Cooking with Coconut Milk + Salmon Coco Sauce Recipe Example

Hello!

I decide to make a general recipe post today!

Coconut milk is one of the most versatile cooking ingredients that I really like. This ingredient, which I believed originated in Asia (Indian, Thai, Indonesian, Cantonese cuisine all seem to favour this), can be used to make various types of cooking, from appetisers to main course and sweet desserts! In fact, I've always admired Thai coconut milk based desserts (although admittably I refrain myself from eating a lot of them because of their high sugar content!)

Coconut milk gives a distinctive taste to my homemade cooking, and to me, is a great substitute allowed on the South Beach Diet. Moreover, at least in the UK, you can always find half-fat coconut milk (I found mine from Waitrose). If you ever have a chance to come to Indonesia during the Ramadan or the Islamic Holy Month period, you'll find that most of the food served after the day fasting period ends are nearly made entirely using coconut milk!

To incorporate coconut milk to your daily simple homemade cooking promoted by the one by two kitchen blog is relatively simple. I use them to make Thai green curry and one of my favourite dishes: salmon and Chinese cabbage in coconut milk sauce. Lately I've really liked eating Chinese cabbage, because they remain fresh longer than other leafy veggies.

An important bit of doing stir-fry is to add water to create the sauce. I learn this by experience!

Do take a look at the recipe below, and remember that you can change the ingredients to your liking. Just remember the Coco sauce mix: fish sauce, a little bit of water during stir-fry, and coconut milk!

Salmon, Prawn and Chinese Cabbage in Coco Sauce

Salmon, Prawn and Chinese Cabbage in Coco Sauce

Ingredients:

• Coconut milk (preferably half-fat - half a can)
• Fish Sauce
• Salmon (1 Fillet - cut to square pieces)
• King Prawn (approximately half-pack or 100 grams)
• Chinese Cabbage (approx. 5 leaves - chopped)
• Bean sprout (as desired)
• Spring Onion (2; chopped)
• Extra virgin olive oil OR other vegetable oil

How to Prepare:

• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan
• Sizzle the spring onion until the fragrance comes out
• Put the Chinese cabbage and bean sprout in, stir-fry for around 3 minutes
• Put the salmon in, stir-fry for additional 4-5 minutes or until salmon turns opaque
• During stir-frying, add some water if pan becomes too dry, but not too much until it covers the pan!
• Pour fish sauce sauce (approx. 4 tablespoons)
• Pour the coconut milk and stir-in
• Wait until the sauce boils and mix more fish sauce if you want more flavours
• Stir in the prawn and wait until they boil
• Serve!

AWESOME dinner and SBD-ish!

You might like to read my posting about fusion food at here.


LOVE. the one by two kitchen.

To Go Roll Up Healthy Sandwich

In my previous post, I mentioned how bad my pocket state is, having had to travel to London on Monday for my passport renewal!

And to add complication to my pocket, I've got to stay for quite a long time in the campus to do my lab work and research studies. I've always had prejudice that 'eating out' is not that healthy so it has never been my choice before. I used to go back every lunch time and come back to uni, but since my work is getting busier, I finally had to give in to eating on campus - with distinction, because I packed my sandwich.

I used to not like packing up sandwich because they always come out messy (and rather embarrassing!) However, I was really inspired by a friend of mine Katrina who used cling plastic to wrap her sandwich. I tried to roll them for more space, and guess what - they came out tidy and fulfilling too while I munched them in the library!

I use three wholewheat bread leaves and healthy fillings to suit my diet. Lately I'm really liking a cheese spread that Bila and I found in a Halal supermarket. Feel free to alter to your own dietary requirements! To make the sandwiches healthy, I put fresh veggies on.

The key point on rolling up the sandwich is by steaming the bread by either using a steamer or a microwave.

Three Roll Up Sandwiches

You will need to have Cling Plastic Wraps!

Serves 1 person


Ingredients:

• Wholewheat bread (3 slices)
• Cheese Spread OR Light/Low-fat Butter 
• Shredded lettuce (chopped lettuces will do)
• Tomato (1)
• Asian Floss (Indonesian Abon) OR can be changed to other fillings i.e. egg mayo, tuna mayo, fried egg, or any other fillings

How to Prepare:

• Steam your bread slices either on a steamer, or for a quick one, microwave for 1 minute
• Spread the cheese spread or butter onto the bread slices
• Dice the tomato, you might want to remove the juicy middle
• On the first slice: put the bread slice on a cling wrap (roughly 7 cm in length), put the diced tomato on top, roll over and secure
• On the second slice: instead of diced tomato, use lettuce instead
• Use any fillings you like on the third slice (mine is the Indonesian beef floss - known as abon in Indonesian)
• Pack them and enjoy!

Full of Veggie Goodness!

Save those extra quids for Easter holiday!

LOVE. the one by two kitchen.

French Macarons Obsessions

I'm officially skint now!

Having just gone to London to renew my passport (and yes, passport renewal did cost quite a lot when you included your train tickets to London, London tube Oyster fare, and the little awesome things that make life nice), I'm officially broke now.

I bought Pierre Hermes macarons from Selfridges' Food Hall, London. I've always heard a lot about them (a lot of raves, yes), so I did go and bought myself a 16-macarons box which accumulated to the growing deficit of my monthly budget. But hey! It was Valentine's day and I thought I should treat myself!

Here is the picture of Pierre Hermes macarons gift bag. Yes, they are absolutely good, wrapped in the poshest gift bag and paper bag that reminds me of top branded shopping bags. And yes, they are expensive so this is rather a one-of-a-kind treat for me!

I bought the box with self-chosen assorted macarons. I've always liked macarons ever since I tried them in Singapore a good 4 years ago. Well the thing is - I like them so much that the only summer I was in Indonesia after I started my studies in the UK, I got annoyed because I couldn't find these petite nice treats! My bestie Gaby is in love with them too. I took her to English afternoon teas and she instantly felt in love with them!

Here is the inside of the box that I bought:

One of my all-time favourite flavours is Rose Macarons. Pistachio is also a favourite, however Pierre Hermes version is rather hip with various combinations too.

I brought the whole box back to Nottingham to enjoy whilst I was in the library. The crispness of the macarons, the tasty sweet cream, its fragrant and the sensation of eating them were really a bliss in my studying time!

And that's me enjoying my Rose macarons with Bila and Stefanie while applying for Engineering jobs. Rather random? Yes. But if you are doing engineering, you definitely know how much you need a break after a long day of non-stop studying and campus hopping!

LOVE. the one by two kitchen.

Quick for Valentine! Chocolate Clusters Recipe

Who's in for Valentine's Day?

Apart from the chocolates, I am not a big fan. But I'm pretty sure that a lot of you are actually anxiously waiting for this day filled with chocolate! This is not an SBD friendly recipe (but hey Valentine's a cheating day, right?)

Chocolate Clusters

If you have not bought your chocolates yet and are too skint or want to make something good last minute, check out the following easy Chocolate Cluster recipe. I made this a long time ago for Christmas, however it's very versatile to use in all occasions depending on how you decorate them! It's so easy (less than 20 minutes to make and half an hour to leave them in refrigerator) and you definitely would want to impress that special someone that apart from being a fashionista/smartie/girl next door (if you're a girl), you're also a domestic goddess! Or - if you're a guy - you might want to show your girls your homeloving abilities!

Right - first thing first. This is an easy recipe that will never, ever, cost you your head and arms (it's not expensive at all!) Quickly get your notes and jot down everything listed below!

NOTE: You will need a large bowl and a saucepan that can fit in your bowl. That's it.

Ingredients:

• Dark chocolate bar (approx. 250 grams or one bar)
• Cornflakes cereal - a handful (from your morning breakfast!)
• Colorful sprinkles or anything to decorate
• Muffin paper cases (better but not compulsory)

How to Prepare:

• Break the chocolate bar to pieces and put them into a large heatproof bowl (a ceramic bowl will do)
• We're going to melt the chocolate now. Fill the saucepan with water, making sure that when your bowl is put onto the saucepan, the water will not leak onto the bowl (you don't want a nasty mixture of chocolate liquid)
• Turn up the heat and bring the water to boil, carefully stirring your chocolate until they completely melt
• Remove your bowl from the saucepan (or move the entire thing from your hob) and stir in a handful of cornflakes
• Stir the cornflakes until they are fully coated, add some more cornflakes if possible
• Use your spoon to scoop the chocolate cornflakes and fill each paper case. Size is to your liking. However I recommend a bigger one than shown on the picture for Valentine's day
• Sprinkle your colorful sprinkles or decoration on top
• Move to the refrigerator and let it cool (approximately 30 minutes - check on yours!)
• Quickly wrap them in some nice tubes and give them a good wrapping!
• Serve! No! I mean send them to that special somebody!

Since this recipe is quick for Valentine's, I wouldn't say much for this one. It's simple, easy and it will impress! Go on, have a try, it's nearly foolproof!

LOVE. the one by two kitchen.