Cookin Corner

[barrys]

Something else you might want to grow is Pandan. For those who don't know, pandan is Asia's equivalent of vanilla

Thanks for that Takiab - very interesting and something I wasn't aware of.
I've looked around here for vanilla pods and have never found any.
How similar is the flavour/aroma of pandan to vanilla?

Also, do you know if it's possible to get curry leaves here?

[Dannie Boy]

Yes DB, they go quite crazy but then you end up waiting for a new harvest because they lose a lot of flavor once they flower. Seeds are cheap enough, so just keep harvesting enough to prevent flowering.

Like I've said, if you've never tried lemon basil then please do. It smells and tastes fantastic in an almost endless number of dishes.


Something else you might want to grow is Pandan. Not sure if any of you have tried it, but fried Pandan Chicken is awesome. You need to pick some leaves and allow them to wilt before using, although it seem many Thais don't actually know this. They insist on using the green leaves because artificial pandan fillings are green. Nonetheless, green leaves will NOT add any flavor to your food.


CHEAT: Add a few wilted pandan leaves when you cook your rice, and you'll get really fragrant rice. For those who don't know, pandan is Asia's equivalent of vanilla.

Easy to grow, quite attractive, and great for the kitchen.

Takiap, I don't think I have any lemon basil so will give that a try but we have so much of the normal fragrant basil that I have plants at different stages of maturity, so letting some flower isn't an issue.

Never used Pandan but that sounds well worth trying - are the seeds readily available?

[crazy88]

Might be the one

หอมแขก

Crazy 88

[Takiap]

Barry.....I've never come across curry leaves here or vanilla for that matter.

Pandan doesn't taste like vanilla at all. The comparison comes from the fact that many Thai desserts and sweets are pandan flavored just as many are vanilla flavored back in the west.


Like I said before, pandan chicken (chicken pieces wrapped in pandan leaves and then fried) is apparently very popular in Thai restaurants overseas. I have never seen it on a menu here though, but my wife has made it several times.

The hardest thing of all is trying to convince the average Thai that the leaves must be left to wilt first. If you go into any Mom and Pop shop you'll see buns or whatever with a green filling. This is pandan flavored filling but made from artificial pandan flavoring. Real pandan won't color your food (unless you grind it into a paste) at all, even if you use fresh green leaves. By the way, the leaves aren't eaten....(unless you grind it into a paste)


If you want to try some, just look for one of the places selling flowers next to the road......you know, those yellow flower arrangements that can be attached to the front of your car and etc. The flowers are usually accompanied by a bunch of long green leaves which are pointed, and these are the leaves you want. Otherwise, if you want I can let you have some leaves or whatever the next time I see you.


Just keep the leaves and allow them to dry out for a couple of days. The smell of the dried leaves is not exactly the sort of aroma they impart when used in cooking. I've also read that some restaurants use this to give cheap rice some fragrance and then charge for fragrant rice. Actually, my wife nearly always adds a few leaves to the rice. Bless her - they're green leaves and they don't do anything at all.


Dannie Boy - sometimes when you buy the flower arrangements the pandan leaves will still be joined to each other at the base, in which case you can put them in some water until they get roots. Otherwise, just ask the seller to get you some shoots. Once they get going, you can just separate the small offshoots and replant.


Her's a link for pictures and etc:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus_amaryllifolius

http://thaifood.about.com/od/glossary/g/pandanleaf.htm

[PET]

Keith Floyd always said that if you could not find curry leaves torn Kaffir Limes Leaves were a very good substitute

[richard]

Are Pandan leaves also used in cold drinks?

I've often eaten at roadside vendors and instead of a glass of water been served a cold light brown liquid with a special flavour. Recently my g/f brought a plant home which looks similar and proceeded to boil the leaves to serve up the same drink

[barrys]

The flowers are usually accompanied by a bunch of long green leaves which are pointed, and these are the leaves you want. Otherwise, if you want I can let you have some leaves or whatever the next time I see you.

Thanks a lot for the info and the offer - think I might just take you up on that when I pick up the next tray of eggs (absolutely delicious still!) or any other excuse for a beer or 3 before that!

[barrys]

Keith Floyd always said that if you could not find curry leaves torn Kaffir Limes Leaves were a very good substitute

Thanks a lot for that!
By the way, at what point did Keith Floyd say it - or, rather, after how many bottles of wine
Will definitely give it a try

[Takiap]

I've never used curry leaves in cooking, but I've often use Kafffir Lime leaves which are popular in several Thai dishes. For what it's worth, they add a very distinctive citrus flavor and smell, so not sure how that compares to curry leaves. Having said that, I've only ever used fresh kaffir lime leaves which are a far cry from dried leaves.


@ Richard.........I'm not sure if pandan leaves can be boiled to make a drink.

[migrant]

My wife has had this, I never tried it though

[Takiap]

Pandan Chicken Recipe (This is generally how Mrs Takiap makes it as well)

Ingredients:

Pandan leaves
2 pieces skinless and boneless chicken breast (cut into 2 in. x 1 in. cubes)
1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
3 dashes white pepper powder (we prefer black pepper)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon fish sauce
3 inches fresh ginger (grated and squeezed for juice)

Method:

Mix the chicken pieces with all the seasonings above.
Add the ginger juice and marinate for 1 hour.
Put a piece of the chicken towards the end of the pandan leave and roll it up tightly.
Hold tight with a tooth pick.
Deep fry until the golden brown.
Dish out and serve hot.


Be brave and experiment using different herbs; spices and etc.

Don't forget to let the leaves wilt a bit first - Once they become aromatic, they're ready.

[PeteC]

As Lionfish Invade the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, Conservationists Say Eat Up

http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... nfish-work

I guess can be in here instead of Science/Nature. Seems a very tasty fish and plenty of them per the article. I assume plenty in waters here also as remember some photos. Maybe spear one Buks on a diving trip and give us a taste review. Next question is how would it be in Fish & Chips I wonder? Pete

[hhfarang]

You have to pluck your fish (very carefully) before you cook it...

[Siani]

Mushy pea Hummus....hopefully a hit with BB over the festive season
[attachment=0]imagesW8TZQO1P.jpg[/attachment]

Type of cuisine: Fusion- British/Middle Eastern cuisines

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

500 gr fresh organic sweet peas
a handful of fresh mint leaves
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of ground cumin
1 tbs of tahini paste
a tiny cup of low-fat single cream
salt (to season)
lemon juice


Method

Boil the peas in mint for approx 25-30 minutes until they become soft, then drain the excess of water. Put the peas in a separate bowl with the cloves of garlic and blend them into a puree consistency. Add and mix the tahini paste, the single cream, ground cumin and the rest of the mint leaves. Season with salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Easy peasy (lemon squeezy)
This dish/dip is indeed a cross between Northern European tradition and a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, hummus. In this particular case, I cannot take sides and vote blindly for Middle Eastern (my favourite cuisine by far).
When it's cold and grey, mushy peas with fish & chips seem the most natural option in that part of the world. However, a touch of sesame paste & cumin does wonders to this timeless classic. The unique taste will explode into your mouth literally. It is a great combination of ingredients and a pure example that fusion does work (and it is one of the most beautiful types of creative, original cuisines).
It's so delicious it's already making a great impression for dinner parties with friends as well.


Here is another by Jamie Oliver
Also for fans of fish and chips
Looks like a hangover cure to me!!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish ... tare-sauce

[jingjoe]

not sure if this one has been tried here yet
Yesterday i bought a nice piece of atlantic salmon from makro and decided to try and cook it in a home made smoker

Using a wok i simply covered the bottom in aluminium foil
Placed a cup of tea leaves(i bought 10 boxes of chinese tea from makro 200bht)
a cup of brown sugar
cup of rice
mix it all up
place a wire rack on top,oil it so fish won't stick
Place salmon on rack
Cover wok with lid,i used a pizza tray.
I cooked this on the bbq outside(might leave a smokey smell inside)
30mins later the fish had white droplets on it,turning a smoky yellow colour
checked flesh ..needed 5mins more...cooked to perfection and very moist.
very easy to cook,could use any fish,or chicken,duck,try different tea leaves,jasmine tea would flavour nice as well