Ginger and Shrimp Lumpia (Spring Roll)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg uncooked shrimps
• 100 grams grated ginger
• 3 pcs crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 65 gram sugar
• 80ml mild chili sauce
• 80 ml water
• 12 pcs. spring roll wrapper
• 125 ml soy sauce
• batavia/lettuce leaves

Procedure:

1. Skin, devein and clean the shrimps. Cut them into large slices. In a salad bowl, mix the shirmps, ginger, crushed garlic, lime zest and sugar
2. Cover and marinate for at least 3 hours in the fridge
3. In large pan, heat oil and stir-fry the shrimps until they are cooked. Set

food for the brain

Fine egg noodles with stir fried sardines in tomato sauce from a can.

Sardines is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is good for brain, heart and blood. They are good source of vitamin D, calcium and B12. So do not be put off by it’s smell, like most of what’s good for us, we have to make an effort.

Colombian Pineapple Custard

Ingredients:
350g fresh peeled and sliced pineapples
150g castor sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten

For caramel:
4tbsp granulated sugar
juice of 1 lime

1. Put pineapple in blender (or food processor), blend until smooth. Scrape into a pan and add sugar. Cook until reduces by one-third. The mixture should be thick but not jam-like. Add water if too thick. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

2. Meanwhile make caramel. Place sugar in a heavy pan over medium heat. Shake pan to mix melted sugar, do not stir. Remove from heat once all the sugar has dissolved and caramel has become golden brown. Immediately stir in lime juice. Hot caramel will spit when juice is added but this will soon stop. Divide caramel among 6 ramekins and turn them lightly so that they are coated evenly.

3. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Stir the eggs into the cool pineapple mixture. Divide mixture among the ramekins. Place the moulds in a roasting pan and pour warm water to come halfway up their sides. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until set. Allow to cool.

4. Just before serving, unmould the custards diretly into dessert plates. Loosen the edges with knife, invert a dessert plate on top of each mould and turn both over.

Recipe makes 6.
From The Caribbean, Central & South American cookbook
ISBN: 0-681-64274-2

Christmas left overs

This time of the year everybody complains of eating too much over Christmas   Well, must help out finish what we prepared with love won’t we? Anyway, remember that nice glazed chicken I cooked yesterday? There were lots of them left since M1 and myself are the only ones to eat them. Today (boxing day) I used the chicken leftover and braised it, Filipino style and let me tell you M2 finished every last bit of chicken off What’s left of the brussels sprouts and veggies were made into Bubble Squeak. The whole ensemble is rather good. I think I should do it again sometime in 2008… briased meat, fine egg noodles and bubble and squeak.

Now, to work everything out before the New year!

Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner includes Honey & Lime glazed Chicken with steamed brussels sprouts and carrots, oven-fried potatoes and buttered mushrooms It took 20 minutes to prepare and 1h35 minutes to cooked. The oven was too hot on first 20-30 minutes, that’s why there is a bit of burnt skin on one side. Anyhow, I managed to keep the rest evenly cooked

Note: will add recipe very soon…..