Welcome to my kitchen already one month has gone and we are in February…I still haven’t tackled that cupboard as I have been sorting out bookshelves and moving them.

My sourdough starter which was on day 7 has died I think because it was lively and I put it in the fridge overnight it was not strong enough ( Celia did warn me)…I killed it!

Today I started again…Take 2…Day 1… Still, it gives my proving basket time to arrive my bargain of the week at half the price Amazon charged and the same make…

Our chicken dish this week was another Thai curry this time a Massaman Curry…

Thai massaman is a rich, creamy fairly mild Thai curry sometimes tomatoes are added and traditionally cashews but can be optional. Vegetables are also varied depending on what is available or in season… play with the flavours. some variations add fruit like pineapple or oranges. The curry paste also has a distinctive orange colour and is in oil so immediately recognisable from other Thai red curry pastes. Some of the ingredients used in the making of massaman paste are not traditionally used in other Thai curries for example star anise, cloves and cardamom but are believed to have been introduced to Thai Muslims by Persian traders. The name massaman is believed to have evolved from the word Mussulman which is another word for Muslim.

• 500 gm chicken breasts/ thighs
• 2 med potatoes cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp of massaman curry paste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp of oil
• Bunch coriander chopped
• 6 baby corns halved
• Handful sugar snap peas halved
• Few mushrooms quartered
• Med tomato sliced ( optional)
• ¼ cup unsalted cashews( optional)
• 400 ml Coconut milk

Let’s Cook!

Add oil to a pan and stir in 1 tbsp massaman curry paste add tbsp fish sauce and cook for a minute to release flavours.
Add chicken and stir to combine with curry mix add coconut cream and potatoes. Bring to a soft simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. And potatoes are soft.
Taste and adjust seasoning if required more fish sauce or curry paste.
Add corn, peas, mushrooms and tomato if used and cook for a further 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Stir in coriander reserving some for garnish.
Add cashews and cook for 2 mins.
Serve with steamed rice and garnish with coriander and chopped cashews.

Enjoy!

My new dish this week is a vegetarian one the recipe given to me by Darlene author of the Amanda books… A lentil stew from Syria.

Yakhmat ‘Adas (from Syria and Lebanon)

• 1 cup lentils, rinsed
• 5 cups water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup rice, rinsed
• 1/4 cup fine noodles
• 2 cups stewed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried crushed basil

Place lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, heat oil in a frying pan and sauté onions over medium heat until they begin to brown. Stir in garlic and rice and stir-fry for another 3 minutes.

Add frying pan contents along with remaining ingredients, except basil, to lentils and bring to a boil. Cook another 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Remove from heat and stir in basil.

Enjoy! Nice with pitta bread.

Note: I usually cut the recipe in half as it makes a lot.
*Did you know that lentils are good for anaemia, low blood pressure and ulcers.
From my favourite cookbook, Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East and North Africa by Habeeb Salloum.

Thank you, Darlene it was delicious I used really fine vermicelli noodles, fresh ginger as I grow my own and don’t use dried and Thai basil…It definitely makes a lot though I am pleased I halved the recipe on your advice xxx

My go-to flatbread recipe…

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

Let’s Cook!

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.

My first attempt at this and I didn’t roll mine out thin enough to start with.

Heat pan and cook 2/3 minutes each side turn over with tongs or fish slice and done… finito..ready to fill…easy peasy.

Flat breads

Lastly, I am trying to cut down not only on added sugars but fat and I have seen many recipes for making a non-dairy cream with coconut cream/milk that I thought it was time I tried it as this is the home of coconuts…haha…

Coconut milk is in the fridge as is the stainless steel pot and the whisk blades…Christmas Pudding on to steam …Yep you heard it correctly my Thai daughter in law loves Christmas Pudding and we have some left so our treat after dinner is a bit of Christmas pudding with this coconut non-dairy cream…

Wow..that was easy it whipped up in about 2 minutes if that I added nothing and it was very nice even hubby who loves fresh cream and lots of it had to admit it tasted good…I think it is easier here as our coconut milk is 100% no additives at all…I will be making this in future and it is so much healthier. A non-dairy cream which would go with any dessert.

I would also like to thank everyone who follows my blog…If I don’t message you a thank you it is because I can’t as your Gravatar doesn’t link to your blog or there is no outside link to your self hosted blog …Not having that could potentially lose you, readers, it does seem to be a common mistake when setting up a blog and indeed one I made until someone kindly pointed it out to me…Pete has outlined everything in this blog post which for me was most opportune I hope it helps you…How to link your Gravatar to your blog.

Have a great weekend and please share with us anything you have made this week or even any kitchen disasters all your comments make my day xxx

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 I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

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://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

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

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great weekend xx