Hey guys!
I’ve been getting into cooking lately, and was wondering if anyone had unique dishes to try?
P.S. I hope @christianhenson plans on sharing a new dish this holiday season!!
Get this cookbook. It’s from a restaurant with loooooong history…they had a location where I was raised (Sarasota FL) but apparently was destroyed during the recent hurricane season, and might not ever open again… Anyway…
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Awesome Sweet & Sour Sauce!
About 27 years ago I got a Chinese cookbook (long since out-of-print) that had a sweet and sour sauce recipe that everyone just loves when I make it. I have been asked for the recipe a few times.
It’s very hard to beat, no Chinese takeaway or restaurant I’ve tried has fully matched it yet.
Have a go! (goes great with battered chicken / prawn / pork balls)
It’s lovely and rich, so you don’t need to use loads when you eat, I’ve tweaked it over the years but only in very minor amounts. I also made the instructions more detailed and with tips 
Sweet and Sour Sauce
2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch / Cornflour.
1/2 cup (64 grams) Light Brown Sugar.
Pinch of salt.
1 Teaspoon Light Soy Sauce (optional).
1/2 cup (120 ml) Cider vinegar or Rice vinegar.
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped finely.
1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger, finely chopped
(Or half a Teaspoon if you are using powdered ginger).
6 Tablespoons of Tomato Ketchup (depending on how you heap your spoon you may want to use more, up to 8).
1 Tablespoon of Tomato Puree.
All The juice from one 260g (approx.) Can of Pineapple Rings / Chunks (use the Juice only, and definitely don’t get the “in syrup” version!)
- Combine cornflour with tomato ketchup and puree so that it mixes fully and doesn’t make lumps when cooking.
- Add small amounts of the Vinegar at a time and mix (also to avoid lumps)
- Add everything else.
- The colour will be a pale red / pink and not very enticing, this will change so don’t worry.
- Heat on hob on moderate to high heat and constantly stir it.
- When you see a few bubbles, turn heat to medium or low and keep stirring.
- The colour will change to a deep and rich Red and start to look silky and semi-translucent.
- It’s now ready for testing. Take it off the heat and stir a bit more.
- Test by letting some cool on a Teaspoon and then taste it (be very careful, treat it like hot Jam!)
- The final taste should be rich and strong and it should taste a tad too strong on its own.
- If it’s genuinely too sweet then add a tad more vinegar and / or tomato)
- Or if too sour, then add a little more sugar.
- If you need to add ingredients then heat the sauce up again and stir, until combined. (Just for a minute max).
- Enjoy!
TIPS:
The sauce is supposed to be quite thick, but not like porridge! So if this happens then there was probably too much cornflour. Just add dashes of cold water to the mix at the end of cooking and stir.
Use real garlic, not powder.
The cider or rice vinegars are best, other types don’t do the trick.
You could use actual pineapple juice, but it’s stronger, so use it very sparingly, and honestly the lighter flavoured, partial juice from a Can works best for this recipe.
Orange juice is not recommended.
Granulated brown sugar also works OK as an alternative.
The sauce will keep in fridge or freezer and will reheat, add a dash or two of water whilst reheating.
This recipe will do enough for about four people at a time.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I have! 
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i got a quick and easy one for you, this is one of my LAZY emergency meals but it’s genius.
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first you need to make some pasta, whatever you prefer.
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next frying up about half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic in a pot
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then you grab a can of campbells cream of mushrooms and pour that in the pot
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the can says to add a certain amount of liquid and to use milk to make it creamier, use half of what the can says but use chicken broth.
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once the soup is melted into a creamy sauce looking thing, add in your pasta and mix it well. (you can use some of the pasta water to dilute it if it looks too thick for your taste)
that’s it… you’re done.
i like to make this and make some chicken to pair it with it’s great and it’s a super life saver mainly because you can also get the chicken broth in a can (also campbells, they put them all together) and its SUPER easy, at this point i go a bit further and season the thing add a couple more ingredients and what not but the core concept is this and you dont even have to add salt or anything.
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Thank you all for these! I hope to see more. I’m a teacher and have been let out for winter break, so now it’s time to try some of these out!!
Broccoli soup.
Chop up broccoli add it to chicken/ veggie stock. Add some cream.
add a strong tasting cheese like danish blue. whiz in processor or get a handheld whiz or just chop the broccoli fine.
Substitute broccoli for any vegetable .
Cabbage
If you hate boiled cabbage, add peanut butter while it’s still hot. add chilli if you like satay.
Substitute cabbage for any vegetable .
Cauliflower
slice into chunks add oil and paprika in a bowl roast for 25 mins at 180c
Bean dip
rinse off a can of butter beans
optional: add a little miso
optional: add a little onion or shallots or garlic
whiz up in food processor and you have a pretty cool dip.
substitute butter beans for chic peas, black beans… any bean.
Creamy mushrooms
Fry mushrooms with garlic and maybe butter
add cream and tarragon
simmer till to desired thickness.
Substitute mushrooms with brussel sprouts/ zucchini
Pasta
Take the creamy mushroom recipe
And add pasta and a little parmesan cheese
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I love trying new stuff from time to time and recently found this Nigerian Meat-Pies recipe online. They were really tasty. I’ll copy it over here for anyone who wants to try.
My tip is preparing some nice chutney and a yogurt based dip of your liking to go along with it. And if you don’t want to make the dough, pre-made puff pastry dough works pretty well too.
-Ingredients-
For the filling
- 1 pound ground beef (16 ounces or about 454g)
- 4 peeled and diced potatoes
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 3 medium sized carrot diced
- 1 poblano/green pepper diced
- 1 habanero pepper diced (optional) depends on if you want more spice
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp chicken or beef bullion
- 1/2 tsp curry
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp unflavored oil
For the dough
- 3 cups flour
- 1 stick 1/2 cup cubed cold butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup icy cold water
- 1/4 cup milk to glaze the pies.
-Instructions-
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In a hot skillet on medium heat, pour in oil, and saute onions until translucent.
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Add chopped vegetables: potatoes, carrots, and peppers, and saute for about 5 minutes.
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Toss in seasoning: red pepper flakes, thyme, curry and bullion
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Turn up the heat up to high, and add ground meat, stir continuously until the meat is fully cooked (approximately 10 minutes)
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Once the meat is cooked, set the filling aside and allow to cool completely before assembling the pies.
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Whisk together flour salt and baking powder.
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Rub the butter into the flour, with your finger tips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining.
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Add cold water 1 table spoon at a time and mix with a spatula until pastry is combined and rest in the fridge.
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Preheat oven to 375F
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Once filling is completely cooled roll out pastry on a clean floured surface to about 1/4th of an inch thickness.
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Cut out 6 inch circles with a pastry cutter, and place about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling close to one edge of the pastry circle.
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Cover and seal pie. edges with a fork.
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Using a pastry brush, brush hand pies with milk and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
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Allow pies to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
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Here is a simple recipe used on the Fast 800 diet on a fasting day! It’s delicious!
Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower with Dhal
414 cals
Serves 4
Satisfyingly filling and delivering a rich burst of flavour. Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients - they are all likely to be in your store cupboard.
It’s such an easy dish to prepare too.
For the cauliflower:
1 large cauliflower, sliced into 1cm thick ‘steaks’
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
For the dhal:
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
½-1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp medium curry powder
250g red lentils
400ml tin light coconut milk
400ml vegetable stock
generous handful of spinach leaves
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
juice of ½ lemon
2 tosp flaked almonds, toasted
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan Place the cauliflower steaks and any remaining florets in a large roasting tin and sprinkle the olive oil over them.
2. Roast them for 15 minutes, then remove them from the oven and scatter over the turmeric and garlic. Return them to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, or until they start to brown.
3. Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a lidded saucepan and gently fry the onion and chilli for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the cumin, garlic and curry powder and cook for a further 1-2 minutes before stirring in the lentils, followed by the coconut milk and stock. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
5. Add the spinach and once it has wilted, stir in the coriander (if using) and some seasoning.
6. Squeeze the lemon over the cauliflower. Serve it topped with the dhal and the toasted flaked almonds.
TIP: make double the quantity of dhal and freeze the extra portions.
NON-FAST DAY: serve it with some Raita (see page 244) and a portion of Vegan Rogan Josh (see page 230).
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This is an easy and goodie pasta sauce. 
Pasta with Tomato and Chicken Sauce (4 servings) 
Ingredients:
400 g chicken breast (approx. 440 calories) 
1 can crushed tomatoes (400 g, approx. 100 calories)
1 onion (approx. 100 g, 40 calories) 
1 tsp olive oil (approx. 40 calories) 
100 gr pasta/serving
Spices: salt, pepper, erös pista (Hungarian spice paste), soy sauce 
Total: Approx. 1,320 calories for the whole batch → ~330 calories per serving.
With 100 gr pasta and variation (extra sauce/pasta/parmesan), rounded up to 500 calories per serving.
Instructions: 
Prep the Chicken: Cut the chicken into small pieces. 
Season with salt and pepper.
Chop the Onion: Finely chop the onion.
Cook the Base:
Heat the olive oil (or butter) in a large frying pan. 
Sauté the onion, then add the chicken. Fry until the chicken is fully cooked (about 8–10 minutes). 
Add Flavor:
Stir in 3–4 tbsp soy sauce and 2–3 tsp erös pista (or equivalent hot and spicy if you want). 
Pour in the crushed tomatoes. Mix well.
Simmer:
Let the sauce reduce slightly. 
Yield & Serving:
1 portion = 180 g sauce per serving. 
Pair with 100 g pasta per portion.
Storage: Once cooled, store the sauce in the fridge. 
Final Touches:
Place the sauce in a bowl.
Cook the pasta, reserving a bit of pasta water to mix into the sauce for a sticky texture. 
Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to combine. 
Enjoy! Perfect for lunch or dinner! 
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Hey everyone! Over this summer, I have been getting to work as a barista in a craft coffee store. For coffee nerds, I actually live near Onyx Coffee’s headquarters and main roasters.
I came up with a coffee recipe for those who want to try it (and also as a thank you for the cooking ideas I have gotten).
Salted Honey Latte:
You can sub in any milks or sweeteners you want to use, but here’s how I do it:
1:1 ratio of local honey and hot water to create the syrup. For a 16 oz drink, I use about 30g of the honey syrup.
Add the salt into the drink and salt to taste. I would recommend not salting the mixture as I have learned from a rather wasteful accident.
For the latte, I have been having it cold since the average temp here is 37-38c, but it is great hot all the same.
I blend in the salt and honey to the shot of espresso, then add my milk of choice. It has been super good, and for those who have a sweet tooth, add in 30g of vanilla. Cinnamon is also a great option for this drink as well.
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Well, not really a chef, but I do one thing fairly that I’ve discovered few others do: make/use a mild sourdough bread starter started and fed only from organic barley. When fresh, it smells more like apples, lasts in the fridge for weeks between feedings, and comes back to full strength (usually) with a single feeding. It has no trouble raising both regular and ancient wheats as well as barley and rye. I should mention that I only use homeground flour when I bake now, so storebought will act a little differently.
Ingredients:
organic barley (usually “naked” barley from the Pacific Northwest)
distilled or spring water (usually distilled)
jar appropriate for growing/maintaining starter (I use the Weck Canning Jars 743 - 3/4 Liter Tall Jars with the seal removed)
Something to grind the barley fine enough to make flour (I prefer stone grinding, it keeps the flour from getting hot and losing freshness).
Grind barley fine enough to pass through a #50 mesh sieve. I actually run what doesn’t pass through my mill a second time (I then keep the mostly bran leftovers for bran quickbreads).
When starting a new starter, there are a lot of vids on youtube that mostly apply, except that barley starter is MUCH thicker than what most of them have with their typical wheat formulas. The starter I use now is from a year and a half old start and lives quite happily in the 'fridge most of the time.
When starting a new starter (with one exception, the very first jar), I go with 50/50/50: 50 grams each of starter from the previous jar, fresh distilled water, and freshly ground barley flour. The very first jar gets 75grams of both flour and water. Try to keep immature starter in the 70 to 78 degree Fahrenheit range until mature. Be especially cautious of letting it get too cold, under 68f sometimes seems to kill the start. Over about 85f isn’t good for it generally, but it isn’t as bad as too cold.
In my experience, it is best to add the water to the starter and mix it until most of the starter is disolved. Then the flour mixes in evenly. Mix all into a paste. This is where the process differs GREATLY from regular wheat; regular wheat is almost soupy by comparison to a barley starter, especially after it gets going.
In the first two to three weeks (depending on how warm the starter stays during the day and overnight), the starter needs to be “fed” on that 50/50/50 schedule about twice a day. When it smells like apples and doubles in 6-10 hours (temp dependant), it is ready to raise sourdough loaves.
After it reaches this level of maturity, my feeding regimen reduces to 25/50/50 and it goes in the fridge until I need to raise a loaf. I generally take it out the night before and feed it (usually 25/50/50, but more water/flour if I need more starter for whatever I’ll be making), often about bedtime if I plan to make bread in the morning. If the recipe calls for a levain (kind of a very large amount of starter) and needs the gluten of a more typical wheat, I use discard (any starter you remove in order to feed what you are keeping is called “discard”) to start a second jar so my normal starter isn’t contaminated with any wheat or rye.
I tend to make sure to pull discard and feed the starter at least every two to three weeks if I have not otherwise made bread (it happens). After the starter has made it through the first maturing, any discard will work with the myriad discard recipies for regular wheat you find online (I like it in pancakes).
Well, I’m not sure this really qualifies for a “chef” thread, but hope someone else can use it to make sourdough that works with meals like the venerable PBJ we consume so often here.
I welcome any questions.