Grow It, Catch It, Cook It

Tasty food, made simple, for everyone.

Healthy

Quick And Easy

Desserts

Leftover fun

  • Baking Powder Vs Baking Soda

    Baking Powder Vs Baking Soda

    Baking powder and bi-carb soda (also called baking soda) are frequently used in cooking and baking.

    Although they look similar you don’t want to use them interchangeably!

    Baking Soda

    Baking Soda is a salt called sodium-bicarbonate. It is used in baking for its leavening (rising) effects as it makes carbon dioxide bubbles when combined with water and an acid (such as lemon juice, vinegar) or heat. Its number in packaged foods is E500. Sounds scary but it is only used as an acidity regulator.

    Baking soda is not commonly known as a meat tenderiser but a light sprinkling on meat softens even the chewier cuts. Try it on strips of chicken or beef for that melt in your mouth stir fry. Just remember that a little goes a long way and too much imparts a bitter taste.

    Baking Powder

    Baking powder is a mix of baking soda and a weak acid (normally acid salts). When water is added the chemical reaction above occurs, the gas bubbles causing baked goods to rise. Cornstarch is often included in the mix to stop the chemical reaction occurring during storage. 

    Enjoy,

    PK

    Check out some more posts about baking and ingredients: 

    View recipe: Baking Powder Vs Baking Soda
  • Sticky Soy Chicken Nibbles

    Sticky Soy Chicken Nibbles

    Oh boy these moist, sticky morsels of chicken are addictive. Just as well they are easy to make. 🙂 

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    Ingredients
    • 1/2 cup soy sauce
    • 1/2 cup raw sugar
    • 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
    • 1 – 2kg chicken nibbles (wings and drumettes)
    Simply

    Mix all the ingredients excluding the chicken to make the marinade. Then pop everything into a zip-lock bag to marinate over night or for at least a few hours.

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    Preheat your fan-forced oven to 200C and then add the chicken, marinade and all, into your baking dish.

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    Cook for about an hour. More if you want a crispier skin.

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    Serving

    If you are watching the game on TV with your mates, just pile them up on a platter and let your guests go to town. More often than not I am wolfing them down with the family along with rice and steamed or pickled vegetables. Fish sauce and Sriracha Hot Sauce at hand. 

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Here are some more chicken dishes and more easy to make meals: 

    View recipe: Sticky Soy Chicken Nibbles
  • Australian Lamb Cutlets With Potato Puree And Balsamic Mint Sauce

    Australian Lamb Cutlets With Potato Puree And Balsamic Mint Sauce

    Although they cost a small fortune, I find french cutlets simply irresistibile. Dave’s Mint And Balsamic Dipping Sauce makes this even more so. A match made in heaven!

    Normally I make the sauce and give each person a small bowl to dip the lamb in, that is how Dave does it. 🙂

    Here though, I served the sauce (reduced to a syrup) with steamed vegetables and a creamy french style potato puree bed for the cutlets.  

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    Ingredients
    • Lamb cutlets, frenched (~4 per adult)
    • Steamed vegetables
    • Potato puree
      • 200g mashed potatoes
      • 50g or more butter
      • milk, to get the right consistency
      • salt and pepper to taste
    • Dave’s Mint And Balsamic Dipping Sauce, enough for each person
    Method

    I like to get the lamb out of the fridge in advance so that it is getting to room temperature just as it goes on the pan or barbeque. Use a bit of common sense as to how early you bring it out. 

    Start by boiling peeled potatoes and mash them as you normally would. When the mash has cooled somewhat add the potatoes, butter and a splash of milk into a blender. Give it a quick blitz and check the consistency, adding small amounts of extra milk as you repeat the process until you are happy. It should stay warm while you steam the vegetables and grill the lamb.

    Serving

    Go to town. My only advice is to try not eating all the cutlets as you cook them. 🙂

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Here are some more lamb dishes and a selection of sauces and condiments:

    View recipe: Australian Lamb Cutlets With Potato Puree And Balsamic Mint Sauce
  • Easy Masala Eggs Fry Up

    Easy Masala Eggs Fry Up

    I often reach for this simple Indian dish if I forget to get something ready before work or I need comfort food, especially on a meat free day.

    Nothing fancy here just eggs, vegetables and garam masala. You are bound to have everything you need in your cupboard and lurking at the back of the fridge.

    Note: Serves 1 adult as a light main or several as a side. Makes a great leftover meal the next day but does not freeze well.

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    Ingredients
    • 2 eggs, hard boiled
    • 1 small potato, peeled and boiled
    • 1 handful of each of:
      • chopped spring onions
      • peas
      • cherry tomatoes
    • 0.5 tsp each of:
      • garlic, finely diced
      • ginger, finely diced
      • garam masala
      • turmeric powder
    • Kashmiri Chilli Powder ,to taste
    • A good slug of olive oil or peanut oil
    Simply

    Prepare, peel and chop several hard boiled eggs. Chop the vegetables and sprinkle all with the garam masala, ginger and garlic.

    Give the whole lot a slug of olive or peanut oil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

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    Heat your frypan and then add the vegetables. Cook, turning the mix over until everything is warmed through. Add the eggs and gently mix until they are coated with the seasoning too.

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    Serving

    Serve warm as is or with rice and sides like pickled vegetables and naan bread:

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Here are some more Indian dishes and easy to make meals: 

    View recipe: Easy Masala Eggs Fry Up
  • Airfryer Roasted Cauliflower Soup

    Airfryer Roasted Cauliflower Soup

    I love a nice creamy cauliflower soup and I often cook a plain version that pairs well with meat (see Creamy Cauliflower And Parmesan Soup With Soft Pork Belly). I was recently introduced to roasted cauliflower soup and this soup needs no support act. 🙂

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    Simply

    Cut a whole head of cauliflower of medium size into flat pieces. Spray them with a tiny bit of olive oil and airfry for about 5 minutes.

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    A basic version of this soup would use 4 cups of vegetable stock, 1 diced onion, 1 garlic clove and some nutmeg and cracked black pepper. Bring the stock to the boil, add most of the cauliflower and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until the cauliflower is soft.

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    Use a stick mixer to blend the soup to a smooth consistency.

    Serve hot, garnished with the reserved cauliflower pieces, spring onion and sesame seeds:

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Here are some more soups and vegetarian dishes: 

    View recipe: Airfryer Roasted Cauliflower Soup
  • Cinnamon

    Cinnamon

    Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices. It is the dried bark of the cinnamon tree and is amazingly aromatic and imparts a warm, spicy and earthy flavour.

    Long strips of the tree’s bark are sliced off and allowed to dry. These cinnamon ‘quills’ or sticks are then cut to size and sold as is or ground into a fine powder.

    This wonder herb is used in everything from stews, curries, drinks, baked treats to health and beauty and cleaning products.

    The leaves of the tree are also dried and can be used in stews and the like much the way bay leaves are. They have a pungent smell and taste.

    I have some recipes using cinnamon for you in the links below.

    Dietary Info: Great for vegetarians,  vegans and is gluten free.

    This particular cooking ingredient is in PK’s Essential Pantry Cupboard Contents and here is a list of other ingredients on the blog.

    Enjoy,

    PK

    Here are some ways to use cinnamon and some more ingredients posts:

    View recipe: Cinnamon
  • Chili Pepper: Black Pearl
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    Chili Pepper: Black Pearl

    This has to be the most attractive chili plant I have in my collection. Despite the fruit’s small size they pack a real punch and the plant is a heavy producer.

    The fruit starts off as deep oxblood colour that ripens to a rich red.

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    So if you’re into landscaping with beautiful, unique plants, or you love chilies that are mid range on the pepper scale, this is plant is for you. The heat is more than a jalapeño but less than a cayenne.

    Taste:

    The heat creeps up on you, similar to the much hotter ghost pepper in that way. The initial bite provides a mild citrus-like taste, but that’s followed up within a minute with a building spiciness going from back of throat to tip of tongue. The heat peaks within a few minutes and slowly begins to dissipate.

    Flower:

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    Fruit:

    Small globes packed full of seeds. The skin is firm and has a crunch.

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    Plant:

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    Fruiting Months:

    November to June

    Planting/Care:

    It took a while for the seedling I bought to fruit initially so don’t panic. Apparently this is a fickle variety of chili but I have not done anything special and have had great luck.

    I use a middle range nitrogen and high potassium fertiliser regime during the summer months. Soil is improved with compost and manure and has a ~5-10% by weight of clay to sand ratio. Drainage is still good.

    I usually spray my chili plants with Dipel and pyrethrum (my go to natural insecticide spray) if I notice any grub damage. The tomato grub in particular likes the larger fleshier chilis like the Trinidad Scorpion.

    Enjoy,

    PK

    Check out GICICI’s Chili Collection for more info on chili growing.

     Here are some more chili varieties and some examples of cooking with them: 

    View recipe: Chili Pepper: Black Pearl
  • Dave’s Mint And Balsamic Dipping Sauce

    Dave’s Mint And Balsamic Dipping Sauce

    Dave makes this sauce every time he barbeques lamb. It is in my opinion the perfect pairing of minty and tangy flavours that give the lamb a clean taste.

    It is simply 3 parts balsamic vinegar to 1 part mint sauce.

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    I use Italian made balsamic vinegar and the mint sauce I grew up eating: 

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    Serving

    Give each serving a healthy amount:

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    You can even heat it in a sauce pan to reduce it to a sticky sauce perfect for decorating the plate:

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Here are some more sauces, condiments and dips along with other cooking staples: 

    View recipe: Dave’s Mint And Balsamic Dipping Sauce
  • Paprika Chilli Powder

    Paprika Chilli Powder

    Ground paprika is made from several types of mild, sweet chilli peppers. It is a very versatile ingredient that adds an earthy flavour and a deep red colouring to any dish. Different chilli cultivars make for sweeter or spicier paprika blends, You can also buy blends with a smokey flavour. 

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    I use paprika in everything from soups to pasta sauces, roast chicken rubs and marinades to toasted cheese sandwiches.

    Here are my Paprika Baked Chicken Legs:

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Check out some of the dishes I use them in and some more herbs and spices: 

    View recipe: Paprika Chilli Powder
  • Kashmiri Chilli Powder

    Kashmiri Chilli Powder

    Kashmiri Chillies add a warm, earthy flavour and a deep red colouring to any dish. Known for their mild spiceyness they are a versatile ingredient like their cousin paprika. 

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    Enjoy,

    PK

    Check out some of the dishes I use them in and some more herbs and spices: 

    View recipe: Kashmiri Chilli Powder