Kidney Beans & Mashed Potato Curry ala FIFTEEN London

My recent trip to Bangkok, Thailand is quite tiring. Given the fact that I came there for work for a specific project doesn't mean I should be entitled not to do other projects in the office (it's supposed to be that way) but I was working morning 'til morning. Like sometimes 8am to 2am or less. I wouldn't complain because the beauty of my job is that, no matter how tiring it is... I can still manage to inject some fun! So having said that, I did explore a bit of Bangkok with the little free time I got and with the help of my best buddy or my closest friend for 15 years and he's my secret-keeper dude---Warren Santiago.

Food and shopping were great in Bangkok although I really don't have enough time to do shopping and city sightseeing. Next week I will come back, but again for work. I hope I'd have more free time and hopefully I can visit Ayuttaya the old capital of Thailand.

Today I am very sick that I didn't go to work and just eat some leftover that I cooked from last week. This was inspired by the special dish that the chef from Fifteen London prepared for me during my visit. I just guessed the ingredients and how he prepared it because I cannot forget the taste so I came up with my version.

KIDNEY BEANS & MASHED POTATO CURRY

Ingredients:

• Kidney Beans
• Potatoes
• Cream
• Coconut Milk
• Curry Powder
• Salt & Pepper
• Prawns
• Paprika
• Onion Leeks
• Chicken stock
• Butter (of course)

Procedure

Boil potatoes until soft and ready for mashing. Mash accordingly with cream and coconut milk. Add butter, curry powder, salt and pepper then fold until smooth and without any lumps. Ready your pan with butter then saute onion leeks followed by prawns. Seasoned it with paprika then saute again until cooked. Add kidney beans and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Simmer for 2 minutes then add the mashed potato mixture and chicken stock. Add again a pinch of salt and pepper then serve hot. Good for sick person with fever who cannot take heavy food.

Get well to all sickie people like me today...

big hug,
joanie xxx

Apples in Shiraz & Cinnamon Doughnuts

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! True to that saying, I have made a lot of desserts made of apples---aside from the fact that I am eating them fresh most of the time. I love desserts and I think I was inspired to interpret apples in the form of doughnuts by a fellow blogger Ellie. This is actually my second doughnut attempt and I think I am pretty much alright. The first one was when I did the French Toast Doughnut of Nigella. That doughnut is sinfully good even though it's not the traditional round one but instead a typical French toast bread.

After Women's day celebration, days swiftly passed by and I couldn't notice whether it's weekend or weekdays already. I spend my time at work as an art-based creative during Mondays thru Fridays and as a chef in a small cafe on Saturdays and Sundays. I sometimes feel tired but most of the time I am happy with what I do so I hardly complain. The rewarding part of being busy rather than being idle is... the inner joy that comes from within. There will be a lot of upcoming events in Geisha Cafe where customers reserved the place for a celebration function. I am excited about it. Can't wait to train my cooks in the kitchen to get ready of this big task ahead. In the meantime, let me share this simple yet oozing dessert of mine.

APPLES IN SHIRAZ & CINNAMON DOUGHNUTS

Ingredients:

• Large apples (peeled/seeded/cut like the doughnuts)
• Shiraz wine
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon powder
• Brown sugar
• Flour
• Eggs
• Milk
• Baking powder (tiny portion)
• Confectionery Sugar
• Caster Sugar
• Oil (for frying)
• Butter (of course)

Procedure:

Heat pan with butter and fry the doughnut shape apples then add sugar and wine. Let the sugar melts and liquify then add vanilla extract and cinnamon. Simmer the mixture until the liquid thickens and evaporates. Wait for a few more minutes until the apples soften. Let it cool and set aside. Prepare a mixing bowl. Then add flour, eggs & milk then beat them all together. Add few cubes of butter, caster sugar and tiny portion of baking powder. Mix very well like a thick batter mixture. Then prepare a large Teflon pan fill it with oil. Let it heat then ready the cooked apples and batter mixture. Dip one apple at a time in to the batter mixture then fry. When finish frying let it cool on paper tissue to reduce oil. Then serve it on a plate and dash it with some confectionery sugar.

Looking forward doing Tiramisu or Pavlova next time...
Ciao mates!

big hug,
joanie xxx

Egg Soup with Broccoli & Kani

What do I have for today? It's my second year celebrating women's day here in Vietnam, which I don't usually celebrate back home. Today all the ladies in the office had a free lunch at my favorite Cafe called KITA. Our managing director paid for our pretty pricey and generous meal. Then at night I had dinner at Geisha with bunch of close girl friends. I don't know exactly the origin how our world initiate the celebration of women's day but regardless of history, it's worth celebrating!

The world is evolving and changing very fast along with our women today. More and more female creatures turn to be a successful monster or giant Godzilla in the modern universe. They learned to be tougher and better than most men as they rise from the ranks of corporate ladder, politics, arts, entertainment and business. Women are dominating more male territories so the male species are slowly threatened by the rapid growth of female dominance. I would like to cite myself as an example as a strong and empowered woman. My desire and dreams are driven by my ambition and ability to make things happen according to my own design and not dictated by trends or influence of peers. I am decisive and passionate that's why most men are often intimidated to me. I guess they shouldn't. You know why? At the end of the day the difference between men and women is-- we are softer hearted. I couldn't agree less to that. There's more to learn about women and they are limitless to be discussed in one post. So to wrap this post up, I'd like to leave you guys a light soup recipe that most women would definitely like.

EGG SOUP WITH BROCCOLI & KANI

Ingredients

• Eggs

• Chicken Stock

• Kani strands

• Broccoli

• Milk

• Cornstarch

• Onions

• Salt & Pepper

• Butter (of course)

Procedure:

Heat pan with butter in medium temperature then saute onions. Add kani strands then add salt and pepper. Beat the eggs and set aside. Add the chicken stock to the sauteed onions and kani. Bring to boil then add milk and egg. Dissolve little amount of cornstarch with water then add to the mixture. Lastly add broccoli then boil it again then put off the heat and serve it with any bread. Mine I served it with Pandan sliced loaf bread.

Happy Women's Day! :-)

big hug,

joanie xxx