So Easy Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: quick, easy, healthy, vegetarian, dessert, low-cal, <15mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 min

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Get ready for a quick, easy, healthy, vegan, sugar-free, low-carb chocolate mousse! Sounds too good to be true, right? I promise it’s worth a try. Chocolate mousse is one of Toby’s all-time favourite desserts and although this isn’t quite as good as his favourite version, it still got his official stamp of approval for being pretty damn good especially since it’s a healthy alternative! He can gorge on this guilt-free and better yet, it’s SO easy to make.

This mousse isn’t as fluffy and light as a traditional chocolate mousse but it’s still packed with chocolatey flavour and just as creamy because it uses avocados as the main ingredient. You can eat this on its own with some diced strawberries or alternatively choose to use it as a frosting on a cake or as a stuffing in a pastry.

What makes this recipe so amazing?

Quick and easy – Just blend all the ingredients together. It comes together in 15 minutes, perfect for a quick snack or last minute dessert plans.

Vegan – No dairy products are used. Avocados are the main ingredient that gives this mousse its creamy velvety texture.

Sugar-free – Medjool dates are the best kept secret to replacing sugars in a recipe without adding any extra flavour! You can alternatively use honey or maple syrup if you don’t have any dates on hand.

Low-carb – Compared to a regular chocolate mousse, the only ‘carb-y’ ingredient in this recipe are the dates. No extra added sugars

Healthy – avocados, dates, and soy milk make up the bulk of this recipe!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

24 pitted dried Medjool dates
4 ripe hass avocados, pitted with the flesh scooped out (~500g of flesh)
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk (or any milk alternative)

Directions:

Soak the dates in hot water for 10 mins until soft (this will help the dates blend easier).

Drain the dates and blend the rest of the ingredients (avocados, cocoa powders, salt, vanilla, soy milk) together until you get a smooth mousse texture. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Add more soy milk if too thick, or more soaked dates if not sweet enough. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

So Easy Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

24 pitted medjool dates
4 ripe hass avocados, pitted with the flesh scooped out (~480g of flesh)
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk (or more to your liking)

Directions:

Soak the dates in hot water for 10 mins until soft (this will help the dates blend easier).
Drain the dates and blend the rest of the ingredients (avocados, cocoa powders, salt, vanilla, soy milk) together until you get a smooth mousse texture. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Add more soy milk if too thick, or more soaked dates if not sweet enough. Serve!

October 10, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Fritters

Date Published: Sept 26th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 26th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, snacks, easy, healthy, < 15mins, appetizers, low cal, vegetarian
Serves: 8 large fritters | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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This past weekend Toby and I discovered a discount produce market only 10 mins near our new place in Western Australia. The market is held every Saturday at a large produce distribution centre and at the end of every week they sell BOXES of leftover produce that didn’t get sold to the shops for CHEAP. We got an entire box of zucchinis (that’s ~40 zucchinis!) for only $5. We also got a box of 45 red bell peppers (known as capsicums in Oz) for only $10. The deals were insaneeeeee. Toby and I love a good market and even better yet we LOVE a good deal. So now we have a shit ton of zucchini and capsicums that we have to use up – we just can’t pass a good deal. For the past week I’ve been researching and experimenting with different zucchini and capsicum recipes. I decided to roast most of the capsicums so they keep longer and its just so versatile to use in sauces, spreads, topping in salads, marinades…etc. With the zucchinis I’ve made a few soups that have turned out pretty well and of course this fritters recipe has definitely been a winner. I’m sharing this recipe as the first of many capsicum/zucchini recipes that is to come. We’ve made these twice now and they’ve turned out great each time. They’re so easy to make, packed full of vegetables, healthy, and quick to make.

This recipe makes 8 large patties. You can eat these on their own, in a burger, or served with a dipping sauce. Our favourite is to have it with a side of garlic aioli. You can even form them smaller and serve it as an appetizer or a snack. They store pretty well in the freezer as long as you cook them first. To keep it healthy, we’ve air-fried them (which was actually a bit of a pain to do them in batches because we only have a small air-frier 😅), but you can also shallow-fry them for optimal crunch, or bake them.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

5 cups (~3 medium) zucchini, grated* (see note)
3 roasted red peppers, diced small (you can buy them in jars to roast them yourself)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cups panko
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 large eggs, beaten

*Grate the zucchini with a food processor if you have one so the zucchini retains its moisture. If you grate it by hand, the zucchini becomes watery and your batter will be more wet. If you don’t have a food processor and only have a box grater, then add a couple tablespoons of flour to your batter until you get a consistency thick enough to form into patties.

Directions:

Combine everything except for the eggs in a large bowl and mix well: zucchini, roasted red peppers, red onion, panko, parmesan, salt, and white pepper.

2. Once everything is combined, add in the beaten eggs and form the batter into 8 evenly-sized patties. (If your batter is a little wet, add in a few tablespoons of flour to thicken it up.)

3. Air-fry at 180˚C for 10-15mins until crispy on the outside. Alternatively you can fry them with some oil in a shallow pan until crispy or bake them at 200˚C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Serve on its own or with a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients:

5 cups (~3 medium) zucchini, grated* (see note)
3 roasted red peppers, diced small (you can buy them in jars to roast them yourself)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cups panko
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:

(Preheat the oven to 200˚C if you’re going to be baking them.)
Combine everything except for the eggs in a large bowl and mix well: zucchini, roasted red peppers, red onion, panko, parmesan, salt, and white pepper.
Once everything is combined, add in the beaten eggs and form the batter into 8 evenly-sized patties. (If your batter is a little wet, add in a few tablespoons of flour to thicken it up.)
3. Air-fry at 180˚C for 10-15mins until crispy on the outside. Alternatively you can fry them with some oil in a shallow pan until crispy or bake them at 200˚C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve on its own or with a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

September 26, 2021September 26, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Chicken Shawarma

Date Published: Aug 23rd, 2021 | Last Updated: Aug 23rd, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, healthy, quick and easy, low cal
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Get ready for a SUPER easy and SUPER flavourful chicken shawarma. This is one of our favourite go-to easy and healthy meals during the work week that is not only ridiculously easy, but also packs so much flavour. The recipe for the spice mix is originally from RecipeTinEats.

Easy, Healthy and Damn Delicious

The chicken and its flavourful spices are the star of the dish and its so quick to prepare. Marinade the chicken the night before – although there are lots of spices involved, it takes less than 5 minutes to throw it all together in a container and mix it around. Use a garlic crusher to make it even easier. When you get home after work the next day, all you have to do is grill it!

Healthy? There are so many ways you can serve this, but my favourite is over a bed of salad. If I’m feeling lazy or stressed for time, I’ll just buy a bag of pre-washed mixed salad leaves from Woolies or Coles and throw in a few cherry tomatoes and place the sliced chicken overtop served with a dollop of greek yoghurt. It seems basic, but the loud flavours of the chicken will make this plate of food sing – you don’t even need a dressing on top, the yoghurt will be enough to bring it all together. If you’ve got some leftover hummus or tabbouleh in the fridge, chuck it in to bulk it up further.

Toby was too impatient to wait for me to take a photo 😅

What is Shawarma?

Shawarma is a popular middle eastern dish classically served as a wrap made up of veggies, meat, and a sauce. The meat is marinaded in a unique blend of spices that smells incredible as it cooks. You’ll often see the meat stacked on a rotating spit and carved intermittently throughout the day as the outside layer cooks. The meat choices are usually either chicken or lamb – I always go for a mix of both, topped with a generous amount of garlic sauce and yoghurt.

In Australia there are kebab shops everywhere and the doner kebab that is served in these shops are very similar to a shawarma, if not the same. I tried to google the differences between a shawarma and a doner kebab and the main difference seems to be the country of origin but otherwise made very similarly.

How to Serve Chicken Shawarma?

There are many ways you can serve a chicken shawarma. Of course, the classic is to wrap it up in a flat bread with some veggies and a garlic sauce or greek yoghurt with hummus. I prefer to serve mine over a bed of veggies to make it an open plate shawarma salad. I’ve tried it with a few combinations and they’ve all been delicious so feel free to mix it up to what you prefer! If you’re serving this at a party, you can make it a DIY table with multiple toppings for everyone to make it themselves. Here are a few combinations we’ve had:

Wrapped in flat bread with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, greek yoghurt and hummus (classic)
Over a bed of kale and roast pumpkin with greek yoghurt
Over a bed of lettuce, tabbouleh, and greek yoghurt

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 large chicken breasts, butterflied or 1kg chicken thighs (I estimate roughly half a breast per serve)
Spice Blend Marinade:
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp ground cardamon
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice
- 3 Tbsps olive oil
Greek yoghurt
Diced pumpkin (optional)
Salad greens to your preference (see above for some ideas on how to serve this)

Directions:

Butterfly the chicken breasts (see tutorial) and pound them down until they’re an even thickness. Skip this step if using chicken thighs.

Combine all the ingredients of the spice blend in a bowl (or into the container you’re going to marinade the chicken in to save washing). Add the chicken to the marinade and rub it around the chicken ensuring you’re covering every part of the chicken. Let the chicken marinade in the fridge overnight.

Cook the chicken on a grill or skillet on MED heat 4-5 minutes per side until it’s lightly charred on the outside. Remove from heat and rest on a chopping board for a few minutes before slicing. Once rested, slice the chicken into strips and serve to your preference (see above for some ideas on how to serve it). Add a dollop of Greek yoghurt to the plate or drizzled over the warm chicken. Enjoy!

Optional step: If you’ve got leftover marinade in the container after removing the chicken breasts, toss some diced pumpkin into the container and roast it in the oven or air-fryer at 180˚C for 10-15 mins until cooked through then serve it with the chicken.

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, butterflied or 1kg chicken thighs
Spice Blend Marinade:
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp ground cardamon
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsps lemon juice
- 3 Tbsps olive oil
Greek yoghurt
Diced pumpkin (optional)
Salad greens to your preference (see above for some ideas on how to serve this)

Directions:

Butterfly the chicken breasts (see tutorial) and pound them down until they’re an even thickness. Skip this step if using chicken thighs.
Combine all the ingredients of the spice blend in a bowl (or into the container you’re going to marinade the chicken in to save washing). Add the chicken to the marinade and rub it around the chicken ensuring you’re covering every part of the chicken. Let the chicken marinade in the fridge overnight.
Cook the chicken on a grill or skillet on MED heat 4-5 minutes per side until it’s lightly charred on the outside. Remove from heat and rest on a chopping board for a few minutes before slicing. Once rested, slice the chicken into strips and serve to your preference (see above for some ideas on how to serve it). Add a dollop of Greek yoghurt to the plate or drizzled over the warm chicken. Enjoy!
Optional step: If you’ve got leftover marinade in the container after removing the chicken breasts, toss some diced pumpkin into the container and roast it in the oven or air-fryer at 180˚C for 10-15 mins until cooked through then serve it with the chicken.

August 23, 2021August 23, 2021

Abby2 Comments

Corn Egg Drop Soup (玉米蛋花湯)

Date Published: June 28th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 28th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: asian, soup, healthy, vegetarian, easy, <15mins, appetizers, low calorie
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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Egg drop soup is a Chinese dish commonly served in restaurants as an appetizer or a side with your meal. The Chinese name translates to “egg flower soup” because the way the egg disseminates in the soup makes beautiful swirls that resemble a floral pattern. The english name relates to the fact that the egg is “dropped” into the soup at the end to make the swirls – a little less poetic, eh?

The most basic version of the soup is just the swirly egg and broth. You’ll probably see this version most often in Asia because it’s a quick and cheap addition to a meal. Another common version (and my favourite) has added corn for extra crunch and sweetness. Some places will bulk it up with chopped ham, tofu or even chicken to make it a full meal.

This soup is so ridiculously quick and easy – all you need are a few basic ingredients and 15 minutes to whip this up. It’s also super cheap and satisfying if you’re cooking on a budget. The egg-laced chicken broth based soup with the fresh sweet crunch of the corn makes this one of my favourite classic Asian soups!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp ground white pepper (or more to your liking)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 can (420g) of corn kernels, drained (or kernels cut off of 2 husks of corn)
4 Tbsps cornstarch
salt & pepper to taste
4 eggs
2 spring onions, chopped for garnish

Add-ins to consider: ham, chicken, tofu

Directions:

In a pot on MED heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer then add in sesame oil, white pepper, sugar and corn. Let it come to a simmer again, then taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed, salt & pepper to taste.

Take out a few ladles of soup into a bowl and add in the cornstarch. Mix it around until smooth then drizzle it into the soup while stirring continuously (if you don’t stir, the corn starch will clump together). Feel free to add more cornstarch if you prefer a thicker consistency (remember to mix it with soup first in a small bowl, never add cornstarch directly into the soup or else it will clump).

Once the taste and consistency of the soup is to your liking, turn off the heat.

Scramble the eggs in a separate bowl, then slowly add it to the soup while stirring. The faster you stir, the more disseminated the eggs will be. The slower you stir the soup, the bigger egg pieces you’ll get.

Serve garnished with spring onions on top. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Corn Egg Drop Soup (玉米蛋花湯)

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp ground white pepper (or more to your liking)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 can (420g) of corn kernels, drained (or kernels cut off of 2 husks of corn)
4 Tbsps cornstarch
salt & pepper to taste
4 eggs
2 spring onions, chopped for garnish

Directions:

In a pot on MED heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer then add in sesame oil, white pepper, sugar and corn. Let it come to a simmer again, then taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed, salt & pepper to taste.
Take out a few ladles of soup into a bowl and add in the cornstarch. Mix it around until smooth then drizzle it into the soup while stirring continuously (if you don’t stir, the corn starch will clump together). Feel free to add more cornstarch if you prefer a thicker consistency (remember to mix it with soup first in a small bowl, never add cornstarch directly into the soup or else it will clump).
Once the taste and consistency of the soup is to your liking, turn off the heat. Scramble the eggs in a separate bowl, then slowly add it to the soup while stirring. The faster you stir, the more disseminated the eggs will be. The slower you stir the soup, the bigger egg pieces you’ll get.
Serve garnished with spring onions on top. Enjoy!

June 28, 2021June 28, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Malaysian Satay Sauce

Date Published: June 28th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 28th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: asian, sauces, <15mins, quick and easy
Serves: ~1.5 cups | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 7 mins

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This recipe is from Sarah Tiong, one of my favourite contestants on Masterchef Australia. I’d strongly recommend everyone to check out her cookbook which is full of amazing flavourful Southeast Asian dishes.

What is Satay?

Satay is a very popular dish in Southeast Asia (especially Malaysia and Indonesia) made of skewered meat marinated and grilled in a savoury peanut sauce. The flavourful sauce is what makes the dish and there are so many variations of it. In its essence, the sauce base is made of ground roasted peanuts and the mix of different spices and aromatics are what takes it to the next level.

This recipe uses curry powder and tamarind paste for its robust flavour. It’s quick any easy to make, with minimal ingredients. You can use this as a marinade or dipping sauce for whatever you like. I’ve even tossed this sauce with some roasted cauliflower for a quick savoury side dish!

If you’re a fan of satay, check out my other satay recipe that uses red chilli paste and coconut milk: Red Curry Satay Sauce.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 cup (150 g) roasted salted peanuts, finely ground or blended
1 Tbsp (9 g) curry powder
1 Tbsp (15 g) tamarind paste
1 1/2 Tbsp (14 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) water (or more if you want a runnier sauce)

Directions:

Heat a dry small skillet or saucepan over LOW heat.

Add the ground peanuts and curry powder to the pan and stir together for 1 minute until fragrant. Mix in the tamarind paste, brown sugar and water and let it simmer for 5 mins or until it reduces to a thick sauce. If you prefer a runnier sauce, add more water. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Malaysian Satay Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup (150 g) roasted salted peanuts, finely ground or blended
1 Tbsp (9 g) curry powder
1 Tbsp (15 g) tamarind paste
1 1/2 Tbsp (14 g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) water (or more if you want a runnier sauce)

Directions:

Heat a dry small skillet or saucepan over LOW heat.
Add the ground peanuts and curry powder to the pan and stir together for 1 minute until fragrant. Mix in the tamarind paste, brown sugar and water and let it simmer for 5 mins or until it reduces to a thick sauce. If you prefer a runnier sauce, add more water. Done!

June 28, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Red Curry Satay Sauce

Date Published: August 27th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 27th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces, dips, Asian
Serves: roughly 1 cup | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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There are few things in the world better than a good creamy peanut satay sauce and when you pair it with coconut milk and red curry paste? Ohhhh boy. Get your tastebuds ready for a flavour explosion! This recipe uses the homemade red curry chilli paste recipe for a bold and fresh flavour. Depending on how much you make your curry paste, this satay sauce can add a kick! Use the leftovers mixed with cold noodles for a quick lunch or save it for a dip with spring rolls or prawn toast. You’re only 5 minutes away from making this delicious red curry satay sauce!

Recipe adapted from Recipe Tin Eats.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

330ml coconut milk
3/4 cup (185ml) water
2 Tbsps homemade red curry paste
3/4 cup (180g) peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1/4 cup + 2 tsps white sugar
2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar
2 tsps dark soy sauce
2 tsps fish sauce
1 tsp salt

Directions:

In a saucepan on LOW-MED heat, add in all of the ingredients and stir. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes for the flavours to infuse. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. Done! Easy, huh?

If the sauce is too thick for you, add in a little bit of water until you reach your desired consistency.

Summarized Recipe:

Red Curry Satay Sauce

Ingredients:

330ml coconut milk
3/4 cup (185ml) water
2 Tbsps homemade red curry paste
3/4 cup (180g) peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1/4 cup + 2 tsps white sugar
2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar
2 tsps dark soy sauce
2 tsps fish sauce
1 tsp salt

Directions:

In a saucepan on LOW-MED heat, add in all of the ingredients and stir. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes for the flavours to infuse. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. Done!

Note: If the sauce is too thick for you, add in a little bit of water until you reach your desired consistency.

August 27, 2020August 27, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Green Curry Prawn Toast

Date Published: August 27th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 27th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, easy, appetizer, Asian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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I’ve surprisingly never had prawn toast until recently. I saw a couple recipes from the new cookbooks of my favourite Masterchef contestants, Sarah Tiong and Kanh Ong and decided to give them a try. This recipe is an adaptation from Kanh’s green curry prawn toast recipe and uses the homemade Thai green curry paste. Although I’m not sure what real prawn toast is supposed to taste like since I’ve never had one from a restaurant before, but Toby and his family tells me they used to have it all the time at their old go-to Chinese restaurant and this version is much better! These prawn toasts don’t taste quite like a Thai green curry because there’s no coconut milk, but they do have the beautiful aromatics from the homemade green curry paste that really shine through with every bite. It’s even better when paired with a mayo-based dipping sauce such as curry mayo or sriracha mayo.

As long as you’ve got the curry paste made up, this recipe is SO simple and comes together quickly. You will however need to deep-fry these. I don’t frequently like to deep-fry things at home, but when I do I like to make the best use of the oil by making multiple things with it before tossing it out such as pork and prawn spring rolls! You can also make a big batch beforehand and serve it as an appetizer or a snack for a party.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

250g raw prawn meat
1 egg white
2 1/2 tsps sesame oil
1/4 cup homemade Thai green curry paste
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 large clove of garlic
1 spring onion (optional)
4 slices of sourdough or regular white bread
Sesame seeds for dipping

Directions:

In a food processor, add the prawn meat, egg white, sesame oil, green curry paste, salt, white pepper, spring onion, and garlic. Pulse until you get a thick paste.

Divide and spread the paste equally on the 4 slices of sourdough. If the paste is runny, put it in the fridge for 20 mins to firm up.

Place sesame seeds on a plate and dip the bread (prawn side down) onto the sesame seeds.

Fill a saucepan 1/3 up with neutral oil and heat the oil until it reaches 180˚C (or when a cube of bread turns brown in 15 seconds). Place the prawn toast prawn side down (it might be easier to lower it prawn side up first then flip it around in the oil to minimize splashing) into the oil and fry for 2-4 minutes until golden then flip and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oil and let it drain on a paper towel.

Serve! Ideally serve with curry mayo or sriracha mayo.

Summarized Recipe:

Green Curry Prawn Toast

Ingredients:

250g raw prawn meat
1 egg white
2 1/2 tsps sesame oil
1/4 cup homemade Thai green curry paste
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1 large clove of garlic
1 spring onion (optional)
4 slices of sourdough or regular white bread
Sesame seeds for dipping

Directions:

In a food processor, add the prawn meat, egg white, sesame oil, green curry paste, salt, white pepper, spring onion, and garlic. Pulse until you get a thick paste.
Divide and spread the paste equally on the 4 slices of sourdough. If the paste is runny, put it in the fridge for 20 mins to firm up.
Place sesame seeds on a plate and dip the bread (prawn side down) onto the sesame seeds.
Fill a saucepan 1/3 up with neutral oil and heat the oil until it reaches 180˚C (or when a cube of bread turns brown in 15 seconds). Place the prawn toast prawn side down (it might be easier to lower it prawn side up first then flip it around in the oil to minimize splashing) into the oil and fry for 2-4 minutes until golden then flip and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oil and let it drain on a paper towel.
Serve! Ideally serve with curry mayo or sriracha mayo.

August 27, 2020August 27, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Tzatziki

Date Published: August 21st, 2020| Last Updated: August 21st, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces/dips, easy
Serves: 1 cup | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 30 secs + resting overnight

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Tzatziki tzatziki. It’s so simple and so good. My dill plants had been struggling on my balcony over the winter months so I wasn’t able to make this recipe for ages, but now that we’ve moved onto the farm with plenty of space and sunshine, the dill plant here has gone wild! This dip is so refreshing with the cucumber, lemon and dill. Our favourite way to eat this is slathered between two burger buns in a beef patty to make a quick Greek burger but its also fantastic on its own as a dip with bread or veggies.

This is a make-ahead recipe. It takes less than 10 minutes to whip up this recipe but the full potential of the flavours don’t come out until it’s refrigerated for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. This dip needs time for the flavours to marinate and work themselves out. It sounds a bit crazy but trust me. The first time I made this dip I spent over 20 minutes adding a little more of this and that and it still never seemed quite right. I ended up putting it away and when I revisited it the next morning, it was AMAZING! I was surprised how everything just fixed itself overnight. Now when I make this sauce I don’t even bother with adjusting the flavours until the next day, after its had time to sort itself out.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/4 (100g) of a continental cucumber
3/4 cup (184g) Greek yoghurt
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsps fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Splash of lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Grate the cucumber (with the peel) and then wrap it up in a clean tea towel or a few layers of paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. You should end up with nearly half the weight of cucumber you started with.

The salt in the dip will draw out the water in the cucumber and result in a wet sloppy tzatziki which is why it’s so important to squeeze out as much water as you can at the start.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate overnight, or a minimum of 4 hours. Trust me, the flavours are SO much better the next day once the ingredients have had time to marinate together. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

1/4 (100g) of a continental cucumber
3/4 cup (184g) Greek yoghurt
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsps fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Splash of lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Grate the cucumber (with the peel) and then wrap it up in a clean tea towel or a few layers of paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. You should end up with nearly half the weight of cucumber you started with.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate overnight, or a minimum of 4 hours. (Trust me, the flavours are SO much better the next day once the ingredients have had time to marinate together.) Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Enjoy!

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Classic Hummus

Date Published: August 21st, 2020 | Last Updated: August 21st, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: dips/sauces, snack
Serves: 1 large bowl | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 1 minute

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A good classic hummus makes me so happy. Something about the classic flavours of the creamy tahini with cumin and chickpeas blended together with that kick of garlic makes it magical. There are so many variations out there these days but at the end of the day I always prefer the old-fashioned hummus and best of all it only takes 10 minutes to make! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good spin on a classic such as beetroot hummus or even roasted red pepper hummus, but the additional flavours distract from the true creaminess of a classic which is what makes it unbeatable. This smooth creamy dip is so so good as a dip with some crackers or veggies and even better smeared in a warm wrap! Try it with some leftover lamb roast in a homemade flatbread – I promise it’s phenomenal.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 can (400g) of chickpeas
3/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Directions:

Drain the chickpeas and keep the liquid aside.

Put the drained chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients (tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and cumin) into a food processor or blender and blend until thick and smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add in one tablespoon of the reserved chickpea fluid at a time and mix until desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Discard the rest of the chickpea liquid.

When serving, drizzle olive oil over the hummus and add a pinch of paprika for garnish.

Pair it with some pita chips made from the homemade flatbread recipe!

Notes:

To make this a low carb version, substitute the can of chickpeas with 4 cups zucchini, peeled & chopped.
You can try other combinations: beetroot, roasted red peppers and parmesan…etc.

To make a roasted red pepper hummus: roast 3 peppers over the grill or fire until charred. Set aside to cool and scrape off any excessively blackened bits. Place the peppers in a clean tea towel or paper towel and over a bowl, squeeze out any liquid. Save this liquid. Add the roasted red peppers to the hummus and blend until combined. If it’s too thick, then add in a teaspoon of the liquid from the peppers at a time until you reach the desired consistency. You can also add in the liquid from the drained chickpeas as well. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. You may need to add additional salt to the above hummus recipe since adding red peppers will dilute the saltiness of the hummus. Done!

To make a beetroot hummus: Drain a can of beetroots and reserve the liquid. Blend the beetroots into the hummus. Taste and adjust the amount of beetroot as needed.

Summarized Recipe:

Classic Hummus

Date Published: August 21st, 2020 | Last Updated: August 21st, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: dips/sauces, snack
Serves: 1 large bowl | Prep time: 5 mins | Mix time: 1 minute

Ingredients:

1 can (400g) of chickpeas
3/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Directions:

Drain the chickpeas and keep the liquid aside.
Put the drained chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients (tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and cumin) into a food processor or blender and blend until thick and smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add in one tablespoon of the reserved chickpea fluid at a time and mix until desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Discard the rest of the chickpea liquid.
When serving, drizzle olive oil over the hummus and add a pinch of paprika for garnish. Done!

August 21, 2020September 6, 2020

Abby4 Comments

Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nuoc mam)

Date Published: August 19th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 19th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces, dips, asian
Serves: 1/2 cup | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 30 seconds

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Nuoc mam is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. You may also see it commonly referred to as “nuoc cham” in many restaurants. I’ve been told “nuoc cham” means ‘sauce’ in Vietnamese whereas “nuoc mam” is more specifically ‘fish sauce’ which would be more accurate in this case. Whichever name you call it, it is delicious. It’s a sauce made of sugar, garlic, lime, chillies, and fish sauce (shocker), giving it a salty, sweet, sour and a little spicy taste all in one sauce! It’s often used as a dipping sauce (think lemongrass pork, prawn spring rolls…mmmm) or as a dressing drizzled over a bowl of vermicelli with veg. If you’ve never had it before, it smells a little funky but adds SO much flavour to a dish. It’s so simple to make and because of the high acidity content of the ingredients, it keeps for a very long time in the fridge so you can make a buttload and always have some on hand for a quick meal.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

3 Tbsps warm water
1 Tbsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice (~1 lime)
2 Tbsps fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

Directions:

Dissolve the caster sugar in the warm water then add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. Mix and taste. Adjust ingredients as needed. Done!

More sour = add more lime juice
More salty = add more fish sauce
More sweet = add more sugar
More spicy = more chillies

Summarized Recipe:

Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nuoc mam)

Date Published: August 19th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 19th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces, dips, asian
Serves: 1/2 cup | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 30 seconds

Ingredients:

3 Tbsps warm water
1 Tbsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice (~1 lime)
2 Tbsps fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

Directions:

In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Done!

Feel free to make a buttload. It keeps really well.

August 19, 2020August 19, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment