ouvi dizer que há por aí abóboras... { ginger saffron pumpkin soup }

Let's not go in denial here. October is World's Pumpkin Month and that the way it is. After accepting it and finally resigning - with an unexpectedly fierce enthusiasm! - to the ongoing 'pumpkin rush', we may find ourselves burried in stocked with excessive amounts of pumpkin leftovers. This soup is the perfect excuse for either getting rid of them... or to buy more pumpkin! The addition of potato brings substance to the cream, while zucchini plays along its squash counterpart for freshness. Infused with real saffron and a hint of ginger, this soup hits a sweet spot between the traditional and the exotic, the savoury and the sweet, and is hence sure to please even the pickiest palate. True flavourful comfort food.

It tastes so good... { squid curry }

Caril de Lulas
Ingredientes:

- 400g de lulas

- ½ cebola

- 3 dentes de alho

- azeite

- caril, açafrão, pimenta, sal

- tabasco

- 3 colheres de sopa de polpa de tomate

- 3 colheres de sopa de leite de côco

- ½ chávena de vinho branco

- 1 colher de chá de maizena dissolvida em água

Preparação:

1) Refogar a cebola e o alho em azeite, com os temperos secos e o sal, até a cebola estar tenra,

2) Cortar as lulas em rodelas,

3) Juntar as lulas e refogar até estarem opacas,

4) Juntar o leite de côco, mexer bem, deixar evaporar um pouco,

5) Juntar a polpa de tomate, mexer e deixar cozinhar,

6) Por fim, juntar o vinho branco e deixar evaporar,

7) Juntar a maizena e mexer bem, deixar cozinhar só um pouco,

8) Servir com arroz basmati.

Squid Curry
Ingredients:

- 400g squid

- ½ onion

- 3 garlic cloves

- olive oil

- curry, saffron, pepper, salt

- tabasco

- 3 tbsp tomato paste

- 3 tbsp coconut milk

- ½ cup white wine

- 1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in water

Preparation:

1) Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, with dried seasonings and salt, until tender and fragrant,

2) Cut the squid in rings,

3) Add the squid and sauté until opaque,

4) Add the coconut milk, mix well and let evaporate,

5) Add tomato paste, mix, let cook,

6) Add white wine, let evaporate,

7) Lower the heat, add the cornstarch, mix well and let cook a little,

8) Serve with basmati rice.

Crispy Chicken Cravings { crispy chicken with an exotic twist }

Bom dia! Tenho andado tão cheia de coisas para fazer que até me sinto mal em tirar um tempo para vir ao blog e visitar os blogs que habitualmente sigo.
Este ano, a passagem de ano foi em minha casa. Foram cerca de sessenta pessoas que vieram, fizemos a festa na garagem e jardim e tivemos música e dança até quase o sol nascer! A receita que deixo hoje foi uma das que preparei para se poder petiscar ao longo da noite. Na fotografia mostro um remake, com massa picante e molho de tomate caseiro, para um almoço rápido de sexta-feira.

Hi! I've been so busy that I even feel bad about being here, posting, and visiting my favourite blogs.
This year, new year's eve was at my place. Around sixty friends, garage and garden party, music and dancing until almost until sundown! This recipe was prepared as a treat to eat during the party. The photo shows a remake, with spicy pasta and homemade tomato sauce, for a quick friday lunch.

Frango Panado com Toque Exótico

Ingredientes (para 2 pessoas)

- 250g de peito de frango

- sal, pimenta, mostarda, massa de alho ou vinha d’alhos q.b.

- óleo

- ¾ de chávena de pão ralado

- ¼ de chávena de côco ralado

- 1 colher de sobremesa de sementes de sésamo

- caril

- 1 ovo batido

Preparação

1) Partir o frango em pedaços pequenos,

2) Com as mãos, misturar com sal, pimenta, mostarda, massa de alho e um pouco de óleo,

3) Escorrer bem a carne, para que a polme e a fritura sejam eficazes,

4) Aquecer o óleo numa frigideira, cerca de 1 cm de altura,

5) Misturar o pão ralado, o côco, as sementes e alguma pimenta e caril,

6) Misturar o ovo na carne e passar pelos ingredientes secos,

7) Fritar no óleo quente, virando os pedaços para cozinharem uniformemente,

8) Escorrer e pousar sobre papel absorvente para retirar o excesso de óleo,

9) Servir imediatamente.

Crispy Chicken with an Exotic Kick

Ingredients:

- 250g chicken breast

- salt, pepper, mustard, garlic paste q.b.

- sunflower oil

- ¾ cup breadcrumbs

- ¼ cup ground coconut

- 2 tsp sesame seeds

- curry

- 1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

1) Chop the chicken down to small pieces,

2) With your hands, mix with salt, pepper, mustard, garlic paste and a little oil,

3) Drain the meat well, this way it will get crispy and tender, not dry,

4) Heat oil in a casserole, around 1/2 to 1 inch high,

5) Mix breadcrumbs, coconut, seeds, pepper and curry,

6) Mix the egg with the meat,

7) Roll the meat bits on the bread mixture,

8) Fry on hot oil, turning now and then so it cooks evenly,

9) Dry and lay over paper, to remove excessive oil,

10) Serve immediately.

30 Minute Meal { poached eggs over a vegetable bean stew }

Poached Eggs on vegetables, be it peas, beans, lentils... a wholesome comfort food that is really quick and easy to prepare. Plus one can get rid of all those vegetables that have been sitting for better not to know how long in the fridge.

For a Special Dinner { shrimp curry over nero di seppia pasta with balsamic mushrooms }

Shrimp curry usual match is white rice, for it gives it the perfect element of contrast to relate to. This time we're spicing things up by giving it a richer base to develop its flavours from. I now find that the mushrooms actually take it over the top, they would likely go better with white rice, indeed.

Soaked to the skin { exotic chicken curry casserole }

[Falta aqui uma foto! | There's a photo missing here!]

Roasts are a hostess's best friend. No matter how much time they take to prepare, they always leave one free to mingle with the guests upon arrival, outside of the kitchen, as they require little attention once they are in the oven. This exotic chicken casserole actually needs quite a few checks but it much more handy - and fool proof - than cooking chicken curry for a crowd on the stovetop.

The truth about food and love { chicken curry }

Statement number 1: The way to a man's heart is his stomach.
Not entirely true, but it goes a long way!

Statement number 2: There are some foods which have aphrodisiac proprieties.
After reading a lot of stuff and having tried lots of things myself, I do believe that some things do have that power.

And alongside with strawberries, I think that curry always has a surprising effect ;)

 

Chicken Curry

(for 2, of course)

You need:
- 2 chicken breasts, chopped,

- 2 or 3 cloves chopped garlic,

- 2 tbsp olive oil or sunflower oil,

- 1/3 cup coconut milk

- curry to taste (we like a lot of it)

- pepper to taste

- salt

Preparation:

1) Sauté garlic in olive oil or sunflower oil,

2) Add the curry and pepper and let fry until fragrant,

3) Add the chicken, seasoned with salt, sauté until lightly done,

4) Mix in the coconut milk and let simmer for a while,

5) Serve over sepparate, fluffy white rice.

Suggestions: you can also use add chicken stock cubes with the curry. Add a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro in the end. For a strongly yellow curry add some saffron. Adding vegetables before or after the chicken also turns out great.

There's something spicy about mangoes... { sweet and spicy curry-mango shrimp pasta }

The sweetness of the mango brings a refreshing twist to this slightly spicy curry pasta dish. The freshly chopped cilantro on top is a definitive must.