Christmas is just round the corner, you feel it in the air.
We've been waiting a year. And it's finally here.
Today I'm sharing with you something tropical and exotic to wow your lover, hubby or MIL for this coming Christmas dinner.
Yours truly busy cooking in the kitchen......cook an hour early, in case MIL decide to drop by early for spot check.
Main Dish of the day Baked Tamarind Chicken in banana leaf.
Baked Tamarind Chicken in banana leaf
Ingredients
Brown sugar, chilli flakes, five spice powder, tamarind puree.
Tamarind or tamar-i-hind the 'date of India'as the Arabs described it, is one of the most widespread trees of the Indian subcontinent. It may have originated in African, but it's history in South Asia is ancient and it is widespread in the region.
Method to prepare the tamarind chicken.
1/ Cut the yellow part on the lemon grass into small pieces.
2/ Peel the garlic and ginger skin, then chop into small pieces.
3/ Combine the lemon grass, garlic, ginger with 2 tbsp of water and blend into a smooth paste.
4/ Mix together the tamarind puree, brown sugar, chilli flakes, five spice powder, salt, pepper with the lemon grass paste except the banana leave. Cut the kaffir lime leaves into small pieces and add into the tamarind paste.
5/ Wash the chicken and pat dry. Cut 2 slits on the chicken thighs. Marinate the chicken with tamarind paste, cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 4 hours.
The banana leave add a unique smoky aroma and flavour to the tamarind chicken.
c
Come on, babe!
6/ Wrap the chicken thighs with banana leaf, put in a baking dish.
7/ Baked at 200 deg for 40 mins. Remove the banana leaf and use the grill mode to grill the chicken until slightly charred.
8/ Serve the tangy tamarind chicken with rice.
9/ Garnished with slice tomato, mint leaves and lime.
The aromatic fragrant from the lemon grass and kaffir leaves is oooooohhhh...so good!
Soft and tender tamarind chicken. If you can't get banana leaves, use aluminium foil to cover the chicken during baking to retain the moisture.
When you take the first bite of this scrumptious chicken, the flavor hits you with a zing and you'll be singing I'm in heaven.
Heaven, heaven..... I'm in heaven with you. The only one for me...........
Hold on babe, the night is still young.....
Appetizer of the day - Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
12 pieces shrimp
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 egg white
1/2 bowl fresh grated coconut
3/4 bowl plain flour
1/ Peel the shrimp shell and leave the tail on. Wash and pat dry.
2/ Marinate the shrimp with worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, chill in fridge.
3/ Beat the egg white until medium peak.
4/ Coat the shrimp with flour.
5/ Then shower the shrimp in the beaten egg white.
6/ Dress up the shrimp with fresh grated coconut.
7/ Line the baking tray with aluminium foil. Grill the shrimp for several minute until slightly charred, turn the shrimp and grill the other side for another few minutes. Shrimp cook fairly fast, so do not walk away and gossip in facebook or whasapp.
This coming Christmas dinner don't forget to dress up the chicken salad...your guests who drop by for gossip dinner party might woooo and arrrhhhh.....over it.
8/ My baked shrimp is ready to serve.
Thai prawn farm
Grilled till slightly charred to get the aromatic fragrant scent. It taste heavenly and.........
Yeah....it gets you sexy too.
Serve the baked shrimp with pineapple dipping sauce.
If you want extra kick, drown the shrimp in the dipping sauce.
Over indulge might makes you fat but we don't care about that...still look gorgeous, right?
One bite.... roll your eyeballs and blink your eyes 3 times and you will seeing shooting stars..........
Thai workers sorting out fresh water prawns for export.
Pineapple dipping sauce
Ingredients
1 bowl chopped pineapple ( Canned type )
2 tbsp syrup from the canned pineapple
2 jalapeño
2 to 3 tsp sugar or to taste
1/4 tsp salt
Lemon juice to taste
Arm down, pick up shrimp.....
1/ Chopped the jalapeño into small pieces.
2/ Add the rest of the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
3/ Chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
4/ Garnish with mint leaf.
Arm up, put shrimp in mouth......
Hang on, it's still early........wow your lover or husband with.....
Dessert of the day - Coconut jelly with coconut meat
Refreshing and silky smooth coconut jelly, serve with coconut meat and banana for extra ohhhmmmmm......
Ingredients
250mls coconut water/ water
450mls thick coconut milk
150gm sugar
30 gm gelatin
Coconut flesh / vanilla ice cream / banana
Eat this will see moon rise half hour early, see shooting stars streaking across the sky (⁀‵⁀) ✫ ✫ ✫. `⋎´✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫ ..✫¸.•°*”˜ ✫ ✫ ✫. `⋎´✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫ ..✫¸.•°*”˜
1/ Mix the gelatin with water and stir until dissolve. Add sugar and boil till sugar dissolve.
2/ Pour in the coconut milk and boil until simmering.
3/ Pour into tray, cool completely and chill in fridge until set.
Soft and chewy coconut jelly........
One spoonful in the mouth and you will be singing coconut woman song.
Have a fabulous week ahead. Be seeing you.
Amelia
