Sunday 24 May 2015

Crispy Coconut Prawns With Roasted Red Pepper & Chilli Dip

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food


Here’s something a bit different, great party food or even a sharing starter served with the dip in the middle.

Crispy Coconut Prawns
With Roasted Red Pepper & Chilli Dip



You will need;

120 Gm – Raw King Prawns
30 Gm – Fresh Breadcrumbs
Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food30 Gm – freshly grated Coconut
1 – Egg (beaten)
Plain Flour
Oil for deep frying

For the Dip;

2 - Cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)
60 ml – White Wine Vinegar (distilled white vinegar will do)
1 teaspoon – Muscovado Sugar
100 ml – Water
1/2 tablespoon - Corn Flour
30 ml - Water (for the corn flour paste)
1 tablespoon – Hoisin Sauce
2 - Large Red Chilli’s (roughly chopped)
4 – small to medium Red Peppers (quartered)
A little Olive Oil


The Dip

Place the peppers in a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and roast at 180° for 20 minutes.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food
Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food








Put the peppers, chillies and garlic in a food processor along with the vinegar and water (100 ml) then process them as smooth as you can.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food
Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food








Transfer your mixture to a saucepan, add the sugar and hoisin then bring to the boil. Leave to simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food


Now pass through a sieve into another pan.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food


Mix the corn flour and 30 ml of water into a paste, add it to the mixture and stir it in. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food


That is it you are done.

The dip will be hot and runny, let it cool down and when it is cold it will become thick and sticky just right for dipping.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food


So put the dip in the fridge when it has cooled a little then you can get on with the prawns.

Although I’ve used fresh coconut you can use desiccated coconut but fresh is best for taste.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food


Mix the breadcrumbs and the coconut together in a container.



Now set yourself up a little production line of flour, egg and breadcrumb/coconut mix and heat up your oil for deep frying. Don’t have the oil too hot because you don’t want to burn the coconut, 150° will be about right.

Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food



Coat each prawn in the flour then the egg and then the breadcrumb mix, then into the oil and deep fry for a few minutes until the prawns are cooked through. Cook a few at a time so that you can keep them separate and don’t overcook them because they will become tough.


Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food
Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food
Crispy Coconut Prawns ~ Simple Food




Serve immediately with the dip on the side.

Serve immediately with the dip on the side.

Friday 8 May 2015

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food


Firstly I’d like to say to all my healthy food loving followers something my lovely old gran used to say
 “a little of what you fancy does you good”.
This sauce has plenty of cream and butter but as long as you don’t eat like this every day then occasionally this is a lovely thing.

I've used baby chestnut mushrooms for this but any mushrooms of your choice will do.

Of course any fish of your choice will do, but I’ve used my all time favourite Rainbow Trout,

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple FoodServes 2 Time 45 Minutes

You will need

1 – Whole Rainbow Trout (cleaned)
70 Gm – Butter
100 Ml – Madeira
100 Ml – Double Cream
100 ML – Chicken Stock
150 Gm – Baby Chestnut Mushrooms
A little olive oil


Gently pan fry the trout on each side in a little oil until cooked through, if you haven’t a pan big enough then cut it in half or you can cook it in the oven.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food









Quarter the mushrooms but save some whole just for presentation.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food


Melt the butter in a pan with a little olive oil.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food


Keeping the pan on a fairly high heat put the quartered mushrooms in, you will get maximum flavour out of them if you don’t touch them so just place them into the butter and leave them to cook for about 5 minutes.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food








Then add the Madeira and cook until it has reduced by half, also you can add the whole mushrooms that you kept back.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food








After it has reduced take the pan off the heat for a minute then add the cream, mix well then back on the heat and add the stock.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food



Season to taste then keep on a fairly high heat until it has reduced by half.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food









Take the skin off the trout, carefully remove the fillets and serve with the sauce over.

Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food
Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food









Rainbow Trout in Mushroom and Madeira Sauce ~ Simple Food

Friday 1 May 2015

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food


I've used my Chinese Curry Paste to make this curry; it’s not to overpowering so that you still keep the flavour of the cod.

The beansprouts add a great texture and the coconut milk creates a great Thai style flavour.


Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts

Serves 2 Time 50 Minutes

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple FoodYou will need

1 – Small Onion (very finely chopped)
300 Ml – Chicken Stock
200 Ml – Coconut Milk
2 fillets – Cod
30 Gm – Butter
1 teaspoon – Corn Flour (mixed with a little water)
200 Gm – Beansprouts


Start by melting the butter in a frying pan and gently cook the fish skin down for about 10 minutes, it’s important not to overcook the fish because you want it to stay together throughout.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food
Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food









While the fish is cooking soften the onions in a little olive oil, use a wok or large pan.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food


Add the curry paste to the onions and mix well.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food


Now add a little of the stock and mix into a loose paste.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food


Add the rest of the stock and mix well.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food


Then add the corn flour and coconut milk and mix well.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food
Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food









After the fish has been cooking for 10 minutes turn it over and gently remove the skin.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food
Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food









Add the fish to the curry and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food
Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food









Stir fry the beansprouts for 3 or 4 minutes in a little olive oil.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food



Plaice each fillet on a bed of beansprouts  with some curry sauce and serve.

Chinese Style Spicy Cod Fillets on Beansprouts ~ Simple Food