Thai beef and potato curry

Potato - Part 3.

A hale and hearty pot of goodness.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup coconut cream
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground fennel
2 cups coconut milk
500g chunk tender beef, trimmed and cut into large cubes
1 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp fish sauce

For the curry paste:
8 dried chillies, soaked in hot water
4 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 lemongrass stem, white part only, sliced
4cm piece of galangal

Method:
1. Blitz all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor to form a paste.
2. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes until they are firm to the touch. Drain and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, bring the coconut cream to a boil. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until it "cracks" (when it separates and forms a layer of oil on the surface).
4. Add the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the coriander, cumin and fennel, and mix well.
5. Add the coconut milk, beef, sugar and fish sauce and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beef is tender. Add the potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips:
Add a few fresh red chillies to the curry paste mix for a more intense flavour.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2008)

Cauliflower with haloumi cheese

Cheese - High in calcium and full of flavour, this gourmet treat adds richness and character to your dishes.

To prevent cheese from becoming tough and stringy, cook it at a low temperature or add it to your cooking at the last stage.

To retain the softness of cheese, chop finely or use a grater with large holes.

Cheese - Part 1.

A twist to your usual Western broccoli and melted cheese. Best eaten lightly pan-fried or toasted, Haloumi cheese is firm Middle Eastern cheese that won't melt when cooked.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 tbsp olive oil
150g Haloumi cheese, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, sliced
5 cardamoms
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground turmeric
400g cauliflower florets
2 medium carrots, par-boiled and chopped
3/4 cup vegetable stock
Pepper to taste
Fresh coriander, to garnish

Method:
1. Heat some oil in a non-stick pan, saute the Haloumi cheese until golden brown and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add the rest of the oil, then saute onions, cardamons, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric until fragrant.
3. Add the cauliflower, carrots and vegetable stock and let simmer under low fire for about 10 minutes until the stock reduces.
4. Toss in the cooked cheese and add pepper to taste. Stir fry for another 5 minutes and remove. Top with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

Tips:
Don't feel like cheese? Then use tau kwa cubes instead.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Oct 2007)

Cheesy vegetable pie

An eggless recipe.

Ingredients (makes 12.5cm pie):
Filling:
60g butter
40g plain flour
500ml milk
800g mixed vegetables, diced and steamed
180g frozen peas
100g grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Pie crust:
300g plain flour
1.5 tsp ground cumin (阿拉伯茴香)
1/2 tsp ground chilli
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
160g butter
Enough cold water to knead dough

Method:
Filling:
1. Heat butter. Add flour. Stir over heat until bubbling. Remove from heat and add the milk gradually.
2. Return to heat and boil until the mixture thickens. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Pie crust:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Rub in butter till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough water to make the ingredients cling together.
2. Wrap pastry in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Divide dough into portions. Roll out 1 portion on floured surface to fit the greased pie dish. Prick all over with a fork and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Spoon in the prepared filling. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie dish. Trim and seal the edges. Bake until golden brown.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine