My friend Anne, after a number of happy years in London, announced a couple of months ago that she was moving back to Vancouver (sniff, sob). She came around to mine for a final meal before I took her to the airport. The day's challenge was to make something light enough that wouldn't make her feel too full for sitting around and waiting a while for a flight (pesky ash cloud) and would be suitable for brunch - and also didn't take too long to cook or too much attention when I wanted to talk to her.
I'd tried Nigella's Red Prawn and Mango Curry before a couple of times, but never felt the recipe got it entirely down pat. This is my take. I also dislike her preference for pre-cubed veg, lazy devil, and this is much cheaper. Serve with steamed or boiled jasmine rice (in small quantities - curry to rice ratio should be about half and half).
1/2 tsp of sesame oil, 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
4 - 6 spring onions chopped roughly
2 large tbsps of red thai curry paste (a non-salty one if poss)
1 400g can organic coconut milk (not low fat or it comes out too runny)
150ml chicken stock from homemade (if making with concentrate or stock cubes use half recommended quantity)
2 tsps nam pla (fish sauce)
1 smallish butternut squash or half of one and most of a sweet potato, cubed small-ish
Around 300g fresh prawns (much nicer than frozen)
Juice of half a lime
1 large mango, cubed small-ish
Generous shake of green tabasco (red will do)
Chopped coriander, generous handful.
Heat up the oils in a large pan; when hot fry the chopped spring onion. Stir in the paste; add the stock, fish sauce and coconut milk, stir til mixed well. You can start cooking the rice now. Bung in the squash (and/or) sweet potato to the sauce mix and simmer for about 10 mins - should still have a slight bite to it.
When veg are ready, throw in prawns and bring back to boil; add mango and lime juice and heat through. Serve on the rice with coriander chopped on top. Tabasco to serve too.
I find the variation in flavour in this recipe great - it gives you lots to play with; this version is very saucy and fragrant without being overpowering, but there's barely any heat, even though I've upped the curry paste. Definitely one to play with and I think she really liked it.
(We had Gu ganache for pudding which was gorgeous - I can't do desserts from scratch when we're due to eat at 12.00pm).
Showing posts with label prawns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prawns. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Low carb lifestyle, here I come
The time has come to do something. To do something about the extra two tires around my middle, my third chin and the fact I can no longer get into backless dresses without horrible shame (or in fact anything even remotely resembling a size I'd be happy to admit to in public). I guess all this cooking has come at a cost...
Part of the wake up call came on our recent trip to The Gambia - not to be harsh, but the majority of the tourists in our hotel were seriously obese and it made me think that if I didn't get to grips with them I could be there too in a year or two's time.
So, I've decided to follow the only diet that I can feel even remotely comfortable with and understand how it works - Atkins. For the uninitiated, this is a high-fat, medium-protein and very low-carb regime (visit the website if you're interested or can't see how this would possibly work). My joy in it is that it's a diet where I will probably reliably lose weight fairly quickly week by week, and I get to eat most veg, all meat, poultry and fish, and liberal helpings of eggs, butter, cream and cheese. I have to wave goodbye to all sugar and processed carbs like pasta, bread and mash. It's a fair trade. Some Atkins friendly recipes coming up... all serve one but can of course be doubled/quadrupled up for more people.
Marinated prawns (nice lunch recipe)
Generous handful of cooked prawns
Glug olive oil
Juice of half a lime
1/4 red onion or equivalent spring onions
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 red chili, finely chopped
2 tbsps freshly chopped coriander
Some chopped olives if liked (I skip this bit)
Serve over 1/2 a chopped avocado and some salad leaves with salt and pepper after chilling in the fridge for the morning (this is perfect for work if you make it, take it, stash it in the fridge and unleash for lunch). Recipe courtesy of my friend Anne.
Comforting chicken, mushroom and veg for dinner
1/2 chicken breast cut into 1" dice
6 mushrooms, roughly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
4 spears asparagus
Small handful mangetout
6 broccoli florets
1 small tub of M&S or similar hollandaise (if you're feeling virtuous, try Delia for a proper recipe... I was home from work and hungry!)
In a frying pan, gently fry off the diced chicken with the olive oil and a pinch of mixed herbs. Saute gently until mostly cooked through.
Meanwhile, set up a saucepan with a fan steamer inside and 1 - 2" of boiling water over a high heat. Place your green veg inside and place a lid firmly on top.
In a third, small, pan, put 1/4 - 1/3 (depending on taste) of the tub of hollandaise over a very low heat to warm through.
In the frying pan, your chicken should be looking mostly cooked and a little brown around the edges. Add the butter, when it's melted add the mushrooms and garlic and stir to avoid burning or over browning.
After 5 mins or a little less, everything should be ready: on a large dinner plate, arrange the veg to one side; cover with the hollandaise, and add the chicken and garlicky mushroom mix to the other side of the plate.
Who said dieting had to be miserable?
Part of the wake up call came on our recent trip to The Gambia - not to be harsh, but the majority of the tourists in our hotel were seriously obese and it made me think that if I didn't get to grips with them I could be there too in a year or two's time.
So, I've decided to follow the only diet that I can feel even remotely comfortable with and understand how it works - Atkins. For the uninitiated, this is a high-fat, medium-protein and very low-carb regime (visit the website if you're interested or can't see how this would possibly work). My joy in it is that it's a diet where I will probably reliably lose weight fairly quickly week by week, and I get to eat most veg, all meat, poultry and fish, and liberal helpings of eggs, butter, cream and cheese. I have to wave goodbye to all sugar and processed carbs like pasta, bread and mash. It's a fair trade. Some Atkins friendly recipes coming up... all serve one but can of course be doubled/quadrupled up for more people.
Marinated prawns (nice lunch recipe)
Generous handful of cooked prawns
Glug olive oil
Juice of half a lime
1/4 red onion or equivalent spring onions
1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 red chili, finely chopped
2 tbsps freshly chopped coriander
Some chopped olives if liked (I skip this bit)
Serve over 1/2 a chopped avocado and some salad leaves with salt and pepper after chilling in the fridge for the morning (this is perfect for work if you make it, take it, stash it in the fridge and unleash for lunch). Recipe courtesy of my friend Anne.
Comforting chicken, mushroom and veg for dinner
1/2 chicken breast cut into 1" dice
6 mushrooms, roughly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp butter
4 spears asparagus
Small handful mangetout
6 broccoli florets
1 small tub of M&S or similar hollandaise (if you're feeling virtuous, try Delia for a proper recipe... I was home from work and hungry!)
In a frying pan, gently fry off the diced chicken with the olive oil and a pinch of mixed herbs. Saute gently until mostly cooked through.
Meanwhile, set up a saucepan with a fan steamer inside and 1 - 2" of boiling water over a high heat. Place your green veg inside and place a lid firmly on top.
In a third, small, pan, put 1/4 - 1/3 (depending on taste) of the tub of hollandaise over a very low heat to warm through.
In the frying pan, your chicken should be looking mostly cooked and a little brown around the edges. Add the butter, when it's melted add the mushrooms and garlic and stir to avoid burning or over browning.
After 5 mins or a little less, everything should be ready: on a large dinner plate, arrange the veg to one side; cover with the hollandaise, and add the chicken and garlicky mushroom mix to the other side of the plate.
Who said dieting had to be miserable?
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