Category Archives: Hot & Spicy

Hot and Sour Pickled Prawns

Hot & Spicy, Starters

 

  • Serves 4 as a starter
  • 16 large cooked Mediterranean prawns
  • 1 level tablespoon drained capers
  • 1/2 medium yellow pepper, very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium red pepper, very thinly sliced
  • 2 oz (50 g) red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 5 fl oz (150 ml) light olive oil
  • 1 level teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 fl oz (55 ml) cider vinegar
  • juice 2 limes
  • 1 dessertspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 dessertspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 level teaspoon salt
  • 1 level teaspoon white sugar
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • To garnish:
  • sprigs of coriander
  • 1/2 lime, thinly sliced

To prepare the prawns, remove the shells and heads (if there are any) but leave the tails on as they look very attractive. Then use the tip of a small sharp knife to cut a slit all along the back of each prawn and remove the black thread that sometimes runs from head to tail. Then place the prawns and capers in the dish together with the sliced peppers, onion and lemon.

Now in a bowl or jar whisk the oil, mustard, vinegar, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco together, adding the salt, a little coarsely ground black pepper and the sugar, then pour this mixture all over the prawns. Cover the container and place it in the fridge for at least 48 hours, giving the contents a shake or stirring them around from time to time.

Serve the prawns garnished with sprigs of coriander and slices of lime with plenty of the marinade poured over and lots of bread to mop up the juices.

Beef Rendang

Beef, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses

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  • 1 large red onion
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 10cm/4in piece of peeled ginger
  • 5cm/2in peeled galangal (optional)
  • 1 red pepper
  • 4 dried hot chillies
  • 10ml/2tsp ground coriander
  • 10ml/2tsp ground cinnamon
  • 5ml/1tsp ground cloves
  • 5ml/1tsp ground turmeric
  • Dash of vegetable oil
  • 1.1 kg/21/2lb stewing or braising steak
  • 1.1 litres/2 pints coconut milk
  • 1 stalk lemon grass
  • 2.5ml/1/2tsp salt

1. Process the onion, garlic, ginger, galangal, pepper, chillies, spices and a splash of water until smooth.

2. Heat the oil in a large, wide casserole and cook the spice paste for 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the coconut milk, lemon grass and salt.

3. Bring to the boil, stir, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours or until the meat’s tender and the sauce thickened.

Spiced Rice with Chicken

Chicken, Holidays, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses

  • 1.4kg/3lb oven ready chicken
  • 75ml/5tbsp vegetable oil
  • 175g/6oz onion, skinned and sliced
  • 15ml/3 level tsp ground coriander
  • 1.25ml/1/4 level tsp chilli powder
  • 2.5ml/1/2 level tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 141g/5oz carotns natural yoghurt
  • About 350ml/12fl oz chicken stock
  • Salt and milled pepper
  • Parsley sprigs to garnish

1. Carve off and cut up chicken flesh into fork size pieces discarding skin and bone. Using a flameproof casserole, brown well in the hot oil, half at a time. Remove from the fat and put aside.

2. In the residual fat lightly brown the onions, then stir in the remaining seven ingredients and season well. Bring mixture to the boil.

3. Replace the chicken, cover tightly and bake at 170C/325F/Gas 3 for about 35 minutes, or until the rice and chicken are tender and the liquid absorbed.

4. Turn the rice with a fork and garnish with parsley sprigs to serve

Balti Prawns

Fish, Holidays, Hot & Spicy, Side Dishes, Starters

  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2.5cm/1in piece fresh ginger
  • Rind and juice of 2 limes
  • 15ml/1tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 5ml/1tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 30ml/2tbsp vegetable oil
  • 5 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into small pieces
  • 700g/11/2lb large,cooked prawns or cubed monkfish, haddock or cod
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Garam masala

1. In a food processor, mix together the first seven ingredients to make a thick paste. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and fry the spice paste for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes until slightly softened. Add the prawns or white fish and cook gently until heated through. Season, sprinkle with garam masala and serve immediately.

Prawn & Papaya Salad

Fish, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses, Salads, Starters

  • 2 small red chillies
  • 30ml/2tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 45-60ml/3-4tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • 150ml/5fl oz olive oil
  • 30ml/2 level tbsp honey
  • salt and pepper
  • 350g/12oz cooked, peeled king prawns
  • 2-3 ripe papayas
  • grated lime rind to garnish

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: none

1. Finely chop the chillies, discarding seeds; reserve a little for garnish. place the remaining chillies in a blender or food processor with the vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, honey and seasoning. Blend until smooth. Stir in the prawns until coated.

2. Halve, then peel the papayas. Scoop out the black seeds and discard. Thinly slice the flesh and arrange on plates.

3. Carefully spoon prawn mixture over the papaya slices. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped chillies and lime rind.

Serves 6 as a starter
Serves 3 as a main course