I know the feeling - it's almost like you're bored with food. I get that way every few months. You get into a rut, and can't get out - you need a jump start!
What I do - is try a new restaurant, or grocery store - some place I normally wouldn't go to. Get some recommendations on what's good, and order it. While I'm enjoying the new tastes, I start thinking about how to make my own food different by using different combinations of spices, sauces, marinades.
2007-02-01 10:46:43
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answer #2
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answered by IamMARE 5
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Why not try the following really nice recipes I really enjoy making these
Stir-fried Chicken with Lime and Coconut
2 Traditional Free Range boneless, skinless chicken breasts
grated zest and juice 1 large lime
5 fl oz (150 ml) tinned coconut milk
1 dessertspoon olive oil
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 dessertspoon Thai fish sauce
4 heaped tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
4 spring onions, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) shreds, including the green parts
First of all chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl with the lime juice and zest. Stir well and leave them to marinate for an hour.
When you're ready to cook the chicken, heat the oil in the pan or wok over a high heat, add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until they're golden. Then add the chilli, stir-fry for 1 more minute, and add the coconut milk, fish sauce and half the coriander and spring onions. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then serve with Thai fragrant rice and the remaining coriander and spring onions sprinkled over.
Or
Pad Thai Noodles with Shrimps
4 oz (110 g) rice noodles (medium width, about 1/8 inch/3 mm thick)
2 level tablespoons dried shrimps
6 oz (175 g) raw headless tiger prawns (if frozen, thoroughly defrosted)
3 tablespoons groundnut or other flavourless oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced into half-moon shapes
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
juice 1 large lime (about 2 tablespoons)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
For the garnish:
2 heaped tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
2 oz (50 g) natural roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped or crushed in a pestle and mortar
2 spring onions, chopped, including the green parts
The way to tackle this is by having all the ingredients on the list prepared and assembled in front of you. First of all place the dried shrimps in a jug, cover with some boiling water and soak for 10 minutes, then do the same with the noodles, placing them in a bowl and making sure they're totally submerged in boiling water. After this time, drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them in cold water, then drain the shrimps. Now, to prepare the prawns, peel off and discard the shells, then you need to de-vein them. To do this, make a slit all along their backs using a small, sharp knife and remove any brownish-black thread, using the tip of the knife to lift it out. Now chop each prawn into 3.
When you're ready to start cooking, heat the oil in the frying pan or wok over a high heat until it is really hot. Then, first add the garlic, chilli and red onion and fry for 1-1½ minutes, or until the onion is tender, then, keeping the heat high, add the soaked dried shrimps and the prawns and fry for a further 2 minutes, or until the prawns have turned pink and are cooked. After that add the fish sauce and the lime juice, then stir this around for just a few seconds before adding the noodles. Now toss them around for 1-2 minutes, or until the noodles are heated through. Next add the beaten egg by pouring it slowly and evenly all over. Let it begin to set for about 1 minute, then stir briefly once more until the egg is cooked into little shreds. Then mix in half the garnish and give one final stir before serving absolutely immediately in hot bowls with the rest of the garnish handed round to be sprinkled over.
Or Thai Prawn Curry with Pineapple
1 lb (450 g) uncooked fresh or frozen tiger prawns in their shells
1 lb (450 g) fresh pineapple, cut into ¾ inch (2 cm) chunks
2 x 400 ml tins coconut milk
For the curry paste:
4 dried red chillies, soaked with the juice and zest of 1 lime for 30 minutes
1 level tablespoon lemon grass, finely chopped
1 inch (2.5 cm) cube fresh ginger
5 garlic cloves, peeled
7 Thai shallots, peeled (or normal shallots if not available)
1 level teaspoon shrimp paste (if not available use 2 anchovies)
½ level teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
To garnish:
2 kaffir lime leaves (if available)
2 medium-sized red chillies, de-seeded and shredded into hairlike strips
You will also need a wok or a very large frying pan.
If the tiger prawns are frozen, defrost them by emptying them into a colander and leaving them for about an hour to defrost. Then cook the prawns (either fresh or frozen) in a frying pan or wok. Add the prawns in their shells to the hot pan and dry-fry over direct high heat for about 4-5 minutes, turning and tossing them around whilst you watch their beige and black stripes turn pink.
After that remove them from the heat and when they're cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, then make a slit all along their backs and remove any black thread. Now keep them covered and refrigerated until you need them.
To make the curry paste, all you do is put everything into a food processor or blender, then switch on to a high speed and blend until you have a rather coarse, rough-looking paste. Remove the paste and keep it covered in the fridge until you need it.
When you're ready to make the curry, empty the contents of the tins of coconut milk into a wok and stir while you bring it up to the boil, then boil until the fat begins to separate from the solids. This will take about 20 minutes, and if you listen carefully you'll hear a sizzle as the fat begins to come out and the whole thing is reduced. Ignore the curdled appearance. Now add the curry paste, give it 3 minutes' cooking time, enough for the flavours to develop, then add the prawns and the pineapple and let them heat through gently for another 2 minutes. During that time, shred the lime leaves by placing one on top of the other, then roll them up tightly and cut into very thin shreds. Serve the curry with lime leaves and chilli strips sprinkled over, and some Thai fragrant rice as an accompaniment.
2007-02-01 10:26:16
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answer #3
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answered by Baps . 7
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