Baby Panang (for parents too!)

As of late I have been adapting our adult meals to make a potful to freeze down for baby. I'm also aware that as he gets older, he needs to be exposed to more flavours, textures and tastes. 

For this Thai Panang Curry, each time I make it will gradually increase the amount of Panang curry paste which is added, therefore increasing babies tolerance of the different herbs and spices. Obviously stopping once I have achieved a mild flavour, I don't expect the poor kid to eat super spicy food like his Mum! The half a teaspoon used in this batch wasn't detectable to my palate, and therefore happily gobbled down by Mr 8 months. 

Depending on where your child is at with their eating, you could puree this, or pulse so still a bit chunky, or just roughly mash. We're still at the blitzing stage, also I add the rice in after a few blitzes so that it stays fairly chunky still. Feel free to use cooked rice, ground Only Organic Iron Fortified Baby Rice or a combination of the both. The good thing about adding the rice at the end is that it helps you to gain the right consistency; simply add more rice to make it thicker. 

This recipe includes everything that you need to make a meal to serve four adults (dinner and the next day's lunches for us), and 6-10 serves for baby. I freeze baby's portions in silicone ice-trays or muffin trays, then pop them out and store in a zip-lock bag in the freezer, defrosting as much as is needed each day. The first ingredient list is the total ingredients that you will need. The second is the portions which go into baby's pot. 

Ingredients (4 adults and 6-10 baby serves):

• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 parsnip, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 a squash or pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 1/2 a head of broccoli, florets, and stem peeled and cut into sticks 
• 1 apple
• 1 small kumara, peeled and diced 
• 1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced 
• 1 400g tin of coconut cream
• 1 tbsp oil
• 50 g + 1/2 tsp Mae Ploy Panang Curry Paste*
• 600 grams free range chicken breast or thigh, diced**
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• juice of 1 lime or lemon
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups rice + 4 cups of water

*Any Panang Curry Paste will work, however adapt the amount used according to the packet directions. 

**Use protein of choice including Beef, Tofu or Pork

Begin by preparing your vegetables, as you do measure out the following amounts to go into a separate 1.5L capacity pot for baby.

• 120 g carrot
• 50 g parsnip
• 80 g broccoli
• 200 g squash or pumpkin
• 100 g kumara
• 80 g apple 

All remaining vegetables, prepare and pop aside. 

Add to baby's pot: 100 g chicken (or other protein), 1/2 tsp curry paste, 1/4 cup of coconut milk and two cups of water. 

Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Remove lid and leave to cool for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, begin cooking your rice, according to packet directions. 

In a large frying pan (with a lid), heat the oil and over a low heat stir in the 50 g curry paste till aromatic, add the remaining coconut cream, then fill the tin with water and pour that in too, stir to create a sauce. Add the fish sauce and sugar. Add the chicken, carrot, parsnip, squash and any kumara or apple that was leftover. Stir, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes till chicken is cooked through and vegetables are nearly softened. Add the broccoli and onion, stir and cover for another 5 minutes. 

Serve the Panang Curry in bows on top of the cooked rice. 

As for baby's pot, it should be cooled enough now. Blend or blitz in a food processor till at the desired consistency. To make it thicker, add up to 1/2 a cup of Only Organic Iron Fortified Baby Rice, or up to 1 cup of cooked rice, or as I did a combination of both. Decant this into ice-trays or muffin tins to freeze, then store frozen cubes in labelled zip lock bags in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Chicken and Olive Tagine

I'm a big fan of aromatic foods, particularly Moroccan dishes. Technically a tagine is a curry, but more aromatic (cinnamon, cloves, ginger) than heat like you would get from an Indian curry. In saying that, this number does have a little chilli which can be increased or decreased to taste. If you don't have a tagine to cook this in, don't worry. A large saucepan with a lid will do the same job. Just when you pop the lid on, be sure to tilt it a little so a small amount of steam can escape, but effectively it keeps most of the steam circling inside. 

I serve this with a simple couscous and some harissa spiced yogurt, but it would be equally nice served with rice, roasted or mashed potatoes. You could also serve it with plain yogurt, or coconut yogurt, or simply eat it as is. I just love the sweet and spicy kick that you get from adding the Julie Le Clerc Spicy Harissa paste to the yogurt. 

Ingredients (serves 4): 

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp crushed ginger
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 400 grams of free range skinless chicken thighs
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced on a diagonal
• 1/2 cup of green or black olives - I've used pitted black olives this time
• rind of 1 lemon
• 1 cup of chicken stock

Couscous

• 300 grams couscous
• 450 mls boiling water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley - mint or coriander would work if you don't have parsley
• 1/3 cup of dried dates or apricots, finely chopped

To Serve

• 1/2 cup of plain unsweetened yogurt 
• 1-2 tbsp of Julie Le Clerc Harissa paste
• Steamed green beans - or other greens - to serve

In a dry frying pan, heat the cumin seeds, cloves and peppercorns till toasted and aromatic. Remove from the pan and crush with a mortar and pestle. Place in a non-metallic bowl with the remaining spices: paprika, ginger, garlic, chilli, bay leaves, salt and olive oil, mix well, then add the chicken thighs. Stir to coat and set aside for at least 30 minutes, or alternatively overnight. 

Heat the base of the tagine, or a large saucepan and add the chicken pieces, browning each side for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and carrots and stir so the onion begins to soften. Finally add the chicken stock, lemon rind and olives. Use the addition of the liquid to lift any flavoursome sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the lid on top, and simmer on a low heat for 20 - 35 minutes till the chicken is cooked through - cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

Meanwhile prepare the couscous. Mix the boiling water and olive oil with the couscous. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes to absorb. Add the lemon juice, parsley and dried fruit. Stir to combine. 

Mix the yogurt with the harissa paste and serve in a small bowl alongside the tagine. 

Once the chicken is cooked, remove to a serving plate, spooning the onions, olives and juices over the top of the pieces of chicken. Serve with couscous, spiced yogurt and green beans.

If you liked this recipe you could also try my Lamb Tagine with Cranberry and Almond Couscous

Tofu Panang Curry

We usually eat tofu once a week. It's affordable (only $3.20 from your local asian supermarket or veggie shop), and easy to whip up mid week. Most people tell me that tofu is bland or that they don't know how to cook it. Both of my go to tofu recipes, this one and tofu scramble, are well loved in our household and packed full of flavour. 

*I buy my curry paste from the local asian supermarket and follow the directions for 4 servings. Depending on the curry paste you use, you may need more or less than what's in this recipe so always consult the pack. I tend to look for a paste that's really thick, rather than a runny sauce type. Also when you're frying it off at the beginning you need to use a gentle heat otherwise it burns easily. If it does stick on the bottom a little, just add the liquid and scrape it off (remove any burnt bits though!)- It adds to the flavour. 




I always use full fat coconut cream too, and preferably one with no additives or preservatives. Coconut cream has no cholesterol and is naturally low in sodium (source: NutritionData), so don't be shy with it. The addition of pumpkin also adds to the creaminess of this dish, as it breaks down into the sauce. You can alternate the vegetables that you use according to preference or season, but I tend to put 3 - 4 cups in in total. Beans, cauliflower, broccoli or kumara (sweet potato) would also be delicious. 

Ingredients (serves 4-6) 

• 100 grams of (about 1/3 cup) panang curry paste*
• 2 tbsp oil 
• 1 tin of full fat coconut cream
• 1 tin of water
• 1 onion, cut into strips
• 2 carrots, cut into half moons
• 2 zucchini or 1 eggplant cut into pieces
• 1 capsicum cut into 3 cm pieces
• 1 cup of chopped pumpkin or kumara. 
• 500 gram packet of tofu 
• 1tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown or palm sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice (lemon will also work) 
• cooked rice and fresh coriander to serve

Method

Heat oil on a low heat, and stir in curry paste. Heat for 1-2 minutes till fragrant, then mix in the coconut cream and water. 

Add the chopped veggies, fish sauce, and sugar and simmer gently till vegetables are cooked (about 10 - 15 minutes). 

Finally add the tofu and lime juice and gently stir into the sauce to cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

Serve with cooked rice and a sprinkle of fresh coriander. 

Lamb Tagine w Cranberry Almond Couscous

Tagines are an aromatic Moroccan curry, with a sweet spice, rather than heat. 
To get best flavour I like to toast my cumin and coriander seeds on a dry heat and then grind them in a mortar and pestle. Apart from a little bit of preparation, this is ridiculously low maintanance to cook. Just put it in the pot and check on it every now and then. The couscous just hot water, stir and add some chopped vegetables, fruit and nuts. Too easy. 
You can make the couscous in advance and allow to chill in the fridge while you prepare the tagine. If available serve with fresh pomegranate seeds and plain yogurt. 

Cranberry Almond Couscous (serves 4):

• 400 grams couscous 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 70 grams slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries - or raisins 
• 3 tbsp fresh mint, finely sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 cup fresh kale or spinach leaves, finely sliced
• juice of 1 lemon 

Cook couscous according to packet directions, stir though remaining ingredients, set aside. 


Lamb Tagine (serves 4): 

• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp salt 
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger 
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed 
• 500 grams diced lamb meat
• 1 lemon, rind and juice
• 500 ml vege or beef stock 
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 large kumara, diced into 2-3cm pieces
• 1 onion, thickly sliced
• 2 tbsp flour (to thicken if necessary) 

In a large bowl mix all of the spices, the olive oil, garlic and diced meat. Cover and set aside in the fridge for 3 hours if time allows. 

In a large saucepan, or soup pot, place meat mixture, lemon juice and rind, vegetables and stock. Bring to a low boil, stir, and place the lid on the pot on a tilt, so that some steam can still escape. 


Simmer for 40 minutes, stir, then either remove lid to allow liquid to reduce more or return lid and thicken later with flour. Cook for another 20 - 40 minutes till meat is tender and liquid thickened. If thickening with flour, mix the flour with a few spoonfuls of cold water in a small bowl, pour this paste into the tagging and stir to combine, from here it will thicken quickly so do this shortly before eating. 

Serve couscous with tagine, pomegranate seeds and plain yogurt. 

Curried Coconut & Beef Meatballs

Yeah, yeah, I know. Curry and meatballs don't generally go together. But today, they do. Trust me. 
I initially got the meatball idea from Sarah Wilson's Coconut Curry Meatballs which she makes with chicken and carrot. As always, I mixed it up, adjusted the spices to suit and created this delicious tomato based curry sauce to simmer them in. Subtle spice, creamy, moorish and definitely a winner. 

Ingredients 

Meatballs

• 500g beef mince
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp crushed ginger 
• 1 tbsp of minced coriander root & stems - never waste these when you buy/grow coriander, they give wonderful flavour
• handful of finely chopped parsley 
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut 
• 1 egg 
• oil for frying 

Curry Sauce 

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds 
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp oil 
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp minced coriander root 
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp chilli flakes   
• 1 tbsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp cardamom 
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tin of full fat coconut cream
• coriander leaves to garnish 

Method

Mix all meatball ingredients together and form into 24 small meatballs. 

Heat oil and cook balls in batches till browned on the outside and nearly cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. 

Add cumin, coriander and mustard seeds to the pan and leave on a low heat until they begin to pop. Then add the oil, onions, garlic and coriander and sauté slowly for 4-5 minutes. 

Once onions are softened add the tinned tomatoes and a little water to rinse all the leftover tomato out of the can. Add remaining spices and simmer the sauce for a few more minutes. 

Finally add the coconut cream and stir to combine. 

Taste, as you may want to adjust the spices, to sweeten add more cinnamon, or to spice it up, more chilli, cayenne. To balance it out, try more salt. 

Gently place the meatballs back into the sauce and simmer, covered for another 5- 10 minutes till they are cooked through. 

Serve on top of rice or mash, garnish with coriander leaves, and dive in. 

Masala Vegetable Curry with Malabar Paratha

Craving curry lately, but seeing this isn't my area of expertise I've used recipes from an awesome book simply titled easy indian by Das Sreedharan. However, me being me, I had to improv on a couple of things with the curry, onion instead of shallots (which would definitely have a sweeter more subtle flavour), I omitted the tomato puree the recipe called for, but made sure to use really flavourful acid-free tomatoes, spice ratios and I used chilli flakes instead of powder. Below is my take. 


Anyway, the main reason I thought this was blog worthy was the paratha flatbreads that went on the side. It's a ridiculously easy dough to make. 

wholemeal flour - vegetable oil - water 

work together - rest - roll - oil - coil - roll - pan fry - flip - rest 

 devour 

Yep. 
That easy. 

Masala Curry Ingredients 

• 5 tbsp natural yogurt
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin - for best flavour, toast seeds in a dry pan then crush in a mortar
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 3cm cinnamon stick 
• 4 green cardamom pods, cracked
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 cloves of garlic 
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 capsicums, assorted colours, diced - I used 1/2 a green, 1/2 a red and 1 orange one
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 100g peas

Method

In a small bowl, mix yogurt with chilli, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and set aside. 

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add cinnamon, garlic, fennel, and onion and saute on a medium heat for 10 minutes till softened. 

Lower the heat and add the tomatoes and yogurt paste. Mix well before adding 600 ml of water. Bring to the boil and add remaining vegetables. 

Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes till vegetables are softened. 

Serve with paratha and rice. 

Malabar Paratha

• 125g wholemeal flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing and frying
• 150ml water

Method

Measure flour into a bowl and mix in oil and 150ml of water. Work together to create a soft dough and work on a lightly floured board for 3-4 minutes till an elastic consistency. 
Cling film, and leave for an hour, or till you are ready to eat. 
Cut dough into 4 pieces, take one and on a floured bench roll into a 15cm diameter circle. 
Lightly brush with oil then roll up into a long cigar shape. 
Place one end in the palm of your hand and wrap the rest around to make a coil. 
Gently press the coil in your hands and return to bench to roll out again. 
If rolling all out before cooking cover with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out. 

Heat a heavy pan for 5-10 minutes till really hot - or use a bbq plate. 
Sprinkle a little oil in the pan and place paratha in. 
Cook turning often for about 4-5 minutes total. You want them golden and cooked through. 
Cover and keep somewhere warm while you cook the rest, they will soften as they rest.