Saturday Morning trip to the Market…Not for a few weeks…

Saturday Morning trip to the Market…Not this Saturday morning or until further notice although as it is a food market it is still open…I passed it yesterday as we were travelling to Makro for our monthly shop and it was heaving… no social distancing that I could see so my plan to avoid this market stays firmly in place…

Saturday Morning Market 11th April (1)

 

I was, however, lucky to find purple carrots and purple sweet potatoes so I am one happy bunny…my lemongrass is still happily drying in the sun just one more day methinks.

I also purchased some buckwheat flour and some flour to make Patongko which are lovely fried doughnut bites of delight which I eat with golden syrup.  Taste Teaser…Recipe to follow next week…

Patongko thai fried bread

What is Buckwheat? Despite the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and does not contain gluten. Raw buckwheat contains 71.5% carbs, while cooked buckwheat groats contain about 20% carbs. Buckwheat is very nutritious, containing both protein and fibre. It also has more minerals and antioxidants than most grains. It is also gluten-free.

Next time I make cookies or pancakes or anything which I don’t need it to rise then I am going to use the buckwheat flour or half and a half all-purpose flour depending on the recipe…

This week we have had a roast, a Thai green curry, lasagne, a good old fashioned stew with pearl barley, a shepherds pie and tonight it is toad in the hole…me I don’t eat lasagne or shepherds pie or even a roast very often so I often just cook myself Thai food…This particular stir fry is one of my favourites but boy is it hot…

This lovely spicy squid stir fry is not for the faint-hearted even I find it a tad hot but I eat it anyway…

But if you like a bit of heat, then this is just the curry for you. Just by looking at the image, you can see how hot it is…

spicy squid stir fry

This recipe is for two people but it is quite easy to double up the ingredients, it is also very quick to cook so prepare all your ingredients first and then in as much time as it takes to cook your rice you will have a beautiful curry.

Ingredients:

  • 200 gm squid cleaned and cut into rectangles I normally score mine with a sharp knife( it just makes them look prettier).
  • 1 shallot sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
  • 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 1 tomato cut into 8
  • A handful of pea eggplants( optional)
  • Sm piece of fresh ginger finely cut into slivers or cubes
  • Black pepper
  • Half tbsp of coconut oil
  • 200 ml coconut milk
  • 1/2 to 1 tbsp fish sauce.
  • Sm bunch of Thai basil

Ok…Let’s Cook!

Heat the oil in a wok until it is very hot and add garlic, shallots and curry paste, stir fry for 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes, ginger and pea eggplants if used and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add squid and pepper and stir-fry for a further 1 minute.

Add coconut milk and fish sauce stir well and cook on low heat for 2 minutes, stir in Thai basil.

Serve with steamed rice and……. Enjoy!

What are pea eggplants? As the name suggests they look just like peas…Don’t they?

Pea egg plants

But that is where the similarity ends…an exciting heirloom of exotic old Siam they are round, green and the size of peas with fruit hanging in clusters of 10-15 fruit. They have a wonderful, strong, rich eggplant taste, perfect for stir-frying, relish, pickles, soups and curries.

Pea eggplants are thin-skinned and contain numerous flat, round, brown seeds and can taste slightly more bitter than Thai apple eggplant which is used in Thai Green Curry. If you really want to achieve an authentic Thai taste especially when making curries, don’t try cooking without it!

I love it! Not so the rest of the family they pick them out…Another love it or hate it food…

However, this little berry is packed with potassium just watch out though when they’re cooked because they can explode in your mouth, like a little heat bomb, if you’re not careful…

That’s all for today…we are now on a nightly curfew and an alcohol ban until the end of April…But bless the little man from the corner shop he popped round this morning to ask if we wanted him to drop some beer round and how many cases… were the men relieved ..Yes, they were as after a long hot day they love their cold beer…

Wishing all who celebrate Easter or Passover a joyous one but stay safe and well…

Thank you for reading this post I hope you have enjoyed it and the recipes xxx

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe and healthy xxx

 

 

34 thoughts on “Saturday Morning trip to the Market…Not for a few weeks…”

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      We have so many different varieties here I am always coming across new ones..But yes it would be lovely to be able to try them..Maybe one day from one of the Asian stores 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. OIKOS™-Publishing

    Think we have to clone you, Carol. 😉 Your dishes are looking so fantastic, i need to hire you. Lol Buckwehat now is on my buying list too. With so much fibre and gluten-free, its seems to be great functional food too.
    Thank you very much, and best wishes, Michael

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Pingback: CarolCooks2…weekly roundup 5th April-11th April 2020… | Retired? No one told me!

  4. drtanya@saltedcaramel

    How are you and your family doing in the lockdown Carol?
    I just thought of you and realised that I had not visited your blog nor heard from you in quite a while.
    Maybe one reason is that I have not done any food related posts in some time.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Hello and how are you? Lovely to hear from you Tanya. I have been a bit insular as I have been researching, testing and writing for my novel and my cookbook…We are on curfew which doesn’t effect us as it is a nightly one, Many shops are closed only food ones are open but no shortages as Thais don’t panic buy….I hope all is well with you and you are staying safe…Happy Easter 🙂 xx

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    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      They are really good here but at this market not so…Yes I am looking forward to making them as the stall where I buy them is not there at the moment…I am waiting for my grandson to translate the Thai for me he thought he was going to get away with just add oil and yeast…I wil pin him down…hehe…Stay safe Jim 🙂 x

      Liked by 1 person

      4. CarolCooks2 Post author

        So am I …I speak some Thai but cannot read it..Aston has an aptitude for languages which we encourage as it will serve him well as an adult …even now it raises eyebrows as he switches between languages quite naturally…I am so proud of him 🙂 xx

        Liked by 1 person

  6. johnrieber

    Thanks for sharing recipes, even under these conditions….SO IMPORTANT to social disco and keep people away from each other. A story here was a sad example: someone who had the virus in Chicago attended a funeral, church service and party. He infected 19 people and 13 have died. The markets, movie theaters and restaurants will return when safe, but for now, we have to stay in our isolated worlds!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      That is so sad… more so when someone infects many without knowing,,,a silent killer which is why we have to be so very careful…I think we all including you understand the importance of carrying on and staying positive…Kudos for playing your part , John …Be well and stay safe 🙂 xx

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      1. johnrieber

        Yes Carol, people have to understand that “sheltering at home” is “flattening the curve”…wow, what a bunch of new sayings that will be part of our lives forever! Glad you are safe!

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      3. johnrieber

        Hopefully the right ones Carol! Can you imagine if people discover just how healing this quarantine has been for the planet – and maybe we change some of our worst habits to continue the healing?

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Hugh W. Roberts

    So sad to read that there was no social distancing at the food market, Carol. What a virus breeding place that must be. I’m glad you avoided it.

    I take it that the authorities haven’t insisted that markets close down? Here in the UK, many of the big supermarkets have a policy of only allowing a few shoppers in at any time. You have to queue-up outside (2 metres apart) and it’s one out, one in. Even inside, there are markers on the floor as to where people can stand. Nobody seems to mind, although I have heard that there have been some complaints about not being able to grab something off a shelve if somebody is standing within two metres of the product.

    It’s roast lamb for us this weekend. Wishing you a Happy Easter.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      There is at my small one but this is a huge outdoor market and I think best to close it down as it was heaving… Not good… I am pleased I have side stepped that one. I went to the shopping plaza today as I needed olive oil and it was all set up as to where you could go and walk so organised… Temperatures taken handwash and masks available for those who hadn’t got one.. Much safer… Lucky you.. Can’t get lamb here.. Wishing you a Happy Easter also Hugh 😀x

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hugh W. Roberts

        Good to hear that the shopping plazas are doing all they can to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Carol. At least you know you can shop safely when going to them. We’re told to shop as infrequently as we can. It’s put a stop to doing ‘top-up shops’, but nobody seems to mind.

        Take care.

        Liked by 1 person

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