GZ Tai-Tai

Shake and Bake Mix

 This recipe came to me from a High School friend's Mother. We have stayed in touch over the years.I have always scoffed at mixes that you buy because of the high salt content. Hubby came from a house hold that used lots of store bought mixes. When Linda told me about this recipe I thought it would be worth a try. Hubby loves it, he says it is much better than the store bought.

 You can follow the cooking instructions below, or do as I do, instead of using butter, I spray the pan with Pam or olive oil. Instead of basting with the butter I give a spray or two of the Pam or olive oil over top of the meat before placing in the oven.

I have even used it on fish and reduced to time in the oven to about 20-25 minutes at the 400F temperature.

I can get several uses out of this amount of mix. I just put what I need in a bag for each particlar meal.

 

Shake and Bake Mix

4 cups flour
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup bran flake cereal (crushed) Grape Nuts are great too.
2 Tbsp. parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 Tsp. ground pepper
1 Tsp. curry powder
1 Tsp. basil
1 Tsp. oregano

Mix together well. Store in an air tight container until ready to use.

 

When ready to use:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Put the amount of mix needed, for the meat you are cooking in a plastic bag. Place meat in bag and shake to coat. 

 

Chicken:

Shake 1 disjointed chicken in above mix.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a shallow 9 x 12 baking pan. Place chicken skinside down and baste top with melted butter from the pan. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Turn skin side up, reduce to heat to 350 degrees and bake until tender, about 30 - 35 minutes.

 

Pork Chops:

Use the amount needed to cover moistened pork chops and
shake them in a plastic bag. Do the same with the chicken if using pieces.

 

 

Wok Fried Squid Rings with Chili

This recipe was taught to me at a Thai cooking class but made with clams. One day I was looking to make the Wok fried Clams and did not have the clams, so I decided to try it with Squid, the results were fabulous. In fact I like it so much better with the Squid that this has become a dish that will continue to be made frequently in our home. The ladies loved this recipe served with brown rice and is equally good with Thai and Basmati rice.

 

Wok Fried Squid Rings with Chili

 

500gm squid rings

2 Tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ onion sliced

2 bird chilies, chopped

1 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp chili paste

A few drops Sesame oil

1 cup chicken stock or water

3 kefir lime leaves

Fresh basil leaves

1 Tbsp Carnation evaporated milk or regular milk

 

Heat oil in the wok; fry the garlic, onion, and chili. Add the Oyster and soy sauces, chili paste, sesame oil, and chicken stock, cook for 3 minutes. Add squid basil and lime leaves, mix well. Cook for a few minutes. Just before serving pour in milk.

 

 

 

 

White Bean and Tuna Salad

Many recipes I have seen call for Tuna in oil. I control the amount of oil by using tuna packed in water and adding my own oil in the recipe.  This can be a meal in itself just by adding some salad greens or you can stuff a hollowed out tomato with this salad as another meal idea.

White Bean and Tuna Salad

2 6oz. cans tuna packed in water, drained

2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil

1/2  tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 15 oz cans cannellini beans, drain and rinse the starch off beans

1  medium red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

In a large bowl  break up the tuna, add the salt and pepper, beans, onions, olive oil and vinegar. Toss gently to mix ingredients. Just before serving taste, add a little more oil, vinegar and salt and pepper, if needed.

 

Panaeng Goong /Prawns with Dry Red Curry

 

 

Panaeng Goong /Prawns with Dry Red Curry

The Prawns

200 gm peeled prawns

Corn flour

Dip the prawns in corn flour and deep fry for one minute or until golden brown.

The Sauce

1-2 Tbsp red curry paste to your taste, I use 2 Tbsp

1 Tbsp oil

1 cup coconut milk

½ Tbsp Palm sugar

1 Tbsp fish sauce

10 Basil leaves

1 red chili,sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves

Heat oil in wok, fry curry paste for one minute, then pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add palm sugar, and fish sauce, cook for minute. Add the basil, lime leaves and chili.

Arrange cooked prawns on serving tray, pour curry sauce over prawns.

To garnish drizzle with a little coconut milk and you can also garnish with more red chili and basil.

 

 

 

Hoy Lai Phad Prik Phao/Wok Fried Clams with Chilli

Hoy Lai Phad Prik Phao/Wok Fried Clams with Chilli

200 gm clams in shells, washed

2 Tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ onion sliced

2 bird chillies, chopped

1 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp chilli paste or red curry paste

A few drops sesame oil

1 cup chicken stock or water

3 kaffir lime leaves

fresh basil leaves

1 Tbsp evaporated milk

 

Heat oil in the wok, fry the garlic, onion, and chilli. Add the oyster and soy sauces, chilli paste, sesame oil, and chicken stock, cook for 3 minutes. Add clams basil and lime leaves, mix well and cover so shells will open. Cook for a few minutes. Just before serving pour in carnation evaporated milk and mix. Put on serving platter and garnish with more basil.

 

Pla Sam Rod/Garoupa with Tamarind Sauce

I generally am not a fan of fish. I love Salmon, halibut, sturgeon and I like Tilapia too. My problem with fish is fighting the bones probably bad memories of eating tiny trout and other lake fish when I was a kid and it just tasted like mud to me for some reason. I do keep an open mind and try different fish when we are on holiday. This recipe was amazing and may have even made me a lover of fish.

Photo taken by hubby during the Thai class Expat son and I took in Thailand. 

Pla Sam Rod/Garoupa with Tamarind Sauce

180 gram garoupa fillets

2 Tbsp corn flour

1 cup chicken stock

salt and pepper

oil for deep frying

Clean fish fillets and pat dry. Mix corn flour with stock and season with salt and pepper. Coat fish fillets with batter and deep fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Sauce

2 Tbsp oil

50 gm red chilli

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

25 gm tamarind paste

1 Tbsp chilli paste or red curry paste

1 tbsp sugar

½ Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp water

coriander leaves to garnish

Heat oil in wok, add chilli, garlic and celery fry. Then add the remaining ingredients in order to the wok mix well. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened. If further thickening is needed add 1 tsp Corn flour and some water to make slurry add this and let come to boil for a minute while stirring. Pour sauce over fish fillets and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tanzanian Nile Perch with Saffron Rice

This is a great light meal.  The Tanzanian Nile Perch is a large fish that I purchase in the local fish market here in GZ.  It comes in a box, frozen.  The fillets are quite large, as it filled the bottom of a 10 x 15 baking dish and was approximately 1.5 inches thick at the center.  I just pop this into the oven with some seasoning and lemon wedges

The Saffron Rice recipe comes from Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course.