Laksa Soup Easy Dinner

Happy New Year!

I have (again) resolved to return to my recipes. I use these as a reference and it saves me searching through my notes, cookbooks, magazine and newspaper clippings, apps, saved files and photos of recipes. What I am really saying is that's it's in my best interest too, but it's nice to share with a few friends what I love to eat.

In the spirit of that, here is my easy Laksa recipe, that I learned from a Malaysian friend nearly 20 years ago. It's a great midweek dinner and a reasonably healthy one. You can change that up by using real coconut milk if you'd prefer. This will serve 3 or 4 adults depending how hungry you are.

Please note that this recipe uses lots of ingredients from our Asian grocer- a great place to explore full of yummy ingredients and their veggies are usually fresher than fresh. The lady at our local shop on Palmerston street was also kind enough to share her fashion shopping tips with me today!

Take 2 tablespoons of laksa paste-use your thermomix to make it or buy a jar of paste. I usually buy the local Perth brand 'Hogans' it's better than I've been able to make! Sauté the paste in a large saucepan with a few tablespoons of chicken stock for a minute to soften and disperse the paste then add 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 chicken breast cubed, 1 cup raw shelled prawns, 8 fish balls cut in half and some Malay style fried tofu cut into bite sized squares. Bring to just simmering while stirring though. It won't look soupy just yet but drop to a very low heat while you get the next step ready.

Finely dice some Choi Sum or your favorite crispy green veg and tip into a sink or deep bowl of cold water to separate the grit out. Scoop out with a sieve to drain the water then add to the simmering mix, stir through and then pop the lid on and turn the heat off for now.

Next cover Hokkein noodles in a large bowl with boiling water. While these soften and separate, rinse 4 large handfuls of fresh bean shoots in a sieve under cold running water.

Back to the saucepan, add a large can of carnation coconut flavoured evaporated milk (sub in coconut milk if you want the full cream version) and turn the heat on to bring to just under a boil. Drain Hokkein noodles and portion in large soup bowls according to appetite. Top each bowl with a handful of bean shoots- be generous these melt when you pour on the hot soup.

Just before the soup reaches the boil, ladle evenly into the bowls over the noodles. If you like boiled eggs add some quartered up too. Top with fried shallots, and serve with soup spoons, chopsticks for the chunky pieces and a cold drink to cool the spices. Yum!

Marinated Mushrooms

Just a quick post to say Ciao from Rome and share a pic of the yummiest marinated mushies I have eaten... EVER!

So much inspiration gleaned on this holiday, I'll be cooking and blogging lots when I get home.

Heavenly Quiche

Bounjour from Strasbourg! We arrived yesterday having come from Paris on the train. I just wanted to share a picture with you of what is possibly the best quiche I have ever tasted- We bought it at a Boulangerie on Rue St Honore near our Paris apartment. I took it along for lunch on the train and ate it cold, and didn't save Baz a crumb it was so yummy....

Au Revoir Mes Amies!

We are setting off on a French adventure on Monday, however thermie will be staying at home. I will try and share some yummy food finds with you and certainly will bring home some inspiration for recipes to try.... 

Cheats Butter Chicken

Cheats Butter Chicken This is adapted from a recipe shared with me by a friend doing the Michelle Bridges 12WBT so thanks Michelle for the inspiration. I wanted to convert it for thermomix use, and it's a great family meal and super easy. Though when served with rice, mango chutney and poppadums it's probably not as low in calories as the original! Chop 1 peeled medium brown onion for 15 seconds speed 4, scraping down sides halfway through. Add 40g oil and cook at varoma speed 1 for 5 minutes. Insert the butterfly, add 450-500g chicken stir fry strips (I did say easy!) and cook again at varoma speed 1 for 5 minutes. Next add 1 400g can crushed tomatoes, 1 400g can of lentils drained and rinsed, 2tbs or 45g tandoori paste, 2tsp stock powder and 30g water. You could use 30g liquid stock or just water if you don't make Tenina's chicken stock powder! Cook for 30 mins at 100 reverse stir speed. Add 120g light cooking cream and cook for a further 2 minutes at 100 stir speed. Serve with all the trimmings and don't feel guilty it's pretty healthy!

Toasted Muesli

I love toasted muesli but prefer not to load my breakfast up with too much fat content. The thermie gets a look in as a mere food processor with this recipe, but it's worth sharing as its delicious and a little bit healthy to boot!

Use the thermomix on speed 4, just 2 or 3 seconds at a time to chop a mix of nuts about 2 cups in all. I used peanuts, cashews, almonds and pepitas for this blend. I warn you it does change each time, so just use what you have in the pantry.

Mix through 2 cups of chopped dried fruit using reverse speed 2, again whatever you like. In this case I used apricots, pears, sultanas and craisons.

Combine the fruit and nuts along with 4 cups of rolled oats in a large bowl, then spread onto an oven tray lined with baking paper. Spray lightly with a low flavor oil- I use rice bran oil spray. Drizzle about 1tbs of maple syrup over before baking at 170 degrees for up to 30 mins or until golden and toasted. Every 5 minutes stir it around and reapply oil and maple so all sides toast, and you can monitor to make sure it doesn't burn.

If you like the flavor add 1/2 cup shredded coconut after 20 mins.

Return to the bowl to cool, and add some other cereal for texture. II used 1 cup of puffed wheat, 1 rice bubbles and 1 of Special K. You can add anything you like here to suit your palate and diet.

Once completely cool store in a sealed container.

4000 Page Views!

Wow I am amazed that today Daily Mixes has logged 4000 page views... I had better get a recipe up pronto to celebrate!