Khao Soi (Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)

Date Published: August 11th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 11th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: mains, soups, asian, quick and easy
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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Khao Soi? Oh boy! If you’ve never had Khao Soi before, you’re about to have your taste buds obliterated because this dish is THE BOMB (I’ll see myself out). It uses an intense curry paste that’s similar to red curry but with the addition of curry powder (like a yellow curry paste) which is then simmered with coconut milk that results in a luxe creamy coconut curry soup with some heat. This northern Thailand dish is commonly served with egg noodles, chicken, and topped with crispy noodles. There are many variations of this dish and you can easily customize it yourself with extra veg, tofu puffs, fish cakes…etc.

I’m going to admit something here. I’m actually pretty new to Khao Soi and only heard about it a month ago on Masterchef (when Jess made it in the ramen challenge) and I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind since. I LOVE curries, especially Thai curries for their aromas so it’s no surprise that Khao Soi instantly made it straight to the top of my (long) list of dishes to make. Since I’ve never had Khao Soi from Thailand I can’t attest to how “authentic” my recipe is to the real thing but I can guarantee that this recipe is f*cking delicious. I ate two bowls in one sitting the first time I made it! Move over green curry, I actually think this may be my new favourite Thai curry. Since I’m a novice to Khao Soi, I came up with this recipe by reading through a LOT of highly rated “authentic” recipes and compiled all the best parts together. I’m surprised I pulled it off!

I’m a huge advocate of homemade curry paste because it just has so much vibrant flavours that you can’t get from a can without “freshening it up” with aromatics. I used my pre-made homemade Thai red curry paste for this recipe which saved SO much prep work and made this recipe infinitely easy and fast to come together (I haven’t tried this with canned paste so apologies to anyone that was hoping to use it. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!). This dish takes about 15-20 mins from start to finish. The only thing you need to chop is the chicken! So quick and easy for something SO full of flavour.

Hopefully one day when this pandemic is over I’ll be able to travel to northern Thailand and have Khao Soi to see how it compares. It’s a shame because I was actually in Chiang Mai last year for 3 weeks volunteering at an animal shelter desexing stray dogs and cats. The whole time I was there no one mentioned Khao Soi but I did have some pretty amazing green curry. Ah well, another excuse to travel! 😊

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:

4 portions of egg noodles
Khao Soi paste:
- 1/2 cup homemade Thai red curry paste
- 4 tsps curry powder
- 4 tsps turmeric powder
1kg chicken thighs (or breast), diced into large pieces (or to preference on how big you prefer your chicken pieces)
4 cups (1 litre) reduced salt chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
600ml (1 1/2 cans) coconut milk
2 Tbsps fish sauce (or more to taste)
Optional: any additional veg you like

Directions:

Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

In a bowl, make the khao soi paste by mixing the red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric powder together. Set aside.

Warm a pot on MED-HIGH heat, add 1-2 Tbsps of oil and sauté the chicken pieces until browned (don’t worry about cooking it all the way through – it’ll finish cooking in the soup). Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.

In the same pot, use the leftover oil from the chicken (or add more if there’s not much left) and add the khao soi paste (red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric powder). Quickly sauté for a couple minutes until the paste dries out a little and becomes fragrant.

Add in the chicken stock and coconut milk. Stir until no clumps remain from the paste. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes then add in the browned chicken pieces (and any additional veg you like). Simmer for another 5 minutes (or until veggies have cooked – if using). Add the fish sauce. Taste and adjust flavours as needed (if it’s not salty enough you can add more fish sauce or salt, if you prefer your soup creamier add more coconut milk).

Divide the egg noodles into 4 bowls and ladle the soup with ingredients into each bowl over the noodles. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Khao Soi (Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)

Ingredients:

4 portions of egg noodles
Khao Soi paste:
- 1/2 cup homemade Thai red curry paste
- 4 tsps curry powder
- 4 tsps turmeric powder
1kg chicken thighs (or breast), diced into large pieces (or to preference on how big you prefer your chicken pieces)
4 cups (1 litre) reduced salt chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
600ml (1 1/2 cans) coconut milk
2 Tbsps fish sauce (or more to taste)
Optional: any additional veg you like

Directions:

Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
In a bowl, make the khao soi paste by mixing the red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric powder together. Set aside.
Warm a pot on MED-HIGH heat, add 1-2 Tbsps of oil and sauté the chicken pieces until browned (don’t worry about cooking it all the way through – it’ll finish cooking in the soup). Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.
In the same pot, use the leftover oil from the chicken (or add more if there’s not much left) and add the khao soi paste (red curry paste, curry powder and turmeric powder). Quickly sauté for a couple minutes until the paste dries out a little and becomes fragrant.
Add in the chicken stock and coconut milk. Stir until no clumps remain from the paste. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes then add in the browned chicken pieces (and any additional veg you like). Simmer for another 5 minutes (or until veggies have cooked – if using). Add the fish sauce. Taste and adjust flavours as needed (if it’s not salty enough you can add more fish sauce or salt, if you prefer your soup creamier add more coconut milk).
Divide the egg noodles into 4 bowls and ladle the soup with ingredients into each bowl over the noodles. Done!

August 11, 2020August 11, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Apple Chicken Goat Cheese Salad

Date Published: August 10th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 10th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: salads, healthy, easy, < 30 mins, mains
Serves: 4 as mains, 6-8 as side salads | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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This is my ALL TIME FAVOURITE SALAD. Seriously. Back in Canada I used to go to Montana’s a lot with my friends and I almost never order salad when I’m eating out because I always think it’ll never be as good as a warm cooked meal and not way could it be as flavourful. One night I wasn’t particularly hungry and I was trying to be a bit more healthy since I was training for a marathon so I decided to browse their salads section and ordered the ‘Apple Harvest Salad’. I only chose this one because it had goat cheese in it (and I LOVE goat cheese). When the food arrived, my salad portion was HUGE with dressing served on the side. I was skeptical, but ohhhhh boy was I wrong. That salad changed my world and it actually became my new favourite thing on their menu (other than the goat cheese stuffed chicken breast and Kapow Shrimp). I’d actively go to Montana’s just to get this salad – which doesn’t sound like me at all! Now that I live in Australia, there’s no Montana’s in sight and I decided to recreate it myself! I’d say I did a pretty good job because this salad is FANTASTIC. If you love goat cheese, this is the salad for you! The juicy crisp apple pairs so well with the warm nutty toasted pecans and the creaminess of the goat cheese all tied together in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

I’ve only ever eaten this salad as a main dish because it’s THAT good and there’s no way I could eat it as just a small side dish so I’ve categorized this in both the mains and sides section. If you want to serve it as a side, you might want to consider skipping the chicken so your meal isn’t too bulky. If you’re packing it for lunch, keep the salad dressing separate and pour it on when you’re ready to eat.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Salad:
- 1 cup pecans
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast or thigh, chopped to bite-sized pieces – you can use leftover chicken from a roast or make it fresh the way you prefer (see my preferred method to cook chicken breast here)
- 12 cups of lettuce or mixed greens (enough for 4 main salads)
- 1 red bell pepper (aka capsicum), sliced (I ran out of peppers in the house and used cherry tomatoes instead in the photos)
- 1 large apple, sliced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 140g goat cheese, crumbled
- Fresh ground black pepper
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 180˚C (~350˚F) and bake the pecans on the top rack for 5-10 mins and flip over and continue to bake until fragrant and toasty darker brown (another 5 mins). When done, set aside and let them cool then roughly chop.

Optional step: if you haven’t made your chicken breast, you can pop them in the oven with the pecans (see my preferred method). When cooked, slice into strips or bite-sized pieces and let cool.

Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients together: pecans, chicken, lettuce/mixed greens, red pepper, apple, cranberries, goat cheese, and fresh ground black pepper. If you want to be fancy you can place the ingredients on top of the salad and serve the dressing on the side.

Make the balsamic vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon, honey, salt and pepper) in a bowl and whisk until you get a homogenous mixture. Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing as needed. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Apple Chicken Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
- 1 cup pecans
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast or thigh, chopped to bite-sized pieces – you can use leftover chicken from a roast or make it fresh the way you prefer (see my preferred method to cook chicken breast here)
- 12 cups of lettuce or mixed greens (enough for 4 main salads)
- 1 red bell pepper (aka capsicum), sliced
- 1 large apple, sliced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 140g goat cheese, crumbled
- Fresh ground black pepper
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 180˚C (~350˚F) and bake the pecans on the top rack for 5-10 mins and flip over and continue to bake until fragrant and toasty darker brown (another 5 mins). When done, set aside and let them cool then roughly chop.
Optional step: if you haven’t made your chicken breast, you can pop them in the oven with the pecans (see my preferred method). When cooked, slice into strips or bite-sized pieces and let cool.
Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients together: pecans, chicken, lettuce/mixed greens, red pepper, apple, cranberries, goat cheese, and fresh ground black pepper.
Make the balsamic vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon, honey, salt and pepper) in a bowl and whisk until you get a homogenous mixture. Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing as needed. Enjoy!

August 10, 2020September 6, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Classic Basil Pesto

Date Published: August 10th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 10th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces, easy, quick, < 15 mins
Serves: makes 1.5 cups | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5 mins

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Of all the herbs out there, basil is my absolute favourite so it’s no surprise that I’m obsessed with pesto. I would have an entire veggie patch of just basil if I could, but sadly growing basil has always been my achilles heel when it came to gardening. Basil on its own is so bright and flavourful, best when paired with a bocconcini and sun dried tomato with some fresh ground black pepper in my opinion mmmm. It’s also great on top of a pizza or pasta to freshen it up. Pesto opens up a whole new ball game and is so versatile – you can use it as a rub, marinade, sauce, dip…etc. I love using it as a pizza sauce with some garlic and olive oil brushed onto the dough or stirred through a creamy pasta sauce for a quick dinner. Ohh boy I could go on forever on all the ways I would use pesto. I’ll probably ramble on more about my love of pesto in future posts on how to use it (of which I’m sure there will be many) so keep your eyes peeled for pesto recipes! Here is my version of a classic basil pesto. It’s insanely easy and you don’t even need to do any chopping. If you can press a button, you can make pesto. Presto pesto!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves of garlic (you don’t need to chop it)
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

If you haven’t already, toast the pine nuts until golden brown. You can either toast it on a dry skillet on medium heat or in the oven at 220˚C until golden brown.

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until it forms a smooth paste. Done! Easy, eh?

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze them in ice cube trays or a bag.

Summarized Recipe:

Classic Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

If you haven’t already, toast the pine nuts until golden brown. You can either toast it on a dry skillet on medium heat or in the oven at 220˚C until golden brown.
Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until it forms a smooth paste. Enjoy!

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze them in ice cube trays or a bag.

August 10, 2020August 10, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Easy Moist Chicken Breast

Date Published: August 10th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 10th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, healthy, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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Chicken breast is one of the things I always have in my freezer. It goes well with so many things and it’s so easy and quick to make. You can have it as part of a healthy meal seasoned with simple spices and paired with a veg or pack it full of flavour with a kickass sauce and toppings. The most common way I like to use it is in salads. It’s amazing how you can turn pretty much any side salad into a main dish just by adding chicken breast.

Chicken breast often get a bad rep for being dry and bland which is why some people avoid it. There’s not much fat on the meat and thus it’s easy to dry out when cooking. Follow this basic tutorial and I’ll show you how I like to prepare chicken breast so it comes out moist and perfect every time! I use a combination of baking and steaming to ensure the chicken stays moist.

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:

Chicken breast – as many as you like, but try not to crowd them too much in a pan so they cook evenly.
Olive oil – roughly 1 tsp per breast. You don’t need much oil since you’re steaming.
Water – enough to fill 1 cm of the pan
Salt & pepper
Optional: any seasoning you like – I keep it plain with just salt and pepper if I’m using it as a base with a sauce, but if I’m adding it to a caesar or garden salad, I rub some Italian seasoning or oregano over it.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 180˚C (~350F) and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.

Rinse your chicken breasts and place them in a baking tray. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, any additional spices you like, then rub it all over the chicken breasts on both sides.

Pour 1 cm of water into the pan (it doesn’t have to be exact).

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and make sure the edges are sealed (otherwise steam will escape while baking and could result in a dry chicken). Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-30 minutes. You can check the doneness of the chicken by either cutting the thickest part and if the juices run clear, it’s finished. If it’s pink, then put the foil back on and bake for another 5 minutes. Alternatively you can use a thermometer and poke it into the thickest part of the breast until it reads 65˚C.

*Caution: HOT steam will escape when you unwrap the foil so please be careful when checking on your chicken!

Once your chicken is cooked, serve it on a plate immediately or rest them for 5 minutes before slicing. It’s VERY important not to slice them when they’re steaming hot, otherwise the juices inside the chicken will evaporate and your chicken will be dry. By allowing them to rest, it lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

Enjoy!

Tip: if you’re adding this to a leafy salad, wait until the chicken comes to room temperature before adding it in otherwise the heat might wilt your salad leaves.

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Moist Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

Chicken breast – as many as you like, but try not to crowd them too much in a pan so they cook evenly
Olive oil – roughly 1 tsp per breast. You don’t need much oil since you’re steaming.
Water – enough to fill 1 cm of the pan
Salt & pepper
Optional: any seasoning you like – I keep it plain with just salt and pepper if I’m using it as a base with a sauce, but if I’m adding it to a caesar or garden salad, I sprinkle some Italian seasoning or oregano over it.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 180˚C (~350F) and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.
Rinse your chicken breasts and place them in a baking tray. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, any additional spices you like, then rub it all over the chicken breasts on both sides.
Pour 1 cm of water into the pan (it doesn’t have to be exact) and cover the tray with aluminum foil. Make sure the edges are sealed (otherwise steam will escape while baking and could result in a dry chicken). Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-30 minutes. You can check the doneness of the chicken by either cutting the thickest part and if the juices run clear, it’s finished. If it’s pink, then put the foil back on and bake for another 5 minutes. Alternatively you can use a thermometer and poke it into the thickest part of the breast until it reads 65˚C.
- *Caution: HOT steam will escape when you unwrap the foil so please be careful when checking on your chicken!
Once your chicken is cooked, serve it on a plate immediately or rest them for 5 minutes before slicing. It’s VERY important not to slice them when they’re steaming hot, otherwise the juices inside the chicken will evaporate and your chicken will be dry. By allowing them to rest, it lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat. Enjoy!

Tip: If you’re adding this to a leafy salad, wait until the chicken comes to room temperature before adding it in otherwise the heat might wilt your salad leaves.

August 10, 2020August 10, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Spicy Garlic Miso Green Beans

Date Published: August 9th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 9th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: asian, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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I love cooking with green beans. They’re a common ingredient in a lot of Asian cooking and there’s so many ways you can make them. The flavour of green beans are relatively subtle so I find them fantastic when paired with a bold and flavourful sauce, like in this recipe! These beans are steamed to tenderize, then sautéed in a miso, ginger, and garlic sauce to pack a punch. This recipe is super easy and makes a great quick side dish to pair with a salmon (like my popular maple salmon recipe – click for recipe ) or steak. It only takes 15 minutes to make with minimal clean up :).

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp miso paste
- 1/2 Tbsp chilli pepper flakes (makes it medium spicy)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp oil
600g fresh green beans, trim off ends

Directions:

In a bowl, make the sauce by mixing together the soy sauce, miso paste, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger. Set aside.

In a dry pan on medium heat, add the sesame seeds and toast it until light brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp of oil and add in the green beans. Stir-fry for a couple minutes then add in enough water to cover 1cm of the pan. Put the lid on and steam the beans until they’re tender (~5 minutes).

Once tender, remove the lid and bring the heat up to MED-HIGH and continue to stir-fry until the beans are lightly browned. Turn off the heat and add the toasted sesame seeds and the sauce to the pan. Stir quickly to combine. The residual heat from the pan should cook off any liquids. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Garlic Miso Green Beans

Date Published: August 9th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 9th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: asian, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Sauce:
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp miso paste
- 1/2 Tbsp chilli pepper flakes (makes it medium spicy)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp oil
600g fresh green beans, trim off ends

Directions:

In a bowl, make the sauce by mixing together the soy sauce, miso paste, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger. Set aside.
In a dry pan on medium heat, add the sesame seeds and toast it until light brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
In the same pan, add 1 Tbsp of oil and add in the green beans. Stir-fry for a couple minutes then add in enough water to cover 1cm of the pan. Put the lid on and steam the beans until they’re tender (~5 minutes).
Once tender, remove the lid and bring the heat up to MED-HIGH and continue to stir-fry until the beans are lightly browned. Turn off the heat and add the toasted sesame seeds and the sauce to the pan. Stir quickly to combine. The residual heat from the pan should cook off any liquids. Serve!

August 9, 2020August 9, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Taiwanese Cold Noodles 涼麵 (Liang Mian)

Date Published: August 7th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 7th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: asian, mains, easy, vegetarian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 2 mins + time to cook noodles

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If you’ve ever been to Taiwan in the middle of summer, you’ll know that not only does it get hot, it gets HUMID AF. What’s better on a hot sticky day than a refreshing bowl of cold noodles? This dish is commonly found everywhere in Taiwan – you can even pick them up from most convenience stores, pre-packaged in a lunch box and ready to eat – just add the sauce! The direct translation of “liang mian” is “chilled” or “cold” noodles and it’s served as a bowl of cold white noodles mixed with a savoury peanut sauce and topped with cucumber and carrot slices, occasionally a sliced egg. It’s delicious, filling and crazy easy to make! It’s also a great lunch to pack to eat on the go or to avoid the microwave queues at work or school 😉.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Sauce:
- 6 Tbsps crunchy peanut butter (smooth is okay too but crunchy gives it better texture)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp black vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 Tbsps warm water (or more)
White Noodles (any brand you like)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 cucumber, julienned
1 carrot, julienned

Directions:

Make the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients together except for the water. Once combined, add 1 Tbsp of warm water at a time to the sauce and mix until you get a thin runny sauce but not overly watery (only add as much water as you need).

Make the noodles according to package instructions. Drain well and rinse under cold running water until the noodles are cooled. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of sesame oil on the noodles and mix it around so they don’t stick together.

Assemble the noodles by adding the sauce to the noodles with the cucumber and carrots. Mix until combined. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. If you’ve made too many noodles (as I always do because I’m terrible at judging how much noodles to cook), make more sauce for the noodles until you’re happy with the intensity of the flavours. Serve cold!

Tip: If you’re making this ahead of time, I’d suggest you pack the sauce separately and pour it on the noodles when you’re ready to eat to avoid the noodles getting too soft from sitting in sauce for too long.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Cold Noodles 涼麵 (Liang Mian)

Ingredients:

Sauce:
- 6 Tbsps crunchy peanut butter (smooth is okay too but crunchy gives it better texture)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp black vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 Tbsps warm water (or more)
White Noodles (any brand you like)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 cucumber, julienned
1 carrot, julienned

Directions:

Make the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients together except for the water. Once combined, add 1 Tbsp of warm water at a time to the sauce and mix until you get a thin runny sauce but not overly watery (only add as much water as you need).
Make the noodles according to package instructions. Drain well and rinse under cold running water until the noodles are cooled. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of sesame oil on the noodles and mix it around so they don’t stick together.
Assemble the noodles by adding the sauce to the noodles with the cucumber and carrots. Mix until combined. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. Serve cold!
- If you’ve made too many noodles (as I always do because I’m terrible at judging how much noodles to cook), make more sauce for the noodles until you’re happy with the intensity of the flavours.

August 7, 2020September 6, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Curry Tuna Salad

Date Published: August 6th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 6th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, easy, <15mins
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 secs

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This is by far my favourite version of a tuna salad. The addition of dill and curry with the crunch of the pickle all infused into the creamy mayo brings this to the next level. You’ve got to try it. It’s packed with flavour and so easy and quick to put together for a quick snack or lunch. Serve it in a sandwich, in a tuna melt, or even as a dip with some crackers. (Recipe adapted from Allrecipes with changes to ingredients and proportions.)

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:

200g (~2 cans) tuna in springwater , drained very well (the drier the tuna the better, otherwise you’ll have a sludgy tuna salad)
1/3 – 1/2 cup mayonnaise (depends on how creamy you prefer it)
3 Tbsps parmesan cheese
5 Tbsps (36g) pickles, finely chopped (or 3 Tbsps sweet pickle relish)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp dried minced onion flakes (optional)

Directions:

Mix everything together and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you prefer a creamier tuna salad, add more mayonnaise. If you want it crunchier, add more chopped pickles or even some cucumber or red bell peppers/capsicums.

Chill for 20 minutes before serving to let the flavours infuse. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Curry Tuna Salad

Date Published: August 6th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 6th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: snacks, easy, <15mins
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 secs

Ingredients:

200g (2 cans) tuna in springwater , drained
1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (depending on how creamy you like your tuna salad)
3 Tbsps parmesan cheese
5 Tbsps (36g) pickles, finely chopped (or 3 Tbsps sweet pickle relish)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp dried minced onion flakes

Directions:

Mix everything together and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. If you prefer a creamier tuna salad, add more mayonnaise. If you want it crunchier, add more chopped pickles or even some cucumber or red bell peppers/capsicums.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving to let the flavours infuse. Done!

Serve in a sandwich, as a tuna melt, or with crackers!

August 6, 2020September 6, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Creamy Dill Tartar Sauce

Date Published: August 5th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 5th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces
Serves: makes ~1.5 cups | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 seconds

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You’ll never buy tartar sauce again after trying this recipe! Have it on fish and chips, tuna patties, crab cakes, fish fingers, chicken tenders…etc. The possibilities are endless! Just chop up some ingredients and mix it all together. Easy peasy! Add a can of tuna to this recipe and you’ve got yourself a fancy tuna salad!

I’ve recently conjured up this recipe to make a tartar sauce to go with our fried tuna patties (recipe coming soon) since we don’t usually keep any at home (I’m more of an aioli gal). After multiple taste tests, this recipe was the result and it is sooooo good! I may be jumping ship to team tartar.

The best thing about making our own tartar sauce is that we’ll never need to buy bottled sauce again and have it expire before we finish it and we can make as little or as much as we need. Also, we’ll never need to pay 50cents for a packet of tartar sauce at the fish and chips shop again (which is the real winner)!

Happy cooking!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy Dill Tartar Sauce

Date Published: August 5th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 5th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: sauces
Serves: makes ~1.5 cups | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 seconds

Ingredients:

1 cup (200g) mayonnaise
2 Tbsp (30g) capers, drained and finely chopped
1 cup (180g) pickles, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp lemon
2 Tbsps fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried dill)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar (or more to taste)
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix everything together in a bowl. Adjust salt and sugar as needed.
Refrigerate for half an hour before serving for the flavours to infuse. Done!

Tip: If you want a thinner runny sauce, you can pulse everything in the food processor. To keep it thicker, chop all the ingredients finely and mix it by hand.

August 5, 2020August 5, 2020

Abby1 Comment

Thai Green Curry (Chicken, Beef, Fish or Veg)

Date Published: August 5th, 2020 | Last Updated: Feb 15th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, asian, < 30mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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I can never pass up a good curry no matter the cuisine. I just love the creaminess and the intense flavours. Thai curries hold a special place in my belly, especially the green curry. The green colour comes from the use of the milder green chilli pepper, kaffir lime, cilantro/coriander and sometimes basil. I love the aroma and the fact that I can pack it full of veggies and have it all swim around in the aromatic coconut sauce.

Although the flavours are complex, making a Thai curry is actually really straight forward and simple as long as you have the green curry paste, which is where most of the flavour (and effort) comes from. I was surprised how quickly it all came together when I made it for the first time. You can buy pretty decent packaged Thai curry pastes from pretty much any supermarket these days and for pretty cheap too, but if you’re like me and have the need to conquer seemingly complex recipes, you can make your own with the green curry paste recipe. I’ve written this recipe for the intention of using the homemade curry paste, however if you want to use the canned pastes, you’ll have to “freshen” it up by sautéing in some garlic and ginger to bring the flavours out.

This recipe is easily customizable with any veggies and protein you like and in any proportion. I’ve written it based on my favourite veg to put in this curry but feel free to change it up to your liking. The beauty of this curry is that because of its strong flavours, you can also put in whatever protein you like. I’ve colour-coded the recipes so it’s easier to follow if you want to make chicken, beef or fish. The other great thing about this recipe is that it’s all done in one pot so there’s minimal clean up!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1.5 Tbsp coconut oil
Protein of choice: (optional)
- Chicken: 400g (~4) skinless boneless chicken thighs (or breast), diced into bite-sized pieces or sliced thinly (depending on how you like it)
- Beef: 400g, sliced thinly. Any steak cut will be good.
- Fish: 400g, diced into chunks. Use whatever fish you like. I tend to like using salmon or a white fish.
- Vegetarian: no need for meat, just add more veggies!
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Any veggies you like in your curry. I’ve written this recipe based on my favourite veg, but feel free to change it up and do you. Just keep in mind their proportions to the chicken, otherwise you may end up with a veggie curry (which is fine too if you prefer less chicken). These are what I usually add:
- 1 1/2 cups King oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and snapped in halves
- 1 cup baby corn
- 1 1/2 cups eggplant, diced
- 1 1/2 cups red bell peppers/capsicum, chopped
- 10 Thai basil leaves
1 cup homemade Thai green curry paste (click link for recipe)
- Please note: this recipe was written to be used with the homemade Thai green curry paste. If you want to use canned Thai green curry paste (Maesri is the go-to brand), you’ll need to “freshen” up the paste to bring out more flavour by sautéing one can (114g) it in 3 cloves of garlic and 2 Tbsps of minced ginger. I do recommend making the curry paste yourself if you’ve got time – it’s so much more aromatic.
800ml (2 cans) coconut milk
1/2 Tbsp fish sauce (or more to taste)
Sea salt + black pepper to taste
Sugar to taste
Serve with Jasmine rice

Directions:

Prepare your protein (if using):

If using chicken:

In medium pot on MED-HIGH heat melt the coconut oil and add in the chicken pieces (you may have to do this in batches if they’re too crowded – see tip*) and cook until lightly brown on the outside. Don’t worry about it cooking all the way through – it will finish cooking in the curry.

*Tip: You want to put the chicken pieces in the pot in a single layer to sear the outside. If you overcrowd the chicken or are overlapping them, you will likely have too much liquid released and end up boiling the chicken. Depending on the size of your pot, you may have to cook it in 2 or 3 batches.

After you’ve browned all the chicken pieces, remove them from the pot and set aside.

If using beef:

In medium pot on MED-HIGH heat melt the coconut oil and add in the beef pieces and quickly cook for a few minutes until lightly brown on the outside. Don’t worry about it cooking all the way through – it will finish cooking in the curry.

After you’ve browned all the beef pieces, remove them from the pot and set aside.

If using fish:

You don’t need to do any cooking beforehand. Just have it cut up in bite-sized pieces and add it later on with the veggies.

I tend to use chicken as my protein of choice

Cook your veggies: In the same pot, cook each of your desired veggies separately and set aside.

Once all your vegetables are cooked, still in the same pot on MED-HIGH heat, discard any excess liquids and melt 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Add the green curry paste and stir for a few minutes to toast the paste. When the excess liquid has evaporated and you’re left with a semi-dry paste, add in the coconut milk. Let the curry come to a boil then reduce the heat to LOW and simmer for 15 minutes.

Next, add in your cooked veggies and choice of protein (if using) and continue to cook the curry without the lid for another few minutes until your protein has fully cooked through. Turn off the heat and taste. If not salty enough add more fish sauce, add sugar if not sweet enough. Done! Serve over a bed of Jasmine rice.

Tip: If you want to turn this into a soup, add in 1 extra cup (250ml) of chicken stock. Feel free to add in some noodles too!

Summarized Recipe:

Thai Green Curry (Chicken, Beef, Fish or Veg)

Date Published: August 5th, 2020 | Last Updated: Feb 15th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, asian, < 30mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

1.5 Tbsp coconut oil
Protein of choice:
- Chicken: 400g (~4) skinless boneless chicken thighs (or breast), diced into bite-sized pieces or sliced thinly (depending on how you like it)
- Beef: 400g, sliced thinly. Any steak cut will be good.
- Fish: 400g, diced into chunks. Use whatever fish you like. I tend to like using salmon or a white fish.
- Vegetarian: no need for meat, just add more veggies!
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup homemade Thai green curry paste (click link for recipe)
- Please note: this recipe was written to be used with the homemade Thai green curry paste. If you want to use canned Thai green curry paste (Maesri is the go-to brand), you’ll need to “freshen” up the paste to bring out more flavour by sautéing one can (114g) it in 3 cloves of garlic and 2 Tbsps of minced ginger. I do recommend making the curry paste yourself if you’ve got time – it’s so much more aromatic.
800ml (2 cans) coconut milk
Any veggies you like in your curry. I’ve written this recipe based on my favourite veg, but feel free to change it up and do you. Just keep in mind their proportions to the chicken, otherwise you may end up with a veggie curry (which is fine too if you prefer less chicken). These are what I usually add:
- 1 1/2 cups King oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed and snapped in halves
- 1 cup baby corn
- 1 1/2 cups eggplant, diced
- 1 1/2 cups red bell peppers/capsicum, chopped
- 10 Thai basil leaves
1/2 Tbsp fish sauce (or more to taste)
Sugar to taste
Serve with Jasmine rice

Directions:

Cook your protein (if using):
- If using chicken:
  1. In medium pot on MED-HIGH heat melt the coconut oil and add in the chicken pieces (you may have to do this in batches if they’re too crowded – see tip*) and cook until lightly brown on the outside. Don’t worry about it cooking all the way through – it will finish cooking in the curry.
    - *Tip: You want to put the chicken pieces in the pot in a single layer to sear the outside. If you overcrowd the chicken or are overlapping them, you will likely have too much liquid released and end up boiling the chicken. Depending on the size of your pot, you may have to cook it in 2 or 3 batches.
  2. After you’ve browned all the chicken pieces, remove them from the pot and set aside.
- If using beef:
  1. In medium pot on MED-HIGH heat melt the coconut oil and add in the beef pieces and quickly cook for a few minutes until lightly brown on the outside. Don’t worry about it cooking all the way through – it will finish cooking in the curry.
  2. After you’ve browned all the beef pieces, remove them from the pot and set aside.
- If using fish:
  - You don’t need to do any cooking beforehand. Just have it cut up in bite-sized pieces and add it later on with the veggies.
Cook your veggies: In the same pot, cook each of your desired veggies separately and set aside.
Once all your vegetables are cooked, still in the same pot on MED-HIGH heat, discard any excess liquids and melt 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Add the green curry paste and stir for a few minutes to toast the paste. When the excess liquid has evaporated and you’re left with a semi-dry paste, add in the coconut milk. Let the curry come to a boil then reduce the heat to LOW and simmer for 15 minutes.
Next, add in your cooked veggies and protein (if using) and continue to cook the curry without the lid for another few minutes until your protein has fully cooked through. Turn off the heat and taste. If not salty enough add more fish sauce, add sugar if not sweet enough. Done! Serve over a bed of Jasmine rice.

Tip: If you want to turn this into a soup, add in 1 extra cup (250ml) of chicken stock. Feel free to add in some noodles too!

August 5, 2020February 15, 2025

Abby1 Comment

Chicken Udon Stir-Fry

Date Published: August 4th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 4th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: healthy, asian, mains
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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Japanese udon is one of my favourite type of noodles. There’s so much chew compared to regular noodles and makes it more satisfying to eat. This is a quick and easy stir-fry packed with chicken, cabbage, carrots and udon noodles. The crunchy cabbage and carrots with the chewiness of the udon cooked in a savoury sauce makes this dish so yum and healthy too!

This was actually one of the first things Toby made for me when we were in Bairnsdale together on a vet student placement. We agreed that we’d both start eating healthier and he surprised me with this dinner when I came home from my shift. It was the best thing to come home to especially after a long cold day. ❤️

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

500g udon noodles, cooked and drained
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin
2 Tbsps ketchup
1 Tbsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3cm piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 large (2.5 cups) brown onions, diced
500g chicken mince (or pork mince)
1/4 small green cabbage, diced to 2cm pieces
2 large carrots, julienned or chopped finely
2 Tbsps sesame oil, to drizzle
White sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Directions:

If you haven’t prepared you udon noodles yet, cook them according to package instructions, then drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Set aside.

In a small bowl, make the sauce by combining: soy sauce, light soy sauce, mirin, ketchup, and sugar. Don’t worry if you have small clumps in the sauce.

Heat up a wok over high heat and add 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sauté the garlic, ginger and onion (in that order) for a few minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent.

Add the chicken mince to the wok and use your spatula to break up any lumps and sauté it until the chicken is mostly browned. (You do not have to cook the mince all the way through. It will finish cooking as you add the other ingredients in).

Add the cabbage and carrot to the wok. Sauté for another few minutes until the cabbage is wilted.

Add in the noodles and the sauce. Mix until combined and most of the liquids have cooked off. Turn heat off, drizzle sesame oil over the noodles and mix.

Serve noodles out and sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Chicken Udon Stir-Fry

Date Published: August 4th, 2020 | Last Updated: August 4th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: healthy, asian, mains
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

500g udon noodles, cooked and drained
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin
2 Tbsps ketchup
1 Tbsp caster sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3cm piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 large (2.5 cups) brown onions, diced
500g chicken mince (or pork mince)
1/4 small green cabbage, diced to 2cm pieces
2 large carrots, julienned or chopped finely
2 Tbsps sesame oil, to drizzle
White sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Directions:

If you haven’t prepared you udon noodles yet, cook them according to package instructions, then drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Set aside.
In a small bowl, make the sauce by combining: soy sauce, light soy sauce, mirin, ketchup, and sugar.
Heat up a wok over high heat and add 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil and sauté the garlic, ginger and onion (in that order) for a few minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent.
Add the chicken mince to the wok and use your spatula to break up any lumps and sauté it until the chicken is mostly browned. (You do not have to cook the mince all the way through. It will finish cooking as you add the other ingredients in).
Add the cabbage and carrot to the wok. Sauté for another few minutes until the cabbage is wilted.
Add in the noodles and the sauce (made in step 2). Mix until combined and most of the liquids have cooked off. Turn heat off, drizzle sesame oil over the noodles and mix.
Serve noodles out and sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Enjoy!

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment