Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti bolognese is easy to make, yet delicious. :) Who can resist this food, anyway, unless you're a vegetarian or vegan? :p

Ingredients:

· 150g mushrooms (in a can), drain the liquid and diced into tiny cubes
· 1 carrot, diced into tiny cubes
· 1 onion, diced into tiny cubes
· 1 clove of garlic, crushed
· 400g minced beef
· 2 tbsp tomato puree
· 200g crushed tomatoes (in a can or in a carton)
· 125 ml beef stock
· 125 ml red wine
· 1 tsp dried thyme
· 1 tsp dried oregano
· 125 ml single cream
· 3 tbsp butter
· 400g dried spaghetti, boil until al dente and drained
· Salt and pepper

Methods:

1) Heat the frying pan in a medium heat. Melt the butter into the frying pan.
2) Fry the diced onion, diced carrot, crushed garlic and diced mushrooms until tender.
3) Add minced beef into the frying pan and fry until the meat cooked through.
4) Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, meat stock and red wine. Stir until well-blended.
5) Season with dried thyme, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
6) Pour the single cream and mix well. Let the mixture boil without stirring for 15 minutes on a medium heat or until the mixture is thickened.
7) Serve the boiled and drained spaghetti into four plates. Pour the meat sauce on the top of the spaghetti.
8) Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese on the top of each dish.

Yield 4 serving.

Risoles

This yummy Indonesian fried pastry can be served as a snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, beat lightly with a fork
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 cup bread crumb
• oil for frying

For the filling

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 250 g minced beef or minced chicken
• 150 g carrot, chopped into small cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp chicken stock powder or 1/2 chicken stock cube (dissolved it in the milk)
• 100 g flour
• 200 ml milk
• 2 tbsp butter for frying

For the wrap:

• 300 g all purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 600 ml milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp butter

Method:

1. Melt the butter in the frying pan, then fry the chopped onion until soft.
2. Put minced chicken/beef and chopped carrot into the frying pan. Fry till almost done.
3. Put the flour into the pan and mix well.
4. Pour the milk and mix well until no lumps appear, then set aside
5. In a big bowl, beat all the wrap ingredients with electric mixer until smooth.
6. Melt the butter in the frying pan and swirl around the pan until all surface is covered with melted butter.
7. Pour one scoop (I use a soup ladle) of the batter to the frying pan and spread it thinly on the pan surface, just the way of making thin omelete. Repeat this way until there's no batter left.
8. Put 2 tsp of the filling on each wrap and wrap it like making an envelop.
9. Dip the risoles into the lightly beaten egg, then roll it on the breadcrumb until all surface is covered by the crumbs.
10. Fry the risoles in the hot, plenty of oil until golden brown. Serve with chili sauce.

Chili Con Carne

Hubby and I love to eat Tex-Mex food. One of them is Chili con carne. It tastes so yummy, especially when it is hot (both of us are spicy food lovers!). :) One day I decided to cook chili con carne. Since it was my first time to cook it, I had to look up on the recipe. So, I tried to cook chili con carne from Gordon Ramsay cookbook and modified the recipes slightly and yeah..it turned really good. ;)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli or red paprika deseeded
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme
Olive oil, for frying
500g minced beef
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
3 fresh tomatoes or 1 beef tomato, roughly chopped
400g chopped tomatoes
100-200ml chicken or beef stock
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 birds eye chili (red), chopped
1 bay leaf
400g kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
Boiled rice, to serve

Method:

1. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli and thyme in 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan until fragrant. Then put the minced beef and fry it until brown.
2. Add the dried spices to the mixture, mix well and cook until they release their aroma. Add the fresh and tinned tomatoes and leave to cook down a little for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the chicken or beef stock and stir in tomato puree to taste. Drop bay leaf in then bring to the boil and leave to simmer.
4. Once the sauce is beginning to thicken add the kidney beans and leave to cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the beans to soak up the flavours. Check for seasoning.
5. To serve, spoon the chilli con carne into the centre of a mound of rice.