Mini Pizza Tartlets

This recipe is a hit among our friends and family. My 7 year old loves these mushroom pizza tartlets that are not only easy to make but are also great to get your little ones to give you a hand in the kitchen. I have included two variations to the toppings here, one is with the mushroom (w/wo wine) and the other a simple tomato topping which I normally use for my bruschettas. I had made fifty of these little tartlets using the tomato topping for my daughters class party recently, the kids loved it and it was all gone in less than 10 mins.

Ingredients:

3 puff pastry sheets

Cookie cutters 2 different sizes (1 small and 1 large)

1 egg well beaten with a few drops of water (for brushing)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 Deg. Line 2 trays with baking paper. And set aside.

Cook your toppings and keep it ready

Defrost your pastry sheet on the counter for about 3-5 mins. The sheets have to be cold and slightly firm to be able to work with them easily. To test try and fold them, if they are able to neatly fold they're ready to be used. If they are too stretchy your tarts will not rise as much.

You need to work on these quickly.

First take a large cookie cutter and cut the tarts and set them on the baking sheets.

Using a smaller cutter hold it in the center of the tart and press gently, you dont want to cut them but just stencil the cut on the pastry. Do not flatten/press the pastry too much as this will prevent it from rising.

Very lightly brush the egg wash on the pastry. This will give it a gorgeous golden color.

Now take 1 tbsp of filling and place into the center of the pastry inside inner/second circle and top with grated cheese.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until they are nice and golden brown.

Mushroom Topping

1 large mushroom sliced

3 cloves garlic crushed

2 tbsp butter

200gms sliced mushrooms ( I use Portobello)

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)

1/3 cup chopped parsley

2 tbsp cream cheese

Grated monterey jack (or a 3 blend cheese) for topping

Salt & pepper

In a non-stick pan add oil and fry the onions till they are well browned.

Add in the butter, garlic and mushrooms and fry for about 3 mins till they start turning golden brown

Add in the white wine and cook till the wine evaporates.

Throw in the oregano and cream cheese and mix well.

Place filling in the center of pastry sheet and bake in oven for 15 mins.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Tomato Topping:

4 large tomatoes or 200gms cherry tomatoes chopped

4 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

2 tbsp Grated cheese (I use light mozzarella)

Salt

Chili flakes (optional)

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

Heat a non-stick pan and cook for 3 mins or till tomatoes are soft and the water has evaporated.

Place filling in the center of pastry sheet, top with grated mozzarella and bake in oven for 15 mins.

Garnish with finely chopped basil and coriander.

Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

Here's a recipe that is served for dinners in my family at least once a week particularly during winters. This soup was introduced to me 12 years ago by one of my close friends, whom I thank every time I devour my bowl of sweet corn soup. Well this is a little different from the Indo-Chinese version.

I make a whole cooker full of soup which is pretty much emptied the very same night. This is a good accompaniment with Asian fried rice or noodles. 

Garlic is an invaluable ingredient used in my kitchen specially since it is known to promote & strengthen the immune system with its antioxidant properties, I use it a lot more during winters. I usually add one clove of finely chopped garlic into each bowl of soup before serving and I also add it in the chili vinegar. 

On the whole this is a wonderfully wholesome recipe especially when using fresh ingredients. Vegans can omit the chicken for a lovely vegetarian version. The one posted here is made without using chicken. Both taste equally good. The soy, sugar and vinegar are added according to taste so please do a taste test before adding them. I usually like mine a little sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

1 can Corn Kernal (Not the Creamed corn) or 2 fresh sweet corn on cobs

1 cup finely chopped chicken tenderloins or 1 cup cooked chicken breast shredded

200gms freshly sliced mushrooms or 1 can sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped spring onions

1 egg

2 tbsp cornflour mixed with a little water to make a paste

1 tbsp freshly ground ginger garlic and coriander root

1 red bell pepper/capsicum finely chopped

1 tbsp oil

6 cups of water or more depending on how thick/light you like it

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice/vinegar

Method:

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add in the ginger garlic coriander paste

Now throw in half the spring onions, capsicum and mushroom and fry for a minute

Add the chicken and cook till water evaporates.

Add the water, salt, sugar, soy sauce and lime juice and pressure cook for one whistle. If cooking without a pressure cooker, cook for about 15-20mins till chicken is tender.

Remove lid and add in the corn flour mixture and cook till the soup thickens, about 3-5 mins.

Now in a bowl, beat the egg well. Bring the soup to a boil and gradually pour the egg into the soup simultaneously stirring it very gently, till it starts looking like clouds floating the soup (well, that’s how my 7 year old describes it). :)

Add the remaining chopped spring onions & fresh coriander

Serve hot with chopped green chilies in vinegar and soy sauce.

Linguine Carbonara with a Twist

When I worked for Siemens in Thailand, my colleagues and I would head out to "Car Wash" this little restaurant which was pretty much located on top of a car garage. I still have no clue what the actual name of the restaurant was but they served the best pastas. One of their famous dishes was pasta with olive oil and garlic topped with dried red chilies. I enjoyed taking a bite of the zesty red chili along with my spoonful of pasta.

So try this and tell me if you like it.

For the Pasta

Linguine 

1Tbsp olive oil

Salt

For the Sauce

200gms shredded bacons

200gms mushrooms sliced

4 cloves garlic nicely crushed

300ml light cream

½ tsp dried oregano

½ cup Dry white wine

¼ cup Parmesan grated

½ tsp crushed black pepper

Garnishing

5-6 cloves garlic sliced

5-6 whole dried red chilies

Oil for frying

Crushed pepper

Chopped Parsley

Method:

Bring water to a boil, add salt and olive oil for about 15 mins or until cooked.
While the pasta is cooking, add a little olive oil in a non-stick or heavy bottom pan and add the shredded bacon. Cook till it is browned. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add a little more oil, throw in the crushed garlic, and mushrooms, cook for about 5mins and then add in the wine. Allow to cook until the all liquid has evaporated. Now add your bacon and mix.
In a bowl, mix the cream, Parmesan, oregano, pepper and a little salt (Careful we don’t want to add too much salt as the bacon is already quite salty).
Add the cream mixture to the mushroom and allow to cook till it thickens. About 5mins.
Drain your pasta and add it to the sauce. Mix well and serve on a plate.
In a small pan fry the garlic in oil for about a minute and throw in dried red chilis till they are well browned.

Garnish with chopped parsley and the fried garlic and chili.

Note: For a vegan version, omit the bacon completely. 

KFC Chicken Rice - Thai Style

Bored with random takeaway nights, well try this for a change. This is how we have our KFC rice in Thailand. It’s super tasty, quick to fix and the accompaniment with rice, leaves your tummy happy in no time.  We like ours really spicy, so adjust the chili flakes, fish sauce and lemon juice accordingly. You can make chicken strips at home or buy it from anywhere else too, how about trying it with Red Rooster’s spicy chicken bites or even KFC’s popcorn chicken.  Get adventurous and don’t forget to leave your comments.

Ingredients:

6-8 KFC chicken strips.

1 Large onion thinly sliced

1 cup fresh coriander chopped

1 cup fresh mint chopped

2 tbsp  Khao Khua (toasted rice power)

1-2 tbsp red chili flakes (adjust to your taste accordingly)

1 ½ tbsp fish sauce

1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. For toasted Rice powder, take ½  cup white raw rice (you can use what you have at home, Jasmine or basmati is fine too). On medium low, toast the raw rice and keep stirring it around so it is cooked evenly. The rice will slowly start changing color, after about 10mins the rice will look a lot like brown rice. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before you grind it in a food processor.  The texture should be course like Samolina.  Store in an airtight container and use as necessary. This stores for about a month. However I prefer making mine fresh every couple of weeks. Khao Khua is used in a lot of Thai salads like Larb Gai for instance. 
2. Chop the chicken strips into bite size pieces and pop them into a salad bowl, now add all the ingredients and toss the salad around a few times allowing the flavors to come together.
3. Serve immediately with steamed rice! We like ours with Nampla Prik (Fish sauce with freshly chopped chilies, garlic and a dash of lime)

Somtam - Papaya Salad

This recipe has been such a big hit at home and among all my friends who have been asking for it for a while now, so here goes. Somtam or papaya salad is a popular salad in Thailand.  Wednesdays were Somtam nights, my husband and I would end up at pak soi Sukhumvit 26, right after work to enjoy our Somtam and Khao Neow (sticky rice).   A spoonful in your mouth and it’s like a firework of delicious flavors all coming together to give you a fantastic salad that will only leave you craving for more!

I’ve only had a chance to make Somtam after moving to Sydney. I don’t really have an exact measurement for Somtam as I throw in the ingredients based on the flavours I prefer. Some like it salty some sweet, I like mine with the measurements below and yes, I like mine really hot.  So go easy on those bird eyes, if you’re not a heat lover!  Do a taste test before throwing in the papaya so you can adjust the flavors in the sauce to your liking.

The secret to the recipe is to grate the papaya into long thin strings. You might want to shop around for a papaya salad grater online. Its worth investing in one. 

Ingredients

2 cups grated raw papaya or paw paw

¼ cup grated carrot

1-2 tbsp fish sauce (omit if you are vegetarian substitute with a little more salt instead)

2 tbsp soft palm sugar

2 tbsp tamarind juice/extract (consistency should be thin and runny)

2 small cloves of garlic

2-3 birds’ eye chili (not for the faint hearted) go easy if you can’t handle heat!

2 long Thai snake beans (omit if not available)

1 tomato sliced or 4 cherry tomatoes

A nice bunch of coriander chopped

A few Thai basil leaves

2 tbsp roasted peanuts

Dash of Lemon juice

Salt to taste

Method:

In a large mortar and pestle, start pounding the garlic and chilies together

Add in the tomatoes and allow the juices to blend in

Now add the palm sugar and fish sauce and pound gently till the palm sugar has melted.

Add the tamarind water, lemon juice, and salt

Throw in the grated papaya, and pound away gently. (beware you do not want any of the juices getting in your eyes.)

Now add in the beans, coriander, basil, peanuts, mix gently

And serve as is or with sticky rice.

Note: I garnish mine with dried shrimp which is how it is authentically served in Thailand.

Somtam can be prepared with anything. Cucumber, Raw Mangoes, even fruits. So get creative and enjoy this fantastic recipe and I'll guarantee it will be a sure winner in your next party!

Now if you’ve tried this and like it, be nice and leave your feedback for me ;)

Chicken Ball Soup to fight the Flu

This recipe was requested by mums who’ve had trouble getting their kids to “eat” when they are down with a cold or flu. Some of them have tried this recipe and liked it so much that they wanted me to post it on the blog. If you are a vegetarian skip the chicken and use vegetable stock instead. I use the vegetarian version to keep it light for the tummy.
This recipe is a variation to the famous Thai rice porridge, “Khao Tom”. But to make it a little more interesting for my 2yr old, I decided to shape the chicken into tiny bite size balls and call it the “Planet Soup”. This was the only food my daughter was willing to eat when she was sick with a cold or flu. Both my husband and I prefer it too when we feel like we’re coming down with the flu bug.

Ingredients:For Chicken Ball
¼ cup minced chicken
½ inch ginger
1 clove garlic
1tbsp Coriander along with root
1tbsp Chinese parsley
Pepper
Salt
Mix it all together and keep aside. I normally use 1 or 2 chicken breast tender fillets and put everything together in a food processor.

For Soup1 Knorr chicken stock cube
4 cups water
2 small garlic cloves crushed
1 small piece ginger crushed
Coriander chopped
Chinese parsley chopped
1/3rd cup cooked rice mashed lightly (optional)

Method:Add stock cube into 4 cups water (Add more water if you prefer it light)
Add the crushed garlic and ginger and bring stock to a boil
Now gently shape the minced chicken into tiny balls and slip them into the soup.
Cover and cook for about 10mins. (You could use a pressure cooker if cooking a large quantity)
Add the cooked rice along with the chopped coriander and parsley and cook for about a minute or two.
Season with pepper and salt and serve immediately

Note:You could skip adding the rice to the soup if you prefer it light.
Add mince mix as is to the porridge if feeding toddlers.

Tiramisu

Here's my favorite desert recipe. I've tried a few variations and found that this worked best. I've included an Eggless variation below for those who prefer it without the eggs. I have tried both and I prefer mine with the egg custard, its a lot laborious but its worth all the time and effort.

Ingredients4 eggs saperated
2 cups strong black coffee (I use Nescafé espresso)
1 cup marsala (or Boronia)
2 tbsp Kahlua
1/2 cup caster sugar for the custard
250g mascarpone
300ml thickened cream, whipped (with sugar if preferred a little sweeter)
1 large packet of sponge fingers (savoiardi) Chocolate sauce (optional)
Cocoa, for dusting

Method1. Dipping Mixture: In a shallow dish combine warm water and coffee, stirring until coffee dissolves. Now mix ½ cup marsala and Kahlua to this and set aside. (Do a taste test and check for the sweetness if you like it sweeter add a little caster sugar.)
2. Custard: In a large bowl using an electric mixer beat egg yolks and sugar together until light and creamy. Transfer the egg-yolk mixture to a double boiler. Bring water to a boil and add remaining ½ cup marsala to the egg-yolk mixture. Now keep whisking it till it reaches a custard consistency (Do not directly cook on stove). Now immediately transfer the bowl to a basin of cold water. This helps to stop the custard from overcooking. Make sure that no water touches the custard. Now set aside.
3. Cream: Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form, "FOLD" in the mascarpone and the whipped cream together along with the egg-yolk custard until well combined. (Do not whisk or beat). Leave in the fridge for about 10mins.
4. In the meantime take a 6cm deep, 18x28cm baking dish or use a ceramic lasagna dish to start layering your Tiramisu. Using half the biscuits, dip 1 at a time into coffee, turning to coat. Now layer the bottom of the dish with the coffee-dipped biscuits.
5. Now spread half the mascarpone mixture over biscuits to cover. Repeat layers with remaining biscuits, Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight preferably. This helps the Tiramisu set perfectly so it is easy to slice and serve. Dust generously with cocoa and drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve immediately.

Variation: Marsala can be replaced with a light cherry sauce or just the coffee mixture.

Add berries in the layers to make it a berrilicious tiramisu.
And if you do not like using Eggs, skip it entirely and just use whipped cream and mascarpone instead. It is a lot easier and does taste great.

Raagi Mudday & Avarekaalu Saaru

Ingredients

To Grind
1 cup coconut - grated
4 – 5 green chillies
1/2" ginger
Marble sized tamarind
6 - 8 garlic cloves for grinding
3 tsp - coriander seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1/2" cinnamon stick
3 cloves

For Curry1 pack Avarekaalu (Valore Lilva)
1 onion - finely chopped ( I use the food processor)
1 tomato – chopped or ground in the processor
Bunch fresh coriander leaves – chopped
Seasoning:
1 tbsp ghee
2 coves garlic
2 slit green chilies
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
Method:1.Cook the beans in a vessel with water and salt for just about 10mins
2.In a pan dry fry the spices for a minute or two then add ginger, garlic, green chilies & coconut fry for about 2 – 3 mins till the coconut slowly start browning. Allow to cool and grind along with tamarind and a sprig of coriander. Add water and grind to a smooth paste.
3.In a cooker, add oil and fry till the onion till it is nicely browned, now add in the ground masala and fry for a few minutes. Add the beans and tomato cook for 1 whistle on high. Set aside.
4.In a seasoning pan, add ghee and seasoning.
5.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, chapattis or Ragi Mudday

Ingredients for Raagi Mudday
1 ½ cups raagi
3 cups water (1:2 measurement)

Method:Bring water to a full boil in a copper bottom pan.
Now add the raagi slowly in the center only. (I pour it directly from the measuring cup)
Cover partly and allow to cook till it comes to a boil now turn on low and cook for 20mins
Keep checking it should not overflow from the vessel and the water should cont. to boil not come to a standstill while cooking.
Remove from gas when done about 20mins.
Now remove about ½ cup water and with a long stick break all the knots till it is completely smooth.
Add the separated water if necessary to make it softer.
Oil your hands and knead into balls.
Dip into saru and swallow!!

Koli Saaru - Chicken Curry

Here's a recipe from my Mother In Law's kitchen. A truly fabulous cook, she shared this one with me from her list of secret recipes. Ragi Mudday & Koli Saru is on our menu every single weekend now. This also happens to be a household favorite in North Karnataka. You would be surprised at how simple this recipe actually is but tastes fantastic. The secret to this recipe is the masala which is to be ground extremely smooth & fine. I grind it for about 7 - 10mins in a mixer, till it is completely smooth. A food processor will not give you the same result. Feel free to use enough water while grinding. I use a little more than a cup or even 2.
Ingredients:
To grind:1 cup coconut
4 tsp chilli** (reduce amount if the brand you use is very spicy and remember to reduce the coriander powder as well. The ratio for both chilli and coriander powder should be 1:1)
4 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp poppy seeds.
1 fried onion
Grind all to a fine paste.

For Curry:1/4th tsp turmeric.
½ cinnamon
2 - 3 cardamom powdered
3 cloves
1 kilo chicken cut to small bite size pieces. (I use boneless)
3 tbsp oil
Coriander
Salt to taste.


Method:
1. Add oil in the cooker and allow chicken to fry till the water evaporates.
2. Add the ground paste.
3. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom & salt. Check the consistancy and add water if required.
4. Allow to cook in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle on high and immediately lower flame for cook for about 15mins.
5. Remove lid and allow to cook again for another 5 mins till oil floats on top.

6. Garnish with coriander leaves.
7. Serve hot with steamed rice & pappadum

Tindora Subji

This recipe was requested by a friend. A very simple and easy dish to prepare and goes well with Rasam and rice or Chapatti and Kadi. I normally use the frozen ones available in the Indian stores here.

Ingredients
1/2 pack frozen tindora
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp urad dhal
2 - 3 curry leaves
3 dried chillis
1 tsp fennel seeds (Saunf)
Pinch turmeric
3 tsp MTR rasam powder
3 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method:In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter, add the urad dhal, fennel seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves.
Add in the Tindora and allow to cook for about 5 mins.
Add turmeric and salt and allow to further cook untill the tindoras begin to brown.
Now add in the MTR rasam powder and fry for another 5 mins.

Serve immediately with rice or rotis.