Red Curry Prawn Dumplings

Working in the city, means that I have to travel 45 to 50 minutes each way on the train every single day. My Ipad is pretty much my best buddy on these long trips. One of my favourite Aps is the Martha Stewarts Everyday Food Magazine. The magazine is full of articles, chef bios, handy craft tips and most importantly simple delicious recipes.

These Red Curry Prawn Dumplings are from October’s issue. To make them look pretty I julienned the wonton wrappers instead of wrapping each dumpling. I also steamed them instead of the fry steam method on the recipe.

This dish took me 10 minutes to prepare, 8 minutes to cook and 2 minutes to eat. Not bad eh….

Red Curry Prawn Dumplings

(From Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine)

Ingredients

400 grams raw green prawns (peeled and deveined)

3 tablespoon grated ginger

2 shallots thinly sliced

4 teaspoons red curry paste

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 packet wonton wrappers (this recipe makes approx 24 dumplings)

Method

1. In a small frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, over medium heat. Fry the ginger and shallots until the shallots are slightly soft.

2. In a food processor, add the peeled prawns, fish sauce and red curry paste. Put the mixture into a bowl and add the cooked shallot and ginger. Stir until combined. Cover with glad wrap and set aside for about 15 minutes to let the flavours combined.

3. Separate the wonton wrappers and julienne small portions at a time, making small strips. Put the wonton strips in a  large deep bowl.

4. Using a melon baller or a measuring spoon, drop small amount of the mixture into the wonton strips. Put each dumpling into a steamer lined with wax paper.

5. Steam the dumplings for 8 to 10 minutes. The dumplings are cooked when they are firm to touch and the wonton strips are translucent.

6. Serve the dumplings with a dipping sauce made with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.

These dumpling are just delicious. The red curry is a fantastic addition and doesn't take away from the flavour of the prawns. Make sure you add your own flavours to the mixture such as bamboo shoots or water chestnuts for crunch. Frying them would also give you a different texture and flavour.

Read more...

A Perfect Sunday Afternoon..

What's a perfect Sunday Afternoon for you? For me it's all about the weather. Spring is here. Although we had a few cold days, the sun seems to come out on the weekends, which is when it really counts.

This weekend was the perfect time to give my new Bodum Picnic Grill a bit of a whirl. I have always wanted a picnic grill and this one is light, cute and comes in an amazing array of colours.

I made some Spiced Steak Kebabs and for dessert, BBQ Pineapple Chunks with Cinnamon Sugar.

Spiced Steak Kebabs (Martha Stewarts Everyday Living September Issue)

Ingredients

12 – 15 pieces sirloin steak chunks (cut into 1½ inches each)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 medium green capsicum (cut into 1½ inch chunks)

1 medium red onion (cut into 1 inch pieces)

salt and pepper

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine the oil, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper together.

2. Thread the steak, onion and capsicum onto your skewers. I only used 4 chunks of steaks per skewer.

3. Brush the skewers with the oil mixture making sure that it is well coated. Set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

4. BBQ the skewers, turning frequently to avoid burning. It’s best to take it off the heat when the meat is slightly pink. The skewers will continue to cook off the heat. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I first tasted these Pineapple Chunks at a Brazilian BBQ Restaurant. The sweet pineapple is perfect with the cinnamon sugar. Such a simple but delicious dessert.

BBQ Pineapple Chunks with Cinnamon Sugar

Ingredients

1 Pineapple (skin off and cut into thick chunks)

2 tablespoons cinnamon

4 tablespoons castor sugar

BBQ skewers (wooden skewers should be soaked in water to prevent burning)

Method

1. Mix the cinnamon and the sugar together and put it on a plate.

2. Coat each pineapple chunk in the cinnamon sugar mixture before putting onto the BBQ Skewers.

3. BBQ for 6 minutes each side. The outside should start to caramelise.

4. Let it cool slightly before serving.

You can add a little more cinnamon sugar after it has cooked. Don’t add too much as it will take away from the charcoal flavour. This is perfect served with coconut ice cream or fresh cream.

Thank you to Kitchenware Direct for sending me the Cool Bodum Picnic Grill to review. For more information on the Bodum range just go to Kitchenware Direct. 

Read more...