The culinary corner

Asparagus is a vegetable that is abundantly available during spring. Try eating them in different ways. Asparagus Quiche (Party Food/ Easy Meals) Ingredients 1 large bunch Asparagus (About 250g) Green Chillies (Optional) Salt & Pepper 8 Eggs 1/2 Cup Thickened cream 1 Onion Finely chopped 1/2 cup cheddar cheese Method Spray  or grease 12 Muffin holes. Add oil in to a pan and sauté onions. In to the onions add the asparagus , chilles, salt & pepper. Cook asparagus 2-3 min. Meanwhile mix cream and eggs together. Add the asparagus mix and cheese in to the egg mix. Pour in to muffin holes and bake 180 about 20-30 min. Leave 5 min in the pan before taking out,

Caterpillar Bread rolls (Soft & Moist) Ingredients 450g Bread Flour 11/2 Eggs (Leave one egg yolk to brush the buns) 20g Sugar 8g Yeast 210ml Warm Milk 1 Tsp Salt 60g Butter Method Add flour, yeast, eggs and butter in to a mixing bowl. Mix it adding sugar. Next add salt, and knead adding milk little by little until it forms a smooth dough. Keep kneading for 10 min. Grease a bowl and put the dough and cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place until double in size. Then take the dough and put it on to a floured bench and knead a minute. (This dough is bit sticky so add enough flour) Next divide the dough in to eqal size portions. Then roll one portion to a rectangular shape. Leaving quater of the the dough cut the dough to strips (Watch the video please) Roll the dough streching the ends and leave on a baking tray to prove again. After brush the tops with the egg yolk and bake on 180 about 20-30 min until golden brown. Enjoy hot or with butter ...

Tuna & Pasta Bake ( Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 250 g Boiled Pasta 2 Cups of Tuna 1 Onion sliced Salt & Pepper Spring onions 1/2 cup cheddar cheese Finely Sliced White part of the leek 4 Eggs 1 Can (200g ) Sour cream or 150ml thickend cream Method Fry the onions  with tuna and leeks adding pepper and salt. After leave it to cool down. In a seperate bowl beat eggs with cream and add the cooked tuna mix and pasta. Put that on to a baking tray and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake on 180c about 20 min. Leave several minutes out before cutting.

These rotis need to be covered with a teatowel or in a container or in a totilla container. Always make sure you cover it to prevent them go dry. If you cant physyllium husk omit that. Physillium husk serves a lot of fiber to your diet. If you consider about health add whole wheat flour instead of plain flour. Oats Roti / Flat Bread Ingredients 2 Cups cups of Quick Oats 11/2 cups Plain flour or whole wheat flour 1 cup decicated coconut ( Optional) 1/2 cup Phyllium husk (Optional) Salt Enough water to knead the dough. Method Add all the dry ingredients in to a bowl. Next add enough water and knead until you get  a soft dough. Next leave a pan on the stove. Make balls out from the dough and flatten them using a rolling pin. Put that on to the hot pan and cook several minutes turnning ,until golden brown . Serve with a curry or a dip.

Chinese style Spicy Salted chicken Ingredients: 500g of chicken pieces  6 cloves of garlic finely chopped  1/2 tsp of bottled ginger or freshly grated ginger 1 tbsp of chilly flakes 1 tsp of pepper 1/2 cup of chopped spring onion 3 tbsp of dark soy souce 40- 60 mls of rice wine vinegar (substitutes: sherry vinegar or white wine) Salt to taste for the marinade 1 kg of sea salt Method For the chicken marinade add the garlic, pepper, chilly, ginger, spring oinions and salt to the chicken. The salt can be varied in taste, since the soy sauce already contains salt. Then add the dark soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Mix this thoroughly  and leave it in the fridge to marinade for about an hour. After the chicken has been fully rested, wrap each piece in foil. Add 1/2 of the kg of salt to the bottom of a rice cooker or slow cooker pan, place the wrapped chicken in the pan, then add the rest of the salt to the top of the foiled chicken. making sure the top ...

White Sandwich Loaf with Over night Starter Ingredients For the Starter 100g Flour 1/4 Tsp Yeast 60Ml water (Warm) For the Main Dough 550 g Bread Flour 30 g Sugar 1 Egg 1 Tsp Salt 10 g Yeast 250 ml Warm Water 75 g Butter or Margarine The over night Starter Method Make the over night starter using the first 3 ingredients and leave in room temperature about 30 min and then Put it in fridge and leave 24 -48 hours. (Or even at least overnight) The next day add the flour in to a mixing bowl and add yeast sugar, butter, overnight starter, egg and the salt and start kneading adding the water little by little about 10 min. After , grease a bowl and put the dough in to that and leave in a warm place until double in size. Take out when it is double in size and then cut that in to four equal parts. (It will be a bit sticky. so flour hands and dough as well as the bench top) Take one part out and roll to a rectangle. Then fold that to three. Next roll again. ...

This can be done days ahead to use on busy working days or lunch boxes. This is a good meal that you can freeze with out cooking to take out on busy days. Leek, Spinach & Sausage Pan Pies Ingredients 400g Plain flour Salt & pepper 320 ml Boiling water Sausages ( I am Using Chorizo) 1 Packet frozen spinach (Squeeze the excess water) 1 leek Method Mix first 3 ingredients and knead well & leave to rest 30 min. Mean while cook sausage, spinach and leeks adding any kind of spices to your taste. Leave it to cool down. Roll the rested dough in to a log and cut equal size portions. Then roll it to a circle. Put a spoonful of the  filling in the middle.  Seal edges and press. (Watch Video) Then use a rolling pin to roll them well. (Make sure to be gentle when rolling .) Pan fry  with the lid on turnning after 2 min until golden brown on both sides.

If you like to do your own swiss roll this is the link for that.... (Please copy & paste it on your web browser.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9ldYSxfxP4&list=UUU9yzHuVMjJa7yBXPnlTHIA Charlotte Royale (Quick & Easy Desserts) Ingredients Vanilla Ice cream (Depends on the size of the bowl you are using) Chocolate Swiss roll/Jam roll/Jelly roll Sweet or dry sherry/ Any kind of an alcohol/ apple or orange juice Method Lay a plastic wrapping around  a bowl as shown in the video. Next pack swiss roll nicely around the bottom of the bowl. Put ice cream to top up the bowl. Cover and freeze several hours or over night. When take out leave a minute or two out and before releasing.

Here I tried to do the dough the day before and bake it inthe morning to have hot bread. That really works and hope you all will enjoy hot bread in the morning. Home made Sandwich Bread from Scratch. Ingredients 6 Cups Bread Flour 2 Tblsp Margarine 1/2 Cup Milk Powder 2 Tsp Instant Dry Yeast 2 Tsp Salt 2 Cups of warm water 2 Tblsp Honey/ Sugar Method Add the flour, yeast and milk powder, honey, margarine, & salt . Add warm water little by little to make a soft dough about 10 min. Grease a bowl and leave it to prove. After take the dough and cut in to two equal parts. Flatten and remove air and make a rectangle and roll to a log.  Put the log in  to a greased loaf pan.  Leave to prove until the dough reaches the 90% full and then bake it on 180-200 about 45 min.

Chicken Pot Roast (One pot meals) Ingredients 1 Whole Chicken Several potatoes and carrots Leeks Onions Garlic Rosemary Thyme Mustard Oil Method Rub the chicken with mustard, salt and pepper. Insert 1/2 of the herbs in to the cavity. Add a bit of oil in to a pan. Fry leeks onion and garlic. Put the chicken on the leek and onion putting wing down and breast up. Add the carrots and potaoes. Slow cook or cook in the pot or bake in an oven. Oven temp will be around 200 about 11/2 hours . Serve with the juices remaining in the pot.

Home made Bagels from Scratch Ingredients: 375g flour or Baker's flour 5g instant yeast 210ml water 20g sugar 10g butter Salt to taste For sugar syrup: 100g sugar  1/12 liter of water Method:  Add the flour, yeast and butter into the mixing bowl. Mix this on a low speed  for bout  minute and add the 20g of sugar. While it's being mixed add the salt, then gradually add the water. Mix it on a low speed for 10-15 minutes, until it becomes a smooth dough. Once the dough is doubled in size, flour the bench or mat and kneed the dough. When fully kneeded spread the dough into a roll and divide the dough into equal sized peices, approximately 80-100g in weight. Shape the peices of dough into circles or rectangles using a rolling pin, fold the long end of the dough to the center to make a narrower rectangle. Then using your hands roll in to a roll or pipe shape, press the ends down and join the ends to make a wide doughnut shape. Place the bagels on...

Sausage, Vegetable & Bread bake (Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 300g Sausages Broccoli 7 Eggs Half of a carrot Leeks Salt & pepper Onion  Garlic 8 Slices bread cut in to cubes Capsicums Celery Any kind of a cheese Oil Method Add oil in to a pan and fry onions and garlics. Next add celery and capsicums. Mix well. And season with salt & pepper. Next add sausages and carrot and cook that about 3-4 min. Add leeks and broccoli next and cook that about 1 minute Once the vegetables are ready take a tray and add half of the bread. Next add vegetables on to the bread. Add the remaining bread and pour the whisked eggs on to that.and press with a spatula. Add cheese on top. Bake on 180c about 20 - 30 min.

Piri Piri Spatchcock Chicken Ingredients 1 Whole Chicken Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley or any herb you like 11/2 Tblsp Chillie powder or sweet paprika 1 TspPepper Salt Olive oil 1 Tblsp Grlic minced 1 Tblsp Honey or sugar 2 Tblsp Red wine vinegar or any vinegar Method  Take the back bone out from the chicken. Next Put that on a tray and press down. Mix all the ingredients except the herbs. Massage the chicken with the spices. Put the hrerbs under and under the skin too. Bake 180 about 40 min to 1 hour

Home made Hamburger Buns/ Rolls  Ingredients 420g Bread Flour 50g Sugar 1 Egg 40g Butter 9 g Yeast 180ml Water Method Add flour in to a mixing bowl. Next add sugar ,egg and the yeast. Next add butter and salt . After add the warm water and knead 10 min  Put the kneaded dough in a greased bowl and leave to prove 30-40 min or until double in size. After take the dough out and cut in to equla size portions. Make ball out from that. Leave to prove again. After brush the tops with eggs and sprinkle some sesame seeds. Bake on 180 about 20-30 min.

Sri Lankan Style Salted Fish  (Jaadi) Ingredients Spanish Mackeral  Sea Salt  Goraka (Garcinia cambodia) Sterelized Bottles Method Wash the fish with salted water. Add a layer of salt in to the bottom of the bottle following a layer of goraka. Next a layer of fish. Then a layer of Salt and goraka and repeat and fill the top with salt and goraka and close the lid tight and leave in a cool dark place about a 2 months.

Always adjust the sugar in filling to your taste Dates & Condensed Milk Bread Rolls Ingredients 425g Bread Flour 120g Plain Flour 8gYeast 100gSugar 40gButter 250-270 ml Milk 11/2 eggs (Leave the egg yolk of one to brush the tops) Salt For the filling 40g Butter 250g Dates 1 Tblsp condensed milk (optonal) 40g Brown sugar (Optional) Method Add flour yeast, sugar and mix well Next add salt, eggs, and and warm milk and knead the dough about 10 min. Add butter after 5 min and continue kneading. Once the dough is ready put that to a greased bowl. and leave in a warm place. Add dates, butter 3 tablespoons water, sugar and condensed milk to a pot. boil it until there is no liquid. When the dough is double in size break that to equal size portions. Then roll to a log. Then roll it to a long piece (Watch the video) Spread the dates and roll it to a log. (Watch the video) Leave in a warm place to prove again.  Brush the tops with eggs and bake 180...

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Ingredients 1 Cauliflower 1 Cup Spring onions 1/4 cup flour (Optional) 2 Eggs Salt and pepper 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded cheese Tomato paste for pizza Method Seam and process the cauliflower Mix flour, spring onion , egg, salt parmesan cheese and pepper with the processed cauliflower. Next spread that on a baking mat or paper  and spread to make a circle. Next spread tomto paste and sprinkle cheese. Bake 180 about 30 -40 min.

Kurakkan Pittu (Ragi, Finger Millet) Ingredients 1 1/2 Cups Finger Millet flour 11/2 Cups Rice Flour 400g Coconut Salt Enough water to mix Method Mix flours. Add enough salt. Add water to make little grains out from this mix. Fill in to pittu mould and steam 5 min. When it s ready push from the end to get that out on to a plate. Serve with a curry.

Chicken & Vegetable Risotto (Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 500g Arborio rice 500g Diced Chicken thigh fillets 1/2/cup dry sherry or wine (optional) 2 Onions and 5 cloves garlic 1/2 cup fresh parsley or any other herb Cumin seeds Fennel Seeds Pepper 1/2 cup diced capsicum 1/2 cup celery 2 cups vegetable stock Salt Oil for tempering Method Add the spices in to the hot oil and fry several minutes adding onions and garlic. Next add celery, Sherry.and chicken After add capsicum,salt and cook 5 min.  Next add rice. Mix well and cover with enough stock water. Cover it and cook 40-50 min.

Soft & Buttery Coconut Scrolls Ingredients For the dough 300g Bread Flour 35g Butter 75g Sugar 5gYeast Salt 1 Egg  130ml Warm Milk For the Filling 75g butter 30ml coconut milk 75g Sugar Enough Decicated coconut to thicken the mix. 1 Egg Method Add yeast in to warm milk with sugar and leave to activate. Mix other ingredients for the dough and add activated yeast little by little to make a smooth dough. Knead 10 min. Leave to prove in a greased bowl. Meanwhile  mix Mix the the ingredients for the filling leaving the egg aside. Roll the Dough once it is double in size to a rectangle. Spread the prepared mix on the rolled dough. (Watch Video) Next roll that to a log. and cut them in to 2-3 inch size and put them on patty pans and leave to prove again. Brush the tops with eggs. After bake on 180c about 20-30 min.

Raisins or Sulthana Bread Ingredients 435g Bread Flour 240 ml Milk 1 cup raisins or Sulthana 1 Egg 20g Sugar 20g Melted Butter 13g yeast 1 Tblsp milk powder Salt Method Add yeast and sugar in to the warm milk and leave to activate. Then add flour butter, milk powder, salt and egg and mix well. Next add the activated yeast little by little in to the flour and knead 10 - 15 min until it forms a nice smooth dough. ( Always make sure adding liquids little by little) Next add the fruit. Mix and put that on to a floured bench top and then knead another 3 min and leave to prove in a greased mixing bowl. Once it is double in size put that backn to the bench top and roll to a log and and fold as instructed in the video. Bake 180 about 30-40 min .

Tuna, Leek,and Spinach Fettucine (Quick & Easy Meals) Ingredients 250g Fettucine White part of the leek 1 Large Onions 1 Tsp Garlic 1 Stock cube 250 g flaked fresh tuna Salt & Pepper Sour cream Spinach 1 Cup of water (Pasta Water) Method Boil the pasta. Heat the oil in a pan and add onion garlic. Then add tuna, leeks salt and pepper. Then add spinach. Next add sour cream and spinach. Then add pasta. Serve hot.

Chicken & Mushroom Stuffed Pizza Bread Ingredients For the Dough 400g Bread flour Salt 10g Yeast 10 g Sugar 1 Cup Water 3 Tblsp Olive oil For the Filling Chicken Leeks 1 Can Mushrooms Onion & Garlic Seasoning to your taste Method Add yeast and sugar in to the warm water and leave it to activate. Next add flour salt and olive oil in to a mixing bowl and mix. Then add the yeast mix little by little and knead 10 min. Leave to prove in a greased bowl covered witha damp cloth in a warm place. Make the filling by sauteeing chicken and veggies adding spices to your taste. If the chicken mix is runny add a bit of plain flour to thicken it. Take the doubled dough out and roll to a rectangle & put the filling. (Watch video) Roll to a log and take ends together and make a circle. Transfer to a tray and egg wash the tops. Bake on 180 c about 30 min .

Cape Malay Chicken Curry Ingredients 1kg Chicken drumsticks 2 large tomatoes 1 tblsp tomato paste 1 tsp garam masala 1 Tblsp Garlic 1 Tblsp Ginger 1/2 of a lime 1 Onion Green Chillies Pepper Chillie Powder Tumeric Powder 1 Tsp Cummin Seeds 1 inch cinnamon Cardamon Cloves Fennel seeds Corriander seeds Sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes Water to cover the chicken Oil for frying the spices Method Crush or grind cinnamon,cummin,corriander,fennel, cardamon and cloves. Add oil in to a pan and fry the crushed spices. Add ginger,garlic,onion,tomatoes, chillies and fry several min. Next add spice powders and mix well. Add chicken and mix with spices. Add enough water and cook 1 hour on simmer. Add lime juice. Serve hot with rice, bread or flat bread.

Sweet Potato & Vegetable Roti (Flat Bread) Ingredients A Large Sweet Potato Finely grated 1/2 cup frshly grated coconut (optional) 1 Onion finely chopped Chillie flakes or fresh chillies Spring onions or chopped leeks pepper Salt Plain or wholemeal flour Method Grate the sweet potatoes and mix all the ingredients with it. When you add flour add little by little. Make rotis. Cook them on low heat until golden brown on both sides. Stack the covering with a tea towel or in a tortilla container. Enjoy as it is or with a spicy curry.

How to make Butter Croissants Recipe Ingredients 250g Bread flour 20g Butter 13 g 140 ml Warm water 20 g Sugar 160g Butter Pinch of Salt Method Add yeast and sugar in to the warm water and leave to activate. Add flour , Salt and 20g butter in to the mixing bowl.Mix well. Add yeast little by little to make a soft dough. If you find the dough is dry add abit more water. Knead at least 10 min. Roll the dough to a rectangle and put the butter in the middle as instructed in the video. Then cover the butter bringing all ends to the middle. Flour the bench and put that upside down and roll to a rectangle. Fold the dough to three and do the same procedure two more times leaving the dough in the fridge for 30-1hour. After roll to a rectangle and cut into triangles as instructed in the video. Roll the croissonts from long edge to the small end. Leave on baking trays to prove. After brush the tops with egg yolk and bake 180c about 20-30 min until they are golden bro...

If you cant find evaporated milk boil 21/2 cups milk until it reduces to 1 cup. Chocolate & Marshmallow Fudge Ingredients 300g Brown Sugar 300g Milk Chocolate 75g dark chocolate 50-175 g Marshmallows 120ml Evaporated Milk 70gButter Method Melt all the sugar butter and marshmallows in a pot. Next add chocolate. Melt. about 5 min. Pour that to a greased tray. Cool several hours. Cut them and store in air tight containers.

If you like to freeze wrap them and freeze them. If like more sweetness add more sugar. Condensed milk bread (Very soft & Milky) Ingredients 200ml Warm Milk 50g Condensed  Milk 400g Bread Flour 30g Butter 1/2 Egg Salt 15g yeast 35 g Sugar 1/2 the Egg for brushing the tops Method Add the flour, butter and salt in to a mixing bowl and mix well. Add sugar and yeast to the warm milk and leave to activate. Add egg and condensed milk  and mix that with the flour. Add yeast little by little while kneading and mix well. Knead about 15 min. Put that to a greased bowl and leave it in a warm place to prove. After cut the dough to equal size portions. Then Make balls (Watch Video) and leave it to prove again . After brush the tops with the remaining eggs and bake 180c about 20-30 min.

Prawn & Spring Onion Wonton Wrappers (Party Food) Ingredients A packet of wonton wrappers Oil for frying 300 g cooked prawns 1 egg Onion Chillie flakes Garlic Spring onions Pepper Egg or water to brush Method Process the prawns in a food processor Add onion garlic in to a table spoon oil and fry it. Then add prawns and spring onions. When cool mix the egg . Leave a wrapper on the bench. Add 1/2 tsp mix on to that. Then seal the edges and fry until golden brown. Serve with salsa or tomato sauce.

These buns are really soft and milky. Really good for kids lunch boxes. You can make any other filling to your liking. Can freeze them too. If you want to make a batch to freeze reduce the amount of potatoe or use a meat filling. If you dont like using milk always use water instead. Soft & Milky Tuna & Potato Bread Rolls Ingredients For the Dough 725g Bread flour 15g Yeast 60g Butter 25g Sugar 25g Milk powder 350 ml milk or water Salt For the roux 250ml water 45 g Bread flour Method. Prepare the water roux. Mix flour in to the water and cook on the stove until it becomes a smooth paste. Add yeast and sugar in to the warm milk. Leave to activate. Next add the flour , butter and salt in to the flour and mix well. Next add the yeast mix little by little while kneading. Knead the dough 10 -15 min. Grease a bowl and transfer the dough and leave in a warm place until it is double in size. Next prepare the filling. Add oil in to a pan and add...