Tag-Archive for » tamarind «
I have been cooking more low carb meals lately as per my hubby’s request not wanting to eat too many starchy carbs in the evening. I have been switching out with just 1-2 meals a week containing a higher carb content. Whilst I have seen what following a low or no carb diet can do, as far as quick results in weight loss, as opposed to following just a balanced eating plan which seems to take forever for results to be seen. I am not a big fan of low carb diets
I think everyone needs to watch their carbohydrate intake as too many carbs are not good, especially those that come from sugars, because if the body can not burn off this extra energy, it is stored as fat. It is also the same, in that you can follow a virtually no carb diet like the Atkins and again dramatic weight lose which I have noticed more predominate in men than woman.
A diet that is low in carbs but high in fat is also not good for you or sustainable on the long term basis. I think balance is best, I prefer to cook as low carb as possible with, as I said e
arlier those couple of nights a week adding more carbs to the meal. Making for a balanced diet that is also nutritious but allows for those naughty times of fattening desserts and high fat cream sauces, as I think this helps the body, to not get in a routine of always eating the same thing which I think slows down weight loss.
Changing to a healthier balanced eating plan will see weight loss results in the beginning as your body is not used to eating healthier. Sticking with same foods all the time I think results in a slow down or what appears to be a stop, whereas if you shock the body once a week with a naughty day it helps with continued weight loss and maintenance of desired weight once goals have been achieved. These are all my opinions and observations I have noted over the years through trials I have done and are not medically based or taken from a proper nutrition expert so take them as you like.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon peanut oil
2 Halibut fillets
Marinade
50ml Soy sauce
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
Vegetables
1 Tablespoons Peanut oil
2 Teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
2 Red chilies, chopped finely
1 Red pepper, sliced thinly
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Teaspoon chicken stock granules
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon tamarind concentrate
500g Baby bok choy, chopped coarsely
200g Bean sprouts
4 Green onions, sliced thinly
1/2 Cup loosely packed coriander leaves
Method
1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl, place fillets in marinade, ensuring they are completely covered,refrigerate 2 hours.
Vegetables
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or pan, add garlic, ginger and chili stir-fry until fragrant, Add capsicum, stir-fry until capsicum is tender.
2. Add water, stock, sauces, sugar and tamarind, bring to the boil, boil 1 minute, add bok choy, bean sprouts and onion, stir-fry until greens just wilt, remove from heat and stir in coriander.
Fish
1. Remove fish from marinade and discard marinade.
2. Cook fish on a heated oiled grill plate or grill or BBQ, about 4 Min’s a side or until cooked as desired. Cooking times will vary depending on thickness of fillets.
To serve: Spoon vegetables onto a plate, top with fish and garnish with extra coriander if desired.
All photos taken by me unless otherwise stated.
This is a very healthy, yet delicious recipe, it is an alternative way to do lamb shanks other than in red wine and beef stock with herbs and vegetables. It is also low in fat and carbohydrates. You can up the carbs by serving this with steamed basmati rice if desired, I just served it with bok choy and gai larn (also known as Chinese broccoli.)
Description Gai Larn
Chinese Broccoli has smooth round stems sprouting large green leaves.It is a variety of broccoli that is similar to regular broccoli, but milder in taste and grown on a longer stalk. The stalks and leaves are often cooked separately, cooking the stalks first, until tender and the leaves until wilted. It is good in salads, steam cooked as a side dish, as an ingredient in a vegetable stir-fry, or added to other cooked dishes.
Ingredients
4 Lamb Shanks or 8 French trimmed lamb shanks (these
are smaller in size therefore you will need 2 per person.)
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Teaspoon dried chilli flakes
11/2 Teaspoons five spice powder
2 Star anise
1/2 Cup Chinese rice wine
50ml Soy sauce
2 Tablespoons tamarind concentrated paste (I use TRS brand.)
21/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
3 Cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1 Cup water
600g Bok choy, ends chopped off
350g Gai larn, trimmed
11/2-2 Teaspoons cornflour
1 Tablespoon brown sugar extra
Method
1. In a small heated fry pan, dry-fry chilli, cinnamon, five spice and star anise, stirring, until fragrant.
2. Combine spices with rice wine, sauce, tamarind, sugar, ginger, garlic and water in a medium jug.
3. Place lamb in a baking dish and pour spice mixture over, cover dish with foil. You will bake lamb the entire time covered, just opening to turn lamb occasionally.
4. Bake in oven 11/4-11/2 hours at 100c, then turn up oven to 150c and bake for a further 1-1/4hour, finally turn oven up to 180c and bake for 30 Min’s to 1 hour until lamb is falling off the bone.
5. Boil or steam bok choy and gai larn separately until tender and drain.
6. When lamb is done remove and wrap in foil to keep warm. Strain liquid into a saucepan and bring to boil over a medium heat. Add a little water to cornflour and add to sauce, stir until mixture thickens.
7. I stated in ingredients 1 tablespoon, extra, of brown sugar, I have made this several times and sometimes I find it is fine as is and other times I find I need to add the extra sugar, so just taste test to see if you need this.
This is a great recipe because once you have made the spice mixture to pour over lamb, that is just about it, you can just leave it to cook, with the only thing to remember, to turn the oven up at required times. The lamb comes out perfect every time so juicy and tender.
To serve: Place a mound of steamed vegetables on plate, place lamb shank on top and drizzle sauce over.
As I stated earlier to up carbs just serve with some steamed basmati rice.
All photo’s taken by me unless otherwise stated.
