Shrimp curry with stir fried rice

serves 3 - 4

Ingredients:

* 500g middle sized shrimp
* 1 small can of bamboo shoots
* 1 spoon of tom yum paste
* 1 spoon of lemon juice

* 2 spring onion

* 1 thumb sized ginger

* 3 garlic cloves

* 200ml coconut milk

* 2 cups of rice, pre-boiled
* Curry powder
* Turmeric powder

* 1 red paprika

* 1 small can of pineapple (or 2 slices)
* 200g small sized shrimp

Preparation:

This is my Christmas special this year; I once ate this dish at a Thai restaurant, and this is my interpretation of the recipe. I might be a little off, but the taste comes close to what I've had, and I sure loved it! Here goes:

Be sure to have boiled rice ready for this dish, as you need it cold, because it is better to stir fry then.

Peel the garlic and ginger and use a rasp to grate them. Finely cut the paprika and cut the spring onion in rings. Finally cut the pineapple as small as possible.

Heat up a wok and a saute pan with 2 spoons of oil both. In the wok we're going to make the stir fried rice, in the saute pan the shrimp curry. Once they both reached temperature, turn the heat of the saute pan to low and add the ginger and garlic. Softly let them fry, while stirring.

Meanwhile add the paprika to the wok, and stir fry for about 5 minutes. 

Back to the saute pan, add the bamboo shoots and mix well. Let it cook for a couple of minutes more on low heat. 

Now add the small shrimps to the wok and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the curry powder and turmeric and mix well. Turn the heat low. Now add the pineapple and mix. 

Let's go back to the saute pan, turn the heat high there and add the large shrimps. Stir fry for about one minute and add the spring onion and tom yum paste. Mix well, and add the coconut milk. Blend again and bring to the boil. Once it boils turn the heat low.

In the wok pan, add the rice and use two spatula's to blend everything well. Make sure no single grain of rice is left white, and the ingredients are blended together nicely.

Let both pans on low heat for 2 - 3 minutes more and serve on a plate separately from each other.

I hope you like this recipe, because I certainly did. This is my Christmas dish, and I ate this as a treat to myself.

I hope to see you soon again!

Yours truly,

Mike

German Currywurst

serves 1 - 2

Ingredients:

* 2 bratwurst

* 1 medium sized onion

* 35g tomato puree

* 100g tomato ketchup
* 1 spoon balsamic vinegar

* 1 spoon honey
* 0,5 spoon soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon chili powder

* 2 spoons cury powder

Preparation:

Finely cut the onion and fry the sausages until brown, remove from the pan, and cut in slices.
Keep the heat on and now add the onion. Fry until they go soft, and add the tomato puree. Mix well, and add some water, not too much. Now add everything else and mix well. If the sauce is too thick, add some more water. Be sure to keep tasting in between to alter the sauce to your liking.
When the sauce is done, add the sausages, blend well and serve. Sprinkle some more curry powder on top, and serve with a salad, and fries or a sandwich.

I hope you like the recipe and hopefully I'll see you soon again!

Yours truly,

Mike

Dad's cauliflower

serves 1 - 2

Ingredients:

* 1 small cauliflower
* 1 egg
* Salt and pepper to taste

* lemon juice to taste

Preparation:

This is a recipe how my dad used to make cauliflower.

Separate the cauliflower in big parts. Bring water to the boil, and boil the cauliflower until they just start to go soft ( use a fork to check). Meanwhile beat the egg and add salt and pepper. Throw away the water and remove the cauliflower. Now heat up a frying pan, and when the oil is hot enough,  dip the cauliflower in the egg mixture and fry until brown. Add lemon juice on top for added flavour.

Can be served as a tapas, or with boiled potatoes and any meat to your liking.

Have a good meal and see you soon!

Egg foo young

serves 3 - 4

Ingredients:

For the eggs:

* 6 eggs, beaten

* 250g mushrooms

* 200g beansprout

* 2 garlic cloves

* 3 carrot, julienne cut

* 1 leek

* 1 spoon of Chinese 5 spices
* 1 teaspoon of soy sauce

* Pepper and salt to taste

For the sauce:

* 400g water

* 1 vegetable stock cube 

* 3 spoons of tomato ketchup

* 3 spoons of ginger syrup
* 1 spoon of vinegar
* 1 spoon of brown caster sugar

* 1 teaspoon of sriracha sauce, or chili pepper powder

* Corn starch to thicken the sauce to taste.

Preparation:

This recipe is 100% vegetarian. If you want you can change the stock cube to a chicken stock cube. You can add ham, chicken or shrimp for a more meaty dish.

Cut the leek in rings, and the the mushroom in slices. Finely chop the garlic. Beat the eggs and add the soy sauce, and the pepper and salt.

Heat up a saute pan and stir fry the leek and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Stir fry until the mushrooms gain colour. Now add the carrots, and finally the 5 spices. Mix well!

Stir fry for about one minute more, and then add the eggs. Stir until the eggs cover everything, then turn the heat to low and let the eggs solidify.

Meanwhile heat up 400g water and add a vegetable stock cube. Bring to the boil and turn the heat on medium. Add the rest of the ingredients except the corn starch. Blend well together. Add the corn starch to thicken the sauce to your liking and turn the heat to low. Wait until the eggs are done then turn off the heat.

Serve the eggs with (stir fried) rice and pour the sauce on top of the eggs.

Bon apetit!

I hope you like the recipe and until soon!

Yours truly,

Mike

Healthy sandwich

serves 1

Ingredients:

* 2 slices of whole wheat bread
* 1 slice of cheese

* 1 slice of chicken filet (or ham)

* 4 slices of tomato

* 6 slices of cucumber

* 1 lettuce leaf
* Butter

Preparation:

Butter the bread on both sides. Put the cheese and chicken on it. Symmetrically place the  cucumber and tomato on the sandwich and cover with lettuce. Additional you can also add an boiled egg in slices if you like, but I left it out.

Serve as lunch or breakfast, or just if you have a craving!

Until next time!

Yours truly,

Mike

Beef hash

serves 2 - 3 people

Ingredients:

* 500g braising steak

* 25g butter

* 3 large onions

* 1 beef stock cube

* 3 bay leaves

* 4 cloves

* 1 tablespoon vinegar

* Salt and pepper to taste

* Water

Preparation:

A traditional Dutch recipe again!

Cut the meat in cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the onion in rings. Heat the butter in a saute pan and brown the meat. Add the onion and fry 2 - 3 minutes. Now add the stock cube, bay leaves and cloves. Pour (pre-boiled) water in the pan until the meat is half underwater. Stir well, bring to the boil and lower the heat to simmer. Leave the meat to simmer for 2 - 3 hours. If the sauce is too watery, you can add some corn starch to thicken the sauce.

Once the dish is done you can serve it with red cabbage and potato puree.

Hope you enjoy the recipe and hopefully until soon!

Yours truly,

Mike

Dad's chicken soup

serves 5 - 6

Ingredients:

* 500g drumsticks

* 2 liters water

* 700g soup vegetables

* 150g vermicelli

* 1 chicken stock cube

* 1 package of chicken soup herbs

* Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparations:

This is the soup my dad used to make when I still lived at home. Here is the recipe for you!

Bring water to the boil in a large pot. When it boils add the chicken. Let it boil for 30 - 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pot, but keep the water, add the chicken stock cube and the herbs, and stir well. Add the vegetables, bring to the boil on medium heat.

Meanwhile strip the chicken off the bone and add to the soup. Once you're done, add the vermicelli, stir well and let it boil for another 5 - 10 minutes.

I hope you like the recipe and hopefully until soon!

Yours truly,

Mike

Round steak with avocado salad

serves 1

Ingredients:

* 1 avocado

* 12 cherry tomatoes

* Jalapeño sauce

* Potato slices

* 1 steak

* 25g butter

* Seasalt

* Pepper
* Garlic powder

* Thyme

Preparations:

Half an hour before preparation take the steak out of the fridge and let it rest.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in halves. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and cut in cubes inside the skin.  Now grab a spoon to scoop them out. Mix with the tomatoes, and add jalapeño sauce and salt to taste. Mix again, let it rest.

Heat up a frying pan and fry the potato slices on high heat for 5 minutes, scooping them over occasionally. Meanwhile season the steak with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme on both sides, or use your own seasoning of choice.

Heat up a skillet and melt the butter. Wait until the bubbles disappear before adding the steak.
Meanwhile turn the heat of the potatoes on medium and do the same as before.
While frying the steak be sure to keep it in motion at all times. I like my steak medium so set a timer for 2,5 minutes a side. Again: it's important to keep the steak in motion!

After 2,5 minutes on each side, the steak is done, and so should the potatoes.
Serve with the salad, and enjoy your meal!

I hope you like it and see you soon again.
Yours truly,

Mike