well.
4. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
5. Stir in half the melted butter.
6. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat and add a little of the remaining butter to the pan.
7. Make two to three pancakes at a time by pouring batter into the pan leaving space between each one, so they don't join.
8. Place some blueberries on top of each pancake and cook until bubbles form and the bottoms are golden; this takes about two to three minutes.
9. Turn the pancakes and continue cooking for about another two minutes, or until they are cooked through.
10. Repeat the process, adding a bit more butter to the pan each time. Keep the pancakes warm in the oven while you cook the remainder.
11. Serve immediately just as they are - or they are delicious with maple syrup or maple syrup butter.

Fried Noodles with Shrimp

Ingredients

500g fresh flat yellow noodles
10 med. size shrimps
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. bean sprouts
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. vegetable oil



Garnishing

1 tbsp chilli paste
2 fresh red chillies, sliced
1 tbsp. chopped spring onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander leaves

Seasoning

1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tsp pepper


Method

1. Soak noodles in warm water for 15-20 minutes, drain.
   
2. Place bean sprouts in cold water. In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil and saute garlic over medium to high heat until light brown.
   
3. Add shrimp and stir-fry until well done.
   
4. Add sugar, fish sauce, ketchup to wok, stirring together.
   
5. Add eggs, then noodles, and stir-fry mixture until noodles turn orange.
   
6. Drain bean sprouts and add to wok. Stir-fry another 2-3 minutes.
   
7. Put on serving plate with raw bean sprouts arranged on side. Sprinkle top with spring onion, coriander and chili sliced. Serve hot.

Char Kway Teow

Ingredients

300g kway teow (flat rice noodles)
200g prawns
50g chives (cut into 3cm lengths)
150g beansprouts
3 eggs
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
4 tbsp cooking oil
1-2 tbsp chilli paste

Seasoning

2 tsp light soya sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
a pinch of salt
a dash of pepper

Method

1. Heat 4 tbsp oil in wok until hot, add chopped garlic and fry until fragrant. Turn up the heat and add the chilli paste (if used) and continue to fry until fragrant.
2. Add prawns and beansprouts and fry for a while. Push all the fried ingredients to one side and add the kway teow (flat rice noodles) and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds.
3. Add seasoning, sprinkle with a little water and stir in all the fried ingredients. Push ingredients to the sides of the wok to create an empty space in the centre. Add a tbsp of oil and crack in the eggs. When the eggs start to set, cover the eggs with the noodle mixture and stir-fry evenly.
4. Finally, add the chives and stir-fry for 20 seconds before dishing up.