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Beginning Cooking
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I am keen to be able to cook more meals from scratch and could do with some suggestions for fail and fool proof recipes, anyhting not too tomatoey (my boyfriends problem, not mine!) and particularly want to be able to make a nice curry from scratch! TIA
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Well, first off, don't be afraid to 'cheat' (a la Delia!) at first, and by that I mean buying ready-made sauces, or pastes, or things like ready made pastry. When you get used to cooking raw meat from the off, either frying or grilling, roasting etc - then move on to more complicated things. When I learned how to make curry, i used raw meat and a jar of curry paste. In a couple of tablespoons of oil fry a large chopped onion with 2 fat cloves of crushed garlic, then add say 6 tablespoons of chosen curry paste and let it fry over a low-to medium heat for a minute or so, it sould just sizzle rather than spit. Add the meat and coat with the spice mixture and allow to cook for five minutes or so then add water or stock (about a pint,) now I'd say add a tin of tomatoes, but as your BF doesn't like, you caould always just add a couple of quartered up fresh ones, and add some mushrooms if you like. simmer until the meat is cooked and the sauce is thick. Add some chopped fresh coriander leaves just before serving. If it looks too runny, you can always boil it with the lid off until reduced, or if it looks too dry, add more water. When you get used to making it like this, you can start buying fresh whole spices, roasting them off then grinding them and adding them to a fresh ginger/garlic/onion paste of your own. Rajah and Patak's are good makes of paste available in most supermarkets by the jarred sauces.
How about this as a cross Chinese/Curry and very easy to do:
Singapore Noodles
Ingredients:
3 - 4 layers of Sharwood's Thread Noodles
2tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 chicken breasts sliced
1/2 red Pepper
1/2 green pepper
bunch spring onions
11/2 cm cube ginger chopped
2 cloves garlic. chopped
1tbsp mild curry paste
200g Beansprouts
2tbsp light soy sauce
1tbsp dark soy sauce
1tbsp Sherry or rice wine
70ml chicken stock
2tsp cornflour in 3 tsps cold water
selection of vegetables - mushrooms, broccoli, sugar snap peas, courgettes, broad beans, etc.
4 ozs Tiger prawns, preferably uncooked
Directions:
Set the water for the noodles to boil. When it starts to boil, add noodles and cook for specified time. Heat the oils in a wok/ frying pan and cook the prawns, if raw for one minute, setting aside to drain on kitchen paper. Stirfry the onions, garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then add the chicken and continue until the chicken is firm. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the sauces and curry paste, and return to the boil. Add the cornflour mixture and stir. Finally drain the noodles and add to the sauce, stirring well, followed by the bean sprouts. Serve immediately.
Singapore Noodles
Ingredients:
3 - 4 layers of Sharwood's Thread Noodles
2tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 chicken breasts sliced
1/2 red Pepper
1/2 green pepper
bunch spring onions
11/2 cm cube ginger chopped
2 cloves garlic. chopped
1tbsp mild curry paste
200g Beansprouts
2tbsp light soy sauce
1tbsp dark soy sauce
1tbsp Sherry or rice wine
70ml chicken stock
2tsp cornflour in 3 tsps cold water
selection of vegetables - mushrooms, broccoli, sugar snap peas, courgettes, broad beans, etc.
4 ozs Tiger prawns, preferably uncooked
Directions:
Set the water for the noodles to boil. When it starts to boil, add noodles and cook for specified time. Heat the oils in a wok/ frying pan and cook the prawns, if raw for one minute, setting aside to drain on kitchen paper. Stirfry the onions, garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then add the chicken and continue until the chicken is firm. Add the rest of the vegetables and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the sauces and curry paste, and return to the boil. Add the cornflour mixture and stir. Finally drain the noodles and add to the sauce, stirring well, followed by the bean sprouts. Serve immediately.
Or for something a bit different try Bobotie:
Ingredients:
1lb minced beef
1 or 2 slices bread
2 ozs sultanas
4 ozs unsalted cashew nuts
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1/4 pint milk
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 beaten size 2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Soak the bread in the milk for 15 minutes and squeeze, reserving the milk afterwards. Chop the onions and garlic and fry in the butter until soft. Remove from the heat. Add the bread, sultanas, cashew nuts, beef, vinegar , sugar, salt and pepper, herbs, curry powder, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg. Mix well. Spread in an oven proof dish (a loaf tin is best.) Mix the remaining egg to the reserved milk and pour over the the mixture in the loaf tin. Bake in a moderate oven (Gas 4, 350F, 180C) for 1 to 11/2 hours, until a skewer comes out cleanly. Serve slices hot or cold, with yellow rice and apricot blatjang and salad or with crusty French bread and a green salad.
Ingredients:
1lb minced beef
1 or 2 slices bread
2 ozs sultanas
4 ozs unsalted cashew nuts
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1/4 pint milk
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 beaten size 2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Soak the bread in the milk for 15 minutes and squeeze, reserving the milk afterwards. Chop the onions and garlic and fry in the butter until soft. Remove from the heat. Add the bread, sultanas, cashew nuts, beef, vinegar , sugar, salt and pepper, herbs, curry powder, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg. Mix well. Spread in an oven proof dish (a loaf tin is best.) Mix the remaining egg to the reserved milk and pour over the the mixture in the loaf tin. Bake in a moderate oven (Gas 4, 350F, 180C) for 1 to 11/2 hours, until a skewer comes out cleanly. Serve slices hot or cold, with yellow rice and apricot blatjang and salad or with crusty French bread and a green salad.
And the Apricot Blatjang:
Ingredients:
250g pack ready-to-eat dried apricots
1 red onion , quartered
½ tsp dried crushed chillies
2 garlic cloves
50ml white malt vinegar
1 heaped tbsp light muscovado sugar
Directions:
Put the apricots in a bowl and pour over 600ml boiling water.
Leave for 30 mins to soak and cool.
Tip the apricots and their soaking liquid into a food processor with all the remaining ingredients, then blitz until smooth. Tip into a saucepan, then cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until thick and pulp
Ingredients:
250g pack ready-to-eat dried apricots
1 red onion , quartered
½ tsp dried crushed chillies
2 garlic cloves
50ml white malt vinegar
1 heaped tbsp light muscovado sugar
Directions:
Put the apricots in a bowl and pour over 600ml boiling water.
Leave for 30 mins to soak and cool.
Tip the apricots and their soaking liquid into a food processor with all the remaining ingredients, then blitz until smooth. Tip into a saucepan, then cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until thick and pulp
Thanks for all the answers, will have to give them a try!
Ummm- yes have got a variety of spices, just don't know how to use them lol!
Society- he will eat tomatoes in a salad (which we have very often), on pizza and in other things but he's not keen on the typical pasta sauce with lots of tomatoes in and a curry I made the other night from a recipe on the Asda website had lots of tomatoes and I don't think he was keen on that (although he said he enjoyed it but think that was to spare my feelings!)
Ummm- yes have got a variety of spices, just don't know how to use them lol!
Society- he will eat tomatoes in a salad (which we have very often), on pizza and in other things but he's not keen on the typical pasta sauce with lots of tomatoes in and a curry I made the other night from a recipe on the Asda website had lots of tomatoes and I don't think he was keen on that (although he said he enjoyed it but think that was to spare my feelings!)
i made this on sunday - was very straightforward and really yummy! http://www.timesonlin...es/article7022268.ece
you should have a browse in your local bookshop and I am sure you would find the kind of book you prefer to follow. Also go onto the supermarket websites - they normally offer really good recipe ideas and I also enjoy the asda monthly magazine. Normally quite straightforward ideas, not always cooking from scratch but with pictures too. Happy cooking!
you should have a browse in your local bookshop and I am sure you would find the kind of book you prefer to follow. Also go onto the supermarket websites - they normally offer really good recipe ideas and I also enjoy the asda monthly magazine. Normally quite straightforward ideas, not always cooking from scratch but with pictures too. Happy cooking!
I am a wee bit impatient when it comes to making cheese sauce but this was so simple, nothing went wrong! I was making it for my mum and dad and made the sauce in my house and then took over so when was at theirs all I had to do was boil the macaroni add the sauce, cover in breadcrumbs and pop in the oven. It was delish - I had some left overs last night!
Something really cheap but tasty I got from my mum -
1 lge tin corned beef
2 cloves garlic
large onion
vegetable oil
rice (quantity of your choice)
turmeric
Chop onion.
Add onion and garlic to heated veg oil, and fry till soft.
Add chopped corned beef and keep stirring.
Meanwhile, cook rice as on packet, but before adding rice add some turmeric (to own taste)
When rice cooked, throw it in with corned beef mixture, and keep stirring for 2-3 mins, then serve.
I swear, it's delish, and even better next day!
1 lge tin corned beef
2 cloves garlic
large onion
vegetable oil
rice (quantity of your choice)
turmeric
Chop onion.
Add onion and garlic to heated veg oil, and fry till soft.
Add chopped corned beef and keep stirring.
Meanwhile, cook rice as on packet, but before adding rice add some turmeric (to own taste)
When rice cooked, throw it in with corned beef mixture, and keep stirring for 2-3 mins, then serve.
I swear, it's delish, and even better next day!
As mentioned, don't be afraid to cheat. Buy ready made pastry, a tin or two of campbells condensed white wine soup (for the sauce), chuck in some diced chicken and some veg and you have a pie.
Homepride do some wonderful sauces for casseroles....use them.
A quick barbeque sauce to pour over chicken thighs and oven cook......
2 parts tomato ketchup
1 part soy sauce
1 part golden syrup or honey
1 part demerera sugar
You can also add some chilli and/or garlic if desired
I use Greek yoghurt, Pataks curry paste, creamed coconut, a bit of sugar to sweeten if needed and other herbs and spices for my curries
Why not try some curried chicken kebabs
get some greek yoghurt, add pataks paste, throw in diced chiken breast and marinate for a few hours.
Then thread chicken onto skewers alternating with a chunk of pineapple and/or red pepper slices.
Barbeque or oven cook.
Homepride do some wonderful sauces for casseroles....use them.
A quick barbeque sauce to pour over chicken thighs and oven cook......
2 parts tomato ketchup
1 part soy sauce
1 part golden syrup or honey
1 part demerera sugar
You can also add some chilli and/or garlic if desired
I use Greek yoghurt, Pataks curry paste, creamed coconut, a bit of sugar to sweeten if needed and other herbs and spices for my curries
Why not try some curried chicken kebabs
get some greek yoghurt, add pataks paste, throw in diced chiken breast and marinate for a few hours.
Then thread chicken onto skewers alternating with a chunk of pineapple and/or red pepper slices.
Barbeque or oven cook.
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