Category Archives: A taste of India

Reenas butter chicken A beautiful recipe for Butter Chicken from my blogger friend Reena and also how to smoke the meat to get an authentic BBQ taste… It sounds absolutely awesome…

Enjoy!

via Butter Chicken

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients that I cook with have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Just in case you missed the first Fang-Tastic Fridays I have added the links below.

https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/2018/09/21/fang-tastic-recipes-halloween-goodies/

https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/2018/09/14/fang-tastic-fridays-pumpkin-spice-and-carving/

Thank you for reading I hope you all have a great weekend xxx

Crab curry🦀🦀🦀🍽

11 Replies

This is one of my favourite curries…You definitely need a finger bowl as it gets messy but the flavours are awesome …Enjoy!

LIBARAH

Hi everyone!!!!

crab curry is a typical indo-Portuguese dish from Goa, Daman and Diu, a region along the west coast of today’s India which was part of the Portuguese state of India.

Let’s learn step by step how to make this Indian crab curry recipe! it’s very easy to make with the basic ingredients found in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

crab

2 large onions sliced

2 large tomatoes sliced

2 tablespoons garlic paste

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 1/2 cups grated fresh coconut

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon peppercorn

1 teaspoon mustard seed

2 tablespoons coriander powder

2 tablespoons cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

2 green chilies slit

2 tablespoons vegetable

Hot water for gravy (approximately 3 cups)

Salt to taste.

Instruction:-

Remove the crab legs and set them aside. Remove the claws from the legs so that each leg is divided into two parts.

Cut…

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Curry Leaf Spice Rice (Karivepaku Annam)

8 Replies

A beautiful rice recipe and I can use some of my curry leaves which I love 🙂

Jyospassions

Karivepaku or Curry leaves are an integral part of any South Indian kitchen. It is this indispensable and humble leaf that gives the much praised flavour to any South Indian dish. No tadka or tempering is complete without the addition of fresh Curry leaves. Unfortunately, many of us throw the curry leaves from our food.

It has a wealth of nutrients and is very good for health too. In order to make everyone love the flavour of curry leaves, make it as a simple one pot rice…. Karivepaku Annam or Curry Leaves Rice.

This rice dish is perfect for a simple lunch or even for lunch boxes. I will always have a prepared curry leaf powder in my fridge, so it’s a breeze to make this dish. So for those busy weekday mornings, this recipe works great.

Curry leaves are rich in iron and folic acid which helps in keeping…

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Retired No One Told Me!… Weekly Roundup…Green Chicken, Smoked Watermelon and little known Thai Fruits

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Weekly roundup 11 Aug

Welcome to my weekly roundup of posts by now you should know the drill comfy chair, favourite drink, relax and prepare to have a great read…

lady relaxing kindle-1867751_1280

The first post of the week was Green chicken a really lovely stir fry with coriander, mint, spinach and green chillies and the result is awesome with some lovely flatbread and an Indian pickle it is really lovely…

Green-chicken-spinach

https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/2018/08/06/spicy-chicken-with-spinach/

Next, it was the really good news that after a week of no biscuits( and ) I still haven’t had one or any haribos I lost 4 LB…Week 2 and I am still keeping my food diary it is certainly keeping me focussed and that little chart of Sally’s and the shopping list has really focussed me …If you haven’t already check out the links and you will find some great sensible advice.

https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/2018/08/07/healthy-eatingno-more-dietseat-yourself-slim-2/

I then read a post from fellow blogger John Reiber and it was about roasted watermelon a fascinating post and I would definitely try it not saying I would like it but who knows …Have you heard of this dish? Have you tried it???

It would certainly mess with your taste buds…

https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/2018/08/08/a-smoked-watermelon-roast-incredibly-creative-cooking-recipe-disguised-chinese-desserts-too/

Wednesday already and time for part two of my cookery column over at Sally’s …Last week I gave you the sauce mixes and spices so this week I gave you the recipes …

chicken satay

This is one of my favourite Thai starters nice and fresh…

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2018/08/08/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-the-food-and-cookery-column-with-carol-taylor-family-favourites-and-spices-in-action-part-two/

Thursday and my blog hopping continued I was over at Esme’s Salon for my monthly post on the Culinary Alphabet and this week it was the letter G…Obviously, there was garlic, ginger and galangal to see what else I had for you then pop over and have a read.

cauliflower cheese

https://esmesalon.com/the-culinary-alphabet-this-month-it-is-the-letter-g/

It then was time to get a bit more serious and you have or do suffer from anaemia then you will know what I mean …Sally always offers good sound advice on how we can use our diets to help build up our immune system to keep us healthy.

smorgasbord Health Column

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2018/08/07/smorgasbord-health-column-the-cardiovascular-system-and-the-components-of-blood-anaemia/

Lastly, it was Fruity Friday where I showcased some unusual Thai Fruits like the Matum Fruit, Thai cherries which look very much like cherry tomatoes but not in taste also the Mangosteen Fruit which I think you may find outside of Thailand and the Gac Fruit also some lovely recipes… I do hope you will enjoy learning about some of the fruits I  enjoy here in Thailand.

thai cherries 1

https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/2018/08/10/fruity-friday-thai-fruits/

Well that’s it that concludes my weekly roundup …Until next time thank you for reading.

Connect to Carol( Moi)

Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you  for reading this weekly roundup I do hope you enjoyed it until next time stay safe, laugh a lot and enjoy your weekend  xxx

Spicy chicken with spinach

12 Replies

This recipe for green chicken is one I have had and made a few times and I am not sure who gave me the recipe … got it initially written on a scrap of paper and the ingredients were vague to say the very least…But it was tasty and I didn’t think it would be…

My version of Green chicken with spinach.

Green-chicken-spinach

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo of chicken pieces cut up fairly small.
  • 4/5 cloves of garlic
  • A piece of fresh ginger chopped finely
  • A bunch of green onions chopped
  • Handful  of Coriander
  • Handful of Mint
  • 2 bunches of spinach
  • 1/2 tsp of black pepper
  • 2/3 green chillies

Let’s cook!

Add a tbsp of ghee or oil to a pan while it is heating crush the chillies and the ginger in a pestle and mortar and add to the oil cook for about a minute stirring as we don’t want to burn the garlic add the onions and allow to sweat but not colour too much about 3-4 minutes..Add the chicken and pepper, stir and lower the heat until the chicken is golden in colour.

Clean and wilt the spinach the spinach for 1-2 mins and set aside.

Once the chicken is golden add the spinach and cook for a further 10-15 mins add the coriander and mint in the last 3 mins stir to combine. Check and add salt if required.

 

Flat breads

Serve with flatbread or steamed rice and pickle.

I hope you enjoy this chicken as much as we did it is now a family favourite

My flatbread recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup milk.
  • 1/2 cup water.
  • 2 cups flour.
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder.
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt.

Let’s Cook!

Make flatbread.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add liquids and mix thoroughly…I used my food processor and it took literally 2 mins…. if that and formed a ball. If it is too sticky add little more flour. Divide into 8 pieces. Flatten with the heel of the hand and roll out very thin.

flat-bread-uncooked-esy-recipe

My first attempt at this was not good and I didn’t roll mine out thin enough to start with but having made this recipe a few times I am getting good …I even add some chopped garlic and coriander which is really nice and next Time I may stuff them …I will let you know how they turn out…

Heat pan and cook 2/3 minutes each side turn over with tongs or fish slice and done…

So easy to make I make enough for what I need plus enough to freeze for the next time I make a curry…

Enjoy!

 

Connect to Carol( Moi)

Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Until next time have fun, stay safe and be mindful xxx

 

 

 

 

Asanha Bucha Day…Thailand.

10 Replies

candle-2682069_1280

Today is a very special day in Thailand a public holiday and one of  Theravada Buddhism’s most important festivals which celebrates the Lord Buddha’s first sermon at Benares in India over 2,500 years ago.

The Buddha preached his first sermon at a deer park and from this sermon, the Dharma (doctrine) of the Buddha was symbolised as a wheel. The Dharmachakra is also known as the Wheel of Life, Wheel of Law or Wheel of Doctrine and can be seen on flags in temples and buildings all across Thailand. Similarly, pictures or models of deer can often be seen at temples or in depictions of the Buddha.

wheel-of-life-1282331_1280

The four noble truths are suffering ( dukkha) caused by craving (tanha) then a state of beyond suffering (Nibbana) the eightfold path then leads to Nirvana. All the schools and traditions of Buddhism revolve around this central doctrine of those four noble truths.

Such was the enlightenment of one of the five that he requested that Buddha accepted him as a disciple this wish was granted and thus the first order of the monks began.

Known  Asanha Bucha in Thailand,   The Theravada Buddhist festival takes place in July,  on the full moon of the sixth lunar month known as the full moon of Cancer.

It is also celebrated in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Laos, Myanmar and in countries with Theravada Buddhist populations.

The day is celebrated by donating offerings and candles to temples and listening to sermons… Traditionally, candles are amongst the items donated to the wat for Asahna Bucha and processions featuring candles are held at various towns in Thailand.

offering-candles

The tradition dates back to the times before electricity where the extra light was needed at the temple during the darker days of the rainy season. Local people will also ‘wian tian’ which involves walking around the wat with a lit candle, lotus flowers and incense.

The following day is known in Thailand as Wan Khao Phansa or Buddhist lent; it is the first day of Vassa, the Theravada rains retreat.

monk-2143117_1280

Vassa is a three-month retreat observed by Theravada practitioners this takes place during the wet season and lasts for three months.

A 2-day alcohol ban is also observed during this period.

I hope you have enjoyed this little insight into the Buddha days here…

Connect to Carol( Moi)

Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest ( 1): https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you  for reading and have a lovely weekend x

 

 

Whole mango stuffed with Kulfi.

3 Replies

I love mango and as we have so many also love to find mango recipes and this one sounds very nice 🙂

Cook With Reena!

Stuffed MangoKulfi?? Take out the stone, refill the hollow portion with concentrated milk, freez it, peel it like a normal mango, cut into pieces and enjoy…….

Famous legendary Kuremal’s Stuffed whole  Mango Kulfi of Purani Dilli(Old Delhi) replicated in my kitchen.  Not only Delhites, but tourists from all over the world(specially food lovers) visit this joint for having Kulfi.

I had been to this joint few months back and while he was preparing the mango to serve us, I put many questions to the vendor about the recipe and got an idea of the preparation. I decided to give a trial and OMG!! I  was excited to see the result. It was ultimate both  in looks and in taste. My first trial was great and I am sure to go better  with more trials.

I have prepared the concentrated milk in traditional way by reducing it in slow fire.  I…

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