James Adedeji from Bims Kitchen has sent us his recipe for BBQ Ribs, which uses his new Smoky Baobab BBQ Sauce. His technique for cooking the ribs is quick and simple and from the look of the last picture there is not much meat left on them bones.
Thoroughly combine the sugar, salt and spice mix and rub in to each rack of ribs. Leave the seasoned ribs for at least 15 minutes and then place into a suitable oven tray.
Carefully add about 300ml of water to the bottom of the tray and then seal the tray completely with aluminium foil. Place tray into an oven pre-heated to 250°C, cook for 30 minutes and then reduce temperature to 170°C for another 30 minutes.
Remove tray from oven and carefully open to let steam out. Baste the ribs, which should now be quite tender, thoroughly with the BBQ sauce. Leave to sit for at least 15 minutes and then place ribs on an oven tray and cook in the middle shelf of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes at about 160°C basting occasionally with more BBQ sauce if needed.
Tips: This recipe also works nicely with beef ribs but cooking times may need to be adjusted depending on the thickness of the ribs. The ribs can also be finished off on an outside bbq for an even smokier finish. Our Hot Tangy BBQ Sauce can be used in place of the Smoky Baobab BBQ Sauce.
Dean from family firm Chinthe has sent us a recipe and video that show how quickly you can make a Byan Curry using their Burmese Curry Paste, as you will see from the video, this could not be simpler to make, and I have to say it tastes incredible.
Chinthe (pronounced chin-thay) was started in 1974 by Bertie and Barbara, who were Emigrants from Burma in the 60s, they began to make and sell Burmese condiments to supplement their grocery trade. News soon spread and the demand for Chinthe products grew. They are now into the third generation of the family producing Chinthe products with the same authentic recipes passed down from their Grandparents.
FYI – Chinthe is the name for the leogryph that guards the entrances of Pagodas and Temples in Burma.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of Chinthe Burmese Curry Paste 500g of Pork 2 tablespoons of oil 1½ cups of water 2 large onions
Method
Slice your onion
Cube your pork into bite sized chunks
Heat (low – medium) the oil in a deep pan. Sauté your onions by adding them to the oil for 7 – 10 minutes until they become wilted and translucent.
Add the Chinthe Burmese Curry paste and stir well. Cook the spices off for 2-3 minutes
Add the Pork, season with salt as required and mix in well
Add the water, stir well and bring to the boil
Reduce heat to low simmer. Simmer for 20-30 mins
Serve with rice or noodles
This is Dean first video recipe, we hope to have more to follow.
ChilliPepperPete has also sent us his recipe for a Hot and Sour Soup. this is one of his family favourtites, as with his other recipes, below is just a starting point.
Ingredients:
4 dried chinese mushrooms
4 tablespoons tree ears
12 tiger lily buds
5 cups vegetable stock
250g bean curd cut into 1/2 squares
can of bamboo shoots drained cut into small strips
3 tblsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar or honey
3 tbls rice vinegar
1/2 tsp ground pepper
6 facing heaven or chinese white for a milder soup.
1 egg
1 tsp sesame oil
1 chopped spring onion.
Instructions:
Soak the mushrooms to rehydrate in hot water for 1/2 an hour. Rinse the tree ears in cold water and also soak in hot water. Soak the tiger lily buds in another bowl of hot water also.
Strain them all after haf an hour. keep a cupfull of the soaking lquid and cut the mushrooms stems and caps into this lengths. Cut the tree ears into small pieces and drain the tiger lily buds and cut off the hard nobs and pull each bud apart into 2 long shreds.
Bring the veg stock to a boil in a large saucepan drop in the chopped mushrooms and tiger lily buds with the reserved soaking water of the mushrooms. Cover pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove cover and add the bean curd, bamboos shoots, soy sauce, sugar/honey, vinegar, pepper and chillis of choice and bring to the boil again.
Lightly beat the egg and slowly pour into the soup stirring constantly. Stir in the sesame oil, sprinkle on the chopped onion and serve.
It seems a bit complicated but its mainly the preparation which takes the time.
Remember that you can always add more chilli if its not hot enough for your palate but you cant take it out if you overdo it.
Of course chilli sauce can be used for a different dimension or finely chopped chicken or beef fish or whatever takes your fancy.
ChilliPepperPete has just sent us his recipe for a Szechuan Style Hotpot. Hotpot are available on Amazon, there seem to be two main types, the Mongolian type with 1 bowl and a centre for grilling/bbqing, while the Szechuan Hotpot has a bowl split in half so 1 side has a stock with lots of spices and chillis and the other a nonchillied stock with lots of herbs and onions. If you don’t have a Hotpot you can always use a saucepan and a portable burner or a camping gas burner.
You can put in what you like but the idea is to have it at a rolling boil in the centre of the table and to drop or hold in whatever you have prepared. Its a very leisurely way of eating and theres no rush to finish it. Meals can take all afternoon and evening. The flavours get more intense as the level in the pot drops and more water can be poured in to keep it going.
Suggestions for the stock are chicken bones and bits with a chopped leek and onion, carrot and some herbs boiled for an hour or so until it has reduced to a nice thick stock. Or it can be made with a few stock cubes veggie or meat etc if home made stock is not an option.
Once its drained with all the bits taken out chuck in the spices typically: 1 or 2 whole star anise, 1 or 2 whole nutmeg, various seeds like coriander and cumin with bay leaf, parsley and coriander with 20 facing heaven chillies cut in half with scissors. If you want it hotter add some Naga or Habanero or some Chipotle to make it smokey. Sichuan pepper lightly crushed is a must.
Pour water in to near the top of the pan and bring to a rolling boil. Keep it boiling while you play with it.
You can dip or drop anything you have into the boiling stock. Sliced meats, chicken, vegetables, mushrooms, sausages, noodles, potatoes etc etc. Whatever you have in the fridge really.
This is as much fun as you can have while eating and its very sociable with friends and families.
