Asian Recipes

Asian Recipes Blog

The Unrivaled Practical Guide for Asian Cooking

Different types of scallops

Scallops, classified by their shell size, range from 7.5 to 10 cm up to the great scallops available in the northern hemisphere, which can grow as large as 15 cm. The coral, or roe (eggs), is prized for its sweet creamy taste and striking color. Scallops can be sliced in half horizontally if large but Australia scallops are generally left whole. They need only very brief cooking. 1-2 minutes deep-fried, grilled or poached; 2-3 minutes sauteed. Heat the coral for a few seconds at the end of the cooking time.

** Asian Recipes **

16:20:21 on 09/29/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Sauces that does not use meat stock or dairy products

Sauces made with vegetable stock can be made more lively by the addition of strong flavorings such as chili, garlic, ginger, plenty of fresh herbs or a splash of wine, and thickened if you wish with pureed vegetables. The versatile vegan tomato sauce is one of the most popular sauces. It is full of flavor, easy to make and delicious whether hot or cold. Serve it with rice, polenta or any grain dish, or with stuffed, grilled, or boiled vegetables.

** Asian Recipes **

05:38:07 on 09/28/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Making sauce in advance

Most sauces can be made ahead and kept warm in a bain-marie for up to an hour. When you need the sauce, raise the heat, stir it until heated through and smooth, then simmer for a minute. Sauces can also be reheated in a microwave oven set on Medium-High; whisk the sauce every minute until well heated, thick and smooth.

Sauces can be chilled for several days, or frozen for one to two months, and then reheated. However, by the time you have thawed, reconstituted and stirred a frozen sauce back to the right texture, you could have made it from scratch. Egg-based sauces, such as custard, should not be frozen because they usually curdle after thawing.

** Asian Recipes **

03:19:55 on 09/27/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Making peanut sauce or satay sauce

The peanut sauce, also called satay sauce, is widely available but making your own is more satisfying and will taste more authentic. Most commercial brands of satay sauce leave out shrimp paste, a fundamental ingredient, because it does not have a long shelf life. Ready-made satay sauce tends to be very thick as the ground nuts absorb some of the liquid over time. You can thin it by adding a little water or coconut milk, heating the sauce until lukewarm, and then stirring to make it smooth. When making satay sauce, it is better to buy unsalted peanuts that have been shelled and roasted and then grind them yourself at home. The simplest way to crush peanuts is to put them into freezer bags, one inside the other, and pound them with a rolling pin until fine.

** Asian Recipes **

23:40:01 on 09/26/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Preparing satay ahead of time

Satay can be prepared one day ahead. Marinating for longer results in even more succulence and a richer flavor than meat not treated in this way. The satay can also be grilled or barbecued in the morning to serve in the evening, but should then be covered with plastic wrap to prevent the meat drying out.

To reheat, put the satay in a shallow baking dish without crowding or overlapping, and warm through in an oven that has been preheated to 150C. The satay is ready when the oil has taken on a sheen.

** Chicken Satay Recipe **

03:16:19 on 09/24/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Advantage of barding and larding over basting

Very lean meats, such as veal and game birds, and very small joints of any meat, need extra fat when they are roasted or they become dry and tough. Continual basting is time consuming, and opening the oven door lowers the temperatures. The answer is to make a roast 'self-basting', by barding or larding it.

Barding involves covering the joint with a layer of fat, which melts over the meat as it cooks. Pork back fat is the most suitable as it does not have a strong flavor, but some game birds are barded with streaky bacon, tied into place.

Larding involves threading strips of pork back fat through the meat with a larding needle. It is particularly suitable for large joints which need a long cooking time as the fat slowly dissolves, basting the meat internally and adding extra richness to the meat juices.

** Asian Recipes **

12:01:02 on 09/12/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Ensuring a successful roast

Roasting should be trouble-free, but here are some general rules:

  • Weigh the meat to calculate cooking time, but remember that cooking times
    are meant only as a general guide, and a long, thin piece of meat will take
    less time to cook than a thick round one of the same weight.

  • Before putting the meat on to cook, allow time to preheat the oven to the
    required temperature and this may take 15 minutes or more.

  • Put the meat on a wire rack or trivet in a baking dish. This keeps the
    meat off the bottom of the tin where the melting fat accumulates, and allows
    the heat to penetrate the meat more evenly as it circulates around it.

  • Beef and lamb should be cooked at 230C for 20 minutes first, to brown
    them. The temperature is then reduced and roasting completed according to the
    recipe. Roast pork does not need this initial browning as it is cooked at a
    higher temperature to ensure crisp crackling.

  • Halfway through the cooking time, check the meat. If it is well browned on
    top, turn it over and baste it with the melted fat and juices in the bottom of
    the pan.

  • Lamb and beef must reach an internal temperature of 60C to be rare, 70C to
    be medium pink and 80C to be well done. Pork and chicken must reach 85C. A
    meat thermometer inserted directly into the center of the meat eliminates
    guesswork. It should be positioned when the roasting is almost complete, and
    should not touch any bones or the baking dish as both of these conduct heat.

  • When the cooking time is up, stand the roast on a warm serving platter in
    a warm place to relax and firm up, or leave it to rest in the turned-off oven
    with the door ajar while you make the gravy.



** Asian Recipes **

04:50:58 on 09/11/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Roasting small joints

Joints of meat and poultry that weigh under 1.5 kg are now commonly available, reflecting the growing number of small households. These joints need extra care to be successfully roasted. Although small, they still need time to cook through, and as there is not enough fat and juices to keep the meat moist, they could become dry and tough. The answer is to barb them, and baste often.

Making gravy from small joints is another problem, because they will not provide enough of the vital sticky juices. But you can create the basis of a good gravy by roasting the meat on a bed of sliced onion and carrot and pouring 150 ml of stock, wine or water into the baking dish at the start.

** Asian Recipes **

02:51:32 on 09/10/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -

Keeping rice warm and reheating leftover rice

One of the best ways to keep rice warm is to put it in a large heat-proof dish or platter, fork it through well, cover it with a tent of foil and keep it warm in a preheated oven at 140C until ready to serve. Leftover rice can be steamed in a muslin-lined steamer for 5 minutes or so, stirring regularly until it is heated through, or put into a large pan of boiling water, brought back to the boil and drained immediately. Alternatively, stir-fry the rice for a few minutes or heat it in a microwave just before serving.

** Asian Recipes **

06:59:34 on 09/03/08 by Webmaster - Quick Cooking Tips -