Spicy Udon with Lobster

1 pound cooked lobster meat pieces
3 large frozen Udon noodle cakes, thawed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons lobster base
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/2 cup medium sweet soy sauce
1/2 cup sweet rice wine (Mirin)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Sriracha a few tablespoons, to taste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In a very large pan, heat oil and add onions, cook until golden brown. Add garlic and cook about a minute until fragrant. Add sesame oil and lobster base and stir well to mix. Add lobster, toss well and cook for 2 minutes. Add ketchup, sweet soy sauce, Mirin, vinegar and Sriracha. Bring to boil and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add Udon noodles and toss to coat, cook until noodles are warmed through. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

Seafood Korma

1 1/2 pounds mixed seafood/fish, all shelled and cleaned (shrimp, oysters, clams, squid, cod, whatever you fancy)
2-inch-square piece of fresh ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoon turmeric powder
2 red chili peppers, minced
3 diced tomatoes peeled and seeded
1 cup low fat coconut milk
1 bag favorite frozen veggie mix, thawed & drained

Garnish:

Fresh cilantro to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cashews
2 tablespoons raisins

In a food processor, puree ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoons water into a paste. Scoop out; set aside.

Warm a large skillet a few minutes over medium-high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot add onion and allow to slowly cook to golden brown. Add cumin seeds and cook for a minute or two. (Cumin seeds may explode like popcorn, so keep the lid handy.) Add chili powder, salt and turmeric powder. Stir in chili pepper, cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato and ginger paste. Cook until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce should thicken. Add veggies and bring sauce back to a boil. Add seafood/fish and cover. After one minute, remove from heat and allow fish to poach in the hot liquid for 15-20 minutes.

Serve over Basmati rice. Garnish with cilantro, cashews and raisins.

Serves 4.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 lb. Chicken breast, boneless and skinless cut into 1-inch cubes
2-inch-square piece of fresh ginger, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Oil
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Chili powder
1/2 cup plain fat free Yogurt
Salt

In a food processor puree ginger, garlic and 2 tablespoons oil into a paste. Remove 2 tablespoons of the paste and set it aside for the gravy. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, yogurt and salt and mix well. Scoop out into a bowl. Add chicken pieces and stir to coat well. Allow chicken to marinate for about an hour.

After the chicken is marinated, Pre-heat the oven to 300 F and bake for about 15 - 20 min or until just cooked through.

For the Gravy:
2 Onions, medium dice
2 tablespoons ginger/garlic paste from above
2 teaspoons Coriander powder
2 teaspoons Garam masala
1/2 cup Tomato puree
Salt
oil

3 medium potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes (boil until cooked and fork tender)
4 Italian plum tomatoes quartered length wise.
10 fresh basil leaves

1/8 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup toasted cashews halves

Heat oil in a pan and fry onions till they turn golden brown. Add ginger/garlic paste and fry till the oil separates. Add coriander powder & garam masala, then add the tomato puree. Add salt to taste and then add little warm water and let the gravy to come to boil.

Add the cooked potatoes and plum tomatoes, allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken pieces and basil leaves and allow the gravy come to a boil.

Serve over Basmati rice. Garnish with cilantro and cashews.

Serves 4.

Tom Kha Gai

Whenever we go out for Thai food this is my soup of choice.  Tom Kha Gai is delicious as it’s just a bit creamy because of the coconut milk, it has a perfect blend of sweet and sour and just the right “kick” of spice and heat.  What makes this soup even better is that it’s oh-so simple to make and freezes beautifully.  I usually make a double batch as I love having this soup in my freezer ready for an easy dinner on a cold night or anytime I have the craving.

Not a beautiful picture but a truly gorgeous tasting soup.

Tom Kha Gai  

4 c. chicken broth
1 TBS. lemon grass, fresh minced
3 TBS. Thai fish sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS. fresh grated ginger
3 Serrano peppers, thinly sliced into rounds
2 tsp. chili-garlic sauce
juice of 4 limes
2 (14 oz.) cans coconut milk
2 chicken breasts, boned, skinned and sliced thinly
1 (10 oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

In a stockpot, bring the chicken broth, lemon grass, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, Serrano peppers, chili-garlic sauce and juice of 4 limes to a boil. Stirring, add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add chicken allowing it to cook through in the hot liquid. Add the drained mushrooms and the cilantro and allow the heat of the soup to warm them through.  Easy-peasy and delicious!

Enjoy!

Love Cakes filled with Lemon Curd

Make your favorite white cake recipe (box or scratch) as cupcakes. Fill the cup papers only half way as you need room in the cups to add the glaze later. Bake and cool completely.

Lemon curd recipe is here, make and cool completely. Or you can use store bought.

Put cooled lemon curd in a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. From the top center of each cupcake, insert the tip and squeeze in a small amount of lemon curd.

I don't have a recipe or amounts, but the glaze is just icing sugar, lemon extract, some food coloring and water. Just mix to a thick glaze and spoon quickly on to top of cakes so that it settles nice and smooth. If the icing starts to get too thick, thin with a little more water. Allow icing to dry at room temp. for a few hours. Refrigerate.

If you make these delicious cakes, be sure to post pics and let me know how they turn out.

Enjoy!!

Lisa's Fruit and Nut Turkey Chili

2 T. olive oil
3 c. onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
3 T. chili powder
3 T. ground cumin
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. hot curry powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2 4-oz. cans diced green chili peppers
2 med.Granny Smith apples, core, peeled and chunked
1/2 c. raisins
2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted
cheddar cheese
sour cream

In large pot, saute onions in the olive oil until golden brown. Add the garlic and the ground turkey, cook until the turkey is browned. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, curry powder and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute to bring out the aroma of the spices. Add the tomatoes, chili peppers, apples and raisins stir to mix in well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook one hour, stirring occasionally. Add the black beans and almonds, heat thoroughly. Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Lemon Curd

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Whisk first 3 ingredients together and then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a medium sized metal bowl. Stir in sugar and then set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until thickened and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160°F, about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from over the water. Add butter; whisk until melted. Transfer curd to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd. Will keep refrigerated for about a week.