Prawn star

I will begin with the disclaimer that I'm almost certain this is utterly lacking in authenticity.  When I call this dish a Caribbean curry, it's not to indicate that this is how they make curries in the Caribbean; more that it's a curry dreamed up by me, full of ingredients redolent of the Caribbean.  So don't go sending me hate mail about me bastardising your Gran's finest Jamaican recipes.

This curry is sweet and flavourful but not too hot, making it perfect to serve up to kids.  Add heat with more jerk seasoning or some dried red chillis.  You could also make it a fish curry by adding cubes of firm fleshed fish ten minutes into the simmering time - monkfish would work nicely I think.  Don't be too alarmed by it's anaemic pallor when you tip the liquids in - it will darken as it cooks.

You can whip this up almost entirely from storecupboard and frozen ingredients, if you substitute frozen sliced peppers for fresh you've pretty much got a storecupboard special, though I can't promise the texture will be as nice.  Frozen soffrito mix is finely chopped onion, celery and carrot, I use it for speed and to boost the veg content of the dish.  I get mine in Sainsburys (they just call it finely chopped vegetables) but you could substitute some plain frozen chopped onion or sliced/chopped fresh onion if you prefer.  Feel free to chuck in any other veg of your choosing, or some tinned pineapple chunks if you have a husband that wouldn't pick them out with a face on him...

Caribbean prawn curry, 4 generous servings (or 2 adults, 2 children and worky leftovers).

400g raw prawns, defrosted if frozen
2 handfuls frozen soffrito mix or frozen chopped onion or 1 small onion, chopped or sliced
3-4 peppers, varying colours, cut into large chunks
1 tin coconut milk
200ml pineapple juice
1 tin cream style sweetcorn
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp jamaican jerk seasoning
1-2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp oil

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and toss in the soffrito mix, sauteeing for a minute or two.  Add the chunked peppers, and let sizzle for another minute or so.  Stir in the spice powders, then pour in the pineapple juice, coconut milk and creamed sweetcorn.  Bring it to the boil then turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, it will thicken slightly.

Add the prawns to the pan and stir them into the sauce.  Whilst they turn from translucent grey to coral pink, mix your cornflour with a little cold water - start out with 1 tsp and see how you get on before adding more.  Tip the cornflour slurry into the curry (ha!) and turn the heat up, bringing the sauce back to the boil to let the cornflour do it's job. If it's not thick enough for your liking, repeat.  Stir well and serve over rice.

Enjoy, whether served in a colourful Caribbean style bowl or not.

Pterodactyl for dinner.

My family discovered the wonder that is teriyaki sauce on a self catering holiday in Florida, back when I was in my early teens.  We were all instantly hooked, and very quickly nicknamed it, as tight knit little clans do.  Or maybe they don't, and we're all just a bit weird.  It's nice that we have each other, in that case.  Anyway, Pterodactyl Sauce was born, and Pterodactyl Sauce it will always be, and every summer we will barbecue up some Pterodactyl goodness.  Maybe you have to know us.

From the legend of Pterodactyl, and now cooking for my own family, these tasty skewers were created.  I make my own teriyaki sauce, because it's better than bottled.  This is sweeter than regular teriyaki, to get the requisite stickyness and thick glossy gorgeousness.  Super versatile, they make a delicious midweek family tea, but also barbecue beautifully, and made in large quantities are perfect for gatherings.  The rice dish that I serve alongside can be served hot, or as a cold salad at a barbecue or party.

Sweet Teriyaki Pork Skewers - makes 6-8 skewers

You will need about 8 skewers - I prefer flat metal ones, but you can use wooden, just be sure to soak them thoroughly, especially if you're barbecuing.


1 large mugful of pineapple juice
750g pork, ready cut stir fry strips or tenderloin cut into thin strips
1/2 cupful mirin (sweet rice wine - from Asian section of a large supermarket)
1/2 cupful dark soy sauce (you can use reduced salt version if cooking for little snarflings)
1/2 cupful loosely packed soft brown sugar
1 tbsp oil - groundnut or vegetable, NOT olive.


Cut up your pork, if you need to, or tip your packs of ready cut pork into a bowl.  Pour over the pineapple juice, cover with cling film, and pop in the fridge to marinate for at least 6 hours.

When ready to cook, put the mirin and soy sauce in a pan over a medium heat. When it's warm, tip in the sugar and oil.  Bring to the boil then reduce the heat right down and let it simmer, stirring frequently, for about ten minutes.  Turn the oven on to preheat, approximately 190oC/170o fan.

Meanwhile, take your skewers and thread your pork strips onto them.  Curl the strips into C or S shapes depending on length, doubling the strip over on itself to make a neat kebab.  You'll see what I mean from the pictures below.  Lay them onto a baking tray, if you have any scrappy bits that won't thread, just spread them on the tray.  Take your teriyaki sauce, which by now should be thicker and beautifully shiny, and brush/dab liberally all over the pork skewers, both sides.  Dab some on your scrappy bits too.  Those are your chef''s treat.  Keep a little sauce back.

Pop into your preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until they look cooked and are sizzly.  Take them out, baste with the reserved sauce, and return to the oven for 2 minutes.  Or, of course, cook on a barbecue, basting regularly until cooked through.



Prawn fried rice

1.5 cups dry rice of your choosing - I like Basmati or you could try a sticky rice like Thai Jasmine
1 courgette
1 sweet red pointed pepper or regular red bell pepper
1 medium free range egg, well beaten
150g small ready cooked prawns, drained if in brine or defrosted if frozen
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil

Pop your rice on to boil and cook it as per the pack instructions.

Meanwhile, cut your pepper and courgette into very small dice.  Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a wok or large frying pan, and add the pepper.  Cook for 1-2 minutes then add the courgette.  Cook together for a few minutes more until al dente.  Take your beaten egg and slowly pour into the pan in a thin ribbon, stirring with the other hand all the while, then give a really good stir before throwing in your prawns.  Cook together for 1minute then push the mixture out to the sides and pour the remaining tbsp of oil into the resulting well.  Drain your cooked rice, add your rice to the pan and stir well.  Mix your mirin with the sugar and tip over the rice, stirring well to coat, then turn off the heat and serve immediately.

A note about rice - it's really not a great idea to leave warm rice sitting around growing gakky bacteria at a rapid rate.  SO, either make sure you time your rice to be ready to drain and add immediately to the dish OR cool it immediately by running under cold water and putting in the fridge until ready to use, then giving it a few extra minutes in the pan to reheat until PIPING HOT.  If you go with the second option, any leftover rice CANNOT be reheated, but you may chill it quickly and serve it cold.  If your plan is to serve it cold, I'd suggest cooking and immediately chilling the rice, storing in the fridge, then cooling and refrigerating the vegetable, egg and prawn mix then combining the two and adding the mirin dressing once fully cold.

That's quite enough CAPITAL EMPHASIS FOR FOOD HYGIENE.  SHOW ME THE DINNER!

The raw coated skewers, showing how they're threaded.

And the finished yummers.

Easy Thai-ger

The crappy punny titles never fail to amuse me.

Didn't get a chance to blog these yesterday so popping them on now, although it was yesterday's tea.  The children, gratifyingly, loved them.  As did one of my cats, who pinched my last two from my plate when I stepped away from the table.  He can't even say he was trying to protect my waistline, because when there's chocolate being eaten he's nowhere to be seen.  Swine.

Anyway...

Easy Thai Fishcakes

350g skinless boneless salmon fillet.
approx 150g raw prawns
1 tsp sugar
heaped tbsp thai red curry paste (we use Blue Dragon)
1 egg
4-5 spring onions
tbsp lime juice
oil for frying

put everything bar the spring onions in a food processor.  Blitz until smooth.  Slice the spring onions very finely and stir them in.  Heat some oil in a frying pan,you'll need it about 1/2 to 1cm deep, have it going over a low to medium heat.  Wet your clean hands to stop the mixture sticking then take golf ball sized dollops of the mixture, shape into patties and drop into the pan, 4-5 in a pan is plenty per batch.  Flatten a bit with a fish slice and cook for about 2 minutes until you can see the sides of the patties going opaque.  Flip them - they should be crisp and golden on the underside - and cook for 1.5-2 minutes more on the other side.  Remove from pan, put on a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain off the oil, and do the next batch.  You should get 16-20 from the mix, enough for 4 with an accompaniment. You can chuck them back into the pan briefly to get them piping hot to serve.  We ate ours with fine egg noodles tossed with a bit of soy sauce, lime juice and some stir fried veggies.  Fan-thai-stic.  Alright, I'll stop now.