Thai Omelet Soup Recipe

 

This is a surprisingly satisfying soup from Thailand that is very quick and easy to prepare. It is a versatile recipe too, in that you can vary the vegetables you use according to what is seasonally available.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

1 egg

15 ml/1 tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil

900 ml/1.5 pints vegetable stock

2 large carrots, finely diced

4 outer leaves Savoy cabbage, shredded

30 ml/2 tablespoons soy sauce

2.5 ml/0.5 teaspoon granulated sugar

2.5 ml/0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper

Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish

Variation: You can also use pak choi (bok choy) instead of Savoy cabbage. In Thailand there are about forty different types of pak choi, including miniature versions.

Method:

1. Put the egg in a bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Heat the oil in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking as it would be too hot. Pour in the egg and swirl the pan so that it coats the base evenly. Cook over a medium heat until the omelet has set and the underside is golden. Slide it out of the pan and roll it up like a pancake. Slice into 5 mm/0.25 in rounds and set aside for the garnish.

 

2. Put the stock into a large pan. Add the carrots and cabbage and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the soy sauce, granulated sugar and pepper.

3. Stir well, then pour into warmed bowls. Lay a few omelet rounds on the surface of each portion and complete the garnish with the coriander leaves.

Source: Thai Omelet Soup Recipe

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Cooking with Sesame

Perhaps the oldest condiment on earth, sesame seeds have been processed into various forms since 1600 B.C. This familiar topping for hamburger buns is also pressed to make sesame oil and crushed to make sesame paste. Asian sesame paste and sesame oil are made from toasted sesame seeds, while Middle Eastern sesame paste (tahini) and cold-pressed sesame oil are made from un-toasted sesame seeds.

When choosing sesame seeds: For the best price, buy sesame seeds in bulk rather than in tiny jars. While ivory-colored seeds are the most common, you can also buy black, brown, or red sesame seeds. When buying sesame oil for cooking, be sure to look for "pure" toasted sesame oil. It should be dark amber in color. Some of the supermarkets carry toasted sesame oil that is mixed with less-expensive oils such as canola oil, which dilutes the toasted sesame flavor. Japanese brands of pure toasted sesame oil are consistently delicious.

To store sesame seeds: Keep sesame seeds in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator up to 6 months. Likewise, keep all forms of sesame oil in the refrigerator, as sesame oil tends to become rancid easily. Don't worry if the oil becomes cloudy from the cold temperatures; it will clear up again upon reaching room temperature. Tahini can be refrigerated for up to 1 year after opening.

Toasting sesame seeds: Place them in a dry skillet and toast over low heat, shaking the pan often, until the seeds are fragrant and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate so that the seeds do not continue cooking in the hot pan, which could make them dark and bitter-tasting.

Using toasted sesame seeds: Toss them freely over steamed broccoli, green beans, asparagus, grilled chicken, green salads, stir-fries, rice, and most any other dish. If using sesame seeds to top baked goods, add them raw rather than toasted. The seeds will toast in the oven.

Using toasted sesame oil: For the most flavor, add it at the end of the cooking time. If heated too long, toasted sesame oil loses much of its nutty flavor. Also, avoid using too much toasted sesame oil, which can cause a cloying sensation at the back of the tongue. For a stir-fry that serves 4, about 1/2 teaspoon is plenty.

Fascinating Fact: Toasted sesame seeds are so appreciated in Japan that the Japanese invented a special little skillet with a screened lid for toasting them. Sesame seeds sometimes pop out of the pan during toasting, so the screened top is handy. An inverted large-mesh sieve will also do the trick. Avoid using a solid pan lid, which would trap steam in the pan and turn the seeds soggy.

Source: Cooking with Sesame

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Moghul Style Roast Lamb Recipe

This delicious and superb dish is just one of the many fine examples of the fabulous rich food once enjoyed by the Moghul emperors. Try it as a variation to the roast beef.

Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)

4 large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 piece fresh ginger, 5 cm/2 in long, chopped

3 tablespoons ground almonds

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala

4-6 fresh green chilies

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt, to taste

300 ml/0.5 pint/ 1.25 cups natural (plain) yogurt, beaten

1.8 kg/4 lbs leg of lamb

8-10 cloves

4 firm tomatoes, halved and grilled, to serve

Watercress, to garnish

1 tablespoon flaked (slivered) almonds, to garnish

Method:

1.    Place the first 11 ingredients in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Gradually add the yogurt and blend until smooth. Grease a large, deep baking tray and preheat the oven to 190^oC/375^oF/Gas 5.

  

2.     Remove most of the fat and skin from the lamb. Using a sharp knife, make deep pockets above the bone at each side of the thick end. Make deep diagonal gashes on both sides.

    3. Push the cloves into the leg of lamb at random spots.

4. Place the lamb on the baking tray and push some of the spice mixture into the pockets   and gashes.

5. Spread the remaining spice mixture evenly all over the lamb. Loosely cover the whole tray with foil. Roast in the preheated oven for 2 to 2.5 hours or until the lamb is cooked, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with grilled tomatoes, garnished with watercress and garnish the joint with the flaked (slivered) almonds.

source-:  Moghul Style Roast Lamb

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