Hello my lovelies, Lady Cantingham here!
If me and Fubsy could share a mistress—since Slaus won’t send us Wanna—it would be food. But in order to save money and still stuff our gobs (did you see the UK slang I slipped in there?) with yummy food, we had make more of an effort, though we both love to cook, in the kitchen.
So when I moved to the UK last December and we started trading our favourite recipes, the Lord of Aintshytshire suggested a goal; to not repeat a dinner recipe for a year. A year, y’all! But, being the food slore that I am, I agreed. Even though sometimes we wish we couldn’t be bothered, our cooking skills and food repertoire have benefited exponentially from this adventure; plus we’ve had a LOT of fun! So much so that we’ve shared our results in the FB food group that we’re a part of; which inspired Beth—also a member—to ask us to compose a monthly post here and feature a recipe along with photos and any tips or suggestions. Now we’re not professionals by any means, far from it; but we’d like to think that we know our way around the kitchen at this point and that it would be fun to share our adventures with all of you. So let’s get started…get into the kitchen! *snaps whip*
[Lord Numbles edit: rrrraaawwr, Lady Lady LADY……]
This month’s discussion centers on modification. One thing I learned early on in cooking is to not be afraid to switch up a recipe. If you’re not totally comfortable in the kitchen , then I encourage you to follow the exact recipe the first time. But unless the results are absolute perfection or just hella nasty, have the courage to switch up a few things during the next round. Most of it is just common sense anyway!
Recipe: Chicken & Cashew Curry With Coconut Lime Noodles Source
Once you fill your pantry with the necessary basic spices—and I know every last one of y’all have an Indian market nearby, so I don’t want to hear any excuses about how you couldn’t find ish—simple Indian cooking is a breeze.
Ingredients:
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts , cut into chunks
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion , halved and sliced
6cm (2 inch) chunk ginger, peeled and grated
1 garlic clove , crushed
1 tbsp garam masala (you can get a jar of mixed, or make your own if you have the spices)
100g (1/3 cup, heaped) cashews , toasted and roughly chopped
1 x 400ml (14 oz) can coconut milk
200g (7 oz) rice noodles
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm or golden caster(superfine) sugar
2 limes , 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedges
Directions:
1. Brown the chicken in a pan with a little oil then remove. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until soft. Add the garam masala and cashews and cook for 2 more minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and add 1/2 the coconut milk and 2 tbsp of water. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles following pack instructions (put them in a bowl with 500ml/2 cups of just boiled water and let them sit for 15 minutes), then drain and rinse under cold water. In a small pan heat the remaining coconut milk, the fish sauce, sugar, zest and lime juice. Stir until the sugar has melted. Add the noodles and heat through.
Serve the curry cashew chicken with the noodles and wedges of lime to squeeze over.
Modifications/Suggestions:
We scarfed this meal down, and it’s one that we’ll probably repeat once the year is up, but I did take some notes because there were definitely a few things we’d like to tweak. Firstly, the chicken turned out a bit too tough; next time we’d let the sauce cook on its own for the first five minutes, then add the chicken back to the pan for the last five minutes. This wouldn’t have been an issue with darker meat, but since breast meat is much less fatty it doesn’t need to cook as long. Second, the rice noodles stuck together as they sat in the water, so I’d switch to a larger bowl and stir the noodles every few minutes. If that doesn’t work next time I may just put them in simmering water until they’re al dente. Third, whenever you’re cooking with something like fish sauce, or even canned stock, don’t season your food until after all the ingredients are added. Remember, ingredients like those already contain salt so you may not need as much as you might figure. Lastly, since Fubsy loves a bit of heat—in his food, you dirty minded scoundrels—so we’ll be adding some chilies. And don’t forget to season to your taste too. A popular cliché many chefs use is to taste as you go – and this is a good one to go by, especially when it comes to making decisions about whether or not to add more seasoning.
Again, we’re not experts so we don’t want to just sit here and dictate to y’all. Make the recipe, come back here, and let us know what you think. Did you make it with slightly different modifications, or just like us – we want to know, hookers! Or, do you have other suggestions? Let us know – and we’ll just bytch about you behind your back and ignore everything you say.
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Bruv!!!! Sis!!!!!! I love it!!!!
Thanks!
Ta, bruvLo!
What is this fb foodie group of which you speak and how do I join?
Hit me up on FB!
What's your fb moniker?
Sherri Numbles!
sent you a fr on fb…..Shea Benson-Kirk—
And why did Slaus draw a smiley face across your ladypuffs?
Cause he ignant.
Because everything that comes into contact with those natural wonders ends up grinning…..
I did not intentionally draw a smiley face on her boobs!
but… boobs do make a mufugga happy tho right? shuddup then
'I did not intentionally draw a smiley face on her boobs!'''<img src="http://gifsoup.com/imager.php?id=1093529&t=o" border="0"/>GIFSoup
*won't talk about how my boobs really stretch my baby tees just like that*
^^^ See!?! ::Cheesy grin::
You were paying waaaaay too close attention
:: Mush n poot :::
Why is Fubsy's mowf so gatdamn LARGE!?!?
cuz i can do what the fuggggg i want to!!!!
You've seen the size of m'lady's buzzooooms, right?
:: lmaaaaaoooooo ::daps ::
I hate chall.
::swats Fubsy with a rolled up newspaper::
I was given a new wok, I just may try this!
As far as the tough chicken, have you tried 'velveting' the meat? It makes a world of difference when cooking with beef or chicken breast.
What's this velveting you speak of?
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/cookingtechniques…
It makes a world of difference in the texture of the meat.
It basically seals in all of the juices.
Never tried it, but in this case it's not so much the cut of meat needing tenderizing as too long a cook time.
We'll be trying that in the future though, thanks for the tip!
Interesting method. We'll have to try that on a cut at some point – thanks!
Hmmm, we have everything but the cashews. **makes notes**
Do eet!!
**adds cashews to weekend shopping list**
I was just texting a friend yesterday about her trip to the UK and how she was sooo disappointed by the "home cooked" tomato and beans meal she received. I told her, someday when I cross the pond, I'm having my dude Fubsy do all the cooking and also told her about the not repeating a recipe for a year thing too. Needless to say, she's jealous. And thank you for including the conversions. I've wanted to try a few recipes and have been like…what the crap is a gram????
That looks utterly delicious.
The first time I had beans here at home I made them and froze the leftovers. Took them back out for the breakfast classic, beans on toast…..lawdamercy! No tinned beans in the Numbles' household!
Don't get me started on all the mouthwatering goodies YOU post, madam!
Start! I don't mind! I keep finding so many nummy azz recipes, I don't know what to do with them all! At least I've finally gotten them organized on my computer, and the ones on paper, I've put into sleeves for my own cookbook. Then I had to go and find Ohsheglows & Joy the Baker! *goes into tailspin*
Dammit lady, you's a fine chef yerself, by the look of what you post. Also, visit us in Blighty, and we'll show you some great little places to chow down……
Joy the Baker could.get.it. Do you hear me?!
I don't know this Ohsheglows, though….let me go check her out..
Aaayyye…can I be included in that FB group too? Please and thank you kindly!
When I start cooking – I wanna be like the Numbles…that food group is the debil! All that deliciousness on display…*hunger pangs*
What a wonderful goal for a new couple to have!! If I wasn't single and lazy I would totally try this!
::wonders how long can I get away with *cough*mooching*cough* visiting the Numbles::
You know you're welcome over here!!
Love the post, but where are the wine pairings?
Because this meal sounds too good for the house favorite, 2012 Capri Sun.
You've mistaken me-and I'm grateful-for being a Sommelier. And I love you for it. *lol* We'll take all suggestions, though!
You're a sommelier???? As if I needed another reason to swoon!
*renews passport*
2012 Capri Sun, though? I'm laughing too hard to send you to the corner…
You're not too far of, Hex. I would personally recommend the sweet aromatics available in Um Bongo. <img src="http://www.relish-design.com/images/CS_Umbongo2.jpg">
I mean – could you have made Fubs' mouth any bigger? That's even bigger than Jai's belly or Twink's chest…well, maybe not Twink *runs*
Psssst….I think Slaus maybe made an error, didn't have time to correct it, so just took out the ol' black marker tool on his compoota-drawy-thingy……
Hey if y'all still need a mistress though…I'm just saying. I'm here…Right here…waiting…