Category: Food

Recipe: Mo’s Chicken Korma

Aug
21
2009

Mo's Chicken Korma

I’m a fan of South Asian cuisine. Whenever I visit an Indian restaurant I get so intrigued at the thought of what goes in to making the delicious food. Chicken Korma is something that I just had to try making on my own. Classically, korma is a term given to mild, creamy, curry dish where meat or vegetables are braised in yogurt or cream. To give this korma dish a South Indian flavour, coconut milk can be used, but you can substitute it for regular milk if you like. Another option is to stir in some ground almonds into the sauce just before serving.

Personally I prefer to marinate all the spices with the chicken (instead of adding them to the oil on the stove), and leaving the addition of the yogurt until later on in the cooking process (instead of traditionally using it as part of the marinade). I find this allows the flavours to better set with the chicken. I didn’t have any plain yogurt on hand the first time I made this recipe, so I substituted it with sour cream and it came out tasting just as delicious so I’ve stuck with it.

Yield: Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized cubes)
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger root (finely grated)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp canola oil (for frying)
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves (chopped)

Marinade:
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp canola oil

Directions:

  1. Chicken Korma marinadeCut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
  2. Sprinkle spices over the chicken pieces, mixing well with a spoon so that all pieces are coated evenly. Pour in the 1 tablepoon of oil and mix with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
  3. Fry the onion in a large skillet on medium heat, until it begins to soften and lightly caramelize (5-6 minutes).
  4. Chicken Korma cookingAdd the minced garlic and grated ginger. Stir-fry for an additional 1 minute.
  5. Add the marinated chicken into the skillet, increasing the heat to medium-high, and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, until chicken is opaque.
  6. Gradually add the sour cream and coconut milk to the skillet, making sure liquids are blended evenly.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20-25  minutes, stirring Chicken Korma simmeringoccasionally until chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened (add a bit of water if needed).
  8. Remove the skillet from heat, and mix in the chopped cilantro, lemon juice and salt to the chicken korma, letting it sit for an additional 5 minutes so that all the flavours are able to intermingle.
  9. Serve over basmati rice or with naan bread.

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Review: The Teastick

Aug
10
2009

The TeastickI wouldn’t call myself a tea connoisseur, but I drink enough of it to warrant purchasing a new tea infuser. Now I had a tea ball that I purchased from Dollarama last year, but after a bunch of uses and as cute as it is, it’s a bit difficult to clean the wire mesh, and I noticed that when I use fine leaf teas, they often seep through the tiny holes.

That’s when I decided to try something a little different. When I visited the new David’s Tea, I picked up a delicious tin of crème caramel rooibos tea. After looking around at their selection of infusers I came across the Blomos Teastick. It seemed pretty cool, but I didn’t want to shell out $25 plus tax for it. I searched the net for similar teastick, since I was worried that the perforations in the Blomos model were a little too big for oh-so-scrumptious rooibos tea. I stumbled upon Gamila’s Teastick,  and found one selling on eBay for $15.99. After reading some favourable online reviews, along with the fact that it saved me a few bucks over the Blomos Teastick I decided to purchase it. Gamila states that:

this is the ultimate infuser for tea enthusiasts features intuitive “scoop-slide-steep” functionality while it reflects the aesthetic of traditional loose tea service. Durable enough for industrial use, it has no breakable mechanisms and is constructed entirely of 304L stainless steel with holes small enough to infuse the finest of teas.

The Teastick - group shot

Entirely made of kitchen-grade stainless steel, The Teastick boasts it’s made for a lifetime of of home use (we’ll see about that). I must admit, the design is very stylish, but does it actually work like an infuser should? I can now say that it does after finishing a warm cup of tea. Even the packaging is pretty cool, complete with info on how to use and care for your teastick, as well as some brewing tips.

After washing my Teastick in warm, soapy water, I dried it off and got ready to test out my new gizmo. It slid open pretty effortlessly, and I noticed the little locking mechanism on the top of the perforated sleeve. It’s pretty

roomy inside the Teastick once you slide the sleeve all the way to the top. I was worried that the tea wouldn’t have enough room to steep.

The Teastick - scooping

When scooping up loose tea with your Teastick, make sure you kind of shimmy the tea in the scoop so that it levels off with the fill edge. And you want to be careful not to overfill it because tea needs room to unfurl.

The Teastick - closed

I had a small cup, so I didn’t fill it too much. The sleeve slipped back down and locked easily and I dunked the stick into my cup of hot water and waited about 5 minutes for my rooibos tea to steep. What I also like about The Teastick is that it doubles as a stir-stick (and it also looks pretty chic in my cup of tea).

The Teastick - steeping

Clean-up was a breeze: I just slide the sleeve back up, dumped out the tea, and washed The Teastick with soap and water (note that it’s also dishwasher safe). If some loose tea leaves get stuck in the little holes, the sleeve is large enough that you can use your finger to pry any out (and this is coming from someone with pretty big hands ). I also like the little curved handle at the top of The Teastick. It prevents it from falling into larger mugs or teapots, and allows it to rest evenly on your table or saucer with minimal drippage while you sip your tea.

The Teastick - leftovers

Now, because the type of loose-leaf tea (rooibos) that I used it had some small needle-like leaf particles in it, and a few did float through the perforations, but it wasn’t as much as I thought it would be. For drinkers of full-leaf tea, such as green or black, I think The Teastick would be perfect.

Scoop it. Slide it. Steep it. Brewing a cup of tea is that easy with The Teastick. I think this was worth what I paid for it, but if you can’t afford to pay for the $18 + shipping as noted on the Gamila site, check out eBay for sellers. I haven’t seen this model of infuser in any stores in Canada as yet. And if a teastick isn’t your thing, then you can always test out the various tea infuser balls, glass tea infusers, infuser cups, Gamila’s new super-cute Teastick Gems, or simply stick to the ol’ teabags. Happy sipping!

Gee… I feel like making more tea!

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Recipe: Plantain Chips

Aug
06
2009

Plantain chips

Plantains are such a versatile “vegetable-fruit”, and are used in a wide array of Caribbean dishes. Whether they are green (starchy, not-yet-ripened), yellow or black (fully ripe and sweet), plantains can be used in sweet or savoury dishes.

I usually see these “giant bananas” priced at about 99¢/lb. They can be hard to peel, especially when they’re not fully ripe (and you don’t really want to eat them raw). When you’re frying plantains this way it’s best to use them is when they’re yellow and firm (about a medium ripeness). Plantains become more soft and sweet as they ripen.

Plantain chips, also known as platanos, chifles, tajadas or tostones, are best served warm and will leave you craving for more.

Yield: 2 servings or about 40 chips

Ingredients:
2 plantains (greenish-yellow colour)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
canola oil (enough to cover the surface of a frying pan)

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat (about 375°F).
  2. Raw sliced plantainsUsing a mortar and pestle grind together the sea salt and the garlic (or you can use the back of a spoon). Set aside.
  3. Cut off the ends of the plantains. Using a paring knife, slice the skin of the plantain from top to bottom, being careful not to cut the plantain itself (going along the seam will help). Make a total of four even slices, and carefully pry the skin off one of the sections using the tip of the knife. You can use your hands to peel off the remaining sections. Cut each plantain into slices about 1/8″ thick. Feel free to cut them in diagonals if you like. (I used a mandolin slicer which made this a bit easier).
  4. Frying PlantainsPlace half of the sliced plantains into the frying pan (they should gradually come to the surface if the oil is at the right temperature). Be sure not to dump them in all at once or put too many inside the pan (this will lower the temperature of the oil and affect the cooking). Fry the plantains for about 4-6 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden-brown.
  5. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate or tray. Sprinkle with the prepared garlic-salt while they’re still a bit oily and hot, coating evenly. Repeat the process for the remaining slices.

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Recipe: Crispy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Aug
03
2009

Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my search to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie, I knew I wanted a certain texture along the same lines of shortbread cookies, but not so soft that they break apart in your hands. At the same time, I didn’t want to create them too hard and crispy that they were a tooth hazard. So after three attempts I think I’m satisfied with this version of mine. The first time around I added too much cornstarch and they crumbled in my lunch bag like streusel topping. The second attempt I was trying to think about how I could make them a bit more crisp. I guess I shouldn’t have added that extra egg, because the cookies (while delicious) came out too “cake-like” and that wasn’t what I was aiming for.

In my trials and research I learned the following baking facts:

  • More butter = more spread; more flour = less spread
  • By reducing the amount of ingredients that retain moisture (e.g. egg, flour or brown sugar), you can make a nice, crispy cookie.
  • Using white sugar instead of brown sugar allows for a crispier cookie, since brown sugar has molassas (higher water content)
  • Adding an extra egg, milk or water to the dough can lead to a cake-like cookie since the additional moisture adds steam during baking (making them puff up)
  • Baking a cookie for a longer duration and at a lower temperature will allow your cookies to become more crispy.

So now for attempt number three, and as they say, third time’s the charm. This recipe has just the right amount of a chewy, soft centre, and a crisp outside that will leave tasters asking for more.

Yield: 24-32 cookies (depending on size)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:Cookie Batter

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugars with a wooden spoon. Add the egg and vanilla until incorporated.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. In three parts, gradually fold the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.Cookies on parchment paper
  5. Drop about a tablespoon of cookie batter onto the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each cookie.
  6. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden-brown.
  7. Remove baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest about 5 minutes before placing on a cooking rack.

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Recipe: “Eggcellent” Egg Sandwich

Jul
24
2009

Egg Sandwich

Eggs are one of the most versatile and nutritious foods that anyone can have in their kitchen. I was re-introduced (because I faintly remember having this meal in my youth, but I mainly enjoy egg-salad sandwiches) to this dish by a friend earlier this year and am now making it part of my regular meal plans: The Egg Sandwich. Sound simple? Well it is. Anyone can make this super-healthy sandwich as a start to the day for breakfast, or a protein-packed after-school/work snack.

Yield: 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

1 large egg
1 tbsp milk
2 slices of sandwich bread (I prefer to use Villaggio Italian Style 100% Whole Wheat Bread)
1 slice of cheddar cheese (not the processed kind, enough to cover one slice of bread with cheese that’s 1/8″ thick)
3 lettuce leaves (e.g. Boston or Romaine)
1 small tomato (sliced)
1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
1 tsp dill (chopped)
1 tsp butter
1/2 tbsp Miracle Whip dressing
A few drops of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a  7″ skillet (Chef Steph uses this Starfrit one which makes the egg the perfect size of the bread) over medium heat, melt the butter.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk and hot sauce. Add the parsley, dill, salt and pepper to the egg mixture and pour into the heated pan.
  3. Using a small spatula or fork quickly mix together the egg mixture with the butter in the pan (almost like you’re scrambling eggs, the butter give it a bit more flavour and texture) until the egg is set evenly on the surface. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip (you can try a nifty pan-flip if you like) with the spatula and cook the other side for another 2 minutes.
  4. While the second side of the egg is setting put your bread in the toaster oven on 250°F with the cheese on one slice of the bread. Toast for 2 minutes until the cheese is slightly melted. If you like your toast more on the crispy side, feel free to leave it in a bit longer.
  5. Remove your egg from the heat and place on top of the cheesy slice of your toasted bread (then again, it doesn’t matter what order you put this in, it’s all going in your mouth anyways).  Complete your sandwich by topping with lettuce, tomato and spread on the dressing. Cut in half if desired.

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