Russ's Restaurant and Recipe Repository

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Hallowe’en Pumpkin Pecan Fudge

Ingredients:
500g (3½ cups) white chocolate chips
410g (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
60ml pumpkin purée (or more, to taste, to a maximum of 80ml)
1 ½ tsp. pumpkin spice, plus more for dusting (optional)
75g (½ cup) Chopped pecan nuts (or use chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts)
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch Iodized or Kosher salt

Method:
Grease an 8x8 square cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and line with baking parchment. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate and condensed milk.

Microwave the mixture on medium power for maybe a minute at a time or less, stirring well each time until completely smooth, with no lumps or clumps of chocolate chips. Don’t be tempted to hurry it along by changing up the power setting, it will solidify, scorch and become unrecoverable; be patient.

Fold in the pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth, and stir in the nuts, making sure to distribute them as evenly as possible.

Pour the fudge mix into the prepared cake pan, let it cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the fudge is firmly set; a chilled knife blade should come out clean with no tear-out or streaking. If the chilled fudge is left covered overnight in the fridge it will set even firmer, should you desire that. When you’re happy the fudge is set, dust it lightly with pumpkin spice to taste (don’t drown it, just a light dusting is sufficient), or powdered sugar, cut into even squares, and serve.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

This is a very popular commercial version.

Mmmm, Crunchie Bars, all that crisp honeycomb and milk chocolate, I love them, himself buys them for me but he doesn't eat them, he really doesn't like chocolate, poor, benighted, misguided fool, he knows not what he's missing, but that means just that much more for me, so silver-linings etc...

 

[Rustyoznail]

Mmmm, Crunchie Bars, all that crisp honeycomb and milk chocolate, I love them, himself buys them for me but he doesn't eat them, he really doesn't like chocolate, poor, benighted, misguided fool, he knows not what he's missing, but that means just that much more for me, so silver-linings etc...

Strange, strange man...

I bet he prefers the hard boiled lollies.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Strange, strange man...

I bet he prefers the hard boiled lollies.

You have no idea...

He grew up in the depths of the rural West Country, his idea of a good sweet is tradional Pineapple Rock, or Rhubarb and Custard rock, Olde English Cough Candy, Butterscotch, bullseyes, lemon sherberts, liquorice bootlaces, Everton Mints, and gobstoppers, and if he's feeling adventurous, fudge, Pontefract Cakes, Fruit Gums and Sherbert Fountains. Apparently the chocolate gene skipped a generation in his family, he'll eat liquorice (yuk) without hesitation, and avoid chocolate on principle...

 

[JamesMiehoff]

You have no idea...

It's actually not that unusual. In certain parts of the country, especially for those born before the advent of cheap AC. Chocolate candy bars were difficult to keep in the summertime.

For myself, it was during the time I went to college. Chocolate bars went from 10 cents to 65 cents or more during my freshman year. Being a perennially broke college student, that price increase was devastating. My chocolate addiction never resurfaced. I like chocolate bars on occasion, especially 100 Grand bars, but after a bag or two of the fun sized bars, I am good until next Halloween.

On the other hand, Skittles, ..... [insert image of a drooling Homer Simpson here]

James

 

[Handley_Page]

You have no idea...

He grew up in the depths of the rural West Country, his idea of a good sweet is tradional Pineapple Rock, or Rhubarb and Custard rock, Olde English Cough Candy, Butterscotch, bullseyes, lemon sherberts, liquorice bootlaces, Everton Mints, and gobstoppers, and if he's feeling adventurous, fudge, Pontefract Cakes, Fruit Gums and Sherbert Fountains. Apparently the chocolate gene skipped a generation in his family, he'll eat liquorice (yuk) without hesitation, and avoid chocolate on principle...

Pineapple Rock ??
Oh, gimme gimme please.
And the licorice used to be great !

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Pineapple Rock ??
Oh, gimme gimme please.
And the licorice used to be great !

Pontefract Cakes: Liquorice cowpats from Lucifer's demonic horde of imps and goblins; the word 'yeccchhh!' was invented specifically for them...

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Oven-barbecued baby back-ribs

Barbecued ribs you can make even if you don't have access to a barbecue.

Home-Style Oven Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

Aromatic Boil:
3 Red Onions, quartered
4 shallots, halved
Bouquet Garni made of: 1Stick of Cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, sprig of fresh Thyme, sprig of fresh Rosemary, tied tightly
½ thick-skinned orange, with 4 cloves pushed into the skin side
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tbsp cracked black peppercorns
1½ tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Chilli flakes

Barbecue Sauce:
3 medium-sized sweet dessert apples
16 oz Soft Brown sugar
1½ cups Tomato Ketchup
3 Serrano chillies, finely minced
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Black pepper
1tbsp cracked black Peppercorns
½ cup Dark Soy Sauce
¼ cup white wine or apple vinegar
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 shot Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey
1 Heaped tbsp smoked Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 piece fresh ginger, thumb-sized, peeled and finely minced
2 tsp Sea Salt

3 Racks Baby Back Ribs, with silver Back-Sinew removed.

Method:

Preparing the ribs:
Place the ribs in a pan or flat kettle large enough to fit them all in, put in the aromatic boil ingredients, cover with water, and bring to the boil, then back the heat down and let the kettle simmer for at least 45 minutes, making sure it doesn’t boil dry by adding a little hot water occasionally. At the end of this time, remove the ribs from the kettle, pat them dry with kitchen paper and let them stand to cool down.

(Reserve the boil stock if you want to, remove the half-orange and Bouquet Garni, then purée, strain through a fine sieve or muslin jelly bag, clarify with egg white if your consommé is too cloudy, and simmer the resulting consommé with gelatine over a medium heat to a reduction and pour into a shallow steel pan to set. When set, score and cube to make pork bouillon stock cubes for stews and casseroles. Wrap each cube in a piece of kitchen plastic, bag or box them up, and they’ll keep indefinitely in the freezer)

Preparing the Oven Marinade:
Put the brown sugar, whiskey, vinegar, juice, tomato ketchup and Soy sauce in a large bowl, stir them together thoroughly and add the minced ginger, Fennel seeds, minced chillies, black pepper, Cayenne Pepper, and cracked peppercorns, Paprika, and sea salt, stir well. Core and finely grate the apples, there’s no need to peel them, and stir the shredded apple into the marinade, cover with kitchen film and let stand for an hour to let the flavor intensify.

Cooking:
Preheat the oven to 345F/180C.

Place the ribs in the widest, flattest oven pan you can find, laying them flat side by side if possible, cutting the racks into pieces to fit if necessary, and spoon the marinade/sauce generously over them, making sure every rack or piece of rack is coated; turn them over and coat the back side as well, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the ribs are as sticky and glistening and crisp as you want them (if you think the ribs are drying too quickly then brush some of the marinade over and loosely cover the pan with kitchen foil to prevent burning; don’t just turn the heat down, this will roast the ribs.)

When done, pile the ribs on a serving platter, and deglaze the pan vigorously with a little water using a steel spatula over a medium heat on the stove top, stir in the remaining sauce and heat through, keeping it moving all the time with a metal whisk until it’s bubbling hot, strain through a wire sieve or a conical Chinois and serve with the ribs as a dipping sauce.

 

[Handley_Page]

Someone please tell me about "Simple" casserole ?

 

[Rustyoznail]

Someone please tell me about "Simple" casserole ?

Sure. Lamb, chicken or beef?

 

[Handley_Page]

Sure. Lamb, chicken or beef?

beef or chicken, for pref. Ta

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Classic Beef Casserole with Dumplings

Ingredients:
450g/1lb lean braising or stewing beef, cut into cubes
15ml/1tbsp oil
2 sticks celery, cut into chunks
½ small swede, peeled and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
600ml/1pint English beer (not Brown Ale or bitter) or beef stock made from an Oxo cube
1large teaspoon Redcurrant Jelly
15ml/1tbsp English mustard
30ml/2tbsp gravy granules or 3 tbsp seasoned plain white flour mixed to a runny consistency with some cold water
2 tsp sea salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3, 170°C, 325°F.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the beef cubes for 4-5 minutes until browned. Transfer meat and juices to an ovenproof casserole dish and add the carrots, swede, and parsnips. Pour over the beer or beef stock, redcurrant jelly, flour and water mix, and the English mustard. Cover and place in the preheated oven for approximately 2 hours, until the beef is tender and the gravy is rich and glossy. If the gravy is too thin and runny, stir in another heaped tablespoon of flour and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Dumplings - Optional; if not required, omit this step
175g/6oz self-raising flour
Large pinch of salt
½ tsp ground white or black pepper
75g/3oz butter, cubed
30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
45-60ml/3-4tbsp cold water

Method:
Prepare the dumplings: place the flour, salt, pepper, and butter in a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips and add the parsley. Stir in just enough water to form a smooth dough and shape into 8 evenly-sized dumplings. Cover and set aside.
20 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the casserole from the oven, add the dumplings and celery and return to the oven uncovered.

Serve with steamed Savoy Cabbage or Broccoli and boiled potatoes,

 

[Rustyoznail]

Well, the restaurant has been pottering along for nearly two years. I was thinking of compiling all the recipes up to the end of the year and publishing them as a non-erotic book. I’ll also have a PDF version that people can request an emailed copy of. Naturally, I’ll give credit to each contributor.

I’ll also add an index on my first post to help find recipes in the thread.

If you don’t want your recipe added to the compilation, please let me know.

Cheers

 

[Javahead]

Pontefract Cakes: Liquorice cowpats from Lucifer's demonic horde of imps and goblins; the word 'yeccchhh!' was invented specifically for them...

There may be a genetic component. My mother and I love black licorice, the stronger the better. M’lady is in total agreement with you. One of our daughters takes after me, the other after her mother.

The thing about *real* licorice, not the cheap stuff, is that you shouldn’t eat too much for health reasons. Drat.

 

[Omenainen]

The traditional reindeer fry

There actually is a Wikipedia page of this meal, with pictures https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sautéed_reindeer (sautéed my ass, that sounds way too fancy for our traditional meals...)(I do appreciate that the Norwegian name of the dish seems to be “finnbiff”, which translates to “Finnish beef” or at least I think it does...)

Ingredients:
Reindeer meat, preferably frozen
Butter (if no reindeer fat is available)
Water or beer
Salt
Pepper (yeah, not a multitude of spices in traditional Finnish recipes, even pepper was a novelty)

Hack the meat into tiny pieces, this is more easily done when the meat is frozen or nearly so. Fry in plentiful butter, lard or something similar, assuming reindeer fat is not at hand. Add some liquid and let simmer. Serve with mashed potatoes (with plentiful butter) and lingonberry jam or crushed lingonberries (can be substituted with cranberries if lingonberries aren’t available).

 

[Handley_Page]

Well, the restaurant has been pottering along for nearly two years. I was thinking of compiling all the recipes up to the end of the year and publishing them as a non-erotic book. I’ll also have a PDF version that people can request an emailed copy of. Naturally, I’ll give credit to each contributor.

I’ll also add an index on my first post to help find recipes in the thread.

If you don’t want your recipe added to the compilation, please let me know.

Cheers

Is there any chance that you might include a few basic recipes for the one or two serving please (especially if cooked in a microwave oven)?

 

[Rustyoznail]

Is there any chance that you might include a few basic recipes for the one or two serving please (especially if cooked in a microwave oven)?

I'll have a look and mark any I think are HP friendly.

 

[Rustyoznail]

The traditional reindeer fry

Ingredients:
Reindeer meat, preferably frozen
Butter (if no reindeer fat is available)
Water or beer
Salt
Pepper (yeah, not a multitude of spices in traditional Finnish recipes, even pepper was a novelty)

Any recipe that includes beer is a good one.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Just for you, HP xxx

Microwave Mac & Cheese for One

Ingredients:
½ cup elbow macaroni
½ cup water
3 tablespoons milk
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
fresh chive, to garnish, optional

Preparation:
Mix the macaroni, water and salt in a microwaveable mug.
Microwave for 2-3 minutes, then stir.
Add the milk, cheese, salt and pepper, then stir.
Microwave for another 30 seconds, stir and garnish with a sprinkle of chives.

Microwave Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Diced chicken breast or thigh (A good handful)
1 tbsp vegtable or sunflower oil
1 tsp butter
Half an onion
200g Chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Curry paste
Cilantro (Coriander) or chopped mint to garnish

Method:
Start by peeling and finely dicing the onion.

To a bowl add butter and melt for 10-30 seconds in the microwave.

Add in the onions and the oil and mix well. Return to the microwave for further 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the chicken and cover with cling film and pierce some holes with a fork.

Microwave on full power for 5-10 minutes until chicken is just cooked through.

Add the tomatoes, curry paste and season with salt and pepper and mix together.

Microwave for a further 3-5 minutes, again with a pierced cling film cover.

Remove and, allow to stand for a few minutes.

Sprinkle with chopped coriander or mint (if available) before serving.

Can eat alone or you can cook up some microwave rice alongside, or a store-bought Naan bread warmed in the oven..

Microwave Rice Pudding For One:

Ingredients
1 Egg
Sugar
¾ cup of milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
Salt – to taste
Cooked rice – leftovers (about 100 g)

Microwave:
Whisk together the sugar and egg till it becomes slightly fluffy.
Add the milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon and continue whisking.
Add the rice and stir well.
Put the mixture into a mug and into the microwave at full for about 4½ - 5 minutes until the pudding has set.

Remove for a couple of minutes before topping it off with raisins or plump sultanas, or a spoon of fruit cocktail, or a swirl of Strawberry or Raspberry jam

 

[Handley_Page]

Thank you, Lori.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

My favorite barbecue treat any time of year, at the height of Summer, or when we have an Eskimo Barbecue on a snowy day, or as fireside treats on Bonfire Night, along with bowls of Apple, Carrot & Summer Squash Soup and toasted ham and Gruyère croissants

Singapore Satay

Marinade:
3lbs boneless chicken breast, sliced lengthways on the slant to give thin, flat slices the length of the breast piece (You can also use lean pork, which is delicious, beef, and butterfly king prawns)
1 large piece fresh ginger (about the size of your thumb), peeled, grated and finely minced
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large tablespoon hot Madras curry powder
1 heaped teaspoon powdered Turmeric
½ level teaspoon hot chilli powder
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 large tablespoon white cane or palm sugar (not demerara or muscovado sugar)
3 large tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup sunflower oil
1 dessert spoon of peanut butter, dissolved in half a cup of hot water
Bamboo skewers, soaked overnight and kept wet

Peanut chilli oil:
1 cup groundnut oil,
1 tablespoon light brown or palm sugar,
½ teaspoon red chilli powder,
a good handful of chopped or crushed roasted peanuts.
Cook slowly over a medium heat to let the peanut, sugar and chilli infuse the oil, not fry, and let cool, preferably overnight in a sealed jar or glass container. Save for other Asian barbecue and roasted meat dishes.

Peanut Sauce:
I medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large teaspoon minced fresh ginger
Juice of half a medium lemon
¼ teaspoon hot chilli powder
1 teaspoon powdered Turmeric
1 tbsp spoon curry powder
1 cup of water
1 can coconut milk or ½ block of dessicated coconut, melted into 1 large cup of boiling water
2 large tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, either is fine, or you can use ¼ lb finely chopped shelled and skinned blanched peanuts – if you do, then lightly toast them beforehand in a dry skillet to release their oils and develop the right depth of flavour).

Method:
Mix all the marinade ingedients in a bowl, pour over the sliced meat and mix thoroughly by hand until all the meat pieces are thoroughly coated, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

Thread the meat or prawns onto the skewers, as many pieces per skewer as you like, just remember to leave enough to hold the skewers by when you are grilling them.

Peanut Sauce
Prepare the peanut sauce by frying the onion, garlic and ginger in 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil until the onion is ‘sweated’ but not yet brown, add the curry powder, turmeric, sugar and chilli powder and let them fry until the smell of the spices rises, then stir in the peanut butter and mix it thoroughly to prevent it sticking, (add a little of the water if you wish, to thin it down slightly), when you can smell the peanuts, stir in the rest of the water using a wire or balloon whisk and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

At the end of this time, stir in the lemon juice and then pour in the coconut milk, bring to the boil and then back it down to a gentle simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until the chilli rises to the surface as a red oil.

The sauce should have a sweet, peanut taste with a background taste of coconut and chilli, and should have thick, but not glutinous consistency, somewhat like barbecue dipping sauce – if it’s too thick, add some cold water and let it come back to a simmer, if it’s too thin, either stir in more peaut butter, or let it simmer for longer, but remember keep it moving and to not leave it unattended, as this sauce is very easy to burn.

If you prefer, you can use lime instead of lemon, or a 6" piece of crushed (not chopped) lemongrass, which will give a sharper, more citrus background flavour.

Broil the skewers under a high heat (or on a barbecue or hibachi), occasionally turning them around and brushing with the peanut chilli oil to prevent them drying out.

Serve on a bed of plain boiled rice with the sauce poured over, with a simple side-salad of diced cucumber, sliced onion, shredded coriander (Cilantro) and diced tomato or Bell pepper, dressed with a simple vinaigrette made of 2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, and a tablespoon of golden cane sugar or palm sugar whisked with the juice of ½ a lemon or one whole lime.

Serve as a starter or as a summer barbecue main course.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Cajun Rolled Beef & Pork Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tbsp Cajun spice
¼ tsp chilli powder or one finely minced Jalapeno chilli
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
2½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup finely chopped black olives
½ cup chopped semi-dried tomatoes
4 large sweet Poblano chillies topped, split, de-seeded, brushed with oil and lightly roasted, and chilled in olive oil overnight, then sliced into strips – these give the chilli sweetness with none of the heat

Stuffing:
1½ cups freshly-made breadcrumbs (mill the breadcrumbs from fresh white bread then spread evenly on a steel or ceramic dish and dry them in the oven for 8-10 minutes)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
1 large brown or white onion, finely chopped, but not minced
½ tsp sea salt
2 egg yolks
1 tsp Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Line a large, 1cm-deep baking tray with baking paper.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened, being careful not to char the garlic. Let it cool completely.

Mix the stuffing ingredients thoroughly by hand in a separate bowl, adding a little milk if the mix is too dry to bind.

Place the ground pork and beef, onion-garlic mixture, chilli powder, Cajun Spice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan and chopped olives in a bowl.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and mix well to combine.

Place a 12” x 20” (30cm x 50cm) piece of baking paper, kitchen film, or a fresh, clean white kitchen towel on a flat surface.

Spread the meat mixture smoothly and evenly over the paper or cloth, and press into an approximately 10 ½” x 16” (27cm x 40cm) rectangle.

Spread the stuffing mix carefully along the entire rectangle of meat, and top evenly with the sliced Poblano chilli, then dotted with the dried tomato. Starting at the top of the cloth or paper, along the short side, carefully use the cloth or baking paper as a guide to roll the meat slab up like a Jelly Roll.

Place on prepared tray, seam side down. Smooth the ends to enclose the filling. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting or brushing occasionally with the pan juices, until the meatloaf is firm to the touch and cooked through. Stand for 10 minutes. Serve the meatloaf sliced with cheesey potato skins, with mashed potato, beef gravy, and snow peas, or with dirty rice. Cover and refrigerate any remaining meatloaf.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Pretty Bloody Simple Sausage Bake

Serves 2

4 x Pork sausages (good quality ones, not the mass produced blah)
Medium (about 200g) orange sweet potato (kumara) cut into small wedges
Red onion cut into wedges
Red capsicum (Bell pepper) sliced
Yellow capsicum sliced
2 tsp Wholegrain mustard
½ tsp Smoked paprika
150g Cherry tomato
1 clove Garlic, peeled
Olive oil (spray preferred)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C (375 degrees F, Gas mark 5). Combine sausages, sweet potato, onion and capsicums in a large bowl. Add mustard and paprika and lightly spray with oil. Using your hands toss until well coated.

Arrange sausages and vegetables in a large baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and bake for a further 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are golden and cooked through. Serve.

You can swap the sweet potato for pumpkin/squash if you prefer, or swap the paprika for a teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

O-Noh Kauswè
(Burmese spicy Chicken and Coconut soup with noodles)

Ingredients (suitable for 8-10 servings)
2kg skinned and boned chicken breast, or leg quarter, skinned, bone-in
3 medium onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh root ginger peeled and finely minced (use a grater or process to a paste with the garlic, to avoid the fibrous strands running through ginger roots)
½ to 1 level dessert spoon hot red chilli powder, according to taste
2 level teaspoons powdered turmeric
4 tablespoons sunflower or peanut oil
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce or Vietnamese nam-plat
2 cups Yellow Split Lentils, boiled until they have started to break down, then processed in a food processor to produce a creamy thick stock, or 4 heaped dessert spoons of Gram flour (Chick Pea or Garbanzo bean flour), mixed to a runny paste with water to make the thickening agent for the dish
¼ thick slice blachen prawn paste if cut from a block, otherwise 1 heaped dessert spoon of the wet-paste version (Filipino ‘Bagoong’ fried prawn paste is a good substitute)
1 can coconut milk
1 - 2 liters cold water
Juice of 1 large Lemon
1 level dessertspoon Palm Sugar (use golden cane sugar if palm Sugar is not available, not Muscovado or Demerara sugar, they have the wrong taste entirely for this type of dish)

Directions:

Cube the chicken into 2 cm pieces. (If using leg quarters, cook them whole, then, when the soup is cooked, shred the meat off the bone by hand when they're cooked through and return to the soup.)
Heat the oil in a large, deep pan and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and ginger, and the slice of blachen, fry for a few minutes until the blachen has completely broken up, stir in the turmeric and chilli powder.

Add the chicken and let it fry gently, without browning, until all the pieces are no longer translucent, turning and stirring constantly to prevent sticking. When all the chicken has changed colour, pour in the fish sauce and lemon juice, and stir it well in, and then stir in the sugar.
Now gently pour in the water, 1/2 litre at a time while stirring, until the chicken is completely covered, and a reddish oil is floating on the top. Bring to the boil.

Let the Kauswè soup boil for 20-25 minutes, to ensure the chicken is completely cooked all the way through, and remove from the heat, add in the liquidised lentils or thin down the gram flour paste to a runny cream consistency and stir in, making sure there are no lumps. Return to the heat and bring back to a medium simmer, stirring all the time.

Keep simmering for another 20-30 minutes, stir in the coconut milk and return to simmer for 5 more minutes, then remove from the heat.

Garnishes:

Make chilli peanuts with a pack of roasted salted peanuts, place the peanuts in a plastic bag with 2 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil and shake to completely coat them, take them out and put into a clean bag with ½ teaspoon chilli powder, close, and shake vigorously to coat the peanuts. Spread the peanuts out evenly on a sheet of baking paper on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle evenly and lightly with golden cane sugar, or crumbled palm sugar if you can get some, and put in a hot oven for no more than 5 minutes, take out and let cool,

Fry one finely sliced medium white onion with a teaspoon of turmeric until the onions are crisp, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and let drain on kitchen paper.

Fried dried shrimp always work well, if you’re planning on using them, soak them for at least 2 hours before cooking, drain and pat dry, tip them in a plastic bag and add a ¼ teaspoon chilli powder, shake to coat them, and tip them straight into a hot wok or frying pan with just a rub of oil, toss them for a few seconds and sprinkle a few in each bowl.

Serving Suggestions:

Boil enough rice sticks or Yao Mein noodles for the number of people eating, and divide into bowls. Serve hot. Serve the hot Kauswè on top of the noodles, ensuring enough chicken pieces and soup to cover the noodles.

Garnish each bowl with:
A sprinkle of finely chopped fresh onion or shallot
A scatter of crispy fried onion
A scatter of flaked dried chillies
4 or 5 slices of boiled egg
A good scatter of roughly shredded fresh Cilantro (or substitute finely sliced fresh scallions if you can't tolerate Cilantro)
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a splash of fish sauce to taste in each bowl.
Sprinkle with fried puffed rice noodles (Make by dropping uncooked, broken-up dry rice noodles into smoking hot oil in a wok or large frying pan. They will puff up immediately, and can be liberally sprinkled over the bowl of Kauswè.)

It’s also perfectly acceptable serve the soup and noodles at table, with all the garnishes, fresh lemon, and fish sauce in individual bowls on a Lazy Susan in the center of the table and let guests garnish as much or as little as they want.

 

[SisterJezabel]

Yum! I know what I'm cooking this weekend! Thanks, Lori