Banana Blossom and Smoked Fish in Spiced Coconut Milk (Lodeh Jantung Pisang dan Ikan Asap)

As the Indonesian tradition, we usually ask forgiveness from relatives and friends after the Eid-ul Fitr prayer. Also, we have a tradition which we call for mudik. It happens due to urbanazation where people usually work and live in the Indonesian big cities and they came from small cities. Before the day of Eid-ul Fitr, people will go back to their hometowns where their relatives (including parents) are reside. This event often causes crowdedness at the airports, train stations, seaports, and bus stations, while some who do traveling by car are trapped in traffic jams for hours, mostly in Java island.

A tradition who applies to the little children, as well as forgiveness they get some money as a gift from their relatives. That is what we call for angpau sometimes, just like the Chinese tradition to celebrate their Chinese New Year.

Another tradition which the Indonesians call for Takbiran and we usually do at the night of the last day of Ramadan. People, from little children to old men celebrate Takbiran by reciting the takbir with a microphone and sound speakers in a parade. They parade around the town and usually they hit 'beduk', a large drum, as a background music of the takbir.

Ingredients:
1 banana blossom (you can use sliced banana blossom ready to use)
1 smoked goldeye fish (it can be substituted for any other kind of smoked fish), baked/ toasted/ pan-fried for couple minutes
600 ml coconut milk
salt as desired
1 tsp sugar
2 Indonesian bay leaves (salam leaves)

Fresh Banana Blossom

Fresh Slices of Banana Blossom

Grind into a paste:
2 red chilies (add more if you like spicy)
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
2 cm fresh galangal
1 cm fresh kencur (it is also known as lesser galangal or kaempferia galangal), you can substitute for ground or dried kencur
5 candlenuts, toasted
2 tsp coriander seed, toasted

Smoked Goldeyes were just out from the freezer when I took a pic

Directions:
To prepare the banana blossom
Remove dark outer petals to expose the pinkish bulb. Cut lengthwise and chopped into thin slices. Cook in 500 ml boiling water for 5 minutes and drain. Repeat that method by bringing another 500 ml water to a boil, add the banana blossom, cook for 3 minutes, drain. Banana blossom now is ready to be used.

1. Heat coconut milk, Indonesian bay leaves and ground spices in a pot at medium-high heat, stir occasionally until boiling.

2. Add smoked goldeye fish, banana blossom, salt and sugar, stir and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, serve warm with ketupat and sprinkle over the koyah kedelai.

source : indonesia eats

Agedashi-esque Tofu

Agedashi-esque Tofu

"A very simple version of the Japanese sushi accompaniment. Serve with stir fry, rice, goma ae or any oriental meal."

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	5 Min
READY IN	15 Min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12 ounce) package extra firm tofu
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• oil for frying
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut tofu into 12 cubes. Place cornstarch on a plate or in a shallow bowl and dredge tofu in it, coating thoroughly.
2. Heat enough oil so that tofu will be half-way submerged. Fry tofu in hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
3. Sprinkle green onions over tofu and drizzle with hoisin sauce. Serve immediately.

Note

Hoisin sauce , also called Peking sauce, is a thick, reddish-brown sauce that is sweet and spicy, and widely used in Chinese cooking. It's a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chile peppers and various spices. It can be found in Asian markets and many large supermarkets. Look in the Asian or ethnic section. If this item is not in stock at your local store, ask your grocer to special order it for you. Most grocers will be happy to do this for their customers.

source : allrecipes

Ashley's Chicken Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce

"A recipe for delicious Japanese fried chicken and an accompanying Tonkatsu sauce. Serve with your choice of shredded cabbage, rice, or even mashed potatoes."

INGREDIENTS

• Sauce
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• pepper to taste
• Chicken
• 2 cups vegetable oil, for deep-fat frying
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. For the sauce, stir together the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and soy sauce, and a pinch of pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Place flour and panko bread crumbs onto separate plates and season with salt and pepper. Place the beaten egg in a medium bowl. Dip flattened chicken pieces first into flour, then egg, and lastly bread crumbs.
4. Fry breaded chicken breasts in preheated oil until golden brown and no longer pink in center, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. Slice chicken into thin strips and top with a drizzle of sauce and a sprinkling of sliced green onions. Serve remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

source : All Recipes

Broiled Mochi with Nori Seaweed

"Mochi is a sweet, short-grained, very glutinous rice with a high starch content. Mochi is commonly used to make rice cakes, for which it is pounded in large tubs until it becomes extremely sticky. It is then formed into balls or squares, which can be found in Japanese markets. Mochi is also used in confections and rice dishes. It can be bought in most any Japanese grocery store. This is a delicious way to eat it!"

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	7 Min
READY IN	17 Min

INGREDIENTS

• 8 frozen mochi squares
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 sheet nori (dry seaweed)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (275 degrees C).
2. Dip mochi into soy sauce, then place on a baking sheet. Let bake for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
3. While mochi is cooking, cut the dried seaweed into 8 strips. Place these strips in a large frying pan over medium heat. When they are warmed, after approximately 1 to 2 minutes, remove them from the heat.
4. Wrap each mochi cake in seaweed; serve warm.

source : All Recipes

KALAMATA OLIVE AND ROSEMARY BREAD, Kalamata Olive Tofu Spread

most crazy-good tofu scramble made with a balsamic vinaigrette, kalamata olives, portabella mushrooms, and other veggies. It's served with tasty garlic home fries and whole wheat toast with all-natural strawberry fruit spread!

Kalamata Olive Tofu Spread

This recipe started with a loaf of bread. I had a locally baked loaf of rosemary olive bread, and wanted a tofu spread as a base for making fresh vegetable sandwiches. After making the spread, I liked it so much that I thought it would be delicious as part of an appetizer platter as well. You see it here stuffed in cherry tomatoes and waiting to be scooped up with bread slices. The kalamata olive flavor is pronounced but not overpowering, and there's a hint of garlic, of course.


Kalamata Olive Tofu Spread

1 12.3 ounce package organic firm silken tofu
1 large clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon tahini
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half

Combine all in a food processor. Serve as a sandwich spread or dip.

kalamata olive bread

KALAMATA OLIVE AND ROSEMARY BREAD

KALAMATA OLIVE AND ROSEMARY BREAD

Ingredients:
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup garbanzo flour
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp white rice flour
5 Tbsp teff flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 Tbsp flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped roughly
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 whole eggs
2 eggs, whites separated from yolks
3/4 cup water, room temperature
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Optional: Coarse sea salt crystals for crust

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

Sift the flours, yeast and all other dry ingredients (except coarse sea salt) into a medium bowl. Stir in flax meal and rosemary, and combine.

Directions:
Combine wet ingredients, including the two whole eggs and the two separated egg whites in a large bowl, using a hand-mixer on low or medium speed. [The two separated egg yolks should be set aside in a small bowl for later use as a glaze]. When fully combined, add kalamata olives. Slowly add dry ingredient mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until fully blended, with no lumps. Scrape the sides regularly.

Grease a 9x5" bread pan, and pour the dough into the pan. Use a spatula or knife to evenly shape the top of the loaf. Cut two diagonal slashes in the top of the loaf. Beat the two separated egg yolks that have been set aside and brush the top of the loaf very lightly with them. Optional: Sprinkle coarse sea salt crystals very sparsely to embellish the loaf.

Italian food photos

Italian food

Pizza & Italian Food
At Carlito's Pizza you'll be treated like the valued customer you are. You choose a 10" or 14" crust and we'll cover it with the fresh, tasty toppings of your choice. None of the products we use are dropped off, pre-packaged, frozen, or pre-made. Everything is made fresh by hand on a daily basis.

Ghidotti’s Italian
Café 6030 N. Market Street Park City 435-658-0669
If you like excellent Italian food in palatial surroundings, Ghidotti’s Italian Café is for you. Highly praised for its calamari, and specializing in excellent Italian deserts, Ghidotti’s is open for dinner every day. Enjoy the fine, attentive service and selection of excellent wines in an atmosphere that will make you feel like a decadent Roman of old.

ITALIAN FOOD DELIVERY

Whether for use on a book cover, menu design, food packaging, or even fleet vehicle livery, our clients expect the very best and by specialising only in food photography we ensure that our service exceeds their expectations.

The economic slump has hit your local bistro hard, but frugal foodies are using these dark times to their advantage. How? By partaking in specials like Vincenzo’s Before Sunset. The tucked-away neighborhood joint on the Chelms/Carlisle line is offering three-course meals for $14.95 — soup, entree and dessert. It runs Sun-Thurs, but you must get to the Italian hideaway from 5 to 7 p.m. I'm not a senior citizen, but I think I could make an exception and get here early to enjoy classic Italian dishes like eggplant parm, gnocchi, haddock and cacciatore at half price. Make sure you sit in the red room, a romantic space perfect for a tryst or early bird canoodle. Hey, if you can’t fathom eating this early, go anyway and bag a left-over. At these prices you can’t afford not to go. www.vincenzosrestaurant.com. Anyone know of any other downturn deals around town?

MEXICAN CHICKEN PIZZA WITH CORNMEAL CRUST

A nice Mexican food recipe to try ! Nice one !

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• Additional cornmeal
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted diced tomatoes or plain diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 450°F.
In medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of the flour, the sugar, yeast and salt. Stir in warm water and oil. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup cornmeal and remaining 3/4 cup flour to make a soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with additional cornmeal. Press dough into 14x10-inch rectangle on cookie sheet; prick with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges just
begin to turn brown. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese blend. Top with chicken, tomatoes and bell pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro.

The Mexican food recipe is ready to serve..enjoy the meal !

HOT MEXICAN BEAN DIP

a nice Mexican food recipe to try ! Great taste !

INGREDIENTS

• 1 8 oz. pkg Philly Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoon Lipton's onion soup mix
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco (green) pepper sauce

INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the minced garlic in the hot pepper sauce for 10 minutes. If you don't have green pepper sauce, you can substitute red Tabasco.
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, beans, cilantro, onion soup mix and chili powder and a pinch of salt to taste. Stir in garlic and Tabasco sauce when ready.Top with cheese.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of chili powder, paprika, parsley, or a dollop of sour cream. The Mexican food recipe is ready to serve !

MEXICAN HAMBURGERS (CHULETAS)

Chuletas de Puerco ($7.25) en salsa casera was a seasonal special. The tender pork chops were bathed in a spicy salsa strewn with chile seeds. The plate came with crema-drizzled tomato and iceberg lettuce salad, orange Mexican rice and pureed refried beans

Chuletas en Chile Pasilla ($13.75) were fork-tender pork chops baked in a silky pasilla chile sauce, served with rice and cheese-topped black beans

Pork Chuletas. Perfectly cooked fried pork chops and tasty. Big portions

INGREDIENTS
Salsa Fria:

• 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar

Chuletas:

• 2 cups Saltines, finely crushed
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup Vidalia onions, chopped
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1 lb ground chuck (beef)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup oil (for frying)

Garnish:
Rings of red onion, slices of avocado, sour cream and sprigs of cilantro. Combine all Salsa Fria ingredients. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

INSTRUCTIONS
On a sheet of wax paper, evenly spread cracker crumbs. Combine parsley, onions, ground meat, garlic powder, egg, chili powder and salt in a small bowl. Form 4 patties and coat each pattie with the cracker crumbs evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but no more than 3 hours) to thoroughly chill.
Heat oil until it is hot enough to brown a 1 inch cube of bread in a little over 1 minute. (Don't get oil too hot or center of patties won't cook through). Fry patties in oil well browned on outside and
cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
The Mexican food is ready to serve on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a few rings of red onion, topped with Salsa Fria and with a dollop of sour cream with a sprig of cilantro to the side and a slice of avocado.

MEXICAN EGGPLANT

Mexican Eggplant Enchilada Casserole

Eggplant Mexican Style Recipe

Easy Mexican Eggplant Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb eggplant
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup green chilies, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh basil, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS
Peel and cut the eggplant into 1 inch cubes. Boil eggplant in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain. Combine remaining ingredients, except for the cheese.
Spray or brush a 1 1/2 quart casserole (which has a cover) with oil.
Cover and bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove cover and reduce heat to 350F.
Sprinkle top evenly with grated cheese and continue to bake until cheese melts and becomes bubbly.The Mexican food recipe is ready to serves 4 persons....nice !

BRITTANY'S EASY MEXICAN FOOD DIP

Mexican Artichoke Dip

Brittany, our little overachiever brought artichoke dip with Asiago Rosemary Crackers…

Delicious Mexican Food Recipes to Celebrate Cinco De Mayo

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can of refried beans
• 1 pack of taco seasoning
• 1 16 oz. of sour cream
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 1 bag of mexican shredded cheese
• 1 bag of tortilla chips
• 1 pie pan

INSTRUCTIONS
First mix taco seasoning, sour cream, and mayonniase together. Then layer beans, your mixture, and cheese. Serve with chips...and the Mexican food recipe of dip is ready...enjoy it !

MEXICAN STUFFED PEPPERS

Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Stuffed Red Peppers

Here's a South-of-the-Border twist on traditional stuffed peppers. Steaming in the microwave makes for faster prep and bright, crisp-tender peppers that delight the eye and the palate.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large green peppers
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 2 cups of Mexican blend (Jack & Cheddar) cheese, shredded
• 1 package of UNCLE BEN'S® Spanish flavored rice, prepared
• 1 medium-sized, ripe tomato, diced
• 1/2 small jar of mild salsa
• 1 bag of tortilla chips

INSTRUCTIONS
Wash and clean out the centers of the green peppers. Put them in a shallow baking dish.
Prepare the ground beef according to the directions on the taco seasoning package. Line the bottom insides of each pepper with shredded cheese. Stir the diced tomato into the prepared Spanish rice.
Layer the insides of each pepper with ground beef, rice/tomato combo, and cheese until the pepper is filled.Top each pepper with cheese and a dollop of salsa. Add remaining rice/tomato combo and ground beef to the pan (arranging around the peppers).

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the whole pan. -Add dollops of salsa all arround the pan. Cover with aluminum foil.Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes.
Serves 4.

Use the extra meat and rice in the pan to dip tortilla chips in -- the Mexican food recipe is ready to serve....it's delicious!

BURRITO JALISCO

Tacos Jalisco in Dodge City

Cheap eats: Taqueria Chapala

INGREDIENTS

• 5 lb. pork tenderloin
• 3 cans beer
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 medium chopped onions
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 package large tortillas

Toppings:

• guacamole
• sour cream
• salsa
• cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Put all ingredients into a large Crock-pot. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 hours until meat is tenderly cooked throughout.While meat is cooking:
Slice: onion, tomato, lettuce.
When meat is done, put sliced onion, tomato, lettuce, toppings (sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa) on tortilla with Mexican-blend or Swiss Cheese with meat.Serve with black beans and rice or a Mexican salad. The Mexican food recipe is ready to serve and the meat will simply melt in your mouth! enjoy the feast !

TRUE MEXICAN TORTILLAS

Tortilla Mexican Soup Recipe

Mexican Tortilla Stack-Ups

Mexican Tortillas

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
• 2 pounds flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the water, baking powder, vegetable oil or lard, and salt until it's hot, but just not too hot, just hot enough so that you can touch the water and not be burned.
In a large bowl, pour in the water mixture and add the flour a little-bit at a time until you are finished with the remaining flour. Make sure to mix the water mixture and flour together well.
You should have a smooth and elastic dough. Do not use a machine to mix the dough (use your hands).
After mixing the ingredients, cover the dough and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. (This will make the dough easier to work with).
Then take out the dough and heat up a "comal", or if you don't have one, simply use a pan. A cast iron skillet works well.
While the pan is heating up, start rolling the tortillas. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on the rolling surface so that the tortillas won't stick.

After they are made, start cooking them. When done, keep them warm in foil paper, or like it's done in Mexico, with a soft towel. And the Mexican food recipe of Tortillas is ready to serve...great taste ! Enjoy it !

HONEYMOON MEXICAN LASAGNA

MEXICAN LASAGNA

Spicy Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna (or Enchilada Casserole)

Mexican Lasagna
This dish layers in the best of Mexican flavors―enchilada sauce, beef, beans, cheese, and tortillas.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. turkey meat
• 1/2 package taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• 3 tbsp. salsa
• 1 can undrained Mexican chili beans
• 1 can stewed tomato/chili's
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 4 tortilla shells
• Colby cheese for grating or pre-grated Mexican or yellow cheese.

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
Brown turkey meat in a large skillet. Add all other ingredients except tortilla shells, parsley and cheese, saving 1/4 cup of chili and bean juice aside. Simmer for 5 minutes.Lay one tortilla shell on bottom of baking dish. Grate cheese over this shell and then layer a portion of meat on top.
Gently press the tortilla shell down to wet the edges. Repeat this process for each layer. Put the last tortilla shell on top. Grate cheese over top, pour bean/chili mixture over top and sprinkle with parsley. Gently press down.Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F. The Mexican food is ready to serves 2-4 depending on slices. Enjoy it !

Pancetta Chicken Recipe

Pancetta Chicken

Grilled Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus

A Tuscan recipe that creates flavorful, tender chicken every time. Pancetta is Italian bacon, pork that is cured with salt, pepper and fennel and then dried for several months. It is available in the deli section of most grocery stores and is a key component to this recipe. Regular smoked bacon will not yield the same result as it contains more moisture, grease and fewer flavors than the pancetta. As for the wine, the age old rule stands. If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. or easy weekend entertaining. Serves 4-6

Ingredients
* 8 – 10 chicken legs
* 1 T paprika
* 2 tsp kosher salt
* 2 tsp ground black pepper
* 8 – 10 slices pancetta (thinly sliced)
* 3 T extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 T each fresh sage and rosemary (finely chopped)
* ½ c white wine (chardonnay or pinot grigio)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C
Wash chicken and pat dry. Set aside.
Mix paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Sprinkle seasoning mix over chicken legs, coating evenly. Give the chicken skin a pat with your hand to help the seasonings absorb into the chicken.
Wrap each chicken leg with a slice of pancetta.
Chicken legs in oven safe skillet
Add sage, rosemary and wine to the center of the skillet.
Place skillet (uncovered) in the oven. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

Corn Chowder with Parmesan Cheese

Corn chowder garnished with Parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper and chopped chives

Brew Sun Tea

SUN BREWED TEA

SUN BREWED TEA

The "dangle" method.

Sun tea is quite possibly the most perfect drink for the summer. Lemonade is a classic, but it can be a little too tart for the hot days. Juices are too sugary, so they'll dehydrate you and cause a sugar crash halfway through that softball game. Water? That's just plain boring.

Step 1: Pick a container. Gallon-size pickle jars or gallon pitchers work best. Wash the container thoroughly with soapy water. This is important even if it already appears clean. Leaving dirty dishes in the sun can promote bacterial growth.

Step 2: Fill the container with a gallon of cold water. If you prefer sweet tea, remove about 25% of the water from the container, add sugar, make sure it's dissolved, and fill the container again. Kool-Aid sweetness requires 1 cup of sugar per half-gallon of water. However, sugared beverages don't quench your thirst; they make you thirstier. Unsweet tea is an acquired taste, but one that's well worth acquiring.

Step 3: Put in the tea bags. You can use any kind of tea. However, we prefer black tea for its caffeine, antibacterial properties and its dozens of other benefits. Our method: Tie three Lipton tea bags on a chopstick or wooden spoon, straddle it across the top of the container, and dangle the tea bags in the water. Add some sprigs of freshly-washed mint to the mix for a cooler taste.

If you're making tea in a jug of spring water, hold each tea bag sideways, and tap it gently so that the tea mostly ends up in the lower side of the tea bag. Fold the bag, and insert it through the neck of the jug, allowing the string to remain outside the bottle. When you finish - five bags of Red Rose tea will give you tea very similar to what the Five Brothers burger restaurants offer - grasp the tags on the strings, leaving most of the string inside the jug, and close the lid. Cheesecloth keeps flying insects out, but not airborne yeast, bacteria, mold, and other nasties.

You can make sun tea with virtually any tea bags. Jasmine tea (easily found at an oriental grocery) is interesting, but like many specialty teas, it doesn't wear well. Your favorite orange pekoe and pekoe-cut black tea will probably remain your favorite for sun tea as well. An additional tweak to this recipe is to choose fruit teas. Any fruit herbal tea that features rosehips is quite a refreshing drink in the summer. The Celestial Seasonings' Zinger teas, for example.

Step 4: In the morning, place the pitcher in a sunny spot like a windowsill. The sun's heat will brew your tea all day long. Put a screen or a piece of cheesecloth over the pitcher to prevent bugs from flying in and drowning.

Don't worry if the sun isn't shining. Five hours in a dark closet is just as effective as 8 hours in the sun. If you don't use enough tea, you'll be tempted to brew the tea too long, which extracts more tannin, making the tea rather bitter. You might as well use hot brewing if you're going to do that.

Step 5: When you come home, pour over ice and enjoy.

Pouring room-temperature tea over ice tends to make the tea "brighter" in flavor than tea which has been refrigerated. You'll want to drink the tea right away, however. Whether you refrigerate it or not, tea precipitates a sediment within about 2 days, and will have a "muddy" flavor thereafter.

Artichoke and Broad Bean Salad

Fennel, Broad Bean & Blue Cheese Salad

Pea, Broad Bean and Bacon Salad

Bacon, Mozzarella and Broad Bean Salad


Artichoke and Broad Bean Salad recipe

• 4 Artichoke hearts
• 1 lb Fresh broad beans
• 1 Sprig fresh mint
• The juice of half lemon
• Vinaigrette

INSTRUCTIONS
Cook artichokes in water with a pinch of salt and a little lemon juice.In a separate pan cook the broad beans in water with a little salt and 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and the fresh mint.

Drain the artichokes and cut in eight pieces each.Drain the broad beans and put them together with the artichokes in a bowl. Add salt and pepper and the vinaigrette which you make by mixing vinegar, olive oil and mustard and also one clove of garlic put through the garlic press.

Sprinkle with dried mint and leave to stand for a while to absorb the taste of the vinaigrette before serving. The vegetable recipe of artichoke bean salad is ready to serve...enjoy this great salad !

Rice Cooker Chicken

Rice Cooker Chicken Rice Cooking Steps

Should you wish to prepare Claypot chicken rice at home, it could be easy to done with a electronic rice cooker. In order to enhance the fragrance, you can add the Hua Diao Jiu (Chinese Wine) or salted fish.

Rice Cooker Chicken Rice

Rice Cooker Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Spring Chicken
Generous amounts of green onions, ginger and shallots
A dash of 5 spices
A dash of Pepper and salt
A bit of Sesame Oil
Shaoxing cooking wine

Method:
Mince some ginger finely. Mix the 5 spices, pepper, minced ginger and salt together.
Apply this mixture as a dry rub on the chicken thoroughly. Then set it aside for 30 minutes.
Chop some green onions and ginger into rough strips. Then stuff them into the belly of the chicken.
Chop some green onions, ginger and dried shallots into coarse chunks and add them to the bottom of your rice cooker. Then place the chicken into the cooker.
Put the lid on and cook the chicken for 20 minutes.
Open the lid and add some Shaoxing cooking wine. Put the lid back on and start the cooker again.
Turn the cooker off when the aroma of the wine starts to emanate from the cooker, leave the lid on for a few more minutes.
Then soak the chicken in ice water for a while.
Remove the chicken from the water, sprinkle some sesame oil on it, and slice the chicken before serving..

Artichoke and Broad Bean Salad

Broad bean salad with labneh

Slow cooked peas, artichokes and broad beans with sweet herbs and lemon

Chorizo and Pinto Bean Salad

Tonight we made a salad of spinach leaves with bacon, mozzarella, broad beans and avocado, which we served with a simple dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard and salt and pepper. We also made some toasted sliced of bread drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a garlic clove.

This had the potential to be really good, or so we thought, but it didn’t quite turn out that way. The bacon was from Emmet’s, a really good deli in Peasenhall in Suffolk. They make their own bacon and we’ve had it before and really liked it, but this time although it had a good flavour, it tasted very, very salty and was quite chewy (that was probably overcooking on our part). The broad beans were a bit floury in the middle – maybe we didn’t cook them enough. And the avocado wasn’t quite ripe enough.

Also, either one of the avocado or the beans (probably the avocado) needed to go – they just didn’t work well together. The avocado did work well on its own in the dressing, but didn’t go well with the rest of the salad. The garlicky toasted croutons were good though, and the mozzarella was nice. Apart from them though, it was just an excuse for a complete moan-fest, so apologies for that

Try this Artichoke and Broad Bean Salad recipe

• 4 Artichoke hearts
• 1 lb Fresh broad beans
• 1 Sprig fresh mint
• The juice of half lemon
• Vinaigrette

Cook artichokes in water with a pinch of salt and a little lemon juice.In a separate pan cook the broad beans in water with a little salt and 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and the fresh mint.

Drain the artichokes and cut in eight pieces each.Drain the broad beans and put them together with the artichokes in a bowl. Add salt and pepper and the vinaigrette which you make by mixing vinegar, olive oil and mustard and also one clove of garlic put through the garlic press.

Sprinkle with dried mint and leave to stand for a while to absorb the taste of the vinaigrette before serving. The artichoke bean salad is ready to serve...enjoy this great salad !