Food for thought

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup brown rice
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup almonds - roasted
3 dsp sunflower seeds
1/2 cup whole sweetcorn kernels
4 1/2 dsp parsley - chopped
1 stalk celery - diced


Dressing
1/8 cup unsaturated oil
1 dsp soya sauce
1 clove garlic - crushed
curry powder and pepper to taste


METHOD:
1. Cook rice in 1/3 cup water. Transfer to bowl.
2. While rice is still warm, mix in remaining ingredients and dressing. Toss thoroughly.
3. Serve warm or cold as desired.


Nutrient Analysis (per serving)
Calories 452 kcal
Total Fat 27 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Dietary Fibre 6 g
Sodium 59 mg


Useful tips:
1. Roast nuts and seeds in a single layer on a shallow tray. Shake tray occasionally to ensure even browning.
2. Keep dried fruit like raisins in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Add some orange or lemon peel to prevent fruit from drying up.

INGREDIENTS:
125 g butter
1½ cups castor sugar
6 eggs
4 cups plain flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
½ teaspoon freshly grounded nutmeg
8 tablespoons brandy
2 cups mixture of sultanas, raisins, good quality walnuts and a variety of dried fruits i.e. apricots, pears, figs, plums, peaches, etc (equal parts, all diced)


METHOD:
1. Beat butter and sugar in bowl, add eggs, one by one.
2. Sift all dry ingredients into mixture alternating with the brandy.
3. Mix in equal parts of sultanas, raisins, walnuts and dried fruits.
4. Pour onto greased tin. Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour approximately.
5. Turn out and sprinkle with icing sugar.


Adopted from "Secret Recipes - ABC TV Online" by Cecilia Young

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs, beaten.
4 Shiitake mushrooms, score a cross on top of the cap.
4 Tiger prawns, deveined and cleaned.
1 chicken breast, diced.
1 fish fillet, diced.
4 Gingko biloba nuts (optional)

Seasoning:
2 cups water.
2 pinches of flour.
2 tsp Soy sauce (preferrably, japanese)
2 tsp Mirin (japanese cooking wine)


METHOD:
1. Beat the eggs and seasoning together. Shift it in a cheese cloth to make it smooth. Set aside to rest.
2. Divide the rest of the ingredients equally into 4 japanese/chinese tea cups (or any other suitable container). Pour the egg mixture into the 4 cups.
3. Steam for 15 minutes and serve.


Recipe courtesy of ma2e.

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken
Enough cold water to immerse chicken
Similar quantity of iced water
250 mL salt water ( ¾ teaspoon per 250 mL water)
100 g raw sugar
1 tablespoon Oolong tea leaves
sunflower oil, for cooking
1 dessertspoon sesame oil, to glaze chicken
½ teaspoon salt water

METHOD:
1. Put chicken in cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for about 20 minutes. Check if cooked by inserting a chopstick or metal skewer into the bird. If clear liquid runs out, it is cooked. Remove chicken from water.
2. Then soak the chicken in ice water for 10 minutes (Tip – This makes the chicken flesh tighter and creates a nicer texture.)
3. Remove chicken and dry in the air for a few minutes.
4. Prepare a pot or a wok for smoking by putting two sheets of aluminium foil at the bottom of the pot or wok.
5. Spread sugar and tea leaves over the foil, then put in a cake rack. (Tip – brush sunflower oil on the rack.)
6. Heat the wok or pot to a high heat.
7. Brush the dried chicken with salt water, then put it on the cake rack and cover the wok or pot with the lid. Cook on maximum heat for 5-6 minutes so that the sugar and tea leaves burn to provide smoke. When the smoke can be seen escaping from the lid, the chicken is ready.
8. Place chicken on a serving platter and brush with sesame oil to give it a glaze.
9. Leave until chicken is cold and then slice to serve.


Adopted from "Secret recipes" from ABC TV Online.

Try this when you find you have overdone it after all the Christmas meals or the week of birthday:

INGREDIENTS:
250ml chicken or vegetable stock
100 gms of canned tomatoes
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
75 gms potato, cubed
50 gms pumpkin, skinned and cubed
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:
1. Put all the ingredients in a large pan and bring the mixture to the boil. Cover, then simmer for 20-30 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into the blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth.
3. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste before serving.


Adopted from "Detox Solutions - 14 plans to detox your life" by Helen Foster

I simply love lassi!!! Almost never fail to order a lassi when i go to an Indian restaurant.


INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh mango pulp
1/3 cup cold water
4 tablespoons honey or sugar
9-10 standard-size ice cubes.


METHOD:
Blend everything but the ice cubes in the blender until the sugar or honey is dissolved. Add the ice and blend until frothy!


Adopted from “Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking,” by Julie Sahni.

this is taken from one of the bloggers, Karen Cheng.

Click here for the recipe.