Category: Recipes

Mom’s Sweet Flatcakes

February 16, 2011

Late last year my sister and I had this idea that we would blog about Mom’s cooking but we never had the time so I’m going to talk about it here instead.

Mom used to make these wonderful tasty flat cakes I used to stuff my face with.  She used very basic ingredients: flour, sugar, milk, egg and water.  That was about it.  Then she would fry it in a pan in vegetable oil until they were golden yellow.  Sometimes she’ll mash some banana’s and stir it into the mix and that was also really good.  The flat cakes tastes exactly like a flattened version of the funnel cake.  My sister and I attempted Mom’s recipe not too long ago and it turned out great.  I made a strawberry jam to go with it and oh my…it was so yummy! The combo of mildly sweetened flat cakes with the sweet and sour from the strawberry jam is like fireworks in the mouth.

Recipe: Mom’s Flatcakes

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 egg

Mix everything.  Heat up the frying pan with enough oil to submerge the mixture.  Use a measuring cup and scoop up 1/3 of the mixture into the pan.  They will flatten out as they hit the oil and float as they are cooked.  A medium pan should fit about 4 scoops.  Cook on each side for about 2 minutes until golden yellow.

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Note:  This is a really quick and simple strawberry jam. I make it liquidity purposely but you can add less water if you want it thicker.

2 cups of sliced strawberries

2 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix everything together over high heat stirring often.  Allow the strawberries to soften…about 15 to 20 minutes.  Let jam cool before using.  Store leftovers in a glass container in the fridge.  ♥

Thai Yellow Curry Chicken w/Potatoes

February 5, 2011

One of husband’s favorite dish is yellow curry with chicken and chunks of melt-in-your-mouth potatoes.  He was hooked on this dish when we were dating.  We used to eat out at a small Thai restaurant in Denver where the only dish he’d order was the yellow curry with chicken and potatoes.  I would always order the chicken laab and papaya salad.  We stopped going there and never went back the day I chewed on my laab and tasted something chewing and minty.  I spit it out to find that it was  a piece of gum.  I was completely disgusted then and yep, we never returned.

My sister also made a yellow curry w/chicken once.  I think it was on New Years Eve about 8 years ago.  She added green Thai peppers, galanga, and some other things.  Husband really liked it and ate a ton but didn’t realize there were Thai peppers in it and chewed on one.  His face turned bright red and he looked as though he was about to pass out.  He screamed for milk and was given a one gallon jug.  I think he drank most of it.  I don’t know if the milk helped but eventually the burning sensation went away after maybe twenty minutes or so.  It’s kind of funny to think back to that moment.

I’ve been trying to perfect my own version for him and low and behold, I did it!  He loves my version.  Here’s how I made it:

I use this packaged kind because it’s enough for our family.  In the past, I’ve used the cans but there’s always too much curry paste.  I usually end up wasting by either making way too much or wasting the paste.  These packets are usually sold at the Asian markets but I’m sure they (or similar kinds) can be found at any grocery store in the oriental/world section.

It comes with directions.  I used potatoes (preboiled separately) but not the peanuts.  I also added sliced onion with the chicken to the sauce.  After step 3, I like to add 1 1/2 cup of water.  I also throw in a Kaffir lime leaf for about five minutes as well as some Thai peppers.  I warn husband before I do that so that he avoids them.  I let the whole thing boil for about 10 minutes.  The liquid will thicken.  Add a little flour if it doesn’t.

Here it is done.  I purposely use red Thai peppers to make it easy for husband.  Did I mention that the onion also melts in your mouth?  Yum.

Here it is over rice.  You can tell it’s my bowl.  I like eating it with a Thai pepper or two.  ♥