Lime (24)

Corn. How to choose and enjoy.

In corn at the same time 3 important points: choose the right ear, properly cook and delicious served.

1. How to choose.

1.1. First, determine what is in front of us corn. Food or feed.

The cob of feed corn long, color of grains yellow, and they are pretty tough, they are difficult to crush with fingers, the shell they have thick, taste tasteless.

The cob sweet corn food more short and thick, the color of the bean white-yellow-beige, they are soft and full, with pressure from them is juice (it is similar to milk), the taste is sweet.

We need food that is corn, but if you only sell feed, it is also possible to prepare. Below I will describe how both types of corn.

Important. Also comes in multi-colored corn, but it is often used as decor for popcorn or for making flour. I saw this in USA, but she is not ready. And there white corn. To choose it is necessary, by analogy with yellow, but not focusing on the color of the beans. Here’s the corn I cooked, and I will say that the yellow varieties closer to me to taste.

1.2. How to choose a young fresh corn.

Buy only untreated corn. First, without the leaves it dries quickly, without leaves it is not necessary to cook (taste will not be the same) and that on the leaves you can see how long the cobs are collected.

The young corn and bright green succulent leaves, and stigmas (hairs that are sticking out of them) – light, tender and moist.

Definitely need to see how the ear looks like inside. Reveal the leaves to the ground, but not pulling them. The grains should be soft but elastic, equal in size, closely adjacent to each other and without dents and shriveling. The color of the grains should be as bright.

2. How to cook.

Depending on the variety and degree of ripeness, cooking time is very different. Food corn cook for 10-30 minutes, aft 2-3 hours. I recommend when cooking choose one pilot on the cob and occasionally to try to pinpoint readiness. It is important not to overcook the corn, otherwise the grain will become hard. And undercooked corn will also be solid, and even the starch flavor of the beans. In General, when corn will reach the condition, you will this taste is not to be confused;)

The cooking process:

• To cook corn should with leaves and stigmas. I reach for my cobs only the outer couple of leaves, rinse it well and put into a pan. Or you can remove all the leaves and stigmas, but be sure to lay them in a saucepan with the corn (part on the bottom part of the top). They give the corn the right flavour and taste.

• The pot with thick walls, well-kept temperature. Size such that all the bobbins fit in the cooking process were under water. If they at length do not fit, cut them in half.

• Pour the corn will need is boiling water. So it is more delicate. So I put a pot of corn on the stove, pour the boiling water, and over high heat bring water again to a boil, then make a quiet fire and cook it under the lid. If cook feed corn in water, add milk/cream/butter/sweetener. It’s a bit ennobles the taste. Salt when cooking I don’t put, it makes the corn tough. Cooking I wrote above, be sure to taste the corn in the process.

• Once the corn is cooked, turn off the fire. If you don’t plan to eat all the corn at once, then store it in the fridge or in the pot of water, or put part of the broth in a zip package. If you keep it dry, it’ll dry out.

3. How to make corn.

My favorite way is:

Preheat the oven to maximum. RUB finished corn with grated cheese (ideally Parmesan), cheese that has penetrated into all the slits between the grains, spread it on a baking sheet, sprinkle some more cheese on top, you can season with salt/pepper to taste and be sure to sprinkle a pinch of ground Chile pepper. In the oven to melt cheese. Removed, sprinkled with lime juice and enjoy your meal;)

Can do it in a frying pan, quickly fry the corn over high heat on all sides.

Mango Lassi with coconut milk and lime

I love mango Lassi, but I do it on the classic recipe (with yogurt and milk), and on its own. The milk I use coconut and oatmeal, since they too emphasize the mango flavor and acidity make lime. Too cool lime combined with the coconut, and mango.

Ingredients:

• 2 mangoes (400 g of pulp),

• 150 ml coconut milk (I use fat),

• 200 ml oat milk

• Sparkling water optional and to taste, to bring the beverage to the desired consistency

• Juice and zest of half a lime (if the lime is small, it is possible and entirely to use it).

Also in Lassi, add spices to your taste, it may be the cardamom, chili pepper, ginger, salt, saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, mint, sweetener. Personally, I either add nothing, or choose one of the spices in the mood and most often it is ginger.

How to do:

1. Mango wash, peel and cut into pieces. And then you can make a drink, adding some ice or frozen mango. I make Lassi from frozen mango pieces, because it is refreshingly cold and crisp, which I really like. Spread them on a Board or the lid of the plastic container and put in freezer for a couple of hours.

2. Then all the ingredients except the spices and water are placed in a blender, whisk for a minute. Then if necessary, add water/ice, spices to your taste. Add gradually and taste what happens. Whisk again and serve. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon, ground cardamom, garnish with fruit pieces or ice cream.

Vanilla coconut ice cream (vegan and sugarfree)

The recipe was born suddenly one of those products that was at home, and it was so bomber that now takes pride of place in my cookbook.

Do 5 minutes, not including the stage of freezing.

You will need 1 large ripe(!) banana, 200 ml coconut milk (can be cream if you like it meatier), juice of a quarter lime/lemon, 1H.l. ground vanilla (or the seeds of half a vanilla pod), a pinch of sea salt.

Optionally you can put the sweetener (but believe banana is enough) and a few mint leaves, if you love her.

1. Banana wash, peel, slice and freeze much.

2. In a blender to immerse all the ingredients and punching until smooth. Can eat immediately or freeze until more solid (like me).

How to freeze ice cream:

Method 1.

Shake all the ingredients in a blender and put into the freezer straight into the bowl(!). Then every hour to get and mix a lot, especially the fact that froze on the top and on the side of the Cup. Once the consistency of your ice cream will be quite thick, but still viscous (it also obviously there will be small pieces of ice, which can not be avoided and I really don’t like), then remove it and punch in a blender. After that my ice cream may be placed in storage container and put into the freezer.

Method 2.

If you remove the freezer in the bowl of a blender not possible, then just put ice cream in a storage container and put it in the freezer. Carefully stir the ice cream every 30-60 minutes, so that eventually his consitency was tender and not an ice block.

3. Feed. Ice cream and so delicious, but absolutely brilliant it becomes, if the top sprinkle with cocoa/carob and the coconut chips. Direct wow!

Homemade tarragon (without sugar)

This is not the store tarragon, which is a fluid vigorous colors with a ton of sugar. This divine, fragrant, refreshing summer drink. Actually one of my favorite soft drinks, and cook it for about 5 minutes.

You will need: 1 liter of mineral water, ice, 15 branches of tarragon, 1 lemon and lime. Optional 2-3st.l. the Jerusalem artichoke syrup or agave.

1. Tarragon wash, separate leaves from branches. We need only them. Unable to supply to leave a few little branches.

2. Lemon and lime wash, cut in half, cut a few discs to decorate the glasses, from the rest of the juice.

3. In the bowl of a blender pour half the water, add all the other ingredients. To penetrate 2-3 minutes. Try on acid-sweetness, add whatever feels necessary.

Strain the mixture through a very fine strainer or through cheesecloth. I filtered 2 times, so the drink will look more presentable;)

In this proportion the taste is very rich, then vary the saturation of the drink by adding water.

In a blender I mixed the water, then add carbonated water.

4. Serve with lots of ice, garnish with a sprig of tarragon, a slice of lemon or lime.

Grilled shrimp with avocado cream

I wrote earlier about the subtleties of cooking shrimp, you can read here.

Now I was cooking pre-prepared (red) medium size shrimp without a shell. Such a better cook no more than a couple minutes.

Recipe for 2 servings:

1. Prawns (300g), wash, dry.

2. Heat a pan, preferably of such size that all the shrimp lay in 1 layer, either fry in batches. While the pan heats up crushed flat side of a knife a couple of cloves of garlic, peeled and as soon as the pan is hot, put it in a little olive oil, a couple pinches of rosemary and garlic. Heated the oil until the garlic smell (it’s 10 seconds) and spread shrimp. I fried them for about 1 minute on each side over very high heat. So they get a crust, but don’t become rubber.

3. Serve with avocado sauce. If you eat without the sauce, I recommend immediately after cooking, a little seasoning them with salt/pepper to taste and drizzle with lemon juice/lime.

Avocado sauce for everything

This sauce is ideal for fish, seafood, pasta, for Brackett, or maybe as a dip. In short, the perfect sauce with the perfect avocado.

You can do vegan, dairy free.

Ingredients.

Avocado – 1 big or 2 small. It should be ripe, firm options will not work.

Garlic – 2 tooth. I recommend you first put 1 clove, then add if necessary. The garlic cloves are different.

Juice, lime wedges and wedges of lemon. I put lime for flavor, and lemon for acidity.

Apple cider/wine vinegar – 1-2 tbsp, or you can substitute lemon juice.

Greek yogurt/sour cream/cottage cheese – 50-100 g

For a vegan version I use vegetable milk + 1 tbsp tahini/other unobtrusive Urbach or 2 tbsp neutral type of nut cashews. Cashews I pre-soaked in water 4-6 hours.

Add the yogurt/cheese/sour cream gradually, the mood. Sometimes I even do without them. Keep in mind that the consistency of the sauce will be more liquid if you use yoghurt, and thicker, if you use cheese.

A vegan version of milk makes the sauce runny, and peanut butter thick on the contrary.

Parsley/Basil/cilantro/tarragon, in one word your favorite greens – about 2 tablespoons in powdered form, can be replaced by dry, then you need a few pinches. This time I did with Basil. Put 1 large branch direct with stems, because the blender will grind all.

Optionally you can put a couple of tablespoons fragrant olive oil. I love the Greek or the Portuguese, they add diversity to the taste.

Salt/freshly ground black pepper to taste. I recommend to add gradually.

How to do it.

Very simple. All washed and in a blender until smooth creamy consistency.

Feeding, as I mentioned above, as a sauce or as a separate dish-snack.

Sugar Free Lemonade

In the subject of the previous post;) If someone does not know how to make lemonade from lemons that life gives them, then I will tell you my favorite way.

Drink ingredients: water that you like, and fillers: lime, lemon (and other citrus fruits), fresh cucumber, mint, tarragon, Basil, ginger, berries, melon, watermelon, etc. etc.

The simplest and most frequent option I make (pictured) is with lemon, lime, mint and cucumber.

On 1 carafe (2l) I put:

• 2 fresh cucumbers,

• 1 lemon,

• 1 lime

• * 2-3 mint sprigs.

The proportions are conditional, I usually put on the eye or in the amount that is at home.

Wash everything, cut the cucumber with a vegetable peeler into thin plates, and tear the mint leaves a little. Cut the lemon and lime in half, cut off a few circles and the center of the fruit and set aside (they are needed for beauty). From the remaining “assholes” squeeze out the juice.

Put everything in a carafe, except for lemon circles (put them at the very end, so that the zest does not” upset ” the drink), add water to cover the ingredients and let the drink brew a little. Then mix, taste and add more water to taste. Then throw in the lemon slices and you’re done!

Best Ever Tom Kha Gai

I finally figured out the perfect technology and the proportions of the ingredients, Hooray!

First, a little about the soup Tom Kha.

This hot and sour Thai soup in coconut milk with meat/seafood/mushrooms/vegetables/spices. I met two varieties: Tom Kha Kai (Tom Kha Kai) with chicken and Tom Kha Kung (Tom Kha Kung) – with shrimp.

Prefer to combine the two preparing the soup and chicken, and shrimp at the same time.

Generally all ingredients in the soup can be divided into 3 parts: liquid (broth, water, coconut milk), what to eat (meat, seafood, mushrooms, vegetables) and spices (lemongrass, lime leaves, chili, etc.).

The technology is usually such that the liquid ingredients to throw spices, then add the main ingredients, and when they are ready, the soup is served with cilantro and lime juice.

And here I always didn’t like to pick out of the soup 100,500 leaves and sticks, and to search among them meat and shrimp. Also I rarely like the density and richness of the broth, even in restaurants in Thailand. In your recipe I have corrected it;)

Ingredients:

1. Broth.

Like a rich viscous broth. I tried different options, and that this proportion is liked the most.

  • Chicken broth (you can substitute water) – 500 ml
  • Coconut milk – 500 ml
  • Coconut cream (you can substitute regular) – 200ml.

If the coconut cream you do not, then take 600 ml broth + 800 ml coconut milk.

2. Main ingredients.

I put them in a 1:1 ratio to the amount of broth. That is for 1 liter of broth you need about 1kg of meat/seafood/mushrooms, and in this case, so:

  • The meat from the chicken thighs (for more is dietary option take a chicken breast) – 500-600 g
  • Peeled shrimp (better to use not boiled) – 500-600 g
  • Shiitake mushrooms – 200-300 g. They can be replaced by mushrooms, oyster mushrooms.
  • Optional eggplants (Thai, not the usual blue) – 5-6 pieces.

Important. If you are using frozen meat, shrimp or mushrooms, you must defrost them and drain the water, otherwise the broth will become thin and tasteless.

3. Spices.

  • Galang/galangal/galangal (it’s just a different name of root) – 1 PC (30g). You can replace the ginger (30g) or put both the root.
  • Lemon grass/lemon grass/lemongrass – 3 sticks, if fresh, or 3 tablespoons dry.
  • The leaves of Kaffir/Kaffir lime – 4 PCs 8 PCs fresh or dry.
  • Hot chili pepper – 3 PCs.
  • Paste for soup, Tom Kha or Tom yum – I put about 10g per 100ml broth. The idea is you need to use the paste for soup, Tom Kha, but I like to put 50/50 with Tom Yam paste. And I’m talking about the pasta, which you can see on the link. Each manufacturer is its own, so put a little first and add the pasta gradually.
  • Fish sauce (it instead of salt) – 2-3 tbsp
  • Cilantro – 1-2 beam (in the soup needs a generous handful) directly to supply a couple tablespoons of chopped herbs in each bowl.
  • Lime – 1-2 jokes. It is necessary for the supply of soup, or rather the juice of the lime slices into the bowl.
  • Sweetener (palm sugar, Jerusalem artichoke syrup or any other sweetener you have) – 2-4 tbsp
  • 1 onion,
  • 2 cloves of garlic.

How to do:

1. Broth.

To soup was easy to eat, I cook the broth for seasoning, then throw them. In chicken broth/water, put sliced arbitrarily galang, ginger, lemograss, Chile peppers, optional add the onion and garlic. Lime leaves torn at the veins, and throws after him. Bring to the boil, after 5 minutes, turn off and allow to stand for about an hour (during this time all the spices give their aromas), filter the broth. Spices discarded.

2. The preparation of ingredients.

Chicken, mushrooms, shrimp, eggplant wash. I love when the soup all the same size and large enough cut, so I cut the mushrooms in half, and the chicken a little smaller pieces. When cooked, it increases in size, and mushrooms – on the contrary compressed. By the way, shrimp are also significantly compressed, buy large. Eggplant cut lengthwise into 2-4 parts. The shrimp removes all the inedible: remove the shell completely, with head and tail, cut the back and remove the intestine.

3. The process of cooking.

Broth (welded to item 1) bring to a boil, and then throws him in the chicken. So the meat will retain juiciness and flavor, this soup is exactly what we need. Cook 10 minutes, then add mushrooms and eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes. At this time, fry in a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil paste Tom Kha to a bright aroma (about 2 minutes).

Only after the chicken, mushrooms and aubergines are ready, add the coconut milk and pasta, bring to a boil over low heat.

Then add shrimp, cream, fish sauce and balance the taste with sweetener.

If your shrimp is raw (green), then cook them for 3-4 minutes, then add a handful of coarsely chopped cilantro, stir, turn off. If the shrimp was already done (red), then put them with the cilantro at the same time, immediately remove the soup from heat.

Shrimp should be added at the end to keep them soft. If they overcook, they will become rubber.

4. Flow (kick it an important point).

Pour the soup into a bowl, top throw 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander and served with a large slice of lime, the juice of which you must squeeze at the top. Optionally, the dish can be decorated with slices of Chile pepper.

If the soup is very spicy, you can apply to it the boiled rice.

Important.

Pri long heat treatment the coconut milk loses its structure and breaks into flakes. I don’t like the consistency of soup, so have developed a hack to add the milk and cream at the end of cooking. If you love the perfect smooth consistency of the soup, I recommend to follow my method.

Important 2.

This way you can cook and Tom Yam in coconut milk. Insanely delicious!

Beautiful salad with quinoa, beets, Apple and avocado with ginger-mustard dressing

I have long and dearly love the same, which consists of only 4 ingredients (arugula, beets, nuts and cheese, plus sour dressing). But I wanted to balance the dish so that it became a full-fledged lunch/dinner. It turned out just delicious)) In the version with hummus it is also suitable for vegans.

Ingredients (for 3-4 servings):

• Cooked quinoa (can use any, I have tri-color) – I put 3 STL. per serving or approximately 10 tablespoons,

• 1 beet baked/boiled medium size (how to roast beets wrote here),

• 1 sour-sweet juicy Apple,

• 1 ripe avocado,

• Arugula (tastes the best)/spinach/Kale/any green leaves – 2-3 handfuls

• Parsley chopped – 3 tbsp.

• Cilantro chopped – 3 tbsp.

• Chopped mint – 2 tbsp,

• Optional goat cheese, feta, blue cheese can also, even cottage cheese can be granular – to taste, I put about 2 tbsp of cream cheese per serving, or hummus for vegan version

• Roasted walnuts or pine nuts 1 generous handful,

• For decoration (optional): a few pinches of herbs, crispy roasted pumpkin seeds or almond petals, pomegranate grains.

What else can you put in this salad: the beans of edamame, asparagus, raw young zucchini, fennel.

Ingredients for the filling:

You can make the most simple of the oil, lemon juice and sweetener, and it can be a little more interesting:

• 3 tablespoons Apple cider/wine vinegar,

• 3 tbsp lime juice (you can substitute lemon, but lime is more interesting),

• 2 tbsp olive oil (don’t put a lot because the salad already eat fatty avocados and nuts),

• 2 tbsp Jerusalem artichoke syrup, maple syrup or honey

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard,

• 1 tsp grated root ginger,

• Salt/pepper to taste.

How to do:

1. Prepare the base: beets and quinoa, you can even do this the day before.

I cook quinoa as directed on the package, since the method of cooking depends on the variety.

But usually so: thoroughly wash barley, soak it for at least 30 minutes or for a few hours, the seeds swelled, and trash spil, and it can be removed with running water. And most importantly, even after a short soaking, the quinoa will taste bitter.

Then fill it with water in a ratio of 1к2, bring to boil and cook under the lid for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. The idea is all the water should soak into the grains, if this has not happened, and the quinoa is tender, simply drain it in a colander.

I baked the beets.

Wash beets, wrap in parchment and bake for 50-60 minutes at 180C. Speed of cooking depends on the size of the roots, after 40 minutes pierce with a big fruit with a sharp knife if it is without crackle, and a Herculean effort — beets are ready. Let it cool and then you can clean. Cleaned recommend over a sink or bowl with water, so as not to paint all around;)

I usually cook a lot of grits and baked a whole pan of beets and then use them in various recipes.

2. All the other ingredients wash, dry, tear lettuce leaves into small pieces, greens grind. The Apple and beetroot cut into dice, avocados, cut into cubes or slices (depending on how you want to serve with a salad, on that later), immediately sprinkle with the lime or lemon juice, not darkened.

3. Nuts/seeds or bake in the oven (then wrote manul for roasting) or in a skillet. Allow to cool and become crunchy charm.

4. For a vegan version of the recipe for hummus here. In principle, cheese or hummus are optional in this salad, it is also great without them.

5. For the filling just all poured into a small jar, close lid tightly and shake intensely.

6. How to make salad (2 ways):

Method 1 (pictured above). Mixed lettuce, Apple, beets, parsley and 2/3 of the filling, taste for seasoning, add what you need, laid out on plates, top lay slices of avocado, sprinkle them with the remaining filling and decorate.

Method 2 (pictured below). Just mix everything in a bowl (avocado then just fit in the cubes), taste for seasoning, add what you need, lay on plates and decorate top (optional).

Bon appetit!

One minute curry sauce recipe

This sauce will help you out in a situation, when to fish, poultry, potatoes, rice, roasted vegetables in urgent need of some sauce. It will give zest and Asian touch to even the most boring dish.

Ingredients:

170 g Greek yogurt or any other thick yogurt without additives,

3 tbsp lime juice (lemon will do),

1 tbsp olive oil,

1st.l. yellow curry powder,

1 tsp of Jerusalem artichoke syrup,

Salt, ground black pepper, ground cinnamon (!), turmeric 0.5 teaspoon,

How to make: all mix thoroughly until smooth. Try to add spices to your taste. Ready! On the second day the sauce is delicious;)

This sauce can be used as a marinade for kebabs or grilling fish/seafood/meat.