Beef, Chickpea and Mango Curry

Well I return with good news! This blog and my YouTube channel will finally have new content added weekly. I have been so busy with my regular job that blogging and videos have taken a back seat for a while. But I am happy to be able to bring you some fresh recipes and kitchen ideas.

To celebrate...I present to you one of the easiest recipes I have made in a long time. I genuine one pot wonder.

Lets set the scene. You come home from a big day at work, you are completely buggered and really don't want to spend hours in the kitchen cooking up your dinner.

Souper Easy Wonton Noodle Soup

Firstly I want to apologise for my absence lately. I have been super busy with work and haven't had time to stop and post some amazing recipes. But I promise I have some amazing things in the works for you all.

Do you ever have those nights where you just don't really want something too big for dinner? Something that is not overly complicated but tastes like it took years to perfect...and not to mention healthy for your waistline?

Well introducing my new friend Wonton Soup. This amazing little soup has done a lot for me recently.

Corn Fritters

I have a theory that I want to put forward. Everyone loves corn. Thats it, cue acceptance music for FoodBlog 2013. It's a pretty simple thought but a very true one, I don't know anyone that doesnt like corn in some form or another. The best way to enjoy it is chargrilled with a little lime juice and salt on the BBQ, but because it is winter here in Australia we have to be a little more creative. So 1 Blender, 3 corn cobs and some other stuff and we have the perfect recipe for Corn Fritters.

I think I say this for almost every recipe I post, but this really is a simple meal to prepare and cook. It is basically a one-blender-wonder. The biggest decision you will have to make with this recipe is what & how you serve it. When I made this last (last night), I served it with a poached egg on top, chilli oil and some fresh coriander. But you can do what you want...use it as a side dish to some fresh pan seared scallops. God yes that sounds awesome...I'll add that to my list of recipes to try.

Now one last thing with this one, fresh is best. Don't use canned corn kernels for this as you won't get that crunch when they are cooked.

Anyway onto the best part...the recipe!

Makes

3 large corn cobs,
1 small red onion
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 bunch coriander
1/2 tsp baking powder
salt
pepper
oil for shallow frying

Place corn kernels from 1 cob in blender with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Remove and place mixture in a bowl and stir through the remaining 2 cobs worth of kernels.

Heat enough oil over medium heat in frying pan. Pour just under 1/2 cup of mixture into pan and spread out a little. Fry until golden brown on base then flip over and cook for same amount of time.

Place on a plate in oven to keep warm until you are ready to serve.

Bon Appetit from The Little Gated Kitchen

So-Cal Fish Tacos

This little recipe is courtesy of a few hours of boredom pondering what I wanted to cook for dinner. Turns out that with little effort you can create some really tasty food without stretching the budget. Now I have never had real fish tacos before but in my mind this is how I think they would be.

Fish...
Coleslaw...
Avocado, Tomato &
Coriander...
Soft Tortilla...
Plenty of Chipotle sauce.

Turns out after searching the glorious internet for a while I am not far off. You can put almost anything with this. Mango salsa, pineapple, diced beetroot,you could either pan fry, grill or baked your fish. Why not do small crumbed pieces instead? So many possibilities and options to choose from. You could go for a smoky BBQ sauce, a freshly made tartare sauce or garlic aioli. Should I keep going?

Quick & Easy Coleslaw

Seriously the easiest thing to make in the kitchen.

The coleslaw you buy from the supermarket should not be consumed as it is nothing like real homemade coleslaw. Doesn't taste like it, doesn't look like it, and you would be surprised at how easy it is to make yourself.

5 ingredients, a spoon and bowl and you are done. This is a no brainer for me. If something is that simple to make yourself in the kitchen why pay for some cheap knock off from the big supermarkets...and the taste...oh my it is oh-so-good.

Beer & Golden Syrup Slow Cooked Pork

Alright foodies, I think I may have hit the jackpot, the mother of all recipes, the one that will change your life forever. I am big on street food and don't get to experience it enough where I live in this small town (although that could change soon).

Our options include Kebabs, Burgers, Kebabs, Burgers, Kebabs, PIZZA! Thats it. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing too left field and definitely nothing made with any sort of soul, flavour or love...and to this point they aren't even street foods, not served from a van or cart, not served during the day and night from said van/cart. So technically we don't have street food at all.

Anyway, thats not the point. *Get back to the recipe!*, Sure thing. I found a few variations for Pulled Pork and thought I would try it myself and add some of my own flair to it. Who loves Beer? "Yeah I do" says the guy typing this. The recipe has flavour that smacks you in the back of the head and the resulting pork shoulder melts in your mouth. It is so so so good.

Blueberry Craisin Shortbread

I will be the first to admit I am not the best at baking. In fact baking and desserts are where I fail the most. But with persistence and practice comes success right? Right!

So why not try something simple. Basic ingredients, basic method, maximum flavour. I thought Anzac Biscuits were a simple recipe but Shortbreads are by far the easiest thing I have baked. Butter, sugar, plain flour and cornflour form the basis of this recipe. To this you can add anything you want. White chocolate chips, pistachios, cranberries, milk chocolate chips, peanut butter. The list is endless. 

Szechuan Chicken Stir-fry

Hello Foodies! A quick post tonight of a really simple midweek meal I made...wait..well yes I made it, but I adapted it from a recipe I found on the internet. Szechuan Chicken can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. I choose the simple way because that's my midweek style. I love simple and quick meals that use 1 wok and 2 chopping boards and can generally be cooked with pantry and fridge staples.

I like being different in the kitchen and I will always adapt a recipe to suit what I have in the pantry and in this case it worked really well and the flavour combination at the end of the day was fantastic.

Kentucky Fried Chicken - Original Recipe

Sausage Rolls

There will come a time in all our lives where we need to make something for a kids birthday party, snacks to have with drinks or a finger food for a BBQ. Thats why I always have my recipe for sausage rolls up my sleeve.

Whoever came up with the idea for sausage rolls should be commended with the highest honour possible. These little pastry wrapped parcels of meat are so good, and whats more enjoyable is that you can add and remove from the basic recipe as much as you want. Heck you could even take the sausage mince out and replace it with mashed pumpkin or sweet potato for a vegetarian option.

Chewy Anzac Biscuits

The 25th of April is Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand. It is a day to commemorate those members who have served and died in military operations for our country.

To tie in to this is a traditional Anzac Biscuit. Soldiers wives used to send over these small round biscuits to their Husbands and Sons in battle as the ingredients would not spoil easily on the trip over to them on the boats.

Fluffy Pancakes with Caramel Bananas

So when I get the chance to have a decent breakfast, I like to go all out. I knew I wasn't starting work until a little later (7:30am instead of 6:00am), so I took the chance to whip up a batch of pancakes for my fiancé and me.

I had all the ingredients I needed for my pancakes but I had a problem...a BIG problem. No Maple Syrup...yep you read correctly and I know what you're thinking. How can you have pancakes without maple syrup. It is unheard of, unthinkable, unimaginable! I needed a plan...and quick.

Mexican Lasagne

Where do I begin with this amazing dish. I was bored one afternoon and felt like Mexican for dinner. At the same time I wanted to try out my new pasta machine I had been given for Christmas. So many decisions running through my head. In the end I thought why not combine some beautiful fresh homemade Lasagne sheets with Nacho mince and create something delicious.

Now I had never made past before, granted I had seen plenty of people stuff it up on Masterchef before but I was up for the challenge. So I grabbed my eggs and flour and got to work. Now pasta dough is really hard to stuff up. I have been making my own Pizza dough for about 10 years and it can be a fine art depending on the type of base that you want. Pasta dough on the other hand is simple. 4 eggs & 400g of '00' flour and you're ready to rock.

Baked Jalapeño Poppers

Hello Foodies!

Do you ever have unexpected guests turn up wanting to settle in to watch TV, a movie or just have a few quiet drinks? If you are ever in this situation there is a little something you can have prepared ahead of time ready to go.

Jalapeño Poppers are a fantastic little cheese filled bundle of goodness that you can prepared ahead of time, keep in the freezer and bake at a moments notice. You can even deep fry them if you are that way inclined.

In terms of heat, you have complete control over how hot you want these suckers. Deseed and soak in some hot water for about an hour, rinse under cold water and you have a mild pepper. Me, I prefer them with a bit of a bite so I just scrape the majority of seeds and away I got. The cream cheese mix eases the burn for a while but it comes back to bite you pretty quickly....so tasty.

Dragon Fruit & Mango Smoothie

Who doesn't love an early morning smoothie? Well I know I love them, perfect for the start of the day. Looking through the fridge and fruit bowl there was an assortment of fresh fruit, sorbets and juices. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a ripe Dragon Fruit that was begging to be blended...

So thats what I did, I did what the crazy fruit told me to do. I blended him with some friends (Banana & Mango), added a little juice, some lime sorbet and ice. He didn't scream, if anything I think I heard Mr Dragon Fruit say thanks for being combined with 2 of his favourites.

Cemita Poblana (Mexican Sandwich)

Ok, so I have a mild obsession with "eat with your hands" foods, street food, dude food. I love this style of food and all the worldly goodness it brings with it. Simple ideas with big flavours.

So I have posted some brilliant street food recipes so far, Philly Cheesesteaks, Ultimate Burritos and New York Hot Dogs., but thought...why not add another to the collection.

So today we are making Cemita Poblana, a Mexican sandwich.

Pork Knuckle with Potato Dumplings & Braised Red Cabbage

Philadelphia Cheesesteak

Ok Foodies, so even though I have never travelled to the US, doesn't mean I can't enjoy the street food they have. It was 4pm in the afternoon and I was racing around town trying to find fresh Jalapeños for a recipe and was having no luck at all. So I needed a back up plan.

I saw a recipe on a blog I follow for Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches and thought to myself, I must try this...The Cheesesteaks will be mine. So I picked up the few ingredients I needed, headed home and got started.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Breakfast Fry-Up

Loaded Chili

Ultimate American Pork Ribs

Crispy Skinned Salmon

Pasta Dough

Pizza Dough

The Perfect Steak Sandwich

Dorset Apple Cake

Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Hey! So I was sitting around at 5:00pm on a Sunday afternoon not sure what to have for dinner. Should I have something really simple like homemade pizza (dough only takes an hour) or do I spend a little more time making something that is absolutely mouth watering.

Well...I went with the second option and decided to make Chicken Karaage or JFC (Japanese Fried Chicken). I'd also just bought a new DSLR tripod for my camera and thought what better way to break it in than to shoot my very first cooking video and upload it to the interwebs for all to see.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

It's 11:00pm at night and I am already thinking about what to make for breakfast. Normally weekday breakfast for me is something very basic, cereal, homemade baked beans (more to come on this) or a smoothie.

Weekends are where it's at for cooking a nice breakfast, as everyone says "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". But breakfast shouldn't be limited to cereal and milk or bacon and eggs. You can be so inventive with breakfast. Take something simple like eggs. Who doesn't like fried eggs? Why not do an omelette?

For me the easiest and tastiest breakfast is Scrambled Eggs. They literally take no more than 2 minutes to cook and you can serve them with anything. Fresh crusty bread, sautéed spinach and mushrooms or even chilli jam, crispy bacon and homemade potato fritters. The list is endless.

Scrambled Eggs have become routine for me on a weekend morning, and not to boast but I can't find a comparable recipe anywhere. Even when I eat out I will never order the scrambled eggs because I know they over scramble them. For me it is about gently folding the eggs, not scrambling to the point where they split apart and become nothing more than "Overcooked Minced Eggs". 

This is a simple recipe, 3 ingredients and your done. Use good quality eggs, cream and butter and you will never make a mistake. Now I have tried making these with Pure Cream but I am ridden with guilt because of the fat content in it. I use a light thickened cooking cream which does the job perfectly.

You also don't want to use too much butter because you already have a sufficient amount in the cream.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 x Large/X-Large Eggs - room temperature is best
• 90ml/3 Tablespoons Cream
• Small knob of butter

Place the eggs and cream in a small bowl and whisk. Heat a small frypan over Medium heat and melt butter making sure not to burn it. Pour in egg mixture and cook for about 20 seconds or until gently set around the edges. Stir the eggs with a wooden spoon, bringing the egg mixture on the outside of the pan to the middle. You want to fold the eggs more than mixing them constantly. Leave them to cook for another 20 seconds. Give one more stir and cook for 20 seconds more. You are now ready to plate up. 

Let sit for another 20 seconds to cook a little bit more then place on a plate with fresh bread, spinach, mushrooms, salt & pepper to taste and I love a dash of chilli sauce for a bit of a kick in the morning.

Like I said, this is an easy breakfast to make. You don't want to over complicate things in the kitchen where you don't have to.

Bon Appétit from The Little Gated Kitchen

Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter!!

This time of year for a lot of people represents a very special moment in the religious world. For me it is a time to indulge in some chocolate, have a beautiful piece of fish (can't go wrong with Crispy Skinned Salmon) for Good Friday dinner and relax with friends and enjoy a few drinks

Salt & Pepper Whiting with Mango Salsa

Salt & Pepper Whiting with Mango Salsa

There is nothing better than cooking up some fresh fish that you have just caught from the Deli section of the supermarket.

One of the easiest recipes I know of for cooking fish is a simple salt and pepper dusting that brings out the true flavour of whatever fish you may be using. It's takes no time at all and is a good base for some yummy side dishes.

The Salt and Pepper Whiting that I cooked I served with a really simple Mango Salsa just using some fresh ingredients I had in the fridge.

Welcome to the World of The Little Gated Kitchen

Hello Foodies!

This is the start of a fantastic journey that I want you all to come on with me as I explore the world of food. I will be posting my favourite recipes straight from the Little Gated Kitchen to you.

My life in the kitchen is a story in itself. I learnt to cook from a young age as I helped my mum with dinner prep while she was at work. I always remember coming home from school to a list on the kitchen bench with things to do neatly written down. Everything from prepping vegetables to cooking potatoes or rice. I used to love doing this as I was learning what worked well and what I could improve on.