Ethnic Foods

Refried beans by Ten from Him

Refried Beans
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil or lard (I substitute w/ water from cooking the beans)
2 cups cooked Pinto Beans (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


Instructions
Heat lard in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add Pinto Beans; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Mash beans; stir in chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add more oil to skillet if necessary; cook and stir until a smooth paste forms, about 5 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Pinto Beans
4 cups water
1 pound dried pinto or black beans (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
1 slice bacon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seed


Instructions
Mix water, beans and onion in 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover and heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 1 hour. Add just enough water to beans to cover. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 2 hours. (Add water during cooking if necessary.) Drain; reserve broth for recipes calling for bean broth. Cover and refrigerate beans and broth separately; use within 10 days.

Yield: 8 servings

Buttered Chicken (This is an Indian dish) by Januinely~me

8 TBSP butter
1 TBSP oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground cilanto
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
3 whole green caradom (I just sprinkle a little cardamom in)
3 whole black peppercorns
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 TBSP tomato paste
8 chicken pieces (I use 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks)
2/3 cup water
2 whole bay leaves
2/3 cup light cream

Saute the onions in a large pan in butter & oil. Combine in a small bowl : ginger, garam masala, cilantro, chili powder, garlic, salt, cardamom & peppercorns. Add yougurt & tomato paste and stir to combine. Put chicken & yogurt/tomato paste/spice mixture in with the sauteed onions. Mix everything together well & cook for 5-7 minutes. Add water & the bay leaves & let simmer for 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Add light cream, mix well, let simmer another 10 minutes.

Serve over rice & peas.

Note: sometimes I add a couple teaspoons of flour to the light cream before I add it to make the sauce thicker.

Terrina with 3 Chocolates by TaraBallerina


1.596 Cup / 5 oz / 150 gr. milk chocolate
1.596 Cup / 5 oz / 150 gr. unsweetened chocolate
1.596 Cup / 5 oz / 150 gr. white chocolate
6 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 cups cream milk
2 cups instant coffee
1 shot rum

Melt the chocolates separately. Beat the egg whites until it becomes meringue. Beat the cream milk into whipped cream. Combine with each chocolate 2 egg yolks, 1/3 cup caster sugar and slowly add 1/3 of the meringue and 1/3 of the whipped cream. In the unsweetened chocolate add as well the coffee and the rum.

In a bread pan 10x24 on a baking sheet spread the three mixtures in whichever order you prefer. Leave it in the fridge for 4 – 5 hours until solid and serve it sliced.
It could be served with grated chocolate or fruit, such as strawberries or blueberries, slightly sprinkled with caster sugar and almonds.

Tara’s Chocolate Truffles


These are a firm favourite. Be prepared to act your shoe size, as they are as delicious as they are messy.

Makes about 1lb.

1lb / 450 g fine chocolate, at least 60% cocoa solids - or, cheapo choccie of 50%
275 ml whipping cream, or thick cream
cocoa powder for dusting

Chop the chocolate finely; the pieces should be about the same size as gravel. They will melt more successfully if they are roughly the same size. A large, heavy cook’s knife will make chopping easier than using a small one.

Put the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. If the bowl is warm it will help the chocolate to melt. Bring the cream to the boil in a small pan. Just as it reaches boiling point, remove from the heat and pour slowly into the chocolate, beating gently with a wooden spoon.

The chocolate should all melt into a thick, glossy, dark-brown cream. If there are lumps left, then you will have to put the bowl over a pan of hot, almost simmering water until they melt. Be careful not to let the bowl touch the simmering water. Take care also, not to overheat it, which will result in the mixture separating and curdling.
Place the basin of chocolate in the fridge to stiffen. Depending on the temperature inside your fridge, the mixture will need about an hour to thicken. (it should not get solid, although if it does, just melt it over hot water and refrigerate again).

Now you have a choice: thick, solid, luxurious truffles or softer, lighter ones. If you prefer, as I do, an un-whipped truffle resembling a small lump of coal with a rich texture, then leave the mixture as it is. If you like a soft, airy truffle, beat the mixture with an electric whisk for a minute or so until it starts to change colour. It will become paler and fill with air. Over-whipping will curdle the truffle mixture.

Using two teaspoons, scoop out balls of truffle and drop them into the cocoa powder. The size is a matter of choice. I like a large truffle; use two spoons to get a piece of truffle resembling a small piece of coal to pop into my piggy little mouth. Others may prefer to make a smaller one. Roll them lightly into rounds if you wish, though I prefer them as rough-textured lumps. Yummy! Roll the truffles in cocoa, then leave them in a cool place for an hour to set.

Tara’s Chocolate Ganache Tart


This recipe is much like a giant chocolate truffle. It takes no time to prepare, and can be put together the day before. Served with plenty of double cream and some seasonal berries, it makes a sinfully good pudding.

Serves 8 very comfortably

175 g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
565 ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
285 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) preferably Valrhona, roughly grated or chopped into small pieces.

Preheat the oven to 120C / 250F / Gas Mark ½. Grease a 28cm loose-bottomed tart tin.

Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together until they have tripled in volume and look light and fluffy.

Heat the cream and the vanilla pod in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water).

When the cream is hot, scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream. (The pod may be washed and dried later to be put into 1 Kg sugar to easily make vanilla sugar in 2 week's time). Next, add the chocolate stirring with a wooden spoon until melted.

Carefully fold half the chocolate mixture into the eggs to keep the light, fluffy texture. Then fold this mixture back into the remaining chocolate.

Pour into the tin and place on a baking sheet in the oven for 1 hour.

If the tart starts to rise, the oven is too hot. It should remain level throughout cooking. When it is cooked, it will look a little puffed up, soft and slightly wobbly. Like an overweight woman on waking. Lol. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then chill in the fridge for an hour before serving. Once set, it will slice beautifully.

Exceptional Chocolate Mousse by TaraBallerina


2 squares unsweetened chocolate of 72% minimum cocoa solids
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup cream
¾ tablespoon gelatine
3 tablespoons boiling water
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon real Bourban vanilla essence
1 quart cream


First melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.

Add powdered sugar and gradually, one cup cream.

Stir over the heat until just boiling-point is reached, then add the gelatine dissolved in boiling water, sugar and vanilla.

Strain the mixture into a bowl, set in a pan of ice-water and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Then fold in the whip from remaining cream. Mould, pack in ice, and let stand in the fridge for four hours.




These two recipes were very kindly given me by Dimitri Violaris for use in our restaurant. They simply push the boundaries of chocolate excellence.

Double Happiness chow mein stir fried noodles by Januinely~me

1 16oz pkg fresh chow mein noodles
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green cabbage
3/4 cup sliced green pepper
1 cup bean sprouts
2 TBSP veg oil
1 tsp sugar
4 TBSP oyster sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 TBSP dark soy sauce
2 TBSP grated ginger and garlic
1 cup meat (optional)
1/2 cup water

Soak noodles in hot tap water for 5 mins; drain and set aside. Heat oil in a fry pan and add ginger and garlic, then add meat and cook until done. Add chopped veggies and cook approx 5 mins. Add broth with remaining seasonings and water. Stir in noodles and heat thoroughly.
Serve and ENJOY!