Attempt #46: Sesame Seed Toffee Snaps

Before attempting this recipe, I would not have known that making this sweet caramel munchy would be this simple.

However, while it may be simple, it can get a little tad tricky if this is your first attempt. The tricky part lies in the process of cooking the sugar syrup and the spreading of the sesame seed caramel.

The result:

 

Overall, pretty awesome munchy to go with ice-cream or hot chocolate or tea or coffee or pudding or just on its own. Pretty much anything. J

The nuttiness of the sesame seeds tames the sweetness a bit. Plus, by making this on our own, we can manage the amount of sugar being used.

 

Ingredients:

1lb sugar

7oz pack of sesame seeds

Method:

Put your sugar and 8-10 tablespoons of water into a pan on medium heat. Sue a spoon to stir together - a few times until it comes to the boil and it will become a syrup. Carry on cooking until light golden (but dont stir too much or sugar crystal will form in your syrup.

When the syrup reaches a light golden color, pour in the sesame seeds. Swirl the pan around a bit so that the seeds get coated, but remember not to stir. Continue to cook until the color is dark golden. Immediately pour out onto a silpat (or a nonstick pan that has been oiled). Use a palette knife to spread it out until it is ~¼" in thickness...or even thinner, if you can. Let it sit and cool for ~15 minutes. Now you one big slab of brittle ready to break into shards and bits.

 

Attempt #41: Prawn & watermelon salad

Ahhh…. Just like eggs + bacon, pancakes + bananas and rum + coke, the combination of prawns + watermelons are also just meant to be. Safe recipe to attempt when having to bring a dish for those potluck dinners! J

The result:

Instead of baby spinach, I used ‘bayam’ (which is a different type of more popular known spinach in Malaysia) and I did blanch the ‘bayam’ first so that it is not so raw.

 

Jamie’s rendition:

 

Ingredients (serves 2)

zest and juice of 2 limes

• 12 raw prawns, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger, peeled
• 100 g unsalted cashews
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 small bunch mint
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 400 g watermelon, seeds removed, cut into chunks
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• sesame oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the zest and juice of one of the limes in a bowl and toss the prawns in it. Leave to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Heat a wok or frying pan, then add the cashews and heat until lightly toasted.

Add the sesame seeds for 30 seconds until they start to brown and pop, then remove all the nuts from the pan. Crush lightly with the bottom of a saucepan and place in a big mixing bowl.

Add the mint, chopped chilli, baby spinach, watermelon and spring onion to the mixing bowl and toss with the toasted nuts.

Add the prawns to the hot pan with a splash of sesame oil, season with salt and pepper and stir-fry lightly for a few minutes until cooked through.

Toss the cooked prawns with the other ingredients in the mixing bowl and season with lime juice, sesame oil, salt and pepper.

Tip: If you can't find cashews, unsalted peanuts will do instead

Attempt #39: Asian pinch salad

Prawns or shrimps… while I don’t really know the difference, I know that they taste great on absolutely anything and everything! J

This is one recipe that is definitely a keeper. Would definitely  make this again for future dinner parties as it is extremely easy and most ingredients are easily accessible.

The result:

 

I omitted chilies and rice noodles as I made this to go with rice. I am not a big fan of coriander either hence I didn’t add that into the dish. Even then, it tastes great! Simple, healthy and yummy.

 

Jamie's rendition below:

 

 

Ingredients

• 24 frozen raw peeled jumbo king prawns, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger, defrosted
• 1 pinch Chinese five spice
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• sesame oil
• 50 g fine rice noodles
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
• 25 g sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked
• 2 round lettuces, outer leaves removed and discarded, inner leaves reserved

Method

In a bowl, mix the raw prawns with the five-spice, ginger, lime zest and a splash of sesame oil, then leave to marinate.

Meanwhile, cook your rice noodles following pack instructions. Drain and toss in a little sesame oil. Allow them to cool then add the lime juice, chilli, sesame seeds and coriander leaves. Mix well.

Heat a frying pan or wok until really hot and stir-fry the marinated prawns for 2 or 3 minutes until cooked. Set aside.

To assemble your pinch salad, take a nice, cupped lettuce leaf and pile on a little of the noodle salad. Top with a couple of cooked prawns. Repeat until you have 12 little lettuce cups. To eat, pinch each cup together with your fingers and enjoy!

Attempt #14: Stir-fried vegetables (ala Jamie Oliver style)

This is a sweet surprise!

My first attempt on a Jamie’s recipe that is very asian / oriental in taste. The recipe calls for sesame oil and sesame seeds. I have never fried my vegetables this way before and I have learnt a new method of frying veg!

 

The result:

Thought the idea of slicing the mangetout (or snow peas as it is commonly called) was great idea. I am never a fan of eating those snow peas as it gets quite ‘raw’ in terms of taste and if you get the ‘older’ ones, the texture can be quite hard to chew. By slicing thinly and also mixing with the other vegetables, you can now get all the health benefits of a snow pea without having a hard time to chew and swallow it (esp for the folks who don’t really like your vege to have too ‘raw’ a taste).

Link to recipe on Jamie’s website. Click here.