Tag: flour

• 

  How To Thicken Gravy, Sauce, Stew And More With Cornflour

  When you are making stews, casseroles, sauces and the like, it is sometimes hard to get the balance between flavour and thickness. Your dish might have the right taste but be too watery.

  Continue to cook it and you might ruin the flavours by over cooking it.

  So what do you do?

  Well you can use cornflour. You don’t want to stir it into what you are making however. This will just make the liquid lumpy.

  Instead, take remove some of the hot cooking liquid and add a tablespoon of cornflour to it. Mix until you have no lumps.

  

  Add a little to the dish and mix it in. Repeat until you get the consistency you want. 

  Here I had a pie filling that tasted right but would have made for soggy pies. Now it is ready:

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Here are some more tips and posts about cooking ingredients: 

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  April 25, 2020

• 

  Ben’s NoRecipe Yorkshire Puddings

  Yorkies were traditionally served as a first course with gravy, to fill the diner with low-cost ingredients.  This would mean that poorer families would make an expensive roast meal stretch further.

  My grandparents often talked about having a large Yorkshire pudding to start a traditional Sunday roast.

  Nowadays, the yorkie is a staple part of any roast in my house.  My wife has the best recipe, and shares it below.  Sometimes the simplest things are the best 🙂

  Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into six 80ml (1/3 cup) capacity muffin pans. Place in preheated oven for 5 minutes or until oil is hot.
  2. Combine ¾ cup flour, ½ tsp salt into a bowl. Add 2 eggs and whisk until combined. Gradually add 300 mL milk in a thin steady stream and whisk until smooth.
  3. Pour batter among the hot muffin pans.
  4. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown

  

  Ben

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  July 24, 2017

• 

  PK’s Salt N Pepper Squid Rings

  A serve of salt and pepper squid rings is the perfect end to a long day on the water. It takes minutes to prepare and then you can go back to cleaning the rest of your catch :).

  Best of all, this will be on your plate in 15 minutes.

  You will be:

  1. Preparing your ingredients.
  2. Shallow frying the dusted rings.
  3. Serving.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • a couple of clean squid hoods my (see Squid Preparation Tips)
    • enough olive oil to allow you to shallow fry the rings
    • 1/2 cup plain flour
    • 1 tsp table salt
    • 1 -2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
    • ground chili to taste
  •  Equipment:
    • a long sharp knife
    • a chopping board
    • a pair of tongs
    • a fork
    • a medium-sized mixing bowl
    • a deep pan for shallow frying

  Prepare your ingredients

  1. Cut your squid rings nice and thin.
  2. Add to the mixing bowl:
     • 1/2 cup plain flour
     • 1 tsp table salt
     • 1 -2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
     • optional chili to taste
  3. Give everything a good turn over with a fork.
  4. Add the squid rings to the bowl and (using your hands) toss the rings making sure the flour mix coats them inside and out.

  Shallow frying the dusted rings

  Get your olive oil to medium heat, remember it has a low smoking temperature, and shallow fry the rings in batches. Make sure you do them quickly so they don’t go chewy :).

  

  Serving

  Some creamy aioli, a green salad and some oven baked chips (and a cold beer) is all the squid rings need :).

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  June 6, 2017

• 

  Crumbed Baked Chicken Sticks

  As a kid, one of my favourite treat meals was a large serve of Ingham’s Chicken Chippies doused in tomato sauce.

  Chicken chippies were chip shaped slices of chicken coated in breadcrumbs and then snap-frozen for retail sale.

  The advert was hilarious:

  I am not sure if you can still buy them but I now prefer the home made equivalent.

  Needless to say, they are very kid friendly 🙂

  You will be:

  1. Prepping the ingredients.
  2. Dusting and coating the chicken sticks.
  3. Cooking the chicken sticks.
  4. Serving.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 chicken breast (slightly frozen making it easier to cut and shape into sticks)
    • 1/2 cup flour
    • 1/2 Tbsp ground tumeric
    • 1 to 2 eggs (if doubling the recipe you only need 3 eggs)
    • ~1 cup Panko breadcrumbs to coat chicken strips
    • 1/2 tsp beetroot powder and or ground paprika (optional, just for looks)
    • ground black peppercorns to taste
    • some spray olive oil
  •  Equipment:
    • a chopping board
    • a long sharp knife
    • a fork or whisk, to beat the egg
    • a mixing bowl
    • several plates
    • an oven tray lined with baking paper

  Prepping the ingredients

  1. Take a still partially frozen chicken breast and flatten it out some what with your hands.
  2. Chop breast in to sticks (see how they look like chunky fries).
  3. In a large mixing bowl mix the 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 Tbsp ground tumeric and the 1/2 tsp beetroot powder (optional, just for looks).
  4. Whisk the 1 to 2 eggs in a bowl.
  5. Lay the panko crumbs out on a plate.

  Dusting and coating the chicken sticks

  1. Spray the baking paper lined oven tray with some spray oil.
  2. Roll each stick in the flour mix, then dip it in the egg and then coat it with panko crumbs.
  3. Place the finished sticks the baking paper as you go.
  4. Sprinkle each stick with ground paprika (optional) and ground black peppercorns to taste.
  5. Give the top of the sticks a light spray with spray oil.
  6. Pop them into the fridge for 15 minutes or so to set.

   

  

  Cooking the chicken sticks

  Pop the tray into a fan-forced oven (preheated to 200C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

  

  Serving

  They really just need your favourite dipping sauce and a salad.

  

  PK

  Here are some more chicken recipes and kid friendly meals: 

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  April 14, 2017

• 

  PK’s Baked Chicken Sticks

  As a kid one of my favourite meals was a large serve of Ingham’s Chicken Chippies, tomato sauce and a very very optional salad :).

  The advert was hilarious:

  I am not sure if you can still buy them but I would rather make my kids the home made equivalent anyway as you can control the ingredients. They loved them and I even got my toddler in there helping me make them :).

  You will be:

  1. Prepping the ingredients.
  2. Dusting and coating the chicken sticks.
  3. Cooking the chicken sticks.
  4. Serving.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 chicken breast (slightly frozen making it easier to cut and shape into sticks)
    • 1/2 cup flour
    • 1/2 Tbsp ground tumeric
    • 1 to 2 eggs (if doubling the recipe you only need 3 eggs)
    • ~1 cup Panko breadcrumbs to coat chicken strips
    • 1/2 tsp beetroot powder (optional, just for looks)
    • a sprinkle of ground paprika (optional, just for looks)
    • ground black peppercorns to taste
    • some spray olive oil
  •  Equipment:
    • a chopping board
    • a long sharp knife
    • a fork or whisk to beat the egg
    • a mixing bowl
    • several plates
    • an oven tray lined with baking paper

  Steps:

  Prepping the ingredients

  1. Take a still partially frozen chicken breast and flatten it out some what with your hands.
  2. Chop breast in to sticks (see how they look like chunky fries).
  3. In a large mixing bowl mix the 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 Tbsp ground tumeric and the 1/2 tsp beetroot powder (optional, just for looks).
  4. Whisk the 1 to 2 eggs in a bowl.
  5. Lay the panko crumbs out on a plate.

  Dusting and coating the chicken stick

  1. Spray the baking paper lined oven tray with some spray oil.
  2. Roll each stick in the flour mix, dip in the egg and then coat with panko crumbs.
  3. Place them on the baking paper as you go.
  4. Sprinkle each stick with ground paprika (optional) and ground black peppercorns to taste.
  5. Give the top of the sticks a light spray with spray oil.
  6. Pop them into the fridge for 15 minutes or so to set.

  

  Cooking the chicken sticks

  Pop the tray into a fan-forced oven (preheated to 200C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

  

  Serving

  They really just need your favourite dipping sauce and those optional greens I mentioned :).

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  April 14, 2017

• 

  Baked Cheesy Sticks

  The hardest part about making these easy peasy cheesy sticks is waiting for the dough to be ready. Oh and not eating them all before everyone else gets them :).

  I have adapted the recipe from http://www.homecookingadventure.com/recipes/homemade-cheese-sticks.

  Hot tip: Let your salted butter soften at room temperature for a while. It will make it more workable.

  You will be:

  1. Making the dough and letting it sit.
  2. Rolling and cutting the dough.
  3. Cooking the dough.
  4. Serving and storing.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 egg (beaten) for the dough mix
    • 1 egg (beaten) for brushing the dough sticks
    • 4 Tbsp salted butter
    • 2 Tbsp of garlic infused olive oil (or plain)
    • 2 Tbsp cup of milk
    • half a small packet of bakers yeast
    • 1/2 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar)
    • 1.5 cups flour
    • 1/2 tsp raw sugar
    • 1/2 tsp table salt
    • Ground black peppercorns to taste
  •  Equipment:
    • 1 fork or whisk to beat the eggs
    • 1 fork for mixing the dough mix
    • 1 mixing bowl
    • A grater for the cheese
    • 1 rolling pin
    • 1 dough or pizza cutter
    • An oven tray lined with baking paper

  Making the dough and letting it chill

  1. Put the 1.5 cups flour into your mixing bowl and mix in the 1/2 tsp raw sugar and 1/2 tsp table salt.
  2. Drop in the 4 Tbsp salted butter into the bowl and mix in with your hands until you have a slightly crumbly feel.
  3. Mix in the 1/2 cup grated cheese.
  4. Beat one of the eggs with the 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup milk.
  5. Add in the yeast to the egg mix and give it a light mixing.
  6. Make a well in the dough mix and pour the egg mix into it.
  7. Mix with a fork and then give it a quick kneading (still in the bowl).
  8. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and pop it into the fridge for a few hours.

  

  Rolling and cutting the dough

  1. Working with a bit of extra flour to stop everything sticking, roll out the dough and cut into strips using a pizza cutter.
  2. Put the strips onto an oven tray lined with baking paper (I put a little twist into each for effect).
  3. Brush a bit of the second beaten egg over all of the twists.
  4. Sprinkle with pepper, salt, more cheese, Jalapeno Chili Powder etc etc.

  Knead, roll and cut:

  

  Brush and garnish:

  

  Cooking the dough

  1. Pop the twists/sticks into a fan-forced oven (preheated to 180C) and cook for about 20 minutes or until golden.

  

  Serving and storing

  I just popped them on a cooling rack for a bit but you can serve them straight away. Perhaps with a bit of PK’s Coriander And Garlic Sauce or aioli :).

  They will store well in a Tupperware container or a paper bag for a few days.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

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  Written by

  PK

  ·

  March 17, 2017

• 

  PK’s Cheesy Sticks

  The hardest part about making these easy peasy cheesy sticks is waiting for the dough to be ready. Oh and not eating them all before everyone else gets them :).

  I have adapted the recipe from http://www.homecookingadventure.com/recipes/homemade-cheese-sticks.

  Hot tip: Let your salted butter soften at room temperature for a while. It will make it more workable.

  You will be:

  1. Making the dough and letting it sit.
  2. Rolling and cutting the dough.
  3. Cooking the dough.
  4. Serving and storing.

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 1 egg (beaten) for the dough mix
    • 1 egg (beaten) for brushing the dough sticks
    • 4 Tbsp salted butter
    • 2 Tbsp of garlic infused olive oil (or plain)
    • 2 Tbsp cup of milk
    • half a small packet of bakers yeast
    • 1/2 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar)
    • 1.5 cups flour
    • 1/2 tsp raw sugar
    • 1/2 tsp table salt
    • ground black peppercorns to taste
  •  Equipment:
    • a fork or whisk to beat the eggs
    • a fork for mixing the dough mix
    • a mixing bowl
    • a grater for the cheese
    • a rolling pin
    • a dough or pizza cutter
    • an oven tray lined with baking paper

  Making the dough and letting it chill

  1. Put the 1.5 cups flour into your mixing bowl and mix in the 1/2 tsp raw sugar and 1/2 tsp table salt.
  2. Drop in the 4 Tbsp salted butter into the bowl and mix in with your hands until you have a slightly crumbly feel.
  3. Mix in the 1/2 cup grated cheese.
  4. Beat one of the eggs with the 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup milk.
  5. Add in the yeast to the egg mix and give it a light mixing.
  6. Make a well in the dough mix and pour the egg mix into it.
  7. Mix with a fork and then give it a quick kneading (still in the bowl).
  8. Cover the bowl with cling film and pop it into the fridge for a few hours.

  

  Rolling and cutting the dough

  1. Working with a bit of extra flour to stop everything sticking, roll out the dough and cut into strips using a pizza cutter.
  2. Put the strips onto an oven tray lined with baking paper (I put a little twist into each for effect).
  3. Brush a bit of the second beaten egg over all of the twists.
  4. Sprinkle with pepper, salt, more cheese, Jalapeno Chili Powder etc etc.

  Knead, roll and cut:

  

  Brush and garnish:

  

   

  Cooking the dough

  1. Pop the twists/sticks into a fan-forced oven (preheated to 180C) and cook for about 20 minutes or until golden.

  

  Serving and storing

  I just popped them on a cooling rack for a bit but you can serve them straight away. Perhaps with a bit of PK’s Coriander And Garlic Sauce or aioli :).

  They will store well in a Tupperware container or a paper bag for a few days.

  

  Enjoy,

  PK

   

   

   

   

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  March 17, 2017

• 

  KT’s Bush Walker Cookies

  My wife has been using this cookie recipe for as long as she can remember. She calls it one of her no fuss recipes. Now we are parents my wife uses less sugar, allegedly but they still come out tasting amazing. My picky toddler never says no to them and he calls them “mummy bi’cuts:” :).

  STEPS:

  1. Combine the cookie ingredients
  2. Bake and store

  You will need:

  • Ingredients:
    • 0.5 cup butter or margarine
    • 1 cup raw sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 0.5 tsp vanilla essence
    • 1 Tbsp water
    • 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 cup of dried fruit (my wife uses raisins and currants)
    • 1 cup self-raising flour
    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • 1 cup of breakfast cereal e.g. Kellogs Cornflakes or Wheaties
    • 0.5 cup of desiccated coconut

  • Equipment
    • a large mixing bowl for the cookie mix
    • a small bowl to beat the 1 egg
    • a fork or a small whisk
    • a non-stick baking tray
    • baking paper (optional)
    • a fan forced oven

  Combine the cookie ingredients

  Steps:

  1. Take the 0.5 cup of margarine (or butter) out of the fridge and let soften for a while.
  2. Add the margarine to the large mixing bowl and mix in the 1 cup raw sugar.
  3. Beat the 1 egg, 0.5 tsp vanilla essence, 1 Tbsp water and 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda, in the small bowl, with a fork or small whisk.
  4. Add to the large mixing bowl.
  5. Mix in the:
     • 1 cup of dried fruit
     • 1 cup self-raising flour
     • 1 cup rolled oats
     • 1 cup of breakfast cereal eg Kellogs Cornflakes
     • 0.5 cup of desiccated coconut
  6. Roll the cookie mix into balls, flatten with your hand and place on the oven tray, with or without a sheet of baking paper under them.

  Bake and store

  Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes in a fan forced oven set to 160°C. When done, place them on a cooling rack.

  You will find that the whole family loves them fresh and that they freeze exceptionally well. We use a large snap lock bag in the freezer and pull a few out at a time for the kids’ lunch boxes.

  

  Hope you like them,

  PK

  Written by

  PK

  ·

  August 18, 2016