Monday, February 28, 2011

Sesame Noodles with Pork

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Sesame Noodles with Pork and Veggies.  You can always change out any of the veggies or the meat.  You can even  make it vegetarian and skip the meat all together.


 1lb lean pork sliced into one inch slices.


2 carrots grated
1 bunch of green onions sliced
3 stalks of celery sliced
3 cloves of garlic grated
2Tbs ginger grated.


One box whole wheat pasta boiled to al dente, I did not add salt when boiling. The soy sauce added later will be plenty of salt for the dish. After you drain the pasta add about a tablespoon of oil to the pasta (I used Canola) to make sure the noodles don't stick together.


1 tbs red pepper flakes
2 tbs sesame oil
1/4 cup of soy sauce

The soy is the only salt in the dish (I did not salt the pasta when boiling it)



Put about 2 tbs of oil into your wok and get it well heated. Then add the pork and quickly stir fry until all pork is pretty much opaque. Then add chili flakes and some ground black pepper to season the pork.


Once the pork it totally opaque add the veggies and the grated ginger/garlic.


Stir fry all the ingredients and add the sesame oil and soy sauce.


I added about a 3 tbs of water to give the sauce and pork some time to cook through.

Add the pasta and toss, toss, toss. Let the pasta cook in the sauce for a few minutes and absorb all the sauce. Then serve and enjoy.  Serves 4-6.

Copyright: All content, photos and text are property of Curry and Comfort and cannot be used without permission

Lemon and Cherry Trifle

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LEMON BERRY TRIFLE


Ingredients:
One box of Lemon Cake mix
One box of instant vanilla flavored pudding
One package cream cheese
One tub of cool whip or home-made whipped cream
One can cherry pie filling

Directions:
1. Bake lemon cake per box instructions. If you can bake in two 8 inch round baking pans. I did this and then later cut each cake around the middle to create four round layers to fit easily into my trifle bowl. Otherwise bake in a rectangular pan and cut into slices or cubes to layer in the trifle bowl.

2. Mix pudding per directions then mix in the cream cheese (it will be easier to mix this if you leave the cream cheese at room temperature for about a hour to soften). Once the pudding and cream cheese are mixed and smooth gently fold in a 1/3 of the cool whip.

3. Time to layer all your ingredients. First start with one layer of the lemon cake. Next top it with a layer of the pudding/cream cheese mixture. Now another layer of cake. Now put a layer cherry pie filling. Repeat with Cake and pudding mixture and then cherry pie filling. Finally top off cake with the cool whip. Allow the trifle to be refrigerated at least 8 hours before serving.

Enjoy.


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Mango Mousse

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2 packages cream cheese (low fat version is fine)
1 package of vanilla pudding (instant)
1 tub of cool whip
1 32 oz can of mango puree

Use a electric mixer and blend together the cream cheese (that has been brought up to room temp) and the vanilla pudding. Use only one cup of milk for the pudding (the directions usually call for 2 cups of milk per package). Once these two ingredients are well blended, mix in the mango puree. After all is smooth and well blended, gently fold in the cool whip by hand. Then refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight to set.

** If you taste the dessert and it is not sweet enough with the sugar from the pudding, puree and cool whip you may want to add some more sugar during the initial blending process. I find the sugar from the pudding and cool whip to be sweet enough for the over all dish.

Decorate with fresh mango and whipped cream if you desire. 


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (My Version) Spicy

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I love Chicken curry! It's a spicy meat dish you can eat with rice, roti, bread, string hoppers, etc...

Ingredients
3lbs of bone in, skinless chicken

4-6 cloves
4-6 cardamom pods
1 tsp fennugreek seeds
pieces of cinnamon bark
10-15 curry leaves
lemongrass
pandan leaves (rampe)
chili powder to taste
1tbs curry powder,  to taste
salt to taste
1 -2 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 cup of coconut milk or cow's milk
2-4 cups of water (depending on how much gravy you want in the dish.)  

Marinade:
1Tbs grated garlic
1Tbs ginger
1/2 tsp of turmeric
1Tbs chili powder
1Tbs curry powder
salt generously
black pepper
1Tbs of vinegar


Note: Let's talk about curry powder. Curry powder is mostly a blend of aromatics that are roasted and ground to season your food. All curry powders vary. There are as many curry powders as there are cooks. Some people make their own. I used a brand of Sri Lankan curry that I like. You may buy a ready made powder from your local Indian grocers. Unfortunately, curry powder is a variable I will not be able to guarantee on the taste of your final dish. I suggest you try a variety and find a curry powder you really like.

** Note the chili powder mentioned above is from dried red chilies (you can buy this at any Indian grocers). Do not use the chili powder that you would use for chili con carne

Directions:

Cut up bone-in skinless chicken. I used an entire chicken that was about 3lbs.  Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours in the marinade ingredients.

You will need one chopped onion, 2 diced serrano chilies, a handful of curry leaves, and lemongrass. Lemongrass is optional. I just like the flavor it gives to the dish.


Heat oil in a large pan and add cloves, cardamom pods, fennugreek seeds, of cinnamon bark, curry leaves, lemongrass, onion and green chilies at this time.


Once the onions soften add your marinated chicken. Saute and brown everything up.



Now add some more spices. I added 2tbs of chili powder, 2 tbs of curry powder and 1/2tsp of turmeric. You can salt and pepper your dish again here. **if you do not eat very spicy food you can adjust the chili powder here accordingly to your taste.

I added one small can of diced tomatoes. My tomatoes also had some green chilies in it. Stir all ingredients together and add water. Allow curry to boil until chicken is fully cooked and tender. Add 1 cup of coconut or cow's milk. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and your curry is done.

**Remember to taste, taste, taste. Make sure that the gravy is spicy enough and salted enough.




This Chicken curry makes me happy. I hope you enjoy it. It will serve 8-10 people.
Note: Leftovers are even more delicious! 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ingredients

* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
* 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Directions

Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

** Recipe from Food Network**

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Chickpea and Rice Pilaf

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The Chickpea Rice Pilaf can be a great main dish because it has plenty of protein and flavor to fill you up.


The next step is to to cook the rice for the pilaf so it's ready and waiting for you. I used a Brown Basmati rice. You can use the regular white Basmati rice as well. I recommend the Basmati rice because it doesn't stick and has a nutty flavor.

To give the rice some added flavor, I added half water and chicken broth as the liquid.  If you want to make this totally vegetarian you can just use water.


To get the aromatics ready for the pilaf you will need:

One large onion sliced or chopped
some curry leaves
1 tbs of cumin seeds
3-4 cloves
3-4 cardamom pods
1 tsp of ground turmeric
salt to taste
one cinnamon stick
1 tbs of grated garlic
1 tbs of grated ginger
1 tbs of red pepper flake (or to taste)
2 tsp of cumin powder


On medium flame, heat the oil and add the cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Fry in oil until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the cumin seeds.


 On medium flame, heat the oil and add the cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Fry in oil until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the cumin seeds.


Add turmeric, chili flake and saute'.


Add cumin powder and saute'.


Add two (15oz) cans of chickpeas drained and rinsed.


Add:
1 can of diced tomatoes,
2 tbs of lemon juice
1/4- 1/2 cup of water.

You only want a little bit of water to cook the ingredients through. You should turn up the heat to about a medium high on the stove so all the flavors have a time to cook. You should taste for salt here.


 Stir in the cooked basmati rice and mix. The rice should get evenly coated with the cumin/turmeric sauce.


Serves 4-6.

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

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 This is a simple stir fry that pleases both adults and kids.

Cut 5-6 cups of fresh broccoli florets.
** you can also add any other stir fry vegetable as carrots, onions, water chestnuts etc...



Sauce:
1tbs hoisin sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1-2 tbs of ginger grated
1 tbs of corn starch
4 tbs of water
3-4 garlic cloves minced
red pepper flakes (to taste)
Mix all ingredients together and have waiting for the stir fry.

 
1lbs chicken breast cut into cubes. Fry in one tbs of oil in a hot wok or skillet.













Add broccoli and sauce and stir fry until broccoli is tender crisp and chicken is cooked through.

 
Serve with rice. I served it with brown rice and egg rolls. The egg roll recipe is also featured on Curry and Comfort.

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Day One....

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Hi!  My name is Ramona. I love everything about food.  I love looking at pictures of food, cooking food, reading recipes about food and most of all EATING food.  I hope you join me in my culinary journey of exotic foods from around the world and comforting foods from the United States. 

I will be posting step by step recipes with pictures so you can cook some of the dishes that I am either learning to cook myself or have mastered cooking. I hope you enjoy the journey with me...

Ramona : )